In April, besides honing his skills with Kobe, Su Feng also paid close attention to this season's regular season standings.
The results: each team's ranking was exactly as Su Feng remembered.
The Bulls achieved the best record in NBA history with 72 wins and 10 losses, shocking the league for a time.
NBC even declared on air that this would be the greatest record in NBA history — unmatched before and unlikely to be surpassed after.
If you look at that statement without bias...
One thing is clear: this record is truly remarkable.
Because the NBA season is incredibly long.
To give a simple example: even if a team is dominant, it's nearly impossible to avoid injuries or slumps over such a lengthy schedule.
After the Bulls stormed to the top of the regular season in unstoppable fashion, the doubts people had about Jordan a year earlier turned into praise.
Many began to believe that Jordan was the "God of Basketball" — unbeatable and untouchable.
In the future, many would say Jordan became the GOAT because of his final three championships, but in reality, by the 1995–96 season, he was already seen as the GOAT by most fans.
Su Feng knew the Bulls would soon dominate the league with overwhelming force.
Had the Knicks and Supersonics been more consistent, the Bulls might have even pulled off a mythical undefeated playoff run.
And in the 1995–96 season awards, the Bulls were undeniably the biggest winners.
Jordan averaged 30.4 points per game, reclaiming his scoring crown.
He also posted 6.6 rebounds, 4.3 assists, and 2.2 steals per game, earning his fourth regular season MVP.
Pippen averaged 19.4 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 5.9 assists per game, joining Jordan on the All-NBA First Team.
Rodman grabbed 14.9 rebounds per game, winning his fifth consecutive rebounding title and joining Jordan and Pippen on the All-Defensive First Team.
Kukoc averaged 13.1 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 3.5 assists per game, earning the Sixth Man of the Year award.
Phil Jackson won his first and only Coach of the Year award, while Jerry Krause was named Executive of the Year.
All in all, the Bulls had become more than just a team — they became a legend in the hearts of 1990s fans.
As Su Feng, the keyboard warrior, would say: in the '90s, not respecting the Bulls was basically political incorrectness.
...
The Bulls were still a little ways off.
On April 24, Su Feng once again saw Su Junyang, Xu Jicheng, and Zhang Weiping at the training hall he had rented.
From previous chats with Su Weiguo, Su Feng already had a general idea of what was happening in China.
Shortly after Su Feng decided to skip the college draft, he appeared not only on Datianchao Sports Station but also on a well-known news segment.
And as the feedback from the U.S. kept improving, Su Feng was already seen by domestic basketball fans as China's version of Pippen...
Why? Because the nickname "China's Jordan" had already been claimed by Hu Weidong, the man with the sharp eyes.
Moreover, media reports kept praising Su Feng's defensive skills...
And for Chinese fans at the time, when it came to defense, Pippen was naturally the first name that came to mind.
It's worth noting that although Su Feng had become a hot topic, the Basketball Association hadn't publicly expressed any intention to bring him into the national team.
Su Feng wasn't surprised by this at all.
As a keyboard warrior, he understood the state of Chinese basketball during this period.
This Chinese men's team was considered the golden generation. They reached the quarterfinals in the 1994 World Championship and would do so again at the upcoming Atlanta Olympics.
Although the CBA was founded in 1995, Su Feng knew that even in the future, it would only be considered a semi-professional league.
At the time, the national team still operated under a training system, with talent promoted step by step through provincial and municipal sports associations and youth teams.
Simply put, Su Feng was outside the system. If the Basketball Association recruited him, someone would definitely raise objections.
So here's the question: is Su Feng currently strong enough to lead the men's team to a top-four finish just by joining?
Obviously not.
So how would they balance things if they recruited someone outside the system?
Let's not forget — this group of players had been training together for years.
Even one of the greatest forwards in the universe would face this kind of situation in the future.
Of course, if things get too complicated, the issue becomes "404."
So, far from being upset, Su Feng actually wanted to applaud the Basketball Association for not calling him up.
He knew he wasn't in a position to push for structural reform — even Yao Ming would struggle with that in the future.
Of course, Su Feng also knew that as his reputation grew, the Basketball Association would eventually cave to public pressure.
But then again, if public pressure gets that intense, why should Su Feng worry at all?
