Bilingual News - 姚明退役声明全文 Full Transcript of Yao Ming's Statement

Yao Ming made his exit from professional basketball official Wednesday, announcing his retirement from the NBA and a sport that made him a household name across China. [Photo/Sohu]

北京时间2011年7月20日，姚明在上海举行了发布会，正式宣布退役。以下是姚明本次发布会的声明——

大家好，各位领导、各位来宾，新闻界的朋友们，大家好，谢谢大家今天的光临。
Hello everyone, leaders, guests, and friends from news media, good afternoon, and thanks for coming.

今天对我来说是一个重要的日子，无论是对我以往的篮球职业生涯，还是未来的个人发展，都具有特殊的意义。
Today is an important day for me. For myself, my basketball career and the personal growth in the future, it has a particular meaning.

去年年底，我的左脚第三次应力性骨折，我不得不离开赛场，半年多以来和很多关心我的朋友一样，我也是在漫长期待中度过的，在这段时间里，内心十分纠结，反复思考，为此我今天要宣布一个个人决定，作为篮球运动员，我将要结束自己的运动生涯，正式退役。
At the end of last year I broke my left foot for a third time. I had to leave the basketball court, and spent the last half of the year waiting, just as many of those who care about me. During that period, I struggled a lot in my heart and thought a lot. Now I am going to announce a personal decision: I am going to end my career as a basketball player and officially retire.

此时此刻，回顾过去、展望未来，我内心充满感激。
Looking back on the past and right into the future, I am deeply grateful.

我首先要感谢的是篮球，这项伟大的运动，为无数人带来了快乐，包括我自己。我4岁的时候有了第一个篮球，9岁进入上海市徐汇区体校，14岁进入上海青年队，16岁背上我父亲当年的号码，代表上海队比赛。
First I'd like to thank basketball. This great sport has brought joys to so many people, including me. I had my first basketball when I was four. I entered the Sports School of Xuhui District of Shanghai when I was nine and entered the Shanghai Basketball Youth Team at 14. At 16, I began playing for Shanghai Basketball Team, wearing my father's number.

篮球使我延续了家族的传承，每当看到父母欣慰的眼神我就感到无比自豪。
I inherited my family's tradition by playing basketball. I feel so proud every time I look into the eyes of my parents, who are proud of me.
我也非常荣幸有幸能和上海大鲨鱼的队友们一起为上海队赢得了2002年CBA冠军，使我们和身后这座城市联系在一起。
I feel very honored to have the opportunity to win the CBA title in 2002 with Shanghai Shark teammates, which has linked us all to this city behind.

同一年在进入NBA之后，篮球引领我进入了一个更宽广的舞台，使我可以尽情展现自己。
Basketball also led me on a greater stage when I entered NBA that year. I could play with all I had.

我更感谢有机会可以为中国国家队奋战十年，那是无数青年人的梦想，同时因为篮球与心爱的人结缘，建立了美满的家庭，获得了一生的幸福。
What's more, I feel thankful that I had the opportunity to fight together with the national team for 10 years, which is many young players' dream, and through which I got to know and married my beloved woman, and made a happy family and obtained the happiness of my life.

所有这一切都是我无比热爱的篮球所带给我的，我要感谢篮球。
All of these are brought by my love, basketball. I want to thank basketball.

我还要感谢生活，无论我所热爱的篮球还是别的什么东西，都是生活的一部分，我觉得生活就像一个向导，你虔诚地追随它了，它就会为你打开一扇又一扇的门，而门外的世界各有不同，无比精彩。今天我退役了，一扇门关上，但另一扇正在徐徐打开，门外有崭新的生活等着我认真品读。
I would also like to thank life. No matter my favorite basketball or something else, they are all parts of the life. Life is like a guide. When you sincerely follow it, it will open one and another door for you and the world outside of them is so different and exciting. Today, I retired. The door of basketball is closed, but another door has just opened which will lead me to a new life waiting for me to experience.

我将继续投身社会公益事业，姚基金是我个人的基金，已经成立了3年，接下来我会以此为依托，影响更多人参与慈善事业，帮助更多人。同时我希望结识更多朋友，一起做一些共同喜欢的事情。
I will continue to participate in social welfare in the future. Yao Fund is my personal fund, which has been established for three years. And in the coming future, I will take this as the basis and call on more people to get involved in charity and help more people. And at the same time, I wish to know more friends here and to do some things together with you.

相信在各行各业有识之士的交往中我会学到更多东西，丰富精彩我的生活，从上海走向全国，从中国走向世界，所以我要感谢生活，今后，唯有认真对待它，才是对生活最好的回报。
I believe the exchanges with all of you will teach me more things that will also enrich my life and help me to start from Shanghai to the whole country, from China to the whole world, so I'll thank life. And in the coming future, to take it seriously will be the best reward to life.

最后我要感谢我的亲人和所有的朋友，我这儿有一份很长的名单，由于时间的原因不能一一提及，只能简读其中的代表，希望朋友们多多见谅。
At last, I want to thank my family and all my friends. I have a very long name list here, but for time limit, I can only mention some of you, please forgive me.

