The retired jersey of Yao Ming is revealed during halftime of the game between the Houston Rockets and the Chicago Bulls at Toyota Center on February 3, 2017 in Houston, Texas. [Photo/VCG]

The 36-year-old Yao Ming said, "When I first came to town, Houston was no different than any other city in the United States. But as time passed by, all the faces came into memory. Remember this, that Houston for me from now on is not just a word. Every time they mention it, your faces are in my memory, in my brain."

"I hope people see the jersey there and remember the story, not only about myself, but also my teammates, my opponents. We created the story together, just like the other jerseys created the story for us," Yao said.