The Rockets continued their training camp II yesterday......

And for the first time, Steve Francis returned for the training, but he could not yet start team scrimmage.

Tracy McGrady continued to show improvement, and he joined the scrimmage for the 3rd consecutive day without showing ill effect on his knee and shoulder afterwards.

Shane Battier also was with the team in the training, but could not join the scrimmage yet.

And Yao Ming, when interviewed by the reporters, rebuked the rumor/controversy currently circulating in China that he had officially told CBA and asked to retire from the national team. He said he did not know how the rumor got started; he had never said he will retire from the national team and he is not yet decided whether he will still be playing for the national team.

The Rockets had alot of walk-throughs and simulated fast breaks and of course the shootaround.

The players received interviews from the media/press reporters.

Well maybe its time that he does decide. It's pretty clear CNT aren't going to achieve anything and its time he devote all his energy to helping the Rockets win a championship. The opportunity is here and now.

http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/sports/200 ... 127137.htm

Thats the link to the article where Yao talks about the CNT.

What do these people expect? Yao to play for CNT till he is 50????

Very well put indeed.

Yeah....there was this article from Oriental Sports Daily that had stirred the controversy and storm within China these few days.

Team Yao (actually Lu Hao, Yao Ming's Chinese agent) rebuked it.

CBA's Wu Jiashi also rebuked it and said CBA never received any formal request from Big Yao.

His team mates, Li Nan and Liu Wei, who are most close to Yao Ming said they never heard it from Big Yao.

And Yao Ming in yesterday's team practice, told the reporters that he had never said he will retire from the national team, and he is not yet decided if he will continue to play for the national team.

I guess the news from Oriental Sports Daily was sort of faked up story as it reported that someone close in the decision-making hierarchy of CBA has confirmed that Yao Ming plans to retire from the national team.

The rumor was causing alot of concerns and anxiety within the whole Chinese basketball circle in wake of current development within FIBA as FIBA disclosed plans to merge the Asian and Oceanic zone in future, which explicitly implies that Australia and New Zealand and other countries within the original Oceanic zone will join the rest of the Asian countries in future Asian Championships to vie for qualification spots/slots for the World Championships and Olympics. CBA now worries that without Yao Ming, China will face uphill battles to win qualifications for the World Championships and Olympics.

Instead of worrying maybe they should be spending more time on the development of basketball in China, so that CNT will have no problems beating teams like Australia and New Zealand. Relying solely on Yao to gain qualification is NOT a solid plan that is going to succeed down road. It's pretty clear that a lot of CNT players aren't up to international level and something MUST be done to improve their junior development program. For example why can't they produce any decent guards when there is such a large talent pool available. Yao retiring from the national team is the best thing both for HIMSELF AND CNT. Once these official realize that they can't relied on him anymore, maybe they'll get off their backside and do something about improving the standard of basketball development in China.