The chance for Chinese Basketball center Yao Ming to join this summer's NBA draft is still there.

Shanghai Sharks general manager Li Yaomin denied Tuesday that the local club would not give the green light to the 2.25-meter star to join the draft of America's National Basketball Association (NBA).

"I've never said Yao Ming would not go to the NBA for the summer draft this June," Li said. "I am afraid that some Chinese newspapers have quoted my previous words," he added.

The Shanghai club is planning to hold a news conference on Friday.

"I'd like to see the reactions of those who keeping guessing that Yao would not go to the NBA next season when they hear on Friday that the club announces Yao's availability to June's selection," Li said.

Yao, 21, won the MVP honors in both the regular season and playoffs in China's first division basketball league ended last April.

If Yao goes to NBA, he will be the second Chinese player to join NBA. China's Wang Zhizhi, who went to the Dallas Mavericks last month, became the first Asian player in the NBA.

Many NBA teams had showed their interest to the 21-year-old sensation, saying they would select him on their first right if he is available in June's draft.

Yao is traveling with the Chinese national team in China, playing a three-game series with an All-Star team from America's International Basketball League (IBL). Yao and his teammates lead the Series 2-0 after Monday's second game, which China won 109-87.

(People's Daily 05/08/2001)