BEIJING (Reuters) - Yao Ming, China's most popular sportsman, will make his return from foot surgery to play for his country against Iran in next month's Stankovic Cup, local media has reported. The 7ft 6in (2.29-metre) Houston Rockets center had his NBA season cut short by a fractured foot in February and faced a race to be fit to lead China's challenge for basketball gold at the August 8-24 Beijing Olympics. "Yao Ming will definitely play the match and this will be his first match after returning from injury," the organizer of the Stankovic Cup told Sohu.com. As well as China and Asian champions Iran, the Stankovic Cup will also feature European champions Russia and African champions Angola. It will take place in Hangzhou, China, from July 17-20. Yao's agent said the 27-year-old had been given the all-clear by Rockets medical staff to return to China on June 24 but could not confirm whether he would definitely be fit for the Stankovic Cup. Source: www.reuters.com
I thought he only intend to play for China in the Olympics but now he is playing in Stankovic cup also. Isn't that increases the risk of injuring him before the Olympics?
I'm still not opposed to trading the chairman. an oft-injured stall with massive popularity, inherent structural physical problems and advantages, who plays ball almost year round and won't put his nba organization as priority #1? start fielding offers, daryl.
I know I will be heavily criticized by many,but Yao is treated like an indentured servant. If he has not been cleared to play,he mustn't be forced to participate.
Im pretty sure representing a nation in the Olympics is a bigger priority. If you dont think that, your a complete ****ing idiot.
You don't expect China will just insert an out-of-form and rusty Yao Ming into the national team and ask him to play and perform, do you? If they do, it will further increase the risk of him being injured during the Olympics. Besides, those FIBA tournaments and exhibition games (Note: Big Yao is expected to play a total of 7 games: FIBA Stankovic Continental Cup July 17 ~ 20 in Hangzhou featuring Angola, Iran, Russia and China and FIBA Diamond Cup July 29 ~ August 1 in Nanjing featuring Argentina, Australia, Angola, Iran, Serbia and China, and another friendly game with Argentina on August 5) just serves as warm-up games whereupon Big Yao can shake off his rust and dust, get into top competitive form and condition, and find some time to gel with his national team teammates. That is already much better than previous summers when Big Yao was required to be with the national team for over 2 to 3 months playing in more than 10 to 15 exhibition warm-up games against inferior teams before any major international tournaments. Even the experienced NBA players of the USA national team requires build-up and warm-up before the Olympics, right?
i just think china's got him on check... even the rockets staff isn't sure if he's ready... wow...i kinda feel bad for him...
If the Rockets management/working staff is not sure if he's ready or not, they won't allow/approve him returning to China. Kieth Jones, who is supervising and monitoring his rehabilitation progress, has already given him the go-ahead to return to China on June 24, based on what he saw in Big Yao already fully recuperated from his injury, had started running, and began playing one-on-one and three-versus-three physical contact basketball, even though still showing signs of rust and dust, and not yet in his top competitive form and conditions, which is normal considering he had been 4 months away from playing since his injury in February. But he could train himself back into the top competitive form and condition by working with the national team, and playing in those pre-Olympics warm-up tournaments.
hopefully yao will dominate, gain a lot of confidence after the injury, and then come back to help us and stay healthy
My parents are Iranian, and I don't know who to root for... NOOOOOOOO! Oh well, still a good match. I think Yao will beat Iran single handedly though.
IIRC last time they played against each other, the cnt won't by 60pts or sth.. the socre was like 90-30
when we get this guy back for next year and hopefully (keeping fingers crossed) staying healthy through the playoffs, we will win the championship. <object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/iVHOVOBRE_A"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/iVHOVOBRE_A" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="344"></embed></object> Shoot, if we had Yao this year we could have beaten every team in the West and given Boston Fits.
I thought you left!!! Just kidding. Thanks, pryuen. This is good news. Fewer games and, we assume, a full recovery.
