No NBA Yet for China’s Yao

Towering center Yao Ming, one of the most sought-after young basketball talents, won’t play in the NBA next season.

The 7-foot-5 Yao was a possible first-round pick in the NBA draft June 27, had his team, the Shanghai Sharks, released him.

Instead, said Shark General Manager Bai Li, Yao will focus on playing for the Chinese national team ahead of next year’s Asian Games in Pusan, South Korea.

Sports officials feared the loss of China’s most valuable player could damage its fledgling professional league, Bai said. He held out the possibility that Yao may participate in the 2002 draft.