A seriously-ill basketball fan was given two VIP tickets to watch the performance of his favorite star Yao Ming at an international friendly to be held in Nanjing, organizers said last Saturday.

 

Zhang Bujun, a 16-year-old from Suzhou, suffered muscular atrophy but is crazy about basketball and a loyal fan to the 2.26-meter Houston Rockets center.

 

After Zhang's wildest dream of watching Yao playing in person was made known, the Stankovic Cup organizers offered him two free VIP tickets for Chinese team matches while Yao sent Zhang a basketball with his autograph as a gift.

 

Yao is recovering from a broken fifth metatarsal in his foot after he was injured on April 10 in Utah.

 

He said he was 80% recovered now and planned to play in the warm-up tournament Stankovic Cup, from August 11 to 15, which will include teams from France, Germany, Greece, Australia and Brazil.

 

The 26-year-old anchors the Chinese team and fans have been anxiously watching to see whether he would be fit by the World Championship, which starts August 19 in Sapporo, Japan. China's opening game is against Italy.

 

(Xinhua News Agency August 7, 2006)