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Yao Ming of the Houston Rockets - Source: Reuters
Chinese All Star center Yao Ming has not recovered from his broken foot and is out indefinitely, the Houston Rockets said.
Yao underwent a medical evaluation for a fractured left foot - sustained during the Western Conference semi-finals against the Los Angeles Lakers on May 8 - and the tests revealed that the injury had not responded to treatment.
"The results from the CT and bone scans indicate that the hairline fracture has not responded to the degree that we expected," Rockets physician Tom Clanton said in a report on the team website (www.nba.com/rockets).
"We will review a variety of treatment options before proceeding."
Yao averaged 19.9 points per game and 9.9 rebounds while leading the Rockets to an impressive playoff run in 2008-09.
A seven-time NBA All-Star, Yao has been plagued by injuries throughout his career. The 7ft-6in (2.286m) center has missed substantial time in each of the last four seasons due to foot and leg ailments.
He will also miss China's bid to reclaim their continental crown at the Asian Championships in Tianjin in August.
