It's well known that the NBA is famous for being cruel and ruthless.
So, are there any good people in this cutthroat league?
The answer is: yes.
When Su Feng heard that Bill Duffy wanted to visit him, they hadn't yet met—but Su Feng gave Duffy a "good person" card in advance.
Greed and cunning have long been synonymous with sports agents.
But Duffy was like a clear stream in a mudslide.
In Su Feng's previous life, when he worked in the player agent industry, Duffy was known for his sincerity and kindness.
In 2003, one of Duffy's clients, Anthony Carter, missed the deadline to renegotiate his contract with the Miami Heat due to an error in Duffy's management—costing Carter a $4 million deal.
Given Carter's poor performance in the 2002–2003 season, it wasn't even certain another team would want him—let alone pay him that much.
But Duffy took responsibility.
He helped Carter sign a $1 million deal with the Spurs—and personally covered the $3 million difference.
That gesture deeply impressed Carter. Though the blunder itself was a rookie mistake, Duffy's response said everything about his character.
You can fake sincerity for a while, but Duffy "pretended" for decades—and no one ever caught on.
Time reveals true character, just as distance tests a horse's strength.
It's worth mentioning that Duffy also represented Yao Ming and Steve Nash, and maintained a great personal relationship with both.
Most of Duffy's clients were known as stand-up guys.
That's because Duffy had a rule: if a player had character issues, he wouldn't sign him—no matter how talented.
And so...
What Su Feng didn't know was that while he was giving Duffy a "good person" card, Duffy had already given one to Su Feng.
…
Philadelphia, Beasley Coffee House.
When Su Feng met Bill Duffy, his first impression was: this man… really has a good face.
"Hello, Su, I'm glad you could make time to meet me," Duffy said warmly, reaching out to shake hands.
"Hello, Mr. Bill Duffy."
See? What defines a good person? What is sincerity?
At that moment, Su Feng genuinely wanted to bring Kobe along.
Look at the "Trum" your father found, and then compare him to this guy—ah no, agent—who showed up of his own accord. The difference was instantly clear.
After their handshake, Duffy didn't sit down right away.
He waited for Su Feng to take his seat, then respectfully handed him a business card.
In 1996, Duffy still wasn't widely known.
Though he had just signed Steve Nash—soon to be a player on Su Feng's level—he didn't yet have a roster full of big names.
After Su Feng accepted the card, Duffy offered a sincere smile:
"Su, I won't take up too much of your time, so I'll be direct.
I'd like you to consider BDA. I really hope we can work together."
"Can I ask… why me?" Su Feng asked, intrigued.
"I've read a lot of reports about you. You're a driven player.
Otherwise, you couldn't have made such progress year after year.
I'm also very optimistic about the Chinese market.
China has nearly as long a basketball history as the U.S. And there's a report in your résumé that really caught my attention.
When you were a high school sophomore, you calmly completed a brave act.
Honestly, in that kind of situation, I believe most Americans would've backed away.
But you didn't retreat—you stepped forward.
So, when you declared for the draft straight out of high school, I came to Philadelphia without hesitation.
I hope you'll consider me. I may not offer more than other agents, but I'll always give you my most sincere service."
Su Feng never imagined that one unintentional moment years ago would later become a hidden blessing.
Is this what people mean by... being rewarded for good looks?
"Thank you for your recognition. If I choose to work with you, how would you help me?" Su Feng asked.
"Based on media projections, you're currently ranked from the late first round to mid-second.
I believe you have three key opportunities to change your destiny:
First, the McDonald's High School All-Star Game.
Second, your individual team tryouts.
Third, your physical exam results.
Among the three, I think the All-Star Game matters least.
The other two could truly define your career path.
Most NBA teams prioritize tryout performance when evaluating players.
So I recommend approaching the All-Star Game with a relaxed mindset—and then focusing intensely on team tryouts.
As for your physical condition, I know a bit about it.
You'll be turning 18 next month, and there's still time before the exam.
If you show further improvement by then, more teams will take notice."
Professionalism!
Great minds think alike.
Su Feng agreed wholeheartedly.
So…
"Then when do we sign the contract?" Su Feng asked, convinced that Duffy was the right man for the job.
After all, agents with business acumen and genuine character are rare in the NBA.
Just then…
What? Already onto the next step—signing?
Duffy had even prepared a heartfelt 20,000-word essay to win Su Feng over!
"Here's a draft agreement for you to review.
I want to be clear: after signing, I won't interfere with any of your decisions.
But if you ever have questions, I'll be here for advice." Duffy said, handing over a stack of papers.
Su Feng studied the agreement closely.
After all, you should be kind—but never naïve.
"Wait—1% of salary and 5% of advertising revenue?"
Su Feng paused in surprise.
According to NBA regulations, agents can receive up to 4% of a player's salary.
Most agents earn between 3% and 4%. Some of the smaller ones settle for 2%.
Duffy, though not well-known yet, clearly wasn't some fringe hustler.
As for ad revenue, most NBA players give agents between 12% and 15%.
Only major stars—whose image alone attracts sponsorship—sign lower-rate deals.
Yet Duffy was asking for just 5%—a superstar-level commission.
Wow.
Are agents these days really that considerate, sharp, and generous?
"As I said, I hope we'll have a long-term partnership. I'm very optimistic about the Chinese market.
And I hope we'll become friends, even after you retire." Duffy added with a smile.
Su Feng nodded in agreement.
Duffy becoming Yao Ming's agent later on? No surprise.
It took real insight to recognize the Chinese market's NBA potential in the '90s.
But Duffy had vision—and he was willing to bet on it.
If Su Feng became a star, Duffy would benefit greatly.
If not?
Even with modest rookie returns, Duffy could still afford a luxury home from the earnings.
He wasn't stupid. He never gambled short-term.
