China: Yao ‘Must’ Play With National Team
This article is from the archive of The New York Sun before the launch of its new website in 2022. The Sun has neither altered nor updated such articles but will seek to correct any errors, mis-categorizations or other problems introduced during transfer.
BEIJING – China’s basketball association said yesterday it expects Houston Rockets star Yao Ming to play for his national team in the Asian Championships in September, likely stamping on his plans to spend the summer resting.
Yao has divided his time between Houston and China’s national team since joining the NBA in 2002, keeping him playing almost year-round.
“As a member of the China National Team, Yao Ming must come back to play for China, according to the contract,” said Li Jinsheng, a spokesman for the China Basketball Association.
All other team members are already in Beijing preparing for the Asian Championships in Qatar on September 8-16, according to Li.
“Yao Ming is expected to come to China soon and he will join the team for training in June after a short period of rest,” Li said.
Yao said this month that he hoped to take the summer off.
“I just want to relax,” he told the Associated Press in Houston. “I don’t want to do anything. I’m not too used to being relaxed.”
Yao’s commitments to China’s national team mean he is often not in peak condition during the NBA season.
