National Basketball Association

Yao hopeful of return next season

Published Mar. 11, 2011 12:00 a.m. ET

foxsports

Houston Rockets center Yao Ming was focused Friday on giving every effort to get back to the NBA, and was certain that, when he does return, it will be in a Houston Rockets jersey.

"I try continuing, I try continuing. It all still depends on this foot," Yao said at a Rockets charity event at Toyota Center on Thursday night, his first session with the media since undergoing season-ending surgery on his left ankle in January.

When asked if he believes he will play again Yao said, "That's the direction, that's the direction."

There had been speculation that Yao would not be able to play again after the surgery and until Thursday's charity event he was yet to express his opinion on the subject.

Yao's contract expires after this season, when he will become an unrestricted free agent. But he insisted he has no desire to wear another team's uniform.

"I like it here," Yao said. "I'm used to playing here. I feel really, really comfortable here. I have my family here and I'm not really planning to leave."

Rockets owner Leslie Alexander said he was looking forward to having a fit-again Yao back as well.

"If you can find me a 7-foot-6 big man who's great and is also a great person and can play for you, of course if he's healthy and the doctors say he can play, of course we want him back again," Alexander said.

Yao said a big milestone in his recovery will come in May.

"I think I probably need another ten weeks until I can start some running on the court as far as I know," he said. "At that time the foot will tell me how much I can get back."

Asked how he will feel if the ankle surgery ends his career, Yao replied, "That's a sad question. If this is a possibility that I'm not going to come back to play, I will tell myself I already did everything I can."