The Warriors' home court, Oakland Arena.
At 11 a.m. on the 22nd, the Chinese Men's Basketball Team arrived at the arena for their final court familiarization practice before the warm-up game.
"Look at this place, it's magnificent," Liu Wei said, nudging Yao Ming beside him with his elbow and pointing at the giant LED screen overhead.
And the stands, rising tier after tier, looked like they could hold at least twenty thousand people.
In comparison, the CBA arenas were downright shabby.
"Even the floor is different," Liu Wei said, stomping on the court. He could clearly feel that it had more give.
At this, Liu Wei's tone turned a bit sour. "Da Yao, you're about to play at the Staples Center. Look at me... when do you think I'll get to play in the NBA?"
'The main thing is the money,' he thought.
To welcome Yao Ming, the Lakers had offered him a four-year, 18-million-dollar contract, with an annual salary of nearly four million US dollars.
