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Yao to focus on Sharks before next NBA season

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2009-12-18 18:42

SHANGHAI: Houston Rockets' Chinese center Yao Ming said he will focus mainly on the running of Shanghai Sharks back in China and would probably return to NBA by next season.

Yao came back to Shanghai on Thursday night, mainly to fulfill his duty as the sole shareholder of Shanghai Sharks, the name of which had been changed to Shanghai Sharks-Maxxis Tires basketbal team as Maxxis Tires signed with Yao's management team to be the team's title sponsor on Friday morning.

"I used to be a player of Shanghai Sharks, and now I become the boss of the team. But no matter how the identity changes, I hope that Shanghai sharks would soon return to glory and take on new look for fans in Shanghai and all over China," said Yao on the signing ceremony.

The Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) league will kick off on Saturday with its opener between Zhejiang Guangsha and Shanghai Sharks. According to Shanghai Sharks spokesman Zhang Chi, about 3,000 tickets of the opening game have been sold out.

Yao would also appear at the opener Saturday night at Yuanshen Stadium of Pudong district, Shanghai.

Speaking of the time to return to the NBA, Yao said he might be completely recovered by next season, but so far he didn't know exactly what day it would start as the game schedule had not come out yet.

Earlier this year Yao became the sole owner of the financially troubled domestic team, which has struggled to make the playoffs since he left. Yao started playing for the Sharks as a teenager, leading them to their only CBA title before he left for the NBA in 2002.