In Beijing on Thursday, Yao Ming announced that he has organized with Steve Nash a charity basketball game on September 14th between the Chinese National Team and a team of invited NBA players. Proceeds will go to the China Youth Development Foundation.

It’s cool that Yao and Nash have apparently become friends in organizing this game over the past 7 months. It probably doesn’t hurt that both players are represented by the same agent, Bill Duffy.

The list of NBA players expected to play is fairly impressive: Nash, Greg Oden, Baron Davis, Mike Conley, Carmelo Anthony, Leandro Barbosa, Bonzi Wells, Mike James, and Chuck Hayes. I think all of these players are represented by Duffy, so kudos to his players for flying all the way to China for a game to ‘give back.’

What’s also interesting is that Yao will play for the NBA team in the first half, and for the Chinese national team in the second half. There’s a joke there somewhere, but I can’t really think of one at the moment.

Click here for more photos from the press conference announcing the game in which Nash called in from Phoenix at 5:00am in the morning.

Thanks go to Raymond in China for the scoop.

Note: Since this story was first post, it was learned that Mike James and Mike Conley will not be able to participate because of scheduling conflicts, but in their place Derek Fisher, Sasha Vujacic of the LA Lakers and Alando Tucker of the Phoenix Suns will play.

It finally happened…click here for the story.

Yao Ming returned to the Chinese National Team today after returning from his honeymoon in the Alps, Hamburg, Berlin and Venice. The team will play 9 games in September. However, it’s questionable if Yao will be able to play because he still needs to strengthen his shoulder. But he will continue to workout separately while the team scrimmages.

Here he’s seen running some laps.

Click here for more photos from Yao’s workouts.

Wow, Steve Francis is really excited to be a Rocket again as seen by the big party he threw at the beautiful (and expensive) Hilton Americas in downtown Houston. As evidenced by the picture below, Tracy McGrady is also excited about Francis’ return.

Click here to see more photos from the event.

I’ve been traveling for almost a week now, so I haven’t had as much access to the Net lately. Although I’ve enjoyed my break, which I rarely take, I am getting geared up for next season. We’re only about 7 weeks away from Rockets training camp, and I can’t wait.

Sorry I haven’t had anything to post in over a week. In case you missed it in the YaoMania! forum, there was a link to an extremely interesting story about Yao’s attempts to court over the years Ye Li, now his new bride.

I rarely use this word for obvious reasons, but it’s a ‘sweet’ story. Did you know that Yao chose the number 11 for his Rockets’ uniform number because it resembles two Y’s, representing Yao and Ye?

Click here for the entire article.

Yao Ming and Ye Li were on their honeymoon in Germany but decided to either cut it short, or take a break, to catch some basketball in Hamburg sitting behind the men’s Chinese National team’s bench.

Too bad they were blown out by Germany 88-55. Oh well, at least Yao and Ye look rested.

It looks to me like Yao has caught some rays on his honeymoon. Click here to see more pics from the game, courtesy of Raymond.

Shaq is in China promoting his shoe deal with Chinese sportswear company Li Ning. Click here for more photos from his tour of China (thanks to Raymond for the pics).

It looks like he’s having a good time being his usual comical self, but I also think he’s being serious when he says he’s going to buy Yao some 24-inch tire rims for his wedding gift (click here for the story).

The story reports that Yao will have another wedding ceremony in the Fall, on top of the two he has already had in China. Give Yao credit — that’s alot of ceremonies to go through.

I also find it interesting that Yao’s BMW in China has a “Y&Y” logo on it, an acronym for he and his new wife Ye Li. For Yao, that’s as flashy I’ve seen him get.

Here’s an article from yesterday’s Sports Illustrated Web site on Steve Francis‘ return to Houston and his working out hard this summer to rehab his knee. I like how Rockets’ GM Daryl Morey said that once Yao Ming and Tracy McGrady heard that Francis was considering a return to Houston, they were all very much in favor of it and wanted the deal to get done.

This is another example of how Morey is doing the right thing by his consulting with his superstars to make sure they buy off on major acquisitions.

Our Raymond has translated three Chinese interviews with Yao Ming‘s new power forward teammate Luis Scola from Argentina. If you’re a Rocket fan, you can’t help but get get excited about the upcoming season. Thanks Raymond!

Our Raymond reports the following from China:

“Yao Ming postponed his honeymoon trip to Europe and appeared last night in a 2007 Special Olympics activity in Shanghai in his capacity as the official spokesperson for Special Olympics. The event was to publicly announce the theme song of the 2007 Special Olympics.”

Yao (“the tallest”) appeared with 110 meter world record holder Liu Xiang (“the fastest”) and Wang Liqin (“the quickest” table tennis champion – not pictured in this photo), all who are from Shanghai and are lending their support of the Special Olympics to be hosted in their home city October 2-11.

Click here for more photos from the event.