With public support, plus the backing of the Su and Wang families — "404" — Su Feng could simply focus on playing alongside Yao and the golden generation.
No need to overthink it...
After reflecting, Su Feng realized his life in this timeline was getting a bit outrageous.
Because in the future, even Yao Ming would call him "Brother Feng"...
Cough, getting sidetracked again — back to the main point.
This time, the trio wasn't alone — they brought along a film crew from Datianchao TV.
After requesting a ton of material from Maxon, Datianchao's crew felt it was time to document Su Feng's journey.
"No pressure, Xiao Su. This time we're giving you some publicity before the draft.
After all, if you get selected, you'll be the first player in Chinese basketball history to enter the NBA."
Xu Jicheng, Zhang Weiping, and Su Junyang were all sharp — especially since they had spoken with Zhang Weiping beforehand.
Although Su Junyang didn't understand why the Basketball Association hadn't called Su Feng up, after learning more about the NBA over the past six months, he felt it might not be such a bad thing.
Because if Su Feng were called up, he wouldn't be able to play in the summer league.
After studying the NBA, Su Junyang realized that a rookie's performance in the summer league often determines how much value the team places on them later.
It's a pity Su Feng didn't know what Su Junyang was thinking — otherwise, he would've definitely told him: if your talent is truly off the charts, you can skip the Summer League and no one will say a word...
That guy who'll be taken down by Kendall Jenner in the future didn't even attend trial workouts.
And wasn't he the No. 1 pick?
Of course, Su Feng didn't have that kind of privilege.
And in this era without social media, the Summer League was still crucial for Su Feng.
It's worth mentioning that during Su Feng's interview, Kobe was already laughing like Shaquille O'Neal.
"Why are they only filming your highlights? And Su, you're way too nervous," Bryant said, patting Su Feng on the shoulder with a grin.
Actually, Su Feng hadn't been that nervous at first.
But there's always someone nearby throwing shade with that yin-yang energy!
"How about we let them record a one-on-one between us? I think that would be more convincing," Kobe suggested.
Hey, don't underestimate Kobe — he's a clever one.
Coach Zhang, standing nearby, agreed. "Yeah, a lot of people in China don't know Xiao Su's playing style.
Kobe's the top pick in this year's draft. Letting him go head-to-head with Xiao Su will definitely make for better footage than just showing isolated highlights."
"I agree!" said Su Junyang.
"I second that!" added Xu Jicheng.
And so, Su Feng and Kobe Bryant kicked off their first recorded one-on-one showdown.
"Relax, I'll let you win on purpose.
After all, this video is for your country's fans," Kobe whispered before the match.
Su Feng was stunned.
No way — this must be a fake Kobe!
Because the real Kobe would never...
"But you did promise me a big meal last time. You better make it extra special," Bryant added, raising an eyebrow.
Su Feng: "..."
So this is what they call a PY deal?
Truth is, Su Feng had no idea how much he meant to Kobe.
In Kobe's eyes, if he crushed Su Feng too badly in the video, the media would tear Su Feng apart.
And if Su Feng got discouraged, who would Kobe eat with in the future?
But Kobe never expected that his most sentimental gesture would lead to...
"Haha! Did you get all that on camera? Everything's recorded, right?"
"Kobe, you've got to work hard in the future!"
"Even though you've never beaten me in high school one-on-ones, if you keep working, you'll catch up!" Su Feng said proudly after winning 21–16, thanks to Kobe's cooperation.
Kobe was stunned.
What the heck?!
Is this guy really that shameless?
"What did you say? I've never beaten you?" Kobe's eyes widened, his expression more dramatic than Jay Chou's.
"Cough, don't worry about the details. You said it yourself — this video's for my country's fans," Su Feng tried to deflect.
"No way! Let's play again and record it properly. This time, I'll destroy you," Kobe snapped. He couldn't believe Su Feng was this kind of person.
Kobe swore he'd never do another PY deal in a one-on-one again.
"Okay, okay! I admit you're better than me. I lost, alright?" Su Feng said, trying to calm him down.
"Nope! That match was recorded. Who knows if you'll use it to tell everyone I never beat you in high school?" Kobe, suddenly sharp, argued.
