---
"Okay, as we said before the draft, Chinese teenager Li Wan, who played in the NCAA, was also selected in the first round. He was the 19th overall pick. Although his draft position isn't as high as Yao Ming or Yi Jianlian, it's still noteworthy — he's the first Asian perimeter player to be selected in the first round of the NBA Draft!"
In China, in Studio -5, where the 2007 Draft Conference was being broadcast live, Sun Zhengping's voice carried obvious excitement.
In NBA history, no Asian perimeter player had ever secured a stable role, so Li Wan being picked 19th in the first round was a monumental step forward.
It meant that the China Men's National Basketball Team might have an NBA-level perimeter player in the future!
Yu Jia, sitting next to Sun Zhengping, briefly introduced Li Wan's player comparison template. He concluded: "If Li Wan can reach this level, that's already quite good. At the very least, he'd be a starting-level NBA player…"
Many domestic fans, upon hearing that Li Wan might be a starter in the NBA, were immediately impressed. After all, at that time, only one Chinese player held a starting role in the league.
However, some veteran fans curled their lips in mild skepticism. They knew well that draft templates often represented an optimistic ceiling for a player.
If the ceiling is only Michael Pietrus, then whether Li Wan can secure a long-term position in the NBA remains uncertain.
Of course, even if Li Wan doesn't stick in the NBA, most domestic fans wouldn't be too disappointed. Li Wan's "sudden rise" was already an unexpected delight. Their main hope was still for Yi Jianlian — that he could perform well, become a key contributor, and even take over as the team's core, much like Yao Ming before him.
Yi Jianlian had grown steadily under the public eye. Just like with Yao Ming, fans hoped the baton of China's men's basketball would now be passed to him.
At that moment, Li Wan returned to his seat after the interview, his expression faintly excited.
He had been selected 19th in the first round — his NBA journey was about to begin. The evaluation should be complete by now, right?
He summoned the system again, scrolled to the final page — and the words had changed:
"Evaluation complete. Do you wish to activate the system?"
!!
So he was right!
Li Wan's guess was correct — once the draft ended, the evaluation would be complete.
He tapped "Activate," and his whole body trembled slightly.
He was nervous — understandably so.
What functions the system would offer could directly impact his NBA future.
With his natural talent alone, he could only become a role-playing perimeter player — not enough for someone who had traveled through time.
If he couldn't become the greatest in NBA history, he at least had to become a superstar, right?
"Ding! The Strongest Template System has been officially activated!"
"Generating template…"
"Calculating…"
The strongest template system?
Does that mean the system will assign me a template?
Li Wan speculated, as the prompts continued:
"The host was a 4-star high school recruit in the United States in 2006."
"The host won the 2007 NCAA championship!"
"The host hit a game-winner in the 2007 NCAA Finals!"
"The host was selected 19th overall in the first round of the NBA Draft!"
"Calculation complete!"
"Ding! Congratulations to the host for receiving a B-level template!"
"Extracting…"
"Ding! Congratulations to the host for obtaining the JR Smith template!"
Only B-level?
Wow… JR Smith?
Li Wan was initially disappointed with the B-grade, but once he saw the actual template — JR Smith — his mood shifted.
Though Smith was never a superstar, nor even an All-Star, in terms of pure talent, many All-Stars couldn't match him.
From static to dynamic athleticism, to technical skill — he had it all.
"Updating data…"
"Update complete. Please check the attribute panel."
After the system was activated, the panel interface changed. Li Wan tapped to open it — a full-body model of himself appeared on the screen. About 2.02 meters tall, handsome, upright posture, visible muscle definition — it was the kind of physique that could be described in one word: "Sharp!"
Next to the model was his profile:
---
Host: Li Wan
Birthday: October 11, 1988
Height: 2.02 meters
Wingspan: 2.18 meters
Hand size: 23.5 cm
Foot length: 32 cm
Achilles tendon length: 20.4 cm
Weight: 95 kg
---
His static measurements remained the same — they hadn't been overwritten by JR Smith's. However, his Achilles tendon was now longer than before, which meant improved explosiveness.
This was confirmed on the dynamic attribute page:
---
Upper body strength: 45 (70)
Lower body strength: 65 (77)
Core strength: 60 (82)
Explosiveness: 50 (82)
Speed: 64 (82)
Agility: 70 (82)
Stamina: 50 (80)
---
While the strength potentials hadn't changed, other categories had improved significantly — mostly by 20+ points.
If fully developed, his physical tools would be All-Star caliber!
