BEIJING, July 25 -- Wang Zhizhi, China's first player to play in the NBA, will be sidelined for at least two weeks after sustaining a right knee ligament injury in an international friendly against France on Monday.

The 2.12-meter center suffered a pulled ligament injury to his right knee in the third quarter in China's 76-57 defeat to hosts France in Strasbourg.

"The team doctor told me that I need to rest two to three weeks," said Wang, who used to play with NBA sides Dallas Mavericks, Los Angeles Clippers and Miami Heat.

The injury would not affect Wang's chance to play the World Championships should he recover in three weeks.

The World Championships, the first major tournament he will play for the national side in five years, is due to take place in Japan from August 19 to September 3.

Wang returned to China in May for the first time after 2002, when he refused to get back to train in the NBA off-season and was subsequently banned from national duty.