Chapter 19: Monstrous Physical Test Results

On May 11th, at 8:00 AM, Tang Bei arrived at the hotel lobby, preparing to board the official bus bound for the Chicago Stadium. John Liu was by his side, while Eric Fleisher had already departed earlier.

Before long, the rookies began to congregate in the lobby. Jim Jackson, Tom Gugliotta, LaPhonso Ellis, Robert Horry, Anthony Peeler, Walt Williams, Latrell Sprewell, Jon Barry, Todd Day, P.J. Brown, and other college stars who had shone in the NCAA were all present.

It wasn't just the NCAA prospects; there were also players from the CBA, such as Tang Bei and Mark Davis, the top scorer from the Cat-Bird team that had faced Tang’s team in the finals.

With over seventy invitees in total, the rookies were largely unfamiliar with one another. As competitors in the upcoming draft and with the pre-draft camp about to begin, the atmosphere was tense. Despite the large crowd, the lobby remained quiet.

As a Chinese man among white and Black players, and with a physique like a titan, Tang Bei stood out. Every rookie cast a glance his way upon arrival. Most of them didn't even know who he was, surprised to see a man of Asian descent in their midst.

"Is that Asian guy Korean or Japanese?"
"He might be Chinese."
"Does anyone know him?"
"I know him. He isn't from the NCAA; he played in the CBA. He must be Chinese."
"God, can Chinese people even play basketball?"

His presence sparked a flurry of whispers. Mark Davis, who had been a primary target for Tang Bei’s help-defense and had suffered greatly under his hand, saw him but chose not to offer a greeting.

"Hmph!"

Christian Laettner arrived, and upon seeing Tang Bei, he couldn't help but let out an angry snort. His right cheek remained swollen from the previous night’s treatment, and several teeth were loose, fueling his intense hatred for Tang. However, having witnessed Tang Bei’s ruthless methods—where retaliation was never delayed by even a second—he didn't dare stir up trouble in person, wanting no repeat of the slap he had received.

Mourning arrived as well, also ignoring Tang Bei. The two had shared a room for the night, yet had barely exchanged a word.

Shaq arrived fashionably late, paying no mind to anyone in particular. He kept his headphones on, bobbing his head to the music, looking remarkably relaxed compared to the tense rookies around him.

At the Chicago Stadium, a multitude of agents, NBA scouts, and general managers had gathered. To boost the influence of the NBA draft, officials had invited prominent journalists and three major television networks: NBC, ABC, and ESPN.

At 9:02 AM, the bus carrying the rookies pulled up to the stadium entrance. The waiting crowd of reporters swarmed toward them.

"Click, click..."

The most popular prospects were, naturally, Christian Laettner and Shaquille O'Neal, followed by Alonzo Mourning and Jim Jackson. The reporters trailed them for photos and interviews.

It was Tang Bei’s first time seeing so many reporters and cameras; he couldn't help but marvel at the vast difference in influence between the NBA and the CBA. Although many NBA general managers already knew of him—some having even traveled to watch him play—he held little name recognition in the media, so no reporters approached him.

Following the crowd, he passed through a dimly lit, arched corridor, and after a short walk, the space suddenly opened up, with the murmur of voices echoing through the bright arena.

Stepping out of the tunnel, Tang Bei saw the massive stadium. Tianjin had no such indoor facility; he had been to the Beijing Capital Gymnasium once, and it was roughly the same size as this one.

Eric Fleisher walked over and said, "Tang, all 27 general managers are here. Give them a good performance."

Led by Fleisher, Tang Bei completed his registration and enrollment, officially joining the pre-draft camp. The first day was dedicated to physical testing, the results of which would become the official records.

O'Neal’s testing drew the largest crowd, with general managers from every team hovering nearby. First came the static measurements, followed by the dynamic ones. As O'Neal’s numbers were recorded, they drew waves of admiration.

By the time it was Tang Bei’s turn, it was already afternoon. Most of the NBA general managers seemed to have gathered; they followed Tang Bei from station to station. Not everyone was there—Lakers GM Jerry West and Magic GM Pat Williams had not yet appeared.

"Are they crazy?" Christian Laettner, seeing the crowd of GMs and fans, was surprised and deeply resentful. His agent quickly whispered, "Christian, keep it down." Other rookies were equally baffled: why were so many GMs and fans watching the Chinese player’s physical test?

"Standing reach: 9 feet 5 inches (2.87 meters)."
"God, that's the same as Shaq."
"Vertical leap: 85 centimeters."
"How is that possible? O'Neal only hit 80 centimeters."
"Running vertical: 101 centimeters."
"God, O'Neal was 91 centimeters."
"The difference between his running and vertical leap is 15 centimeters. It shows he’s incredibly fast and has explosive power."
"Max bench press: 510 pounds."
"Incredible. O'Neal was 420."
"40-yard dash: 4.46 seconds."
"God, O'Neal just ran a 4.6."
"I wasn't wrong. With a running jump like that, his speed and explosiveness are clearly superior to O'Neal's."
"God, another monster has arrived."

As each of Tang Bei’s stats were revealed, the eyes of the general managers and fans grew brighter, their focus intensifying, and the stadium hummed with discussion.

"Click, click..."

The reporters who had previously ignored Tang Bei now began firing their shutters at him as well. Only O'Neal’s face darkened, grumbling to himself, "Why do you guys keep comparing everyone to me?" He was astonished; it was the first time he had encountered a big man with physical attributes that rivaled his own.

Christian Laettner and Alonzo Mourning were equally stunned, unwilling to believe the numbers they were hearing.

In the crowd, Lakers GM Jerry West felt a pang of regret for leaving the arena so quickly that day. He had been drawn in by the numbers, and though he held prejudices against the Chinese, he could not, as a general manager, ignore such raw talent.

"Is he really that gifted?" Magic GM Pat Williams had arrived as well, driven by the same realization. As a professional, he could not overlook Tang Bei.

By the time Tang Bei finished his tests, he had become one of the most talked-about prospects in the building, followed by reporters wherever he went.

That night, the benefits of participating in the camp became clear as his story appeared on the nightly sports news of the three major networks.

ESPN reported: "Tang’s athletic talent is on par with Shaquille O'Neal’s, which secures him a first-round pick. Whether he enters the lottery depends on his performance at the camp."

NBC reported: "Tang lacks NCAA experience, and the level of play in the CBA playoffs is too low, which will impact his draft stock. However, he is worth a first-round selection."

ABC reported: "If drafted, Tang will be the first Chinese player to enter the NBA."

TNT reported: "Tang played 8 games in the CBA playoffs, causing 8 opponents to leave the court due to injury—an average of one injury per game. His destructive power is astonishing, demonstrating incredible physical resilience."

On the 12th, Tang Bei’s name and photo graced the reports of major media outlets. The attention and buzz from his eight CBA playoff games combined paled in comparison to a single day of testing at the pre-draft camp.