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Yao Out for Season, Maybe For Good

Re-fractured foot means Rockets center may miss all of next season, if not more

By Nick McMaster, Newser Staff

Posted Jun 29, 2009 4:10 PM CDT

(Newser) – The broken left foot that knocked center Yao Ming out of the recently concluded NBA playoffs could be career-ending, sources tell Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports. Pins were inserted a year ago after one of the Houston Rockets star's many injuries, and the foot re-fractured during the playoffs and hasn’t been healing properly. At minimum, it looks like the 28-year-old could miss all or most of next season.

“It sounds like he’s missing most of next season, if not the entire 82 games,” a league exec says. “That’s all that [the Rockets] will concede quietly, but they know it’s probably much worse.” Houston isn’t giving up—it’ll send Yao to three more specialists this week. But it is beginning to seem doubtful if his compromised foot will ever support his giant 7-foot-6 frame on the court.

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In this Feb. 9, 2009, file photo, Houston Rockets' Yao Ming smiles after he was fouled during the first half of an NBA game against the Milwaukee Bucks in Milwaukee. (AP Photo)

Houston Rockets center Yao Ming sits on the bench during the fourth quarter of Game 3 of a second-round Western Conference NBA playoff game in Houston, May 8, 2009. (AP Photo)

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Yao Out for Season, Maybe For Good