Sports Commentary

Just over three months. Or, 92 days to be more precise.

That's the amount of time center Yao Ming has left to get his fractured left foot back into playing shape before the Beijing Olympics start. Just 92 days before the eyes of China turn squarely towards the talented 7-foot-6 Houston Rockets center, who, at that time, will have an entire nation beseeching him to lead the most populated country on the globe to basketball glory.

And you thought the eight teams left in this year's postseason faced a lot of pressure? Try leading an Asian superpower to a top-three finish in a sport typically dominated by Western nations.

If Yao's feeling that pressure, however, then he wears it well. During a video conference call on Thursday that used an impressive Cisco TelePresence technology which seamlessly linked writers in New York and faraway Beijing with the Houston-based big man, Yao was in good spirits despite the daunting task that he has before him. For instance, when asked what he thought about international basketball rule changes that are expected to go into effect in 2010, Yao laughed before saying, "I would probably already be retired by then."

Yet while that remark was said in jest, there is more than a kernel of truth to it. Beset by injuries over the past three NBA seasons, Yao has played in just 160 of a possible 246 regular-season games. And based on Yao's comments, it's safe to say that the lack of continuity has, at times, taken its toll on the talented big man.

"My injuries the past three years have become more serious, I suppose it shouldn't be called 'serious,' but rather 'more,'" said Yao. "Every time after an operation or during rehab, I usually feel beaten or defeated, usually because some actions which used to be very easy for me (have become harder). Or perhaps because my agility was hugely affected, I would have doubts whether I can play the way I used to."

According to Yao, however, his current rehab stint is progressing as scheduled. He's currently jogging on a special treadmill that reduces stress on the joints, and he expects to be running normally in two weeks. And while Yao says he won't be healthy enough to play in China's upcoming exhibition games in mid-May, his goal is to be 100 percent healthy when the Olympics arrive.

That's certainly good news for China, as the host nation has no shot at a respectable Olympic showing without a healthy Yao in the lineup. In fact, even with Yao in uniform, China will be hard pressed to finish in the top six in the Olympic tournament, despite the home nation's goal of earning a basketball medal. And Yao is the first to admit as much.

"Even though we didn’t make it to the final six (in the 2006 World Championships), we did very well," said Yao. "We'd like to at least get into the top eight. It all depends on how we play. A top-six finish would be great, but there are no easy games."

Yao's injury isn't China's sole health concern, as countryman - and fellow NBA star - Yi Jianlian also had to end his season early after spraining his knee. According to Yao, however, fatigue might have been the biggest factor in Yi's decision to cut his rookie campaign in Milwaukee short.

"I've talked to Yi a little bit recently," said Yao. "His rehab is a little bit above schedule, but he just really needed some rest. He played 30 games last summer with the national team, and for a rookie, that's a little bit too much. In the Chinese Basketball League, the season is 35 games, so he needs time to rest."

Injuries haven't just hurt Yao's national team, however, as his Rockets squad has also been depleted by intermittent injuries to both Yao and fellow All-Star Tracy McGrady. Yet despite the Rockets falling to the Jazz in six games in this year's playoffs, Yao doesn't see team health as the only reason Houston has been eliminated in the first round of the postseason in each of its last four trips.

"Injuries are our biggest problem," said Yao. "Injuries and size. We got better power forwards this year in Luis Scola and Carl Landry, but we still need more size. Look at all the teams that are contending and they all have a lot of size and they play very strong defense."

The strongest defense Yao might have to come up with, however, is some sort of defense that will keep the Chinese fans and press in check during the upcoming Olympics. Because of Yao's global celebrity status, his personable demeanor, and his talent on the basketball floor, Yao-mania is expected to reach a fevered pitch by August, if it hasn't already. During the video conference, Yao was asked by one of the Chinese writers if he would consider buying a TelePresence system so he could interact regularly with the journalists back home.

"I am definitely (tempted) after seeing this system," said Yao. "But if we're talking about interacting everyday, I think that would be quite stressful."

Sadly for Yao, there will be plenty of stress to go around this summer.

And that's whether he buys a tricked-out video-conferencing system or not.

Randy Kim is the Senior NBA Editor for AOL Sports. Before joining AOL, he covered the league for seven years at NBA.com and FOXSports.com. Kim considers his career highlight to be a standing/sit-down interview with Bullets legend Gheorghe Muresan. Send him comments and questions at RandallKim07@aol.com.