Sports Medicine Master System

Chapter 209 - 159: Absolutely Worth It

"Su Jun, over here."

Carrying his camera, Su Jun hurried to the stadium. Just as he was looking for a place to sit, he heard someone call his name.

He looked up and saw it was an acquaintance.

Chen Min, a basketball reporter for the local *Morning News*.

Su Jun hunched over and squeezed through the crowd, sitting down next to Chen Min. He set down his shoulder bag and, while taking out his camera, asked how Yao Ming was doing.

He was late due to traffic on the way, and the first quarter of the game was almost over.

Chen Min was the first to report on Yao Ming and had been following him for several years. He chuckled and said, "He’s doing alright. Got 6 points. Ji Liang put in Wang Han—he’s got the weight to body up Yao Ming."

Su Jun grunted in acknowledgment. "Fat Tiger" Wang Han was Ji Liang’s backup big man. He primarily played the four, but because of his large frame, Ji Liang often used him to defend the towering Yao Ming.

Many people even joked that he was always pushing into Yao Ming’s lower back.

After getting his gear ready, he noticed the attendance wasn’t low. He raised his camera, preparing to take a couple of background shots of the stands.

As his camera lens swept across the main stands, Su Jun suddenly froze.

He saw a familiar figure in the stands.

"Holy shit, what’s he doing here!" Su Jun swore.

"Who?" Chen Min asked from beside him.

Su Jun lowered his camera and pointed at the main stands in disbelief. "That one. The young guy in the black trench coat, next to that foreigner, talking to the girl beside him. Do you know who he is?"

Chen Min glanced over and shook his head, looking lost.

Su Jun looked at Chen Yu, then at Yao Ming on the court, then at Lucas beside Chen Yu. He felt a chill run down his spine and sucked in a breath. "His name is Chen Yu. He’s a Chinese-American, a top orthopedic expert in the United States, the Suns’ team doctor, an official health officer for the NBA, and he’s especially famous internationally."

"Why is he in China, and watching a game here of all places? That foreigner next to him must be a Suns scout, right? Matt something... Are they here to see Yao Ming? No, that can’t be right. Chen Yu is a team doctor, and given his status, why would he personally come all this way just to watch Yao Ming play?"

"Besides, the Suns don’t have a first-round pick... No, wait, they just traded with the Knight and got their first-round pick."

Su Jun’s sources were clearly very good; he already knew about the Suns’ recent trade.

"This is big news."

Su Jun’s eyes gleamed. If even Chen Yu was here, it could only mean the Suns were taking Yao Ming very seriously.

After hearing Su Jun’s explanation about Chen Yu, Chen Min said in surprise, "Doesn’t that mean Yao Ming could go to the Suns? And in the lottery, too."

Su Jun had mentioned that the first-round pick the Suns acquired in the trade was very likely a lottery pick.

Su Jun nodded, then steeled himself. "I can’t just sit here. I’m going to go over and ask a few questions. We’ve met before; he might still remember me."

「Meanwhile.」

The game was also being broadcast live on the sports channel.

The host was Yang Jian, with Zhang Weiping as the guest commentator.

The two were discussing Ji Liang’s foreign player, Rod Griger, and how beautifully he had just driven on Yao Ming for an and-one. Just then, the camera panned to the main stands.

Zhang Weiping had a sharp eye and spotted Su Jun hunched over, walking through the stands and stopping in front of someone.

"Huh, isn’t that..." Zhang Weiping froze. He tried to get a closer look, but the camera had already moved on.

"What is it, Coach Zhang?" Yang Jian asked beside him.

Zhang Weiping didn’t say anything. When the camera panned back again, he saw the person clearly and exclaimed, "It is him!"

"Who?" Yang Jian asked, confused.

Zhang Weiping said quickly, "I just saw someone in the stands. He’s the Suns’ team doctor, and there’s someone next to him who might be a Suns scout. I think the Suns might be here to scout Yao Ming."

