That summer in 1996, if you had asked Su Feng what he wanted most...
It would've been to write down his magical experience—one that couldn't be more magical.
Okay...
Okay.
If Kobe had been lured into the sewer by a delicious dish, then Iverson had thrown himself in headfirst...
Seriously, totally unreasonable!
On the court, Su Feng and Iverson's white team launched an offensive.
And just as Su Feng cut into the paint with a fast-slow combo move, the unbelievable pass—
It really happened!
A brilliant assist, and the player who delivered it to Su Feng was none other than—
Allen Iverson.
Su Feng didn't hesitate. He caught the ball, scored with one hand, and put two points on the board for the white team.
2–0.
Back on defense, it was Marbury's blue team's turn to attack.
At this point, Marbury wasn't just a skilled ball handler—his explosive first step was unreal.
With the ball at the top of the key, he seemed determined to prove he was stronger than Iverson. After faking left and right, Marbury suddenly drove straight inside.
Iverson's fighting spirit was fierce and relentless, but his height meant he'd never be a great defender.
Marbury knew how to use his physical edge, and just like that—he blew past...
Smack!
A big hand suddenly reached out and caught Marbury off guard!
Four years ago, because Swartz was seen as the biggest weakness at Lower Merion, Su Feng had developed the habit of always being ready to clean up the mess.
Back in Phoenix training camp, even Nash had felt the sting of Su Feng's terrifying help defense.
Though just a role player today, Su Feng's long-standing habits kicked in the moment he saw Iverson get beat.
Thankfully, Iverson didn't yell, "Stop your damn help defense!"
Marbury fumbled, Su Feng cleanly stole the ball, and instinctively handed it off to Iverson.
Uh...
Right, Su Feng hadn't yet read On the Self-Cultivation of a Tumor.
On the court, Iverson sprinted to the frontcourt with the ball. Su Feng followed close behind—not out of ambition, but out of basic player instinct.
After all, during a fast break, the trailing player should always keep up to avoid mistakes.
But then...
"Come on, Su, you're too slow—I'm not waiting for you!"
Iverson suddenly turned and shouted at Su Feng.
No way! Su Feng could swear on the mole on his left chest—this was only the second sentence Iverson had ever spoken to him.
Boom!
Iverson didn't go for a flashy dunk. Instead, he bounced the ball off the backboard.
Su Feng was stunned!
No way—that couldn't be Iverson.
At that moment, Iverson looked possessed by the future Chris Paul!
Even the Philadelphia Magician—what the heck was this, Philadelphia Paul?
Wait a minute... Philadelphia Paul... Philadelphia Cannon...
Cannon... Abandoned cannon?
Clang!
Fighting the urge to scream, Su Feng followed up with a relay dunk.
"My God, this is unreal," Su Feng thought, dazed.
Iverson—was he really feeding me cake?
No... but why?
...
On the sidelines, during the blue-and-white scrimmage, the 76ers staff had already made up their minds. Pat Croce had reached a decision.
"I don't think I need to watch any more!
Allen's passing, playmaking, and drives—he's exactly what we need," Croce said.
"I agree. Steph plays too much on his own.
Personally, I prefer Allen's passing," head coach Johnny Davis laughed.
Well, following Kobe's "Deceptive Behavior Award," it was clear the 76ers had also fallen under Iverson's spell...
On the court, Su Feng's performance wasn't bad at all during the 20-minute blue-and-white scrimmage.
20 points, 7 rebounds, 3 steals, 3 blocks.
More importantly, Su Feng didn't just touch the ball—
He made an impact.
Iverson finished with 10 points and 8 assists...
Wow, those numbers—very Kobe-esque.
Of those 8 assists, 7 went to Su Feng. The other one came after a drive where Iverson had no choice but to dish it off.
Just after the game, Su Feng wanted to ask why Iverson had passed to him so often—but Iverson had already been pulled aside by Pat Croce for a private conversation.
Su Feng knew: the talk that would decide the fate of Iverson and Marbury was about to begin.
