The Chinese Basketball Association has dubbed U.S. National Basketball Association star Yao Ming China's most influential athlete ever, and urged others to learn from his professionalism, state media said Tuesday.

Houston Rockets center Yao Ming (L) grimaces as Rockets trainer Keith Jones checks his injury in the first half of their NBA game against the San Antonio Spurs in Houston, Texas, March 18, 2006. [Reuters]

"Yao Ming is the most internationally influential athlete in the history of Chinese sports," the official Xinhua News Agency quoted the CBA as saying in a statement. "What he has achieved was based on his hard work, wisdom and professionalism."

The report said officials were not pressing Yao, who is recuperating in Shanghai following a foot injury, to play for China in the World Championships in Japan next month.

"We will by no means urge him to play the World Championship in Japan," Li Yuanwei, commissioner of the Chinese Basketball Association, was quoted as saying Monday. "We do not want him to take any risk. He can take his time in recuperation."

The 2.29-meter (7-foot-6-inch) Yao broke the fifth metatarsal bone in his foot on April 10 in the U.S. state of Utah, and had surgery four days later. Doctors have ordered him not to play basketball until August 1.

The tournament starts in Japan on August 19. Yao said two weeks ago that his chances of playing in it were 50-50.

He said he will definitely be ready to play by the time the Houston Rockets open training camp in October.