Houston Rockets player Yao Ming will be absent from a Chinese squad¹ which will compete at a tournament in Las Vegas next month, the event will also feature some NBA sides.

An official from the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA), Hu Jinshi, said on Monday that the possibility of Yao¡¯s participation² in the event is close to zero.

Yao¡¯s absence is a result of his long-term injury, said a report on the website Sina.com.

Sources with the Rockets say it may take the ¡°small giant¡± about half a year for treatment and recovery from his shoulder injury. However, no source has yet confirmed whether the star player will require surgery.

Director of the CBA, Li Yunwei, revealed Yao is still undergoing training in the US as arranged by his US club. He further declined to give a time-frame for Yao¡¯s return to the Chinese national team.

Yao¡¯s absence also leaves a lingering shadow over China¡¯s men¡¯s basketball team¡¯s preparations for the Beijing Olympics next year.

The national team¡¯s head coach Jonas Kazlauskas complained that games without Yao Ming will be less constructive³ than expected in terms of the team¡¯s Olympic preparation.

Nearly 30 warm-up games are on the agenda for the Chinese basketball team in 2007, and the CBA has already shortened the 2006-07 basketball season to leave enough time for the team¡¯s tune-up.

The Chinese team is scheduled to set off for the Unites States on Friday. The tournament, also attended by NBA sides Memphis Grizzlies⁴, Sacremento Kings, Cleveland Cavaliers, New York Knicks and Boston Celtics, is to kick-off in mid-July.