JR Smith's athletic gifts really were elite.
---
Vision: 85 (90)
Ball Handling: 35 (82)
Passing: 31 (85)
Mid-Range Shooting: 34 (82)
Three-Point Shooting: 30 (85)
Driving: 40 (85)
Layups: 50 (80)
Post Play: 19 (50)
Dunks (in motion): 30 (84)
Dunks (standing): 31 (45)
Off-Ball Movement: 66 (84)
Offensive Awareness: 70 (83)
---
His offensive skill ceiling had also skyrocketed — with the exception of post play, everything else had All-Star potential.
Defensive attributes remained unchanged — but Li Wan had already been a solid defender. His potential was between starter and All-Star level.
With focused training, Li Wan could absolutely establish himself in the NBA.
But that wasn't all — the system had more to offer.
Scrolling further, he found a Badge Wall with the word "Unlock" glowing.
He tapped it.
"Ding! Congratulations to the host for obtaining the template's signature badge: The Neuroknife Badge (Diamond)."
"Neuroknife Badge (Diamond): Activates under special conditions, increasing all offensive attributes by 10% for 2 minutes."
10% offensive boost…
Damn!
As expected from the man once dubbed the "Playoff Jordan!"
A template that comes with such a powerful badge? Unbelievable!
"Ding! Detected that host hit a game-winning 3-pointer in the NCAA Finals…"
"Ding! Congratulations to the host for acquiring the 'Strong Heart' badge (Bronze)."
"Strong Heart Badge (Bronze): Increases clutch-time performance by 2%. (Upgradeable)"
Another awesome badge!
Though the bonus was small, the system indicated that it could be upgraded.
Tapping the badge showed the upgrade condition:
> Complete 100 clutch-time field goals in official NBA games.
Definition of "clutch-time":
> Field goals made when the point difference is 1–3, or any shot in the final 2 minutes of regulation.
---
The Badge Wall was absolutely insane. Li Wan wondered if the system had even more hidden features.
He caught himself grinning: Am I being too greedy now?
At the bottom of the wall, another section appeared:
"Template Upgrade Task"
Li Wan: !!
---
Template upgrade task?
What does that mean?
Does it mean JR Smith's template can still be upgraded?
Oh hoo!
Li Wan's speculation was quickly confirmed.
The system description clearly stated that as long as the template tasks were completed, the template could be upgraded.
JR Smith's template… would evolve again!
Damn!
Li Wan had held back this exclamation for a while, and now it slipped out.
> Task List:
1. Average 10.3 points, 2 rebounds, and 1.9 assists in the rookie season.
2. Score 33 points or more in a single game during the rookie season.
3. Average over 24.5 minutes of playing time per game in the rookie season.
4. Start 56 or more games during the rookie season.
Note: If all tasks are completed by the end of the rookie season, the template will be upgraded. If not, tasks will reset and be updated.
Can I really complete all of that?
Li Wan grinned.
Forget averaging 10.3 points, 2 rebounds, and 1.9 assists — even scoring 33 points in a game was doable. But the real headaches were the playing time and number of starts: averaging 24.5 minutes and starting 56+ games was no small feat.
Thankfully, the JR Smith template had already raised many of his previous limitations. Talent-wise, he now had NBA-level explosiveness and skill. If he trained hard over the summer, there was a good chance he'd improve fast. Then, these tasks might not seem so daunting after all.
---
The first round of the draft soon came to a close.
Daequan Cook was selected 21st overall by the Philadelphia 76ers.
This marked a historic moment — all four Ohio State players eligible this year had been selected in the first round. It was a first in NBA history.
Greg Oden excitedly called everyone together for a photo and said cheerfully, "Hopefully the next time we're taking a picture like this will be at All-Star Weekend!"
Next to him, Joakim Noah sneered and said sarcastically, "That Chinese guy thinks he can make it to All-Star Weekend? Try surviving in this league first!"
He clearly knew about the differing opinions between Kupchak and Phil Jackson regarding the draft picks.
"Or maybe think about whether you'll even stay in L.A. for a month before being traded!"
His mocking tone caused Oden and Conley to frown in dissatisfaction, but both were mild-mannered and rarely engaged in trash talk.
Luckily, Li Wan didn't need his teammates to stand up for him. Noah had already tried to provoke him once.
"If you've got time to worry about me, why not check on your college teammate Taurean Green? Seems like he's fallen to the second round."
Taurean Green, Florida's starting point guard, stood just 1.83 meters tall and lacked athleticism. But he had a calm and composed mind and had led Florida to an NCAA championship last year. His draft stock had once reached lottery potential.