"Fine, I'll treat you to another big meal, okay?" Su Feng pleaded.
"No! Not enough! I'm not letting you off today. If I don't crush you, I'm not Kobe!" Kobe was fuming.
What's with these people?
So shady! Kobe decided this would be a life lesson — never trust anyone too easily.
"I... I'll add another meal!" Su Feng offered.
"Oh please, even if you add 100 meals, I'm not letting you off today.
I swear, don't even think about escaping. Even if those reporters are your fellow countrymen...
If I have to, I'll go to the school's photography department and bring all their equipment," Kobe said, eyes locked on Su Feng.
"Then... 100 meals it is," Su Feng said "sincerely."
Same old story — this guy stays calm for so long, but when it really counts, he just can't help but stir things up.
"100 meals... Are you serious?" Kobe asked, surprised.
"Absolutely."
Unexpectedly, Su Feng's heartfelt apology finally moved Kobe.
Off to the side, watching the two laugh, argue, and joke around, Zhang Weiping sighed, "It's nice to be young."
"Who wouldn't agree?" Xu Jicheng smiled.
Su Junyang: "..."
Well, I may look a bit older, but I'm still fresh meat too...
…
In April, after wrapping up their final sprint training, Su Feng and Kobe returned to school in early May.
After all, they still had to graduate from high school.
Which meant... time to catch up on classes.
"By the way, Su, I'm planning to invite Brandi to the graduation party. Do you have a date in mind?" Bryant asked one day while they were studying together.
Su Feng shook his head. Graduation parties weren't really his thing. For someone like Su Feng, who found social events troublesome, skipping it altogether sounded ideal.
Not everyone enjoys karaoke and clubbing.
Take Su Feng, for example — after being tormented by a string of ex-girlfriends in his previous life, all he wanted in this one was to focus on becoming a basketball star.
"Su, be honest with me... you're still a fledgling, aren't you?" Bryant asked quietly.
Fledgling...
Bro, are you talking about yourself?
Su Feng had read Kobe's schedule and knew he was heading to a trial with the Bulls. Which meant Kobe was about to become Lei Allen next chapter...
Seeing Su Feng stay silent, Kobe felt he'd nailed it — Su Feng was definitely still a rookie in that department. He was thrilled, thinking, "Looks like I'm ahead of Su in this area."
While teasing Su Feng, Kobe also shared his own plans.
He was planning to take Brandi to a romantic spot after the graduation party and... well...
Explore a relationship that went beyond friendship.
"Wish you success," Su Feng replied dryly.
He made a mental note of this moment — because once Kobe ended up with Vanessa, this would be solid evidence of his past escapades.
…
On May 7, after wrapping up his dull and repetitive tutoring sessions, Su Feng was ready to begin his tour across the United States — as arranged by Bill Duffy.
Thanks to his standout performance in the McDonald's High School All-Star Game, several teams had invited Su Feng for trial workouts.
Based on each team's regular season standings and Su Feng's draft projections, Duffy scheduled trial sessions with the following teams:
Vancouver GrizzliesMilwaukee BucksMinnesota Timberwolves (not yet renamed the Huskies)New Jersey NetsGolden State WarriorsSacramento KingsNew York KnicksUtah JazzPhoenix SunsPhiladelphia 76ers
Among these, the Supersonics, Jazz, and Kings sent individual workout invitations, while the other teams invited Su Feng to small group workouts.
This wasn't because teams were skeptical about Su Feng's potential — rather, as a high school player, teams preferred to evaluate him alongside others from the same cohort for comparison.
According to the schedule, Su Feng's first stop would be Phoenix, where he'd participate in a small joint workout.
These types of sessions typically feature full-court 5-on-5 games or half-court 3-on-3 matchups.
When Su Feng saw the list of players joining him in Phoenix, he realized Duffy had really put in the effort.
Because Nash would also be participating in the same workout.
Like Su Feng, Nash was one of Duffy's clients.
Duffy had already spoken to Nash and encouraged both players to team up in Phoenix to deliver a strong performance.
It's worth noting that just as Su Feng was preparing to fly to Phoenix, Kobe had already arrived in Los Angeles a day earlier.
There, he would be attending trial workouts with both the Clippers and the Lakers.