Chinese basketball fans heaved a sigh of relief yesterday after Yao Ming successfully underwent foot surgery at a Texas hospital.
The surgery to fix a stress fracture in his left foot has dominated headlines in Chinese newspapers - and Yao took a solid step closer to taking part in the Beijing Games this summer, reviving the basketball team's Olympic dream.
"I am very relieved that everything went well with my surgery today," Yao said. "I look forward to getting better and starting my physical rehab as soon as the doctors say I can.
"I would like to thank everyone for their kind wishes and I look forward to the day that I can rejoin my Rockets teammates."
According to NBA.com, Yao is set to undergo a four-month rehabilitation.
Rockets team physician Tom Clanton, who performed the surgery at Memorial Hermann-Texas Medical Center, is optimistic about Yao's recovery.
"Yao is comfortable and recovering well after surgery," Clanton said. "At this stage, we will continue to monitor his recovery and begin aggressive rehabilitation once he is physically deemed ready."
The 2.28-m All-Star center is crucial to China's hopes of making the top six at the Olympics, and is also considered a favorite to be the country's flag bearer at the opening ceremony.
At the Athens Games in 2004, Yao guided China to a top eight finish, which equaled the country's best show at the Games.
Last week, he said missing the Beijing Games would be "the biggest blow of my career" after being diagnosed with the stress fracture.
Under new coach Rick Adelman, Yao averages 22 points and 10.8 rebounds per game. His last game was on Feb 24 in a 110-97 win over Chicago Bulls.
The Rockets have won their last three contests without Yao, extending their winning streak to 15 games. It matched the franchise record set during the 1993-94 season.
Source: China Daily
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