This piece of gossip originated from the former assistant of a well-known sports lawyer and agent, who drunkenly claimed that Li Wei had reached a secret agreement with a heavy hitter from an NFL team.
"I'm tellin' you, man," he said, slurring his words. "That kid, Li Wei, he's gonna challenge the NFL's current rules again. He's following in Maurice Clarett's footsteps, and this time, an NFL team owner is backing him."
Back in 2004, Maurice Clarett was the star running back for Ohio State University. He led the team to a national championship as a freshman, but after being suspended for violating school rules, he decided to challenge the NFL's eligibility rule—which requires players to be three years out of high school—and declare for the draft.
However, Clarett lost his lawsuit, and no one had been able to challenge that rule since.
The moment this gossip broke, the football world erupted.
