Chapter 36: The Second Place Scholar’s Performance

"China's Tang?!"

Seeing the General Manager write down a "T," Peter Phillips widened his eyes and turned his head toward where Tang Bei was sitting.

Twortsch carefully wrote "Tang Bei" on the paper, exhaling a long breath as if he had just completed a monumental task, feeling the pressure in his heart dissipate.

The Hornets had only won 31 games last season, finishing 12th in the Eastern Conference. With an average of 113.4 points allowed per game, their poor defense was one of the team's primary issues. Selecting Tang Bei versus selecting Mourning was exactly where Twortsch’s internal conflict lay, making the decision process agonizingly difficult.

Alonzo Mourning was a defensive anchor in the paint with a decent offensive game; he was a more mature center who could be put to immediate use. Tang Bei, on the other hand, was currently quite raw, and his overall offensive and defensive strength was not yet on par with Mourning’s—which was why he had initially written down Mourning’s name.

However, during the tryouts, Tang Bei had held his own against Mourning, even gaining the upper hand in low-post offense. Mourning lacked the necessary height, and his disadvantages were fully exposed when defending a heavy, powerful center like Tang Bei in the paint, making his defensive task quite difficult. Furthermore, since Larry Johnson was also an undersized power forward, the pair lacked sufficient height, leaving their interior defense at a disadvantage.

In terms of the defense the Hornets desperately needed, Tang Bei had shown enough potential, though he still needed time to grow. Looking at it from another angle: while Mourning was already polished, Tang Bei was not, which meant that Tang Bei likely had a higher ceiling and more untapped potential. Ultimately, he chose Tang Bei for that greater potential and higher upside.

Twortsch quickly sealed the note in an envelope and handed it to the official waiting at the side, who immediately carried it onto the stage to David Stern. Stern took the envelope, pulled out the white slip of paper, and paused upon seeing the name.

"Who did the Hornets pick?"

At that moment, Jim Brewer, Rick Sund, Christian Laettner, Mourning, and others were nervously speculating.

David Stern cleared his throat and announced, "With the second overall pick in the first round, the Charlotte Hornets select... Tang Bei from China."

"Oh!" The Memorial Sports Arena erupted into a whirlwind of gasps.

"Yes!" Eric Fleischer shouted in excitement.

"Eric really struck gold," Mark Fleischer muttered enviously from the back.

"Shit!" Laettner was furious that he wasn't the second pick. He couldn't understand why the Hornets would make such a foolish choice.

Mourning was deeply depressed, unable to comprehend why the Hornets, who were in dire need of defense, would pass on him to select Tang.

"Me?" Tang Bei seemed to hear David Stern call his name and was stunned. He had been selected with the second pick?

"What?" Xu Jicheng’s mouth hung open, unable to believe his ears. Wasn't he supposed to be a late lottery pick? Was the second pick considered late lottery? Caught off guard, he scrambled in a panic, nearly dropping his camera as he broke into a cold sweat.

"The second pick?" Far away in Los Angeles, Zhang Heli was equally astonished.

"Shit!" Hearing David Stern announce Tang Bei’s name, Timberwolves GM Jim Brewer cursed under his breath, his face filled with disappointment. Beside him, Mavericks GM Rick Sund wore the same expression. Both had been among the first to learn about Tang Bei, having been invited by Fleischer to watch his first CBA game, but they had failed to secure him, leaving them with deep regrets.

"Congratulations. Since the Hornets were foolish enough not to pick Mourning or Laettner, you two now have the chance to take them," Rockets GM Steve Patterson teased, despite his own disappointment.

Jim Brewer chuckled, "Laettner is also quite good, Mr. Patterson. I just wonder who you Rockets are planning to pick?"

Rick Sund added, "Jim, if you take Laettner, leave Mourning for me."

Steve Patterson’s expression darkened. With the Rockets' draft position being so low, they would likely only be left with the leftovers by the time it was their turn.

*Click, click...*

Tang Bei took the Hornets cap from the staff member and put it on. Xu Jicheng excitedly pressed his shutter, and the media reporters followed suit, the flashes lighting up the room.

"Mr. Stern, hello." Tang Bei shook hands with David Stern, speaking in English with calm confidence.

David Stern smiled, "Welcome, Tang. I am very happy to see a young man from China join the NBA. I look forward to your success here." He was genuinely pleased that Tang Bei had been selected second; it was a pleasant surprise.

John Liu stepped onto the stage to interpret.

"Thank you!" After thanking Stern, Tang Bei stepped toward the microphone, ready to say a few words. Although he hadn't expected to be the second pick, he had prepared, having discussed what to say with Eric and the others. Facing the massive crowd, he showed no stage fright, speaking in Mandarin:

"I am very happy the Hornets selected me. I look forward to starting my NBA career in Charlotte, and I hope to use my abilities to make the Hornets a better team."

He spoke at a steady pace, allowing John Liu to keep up with his rhythm.

*Clap, clap, clap...*

Dave Twortsch and Eric Fleischer applauded enthusiastically.

"Tang, welcome to the Hornets."

"Thank you!" As Tang Bei walked off the stage, Dave Twortsch greeted him. They had communicated one-on-one at the official draft combine in Chicago and had interacted again when Tang Bei trained with the Hornets, so they were already acquainted.

Before they could exchange more than a few words, a TNT staffer approached. "Tang, it's time for your interview."

"Tang, go ahead and do the interview; we’ll talk later," Twortsch urged.

"OK."

Tang Bei and John Liu entered the interview room, which contained a camera, a cameraman, and a white, middle-aged reporter in a white shirt and black tie.

"Tang, I'm John Scordo, a reporter for TNT," the reporter said, eyeing Tang Bei with a scrutinizing gaze.

"I am Tang Bei."

"Tang, do you think your talent is worthy of the second overall pick?"

The reporter’s question had an edge to it, and his eyes remained locked on Tang Bei, intentionally creating an oppressive atmosphere. Tang Bei ignored the pressure; his mindset was remarkably relaxed. Since the moment he was successfully drafted, his life had changed fundamentally. He would leave behind the nickname "Tang the Rice Bucket," and his life was now heading toward success. In this moment, he was a winner, and with that mindset, all pressure was ignored.

On the contrary, he possessed a powerful spirit. His eyes were sharp and piercing, and under his steady gaze, the reporter found he couldn't handle the pressure, shifting his eyes away, unable to keep staring him down.

"Damn it, why can't I hold his gaze?" Although the reporter shifted his eyes back, he no longer dared to look directly at Tang Bei for long, needing to glance away periodically.