Basketball Legend: When Pride Still Matters

At the moment he received his medal, Yu Fei bent down, grabbed the medal, and stared at it. It was only a few inches from his eyes, and he gazed at it, entranced. This was the culmination of the entire performance, and he had to show the world just how much he loved this gold medal. When the staff of Team USA handed him a bouquet of red roses, he lifted them to his nose and took a couple of sniffs, the sweet scent of victory filling his nostrils and lungs. Kobe made his maturity known with a set of standard official remarks. "Without our determination and will, we wouldn't be back on top of the world, and here we are now," he said. Carmelo Anthony wiped away a tear from his right eye as the American flag was raised above the court and the national anthem played, while Kobe and Yu Fei stood beside him, expressionless. However, Kobe seemed to be more touched as he placed his right hand over his heart and sang along. After the award ceremony, Coach K made a point to greet the Chinese fans present, while the players of Team USA, led by Yu Fei, took off their medals and hung them around his neck. Then they hung them around the neck of Jerry Colangelo, head of USA Basketball, followed by assistant coaches Jim Boeheim, Mike D'Antoni, and Nate McMillan, and finally the sole consultant on the team, George Karl. The game was over. Emotions started to spill out, and they didn't stop. The crowd moved to the media room, which had a long table but only seven chairs, for the thirteen players present. Kidd looked around and took the chair on the far left, saying, "I'm the oldest one here, so I should sit." "I don't like standing," Kobe said bluntly. Kwame Brown looked left and right, then blurted out, "Tonight's gold medal cements my status as the world's number one center. I have no reason to stand." Then he sat down as if it were a given. Dwight Howard started to question his life choices. Although he wasn't clear about the current situation, as a naturally happy-go-lucky guy, he didn't fancy squabbling over a seat. "I'll just stand," he offered. While Yu Fei didn't step forward to say he deserved a seat, everyone tactfully cleared the center seat for him. So, Yu Fei took the central seat. The media present were not just from China but from other countries as well. The victory of the Redeem Team propelled American basketball back to the top of the world. Now, people were no longer talking about how they achieved success, but rather the historical standing of this team. And what they were being directly compared to was Dream Team I. A reporter asked Yu Fei, "Which team do you think is the best Dream Team? Yours or the one from 1992?" "Every generation thinks they are better than the last and smarter than the next," Yu Fei joked narcissistically, "That's what I think. We are better than the previous generation, and we are unsurpassable." At these words, the players in the room all laughed. Others might be accused of being arrogant if they said such things, but when they came from Yu Fei, it seemed entirely appropriate. From the moment Yu Fei led the Supersonics to victory, he acquired his own divinity. Helping Team USA win gold at the Olympics and erasing the shame of past years took his legend to a new level. In terms of historical status, having now won five championships, he was regarded by many as the second-best player in history, but in the eyes of even more people, he was the future number one. Because he had ample time to surpass Jordan. When such a person spoke, even the most egoistical of declarations had to be respected. Then came the coaches of Team USA. Coach K characterized the final match against Spain as one of the most important games in the history of American basketball. "Considering our ups and downs in recent years, and the changes in world basketball, this game has brought us back to the pinnacle," Coach K stated. "It may be the most important win in the history of the U.S. Olympic men's basketball team!" NBC commentator Doug Collins reflected on the history of the U.S. men's basketball team in the Olympics since the 1970s. Defeated in a controversial final by the Soviet Union in 1972; won against Yugoslavia in 1976 but discounted due to the Soviet Union's absence; boycotted the 1980 Olympics; the Soviet Union boycotted the 1984 Olympics; in 1988, U.S. college players were slaughtered by Soviet professionals; the beginning of myth in 1992; continued domination in 1996; domination waning in 2000; and downfall in 2004. Collins said, "The Redeem Team dominated the world in a more competitive era, which is why I think they are superior to the team from 1992." Actually, Yu Fei didn't care who was the stronger. If one were to analyze from a basketball standpoint, Dream Team I had a weak point guard position, while the Redeem Team had a terrible frontcourt. If they really played, it would come down to performance on the day. But they would never play each other, as that would be a battle of legends. The Olympic journey was drawing to a close, and the members of Team USA began to savor the sweetness of victory. And some found the joy of teaming up with powerful teammates. Like Kobe, who experienced the comfort of playing with a point guard who could feed him the ball whenever he was hot, when Kidd came to the Lakers last year. However, Kidd's lack of a personal offensive threat proved to be the noose tightening around the Lakers' future. Yu Fei made Kobe realize that the ideal partner for him was a versatile organizer who could