June 26, 1996 – The NBA Draft Night
At 7:30 PM, under the spotlight of countless fans , the highly anticipated NBA Draft officially began. Holding the first overall pick, the Philadelphia 76ers made the obvious choice—selecting "The Answer," Allen Iverson. Marcus Camby was then taken second without any surprises.
However, when it came to the third pick, history took a turn. Instead of selecting Shareef Abdur-Rahim, the Vancouver Grizzlies drafted Steve Nash.
Sitting in the audience, Li Ze Yu was momentarily stunned. Looks like history has already changed because of my presence.
As the draft reached the eighth pick, David Stern stepped up to the podium.
"With the eighth pick in the 1996 NBA Draft, the New Jersey Nets select… Li Ze Yu!"
Ze Yu froze for a moment, his heartbeat suddenly accelerating. He had never expected his name to be called this soon—he had mentally prepared himself to stand up somewhere after the 20th pick.
The bright lights shone down on him, making him feel momentarily dazed. It wasn't until a scattered round of applause broke out that he took a deep breath, adjusted his suit, and slowly walked toward the stage.
As he placed the symbolic NBA draft cap on his head, a weight was lifted off his shoulders. Looking at the thousands of fans filling the arena, Ze Yu knew—this was just the beginning of the war.
What Ze Yu didn't realize was that the Black player who had spoken to him earlier that day would be selected right after him, at the ninth pick.
The Summer League Snub
Before the regular season, the team informed Ze Yu that he wouldn't be participating in the Summer League.
Instantly, a wave of criticism flooded the Nets and Ze Yu. However, Ze Yu, who barely engaged with social media, paid no attention to the noise. He left everything to the team's management and instead spent his days in the gym, fully embracing the high-level training environment.
Just when Ze Yu thought he could peacefully train until the regular season began, an unexpected encounter changed everything.
Like every morning, Ze Yu arrived at the gym at 7 AM sharp. But before he even stepped inside, he heard the rhythmic sound of a basketball bouncing against the hardwood.
Who could be here this early?
Curious, he walked into the court—only to see Sam Cassell, who had recently been traded to the team.
Cassell saw Ze Yu enter and, without a word, tossed the basketball at him.
"Hey, rookie. You sure got a big head, huh? The whole team is catching heat because of you. Do you even deserve this?" Cassell said, his tone dripping with disdain.
Ze Yu chuckled slightly.
"Wanna play one-on-one?"
A minute later, the game was on.
Cassell sneered. "Your ball, scrub."
Ze Yu didn't say a word—just smiled.
Before stepping onto the court, he had checked his stats panel. He knew he had the ability to beat Cassell.
Standing at the three-point line, he took a relaxed dribble with his right hand while locking eyes with Cassell. His opponent stood in a low stance, balanced and ready—not one to fall for cheap fakes.
But the moment Ze Yu lifted his wrist, Cassell hesitated for just a fraction of a second. That was all it took.
Ze Yu rose up smoothly and let the shot fly.
Swish!
The ball sliced through the net with perfect precision.
Cassell's eyes widened in disbelief.
Man, my three-point rating is at least a 78. I'm playing with you.
On the next possession, Ze Yu drove past Cassell with a quick first step. He then executed a flawless behind-the-back move, leaving Cassell frozen in place.
By the time the game ended, the score was 11–6. A near blowout.
Cassell, to his credit, wasn't a sore loser. He simply said, "We'll run it back next time."
What neither of them knew was that their entire game had been watched from the shadows.
Head coach John Calipari had seen it all.
"Well, well… this is a pleasant surprise."
Originally, the Nets had drafted Ze Yu not because of his skills, but for the potential commercial market he could bring. A Chinese player in the NBA? That would mean massive media and sponsorship opportunities.
But now, it seemed… he could offer more than just market value.
Regular Season Opener: Nets vs. Nuggets
Time flew by, and the highly anticipated regular season finally arrived.
The Chicago Bulls, fresh off a 72–10 season, stood atop the league. As long as Michael Jordan was still playing, the Bulls would remain the team to beat.
For their season opener, the New Jersey Nets faced the Denver Nuggets.
The Nuggets' starting lineup:
• PG: Bryant Stith
• SG: Dale Ellis
• SF: LaPhonso Ellis
• PF: Antonio McDyess
• C: Ervin Johnson Jr.
During warm-ups, Ze Yu narrowed his eyes, scanning his opponents.
The Nuggets weren't a powerhouse, but in the NBA, you never underestimate anyone. Every player had gone through years of grinding to reach this stage.
Taking a deep breath, Ze Yu clenched his fists. Time to shut the doubters up.
