Tang Tian

Biodata

Feature	Details
Name	Tang Tian (唐天) 8
Alias(es)	Tang; Tian; Godfather; Tang Ri Tian; Michael Tang 8 183 226 844
Species/Race	Human
Gender	Male
Affiliation	University of Connecticut; San Antonio Spurs; New Orleans Pelicans; China Men's Basketball Team; NBA Players' Union 8 411 844 1150
Occupation/Role	Professional basketball player; guard-forward swingman primarily used at shooting guard; Players' Union President 876 1150
Status	Retired by the time of the later Brothers of Hard Work reunions 1387
First Appearance	Chapter 5

Power Progression

Stage / Realm / Level	Chapter	Notes
Blue Skill — Masked Man (Hamilton)	205	Purchased after winning the Three-Point Contest; increases stamina-recovery speed by 20%, making extended defensive battles a specialty. 205 283
Purple-tier skill	399	An unnamed purple skill immediately improves his waist and arm recovery and changes the feel of his pull-up jumper, though it requires adaptation. 399
Dynamite Pack (Maggetti)	419	Adds physicality to his drives, including a 10% physical boost and improved foul-drawing potential. 419 422
Kobe Fadeaway	603	Gives his fadeaway jumper greater stability; his flexibility and coordination training help create shooting space. 603 604
Rebound Master (Dejounte Murray)	876	Raises total rebounding from 62 to 70; defensive rebounding increases from 65 to 75. 876
Flowery Butterfly Steps	1061	Expands his crossover-step understanding and raises Ball Handling to 91 and Layup to 90, eliminating a former weakness. 1061
Red Skill — Infinite Range (Curry)	1181	Improves deep-three stability and grants a team-wide attribute boost after he makes a deep three; he soon incorporates logo threes into games. 1181 1186

Background

Tang Tian began at the University of Connecticut as a ball boy before Coach Cahoon recruited him onto the school team. His debut defensive effort, including helping shut down Butler, quickly spread his name through the arena. At his first press conference, he confirmed that he had joined the team two months earlier and described himself as its “secret weapon.” 5 8

UConn later won the NCAA championship. Tang Tian spent the following offseason almost entirely in training, improving his catch-to-shot time from roughly 1.5 seconds to 0.8 seconds while maintaining an 80% practice accuracy rate. He also chose to reduce weight and transition toward the wing because he considered power forward an unsuitable long-term position for his height. 118

As a second-round pick with the Spurs, Tang Tian immediately exceeded expectations. In his first four NBA games, he averaged 13 points, 3 rebounds, 1 assist, 2.5 steals, and 1.25 blocks in 25.5 minutes. He developed from a defensive spark into a major contributor during San Antonio's title runs. 174 290

After becoming a restricted free agent, Tang Tian sought a contract that guaranteed him a core-player role rather than remaining a supporting piece. His move to New Orleans made him a central figure for the Pelicans, where he developed into a scoring champion, franchise leader, and championship-winning star. 391 411 464 834

Tang Tian also became central to the China Men's Basketball Team, first joining its Olympic roster and later carrying the offense in international competition. 290 844

Appearance

Tang Tian is a tall, athletic guard-forward with a physique that draws attention both on and off the court. His documented attribute panel lists him at 2.03 m and 100 kg with a 211 cm wingspan. 56 1061

• Athletic build strengthened through structured weight-loss and muscle-building programs. 118 419
• Wore a conspicuous long mohawk during his early Spurs tenure; the hairstyle became a talking point among fans. 171 174
• Possesses a 90 Jumping rating and uses explosive dunks as part of his scoring arsenal. 1061 949

Personality

Tang Tian is composed under scrutiny and habitually disarms reporters with dry humor. During his first press conference, he answered insinuations about his ball-boy background without becoming defensive, impressing Cahoon with the poise he showed at eighteen. 8

He is intensely deliberate about improvement. He prioritizes stamina, shooting speed, nutrition, dynamic vision, flexibility, street dance, yoga, and new offensive skills according to the weaknesses he identifies in his own game. The Pay-to-Win System gives him skills, but he recognizes that training is still required to use them effectively. 115 118 143 544

As a leader, Tang Tian mentors teammates, rewards the staff around him, and publicly supports players he believes are being unfairly mocked. He can also be forceful when provoked or when addressing league politics. 206 419 635 1013

Abilities & Skills

Three-Point Shooting

Tang Tian's early specialty is rapid catch-and-shoot offense, which later expands into pull-up, contested, deep, and logo three-pointers.

• Reduced his catch-to-shot time to about 0.8 seconds with an 80% training accuracy rate. 118
• Won the Three-Point Contest over Kevin Durant. 205
• Made eight three-pointers in one half against the Bulls. 226
• Uses Infinite Range (Curry) to stabilize deep threes and empower teammates after a made deep shot. 1181
• Debuted a logo three against the Spurs while recording 41 points, 10 rebounds, and 11 assists. 1186

Pull-Up and Fadeaway Scoring

Tang Tian developed from a catch-and-shoot specialist into a three-level scorer with a high-arcing pull-up jumper and fadeaway.

• Purple-tier skill training improved the feel and suddenness of his pull-up jumper. 399
• Yoga and street dance improve the flexibility and coordination needed for his fadeaway. 544 604
• Kobe Fadeaway improves the stability of his difficult turnaround and fading shots. 603 604
• Can alternate between energy-efficient jumpers early in games and physical drives late in games. 428

Ball Handling and Finishing

Tang Tian's later crossover development removes a major weakness and makes defensive schemes designed to trap him less effective.

