Chapter 2 Training and Nutritionist

The next day's training session ended, and Tang Tian and Procopio went to a nearby restaurant, where Tang Tian met the nutritionist Procopio had introduced.

To his surprise, it was a woman, and… well-endowed.

Really well-endowed, so much so that the first thing people noticed was that area. At least a D cup, even with clothes on.

American milk, so nourishing!

"Tang, this is Cecilia Aaron. She graduated from the food and nutrition program at McConaughy University, which is the best in the United States."

"Cecilia, this is Tang, whom I mentioned to you before. He's a rookie this year and could be a first-round pick."

Procopio introduced the two of them.

"Hello." Cecilia extended her hand to Tang Tian. She wore square-rimmed glasses, had long hair, and wore a casual blazer, giving off a very professional (uniform) vibe.

"Hello." Tang Tian shook hands with Cecilia, and then they both sat down.

"Cecilia is very famous at school. Her GPA is also the highest in the major, and it's not just academic. She's put a lot of theory into practice on herself, so even though she's new, her experience is no less than that of an average nutritionist." Procopio admired Cecilia.

Tang Tian nodded. Procopio's words explained why Cecilia was so… spectacular there.

Nutritionists basically follow their clients throughout the process, from diet to daily life. If he hired her as his nutritionist, would his nutrition be able to keep up?

"If there are no problems, let's sign the contract now." Cecilia said, taking out a contract from her briefcase.

This efficiency was on par with Fegan.

Tang Tian nodded, took the contract, and looked it over.

Because she was a rookie, Cecilia's salary requirements were not high, only $1,500 a month.

After Tang Tian finished reading it, he signed it directly.

With both of them having signed, Cecilia was officially the first member to join Tang Tian's team.

With business out of the way, they ordered food.

"Don't order too much." Cecilia said, watching Tang Tian order.

"It's okay, my treat." Tang Tian said politely.

"It's not that. You need to lose weight now. For this meal, you only need to eat 100g of chicken and an apple. Small, frequent meals." Cecilia said.

"..." Tang Tian was stunned for a moment. It was starting already?

"You need to lose weight and gain muscle, but these are two different processes. I must make sure you complete these two steps before training camp starts." Cecilia said almost commandingly.

Okay, she's got a mature woman vibe.

"Okay," Tang Tian said, putting down the menu. He now felt that the nutritionist Procopio had hired for him was indeed professional.

Tang Tian's training with Walker and Thompson ended the next day because the draft was approaching, and their agents had begun arranging individual workouts for them with various teams.

Walker and Thompson had both participated in the pre-draft combine in Chicago, so many teams had extended invitations for individual workouts. Their draft stock was also gradually becoming clear.

Walker, for example, was very likely to be selected in the top 10, even the top 6, while Thompson was likely to be in the 10-15 range, near the lottery fringe.

Tang Tian's draft stock had originally risen to around the 23rd pick, but because he had missed the combine, it had fallen back to the end of the first round.

"I've arranged workouts with these teams for you. They all have early second-round picks." Fegan gave Tang Tian the schedule.

The Heat, 31st pick; the Wizards, 34th pick; the Nets, 36th pick; the Clippers, 37th pick; the Rockets, 38th pick; the Lakers, 41st pick; the Bulls, 43rd pick.

These teams all had one thing in common: they were all big-market teams. Like Yi Jianlian back then, Fegan also hoped to bring Tang Tian to a big-market team.

"Of these teams, I personally recommend the Nets and the Rockets. Their team strength isn't very strong right now, so you'll have more opportunities if you go there, and the Chinese fan base is very good in both places." Fegan continued.

Tang Tian shook his head.

What Fegan said was completely the opposite. He didn't want to go to a team with such poor strength.

He was just a 3&D player now. Going to a team like that wouldn't showcase his value, and if he couldn't score points, he probably wouldn't get any playing time.

His current characteristics meant he had to go to a strong team, and a very strong one at that. Strong teams were the ones that needed players like him.

"Of these teams, which ones have picks at the end of the first round?" Tang Tian asked, in the face of Fegan's puzzled look.

In theory, the teams at the end of the first round were linked to the team's record from the previous season, but there were many trades in the NBA every year, and pick ownership could change a lot.

"The Rockets have the 20th pick, the Bulls have the 23rd and 30th picks, and the Nets have the 27th pick," Fegan replied.

Tang Tian nodded thoughtfully after hearing this.

He couldn't go to any of the teams that Fegan mentioned.

The Bulls would have been a good choice. Derrick Rose's penetration was very effective, and he would have some opportunities on the outside. Moreover, as a time-traveler, he could also suggest that Rose adjust his playing style and achieve great things together. That feeling would definitely be great.

But the Bulls had too many late first-round picks, and that path was blocked. It seemed that only the Heat were an option.

This was indeed a good choice. The Heat's Big Three. If he remembered correctly, they would face the Thunder this year and win the second championship in team history. With LeBron James and Dwyane Wade around, a 3&D player like him would be very popular.

Moreover, the Heat didn't have many decent role players, so the difficulty of competing for a starting position wouldn't be too high. He would first coat himself in gold and accumulate popularity. When his one- or two-year contract ended, he would have fame and氪金值 (ke jin zhi, literally "krypton gold value," referring to the value gained from spending money in online games/services), and it would be time for him to make his mark.

"Arrange the workout with the Heat then." Tang Tian said. It was better to have fewer workouts but of a higher quality. The Heat lacked 3&D players, and he was absolutely confident that he could succeed in one try.

"You're not considering any other teams?" Fegan was very surprised. The more he interacted with Tang Tian, the more he felt that he was completely different from other rookies.

"The Bulls would have been good too, but they have too many late first-round picks, and the second-round picks are a bit too late." Tang Tian said. If he was really selected late in the first round, he would lose out.

"Okay, I'll arrange it." Fegan didn't say anything more, seeing Tang Tian's firm attitude. Miami was a big city, and the 31st pick was actually worth more than a late first-round pick.

Tang Tian nodded. Miami was a tropical city, and its beaches were famous throughout the United States. He could also enjoy the beautiful scenery of the beaches in addition to playing basketball. Going there would be a win-win situation.