CHAPEL HILL - Sean May has been cleared to start on-court basketball activity and says he'll be ready when Charlotte Bobcats training camp begins in October.

In his first extended comments this summer, following microfracture surgery on his right knee last October, May said he's experiencing some pain but no swelling in the joint that has troubled him since before he was drafted by the Bobcats in 2005.

"I'm full-go now,'' May said Wednesday, sitting in the Dean Smith Center offices after working out with North Carolina strength and conditioning coach Jonas Sahratian. "But again, after eight months, I'm not going to just jump out here, get it all back in one day."

May has been attending summer school classes while continuing to rehabilitate his knee. To avoid pounding the joint, he worked out in a swimming pool, exercised on a stationary bike and ran on a trampoline. He's also done a lot of stationary shooting.

He plans to fly to Las Vegas next week to attend Bobcats practices leading up to summer league games. Although May won't play games in Las Vegas, he hopes to participate in some drills, as the team becomes acclimated to new coach Larry Brown.

Although he has been cleared medically for basketball activity, May said he probably won't run or participate in any pickup games right away.

"I'll start playing some toward the end of this month, then I'll do a lot in August, and we'll do a lot more in September, when we report back," to Charlotte, he said.

After being away from the game so long -- he missed all last season and has been limited to 58 of a possible 246 games as a Bobcat -- May is taking a cautious approach.

"I've already been through this once, where I jumped out there too early and had a major setback," he said. "So [in] hindsight now I'm just like, 'Hey, I've got to take things slow.'

"I don't win any games in July or August; I win them in November, December.

"So that's the only thing that matters; being ready by the time that time comes along."

May elected to have microfracture surgery last fall after consulting with three specialists concerning his chronic bone bruise.

(Pickeral, of The News and Observer, reported from Chapel Hill. Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer reported from Charlotte.)