INQUIRER Sports

HOUSTON?Houston Rockets center Yao Ming, who missed this entire 2009-2010 season after surgery to repair his broken left foot, says he might have to consider retiring from basketball.

"If the foot injury does not heal next season, I might choose to call it quits," Yao told Chinese reporters, according to the Houston Chronicle.

Rockets officials were not worried, noting Yao returned to court workouts in late May and has been undergoing practice sessions at the team's arena.

Rockets general manager Daryl Morey saying Yao is on pace to be ready for the start of training camp on September 25 and that Yao, who went to China to attend charity events, expects to play in NBA pre-season games in China.

"Yao Ming is working diligently on his return and has consistently received positive feedback at each of his scheduled medical checkups," Morey said in a statement.

"He is currently participating in on-court basketball workouts and we continue to expect him to be ready for the start of training camp."

In June, the 29-year-old Yao told the newspaper his foot felt well, adding, "Everything is positive. Day by day, week by week, I can feel it is getting stronger."

Yao is set to be paid $17.686 million in the last season of his contract with the Rockets, but he has struggled with bone injuries in each of his past five seasons and said he was unsure at what level he would perform.

Yao, who has averaged 19.1 points and 9.3 rebounds in his NBA career, has lost weight and improved his fitness, impressing Rockets owner Leslie Alexander last month in a workout.

"Yao looks great," Alexander told the Chronicle. "He lost a lot of weight. He?s practicing hard. He is able to do what he wants to do. He looks like he?s in great health, which is the best you can ask for."