"How was your Christmas?"
Nelson turned to ask Chen Yu, who was beside him on the plane.
Chen Yu opened his tray table and was looking at his laptop screen. Without looking up, he said, "I took Lexi back to Chicago."
Nelson’s eyes lit up. "So, are you planning to get married? When are you thinking? During the offseason?"
Bringing a girlfriend to meet the parents was a major milestone in a relationship.
Chen Yu nodded, then shook his head. "I’m thinking about it, but the offseason probably won’t work. The World Cup is this year, so I expect to be very busy."
’Now that my career is taking off, it’s about time I gave Lexi a real commitment.’
’I always say I’m busy, but when am I ever not busy?’
Nelson smiled and patted Chen Yu’s shoulder. "Lexi is a great girl. You’ll be very happy, Chen."
"I hope so."
Chen Yu said with a sigh, then turned his laptop screen for Nelson to see.
"What’s this?" Nelson asked curiously. The screen seemed to be displaying a detailed manual for some kind of electronic device.
Chen Yu said, "It’s a more precise and compact sports sensor. A product from NASA. Of course, it’s not the latest version, it’s the previous generation’s."
Even though it was the previous generation, Chen Yu wouldn’t have had access to it if he weren’t a medical consultant for NASA.
"It is pretty small," Nelson noted after a closer look.
The system the Suns currently used was centered around various sensors that collected player data.
But those sensors weren’t small—they were about the size of a cigarette pack. They were strapped to the body, and to be honest, they could be a bit restrictive. They were especially uncomfortable after sweating.
This patch-style sensor, however, was only about the size of an egg.
"Are we upgrading our equipment?" Nelson asked.
Chen Yu nodded. "Not just for the team, Nelson. I actually have another idea: to build a sports training laboratory. Using these electronic devices and scientific instruments, we could create customized training plans for every single player."
Chen Yu had this idea for a long time.
The data analysis he’d implemented with the Suns had already proven that technology could be used to assist training and improve its effectiveness.
And he also had his system.
The Eye of All-Seeing allowed Chen Yu to observe the body’s condition anytime, anywhere.
Plus, the training effects he’d unlocked from Sports Training were a huge help.
So, he might as well build a sports training lab. He could combine training with sports medicine to create a world-class facility that would provide the most professional training services to every athlete.
Sports were all about continuous improvement, an endless pursuit of the limit.
Never mind basketball or soccer; even in conventional sports like the long jump or running, athletes chased improvements measured in millimeters.
Take running, for example. In the 100-meter dash, the number of steps is planned out. Even the motion and cadence of each step are repeatedly tested to find the most suitable stride to achieve the best time.
But in the current world of sports, there didn’t seem to be anything like this. Everything was still primarily based on empirical methods and experience.
Tracy McGrady’s recent injury only made Chen Yu’s desire to do this stronger.
Most importantly, if he pulled it off, it would be just as profitable as performing surgeries, if not more so.
But he couldn’t do it alone; he needed help. So, Chen Yu added with a smile, "Nelson, you’re top-tier when it comes to training. Let’s do this together. If you have some spare cash, you could invest too. Everything’s negotiable."
The most incredible thing about Nelson was that he not only understood training but also had a medical background.
And the lab Chen Yu wanted to build was all about combining sports and medicine, which made Nelson a perfect fit.
Nelson looked at Chen Yu in surprise, not at all expecting such an invitation.
But Nelson was genuinely intrigued by the sports lab Chen Yu described. He knew that Chen Yu also had his own methods when it came to training.
Most importantly, Chen Yu had already made a name for himself in the sports world. He was a brand name in his own right, able to attract a large number of top athletes. They wouldn’t be short on clients.
"Chen, first, I have to thank you for the invitation. But this is a big decision. I need to discuss it with Kelly," Nelson said, taking a deep breath.
Kelly was his wife, an experienced fitness coach.
