As a handsome guy who broke the boundaries of race and skin color like, what is Su Feng's daily routine?
The first thing he says every morning after waking up is that he is truly handsome.
On November 1st, Su Feng slept quite contentedly before getting up.
Because today is the NBA opener—the first game of his career—Su Feng must ensure that every aspect of himself is in the best condition.
After washing up and eating breakfast, Su Feng opened the system interface in his mind.
"Host: Su Feng
Nationality: Chinese
Age: 18
Current iron value: 1.05 million points (Note: Su Feng has recently become cheap again after adding potential).
Height: 198 cm, Height with shoes: 201 cm
Weight: 91.6 kg
Arm length: 219 cm
The host's current ability value [Sky Wizard] (Note: [] indicates potential):
Close-range shot: 67 [74]
Mid-range shot: 79 [82]
Three-point shot: 80 [80] ±
Mid-range shot after dribbling: 73 [76]
Three-point shot after dribbling: 74 [80] ±
Fadeaway shot: 78 [83]
Shooting ability under interference: 83 [89] +
Passing: 40 [55]
Fancy Pass: 25 [40]
Vision: 45 [55]
Dribbling: 67 [67]
Ball control: 67 [67]
Lateral movement: 82 [94]
One-on-one defense: 81 [95]
Team defense ability: 80 [90]
Defensive awareness: 81 [94]
Steals: 69 [90]
Blocks: 50 [68] +
Post offense: 38 [58]
Post defense: 55 [65]
Speed: 89 [120]
Vertical: 75 [75]
Strength: 57 [57]
The host is currently equipped with a shooting motion: S-Class Klay Thompson shooting form (Note: shooting form only provides bonuses). The host is currently equipped with a special effect: Xiaoyaobu (original version). The host is currently equipped with badges: Yangyan, Panshi, Nirvana." (I'll be revising the skill names later. If you have suggestions for better names than the originals, please share them in the comments.)
After reviewing his current ability values again, Su Feng happily opened his speed details.
Seeing a ball-free speed of 89 and an ultimate sprint speed of 120, don't ask—just know that brother is a jet.
Well, his ball-handling speed of 78 dragged things down a bit...
But it is worth mentioning that with a dribbling ability value of 67 points, some of Su Feng's actual in-game dribbling skills have become more refined than before.
After all, under Iverson's guidance, Su Feng only needed to practice breaking tight defenses with two-handed ball control—even in his sleep.
As for defensive attributes, Su Feng realized he has now reached a stage where his defense level can hardly improve through hard work alone.
It seems this is related to defensive experience.
Anyway, just wait for the hammer...
Isn't Su Feng's defensive talent unlocked this way?
In short, Su Feng has made every effort for his rookie season.
Now, crying to his father or shouting to his mother is no longer necessary.
In the 1996/97 season, Su Feng—this man, this thunder!
…
The 76ers' opponent in the opener was the Bucks, whom they had already faced in the preseason.
This time, the 76ers and the Bucks had a closer understanding of each other.
Playing at home, the 76ers—fans, management, and the team alike—hoped to start strong and erase the decline of last season.
Iverson and Su Feng's desire to win goes without saying. These two would never give up.
The fans, tired of the 76ers' long losing streak, hoped the team's record would finally improve.
As for the 76ers' front office...
In fact, when setting goals for the season, the front office did not overthink or dwell on criticism.
Their views were highly aligned with those of the coaching staff: Play hard, and win if you can.
If you can't win, try to find a way through trades. And if trades don't work, then keep trying.
After all, the slogan "fighting for freedom and hope" has already been shouted—how could the team keep losing endlessly?
In Su Feng's previous life, the 76ers did exactly that.
The 1996/97 76ers didn't want to be mocked, but they truly struggled.
With Davis losing control of the team later in the season, the 76ers managed only 22 wins.
The front office was not naïve. With the arrival of Iverson and Su Feng, they knew it was impossible to secure the top draft pick two years in a row.
After all, Stern was not going to send Duncan—already destined elsewhere—to Philadelphia.
Although the NBA draft has always been fair and transparent, Philadelphia was not Cleveland...
Larry Brown's judgment was correct: this 76ers team was indeed full of hope.
The addition of Su Feng and Big Ben was destined to accelerate the team's rebuilding process.
Therefore, Su Feng, highly motivated, knew that whether it was about increasing the team's win percentage or saving Davis's position...
Finding ways to win every possible game was the only path for the 76ers this season.
Su Feng understood that Rome was not built in a day.
The front office to follow his lead, he had to prove himself first.
