Basketball Legend: When Pride Still Matters

The opening game was an easy match for the Supersonics. Although the Timberwolves were listed among the "most likely to be championship contenders in five years," Greg Oden didn't seem ready, and Westbrook was painfully transitioning to point guard. After the game, reporters asked Yu Fei what he thought about the comparison between Durant and Oden. That made Yu Fei realize that he didn't have much of an impression of Oden tonight. The point that could be argued for Oden was that he had just recovered from minimally invasive surgery and wasn't fully adjusted yet. However, as a 20-year-old, he walked like a 35-year-old veteran. "It's too early to draw conclusions," Yu Fei said. Then, another reporter asked, "In two days, you'll be playing at home against the Cavaliers, and you'll also be holding the last championship ceremony at home. Will seeing LeBron and Shaq affect your mentality in such an occasion?" "Maybe you should ask," Yu Fei laughed, "whether seeing me get the fifth ring from the president on their court will affect their mentality." Hearing this, the reporter also laughed. On reflection, that was indeed the case. Witnessing Yu Fei receive his ring should be a bigger stimulus for those two guys. November 1 Seattle The Cavaliers arrived at the away game site at three in the afternoon. As soon as LeBron James stepped out of the airport, he was surrounded by reporters. "LeBron, will seeing Frye receive his championship ring motivate you?" "Does Frye's decision to leave a team with the potential for a three-peat for his hometown affect your decision next summer?" "What exactly happened between you and Frye?" The showdown between Yu Fei and James may no longer be as topical as in the previous years, but as the NBA's top draws, their grudges attracted more attention. James listened to Jay Z's music in his earphones, ignoring the questions from the reporters. His full-time assistant Randy Mims stepped up to his responsibilities: "Ladies and gentlemen, now is not the time for interviews, LeBron will not be taking any here!" Then, James, shielded by Mims and security, passed through the crowd of media and boarded the bus. In contrast, Shaquille O'Neal seemed more at ease. Hearing someone ask about his thoughts on witnessing Yu Fei get his ring, he rolled his eyes and playfully said, "It's been only six years since 2002, why do you act like it's been six centuries? I have rings too." "Has your feud with Frye cooled off?" When it came to this, O'Neal was much more cautious. After being traded by the Heat and then the Suns in recent years, O'Neal realized he was no longer the protagonist of the era. If the NBA were an ensemble drama, then Yu Fei would be the character with the most screen time over the last six years. He kept winning, kept earning honors, and even though abrasive, he had the power to make those who opposed him look like clowns. O'Neal, of course, wanted to mend the relationship, but how? The reason Yu Fei was antagonistic towards him was because O'Neal had called Yao Ming "little worm" on TV out of anger when Yao took the All-Star Game starting spot from him, leading Yu Fei to accuse him of racial suspicion. The issue escalated greatly. In the end, O'Neal apologized. Who could have thought, Yao Ming accepted the apology, but Yu Fei, as an Asian-American, firmly didn't, beating him every time they met. Initially, O'Neal could still fight back, but now he was mostly just taking the hits. Compared to the relentless Yu Fei, O'Neal felt his feud with Kobe was nothing serious. Now, by chance, he had come to be by James's side and declared his intention to be the Emperor's bodyguard as a show of loyalty. This statement certainly reassured James, but how would Yu Fei see it? O'Neal believed his career was running short. He wanted to work in media after retirement. But, with Yu Fei's influence in the media world, ruining his media career would be a matter of minutes. O'Neal was caught in a huge dilemma. He couldn't apologize again for the past issue. Because societal attitudes had changed, with the US-Mexico heritage coming on strong. If they came to power, it would mean an increase in America's enforcement of politically correct actions related to racism. Apologizing now for that issue might win Yu Fei's forgiveness, but allegations of racism could ruin his reputation. Now, hearing the Seattle media ask about his feud with Yu Fei. O'Neal answered with mixed feelings, "This is a two-way street, I can't push it forward alone." Such an answer was tantamount to showing weakness to Yu Fei. O'Neal expressed his desire to ease the conflict, but whether or not Yu Fei would accept it was another matter. Yu Fei gave no response, he simply ignored O'Neal. On this