CHN – Yao’s hunger cost him dear as a youngster

BEIJING (Olympics) - Yao Ming is never short of a few RMB (Chinese currency) these days, but it hasn’t always been that way.

Back in his early teens, when he signed for Shanghai, Yao sure didn’t play for love of money.

His close friend and fellow China national team star Liu Wei has revealed just how much Yao did earn.

"We both joined Shanghai club when we were just 14,” Liu remembers.

“We were really poor with 10RMB (80 pence) income per month.”

One British pound today is worth just over 13RMB.

“We used to love playing computer games, but one hour cost you two RMB,” Liu said.

“Once Yao Ming was so hungry while playing (computer games), he spent 3RMB on a box of fried rice.

“I called him luxurious."

Liu and the rest of his teammates are hoping Yao makes it back for the Olympics. He was lost for the season earlier this year in Houston when doctors discovered he had a stress fracture in his foot.

Yao opted for surgery, which meant he had to take the rest of campaign off.

Doctors do expect him to make it back in time for the Beijing Games.

"If he's back, our interior will be many times stronger,” Liu said.

“And we are confident playing with him, and the rotation in defending will be smoother with less pressure on the inside."

Jonas Kazlauskas, the China coach, spoke to FIBA.Com this week at the 2008 Beijing Basketball Event and he revealed that only last week he had spoke to both Yao and Yi Jianlian, who missed the last several games of the campaign with the Milwaukee Bucks due to injury.

“I spoke to them and they said everything was going okay (in their recovery),” Kazlauskas said.

FIBA