both score and pass. But the problem was, Yu Fei would never team up with him. Yet Kobe knew he had other options. Wade saw the Olympics as the test for his comeback. Last season, due to injuries and an aging roster, Miami Heat chose to tank. Dwyane Wade, who had been in the limelight just a few years prior, suddenly vanished from the public eye, but his perfect performance at the Olympics proved he had fully recovered. However, Miami Heat was no longer the same team it had been in previous years. Rashard Lewis was nothing but a shooter, and the fourth pick, Kevin Love, seemed like he could be the next Adam Morrison, worrying about his future. But no matter, thanks to Yu Fei setting the precedent for signing short contracts with the second one, Wade's contract with the Heat would expire next summer, giving him more options. Chris Bosh felt like the most insignificant member of the star-studded Dream Team. Just like his performance with the Raptors. Though impressive, the ceiling wasn't high, and the media wouldn't care about a power forward averaging 20+10 in a foreign team. Think about the treatment Kwame Brown received next to Yu Fei, who could let that go? Bosh believed that whatever Brown could do, he could too, and even more, the things Brown couldn't do. During the national team stint, Bosh showcased his three-point range to Yu Fei, a skill Brown desperately trained for but achieved nothing. "Big Fei, will we have another chance to join forces?" At the dinner, Bosh hinted in his question. To others, it sounded like he was asking Yu Fei whether he would continue to play for the national team in the future. Yu Fei just smiled, "As long as you and I keep playing, there's always a chance to work together." That's when Kwame Brown quipped, "Isn't your contract expiring next year? Come to Seattle then and be my backup, let Big Fei and me show you how to win a championship!" The speaker was unintentional, but the listener was interested. Brown's words made those around take a few more glances. You should know, the Supersonics now have two max contracts, one being Yu Fei's super-max contract (which triggered his clause and was more significant than a standard max), and then there's Marion's max contract. However, Marion's contract would expire next summer, and by then, Roy and Durant would still be in their rookie scale contract years. The Supersonics had the opportunity to sign another star. "Forget it, Kwame, if Chris really comes, you'd be the one on the bench," Yu Fei teased. Brown rolled his eyes, "Really? You guys would have the world's number one center coming off the bench?" "Dude!" Anthony couldn't take it anymore, "You're only the world's number one center when you're at the nightclub." Bosh laughed, "Exactly, Kwame's the only center who can hold his own against a triple-team at the club!" Rookie Curry was particularly impressed by this, not to mention how Brown's hands might be small, but his BC was huge, he was a genuine BBC. As the topic shifted to nightclubbing, the focus shifted away from the possibility of Bosh going to the Supersonics next year. Slightly tipsy at the dinner, Anthony asked, "Does this mean our Night High Alliance is going on lockout after tonight?" Anthony might be the only young star without a clear plan for the future. From the 03 generation, only he signed a 5-year contract with his home team during the extension. "Lockout? How could that be?" Kwame Brown said, "After the closing ceremony, Big Fei and I are going to do a round in Hong Kong. Melo, do you want to join us?" "Absolutely!" Anthony replied generously, "The Night High Alliance never goes on lockout!" A few days later, the French won their last event at the Olympics (handball), and that evening, the closing ceremony commenced. Yu Fei and Lin Kaiwen were taking photos with their cameras all over the place. As they wandered around snapping pictures, they stumbled upon a scene of Yao Ming and Lauren Jackson of the Australian women's basketball team embracing each other tightly. Seeing Lauren's adoring face looking up at Yao, Yu Fei had a hard time suppressing a laugh. "It's not what you think!" Yao protested, "We've only met a few times!" "No need to explain, all the reporters captured it," Yu Fei laughed, "You might as well go home and face the music!" The summer of 2008 was coming to an end, a nation had shown the world its burgeoning ambitions, a momentum not to be taken lightly. As a prominent figure in this glorious era, Yu Fei reached the pinnacle of modern sports by saving a city's basketball and redeeming a nation's basketball reputation. Only a few have reached this place. Those who despised him were eager to see him fall from the summit, but he had no desire for a disgraceful out. He wanted to move forward, recklessly forward, and ultimately, reach a place where only he could reside. A place with no room for a second. ━━━━━━━━━━━━━ "Michael Jordan never saved a city's basketball, let alone a nation's basketball, like Frye did, which is why he shouldn't be called the Greatest of All Time." — The Seattle Times "Frye, Chris Bosh, Kwame Brown, and Carmelo Anthony spotted in Hong Kong." — The New York Times "I will never leave Cleveland. There is no team more suitable for me than this one. I will bring a championship to Cleveland, and until that goal is achieved, I will not go anywhere else." — LeBron James told the Cleveland Beacon Journal. "The first beauty of women's basketball embraces Yao Ming at the closing ceremony, a sweet five-second global broadcast," — Old Wave Sports