After successfully breaking the dribbling ceiling with Iverson's help, Su Feng has been feeling nothing short of elated.
You did it—Su Feng's current dribbling and ball-handling potential has reached 62 points!
He remembered that he could now pull off all the flashy moves of a dazzling NBA show, only to finish with a simple straight-line drive that cuts through the defense...
"It's daybreak!"
…
On the fifth day, Su Feng, who had been diligently training with Iverson, suddenly received a notice from the team: the two assistants, Jason and Rick, wanted to grab coffee with him and Iverson.
With the Summer League just a week away, Su Feng assumed the assistants had some special tactics to discuss with him and Iverson.
After all, one was the top pick of the golden generation, and the other a 13th overall pick from the same class—no need to explain the star power of that duo.
Most people who make it to NBA assistant roles tend to have decent emotional intelligence and know how to "play their position."
So, although Iverson wasn't keen on going, Su Feng eventually dragged him along.
But in truth...
Su Feng had underestimated the "star power" he and Iverson carried.
Jason and Rick didn't want to talk tactics—they wanted to ask these two big shots if they knew anyone who could help them look good.
Why? Because Claus, the clueless exec, had given Jason and Rick a death order...
If Iverson and Su Feng didn't shine in the Summer League, the assistants' contract renewals might be in serious jeopardy.
At the time, Greenberg and Claus were the real power holders within the 76ers.
In Su Feng's previous life, Johnny Davis once suggested Iverson should pass more during games. Iverson took it as being labeled a "lone wolf," and in the following matches, he passed but refused to shoot—leaving Davis heartbroken.
At a critical moment, Claus stepped in and told Davis to back off. As far as Claus was concerned, as long as Iverson was happy, everything was fine.
Jason and Rick were still new, and their head coach Davis was basically just a figurehead.
Claus's desire to win over Iverson and Su Feng was already common knowledge within the 76ers organization.
And in this sensitive period following a change in ownership, anyone who wanted to stay relevant had to know how to "pick a side."
That's why Jason and Rick were eager to build a good relationship with Iverson and Su Feng.
In the NBA, it's not uncommon for players to look down on assistants.
Sometimes, even if you're the head coach, a few years down the line you'll still have to hand your playbook over to your star player.
That's just how it is—the NBA is a star-driven league.
Except for a handful of head coaches who hold real authority, most have had to bend the knee to their stars to keep their jobs.
Su Feng had no idea how much Claus liked him at that point. After Claus drafted him, a recent survey by Philadelphia media showed Claus's local approval rating had soared to 90%.
Su Feng had cross-market appeal. McDonald's was even negotiating a commercial deal with his agent, Bill Duffy, thanks to his All-Star Game performance.
Add to that the moral "buff" of being a Philadelphia hero—and after a deeper media investigation revealed that Su Feng had actually been saved by one of Iverson's friends...
So, despite not having played a single NBA game, Su Feng and Iverson were already seen by Philadelphia fans as the city's saviors.
Originally, if it were just fan hype, the 76ers' front office—if they actually understood basketball—and the coaching staff had more authority, Jason and Rick wouldn't be groveling to Su Feng and Iverson.
Unfortunately, Claus, the clueless exec with all the power, loved engaging with fans.
When Claus heard that the locals were singing his praises, he got even more fired up.
He didn't understand basketball, but in his mind, if he picked Iverson and Su Feng, they had to be great.
And so...
Iverson and Su Feng were easily the most envied rookies heading into the Summer League.
…
Outside the 76ers' office building, Su Feng dragged his feet reluctantly, his face full of expressions that screamed, "I'd rather be anywhere else."
But as he arrived, Su Feng noticed something strange—why was there a guy who looked like a gangster standing outside the entrance?
Wait a minute... is this Kobe's hired hitman sent to take him out?
Cough. Of course, that was just a joke.
Because Su Feng quickly recognized the man's face.
The guy had a stern look, elbows so wide you'd instinctively want to avoid him, and a wild, bushy afro that seemed designed to add height.
Unfortunately, the afro wasn't quite doing the job.
At best, it gave him an extra two centimeters.
Next to him stood a man in a suit and dress shoes—clearly someone who looked like an insurance salesman.
Su Feng chuckled.
He couldn't help but think: is this really how introductions work in America?
It didn't even matter that he'd run into Kobe before. Based on geography and timing, Su Feng hadn't expected to meet him again.
But...
Introducing a dear friend...
Wasn't this Wallace?
Back in the Palace of Auburn Hills, after the fierce Artest was shoved by this man, he ended up lying in the referee's seat, calmly resting under the persuasion of another Wallace.
No doubt about it—Artest was sincere.
This was clearly the man who laid the groundwork for his future transformation into "Metta World Peace."
Although Ben Wallace's hairstyle wasn't quite at its iconic peak yet, Su Feng couldn't help but recognize him—he was a legend in Su Feng's previous life.