"System," he whispered in his mind. "Do I get a reward if we win this game?"
"Winning alone won't grant you anything," the system replied. "But if you score at least 25 points, all your stats will increase by +1."
Hearing this, Ze Yu felt a surge of energy rush through his veins. He was hungry to take the court.
Just then, Coach Calipari walked over.
"Hey, Ze, you're starting tonight. Don't make me regret my decision."
Ze Yu was momentarily stunned but quickly nodded.
Nearby, Cassell overheard the news.
He walked up and patted Ze Yu's shoulder. "Don't sweat it, kid. Believe in yourself."
Ze Yu smirked, tilting his head. "Maybe you should be the one worrying."
With that, he jogged off, leaving Cassell standing there, fuming.
Game Time
As he walked through the tunnel, Calipari's words echoed in Ze Yu's mind.
"You're starting tonight. Don't make me regret my decision."
This game wasn't just his NBA debut—it would determine his place within the team.
Not every rookie gets to start in their first game.
The whistle blew. The game was underway.
The Nuggets won the tip, and Dale Ellis quickly shook free from a screen.
Splash!
Ellis drained a three right in Ze Yu's face.
"Welcome to the NBA, rookie," Ellis sneered.
Ze Yu's heart sank. The game was faster than he had expected.
"Hey! Stay focused, damn it! This ain't high school ball!" Cassell barked as he ran past.
Cassell dribbled the ball up the court, scanning the floor as he moved. Ze Yu positioned himself in the right corner, then cut sharply around a screen to the left wing at the three-point line. Catching Cassell's pass, he found himself face-to-face with Antonio McDyess, who had switched onto him.
Without hesitation, Ze Yu pulled up for a three.
Bang!
The ball clanked off the back rim, bouncing out. A wave of boos and laughter erupted from the crowd.
Ze Yu clenched his jaw. The intensity of the NBA was hitting him hard. He had to settle down, focus, and prove he belonged here.
A few possessions later, the ball swung back to him. This time, he didn't rush. He engaged in a triple-threat stance, carefully studying his defender.
One jab step.
Dale Ellis flinched forward just slightly.
In that split second, Ze Yu pulled the ball back and executed a smooth step-back jumper. Swish! The ball sliced through the net cleanly.
Ellis frowned, clearly caught off guard.
From that moment, Ze Yu found his rhythm. A crossover into a step-back three. A hard drive leading into a smooth Euro-step layup. The baskets started piling up, forcing the Nuggets to call a timeout in an attempt to adjust their defense.
As the game progressed, both teams battled fiercely.
End of Q1: 18–16, Nuggets lead.
Halftime: 40–39, Nets lead.
End of Q3: 65–62, Nuggets lead.
By the time the clock wound down to the final 18 seconds of the fourth quarter, the score was deadlocked at 88–88.
The Nets called a timeout.
Coach John Calipari, scanning his exhausted players, finally locked eyes with Ze Yu.
"Kid, can you handle this?"
A flicker of surprise flashed in Ze Yu's eyes before he gave a firm nod.
As the timeout ended, Ze Yu positioned himself a step beyond the right wing three-point line and signaled for the ball.
Cassell hesitated for a second but ultimately passed it over.
7 seconds left.
Ze Yu dribbled, facing down Dale Ellis, who was locked in, defending with everything he had.
A sudden hesitation dribble. A behind-the-back move.
Ellis bit on the fake.
Ze Yu exploded forward, cutting into the lane.
The Nuggets' center, Ervin Johnson Jr., rotated over to help, arms raised high.
Ze Yu made a split-second decision.
He executed a Jamal Crawford-style behind-the-back gather, causing Johnson Jr. to lunge in the wrong direction. Ze Yu adjusted mid-air and finished the layup with perfect touch.
Buzzer sounds. Game over.
Final score: Nets 90 – Nuggets 88.
The arena erupted. Fans cheered wildly.
Lying on the hardwood, catching his breath, Ze Yu knew—he had just arrived.
Post-Game Reactions
Ze Yu had stuffed the stat sheet in his NBA debut:
31 points, 7 assists, 5 rebounds.
The media exploded.
"Chinese rookie Li Ze Yu drops 31 in debut, sinks game-winning shot with an absurd move!"
"Is this the next Jordan?"
Social media buzzed with debates.
"Lucky game. Let's see if he can keep it up."
"Can an Asian player handle the grind of the NBA?"
"One-game wonders are a dime a dozen."
Lying in his hotel bed, scrolling through the headlines, Ze Yu smirked.
"This is just the beginning. Let'see."