首先我要感谢的是我的家人、父母，是我人生的启蒙者，叶莉是我最好的倾听者，可爱的姚泌蕾是我的希望。我还感谢我的教练们，是他们见证了我每一步的成长，其中有我的启蒙教练，我在上海大鲨鱼的所有教练，我在国家队的主教练，火箭队的主教练，教练员，还有前任总经理。
Firstly I want to thank my family member, parents, who are the enlightenment to me, Ye Li is also the best listener. I also want to thank my coaches, who have witnessed every step of my growth, including my mentor, all coaches in Shanghai Sharks, and the coaches in national team, in Rockets, and former manager.

我还要感谢各位领导，特别是国家体育总局，中国篮协，上海市体育局、上海文广集团以及原上海东方大鲨鱼各级领导，他们的关心、鼓励使我不断前进，取得今天的成绩。
I also want to thank all leaders, especially State General Administration of Sports, especially State General Administration of Sports, Shanghai Basketball Association, Shanghai Sports Bureau, Shanghai Wenguang Group and leaders from Shanghai Sharks. Their care, encouragement always drives me to progress and to get today's achievement.

我要感谢NBA和休斯敦火箭队管理层，今天非常感谢他们的到来，莫雷，他们理解和支持帮助我克服了文化和语言的障碍，可以在世界最高的联赛中站稳脚跟。
I also want to thank the NBA and the Houston Rockets manager. Thanks for their presence, and thank you Daryl Morey. Their support and understanding helped me overcome the cultural and language barriers, enabling me to stand firm on the world's best basketball team.

接下来我要感谢我的队友和对手们，首先是刘炜，我们并肩成长，一起打拼，这段共同的经历是我最珍贵的人生片断，还有大郅和奥尼尔，他们是我追赶的目 标与前进的动力，没有他们，我就不是今天的我。范斌，他是我国家队的良师益友，还有沈魏、李楠、巴特尔、易建联……所有和我一起在徐汇区业余体校、上海青 年队、上海大鲨鱼队、休斯敦火箭队、国家青年男篮和国家队一起奋斗过的队友，还有在CBA和NBA包括世界赛场上一起竞争过的对手们，一起挥汗如雨的日 子，令人如此难忘。
I'd like to extend my gratitude to my teammates and opponents. First of all, Liu Wei. We have grown up together as teammates, and this will be the most precious experience in my life. Wang Zhizhi and Shaquille O'Neal, it is your presence that keeps me endeavoring to catch up to you and you are always my targets. Without you two, I could not make such an achievement. I also want to say thanks to Fan Bin, my mentor on the national team and to Shen Wei, Li Nan, Mengke Bateer, Yi Jianlian and all my teammates at Xuhui District Amateur Sports School, Shanghai Youth Team, Shanghai Sharks, Houston Rockets, National Youth Team and the National Team, to my opponents in the games of CBA and NBA. It was indeed memorable days to play with you.

当然还要感谢我的管理层姚之队，感谢现在还在台前台后忙碌的人们，多年来你们为我做了很多事情，我不会忘记。
I also want to thank "Yao's team" (Yao Ming's business planning team) for all you have done for me over the years and I will never forget it.

借此机会我还要感谢常年支持我的新闻界朋友，感谢我的赞助商和合作伙伴，和你们交往，让我受益匪浅，还有球迷朋友们，不管是黑还是蜜，不管是国内的还是国外的，感谢所有的朋友，大家的关心使我获得了足够的信心，大家的批评使我修正了缺点和不足。
I want to take this opportunity to express my thanks to friends from the media, to my sponsors and partners, from whom I have learned a lot, and to my dear fans, whether you like me or not, whether you are Chinese or foreigners. The care from all of you gives me enough confidence and your criticism helps me improve myself.

今天提到和没提到的，你们每一个人都在我心中，总而言之，我感谢所有亲人和朋友多年来的陪伴，我会继续做好我自己，一起离开大家……不会离开大家，抱歉，说错了。
All of you, whether I have mentioned above or not, will be in my heart. In a word, I want to say thank you to my family and friends for your company all these years. I will continue to be the best I can be and continue to be with you all.

姚明和朋友永远在一起，谢谢大家。
Yao Ming will always be with you, my dear friends, thank you!

最后，我要感谢这个伟大、进步的时代，使我有机会去实现自己的梦想和价值，我曾经说过，有一天我的职业篮球生涯结束了，我希望那只是一个逗号，不是 一个句号，今天这一天终于到来了，但我没有离开篮球，我的生活还在继续，我还是姚明，我还有很多事情可以做，远远没有达到划上句号的那一天。
Finally, I will express my gratitude to the great and progressive era, in which I have a chance to make my dream come true and show my value. Once I said when my basketball career ended, it was just a comma rather than a full stop. Now the day comes, but I don't leave basketball, my life is still continuing. I am still myself, Yao Ming. There are a lot of things for me to do and it is far too early to say goodbye.

祝朋友们健康、快乐，祝福我的家乡上海、第二故乡休斯敦，我们伟大的祖国因为热爱篮球运动拥有更加美好的明天。
I wish you all a healthy and happy life. I wish my hometown Shanghai, second hometown Houston, my great motherland and I wish basketball a bright future.

谢谢大家！
Thank you very much!