In reality, the Phoenix Suns' scouting department had also taken notice of Yao Ming.
But they were running all over the world and watching a ton of players. Just noticing a player didn't mean they'd be reported up the chain. For that to happen, the director of scouting would have to create a file, conduct another round of evaluations, and only then would it be brought to Brian's attention.
And those reports would only come when the team began its pre-draft work.
It was currently the middle of the season, so the scouting department generally wouldn't bother Brian.
The exception was for players Brian had specifically asked them to keep an eye on.
Or, if a player was so exceptionally talented—on the level of an O'Neal or a Jordan—and had somehow gone undiscovered by other teams, the director of scouting would be knocking on Brian's door in the middle of the night.
