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Yao nervous about coming back, talks about daughter

(chinadaily.com.cn)
Updated: 2010-09-16 15:25

Houston Rockets center Yao Ming confessed to feeling pressure about coming back to the game from injury in an interview with CNN’s "Talk Asia," and expressed a casual but supportive-attitude toward his newborn daughter's future, sina.com.cn reported on Thursday.

Yao Ming of the NBA's Houston Rockets attends a news conference in Taipei July 27, 2010. [Photo/Agencies]

Yao said he learned to be patient from his one-year break from the NBA. "The next season is a key season for me. The team did take a risk to keep me. It's a fact. I want to play healthy through the next season to show people how good I could be and still am.”

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Yao said in the "Talk Asia" interview that the Yao Ming foundation has operated for two years and helped build four schools in Southwest China's Sichuan province after the quake, with two more schools in Yunnan and one in Gansu province. The schools can recruit some 600 to 700 kids each year, but Yao believes he can do more.

As big a figure as Yao is, people are still impressed by his modesty. Yao said it was his family that kept his feet grounded. Speaking about family, Yao joked about becoming second-class in the family after his daughter was born.

"I remember so clearly the delivery, how to drive her home, how to feed her and change diapers. She is normal size, compared with people's guesses. If she wants to play basketball, OK, I can give her some tips. If she doesn’t like it, OK by me," Yao said.

Asked about his daughter's nationality, the host mentioned that many Chinese were bothered that the young Yao was an American. "She now is an American citizen. But she can change it when she is 18, or now. I want her to make this decision."

Yao sees his future both in China and the US. He will use his influence to help people in both countries. Yao said at the end of the interview.