"Of course. But I hope you’ll give it serious consideration. I’m really looking forward to working with you." Friendship was one thing, but when it came to a business partnership, caution was necessary. It had to be a two-way street.
Nelson then asked Chen Yu how much he was planning to invest.
"I haven’t had it appraised yet, but I feel like two million should be enough for the initial phase. If it’s not, I can bring in other investors." It was already 2002, and his clinic would be paying out dividends soon.
Although the clinic had been open for less than a year, it had treated a large number of VIP clients. Plus, Chen Yu had performed quite a few surgeries to grind for experience.
Chen Yu was very clear on the financials. Last year’s profit was around seven or eight million. His thirty percent share would get him about two million.
After taxes, he’d still walk away with over a million.
And that was just the dividends; he also had his salaries.
Not just from the Suns, but also from the NBA league office and even the clinic—Chen Yu was on payroll at all three. Combined, his salaries amounted to about a million a year.
If he tightened his belt a bit, Chen Yu should be able to come up with two million.
Of course, if he was short on cash, he could just make a few calls. There would be plenty of people willing to invest.
So money wasn’t the main issue. The real challenge was finding the right people.
Nelson now had a clearer picture. His current income was mainly from his position as the Suns’ head Trainer, earning a little over 200,000 US dollars a year. On top of that, he provided training services for some players during the offseason.
He mainly felt that his career had plateaued, with no more room for advancement.
He had always toyed with the idea of starting a business in his area of expertise, but he’d never found the right plan or the right partner.
But Chen Yu was different.
Nelson actually felt that being able to partner with Chen Yu would be a stroke of luck for him.
The two then delved deeper into the idea for the sports lab until the plane landed at Orlando International Airport.
This time, Chen Yu was here for Tracy McGrady.
He wanted to confirm a suspicion of his—to see if Tracy’s recurring back injuries were related to his training regimen.
That’s why he’d specifically brought Nelson along to conduct a professional assessment.
Knowing Chen Yu was coming, Weisbrod had personally driven to pick them up.
The moment they met, Weisbrod gave Chen Yu a warm hug.
Weisbrod was very grateful to Chen Yu.
If Chen Yu hadn’t driven out Gabriel and Rivers, Weisbrod didn’t know how long it would have taken for him to get the general manager position.
It was also because Chen Yu had healed Hill that the Magic were able to pull off their "eighth-seed miracle" last year and make it to the Finals.
And this year, they were second in the East.
The Magic had risen.
It was no exaggeration to say that Chen Yu was the biggest hero behind it all.
Now, with Tracy McGrady injured, Chen Yu had made a special trip over. Honestly, Weisbrod was quite touched.
"You don’t have to thank me like that. Tracy and I are friends." Or rather, the old guard on the Magic were all his friends.
If it weren’t for that, Chen Yu wouldn’t be this invested.
Nearly two weeks had passed since the injury was reported, and Tracy McGrady was already back on the court. So this visit wasn’t for treatment, but primarily for an assessment.
They drove to the arena.
In the car, during some casual chat, Weisbrod jokingly complained that Chen Yu was poaching his players.
He had his eye on Olajuwon and asked Chen Yu if he was signable. The next thing he knew, Olajuwon was with the Suns.
With Olajuwon gone, he then set his sights on Ewing. He asked Chen Yu if Ewing’s knees could be treated, and once again, Ewing ended up with the Suns.
It had gotten to the point where the Magic’s frontcourt was a constant headache for him.
The Magic’s current roster was already very good.
Hill, Tracy McGrady, plus a still-serviceable Armstrong—their backcourt was arguably a top-tier configuration in the league.
These days, a team with two superstars was considered stacked.
But the Magic were now chasing a championship, and last year’s Finals had already proven that you couldn’t go far without a top-tier center.
On this matter, Chen Yu actually felt a little guilty.
