Fei encountered many old friends at the Reebok party.
"Because of you, I lost 18 pounds this season," Yao Ming complained to Fei.
Upon hearing this, Fei asked in surprise, "Oh, why?"
Fei had never thought that he might change Yao Ming's destiny.
It was clear they would hardly ever play on the same team and if Yao Ming wanted to become an unstoppable low-post beast, he needed to put on more weight. However, Fei's arrival ultimately disrupted the timeline.
In a reality where even Tim Duncan wasn't the undisputed GOAT power forward, the early influx of small ball into the league brought changes that even an extreme traditional center like Yao Ming had to adapt to.
Fei's arrival also set off a chain reaction; Artest didn't join the Rockets this season, and McGrady didn't overdraw his career as an elite player last season due to a closed-door injury.