Zhou hit by Houston hitch

Zhou Qi is no longer a Rockets player, leaving China without a single representative in the NBA-at least for the time being.

Houston general manager Daryl Morey on Monday announced that the Rockets had waived Zhou after the second-year player appeared in only one game this season, scoring two points.

"I understand the Rockets' urgent need to improve results and I want to thank the team for its help in my development," Zhou, who is recovering from an ankle sprain, told PP Sports.

"I believe that everyone can see how I've improved over the past two seasons. Physically and mentally speaking, my growth is obvious. I'm grateful for the chance I had with the Rockets which allowed me to have a great performance at the Asian Games this year to help our national team claim gold."

When Rockets Hall of Famer Yao Ming and Milwaukee Bucks' Yi Jianlian lined up against each other a decade ago, the future looked bright for Chinese hoops. However, successors have failed to materialize, leaving Chinese fans desperate for a new homegrown idol to worship.