Yao Ming team plays Smart Gilas in May

MANILA, Philippines - Fans eager to watch Yao Ming, the former many-time NBA All-Star who played nine seasons for the Houston Rockets, play live may just get their wish granted.

Pan Peng, head of the Chinese Cultural Council, is bringing the Shanghai Sharks to Manila to do some cage clinics and play exhibition games against a PBA selection and the Smart Gilas Pilipinas II from May 3-8.

“The entire Shanghai Sharks including Yao himself is really excited and wanting to play here in the Philippines,” said Peng, whose group donated P5 million-worth of brand-new sports equipment to the Phl Sports Commission just yesterday.

Peng and his group flew to the Phl to discuss with the PSC the security, itinerary and other matters of the six-day Philippine-China Friendship Games wherein Yao and the Sharks will hold clinics before playing a PBA selection on May 6 at the MOA Arena and the Gilas squad on May 7 at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum in a pair of exhibition matches.

The much-awaited event was initially scheduled last Dec. 12 but it was postponed due to the tension between the Phl and China that time regarding the Scarborough Shoal issue.

The event is being bankrolled by the PSC, Smart, Summit Mineral Water, Ayala Corp., Pagcor and the Phl  Charity Sweepstakes Office.