"Alright, I'm all in."
After carefully reviewing the contract, Su Feng felt confident in joining forces with his newly acquired "tool man," Bill Duffy.
"Then Su, here's to a great partnership!" Duffy said with a grin.
"Great partnership."
…
After signing with Bill Duffy, Su Feng suddenly felt a huge weight lifted off his shoulders.
With Duffy handling the logistics of the tryouts, Su Feng could now focus fully on the final sprint of preparation.
It's also worth noting that on April 1st—yes, April Fool's Day—Su Feng inked long-term "tool man" agreements with Mancias, Fraser, and Alanstein, who practically galloped to Philadelphia.
Su Feng offered these three trainers a deal they couldn't refuse.
"So… does this count as being adopted?" If their thoughts could be translated, they might have sounded just like that.
Well, this clearly wasn't a joke.
Everything was spelled out, black ink on white paper.
"Su, do you remember when I mentioned off-ball movement?" Fraser asked.
Last summer, Su Feng had asked him about how to move better without the ball.
Back then, Fraser told him that only after a full senior season of play and tactical development would he share a specialized training method.
"I remember," Su Feng nodded.
"The reason I made you wait is simple: without enough in-game experience, you wouldn't really grasp the concepts—even if I explained them," Fraser said.
"So how do I train off-ball movement now?" Su Feng asked.
"There are four key principles," Fraser replied.
Always be aware of your teammates' positions—understand the tactical setup of your team.Vary your speed constantly while running—change pace to throw off defenders.Never stay still—you shouldn't stop or stay in one spot for more than two seconds.Always be ready to catch a pass—even when you're moving.
Su Feng nodded again. No wonder Fraser had delayed the lesson—understanding theory was one thing, applying it was another.
"I'm already good at the second, third, and fourth points. As for the first one… I think I can get there."
After four years of training with Kobe, Su Feng had developed the habit of always being ready to shoot. As for effort in off-ball movement—he was known for his hustle.
The first point, though—spatial awareness—was still elusive.
Vision isn't just about seeing. Sure, Su Feng could see his teammates. But identifying a split-second opportunity, like intercepting a fighter jet in motion? That's not something you learn just by watching.
Truthfully, that's a matter of talent.
Take Steve Nash. Why do people say Nash was dazzling?
Because anyone who's watched him pass knows—he could locate his teammates without even looking.
It's like having a tactical board on the court and a god's-eye view in his mind.
"No rush. If you train like I say, I'm sure your off-ball movement will take a major leap soon," Fraser assured him.
He knew Su Feng had laid a solid foundation. Now it was time to turn quantity into quality.
Fraser's method? Simple yet demanding.
Use a bench as a dummy defender. Su Feng had to follow Fraser's tactical commands, run to a designated spot, catch a pass from another trainer, and shoot instantly.
Fraser also had Mancias craft a speed variation workout for Su Feng.
Unlike standard drills, Su Feng had to change pace on command. For example, command "1" meant accelerate—command "2" meant slow down immediately.
The goal: instill excellent speed control habits.
Meanwhile, Alanstein and Mancias created a core strength plan and a speed training program tailored specifically for Su Feng.
In short…
Totally reasonable!
…
On the second day, just after finishing his interview, Kobe came looking for Su Feng to hang out—only to be completely stunned by what he saw.
"Wait… did you actually rent a training facility? I thought you were kidding!" Bryant said, wide-eyed.
"Yep," Su Feng nodded.
"Wow, your training setup is seriously professional."
Watching Su Feng train under the guidance of three specialized coaches, Kobe suddenly felt unimpressed with Joe Bryant's "on-court black tech" training he'd been receiving lately.
Comparison really is the thief of joy.
Kobe had originally planned to crush Su Feng in their rematch. But seeing all this? Crush? Please.
He now felt Su Feng was catching up fast.
In Kobe's mind, their 1-on-1 record had to remain 8–2 in his favor. If it ever became 7–3, that felt like losing.
"You wanna train with me? There's good food every day too."
What's better than training?
Training with a cheat code.
Until now, Kobe had been busy searching for an agent and going through interviews. Joe Bryant had been schooling him on niche court tricks—but Su Feng hadn't been generating much "iron value" lately.
Now was the time to farm a fresh batch of iron value.
"Of course I'll train with you!
You're my best friend, after all."
Food + pro-grade workouts? For Kobe, this was paradise.
But after just a few days of training with Kobe… Su Feng had some regrets.
Thanks to Kobe's elite athleticism, Fraser had designed dribbling and ball-handling drills specially for him.
"So unfair!" Su Feng muttered, watching Kobe's handles improve almost overnight.
"Su, I wouldn't worry too much," Fraser reassured him.
"Not every NBA player is as gifted as Kobe."
Hmm… so you're saying I lack dribbling talent?
Su Feng knew Fraser wasn't wrong.
"Besides, you don't need elite ball-handling to be an effective scorer in the NBA.
I'll teach you a few tricks soon," Fraser chuckled.
Su Feng nodded and returned to his dumbbell reps.
Someday… I'll out-dribble you in style.
And so, Kobe and Su Feng trained together through the 8th. One moment worth highlighting? Su Feng's birthday on the 4th.
"What's this?"
Kobe handed Su Feng a notebook.
Su Feng was floored.
Inside were photos of the two of them—and clippings of every article ever published about Su Feng.
Wait…
How long did this take?
When did Kobe even start collecting all this?
"Do you like it? Hey—
We might be opponents soon in the NBA, Su… but you'll always be my best friend.
This notebook is proof of that." Kobe smiled, patting him on the shoulder.
Su Feng—who had lived through two lifetimes—thought he'd never cry again.
But that day...
Su Feng...
Cried? Nah—his eyes were just sweating. That's all, you punk.