Yao Ming Elects to Have Surgery, Will Miss 2009-10 Season

HOUSTON -- Houston Rockets All-Star center Yao Ming ended all speculation on his availability for the upcoming season by announcing Friday he will have the broken bone in his left foot surgically repaired, effectively shelving the 2009-10 season.

The earliest Yao will be available is the start of training camp 2010. A source with the Rockets confirmed to FanHouse the team isn't expecting Yao to be available for the upcoming season.

"After much thought and reflection, I have decided to have surgery on my left foot," Yao said Friday in a released statement. "This surgery will allow me to continue my career playing basketball and I look forward to returning to the court. I would like to thank everyone who sent me their best wishes. I am very grateful to have the support of teammates, friends and fans as I dedicate myself to making a completely successful recovery."

The surgery will be performed next week by Rockets team physician Dr. Tom Clanton. This procedure will involve a bone graft in the navicular bone of Yao's left foot in order to promote bone regeneration. Clanton will also perform a surgical procedure to reduce the arch in the foot by realigning and restructuring the bones in Yao's foot.

"This combination of procedures should not only allow healing of his navicular stress fracture, but also improve the mechanics of his foot to reduce the stress on that bone and give him the best long-term prognosis," said Dr. Clanton. "This surgical option is similar to the successful procedure used by Cleveland Cavaliers center Zydrunas Ilgauskas in 2001."

Friday's official announcement now places even more of a cloud on the Rockets's 2009-10 campaign, which comes on the heels of a promising 2008-09 season in which they took eventual the NBA champion Los Angeles Lakers to Game 7 in the Western Conference Semifinals. Star forward Tracy McGrady was lost with a knee injury at midseason and likely won't be available until after the start of next season, if he will be able to play at all.

The third key piece to last season's team, Ron Artest, elected to join the Lakers as a restricted free agent earlier this month. The Rockets did sign Trevor Ariza, but they still have a major hole in the middle, where Yao's 7-foot-6 frame has customarily cast a huge shadow.

But the Rockets kept the focus on Yao on Friday, instead of the void they now face."Yao and the Rockets conducted due diligence in seeking a number of expert opinions regarding his medical options," said Rockets general manager Daryl Morey. "The consensus opinion was that he undergo a procedure to heal and realign his foot. We will implement all the resources available to help him make a complete and successful recovery."