And reasonably speaking, Davis still held a decent card in Su Feng's view.
Judging from the recent tendencies of the front office, Su Feng felt a trade could happen at any time.
At this point, their defensive presence was not enough. But if the 76ers truly traded for a center who could protect the rim, the team's strength would instantly rise to another level.
In this era, after all, defense was the foundation of success.
…
Compared to last season's sparse attendance, tonight's opener at Spectrum Arena saw the 76ers' home crowd reach nearly 80%.
Many Philadelphia fans were drawn to the CP by the "Golden Double Guns."
Before warming up, Su Feng once again saw Iverson's mother...
In Su Feng's previous life, Allen Iverson was one of the 76ers' most famous fans.
Her outrageous outfits often forced the 76ers' front office to remind her that the stadium had air conditioning—there was really no need for that mink coat.
In the stands, Su Feng also noticed many female fans holding signs with his name.
The crooked Chinese characters looked like oracle bone inscriptions freshly unearthed by archaeologists.
Local Chinese fans in Philadelphia also came in large numbers. After all, Su Feng's debut was worth watching.
Datianchao TV station was also broadcasting the game. However, since the game was in the evening in Philadelphia, it was morning in China.
Zhang Weiping and Sun Zhengping were responsible for commentating on the opener.
Looking back years later, many teachers and professors in Chinese universities recalled: On November 1, 1996, almost no boys showed up to class.
Junior high school students had it tougher.
Except for those brave enough to skip class or clever enough to fake sick leave, most had to wait until after school to watch Sports News at noon.
In Su Feng's previous life as a student, the two things he never missed daily were Sports News at noon and Sports News in the afternoon.
This program was founded in 1995, and after Yao Ming joined the NBA, its ratings soared.
Now, in this life, because of Su Feng, Sports News was already gaining momentum.
NBC did not broadcast the 76ers' game, as major U.S. networks focused on the Bulls, who had just swept the league last season.
On the court, Su Feng also noticed Robinson—the "Big Dog"—who had made many appearances in the preseason, staring at him.
Robinson's mocking gaze was full of passive hostility. Su Feng's ability to attract hatred seemed innate.
But after their last matchup, Su Feng no longer took Robinson seriously.
It wasn't arrogance—Robinson simply had limited IQ.
It's like being bitten by a dog: would you bite the dog back?
…
Before the player introduction ceremony, the lively cheerleading performances had already ignited the atmosphere of the entire stadium.
Chinese fans during this period were relatively "happy."
Because in Su Feng's previous life, he had the privilege of watching Datianchao TV's live broadcasts at this time...
Yes, that's right—cheerleader performances were broadcast live on Datianchao TV in this era.
The 76ers had many cheerleaders, and to boost ticket sales at the time, many of them liked to wear revealing costumes during performances.
Su Feng knew that Stern had already decided to enforce stricter regulations, but before the reforms, even Stern could only turn a blind eye.
After all, not every team was profitable... and the owners still wanted their share.
Perhaps because his ex-girlfriends in his previous life were all quite beautiful, Su Feng found himself naturally immune to such displays of beauty.
So when he saw Big Ben commenting on the cheerleaders, Su Feng gave him a kick.
"Focus! Do you still want a big contract?" Su Feng's stern words left Big Ben feeling wronged.
"I... I just glanced a billion times, is that so serious?"
But in Big Ben's eyes, Su Feng's lesson was correct.
After all, the king's path is to make big money.
At Spectrum Arena, as the lights dimmed one by one, the unique 76ers' opening ceremony began—
DJ: "He is the pride of Hampton!"
Fans: "Roar! Roar!"
DJ: "He is the 'Answer' we selected in the 1996 Draft!"
Fans: "Roar! Roar!"
DJ: "He achieved greatness at Georgetown University! He is the free Allen Iverson, he is No. 3 of the Philadelphia 76ers, he is our pride!"
In short, the hype was overwhelming...
Because Datianchao TV broadcasted the game from the opening ceremony, many Chinese fans felt a surge of excitement when they heard Su Feng's English introduction on TV.
Even if they didn't understand it, it sounded impressive!
"China Central Sports TV, China Central Sports TV. Now you are watching the 1996–1997 NBA regular season opener between the Philadelphia 76ers and the Milwaukee Bucks. We now invite former member of the Chinese men's basketball team, Zhang Weiping, to introduce the starting lineup."
As Sun Zhengping's voice reached thousands of Chinese fans, at that moment—even if they didn't fully understand the NBA—the door to the league was opened by Su Feng that day!
