China, having taken gold at the recent Asian Games minus Yao
Ming, is likely to miss the NBA champion's services in Olympic
warm-up matches against European power sides in 2007, local media
reported on Monday.
Excused from national duties at Doha, the 7ft 6in Houston
Rockets centre has enjoyed a stellar start to the NBA season,
averaging 26.5 points and 10 rebounds a game.
China basketball chief Li Yuanwei said the "post-Yao era" would
continue in 2007, the Beijing News reported.
"We need to face two situations -- one team with Yao, and
another without," Li told the paper.
"He will play some of the warm-up matches."
China, which coasted to a fifth basketball gold in six Asian
Games on Friday with a 59-44 victory over hosts Qatar, would look
to Europe to test its mettle before the 2008 Olympics in Beijing,
Li said.
"The core of our basketball preparations will focus on playing
the strong European sides. We will have at least 40 warm-up matches
next year," Li said.
"The Asian championships are no a longer a challenge," Li
said.
(China Daily via Reuters December 19, 2006)