"I think this is unfair."
Just as Su Feng was racking his brain trying to understand Iverson's passes, Marbury walked up to him on the court.
"Huh?"
"If I had the same setup, I could make great passes too. This isn't fair!
And in one-on-one, why are you always guarding Allen?
Isn't he supposed to be the best defender in the Great East?" Marbury gave Su Feng a "resentful" look.
Su Feng: "..."
What are you even talking about...
How would I know Iverson would pass to me?
And about one-on-one—bro, this is five-on-five!
After a pause, Su Feng patted Marbury on the shoulder and said, "Only by turning complaints about the environment into motivation for growth can you guarantee success."
Marbury: "..."
For some reason, after Su Feng quoted Romain Rolland's famous line, Marbury suddenly felt Su Feng's aura and presence rise dramatically.
"He's right... I've got nothing to say."
Actually, Su Feng wanted to tell Marbury: wake up. As long as Pat Croce is around, you're destined to be the runner-up.
In Su Feng's past life, Pat Croce and the Lakers' Little Buss—one was a die-hard Iverson fan, the other a die-hard Kobe fan.
It was largely due to Croce's persistence that the 76ers front office decided early on to use the top pick on Iverson.
As a "Walking Iverson Encyclopedia," Su Feng knew that in a few days, people in Philadelphia would jokingly start calling Pat Croce "Pat Iverson."
Because by then, Croce's love for Iverson would be public knowledge.
On the court, after the scrimmage, Su Feng saw Marbury being called in for a talk too and was about to leave.
Though curious why Iverson had passed to him, Su Feng had to suppress his curiosity—Iverson hadn't returned to the gym after the meeting.
Anyway, once they're in the NBA, there'll be chances to ask.
Maybe Iverson was just confused by his face...
In short, Su Feng's final stop in his training journey ended on a high note.
"Su, wait a minute."
Just as Su Feng was about to leave, 76ers head coach Johnny Davis approached him.
"I've got a few questions for you, Su," Davis said with a smile.
Su Feng looked at him, puzzled. "Here?"
"Yes, just a few quick ones," Davis nodded.
Su Feng: "..."
Okay, Su Feng had clearly overthought it.
See? This is the treatment for the supporting cast!
Iverson gets private talks, Marbury gets tea time—but Su Feng?
Of course, inner drama aside, Su Feng smiled politely at Davis.
He knew his place—right now, he was just a role player.
"Who's your favorite shooter in the league?" Davis asked.
After thinking for a moment, Su Feng replied, "Myself."
"Oh?" Davis was a bit surprised.
In his view, Su Feng didn't seem arrogant or cocky.
"Because I'm a shooter too. If a shooter loses confidence, how can his shot be accurate?"
That was the same answer Curry gave during a Chinese TV interview when the "Splash Brothers" visited China in Su Feng's past life.
Back then, Klay said Curry was the best shooter because he'd read Emotional Intelligence. But Curry quickly exposed him.
"Klay said that? No way. In his eyes, the best shooter is himself—he lied," Curry had replied.
And the reason was exactly what Su Feng had just told Davis.
Just like how many NBA free throw specialists have quirky pre-shot routines—psychologically, it's called "suggestion."
If you stop them from doing those habits, they might feel off and miss the shot.
"Su, let's say it's Game 7 of the Finals. We've got a chance to win it all. Would you pass to a teammate or..." Davis asked.
But Su Feng interrupted before he could finish.
"I'd take the shot myself. As a shooter, if I don't believe in every shot I take, why am I even playing basketball?"
Davis nodded. "Go get 'em, kid. I'm rooting for you."
Su Feng: "..."
Ridiculous. Su Feng wasn't Kobe, but even he could hear that compliment loud and clear.
…
After finishing all his trial training, Su Feng gave himself a short two-day vacation.
On the 13th, Bryant also wrapped up his own training and returned to Philadelphia.
The two young blacksmiths reunited immediately—and started chatting right away.
