Report: Yao Ming return likely this week

[July 16, 2008]  BEIJING (AP) -- Chinese newspapers say Yao Ming is likely to resume working out with China's national basketball team later this week.

The Houston Rockets' center has a "very high" chance of playing in China's three games at the Stankovic Cup Olympic warmup tournament in the eastern city of Hangzhou, Hu Jiashi, deputy director of the Chinese Basketball Association was quoted as saying by newspapers.

China's first game is against Serbia on Thursday.

Yao's health for the Beijing Olympics has been of great concern to organizers since he suffered a stress fracture to his left foot in February, ending his NBA season.

[Associated Press]

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