Yao Ming out again - Keith Allison from Baltimore, USA photo

NBA BEAT - YAO MING REMAINS # 1 TO NBA FANS

James Loving - National Radio Text Service

After the second round of voting Yao registered 754,583 votes as the leading vote-getter among Western Conference centers, with the Lakers' Andrew Bynum's 493,237 votes placing second but injuries continue to mar Yao's All-Star career

Friday January 14, 2011

YAO'S # 1

Though Yao Ming will miss the remainder of the season due to another stress fracture was found in his left ankle he continues to be a fan favorite as he was the top vote getter after the second round of voting for the center position on Western Conference team in the NBA All-Star game to be played at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles - on Sunday, Feb. 20, 2011.

After the second round of voting Yao registered 754,583 votes as the leading vote-getter among Western Conference centers, with the Lakers' Andrew Bynum's 493,237 votes placing second.

The injury is considered career threatening. If not the 7"6"center is expected to miss the remainder of the season. Injuries seem to be a part of his life. Last season the now 30-year-old Yao had a surgery to repair a broken bone in his left foot. He did not play the entire 2009-10 season.

Ming has been selected to play in the All-Star game every season he's been in the league since he was a rookie in 2002/03 campaign. His best All-Star game on offense was in his second season 2003/04 in the league when he scored 16 points in 19 minutes of play.

In the 2004/05 game he played his best defensive game in grabbing eight rebounds in 22 minutes of play. Though a fan favorite when Yao began his NBA career he had some tough critics.

When the Rockets selected Yao with the first pick of the draft, he became the first international player ever to be selected first overall without having previously played U.S. college basketball. Becoming an NBA All-Star player was a work in progress.

Before the season, several commentators, including Bill Simmons and Dick Vitale, predicted that Yao would fail in the NBA, and Charles Barkley said he would "kiss [Kenny Smith's] ass" if Yao scored more than 19 points in one of his rookie-season games. Yao played his first NBA game against the Indiana Pacers, scoring no points and grabbing two rebounds, and scored his first NBA basket against the Denver Nuggets.

In his first seven games, he averaged only 14 minutes and 4 points, but on November 17, he scored 20 points on a perfect 9-of-9 from the field and 2-of-2 from the free-throw line against the Lakers. Barkley made good on his bet by kissing the buttock of a donkey purchased by Smith for the occasion (Smith's "ass").

Voted to start in the 2005 NBA All-Star Game, Yao broke the record previously held by Michael Jordan for most All-Star votes, with 2,558,278 total votes.

After missing only two games out of 246 in his first three years of NBA play, Yao endured an extended period on the inactive list in his fourth season after developing osteomyelitis in the big toe on his left foot, and surgery was performed on the toe on December 18, 2005. Despite missing 21 games while recovering, Yao again had the most fan votes to start the 2006 NBA All-Star Game.

Early into his fifth season, Yao was injured again, this time breaking his right knee on December 23, 2006 while attempting to block a shot. Up to that point he had been averaging 26.8 points, 9.7 rebounds and 2.3 blocks per game. He was unable to play in what would have been his fifth All-Star game.

In 25 games after the All-Star break, Yao averaged 25.7 points and 11.6 rebounds per game, while shooting 53.7% from the field and 87.8% at the free-throw line. His final averages in 57 games were 22.3 points and 10.2 rebounds per game. It was the first time that he ended the season with a so-called "20/10" average.

Prior to the season in 2009 Yao underwent surgery to repair the broken bone in his left foot. He sat out the entire 2009-10 season. His injuries followed him into this season when On December 16, 2010, it was announced that he had developed a stress fracture in his left ankle, related to an older injury, and would miss the rest of this season.

Yao's NBA best regular season performance was a career high 41 points and 7 assists in a triple-overtime win against the Atlanta Hawks in February 2004.