Fan reaction was firmly on the side of Yao.

"Yao has contributed so much to the national team, so we should not blame him," said one netizen on Sina.com.

The newspaper appears to have had a change of heart two days later, writing: "What Yao learned from the NBA is not only basketball skills but also the true meaning of professionalism, and this is why he can always report to the national team as soon as possible."

Yao will have to rest until September, meaning he is set to miss the Stankovic Cup and the team's European Tour in late August.

"Without Yao Ming, we are a different team and the warm-ups are not as valuable as I want," said head coach Jonas Kazlauskas, "For sure I want a full roster and I am expecting a lot from Yao, but what can I do?"

The All-star center joined China's national team training camp in Beijing on Tuesday and took part in a training session with teammates for the first time since coming back from the United States on June 22.

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