Kobe bragged to Su Feng about stories Su Feng had already heard a dozen times...
And Su Feng told Kobe that he had played one-on-one with Barkley and Payton during his trial tour across the U.S.
"Wait, what? You actually played one-on-one with Charles and Gary?"
Bryant's eyes widened, his face full of envy.
"Yep..."
And Barkley? More than once!
Every time Su Feng thought about that flying pig who held back for fear of injuring him and causing trouble, he got annoyed.
What do you mean, beat me to death?
No way—not even close!
Barkley didn't even give Su Feng the chance for a "thirty years Hedong, thirty years Hexi" comeback...
Because after their one-on-one match, Barkley took Su Feng and Nash out for a big meal.
"Hey, did you watch the Finals?
What a shame—the Bulls nearly swept the Sonics," Kobe said, throwing his arm around Su Feng's shoulder.
"Of course I watched..."
Just like Su Feng remembered, the Bulls went up 3–0 right out of the gate.
But just when the world thought the Sonics had surrendered, in Game 4, Karl made adjustments...
Payton and the Sonics' frontcourt successfully turned Jordan into Kobe, and the Sonics clawed back a win to avoid the sweep.
Then, as history goes, they pulled back another game.
Sadly, in Game 6, even though the old rogue was still Kobe-like...
The Bulls stepped up.
With Jordan shooting just 5-for-19, Pippen, Rodman, Kukoc, Longley, Harper, and Kerr teamed up to carry him to the throne.
Basketball is always a five-man sport.
Jordan doesn't go god-mode every game. In fact, over those three championship years, he was often just an aging blacksmith.
After all, even Michael Jordan can't beat time. He's no longer the all-powerful Air Jordan of 1991.
"Hey, why aren't you eating?" After a month of strict nutrition, Bryant was finally back in Philly—and ready to feast.
But while eating, Kobe noticed Su Feng had no appetite.
"I really envy people who can still eat," Su Feng muttered.
Of course, Su Feng had lost his appetite because of his match against Payton.
Watching the Bulls vs. Sonics series, and seeing Payton go all out...
It hit Su Feng hard.
If he didn't work ten times harder next summer to close the gap between himself and these superhumans, becoming a basketball star would be nearly impossible.
Su Feng had read plenty of basketball novels in his past life, but now, growing up in the real world, he realized the gap between fiction and reality.
Because in real life, these monsters were even more ridiculous than in the novels. You can't just "go dark mode" and weaken them.
"If you're not eating, I'll take it," Kobe said, eyeing the steak in front of Su Feng.
Su Feng laughed. Sure, it was tough—but hey, he had the Kobe add-on!
"Kobe, let's train together this summer," Su Feng suggested.
"Duh. If I'm not training with you, who else would I train with?" Bryant replied without hesitation.
"Here, take this one. And this one too. Eat up."
"Whoa... that's a lot. I was planning to eat just a little, but now I'm going for full power!"
…
Su Feng and Kobe's happy time together lasted until the 24th.
It's worth mentioning that on the 17th, Su Feng also attended Kobe's high school graduation prom.
Unfortunately...
Just like Ray Allen not long ago, Kobe failed to "score" at prom and continued to maintain his perfect record.
From the start, Su Feng had doubted Kobe's plan to make a move on Brandi at the prom.
And believe it or not, if Kobe had been a bit bolder and more assertive, things might've turned out differently...
But Kobe, who grew up in Italy, hadn't really been exposed to that side of American dating culture.
Su Feng knew that Kobe had fewer friends in his early years partly because his English wasn't great at first, and he didn't understand the nuances of Black American culture.
Fortunately, Kobe didn't seem too bothered by his prom "defeat."
Because after the Bulls won the championship and Jordan reclaimed his throne, the entire North American basketball world turned its attention to the upcoming 1996 NBA Draft.
In the latest media projections, Kobe was locked into the top ten.
As for Su Feng, his worst-case scenario had him going at the end of the first round, while his best-case projection placed him mid-first round.
