http://www.espnstar.com/jsp/cda/other/aid=217947other_newsdetail.html NBA: Yao Ming's team waiting after NBA draft lottery SHANGHAI (AFP) - Chinese basketball star Yao Ming's club are waiting for a call from the Houston Rockets to learn whether the surprise winners of the National Basketball Association draft lottery want the giant centre, officials said. The manager of the Shanghai Sharks warned that if Houston opt for the 7-foot-5 (2.26 metre) player as their first choice, negotiations could get "very complicated." "We do not know if Houston will choose Yao Ming, they have never said that they wanted Yao Ming or that they have any interest in him," said Li Yaoming. "We want to know." Houston, with just a 10.78 percent chance of securing the top draft pick in the lottery, beat statistical favourites the Chicago Bulls and Golden State Warriors in Sunday's draw. The 22-year-old Yao, who led the Shanghai Sharks to this year's Chinese league crown, is considered top contender to be chosen first at the June 26 NBA draft in New York, alongside US collegiate star Jason Williams of Duke. However the decision could be affected by a number of factors, including whether Chinese basketball officials would rather see Yao playing in a city in the United States with a larger ethnic Chinese population. There has been speculation Houston could trade the pick or decide Yao is too great a risk in case he is required for competitions such as the Asian Games that conflict with NBA duty. "We don't know whether Houston will choose Yao Ming or not, it's difficult to say," Li told AFP. "We have already talked to Chicago, and Chicago seems to be interested. Yao Ming has not said if he wants to go to any other teams," he added. "Yao Ming has never said that he wanted to play for Houston. "We will have some demands and we have not talked to Houston at all, so we don't know what they want," he added. "This is going to be very complicated." Among the team's demands would be a player to replace Yao, training facilities in America and the use of a coach, Li said. "If Yao Ming is chosen to go then they are going to have to give us a player. If Yao Ming goes, then everything is going to change for the Shanghai Sharks," he said. Last month a top administrator at the China Basketball Association (CBA) warned that even though Yao will participate in the draft, it could potentially take years for him to reach the NBA due to complex new regulations on Chinese athletes playing overseas. The rules require that the player, his agent, his club, the CBA and the foreign league -- in Yao's case the NBA -- all sign the same contract, Xu Minfeng told AFP. When asked whether this could result in a situation similar to that of Wang Zhizhi, who was only allowed to leave the CBA and play for the NBA's Dallas Mavericks after over two years of negotiations, Xu said: "Yes, it might be something like this." Published: May 21, 2002
