Is Yao Ming’s basketball career over?

Ok, maybe we’re jumping the gun with that title, but according to Rockets team physician Tom Clanton, it’s a definite possibility (discuss).

“At this point, the injury has the potential for (Yao) missing this next season and could be career threatening.” Clanton told the Houston Chronicle.

Hairline Fracture not healing
Official reports last week surfaced Yao’s foot injury is much more severe than initially thought, and now those reports may have been understatements. So much so that Yao’s professional career could be in jeopardy.

The 7-6 center from China missed last year’s playoffs because of an ill-timed foot injury.  He has spent the last couple months healing, but a report last week announced thay Yao’s foot wasn’t healing as expected and would need further evaluation.

Now comes this Yahoo report that the 28-year old’s cracked foot isn’t healing at all, and that he will miss a significant chunk of the next NBA season, if not the entire 2009-10 campaign according to a league source.

And according to that source, the prognosis sounds like it could be much worse than what the team is willing to divulge at this point.  “That’s all [the Rockets] will concede quietly, but they know it’s probably much worse.” said the source.

What’s going on with Yao the last few years?
At 28 years old, Yao should be entering his prime athletic peak, so what’s up with all these injury problems the last few years?

It could be a combination of several different things, but it’s probably due to a couple or related factors; first,  it’s not uncommon for giants like Yao to have injuries.  Their size and weight bear immense pressure down against their knees and feet, especially someone that plays an impact sport like basketball.

Secondly, the amount of basketball played most certainly has affected Yao’s health. The 325-lb pivot not only drudges through an 82-game regular season, another dozen or so playoff games,  hundreds of practices in-between, and not to mention his national team commitments for Team China that take away almost all of his time off in the summer.

The Rockets are refusing comment until further medical evaluation on Yao Ming can be done.

Links and Resources: Yao could miss entire season with injury (Houston Chronicle), Rockets could lose Yao for season, if not longer (Yahoo! Sports), Yao Ming not playing anymore? (Interbasket), Yao Ming not healing as quickly as expected (Interbasket), Kareem’s top international players doesn’t include Yao Ming (Interbasket)