• Flowery Butterfly Steps raises his Ball Handling to 91 and Layup to 90. 1061
• Uses abrupt changes of direction, crossover pull-ups, and direct drives through double teams. 605 806
• Possesses explosive finishing ability, including tomahawk dunks in high-intensity playoff games. 949

Defense, Stamina, and Rebounding

Defense is the foundation of Tang Tian's initial rise and remains integral to his star-level game.

• Cahoon and Walker credited his defensive energy as the key to UConn's victory. 8
• His later panel lists 90 Defense, 91 On-Ball Defense, 86 Steal, and 95 Stamina. 1061
• Masked Man (Hamilton) accelerates stamina recovery by 20%. 205
• Rebound Master (Dejounte Murray) increases his rebounding, allowing the 2.03 m swingman to regularly pursue double-digit rebounds. 876
• Recorded a playoff quadruple-double while helping the Pelicans advance to the Finals. 979

Dynamic Vision and Court Awareness

Tang Tian applies concepts from other sports to basketball and regularly identifies tactical adjustments during games.

• Learned the importance of dynamic vision through tennis and began specialized training with Procopio. 143
• Guides teammates such as Leonard and Davis in offensive and defensive development. 206 402
• Recognizes defensive coverages and proposes adjustments directly to coaching staff. 989

Professional Team and Business Interests

• Mike Procopio — Personal trainer hired after training with Tang Tian during the pre-draft offseason; trains his shooting, dynamic vision, and skill development. 118 143 544
• Cecilia — Nutritionist responsible for his weight-loss, muscle-building, and later dietary plans. 133 419
• Dan Fagan — Agent who represents Tang Tian and negotiates his endorsement and contract arrangements. 113 319 602
• Coca-Cola endorsement — Renewed for four years and $14.4 million. 319
• Nike endorsement — Signed a seven-year, $217 million early renewal, described as the largest endorsement deal in history by annual salary. 602
• Tang Tian Group — Established to participate in New Orleans Chinatown shop bidding; won three shops. 546

Relationships

• Coach Jim Cahoon — UConn coach who recruited Tang Tian from ball-boy status and publicly credited him for bringing energy to the team's defense. 8
• Kemba Walker — College teammate, close friend, and early supporter who called Tang Tian the key to UConn's victory. 8 113
• Klay Thompson — Friend, offseason training partner, and recurring on-court rival. 115 326 548
• Tim Duncan — Spurs teammate whose approval symbolizes Tang Tian's acceptance within the team; Duncan affectionately pats his head after major performances. 183
• Kawhi Leonard — Teammate and mentee; Tang Tian advises him to study Kobe Bryant's shooting form and post moves. 206
• Anthony Davis — Pelicans teammate whom Tang Tian mentors in defensive technique and supports with training and diet planning. 402 417
• Nikola Jokić — Key Pelicans partner whose interior presence complements Tang Tian's perimeter scoring and playmaking. 626 931
• Olson — Long-term romantic partner who supports his career, travels with him, learns Chinese, and later marries him. 247 546 873
• Yao Ming — Fellow Chinese NBA figure and ally in discussions about reforming Chinese basketball. 402 693
• Karl — Loyal assistant who protects Tang Tian's interests, including exposing Xiao Hua's role in the FOX “dark history” leak. 895

Story Role / Major Arcs

• UConn breakout — Rises from ball boy to official team member and defensive catalyst, earning immediate media attention. 5 8
• Pre-draft transformation — Builds a personal training team, improves shooting speed, reduces weight, and prepares to become an NBA wing. 118 143
• Spurs rise — Establishes himself as a high-impact rookie, earns the “Godfather” nickname, and becomes a title-winning contributor. 183 290
• Pelicans franchise player — Pursues free agency specifically to become a team core, then develops into New Orleans' leading scorer and champion. 391 417 834
• International leader — Becomes the focal point of the China Team and delivers dominant performances on the international stage. 844 1402
• League power broker — Uses his standing as the league's top player to oppose Xiao Hua's return and is later elected Players' Union President. 1013 1150

Notable Performances

Performance	Details
Career night vs. Heat	27 points, 7 three-pointers, 3 rebounds, 2 assists, 3 steals, 1 block, and no turnovers in 32 minutes; Spurs won 101–93. 183
Five-game 30-point streak	Scored 30 or more points in five consecutive games in his third season, drawing comparisons with elite historical scorers. 417 418
44 points vs. Warriors	Posted 44 points, 3 rebounds, 7 assists, 2 steals, and 2 blocks despite a Pelicans loss. 426
Record triple-double	Set a new scoring record for a triple-double with a late buzzer-beater after overcoming a BOX-1 defense. 931
40-point triple-double vs. Spurs	Recorded 41 points, 10 rebounds, and 11 assists while breaking the season record for 40-point triple-doubles. 1186
China Team scoring burst vs. Japan	Scored 12 consecutive second-half points, including deep and logo threes, while taking charge at both ends. 1402

Notable Quotes

“My name is Tang Tian. You can call me Tang, or Tian, but please don’t call me Tian Tang.” 8

“I’m the team’s secret weapon. If I were listed on the website, we might not have won tonight’s game.” 8

“It’s only been half a year since that incident. Have people forgotten so quickly? What qualifications does someone like that have to be League President again?” 1013

Trivia

• Tang Tian's nickname “Tang Ri Tian” originated with fans after his eight-three-pointer half; he initially found the name inappropriate and misleading. 226
• He learned B-boying as part of his coordination training and used it for his All-Star Game entrance. 544 612
• He believes the Chinese superstition that stepping in dog feces brings good luck, calling it “dog shit luck.” 370