Of course, according to some rumors, there was a chance Su Feng could be picked by a lottery team.
Su Feng suspected that "some" team was probably the Kings.
But the idea of the Kings drafting him always felt shaky.
Su Feng knew that, at the time, the Kings were hoping to rebuild around a strong perimeter core.
So what—draft him, train him, and then wait a few years to trade him to a contender?
Keep in mind, high school players weren't exactly in high demand back then, especially since the NBA hadn't yet gone through that major labor negotiation.
Just look at Joe Smith—after his rookie contract ended, he didn't re-sign with the Warriors. They wasted a No. 1 pick and basically handed him over to another team for free.
Honestly, after seeing how brain-dead the Warriors' front office was during that period, Su Feng felt they kind of deserved it.
All in all, many teams at the time were hesitant to invest in high school players.
But there were exceptions—like the Seattle SuperSonics and the Los Angeles Lakers. They weren't afraid to develop young talent and were willing to take a chance on high schoolers.
…
On the 24th, Su Weiguo and Wang Yuanyuan arrived in Philadelphia.
For Su Feng, this was the first time seeing his parents in this lifetime.
Although he wasn't quite ready to call them "Mom" and "Dad," after nearly two years of phone calls and fragmented memories, Su Feng no longer felt much resistance toward Comrade Su Weiguo and Wang Yuanyuan.
He knew this pair of parents truly loved him—just...
Well, let's be honest, all the blame falls on "Su Feng."
What can you do? Kids can be a handful. If "Su Feng" hadn't been so difficult, who would willingly send their child across the ocean?
"Little rascal, those muscles... are you kidding me?"
Su Weiguo was stunned when he saw Su Feng. Though Su Weiguo himself was 1.86 meters tall, Su Feng's athletic build and 1.98-meter frame...
Don't ask—just know he looked awesome.
Originally, Wang Yuanyuan had prepared a bunch of humorous lines for their arrival in Philadelphia, like "Son, you've gotten so skinny," or "Son, you've suffered so much." But when she saw Su Feng waiting to pick them up...
Where was this poor, struggling child?
This was clearly someone who'd been "corrupted" by capitalism!
So, on the way home with Su Feng, Su Weiguo and Wang Yuanyuan couldn't stop...
Touching him.
Su Feng felt like his body had become some kind of magnet.
"These muscles are way stronger than your dad's ever were," Wang Yuanyuan chuckled.
"Come on, our food back home..." Su Weiguo blushed. He hadn't expected that after two years apart, this little rascal might actually be able to beat him now...
From memory, Su Feng knew Su Weiguo had grown up in a military compound and was a something, while his mother, Wang Yuanyuan, was a something else.
In short, their love story could easily be turned into a TV drama.
Also, every time Su Feng thought about the Su family, he felt "Su Feng" had really done his father dirty. At first, Su Feng thought Su Weiguo ran a leather factory in Jiangnan...
But after chatting with him, Su Feng realized that wasn't the case at all.
Anyway...
Playing basketball well was the right path.
After arriving home, Su Feng even cooked a special meal for Su Weiguo and Wang Yuanyuan.
"See? That saying about discipline making a filial son is true.
We spoiled you too much before, but look—just two years in the U.S., and you've already learned to live independently," Su Weiguo joked while eating.
"Still, I bet our son had a tough time in the beginning..." Wang Yuanyuan said, full of motherly concern.
Well...
Judging by "Su Feng's" memories, it was pretty rough. Getting bullied by white classmates, sneaking into clubs—he'd been through it all.
But Su Feng? He was different.
Please—at Lower Merion, he and Kobe walked around like bosses.
Not happy?
Catch an elbow.
And after his bold move in May 1994, few people at school dared say anything bad about Su Feng.
After all, while Americans may not admire courage per se, they do worship personal heroism.
It's worth noting that Su Weiguo originally wanted to stay at a hotel, but Wang Yuanyuan firmly disagreed.
