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Yao Ming returned his home in Shanghai on Wednesday evening, giving Chinese men's basketball team manager Jonas Kaslauskas a reason to be delighted.

Although he is still recovering from a fractured left foot, Yao's agent said he will join the national team in early July to prepare for August's World Championships in Japan.

"He has made significant progress in his recovery from foot surgery and Yao himself expects to return to national team as soon as possible," said Zhang Mingji, director of Yao's agent team.

"He will take some days at home and join the national team in early July."

Yao, a 7-foot-6 centre for the Houston Rockets, will start exercising soon but his hope of playing in the Worlds is still dim.

Yao suffered the foot fracture in his team's 85-83 loss to the Utah Jazz on April 11, when he was fouled by Andrei Kirilenko, who stepped on Yao's foot as he scored a first-quarter basket on a rebound.

He then underwent foot surgery the same week in the United States and doctors suggested he would be sidelined for an estimated six months and miss out on the Worlds on August 19.

"His injury is yet to heal up but his recovery is much faster that we expected," said Zhang.

"Now, his doctor believes he will be ready for full-time training and be able to play by around August 1 if his condition goes well."

Yao is expected to play a match against the United States in Guangzhou, South China's Guangdong Province, on August 10.

The Rockets' star last week said there is 50-50 chance for him to play in the Worlds, but he would leave his position to younger players if he isn't be 100 per cent fit.

Yao averaged 22.6 points, 10.3 rebounds, 1.6 blocked shots, 1.5 assists and 34.6 minutes in 56 starts this season, his fourth since being drafted first overall by the Rockets in 2002. The four-time All-Star was sidelined 21 games earlier in the season because of a toe injury and later on missed a game due to a sore calf.

Yao needed

Yao's return is greatly appreciated by the Chinese camp who addressed the matter with a sense of patriotism.

The Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) has released an official document titled "To learn from Yao's professionalism" on Wednesday to encourage the national team players in their build-up for the Worlds and December's Asian Games.

Kaslauskas said Yao's return is crucial to his side's gear up to the much-expected Worlds.

"For sure I expect him to come back," he said on Wednesday. "It will be very hard for us in Japan without Yao and veteran Li Nan."

The team is now in the midst of closed-door training before heading to Italy today for a series of warm-up tournaments.

China will play with the United States in Group D at the World Championships, together with Puerto Rico, Slovenia, Italy and Senegal.

The Chinese team is aiming for a top eight finish.

(China Daily June 23, 2006)