"Brother Feng is awesome!"
"Wow, Feng's hairstyle is so cool, I'm going to copy it!"
"No. 23 is Jordan's number!"
"Is that No. 3 Allen Iverson? His eyes are huge..."
Although Su Feng couldn't hear Sun Zhengping's commentary or Zhang Weiping's analysis, he could easily imagine what Chinese fans were saying when they saw him on TV.
Wang Zhizhi, Yao Ming, Batere, Yi Jianlian, Sun Yue...
Rest assured, in this life, I will pave the way forward for you!
Spectrum Arena — Tonight's starting lineups:
76ers: Williams, Weatherspoon, Su Feng, Stackhouse, Iverson.
Bucks: Long, Wembeck, Robinson, Ray Allen, Douglas.
…
"Are you nervous?" Before the game started, Iverson laughed at Su Feng's back.
"I said I'm not nervous, do you believe it?" Su Feng joked.
"Really? I don't believe it," Iverson replied with a grin.
And just before Williams prepared for the jump ball, Su Feng and Iverson stood side by side—one on the right, one on the left.
Boom—!
Amid the cheers of the home fans, Lang beat Williams on the jump ball.
The Bucks launched the first attack. Douglas controlled the ball past half court and handed it to Robinson.
Robinson faced Su Feng on the wing. Having learned from their last matchup, Robinson was more patient this time.
Restricted by hand-check rules, most of the league's perimeter stars relied heavily on post-up skills.
Although Robinson had a stubborn personality and disliked training, he was still a "post-up monster."
If Robinson had worked harder, given his talent, he could have been the "future warrior" of this era.
On this play, Robinson leaned into Su Feng on the wing. His post-up style was simple: lean, bump, lean again, bump again.
At this time, the league had not yet introduced the "Barkley Rule"—the five-second back-to-the-basket rule.
So when two teams had strong post-up players, the game could become very dull.
The most famous case was Mark Jackson's "Don't move, watch me back you down for fifteen seconds."
That's why the "Barkley Rule" was also called the "Mark Jackson Rule."
Because shortly after the rule was introduced, Barkley retired, many thought it was aimed at Jackson.
Facing Robinson's post-up, Su Feng remained unmoved.
Although Su Feng's current strength rating of 57 was only average among forwards, Robinson lacked the power to move him under the hand-check rules.
Simply put, Robinson's hips weren't strong enough...
Not only did Su Feng hold his ground, he forced Robinson to turn.
This one-on-one stalemate made Robinson, the former No. 1 pick, feel powerless.
So Robinson used his shoulders and elbows, barely creating space for a turnaround jumper.
And that was exactly Su Feng's defensive goal.
As long as the opponent took an uncomfortable shot, it was enough. Robinson was an All-Star, but preventing him from shooting altogether was unrealistic.
Bang!
In the paint, Williams secured the rebound with a strong grab.
It's worth mentioning that in Slam Dunk, Akagi's rebounding style was inspired by Williams.
Williams, who had been part of the Bulls' first dynasty, wasn't incapable—he just lacked motivation.
It sounds harsh, but it's true.
The 76ers attacked, and Iverson brought the ball forward.
Su Feng remembered that in his previous life, Iverson performed brilliantly in this debut.
Of course, on defense, expecting Iverson to stop "Nash-like" guards was impossible.
In the preseason, Su Feng noticed the Bucks' strategy against Iverson: let Douglas go head-to-head with him.
Back then, Su Feng came off the bench, giving Douglas plenty of chances to shine.
This time, Douglas thought Iverson would be easy to handle, but underestimated Su Feng...
Clang—!
On the court, Iverson scored the first basket for the 76ers.
This was a rare sight for Chinese fans watching on TV.
Because when Iverson crossed Douglas with a between-the-legs dribble and broke into the paint...
Chinese fans in front of their TVs were thinking: This No. 3 guy is insanely fast!
But before they could even react, Iverson was already soaring through the air.
Even though people had seen Iverson's dunks countless times, it still made sense to be amazed...
His vertical leap was simply outrageous.
The height of his jump looked unreal, almost like cheating.
"Oh, can this little guy really dunk?" Sun Zhengping exclaimed on Datianchao TV.
Zhang Weiping wiped the sweat from his forehead: "This is Allen Iverson, the No. 1 pick in 1996, with excellent ball-handling, incredible jumping ability, and blazing speed."
"Director Zhang, Iverson said in an interview that he was drafted by the 76ers to assist Su Feng. What do you think about that?" Sun Zhengping suddenly asked.