"If our son can live here, why can't we?" she said.
"You'll sleep on the sofa for now. I'll sleep with our son. That's final," Wang Yuanyuan declared, hands on hips, full of confidence.
Su Feng: "..."
Ridiculous. If you count his past life, Su Feng was nearly 30 years old. Why was he still sleeping with his mom?
"You take the bed—I'll sleep on the sofa," Su Feng said, embarrassed.
"Haha, look at this little rascal getting shy.
I still remember when he was in junior high, he used to sleep with us," Su Weiguo laughed.
Su Feng: "..."
Well, after getting used to taking the blame for everything, Su Feng figured it was just part of life now.
Maybe there's no Benzema in this world, but you could say everyone's a Benzema.
And just like that, the night passed.
Since Su Feng was used to waking up at 4 a.m., when he opened his eyes, he noticed that every so often, either Su Weiguo or Wang Yuanyuan would come over and adjust his blanket.
So...
Su Feng just pretended to stay asleep for a while.
"Is this what family feels like?" Su Feng thought quietly.
…
On the 25th, after putting on his custom-made suit—no joke—Su Feng really felt like his looks were breaking the scale.
"He really is our son," Su Weiguo and Wang Yuanyuan said in unison.
According to the plan, Bill Duffy would send someone to pick up Su Feng and his parents and take them to the airport.
Originally, Kobe had planned to go to New York with Su Feng, but there was no way around it. At this point, they were still just kids in the eyes of their families.
"Tomorrow is the legendary 1996 Golden Generation Draft," Su Feng thought, curious about which team would pick him.
And with Kobe's current projected draft position, Su Feng was still a bit worried they might miss the chance to team up with the Lakers.
Actually...
Realistically, Su Feng's worry was unnecessary.
Because the LOGO Man is the LOGO Man.
On the 25th, the Lakers' front office had returned from Dallas.
Just like Su Feng remembered, when it came to draft decisions, only a few trusted insiders knew what Jerry West was planning. Everyone else—including the rest of the Lakers' staff—was in the dark.
That included the Dallas Mavericks, who had already agreed to a trade with the Lakers.
Yes, that's right.
The Dallas Mavericks were part of a detail Su Feng hadn't noticed had changed.
Because of Su Feng's presence, the butterfly effect had already begun.
After losing to two high schoolers last November and getting publicly roasted by senior Michael Jordan, Jerry Stackhouse went completely berserk to save face.
And thanks to his rampage, he led the 76ers to beat the Bucks in their February 13 matchup.
The chain reaction from that game meant that although the Bucks still lucked into the fourth pick in 1996, the shift in bottom-tier team records altered the draft lottery odds.
As a result, the Dallas Mavericks ended up with...
The No. 8 pick in 1996.
Meanwhile, just like in Su Feng's memory, Pat Croce was now being mocked by Philly fans as "Pat Iverson."
The 76ers wanting to draft Iverson was no longer a secret.
But unlike in Su Feng's previous life, the influence of one person—especially when paired with another—can be surprisingly powerful.
So, with the media dubbing them the "Philadelphia Gemini" every day, on the eve of the draft, Pat Croce met with head coach Johnny Davis.
Caution was the defining trait of the 76ers' front office in 1996.
But caution is a double-edged sword.
In Seattle, after losing to the Bulls in the Finals, George Karl was more determined than ever to bring Su Feng to the SuperSonics.
But after seeing the Knicks' offer, Karl didn't even hesitate—he hung up the phone.
Oh please, you think you're the only ones I can do business with?
In Phoenix, the Suns' front office also made their decision after much internal debate.
That unforgettable "friendly exchange" between Su Feng and Barkley had left a deep impression.
And in Sacramento, after reviewing the final scouting tapes from Europe and Su Feng's trial footage, the Kings made their call too.
On the eve of the 1996 draft, every team had placed their bets. Now, it was time for the dealer—David Stern—to reveal the cards.
Because—
It's noon!