He had traveled from Shanghai, gotten up before the sunrise, been poked and prodded for hours in physicals that began at 7 a.m., dragged on to close to noon and was followed by a trip to the dentist.

• 姚明刚从上海抵达休斯顿，但是天还没有亮的时候他就起床，早晨7点就开始接受各种体检，直到将近中午才结束，之后又去看了牙医。