After a moment’s thought, Chen Yu said, "By the way, I know a player who’s entering the draft next year. He has a lot of potential. You guys might want to keep an eye on him."
"Who?"
Chen Yu said, "Yao Ming. A player from China. I don’t know if your scouting department has been following him."
It was because of Bartel that Chen Yu even knew about this 7-foot-6 giant from China.
Most importantly, it seemed Stern was paying close attention to this Yao Ming.
Chen Yu had heard it from Tatum, who said Stern was very optimistic about Yao Ming’s draft prospects. Of course, he valued his talent even more.
Chen Yu had even specifically asked Tatum for some of Yao Ming’s game footage.
After watching it, Chen Yu’s only thought was how a guy that tall could also be so agile.
His age was a bit on the high side, but the talent was definitely there.
Big men had been highly sought after in the NBA draft for the past few years. Chen Yu wasn’t a professional scout, but his personal feeling was that with Yao Ming’s performance, he should be a lottery pick, maybe even top five.
Who would have known that after talking with Tatum, Tatum had grinningly made a bet with Chen Yu, insisting that if Yao Ming entered the draft this year, he would be a top-three pick for sure.
Once he explained why, Chen Yu understood it wasn’t an exaggeration.
First, he really was talented.
Second, Stern highly valued Yao Ming and the Chinese market behind him, and would definitely find a way to get him a high draft spot.
Weisbrod thought for a moment. "I know him. Kono told me about him. He’s something like 7-foot-6, right? At a Nike training camp one year, the guy apparently dominated Tyson Chandler from Domingo High School, and Chandler’s projected draft stock is very high."
The NBA’s scouting network was vast. Even players from China, thousands of kilometers away, were already on their radar, so it wasn’t surprising that Weisbrod knew of Yao Ming.
"Is he confirmed for next year’s draft?" Weisbrod looked at Chen Yu.
It was difficult for international players to make it to the NBA, especially players from China, because the Chinese Basketball Association was reluctant to let them go.
Although Weisbrod couldn’t understand why a player needed his home country’s basketball association’s permission to play abroad.
’What in the world does the Basketball Association have to do with it?’
Chen Yu nodded. "Barring any surprises, he should be."
In any case, Chen Yu knew Stern had been pushing for it.
But Weisbrod still frowned. "The problem is, we don’t have a high draft pick."
They still had their own first-round pick for this year, and they also had the Suns’ first-round pick for this year.
They had acquired that Suns’ pick from the Hardaway trade back in the day.
But neither pick was likely to be very high.
The Suns were ambitious this year, also making a run for the championship.
Chen Yu just smiled and said nothing.
Weisbrod understood instantly. If you don’t have a high pick, you trade up for one.
But before the draft order was set, nothing was certain.
Who knew who would get the number one pick? It really came down to a gamble on luck.
A worse record meant better odds, but sometimes, you just couldn’t beat good luck.
For example, the year before last, the Brooklyn Nets drew the number one pick with 4.4 percent odds, the second-lowest in history.
Of course, the team with the lowest odds in history to win was the Magic.
In ’93, it was like the Magic were using a cheat code. With incredibly low odds of 1.5 percent, they got the number one pick again, selected Weber, and traded him for Hardaway.
So, the Magic were no strangers to good luck; they could absolutely take a gamble on the lottery odds.
The problem was, both their own pick and the Suns’ pick would most likely fall outside the lottery.
"By the way, Chen, you guys aren’t going to swoop in and steal him, are you?" As Weisbrod mulled it over, it suddenly dawned on him.
Chen Yu was a league official, so it was normal for him to be well-informed. But if Chen Yu could tell him about this, wouldn’t he have told the Suns too?
He didn’t want to go through all the trouble just to have the Suns snatch the prize from under their noses again, like with Olajuwon and Ewing.
Chen Yu smiled again.
It was true he had a good relationship with the Magic, but he was the Suns’ team doctor. With news like this, he would of course tell Brian first.

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