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Houston Rockets center Yao Ming underwent surgery Thursday (January 6) to repair a stress fracture in his left ankle ... and it may end his basketball career, says reports.
The 7-foot-6 Chinese superstar has only played five games this season, his last being November 10, and his team has declared him out for the rest of the season, following his absence the entire previous season following reconstructive foot surgery.
Team doctor Tom Clanton performed the procedure in Houston, said the Associated Press.
As of now, Yao's future is still uncertain, but things don't look good. He says he's just going to focus on recovery and will look his options.
"I know this will be another long rehab," Yao said in a statement. "But I'm looking forward to beginning my recovery. I will use this time to consider all of my options, and will make a decision regarding my career plans as I get closer to the end of my rehab."
Yao was drafted by the Rockets with the #1 overall pick in 2002, but his NBA career has been derailed by a rash of injuries, mostly to his left foot and ankle.
During his first three seasons in the league, he only missed two games. However, his battle with injuries began during the 2005-06 season, when he missed 21 games with an infection in his left big toe. He then broke his left foot late in the season, and missed the last four games.
In 2008-09, he played in 77 regular-season games before he sustained a hairline fracture in his foot that required complex surgery during the playoffs.
Although the Rockets carefully monitored his minutes coming into this season, Yao was injured in Houston's 98-91 loss to the Washington Wizards on Nov. 10.
His team and coach feel for the gentle giant, and hope he can recover quickly, whatever the outcome is.
"You knew it was coming," coach Rick Adelman said. "You just hope, with the surgery, that he can get back to where he can walk around and be ready to make whatever decision he needs to make at that point.
"You've got to feel for him," Adelman said. "But it's sounds like something he had to do, if he ever wants to play again, or if he ever wants to have a quality of life. That's the approach he's taking right now, and when he rehabilitates a little bit, we'll see where he goes from there."
Yao's contract with Houston expires after this season, and the Rockets are still awaiting word from the league if they'll be granted a disabled player salary exception for Yao. It would allow Houston to acquire a free agent, or trade for a player without having to match salaries, up to the value of the midlevel exception (about $5.75 million), much like they did in 2009 when they signed Trevor Ariza in the off-season.
Right now, only time will tell what Yao's future in the NBA holds.
The 7-foot-6 Chinese superstar has only played five games this season, his last being November 10, and his team has declared him out for the rest of the season, following his absence the entire previous season following reconstructive foot surgery.
Team doctor Tom Clanton performed the procedure in Houston, said the Associated Press.
As of now, Yao's future is still uncertain, but things don't look good. He says he's just going to focus on recovery and will look his options.
"I know this will be another long rehab," Yao said in a statement. "But I'm looking forward to beginning my recovery. I will use this time to consider all of my options, and will make a decision regarding my career plans as I get closer to the end of my rehab."
Yao was drafted by the Rockets with the #1 overall pick in 2002, but his NBA career has been derailed by a rash of injuries, mostly to his left foot and ankle.
During his first three seasons in the league, he only missed two games. However, his battle with injuries began during the 2005-06 season, when he missed 21 games with an infection in his left big toe. He then broke his left foot late in the season, and missed the last four games.
In 2008-09, he played in 77 regular-season games before he sustained a hairline fracture in his foot that required complex surgery during the playoffs.
Although the Rockets carefully monitored his minutes coming into this season, Yao was injured in Houston's 98-91 loss to the Washington Wizards on Nov. 10.
His team and coach feel for the gentle giant, and hope he can recover quickly, whatever the outcome is.
"You knew it was coming," coach Rick Adelman said. "You just hope, with the surgery, that he can get back to where he can walk around and be ready to make whatever decision he needs to make at that point.
"You've got to feel for him," Adelman said. "But it's sounds like something he had to do, if he ever wants to play again, or if he ever wants to have a quality of life. That's the approach he's taking right now, and when he rehabilitates a little bit, we'll see where he goes from there."
Yao's contract with Houston expires after this season, and the Rockets are still awaiting word from the league if they'll be granted a disabled player salary exception for Yao. It would allow Houston to acquire a free agent, or trade for a player without having to match salaries, up to the value of the midlevel exception (about $5.75 million), much like they did in 2009 when they signed Trevor Ariza in the off-season.
Right now, only time will tell what Yao's future in the NBA holds.