Refuting an earlier report from ESPN, Yao Ming is reportedly not in the mix to buy the Clippers.

"I just heard about it in the morning my time," Yao said Saturday via email. "I really don't know where this news came from." Yao Ming bought the Shanghai Sharks in 2009 and is heavily involved with NBA Asia and while he may be looking to keep the news quiet, it appears that he is not putting together a group of investors to buy the Clippers.

Yao Ming is putting together a group of wealthy Chinese investors to purchase the Clippers, according to ESPN.

If Yao can get investors together like he can get All-Star votes, they may have a serious chance to buy the team. Considering the Sterlings probably won't sell the team to Magic Johnson, there could be several other suitors coming out of the woodwork.

Yao Ming has started classes at Jiaotong University in Shanghai.

The University is reportedly one of the top institutes in Shanghai, and Yao is studying mathematics, English and modern Chinese history. The goal for him is that the education aids him in future business endeavors, and there's no question that Yao will remain relevant to the basketball world despite having been forced into retirement.

Yao Ming revealed recently that he is partially deaf in his left ear.

Yao had an allergic reaction to a medicine when he was eight years old, which left him with just 40% hearing in his left ear. He said it wasn't much of a problem ("Sometimes, when it's really loud on the court, I can't hear clearly") but this is another hurdle the 7'6" giant had to clear in his path to NBA stardom.

Yao Ming feels that it's too soon for him to receive a Hall of Fame nomination as a contributor.

Yao's agent, John Huizinga, reportedly called the HOF and asked that the nomination be placed on hold. The earliest Yao could be considered for entry as a player would be 2017-five seasons after his retirement from the game.

Yao Ming made his retirement official Wednesday at a news conference in Shanghai.

A series of chronic foot and leg injuries ended the 7-foot-6 Yao's career prematurely. "Today I am announcing a personal decision, ending my career as a basketball player and officially retire," Yao said. He'll certainly be remembered for the amazing skills that allowed him to average 19.0 points, 9.3 rebounds and 1.9 blocks during his career. But his impact on popularizing the game in China will be his legacy. The next stop for Yao is the Hall of Fame.

Yao Ming's retirement press conference will be aired on NBATV at 2 a.m. Eastern Time (11 p.m. Pacific) late Tuesday night.

Basketball moments not qualified by some mention of the collective bargaining between billionaires and millionaires are rare these days, so tune in to see a guy who has arguably impacted the game of basketball more than any active player, which of course refers to how he generated interest in the NBA in China and abroad.

Yao Ming is expected to formally announce his retirement Wednesday in Shanghai.

Yao, 30, played nine seasons in the NBA. But he missed 252 games due to injury and his chronic foot woes simply became too much to overcome. It's an all too familiar sight for the game's tallest men. The NBA has not yet received Yao's official retirement paperwork, but it's coming.

The Rockets have been given permission to attend Yao Ming's retirement press conference in Shanghai on July 20.

GM Daryl Morey will represent the team, as this should be one of the few times players and management will be allowed to interact during the lockout.

Yao Ming has scheduled a press conference for July 20th in his hometown of Shanghai, where he will officially announce his retirement from the NBA.

As an unrestricted free agent, Yao is under no obligation to the NBA or the Rockets -- he can simply walk away from the game. His tremendous impact on the NBA can hardly be measured, as international interest in the game has exploded in recent years. Even below-the-radar Rockets big man Chuck Hayes is currently on a promotional tour of China.

Yao Ming has announced his decision to retire from the NBA at the age of 30.

Yao was a dominant center when healthy, as evidenced by his career averages -- 19.0 points, 9.3 rebounds, 1.6 blocks, and just 1.4 turnovers per game. He had an unusually deft touch around the basket and a soft jumper, shooting 52.4% from the field and 83.3% from the FT line, and his humility off the court was equally impressive. Sadly, his body couldn't support the rigors of an 82-game season -- after battling injuries for years, a series of foot surgeries limited him to a mere five games between 2009-2011.

Yao Ming declined to answer questions about his future at a charity appearance Sunday.

Yao (foot/ankle) has previously said that he won't know until later this summer if he'll be able to play next season. He'll become a restricted free agent on July 1. Considering Yao has played in just five games since the 2008-09 season, it's impossible to project any significant role going forward no matter where he lands.

Yao Ming conceded that he might have to retire if he can't properly rehab his ankle this summer.

Yao only plans on playing a couple of additional seasons even if his ankle holds up, but it appears the possibility of retirement for the Chinese center is a very real scenario. It would be sad to see Yao go out of the game like this, but his recurring injury problems are a major cause for concern moving forward.

Yao Ming's ankle is reportedly only 30 percent healed, according to the China Daily website.

"Walking or jogging is OK for me now, but I need to get 80 percent of my strength back to play," Yao said, adding, "I have got only about 30 percent at most now." Yao says that having his baby daughter play is a "tempting" incentive for him to return, but it remains unclear whether or not the 30-year-old will be able to continue his NBA career.

Yao Ming's rehab is proceeding on schedule, but according to the Houston Chronicle he has "never sounded so unsure about his ability to recover from an injury."

Yao sounds mentally exhausted after years of disappointment, saying, "The more injuries you get, experience may help you, but also it terrifies you ... My job is to play basketball instead of going to rehab every day." He has played just five games since May 2009, and said that he "might" know in August or September whether he'll ever play in the NBA again.

Yao Ming (ankle) received good news from his doctor, who said that "everything looks good" with Yao's recovery from injury.

Yao also re-iterated his desire to stay in Houston, and both team owner Leslie Alexander and General Manager Daryl Morey indicated that they're interested in re-signing him if he's healthy. The center doesn't know if he'll be ready for the start of next season yet, and it's very realistic that he never returns to 100 percent.

Impending free agent Yao Ming (ankle, feet) is in doubt for the 2011 FIBA Asian Championships, according to teammate Liu Wei.

The Chinese Basketball Association put Yao's name on their roster, just in case. But we'd be stunned to see Yao play any competitive hoops this summer after sitting out the entire NBA season. Yao just got his protective boot off last month and is angling for one last NBA shot.

Yao Ming hopes to return with the Rockets next season, assuming the CBA is negotiated in time.

"I am very reluctant to leave the city of Houston," said Yao, "I have been there for nine years." He should resume running this summer, but whether his body can attempt another NBA comeback (in Houston or elsewhere) remains to be seen.

Oft-injured center Yao Ming recently stated in an interview that he feels good and is going to try and resume his basketball career.

He said he is about 10 weeks away from being able to run. As much as we are rooting for him, it's difficult to imagine him ever playing a significant role on an NBA team again.

Yao Ming is reportedly "unlikely" to be traded prior to Thursday's deadline.

The appeal here would be the injured center's $17.6 million expiring contract, but it sounds like he'll be finishing the year in street clothes on the Houston sideline.