Yao's return lights China's hopes
(China Daily)
Updated: 2006-06-23 11:52 Yao Ming returned his home in
Shanghai on Wednesday evening, giving Chinese men's basketball team manager
Jonas Kaslauskas a reason to be delighted.
Although he is still recovering from a fractured left foot, Yao's agent said
he will join the national team in early July to prepare for August's World
Championships in Japan.
NBA Rocket centre Yao
Ming returned his home in Shanghai, China on Wednesday
evening.[xinhuanet.com] |
"He has made significant progress in his recovery from foot surgery and Yao
himself expects to return to national team as soon as possible," said Zhang
Mingji, director of Yao's agent team.
"He will take some days at home and join the national team in early July."
Yao, a 7-foot-6 centre for the Houston Rockets, will start exercising soon
but his hope of playing in the Worlds is still dim.
Yao suffered the foot fracture in his team's 85-83 loss to the Utah Jazz on
April 11, when he was fouled by Andrei Kirilenko, who stepped on Yao's foot as
he scored a first-quarter basket on a rebound.
He then underwent foot surgery the same week in the United States and doctors
suggested he would be sidelined for an estimated six months and miss out on the
Worlds on August 19.
"His injury is yet to heal up but his recovery is much faster that we
expected," said Zhang.
"Now, his doctor believes he will be ready for full-time training and be able
to play by around August 1 if his condition goes well."
|
