After sitting out an entire season, Yao Ming entered the 2010 NBA Free Agency with some uncertainty. Ultimately, the towering center chose to remain with his sole NBA franchise, the Houston Rockets , driven by one goal: to win that elusive championship ring. To make this happen, 'The Great Wall' reached out to every player who shared the same ambition.
"We have a very good team here; we have very good fans and a very good coaching staff. Why not come here? I would love to play with any of those guys out there. Hopefully, they come here all together," emphasized Ming, per CBC.
Ming was finally healthy again
Before re-signing, Ming, as he had many times throughout his NBA career, faced challenges with injuries. However, this time, it wasn't minor; the 7'6" center had missed a complete year due to a serious fracture in his left foot. Unsurprisingly, this setback didn't make his free agency decision any easier.
"To miss one year is a long time. I've never been in this situation before, and I'm getting as much information as I can about my foot to see what's the best for me and best for the Rockets. I decided a couple of days ago, and there's no one better than the Rockets now," 'The Great Wall' said.
Ming's eventual decision to remain with the franchise, which had drafted him first overall in the 2002 NBA Draft, delighted all Houston fans and also GM Daryl Morey, who called Yao the "centerpiece of the Rockets, the foundation of our franchise" before expressing excitement "to see great things from him next season."
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The recruitment strategy didn't pan out
Before starting the new campaign, Ming's eighth in Texas, the focus was on attracting stars to build "a great roster that's ready to win," according to the GM.
"We feel like we're a great destination. We don't really feel like the underdog. Any free agent, when they take the time to look through their options — they all will — they are going to see us as a very interesting option," Daryl stated.
A crucial element of the recruitment strategy was to utilize the "global presence" that the Houston franchise and its players gained after young Ming had joined from the Shanghai Sharks. For example, 'The Great Wall' and his teammates frequently served as brand ambassadors for major companies in that area. Additionally, Morey pointed out that their regular-season games drew more viewers "than the Super Bowl."
Despite this appeal, no standout player joined the Rockets during that free-agency period. The following season proved to be just as disappointing for the team and their Chinese superstar.
The roster, coached by Rick Adelman, ended the season with a disappointing 43–39 record , failing to make the playoffs. Yao played only 5 games due to ongoing injuries before retiring from his Hall of Fame career. However, there was at least one bright side: The iconic number 11 received a symbolic invitation to the 2011 NBA All-Star Game, marking his eighth and final selection.
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