It's Official: Yao Ming Will Miss 2009-10 NBA Season

After weeks of close calls and excruciating deliberation, Yao Ming announced to the world today his decision to undergo surgery in his left foot.

The surgery, which will be performed next week by Rockets' team physician Dr. Tom Clanton at the Memorial Hermann Sports Medicine Institute, will involve a bone graft in the navicular bone of Ming's left foot in order to promote bone regeneration.

Additionally, Clanton will also perform a surgical procedure designed to reduce the arch in Yao’s left foot by realigning and restructuring the bones in the foot. While no timetable has been set for his return to action, Yao is expected to be available for the team’s training camp in 2010.

“This combination of procedures should not only allow healing of his navicular stress fracture but also improve the mechanics of his foot to reduce the stress on that bone and give him the best long-term prognosis," said Dr. Clanton. “This surgical option is similar to the successful procedure used by Cleveland Cavaliers center Zydrunas Ilgauskas in 2001."

Ming will definitely miss all of next season due to this potentially career-altering decision.

However, with the midweek acquisition of David Anderson from the Atlanta Hawks, the Rockets are in a much better position to deal with his damaging absence.

We still don't know what this surgery will mean for Yao, his distraught club, and Rockets fans.

We will have to wait and see.