Tuesday, June 27, 2006
China won't pressure injured Yao to play at worlds
Injured center Yao Ming is under no pressure to play at next month's world championships in Japan, according to the commissioner of the Chinese Basketball Association.
The four-time NBA All-Star broke his left foot playing for the Houston Rockets on April 10 against Utah, putting in doubt his participation in the world championships, which begin Aug. 19.
"We will by no means urge him to play the world championship in Japan," commissioner Li Yuanwei told state news agency Xinhua. "He should be fully recovered before considering coming back for the world championship.
"We do not want him to take any risks; he can take his time in recuperation."
Yao, 25, returned to China last week and will join the national squad in Beijing next week from his home in Shanghai.
Zhang Mingji, head of "Team Yao", said his cousin's recuperation was going well.
"He has a good chance to recover in time," Zhang told Xinhua. "Yao himself wanted very much to play, but the CBA officials told him not to hurry."
The four-time NBA All-Star broke his left foot playing for the Houston Rockets on April 10 against Utah, putting in doubt his participation in the world championships, which begin Aug. 19.
"We will by no means urge him to play the world championship in Japan," commissioner Li Yuanwei told state news agency Xinhua. "He should be fully recovered before considering coming back for the world championship.
"We do not want him to take any risks; he can take his time in recuperation."
Yao, 25, returned to China last week and will join the national squad in Beijing next week from his home in Shanghai.
Zhang Mingji, head of "Team Yao", said his cousin's recuperation was going well.
"He has a good chance to recover in time," Zhang told Xinhua. "Yao himself wanted very much to play, but the CBA officials told him not to hurry."
# posted by Michelle @ 11:57 AM 
