Yao Ming landed in the U.S. in the summer of 2002, 7-feet, 6-inches worth of fancy footwork, armed with a soft shooting touch. He was the top pick of that draft, selected by the Houston Rockets, whose new arena would soon be sponsored by Toyota. The Japanese carmaker had just opened a new plant in China, and the company bet that Yao fans would soon become Corolla fans.

　 7英尺6英寸，有着梦幻脚步和柔和投篮手感的姚明于2002年夏天来到美国。他作为当年选秀的状元秀选手，被休斯顿火箭队选中，此时火箭队的新球馆将由丰田公司赞助。这个日本汽车制造商刚刚在中国开立一个新工厂，并且坚信姚明的球迷会很快成为卡罗拉车迷。（姚明代言了卡罗拉车）

　 For many Americas, Yao was their initial exposure to the Chinese economic engine. He was a government project, nurtured from a young age in order to showcase the new China to the world. China fulfilled its promise; since those heady days of 2002, through the Beijing Olympics and beyond, the country has stayed on its path towards superpower status. Yao, sadly, fell short.

　 对于许多美国人来说，姚是他们对中国经济引擎的首次了解。他年纪轻轻，作为政府计划向世界展示新的中国。中国已经实现了自己的目标：自2002年那段令人兴奋的日子以来，经历了北京奥运会之后，这个国家继续保持着向超级大国的发展的良好状态。姚明，却很遗憾的退出了。

　 According an initial report from Yahoo! Sports, which was confirmed by several other news organizations, Yao is going to retire. He just couldn't conquer the injuries. A stress fracture in his left foot sidelined Yao after just five games last season. A broken foot forced him to miss all of the the 2009-2010 season. In fact, due to foot and knee injuries, Yao played in more than 55 games just once over the past six seasons.

根据雅虎体育最早的报道，以及随后确认该消息的其他新闻媒体，姚即将退役。他无法战胜伤病。左脚应力性骨折使姚上赛季只打了五场比赛。脚伤让他缺席了整个2009-2010赛季。事实上，因为脚伤和膝伤，姚在过去6个赛季中只有一个赛季打了超过55场的比赛。

　 Prior to Yao, players over 7'4" were usually one-dimensional freaks. Manute Bol, at 7'7", blocked shots and, during one stretch, started hoisting awkward three-pointers. Shawn Bradley, 7'6", had skills, but was far too meek to be a star. Yao, however, could do it all. At his peak, in 2006-2007, he averaged 25 points per game. His turnaround jumper was unstoppable. His post-passes were usually on the money. (It helps when you can see over everyone.) Yao, who played in just eight seasons, finished his career averaging 19.0 points, and 9.2 rebounds, per game. His Rockets never advanced further than the second round of the playoffs.

　 在姚之前，超过7尺4寸的球员往往都是“一招鲜”。7尺7寸的马努特·波尔（Manute Bol，前NBA中锋球员，曾效力于华盛顿奇才队），几乎只会盖帽，并且在一段时间里只能作为一个尴尬的三分手。七尺六寸的肖恩·布拉德利（ Shawn Bradley，前NBA中锋球员，曾效力于达拉斯小牛队），虽然具备一些技巧，但远不能使他成为一名球星。而姚明，却是无所不能的。在他2006-2007的巅峰赛季，他场均得到25分。他的转身跳投无法阻挡，他的高位传球总是非常及时到位（你会发现它能够越过任何人）。姚只打了8个赛季，职业生涯场均19.0分，9.2篮板。他的火箭队从来没有跨过季后赛第二轮。

　 Whatever on-court milestones Yao's body never allowed him to achieve, he more than made up for off the court. Yao was so much more than a basketball player. To the Chinese public who adored him, he was a symbol of his home country's possibility. Yao carried the Chinese flag at the Olympic opening ceremonies, soaking in the love of his country.

　 虽然姚的身体状况让他无法实现自己球场上的目标，他在球场外却做得更多。姚不仅仅是一名篮球运动员。对于崇拜他的中国公众来说，他是祖国潜力的一种象征。姚在奥运会开幕式上作为中国代表团的旗手，沉浸于对自己祖国的热爱中。

　The NBA, and basketball in general, has greatly benefited from Yao's emergence. Hoops is hot in China — just witness the Nike-clad kids on the Beijing blacktops, showing off their crossover dribble — largely because of him. Nike executives, and NBA commissioner David Stern, should genuflect at Yao's size-18 feet. A 1.3 billion-strong market is not a bad place to be booming.

　NBA，甚至整个篮球界都受益于姚明的出现。只需看看那些在北京室外球场上穿着耐克、玩着交叉步运球的孩子们， （就会发现）篮球在中国如此火热，而这些几乎都可以归功于姚明。耐克公司的决策者们，以及NBA的总裁大卫·斯特恩，都应该对姚明伟岸的身影顶礼膜拜。13亿人的大市场可是难以寻得的啊。

　Yao just got it. He became conversant in English, and could crack wise on Jimmy Kimmel's show or play pitchman for Visa. Teammates loved him. Sure, it's easy to dream about what might have been. Maybe a healthy Yao could battle Kobe Bryant and Dirk Nowitzki for Western Conference supremacy.

　 姚明是成功的。他精通英语，他能够在吉米秀（美国ABC公司的一栏脱口秀节目）上展示富有智慧的幽默，他还担任visa的代言人。队友们都喜欢他。也许一个健康的姚明能做与科比·布莱恩特和德克·诺维茨基争夺西部联盟霸权。

　 But you must acknowledge what Yao Ming did accomplish. The game, and its fans, think more globally, thanks to him. No broken bones sully that enormous achievement.

　 但是你必须承认姚明的成功。无论是比赛还是球迷，都是由于他，而进一步的全球化。小小的骨伤根本不能掩饰他巨大的成就。