He arrived in Houston in 2002 as towering and iconic as the durable Great Wall of China, yet over the course of his NBA career Yao's image became increasingly fragile. After missing just two games due to injury in his first three years in the league, he was sidelined for 250 over the past six seasons.
2002年姚明來到休斯頓，高大形象猶如堅實的中國長城；然后隨著他在職業(yè)道路上的推進，姚明給人的感覺卻是越來越脆弱。在聯(lián)盟的最初3年，他因為傷病而錯過比賽的場次僅有2場，而在過去的6個賽季里他竟有250場比賽坐在板凳上。

Yao would have become a free agent at end of the current lockout and had spent months trying to rehabilitate his ankle for one more chance at playing. He has said his desire was to remain in Houston to play for the Rockets.
在最近的NBA停擺事件后，姚明成為了自由球員。此前數(shù)月他都在努力恢復(fù)腳踝傷勢，希望能再次有機會上場比賽。他說過自己的愿望是留在休斯頓為火箭隊征戰(zhàn)。

However, he did not want to jeopardize his health for life after playing. Yao's parents were concerned enough about his welfare that they did not want him to attempt a return to the NBA after the broken bone in his foot that was suffered in the playoffs of May 2009.
然而，姚明不想因為比賽而危及自己一生的健康。2009年5月，當(dāng)姚明在季后賽里骨裂后，其父母非常擔(dān)心兒子的狀況，不愿他嘗試再次回到NBA賽場。

Following the birth of his daughter, Yao said: "I can only try so many times. I want to be able to run around and play with my child, not always wear a cast and use these crutches."
在女兒的出生，姚明曾說：“我只能嘗試這么多次。我還想和孩子一起跑步，而不是綁著石膏、拄著拐杖。”