Yang Jian immediately looked at the live feed, but with the game still in progress, the camera kept panning around, and he couldn’t tell who Zhang Weiping was talking about.

"Why would a team doctor come too?" Yang Jian asked, puzzled.

A scout coming was normal, but a team doctor showing up was quite rare.

Zhang Weiping had a strong impression of Chen Yu. He had met him at last year’s All-Star Game while covering it on-site. Back then, Chen Yu was the Western All-Star Team’s doctor, and many superstars were gathered around talking to him. Not to mention Chen Yu’s fame had only grown since, and he was now the renowned Miracle Doctor of the United States.

Just then, the first quarter ended.

The director also caught on, focusing the camera on the stands and locking onto Chen Yu, who was talking with Su Jun.

Zhang Weiping said, "Normally, a team doctor rarely shows up for scouting. But looking at it another way, this can only mean the Suns are taking Yao Ming very seriously. Besides, this Chen Yu is no ordinary person."

"He’s not just the Suns’ team doctor; he’s also the head of the NBA’s official player health management department. At the same time, he’s the team doctor for the US Men’s National Football Team. Oh, and I believe he’s also a medical consultant for NASA and an honorary advisor to the United States Anti-Doping Agency. He has many titles and is one of the world’s top orthopedic experts."

Zhang Weiping was clearly knowledgeable about Chen Yu, even knowing about his connections to NASA and the anti-doping agency.

Yang Jian was taken aback. "He’s involved in soccer, too?"

Zhang Weiping said, "He’s a doctor, not a player, so crossing over to other sports is normal. Plus, he’s part of the team’s support staff, and there are fewer news channels about him in China, so many fans don’t pay attention to him. But let me tell you something, and you’ll understand just how incredible he is."

"You know the Alien, Ronaldo, right?"

Yang Jian nodded. Anyone in the sports world would know who Ronaldo was.

Zhang Weiping continued, "When Ronaldo got injured the year before last, it was this Chen Yu who personally healed him. Look at how ferociously Ronaldo is playing in Serie A! Does he look like he’s ever had a major injury? It’s all because of him."

"And Baggio, Batty—players that we Chinese fans are all familiar with—he’s treated them all. If his medical skills weren’t good enough, do you think these top-tier stars would seek him out for treatment?"

At this point, Yang Jian also remembered. "Coach Zhang, wasn’t Hardaway healed by him too?"

Hardaway has a lot of fans in China.

This season, the Suns’ record has been outstanding, and Hardaway, in particular, has been performing exceptionally well, leading to many reports about him in China.

They had also reported on Hardaway’s injuries, but those reports would, at most, mention in a single sentence that Hardaway had made a healthy comeback under the treatment of the Suns’ team doctor. Even if Chen Yu’s name was mentioned, it was likely just a passing remark that most fans wouldn’t notice.

Zhang Weiping nodded. "From the looks of it, the Suns are definitely interested in Yao Ming. If Yao Ming really does go to the Suns, it would actually be a great choice. Although the Suns have Olajuwon and Ewing, they’re getting older. In two years at most, they’ll surely retire. So the Suns still need a big man and would be willing to develop Yao Ming for the long term."

"And as soon as Yao Ming enters the league, he’d get to play alongside super-centers like Olajuwon and Ewing. That would be incredibly helpful for his development."

"The Suns have J Kidd and Hardaway, who are both excellent passers. Yao Ming would have a comfortable time playing in the paint."

Yao Ming would almost certainly enter the draft this year. No one knew his exact draft position or which team he would go to, but for now, going to the Suns seemed like an excellent option.

The two commentators analyzed the situation animatedly, while on-site, Chen Yu was completely unaware that he was on television.

"We’re just here to take a look," Chen Yu said to Su Jun with a smile.

Knowing he was a reporter, Chen Yu naturally wouldn’t tell him the whole truth.