But to help Florida defend its title, he'd given up declaring for the 2006 draft. As a result, not only did they fail to win again, but his draft stock plummeted due to age and concerns about his potential.
Now, with the first round over, he still hadn't been picked.
"If he ends up undrafted, that's a lifetime setback!"
Li Wan's words, combined with his cold stare, instantly angered Joakim Noah, who lunged forward aggressively. Florida rookies Al Horford and Corey Brewer, noticing the tension, rushed over to hold him back.
Noah was growling and baring his teeth, but Li Wan wasn't remotely intimidated. Before he transmigrated, he had practiced boxing for five or six years and had even won amateur championships — he wasn't afraid of a fight with Noah.
Held back by his teammates, Noah couldn't reach Li Wan, so he pointed a finger and shouted angrily, "Just wait!"
Li Wan had struck a nerve. Last year, Noah had repeatedly convinced Taurean Green to stay, leading him to miss a golden opportunity.
That memory was also part of why Li Wan had decided to declare for the draft — he knew his draft stock would be tied to his performance. And more importantly, he was aware that his offensive potential wasn't very high. Staying in the NCAA another year wouldn't have helped him generate better numbers.
Ohio State had just won the championship, and he'd hit the game-winning shot. There would never be a better time to declare.
---
There were no more twists and turns during the photoshoot — although Wilson Chandler flashed a smug, crooked smile when he met Li Wan, eyes full of pride.
After the photos, Tyron, who had been waiting nearby, handed Li Wan his phone. "Mickey just called. We're flying to L.A. in two days. He wants to meet us ASAP."
"That sounds promising."
Li Wan glanced at his phone. There was a text message from Yao Ming, congratulating him on being drafted in the first round.
They had exchanged numbers after the NCAA Finals — Yao had made a special trip to attend, since it was the first time a Chinese player had appeared in the Finals.
They had stayed in touch since then, and during draft prep, Yao had given him some solid advice.
> —Thank you, Brother Yao. See you in the NBA.
After typing his reply, Li Wan also sent a funny "Yao-style embarrassment" emoji from his phone.
No one else from the Lakers had contacted him yet.
Li Wan frowned slightly.
Normally, the team's leader would call or message a rookie right after the draft, right?
Then he remembered — the Lakers' boss… was Kobe Bryant.
Oh. Right.
That's different.
This was Black Mamba — you couldn't expect him to be warm and fuzzy.
Especially since, if Li Wan recalled correctly, Kobe and the Lakers' front office were in the middle of a soap-opera drama that summer. He was probably fuming and emotionally distant — ignoring him was normal.
Still, what bothered Li Wan wasn't Kobe.
It was that Phil Jackson, the head coach, hadn't called either.
It seemed he really wasn't happy with Kupchak's pick…
---
After the photoshoot, the Ohio State "Four Sons" regrouped. It was getting late. They had all received calls from their teams and were due to report in the next day or two.
Not that they had much money to go out anyway.
So the four of them sat quietly on a long bench near the plaza, watching the streetlights flicker and the bright moon overhead.
"Next time we see each other, we'll all be millionaires," Conley said with a nostalgic sigh. "But right now… I kind of enjoy being broke."
"We really did it," he continued. "A year ago, we made a pact to reach the NBA together. And now look — all four of us are in."
He suddenly remembered Oden's earlier line during the photos: "How about we set a small goal? In February, we all play in the Rookie Challenge together!"
"…That's a bit tough." Cook scratched his head sheepishly.
Li Wan nodded: "Yeah, it's definitely not easy."
The Rookie Challenge roster only had 9 spots. The competition was fierce. Even JR Smith, who averaged 10.3 points as a rookie, didn't make the 2004 rookie team.
And the 2007 class was just as stacked.
"It's a challenge," Conley chuckled. "Whoever doesn't get in has to take the pictures!"
After the laughter died down, he asked, "By the way, did you book your medical exam?"
Li Wan turned to Oden.
"Yeah. I'll go to Phoenix after signing the contract tomorrow."
"Good."
In the original timeline, Greg Oden became one of the NBA's greatest "what-ifs" — a talented player derailed by chronic injuries. Now, as college teammates and friends, Li Wan couldn't just stand by and watch that happen again.
Still, Oden's injuries were complex. Even with the best treatment, there were no guarantees. All Li Wan could do was encourage him to visit the Suns' legendary medical team and get checked thoroughly.
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