Rise to Glory：Conquering the NBA with The God of Basketball System

Oracle Arena, Golden State.

Sitting on the far end of the Warriors' bench, wearing the number 77 jersey, Tang Lei stared blankly at the court where Steph, Kevin, and Klay were playing. He couldn't believe what was happening.

After a long moment, as the memories of his new life settled in, Tang Lei finally came to terms with the fact: he had really traveled back in time to the end of 2018.

In his previous life, Tang Lei was just a small-time basketball internet celebrity. He once dreamed of playing in the NBA, but due to poor genetics, limited resources, and no money for supplements, his height capped at 1.75 meters. At that height, not only was the NBA out of reach, but even playing professionally in China was impossible.

With no other options, he took to playing streetball, becoming a champion in some local leagues, and eventually gained a modest following online.

But now, he had somehow woken up in the body of another man with the same name, who also hailed from China. Yet, he was baffled. He had never heard of a Chinese player named Tang Lei making it to the NBA in his previous life. If such a player had existed, they would have been a massive sensation back home.

However, Tang Lei didn't dwell on it too much. After all, if something as absurd as time travel could happen, what else could possibly surprise him?

This world was identical to the one he had left behind. In other words, this season, despite aiming to win a third consecutive championship, the Warriors would ultimately fall short. Even though they would make it to the Finals, the devastating injuries to Durant and Thompson would lead to a 4-2 loss to the Raptors, ending their hopes of a three-peat and dynasty.

"Just a two-way contract without any guarantees, I could be cut at any moment," Tang Lei sighed after filtering through his predecessor's memories.

Although his current height was 2.02 meters, his wingspan was a disappointing 2.04 meters, and he weighed only 93 kilograms. His physical attributes were average at best, with nothing remarkable. Especially that wingspan—practically the same as his height—was a real eyesore.

He didn't have a reliable three-point shot, no solid defense, no court vision, and no leadership ability. He couldn't help but wonder why the Warriors signed him in the first place. Most likely, it was just a move to tap into the vast Chinese market.

Still, as a die-hard fan of Steph and KD, the mere fact that he was sitting on the same bench as them was exciting. His only goal now was to play well and turn his two-way contract into a guaranteed one.

After all, the ultimate dream of any fan is to stand beside their idols as teammates and fight alongside them.

Just like in his previous life, the Warriors, armed with the "Splash Brothers," were practically unbeatable, especially when facing a low-tier team like the Grizzlies. As expected, they dominated, and by the end of the third quarter, Coach Kerr waved his hand, signaling for Steph, Kevin, and Klay to rest. Draymond remained on the court with the bench players.

But Tang Lei didn't get his chance to play until midway through the fourth quarter, after the Grizzlies had completely given up.

Coach Kerr finally gestured to him. "Tang, it's your time to go in."

Hearing his name, Tang Lei, who had been watching Steph and KD, instantly jumped up and jogged onto the court. He had dreamed of playing in the NBA for over a decade, and now, in the most unexpected way, that dream was coming true. The excitement was undeniable.

As soon as Tang Lei stepped onto the Oracle Arena floor, a crisp voice suddenly echoed in his mind.

"Ding! Congratulations, host, for making your official game debut and activating the Basketball God System!"

"As a reward for your first system activation, you've received a Newcomer Gift Pack. Would you like to open it?"

"A system?!" Tang Lei was stunned for a moment, but then his heart leapt with joy. It seemed the standard perks of time travelers hadn't skipped over him.

"Open it!"

"Ding! Congratulations, host, for receiving the following permanent rewards: 1. Peak Kobe's vertical jump. 2. Peak Kobe's fadeaway jumper."

"Bonus: One chance for a ten-spin system lottery!"

As the system's voice faded, Tang Lei felt a warm current surge through his entire body.

"I feel like Kobe's back," he murmured to himself. But then he shook his head. "No, Kobe hasn't gone to heaven yet."

With Kobe's abilities now in hand, Tang Lei believed he could solidify his spot on the Warriors roster and maybe even help them win the elusive third championship!

In his previous life, after Durant was sidelined and Thompson got hurt, the image of Steph sitting dejectedly on the court had been etched into Tang Lei's mind, haunting him ever since. It broke his heart. This time, he wanted to change that outcome. He wanted to help the Warriors lift the Larry O'Brien Trophy and fulfill his own dreams in the process.

Meanwhile, across the ocean in China, the Tencent NBA live broadcast was showing the game. As soon as Tang Lei checked in, the commentators briefly introduced him, but the live chat was filled with curses and insults.

"Damn it, I just tuned in, and this guy's already on the court. What a buzzkill!"

"Haha, 8 shots and 0 makes in two games? Every stat is zero! I could do better!"

"He's embarrassing us on the international stage. Just get him back home already."

"If Steph wasn't on the team, no one would even look at him."

The hate-filled comments were endless, and the commentators quickly shifted the topic away from Tang Lei.

Tang Lei, now on the court, inbounded the ball and jogged to the Warriors' half. Both teams were playing with their deep bench, players who usually only saw garbage time minutes. No one wanted to pass or run plays; it was every man for himself. Over two possessions, four different players had taken shots, all missing, and Tang Lei hadn't even touched the ball yet. He was just running up and down the court, which was ridiculous.

"Haha, this is hilarious! He hasn't even touched the ball yet—what's the point?"

"Even his teammates don't trust him. What a joke."

"This is another statless game for sure."

The haters in the live chat were having a field day. Though Tang Lei had some fans, they were drowned out by the overwhelming negativity. Even his supporters were afraid to speak up, knowing they'd be swarmed by trolls.

The Warriors had possession again. Jordan Bell brought the ball up, and without hesitation, launched a three-pointer, completely ignoring Tang Lei, who was wide open on the wing.

The shot clanked off the front of the rim, and the ball rebounded long. Fortunately for Tang Lei, it landed right in his hands.