State press reports did not mention what conditions Wang had secured to lure him back to China, but many indicated that Wang had reached an agreement with the military as well as the Chinese Basketball Association.

Wang's NBA career stalled following the 2002 controversy, and he had been without a team after being cut from the Miami Heat late last year. An earlier stint at the Los Angeles Clippers also failed to secure a long-term NBA career.

But Wang's value to the national team has never been in doubt.

Wang played in the 1996 and 2000 Olympics, averaging 13.5 points and five rebounds in Sydney when he teamed up with current NBA superstar Yao Ming as part of China's "Walking Great Wall".

He averaged 22.8 points and 8.9 rebounds when he led the Chinese military club, the Bayi Rockets, to consecutive CBA titles from 1996 to 2001.

Yao, who by contrast has had a brilliant NBA career with the Houston Rockets while always making himself available for the national team, reportedly welcomed Wang's return.

"Wang Zhizhi returning home is good news for everyone. I really support his returning home and I really welcome him back," Yao told the Chinese publication Basketball Pioneers weekly.