A man who could go toe-to-toe with Shaq on free throws and make the All-Star team purely through defense.
Though officially listed at 206 cm, Su Feng felt that Wallace looked shorter than his shoes.
Still, as Su Feng got closer, he saw that Wallace's muscles were absolutely legit.
Su Feng remembered that 90% of the college invitations Ben Wallace received were actually attempts to recruit him for football.
But Wallace was determined. He rejected them all—he only wanted to play basketball.
Compared to Su Feng and Iverson, Wallace's recent journey could only be described as tragic.
During the 1996 draft, Ben Wallace didn't receive a single invitation from any team, becoming one of the most famous undrafted players in NBA history.
His rejection was due to his age and height.
Despite a wingspan close to 220 cm and bench press stats near the top for NBA big men, his lack of technical skill, sub-2-meter height, and being 22 years old...
Made teams dismiss him outright.
In Su Feng's previous life, no one paid attention to Wallace. Eventually, Celtics coach Karl Miller gave him a shot in the Summer League.
But Karl wanted to convert him into a guard, thinking it was a joke to let someone of Wallace's height play inside.
Yet turning Wallace into a guard was like asking Steve Nash to play center.
So Wallace, ever determined, kept wandering.
He was supposed to play in the Italian League, but the team refused to pay him due to poor performance, and the trip was canceled.
Eventually, Unseld—himself a short big man—took pity on Wallace and gave him a chance with the Washington Bullets.
At first, Wallace's job was basically to guard the water cooler.
Later, after being picked up by the Pistons, Wallace began to shine under George Irvine and Rick Carlisle.
Su Feng knew Wallace's tragic backstory, but he had no idea Wallace had come to Philadelphia to submit his résumé.
After all, even if Su Feng was a "walking encyclopedia," he still had blind spots.
In reality, Wallace's journey was even rougher than what Su Feng remembered.
After going undrafted, Wallace—who had just watched The Shawshank Redemption—wanted to write a heartfelt letter to NBA teams, asking for a chance in the Summer League.
But he struggled to write even a 300-word essay.
So, as the Summer League approached, Wallace decided to rely on sincerity to win teams over.
Before arriving in Philadelphia, he had already submitted résumés in Charlotte, New York, and Atlanta.
Technically, he didn't need to show up in person to sign up for the Summer League, but...
He was desperately short on money and needed a stable job.
With 11 siblings, and raised by a hardworking mother, Wallace learned early on that effort could change his future.
He earned his first bit of money as a child by cutting hair.
As the oldest boy in the family, he had always been their hope.
That's why Wallace, with his tenacious spirit, believed that sincerity was the best way to move people.
In Su Feng's previous life, Celtics coach Karl gave Wallace a chance precisely because of his visible sincerity.
So even with Philadelphia's "cold" summer winds, Wallace stood firm.
"Look at me, just look at me—I'll prove I can protect your paint!"
"Just give me a chance. I'll be your workhorse!"
"I won't score, but I'll rebound!"
"My technique is raw, but I'll shield my teammates with my broad chest!"
"What are you guys doing here?"
As Su Feng looked at Wallace with admiration, Iverson—still being dragged along—stared wide-eyed and asked curiously.
Wallace and his agent were stunned. Of course they knew who Iverson and Su Feng were.
The No. 1 pick of the '96 draft, and the first Chinese player to score in the NBA.
Well...
More importantly, they were both ridiculously good-looking.
"I... I'm Ben. I'm here to submit my résumé," Wallace said nervously, clearly intimidated by their presence.
Iverson nodded, not thinking much of it. After Wallace answered, he and Su Feng headed into the office building.
But Su Feng, hearing Wallace's words, suddenly had a bold idea.
Su Feng's bold idea, of course, was to help Ben Wallace.
Not because Su Feng was some kind-hearted soul who helped anyone in need, but because…
A few days earlier, during a conversation with Coach Davis, Su Feng had a nagging feeling that this "tool coach" was planning to use him as a power forward in future games.
With the historical timeline altered and Coleman traded away, the 76ers' frontcourt was now wide open.
And in Davis's view, the forward spots were still relatively crowded.
But with Su Feng's impressive physical attributes, it seemed reasonable—at least to Davis—to occasionally slot him in as a power forward.
So Davis decided to give Su Feng a heads-up.
Upon hearing this, Su Feng felt a wave of panic…
In his previous life, McGrady—who had similar height and wingspan—refused to admit he was 203 cm tall, just to avoid being placed in the paint.
What a joke. This was still the 90s!
Su Feng had finally shaken off the nickname "Philadelphia Malone," and now Davis wanted to turn him into the "Philadelphia Flying Pig"?
In this era, brute force alone wasn't enough.
Su Feng had already clashed with Barkley and knew that stepping into the paint now was suicide. Even with "injury immunity," he couldn't handle those muscle-bound monsters.
