Yao Ming is set to miss his scheduled appearance in the 2016 Merlion Cup in Singapore this month as the former NBA superstar had "more pressing matters to attend to", according to reports.

The 36-year-old Hall of Famer's own Chinese Basketball Association club, the Shanghai Sharks, is set to compete in the said six-team tournament, which will begin on Wednesday at the OCBC Arena in Kallang.

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The New Paper reported earlier this month that the former Houston Rockets All-Star center will grace the opening of the Merlion Cup as he was included in the "28-man Shanghai Sharks delegation list" that the media outlet had obtained a copy of prior to the report.

The article continued to say that Yao "will observe his team in the first half of the tournament, before flying off on Sep. 23 due to other commitments". Yao's appearance would have been his second one in Singapore following his visit "in June last year as global ambassador for China Life Insurance".

However, the Straits Times indicated on Tuesday that Yao will not be able to make "a stopover" this time with the Basketball Association of Singapore issuing an official statement saying that the eight-time NBA All-Star "had more pressing matters to attend to" at the moment.

"The Basketball Association of Singapore (BAS) has just been informed that Basketball legend and owner of the Shanghai Sharks Yao Ming will not be coming to Singapore for the Merlion Cup," the statement read. "In his capacity of owner of the Shanghai Sharks, there has been a change in schedule of key meetings with the Chinese Basketball Association, resulting in him forgoing the trip to Singapore."

"Whilst this is unfortunate, BAS hopes to see him back in Singapore's shores in the near future. Meanwhile, be sure to catch Yao Ming's Shanghai Sharks take on some of the best teams in Asia at the Merlion Cup from 21 to 25 September at the OCBC Arena," the statement continued.

Aside from the Sharks, other competing teams in the tourney are Seoul Samsung Thunders, Kinmen Kaoliang Liquor, Philippines Mighty Sports, and Asean Basketball League's top two teams Westports Malaysia Dragons and Singapore Slingers.

TagsChina basketball, China basketball news, merlion cup, Singapore, Yao Ming, Shanghai Sharks