Yi Jianlian, Chinese basketball icon and former NBA star, announced his retirement on social media early Wednesday morning. Photo: VCG

The power forward, who was born in October 1987 in South China’s Guangdong province, embarked on his basketball career at the age of 15. For the 2002-03 CBA season, Yi joined the Guangdong Southern Tigers, where he was named CBA Rookie of the Year. In 2004, he was selected for the national team and joined Yao Ming on the court for the Athens 2004 Summer Olympics. Photo: IC Photo

Yi celebrates alongside his teammates after clinching the championship title of the Asian Games in Doha in 2006. In the final game, Yi came up with 15 rebounds, helping the team to defeat host Qatar 59-44. Photo: IC Photo

Yi and Yao celebrate after the team beat Germany 59-55 at the men’s basketball preliminary at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Photo: IC Photo

Yi was selected by the Milwaukee Bucks as the sixth overall pick in the 2007 NBA draft. Photo: IC Photo

Yi exchanges high fives with his teammates before a game between the New Jersey Nets and the Sacramento Kings at the Arco Arena in Sacramento, California in 2008. Yi was traded to the Nets that year. Photo: Greg Ashman/VCG

Yi and Brook Lopez (#11) of the Nets go after a rebound against Al Jefferson (#25) and Ryan Gomes (#8) of the Minnesota Timberwolves at the Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota, in 2009. Photo: David Sherman/VCG

Yi boxes out Leon Powe (#44) of the Cleveland Cavaliers for a rebound at The Quicken Loans Arena in 2010. In June that year, Yi was traded to the Washington Wizards. Photo: David Liam Kyle/VCG

In October 2011, Yi made his return to the CBA and joined the Guangdong Dongguan Dayi basketball club. That year, he averaged 16.6 points and 10.8 rebounds per game and earned the MVP title in the FIBA ​​Asia Championship after China won the tournament, defeating Jordan 70–69 in the final. Photo: VCG

Yi carries China’s national flag during the opening ceremony of the London 2012 Olympic Games. Photo: Alex Livesey/IC Photo

Yi dunks in the semi-final against Iran at the 2015 FIBA Asia Championship. China regained the tournament’s championship title after a four-year gap, with Yi named MVP. Photo: VCG

Yao comforts Yi after the team’s 86-73 loss to Nigeria in their last game at the FIBA Basketball World Cup in Guangdong in 2019. The match marked his final appearance representing the national team in the tournament. Photo: IC Photo

Yi, Yao and former basketball player Wang Zhizhi pose for a photo in Beijing before the 2016 FIBA Stankovic Cup began. With Yi’s retirement, all 12 players from the “Golden Generation of ‘08” who competed in the 2008 Beijing Olympics have concluded their professional careers. Photo: IC Photo