Chapter 4: Chapter 4: First TA
"Besides Yao Ming, I also have some suggestions for the team's overall offense," Andrew said, making Van Gundy even more excited.
"Go ahead," Van Gundy encouraged, not hiding his excitement.
"Yao Ming's progress is obvious to everyone. His dominance in the post will only increase. At this point, our perimeter players will get more and more opportunities to take open shots. So, for them, improving their three-point shooting is a key area to focus on."
"By having a strong inside presence and increasing our efficiency with open three-pointers, opponents won't dare to collapse their defense into the paint. This will also open up more space inside, creating a complementary system. Even McGrady can benefit by taking more perimeter shots, which will reduce the physical toll on him from frequent drives, lowering his injury risk," Andrew explained, referencing the famous "Moneyball" philosophy.
As Andrew finished, Van Gundy's eyes began to sparkle.
As a defense-oriented coach, offense wasn't Van Gundy's strong suit. Andrew's suggestions felt like a breath of fresh air, clarifying the team's offensive options.
Even Thibodeau showed a subtle appreciation for Andrew's ideas at this point.
Van Gundy asked several more detailed questions, such as how to organize off-ball movement when setting up the offense.
With over a decade of coaching experience from his previous life, combined with his knowledge of modern basketball concepts, Andrew had plenty of ideas. He answered confidently and thoroughly, finally winning Van Gundy over.
Although Van Gundy initially couldn't believe it, by the end of the interview, he had decided to hire Andrew Tang as the Rockets' first assistant coach.
Andrew's salary was set at $300,000 before taxes—high for an assistant coach. However, Andrew had signed a one-year contract with the Rockets, and his ultimate goal was far more than just being an assistant.
In 2006, the internet was already well-developed, and news of Andrew Tang becoming the Rockets' assistant coach quickly spread, causing a huge stir.
In the NBA, no Asian had ever been an assistant coach, let alone a first assistant coach.
The most surprising part? Andrew was only 22 years old!
The media reports on this were increasingly sensational.
Some speculated that Andrew was a super-rich second-generation kid, while others thought he was the illegitimate son of a Chinese Rockets executive.
A variety of absurd rumors spread like wildfire.
One so-called expert even analyzed that this was a move by Rockets General Manager Carroll Dawson to secure an early contract extension with Yao Ming, who was entering the final year of his rookie deal.
As more and more people accepted this version of events, many Chinese fans began to envy Andrew Tang, wondering why they weren't the lucky ones in his shoes.
Amidst the public speculation, just two weeks later, a major NBA event took place—the 2006 NBA Draft, held at Madison Square Garden in New York. As the Rockets' first assistant coach, Andrew attended the draft with the team.
From his memories, Andrew knew 2006 wasn't a particularly strong draft class, with no superstars but a few solid players like LaMarcus Aldridge, Brandon Roy, Rajon Rondo, and Rudy Gay.
Each team had its own draft room, and Andrew sat next to Van Gundy as the Rockets' General Manager, Carroll Dawson, and his assistants debated intensely.
Andrew, as an assistant, didn't expect his opinions to be taken too seriously during the draft, so he observed quietly.
The draft soon began.
The Toronto Raptors selected Andrea Bargnani from Europe with the first overall pick.
The Chicago Bulls selected LaMarcus Aldridge with the second pick.
The Charlotte Bobcats picked Adam Morrison, a player who fans would later nickname "Mo Yizhong" because he seemed to score just one basket per game.
The draft progressed as Andrew remembered.
When the 8th pick came up, the Rockets drafted Rudy Gay but immediately packaged him with Stromile Swift in a trade for Shane Battier from the Grizzlies.
This trade would stir controversy in later years, but Andrew felt it was a stable and smart deal.
At that point, there were no better players to select (Rondo lacked a jump shot and wouldn't complement Yao and McGrady), and Gay's position overlapped with McGrady. The Rockets needed immediate impact players, and Shane Battier was not only an exceptional role player but also a crucial locker room leader.
Additionally, Swift had signed a $30 million, five-year contract with the Rockets last season, which was considered large for 2006. However, his performance had been a major disappointment, so unloading his contract was a huge plus for the team.
After the first round, the selections matched Andrew's recollections. Rondo went to the Celtics, and Kyle Lowry was drafted by the Grizzlies.
Once the first round ended, and David Stern stepped backstage to rest, the draft shifted into its entertainment phase, giving the teams a chance to relax.
Andrew decided this was the right time to speak up. In the second round, picks are less critical, and often players selected in this round don't even get contracts. However, this meant Andrew's opinions might carry more weight here.
In the 2006 draft, one second-round pick stood out in particular—Paul Millsap!
This future All-Star power forward had dominated in college, averaging 18.6 points, 12.7 rebounds, 1.99 blocks, and 1.32 steals per game. He had even been nominated for both the Oscar Robertson Award and the John Wooden Award.
By all logic, Millsap should have gone in the first round. Yet, the Jazz would eventually pick him in the second round, 47th overall—he nearly went undrafted!
The reason? Simple. Millsap, as an inside player, stood at just under 6'6" (1.99 meters). To most team managers, this made him a classic case of a "college star, NBA fringe player"—too short to play power forward and too slow to play small forward.
As the second round of the draft approached, Andrew seized his chance.
"Andrew, you're leading the summer league team. Who do you think would be a good fit for us in the second round?" General Manager Dawson asked, catching Andrew's attention.
Andrew replied quickly, "Paul Millsap. After trading Swift, the Rockets are left with only veteran Juwan Howard at the power forward position, so we need to add depth."
"Steve Novak would be a better choice," Van Gundy countered. "He's 6'9", and an excellent three-point shooter, which can help space the floor. Millsap, on the other hand, is undersized for a power forward and may struggle against NBA competition."
Although it was just the second round, the Rockets had the second pick of the round, which made it nearly as important as a late first-round selection.
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