Chinese center Yao Ming said Monday he would not compete for the national team at the 2010 Turkey World Championships due to his foot injury.

"I'm not going to have competitive games until July. I don't think so (that I'll play at the World Championships). Maybe it's a better chance for the young Chinese players to prove themselves," Yao said during an interview with sohu.com.

The Houston Rockets' center injured his left foot in the second match against the Los Angeles Lakers at the semi-finals of the Western Conference last season. He is not expected to come back until next season.

"I think the national team is a team, not an individual," Yao provoked fans to support their team though China had a dismal season in 2009.

China lost the Asian championship to Iran in June at Tianjin, and were overwhelmed by arch-rivals South Korea and Japan at the East Asian Games in Hong Kong, China, towards the end of the year.

China clinched the berth to the World Championships, which will be held in Turkey from August 28-September 12.

Yao Ming also confirmed for the first time that his wife, Ye Li, is pregnant.

Ye's long-time national teammate and best friend Miao Lijie released the news that the couple will be having their first child during a previous interview.

"I also want to tell everybody (that I am going to be a father). It's always a delighted thing to be a father," Yao said.