very day, he took his rumored girlfriend Rachelle Lefevre to have dinner with the Seattle mayor's family. The mayor of Seattle, Greg Nichols, had strong opinions about Yu Fei's love life. Because his niece, Amelia, had also been linked with Yu Fei in rumors. After clearing the women away, Nichols said, "Frye, behind every great man there should be a woman who offers unwavering support. But I'm not sure any great man had a bunch of women behind him." "Some did," Yu Fei joked. "Hugh Hefner, the founder of Playboy." "That damn libertine can be considered a great man?" Nichols was a typical traditional and conservative man from the American Northwest, "A true great man should be like you, one who can bring profound influence to a city, even a nation." Measured against the scale of humanity, could any athlete truly deserve the title of "great man"? Yu Fei didn't think so. He just played ball. If people liked him, it meant he played well. But without him, people's lives would not be affected at all. After a while, Rachel and the mayor's wife came back. Before they approached, Nichols said, "She's a good girl, you should cherish her." "I will," Yu Fei said. "However, I wonder if Mr. Mayor has time tonight to grace our shabby home court, as we will raise our team's second championship banner." "Damn it!" Nichols bristled upon hearing this. "How many times have I said that Key Arena is not shabby at all?" Yes, not shabby. One day in the future, it would even become a venue for Dota matches, but for an NBA team, it was indeed shabby. The arrangements were settled. Even if Yu Fei didn't invite him, Nichols would be there in person. More than half of Seattle watched last season's finals. Even though many were not basketball fans, the one thing 'bandwagon fans' have in common is that they do not need to understand the nature of sports and competition—it doesn't matter, as they just need to enjoy the victory. It was the same reason the LPL's viewership exploded after S8. Among ten new viewers, there might only be one who had played LOL, but that didn't stop them from becoming fans of a team. If Nichols wanted to run for mayor again in 2010, then pleasing the fans was a necessary public activity. That evening, Kwame Brown was DNP due to a cold. Although he didn't have to play, Brown still had to come and claim his championship ring. To celebrate, Clay Bennett had invited many Hollywood stars to Key Arena for performances that night. Supersonics fans couldn't remember the last time the team was this flamboyant. It was the first time they felt like "we might be an elite team." As guests, the Cavaliers watched quietly from the sidelines. James was deeply moved. Everyone said Key Arena was shabby, but although small, it had everything it needed. With a big market like Seattle, the Supersonics had much greater potential than small-market teams. Everyone said Yu Fei left the Bucks, which had a chance at a three-peat, to save the Supersonics, but did he really sacrifice a lot? Brandon Roy had made a spectacular debut in his rookie season, and Kevin Durant was the most promising newcomer in recent years. How difficult could it be to rebuild such a team? Why was he considered a savior? Couldn't Kobe do the same if he was in his place? Or, I... James's thoughts paused there. Yu Fei's return to Seattle unwittingly set a terrifying moral hurdle for James's choices next summer. James could almost imagine how many people would mock him by comparing what Yu Fei did in Seattle if he left Cleveland for a better chance at a championship. These people simply did not understand the idea of putting oneself in someone else's shoes. They convinced themselves that Yu Fei returned to Seattle not to escape Milwaukee's small market but to "save the team" for the so-called greater good. This view was a consensus within the James camp. However, they dared not promote this viewpoint publicly. Because Yu Fei was currently in control of public opinion. James hadn't made up his mind, as there was still time until next summer, but he hated the feeling of being coerced. He wanted to control everything. But sadly, since he entered the NBA, he had never escaped Yu Fei's clutches. Soon, the banner symbolizing the 2007-08 championship was raised above Key Arena. David Stern handed out rings to each of the Supersonics players one by one. The cheers and applause continued unabated. Then, facing ESPN's cameras, Yu Fei first spread his right hand, fingers wide, symbolizing his five championships, and then with the other hand, he made a "1." "In front of the camera, Frye promises the fans that he will bring another championship next year!" The atmosphere peaked in an instant. "Pah!" Randy Mims by James's side said in frustration, "That's a poor imitation of MJ!"