Yao Ming Unsure of Getting Back Top Form

Yao Ming is close to making a full recovery from a foot injury that sidelined him for the whole of the 2009-2010 season, but regaining his top form is an all together different story that even the Chinese star and Houston Rockets center is doubtful about.

Yao said in an interview with a Chinese newspaper that regaining his old form is only possible if he can play all 82 games in the coming season without encountering any problems. “Talk about recovering my form is nothing but nonsense and will only be realized if I can get through the next season smoothly,” he said.

The seven-time All Star suffered a career-threatening foot injury during the Rockets’ Western Conference semifinals encounter against the Los Angeles Lakers in 2009. He has not played any competitive basketball since then. He will return to the Rockets this year after exercising his player option to avoid becoming a free agent.

Without Yao in the previous season, the Rockets failed to reach the playoffs for the first time in four seasons.