’Half-truths, half-lies,’ he thought. ’Scouts evaluating players is normal, anyway.’

Su Jun had dealt with Chen Yu before and knew he was incredibly tight-lipped, but he didn’t give up. He asked Chen Yu what he thought of Yao Ming.

This was a question Chen Yu could answer. ’I’m a layman anyway, so I can say whatever,’ he thought. His gaze fell on the players’ bench below, on the figure of Yao Ming who stood out like a crane among chickens. "He’s very good. Quite fast, and his shot is decent."

Having been around the NBA for so long, he had developed a bit of an eye for talent. Yao Ming’s fundamentals were solid, but most importantly, he was tall. To be that tall and still so agile—his talent was undeniable.

Of course, Chen Yu had no idea if he would ultimately make it in the league.

After all, the NBA was filled with freakish talents.

As he was speaking, Chen Yu noticed Yao Ming look up from the bench, along with his teammates, all turning their heads to look in his direction.

’Have I been spotted?’

On the players’ bench, the Eastern Team’s head coach, Li Quping, turned his head and sized up Chen Yu and Lucas with a hint of surprise.

The NBA was only mid-season, and the draft was still months away. Normally, a team’s scouting work wouldn’t start this early. Why were they here scouting in person already?

But this was a good thing. Li Quping really wanted to see Yao Ming go abroad, so he clapped his hands to get everyone’s attention. "Stop looking," he told them, then turned to Yao Ming. "Da Yao, don’t feel any pressure. Them paying attention to you is a good thing, a great opportunity. But you have to seize opportunities yourself. Performing well and playing good basketball is what’s fundamental. Understand?"

Yao Ming nodded forcefully.

However, the arrival of Chen Yu and Lucas inevitably sent ripples of excitement through the players’ hearts.

Liu Wei couldn’t help but say, "The Suns... they have J Kidd and Penny Hardaway. Old Yao, if you go to the Suns, you’ll have people who can pass you the ball."

The team’s power forward, Jia Xiaozhong, added, "They also have Olajuwon and Ewing. If you go, wouldn’t you get to play with The Dream and the others?"

At the mention of Olajuwon and Ewing, Yao Ming felt a surge of uncontrollable excitement.

He was all too familiar with those two names. He had posters of both of them on his bedroom wall at home.

"It’s not certain yet," Yao Ming said, shaking his head humbly.

In the stands, Su Jun didn’t dare bother Chen Yu for too long. Seeing that he couldn’t get any useful information, he stood up to leave.

"Chen Yu, you’re so amazing! That was Su Jun, right? I’ve seen him on TV. And what were you guys talking about just now? You were speaking English, so I couldn’t understand." Li Ling, who had given up her seat, sat back down and immediately started asking nosy questions.

Chen Yu thought to himself, ’Could you slow down a bit? I can barely understand you when you talk that fast, like a machine gun.’

The two of them continued watching the game.

In the following minutes, the game on both sides clearly grew more intense.

It wasn’t just Yao Ming; even the two foreign players started playing more selfishly.

Ji Liang, for their part, also subbed in a young player, who immediately disrupted one of Yao Ming’s shots.

"This player is good. He has some talent," Lucas said, pointing to the young player Ji Liang had sent in. "His name is Xue Yuyang. He played very well at the World Youth Championship."

Chen Yu glanced over but didn’t offer any opinion.

"Just how many players have you scouted?" Chen Yu asked curiously.

It seemed like Lucas knew the detailed history of any random player.

Lucas gave a wry smile. "More than you can imagine. But we have no choice; this is our job."

Chen Yu patted his shoulder comfortingly. He knew that a scout’s job was exhausting and didn’t pay very well.

"By the way, what do you think of Yao Ming? Is he worth us picking?" Chen Yu asked.

When the topic turned to their mission in China, Lucas nodded excitedly and said in a low, serious voice, "Absolutely."