Yao Ming quits as head of China's basketball association

BEIJING, China — NBA legend Yao Ming has quit as head of the Chinese Basketball Association after seven years in the job, the organization said on Thursday, calling it a "personal decision".

The former Rockets center is China's most famous basketball star and retired from playing in 2011.

"On October 31 the executive committee... held a meeting in Beijing to review and approve Yao Ming's application to resign as the chairman of the Chinese Basketball Association and elect Guo Zhenming as the new chairman," the association said in a statement.

The 44-year-old said he decided to quit "after careful consideration and based on considerations for the development of China's basketball and personal planning", the statement said.

It directly quoted him as saying that "basketball is a career I have always adored, whether in the past, present or future".

"I hope that everyone will continue to support Chinese basketball with me in the future," Yao said.

The association said the national sport administration "expressed sincere gratitude" to Yao for his work.

"It is believed that Yao Ming has done a lot of fruitful work in building the foundation of bringing basketball to the masses... (and) improving the level of the national team," the association said.

"The executive members... respect and understand Yao Ming's personal decision," it added.