Forget about missing shots—he'd just get beat down.
And using your weaknesses to fight someone else's strengths? In Su Feng's eyes, that was just plain stupid.
So when he heard that Ben Wallace was outside submitting his résumé, Su Feng felt compelled to help Big Ben.
In Su Feng's previous life, Wallace had always been a hidden gem—mostly because he'd had so few chances.
Plus, Su Feng knew what kind of basketball the 76ers would play next season. To put it bluntly, it was chaotic 90s-style chucking.
Now imagine: if Big Ben were on the team, and they had a good relationship, Wallace could grab rebounds and toss them right to Su Feng. Wouldn't that be perfect?
As a rookie already plotting his rise before even stepping onto an NBA court, Su Feng knew he couldn't influence management yet. But if he could bring someone in? Why not build alliances?
Didn't another guy named Feng nearly get destroyed by the Funan Gang?
With his mind made up, Su Feng decided to act when the opportunity came.
After all, he was still just a rookie. If it didn't work out, he wasn't dumb enough to go against the coaching staff.
But then…
Su Feng never expected that as soon as he and Iverson walked into the coaches' office…
Jason and Rick would look at them like they were messiahs and ask:
"Allen, Sue, do you know any free agents you're close with?
We're still short two players for the Summer League roster. We all agree that if they're guys you get along with, the team chemistry will be much better…"
Su Feng: "..."
He was stunned.
This wasn't him trying to interfere with the coaching staff—it was the coaching staff asking him for recommendations!
So, after Iverson shook his head, Su Feng looked at Jason and Rick and smiled:
"Coach, I have a friend who's a great defender.
He entered the draft this year but unfortunately went undrafted.
But trust me—he's absolutely capable. He's not tall, but he's excellent at rebounding and boxing out."
Jason and Rick lit up. They were eager to meet Su Feng's friend.
To be fair, Su Feng's pitch was strategic.
He emphasized Wallace's defensive rebounding and positioning—and Jason and Rick thought he might be the "anchor" they'd been searching for.
"What's your friend's name?" they asked.
"Ben Wallace, from Virginia Union University," Su Feng replied, digging into his memory.
"Virginia Union? That's Division II, right?" Jason asked.
"Yes. But even though he's from Division II, sir, he trained with me during the holidays.
Oh, and Kobe gets blocked by him all the time," Su Feng added with flair.
Beside him, Iverson perked up. Hearing that Su Feng's friend regularly blocked Kobe piqued his interest.
"Wait, Ben Wallace? Why does that name sound so familiar?" Jason scratched his head.
Rick chimed in: "That guy who's been standing outside the building the past couple of days—I think his name is Ben Wallace."
Jason was stunned. Could it be?
"Sue, just to confirm… the Ben Wallace you're talking about isn't…?" Jason asked.
Su Feng nodded. "Yes, I told him to come to Philly and give it a shot."
"I see."
In fact, Jason and Rick had already reviewed Wallace's profile but dismissed him as too short.
But if he was Su Feng's friend—who cared about height?
To keep their jobs and fulfill Claus's demands, Jason and Rick were willing to bend the rules.
So, moments later, Wallace—still braving Philly's "cold" summer breeze—was called inside by Rick.
Wallace thought his sincerity had finally moved the 76ers.
But just as he was about to introduce himself…
"We'd like to offer you a Summer League contract. Meals and lodging included. Are you interested?" Jason asked.
Ben Wallace: "..."
What just happened?
Seeing Wallace's confused expression, Su Feng stepped forward, wrapped an arm around his neck, and whispered:
"If you want to play in the Summer League and make it to the NBA, just follow my lead and keep quiet."
Wallace nodded. His IQ wasn't high—he'd missed out on Division I because of poor academics.
But he wasn't stupid. Even if he didn't know why the 76ers wanted to sign him, this was clearly the opportunity he'd been dreaming of.
"You know, you really should've mentioned you were Su's friend when you dropped off your résumé," Jason said, puzzled.
F-friend?
Wallace could swear on his life—this was the first time he'd ever met Su Feng…
"Sir, please don't blame him. He didn't mean to hide anything.
He just wanted his skills to speak for themselves," Su Feng explained, giving Wallace a subtle wink.
Seeing Su Feng's fiery gaze, Wallace quickly nodded. "Yes… Su's right!"
"Alright then. Have your agent review the contract.
If everything looks good, we'll sign it. Once it's done, you'll officially be part of the 76ers' Summer League team," Jason said, tossing the document onto the table.
Gotta say…
Whether it's domestic or international, things really do work differently.
Jason's tone when speaking to Wallace now, compared to how he spoke to Iverson and Su Feng, was like night and day.
And just like that, Ben Wallace signed a contract with the Philadelphia 76ers.
It was only for the Summer League—but for him, it meant everything.