Yao May Quit if his Foot Doesn't Fully Heal

[Jeffx]

Too bad for Yao.

http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news;_ylt=A ... -yaofuture

[Axel The Great]

There's a reason the Rockets built so much depth at the PF/C position. You've got Scola, Patterson, Hill, Andersen, Hayes, etc. Daryl Morey knew that Yao couldn't possibly return and play like he used to. Which is why he added so many Forwards and Centers to the team. This pretty much just sucks though, it's bad to see such height and talent get put down by injuries.

[JaoSming]

I love the guy (can you tell) but sometimes you really just need to call it quits....it's a shame though...

[Andrew]

Here's hoping he can have at least one last go-around that's relatively injury-free. It's a real shame, obviously his large frame has a lot to do with his chronic foot injuries but as always you wonder how different things might have been had he not been pressed into service before he was fully recovered and allowed more rest during the offseason.

[Modifly]

Or maybe it's just a lost in translation.

This article was written by Jonathan Feigen, so it is highly reliable. It's a good read. Gives you better understanding about this whole Yao situation.

Some important parts:

A few years ago, we had the breathless reports about a Chinese investor buying a part of the Cavaliers with the intentions of getting Yao to play in Cleveland. That was a good one.

It's not just the Chinese media. We do it, too. The year Jeff Van Gundy ripped Reebok for failing to deliver Yao's latest shoes in time for training camp, I wrote that story, and it stirred things up for a day or two of training camp in Austin.

This time, Yao said if he does not recover from his foot injuries, he might consider retiring.

This seems pretty obvious. Yao cannot play with a broken foot. If Yao's foot remains broken, Yao cannot play.

This feels like a revelation because it brings up the possibility that Yao will not recover.

The Rockets, however, believe he already has recovered.

"If we did not think he had recovered," one Rockets official said Tuesday with a laugh, "we wouldn't be letting him go through full contract, on-court workouts."

This is not to say that Yao will never be injured again. There is always a possibility that the surgery won't work the way his surgeon predicts. According to persons familiar with Yao, he also has a right foot. It is possible he could have similar problems on the other side.

At the moment, however, Yao's left foot is doing remarkably well. He is definitely not as strong on that side as on the right. That familiar tree trunk calf is noticeably slimmer on the left. But he was absolutely giddy after a few recent workouts. He was thrilled with his improved conditioning. He was so enthusiastic about his diet - "The food tastes horrible so you don't want to eat it," he said. - that he was nagging me to join him.

http://blogs.chron.com/nba/2010/07/tran ... _ab_1.html

[Murat]

Yes, it is not so important now. But Yao was the best C of Rockets since 2002.

[Fresh8]

I think that Yao, barring any major injury, will play on for a few more seasons yet.

As someone with an interest in the Chinese Team, I really do think it would be appropriate that Yao stands strong and quits the national team. I think he is strong willed enough to do that; something he wouldn't have done when he joined the NBA. Yao has done all that he can to bring glory to his country through his sporting endeavors and I think it's time for him to focus on his career with the Rockets but more importantly, putting his own health first.

[benji]

What food is he eating that's so horrible? The most important part of the story and it's missing.