Zhang Weiping paused for a long time. "Maybe that was just a joke between young players."
"But the 76ers' management later confirmed it was true," Sun Zhengping pressed, eager to show his preparation before the game.
"Let's look at the Bucks' offense first. Oh, great play! Su Feng's defense was quick enough—Robinson wanted to attack, but couldn't get past!" Zhang Weiping quickly changed the subject.
"Director Zhang..." Sun Zhengping wanted to continue, but the action on the court shifted abruptly. Robinson tried to pass, but Su Feng denied Douglas the ball.
Iverson snatched it into his arms—tonight, AI was locked in!
Clang—!
This was a coast-to-coast dunk.
And it was even more ruthless...
Iverson soared high, grabbed the ball with one hand, and slammed it viciously into the rim.
The crowd at Spectrum Arena erupted!
"Allen Iverson!!"
On the sidelines, Ann Iverson danced with excitement.
At that moment, Sun Zhengping commented: "As you can see, the camera focused on this woman—perhaps the cameraman thought her dance was unique?"
Zhang Weiping broke into a cold sweat: "That's Iverson's mother, Ann Iverson."
"Oh, so that's Iverson's mother. Then she must have been amazed by her son's performance," Sun Zhengping added.
Zhang Weiping: "..."
On the court, Iverson was fired up after two consecutive dunks. Having already set the tone, his dominance was clear.
The Bucks attacked again, and this time Ray Allen found an opening, finishing with a "stepping-on-the-line three-pointer"—a classic of that era.
Score: 2–4.
Stackhouse, after Su Feng's training, is now more willing to defend.
But his defensive ability is limited, especially his defensive awareness, which is very poor.
The 76ers attacked, with Iverson once again controlling the ball.
"Iverson and Su Feng are called the 'Golden Double Guns' by the American media. Now that one gun has fired, let's see when Su Feng fires his shot," Sun Zhengping laughed.
On the court, Su Feng first ran at a steady pace, then suddenly turned and accelerated.
His sudden burst caught Robinson off guard. The Bucks' defensive focus was entirely on Iverson, leaving the paint wide open.
Iverson immediately spotted Su Feng's elegant movement—this was a perfect connection between the "ditch head" and the "slick head."
Who says hairstyles don't matter?
Iverson's lob was perfectly timed. Su Feng, keeping up, leapt into the air and dunked the ball with a flair that even Kobe would envy.
2–6!
This was Su Feng's first career basket—an assist from Iverson!
Unfortunately, there was no live webcast or scrolling comments at the time. Otherwise, the most common phrase would definitely have been "take a group photo."
Across the 9.6 million square kilometers of China, the earth seemed to shake instantly.
Zhang Weiping didn't even give Sun Zhengping a chance to speak, exclaiming excitedly: "This is the first basket scored by Chinese player Su Feng in his NBA career!"
At Spectrum Arena, Philadelphia fans were in tears...
What is talent?
This—this is talent!
Three possessions, three dunks, two golden guns—unstoppable!
Su Feng hadn't expected his first career basket to be a dunk.
He thought it would be a three-pointer, a midrange shot, or maybe a free throw...
And at that moment, Su Feng couldn't imagine that his future would be inseparable from dunks.
On the court, the Bucks attacked. The 76ers were riding high, and coach Ford was already considering a timeout.
Fortunately, Robinson stepped up to stop the slide, hitting a bank shot from a 45-degree angle.
Su Feng felt the game was truly old-school.
Because Robinson's perimeter offense, after the hand-check rules disappeared, would be hard to find again.
The 76ers attacked, and Iverson made a quick move...
Douglas had no answer. This one-on-one drive, without even a pick-and-roll, left him helpless.
But the Bucks collapsed in time, and Iverson had no shot after driving in. Instead, Vin Baker came up with a big block.
Yet...
Baker's block landed perfectly in Su Feng's hands on the perimeter.
With Robinson just rotating back inside, Su Feng suddenly had a wide-open three-point look.
Perhaps this was the benefit of being handsome?
Su Feng rose and nailed the three-pointer!
After Iverson scored 4 points, Su Feng had already added 5.
On the sidelines, the Bucks called a timeout.
Chinese fans watching on TV were ecstatic.
At that moment, most didn't know who Robinson was, or who Vin Baker was. But they knew one thing: the player wearing the 76ers' No. 23 jersey...
Was Chinese!
In truth, Su Feng had no idea how much impact his debut and first shots would have on the future...
Especially for the "Little Giant," who was now being told by his coach to go to bed early every night.
"Brother Feng... so powerful!"