Basketball Legend: When Pride Still Matters-Chapter 1093 - 613 Yao Sheng_3

Chapter 1093: Chapter 613 Yao Sheng_3 Chapter 1093: Chapter 613 Yao Sheng_3 “I hope one day we can become as outstanding as the Clippers, even though that day is still far off.”

After the game, James was feeling quite sour.

The Clippers are terrifyingly strong.

He seemed to see the team topping the league again in seven months, with Yu Fei accepting his tenth ring right in front of him.

“How does it feel to witness the Clippers raising their first championship banner at home?”

The reporter intended to use this question to ask James how he would bring the first championship in half a century to his hometown.

Instead, James said, “I’m really envious of Frye.”

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The reporter was shocked, then realized this could turn into a trending topic.

“Don’t get me wrong,” James said, “What I admire is his vision and his ability to find good teammates.”

That’s a fact, and it’s something Yu Fei can’t deny.

However, that’s not the whole truth.

“Indeed, Ray Allen, Brandon Roy are indeed much better than Kobe and his crew,” Yu Fei responded, “It’s an honor to work with them.”

Kobe, who was indirectly shot, then joined this verbal spat.

“Brandon has four championships; he is indeed better than me,” Kobe said, “But I think I am better than Ray Allen, even though he and I both have three championships. His third was as a reserve player (with Miami Heat), you know, even though they are both championships, the roles everyone plays are different, I don’t think Kwame Brown with seven championships is greater than Kareem Abdul-Jabbar who ‘only’ has six.”

Kwame Brown, with nearly a million followers on Twitter, didn’t miss this opportunity to “clap back.”

This chapter is updated by freēwēbnovel.com.

“Kobe’s role in his first championship was also insignificant; by his standards, he’s similar to Ray Allen.”

Back when Kobe led the team alone, he faced criticism from Allen for shooting too much, leading Kobe to retort angrily, “Don’t compare me to that guy!”

Now, Kobe still maintains this viewpoint.

James never expected that his casual sarcastic remark towards Fei would ignite a verbal skirmish among champions. Soon, it spread to him.

“So, why would LeBron James, who has never won a championship, be jealous of Frye having better teammates? Why doesn’t he reflect on himself? He also has outstanding teammates—Shaquille O’Neal, Kobe Bryant, Chris Bosh, all members of the championship club. However, LeBron’s ‘magic’ seems to be making these excellent players mediocre. None of them won a championship with LeBron. Perhaps, that’s what LeBron really needs to address.”

ESPN’s Jalen Rose ruthlessly attacked James. The media’s focus quickly shifted back to James.

And the Clippers? They were already steadily advancing. Yu Fei only responded once when the incident happened, and he ignored the subsequent uproar. Yao Ming continued to play as a substitute.

In the first week of the regular season, fans were still asking, “When will our dear Chinese Giant return to the starting lineup?” Even though Nikola’s passing dazzled everyone, they still thought Yao was more reliable.

But a month later, fans began to feel discontented that Jokić had not made it into the All-Star starters, with averages of 14 points, 6 rebounds, and 5 assists. Isn’t that good enough? Remember, Tim Duncan made the third team All-NBA with averages of 13 points and 7 rebounds!

16 games later, the Clippers had lost only one game, and the only team that defeated them was the spirited Celtics. Rookie Karl-Anthony Towns, with his outstanding performance of 30 points and 9 rebounds, gained league-wide recognition, considered the top cornerstone under the age of 24.

Time quickly moved to December. The Clippers formally announced a change in their starting lineup, even though this change had already been subtly apparent at the start of the season.

In a post-game interview, Rivers said, “After careful consideration and thorough integration, Yao decided to lead by example and relinquish his starting spot. Nikola’s performance in the starting lineup has been outstanding, fully meeting the team and coaching staff’s expectations. Yao has been a great help from the sidelines. This decision was tough, but I assure you, it wouldn’t have happened without Yao’s agreement. As a captain, fulfilling his duty brought unprecedented cohesion to the team. There’s no second player like him across the entire league.”

Although fans are fickle, many still felt pity for Yao when they heard the news. However, within the league, Yao’s reputation soared to new heights. A player willing to give up his starting position at the end of his career embodies a selflessness rare in the ego-filled NBA.

Think about Iverson, who couldn’t accept a bench role, leading to team turmoil and his forced retirement, a story not so long ago. This almost became the “normal script” for stars—their ego determines that no one can shake their status while they can still play.

Thus, Yao’s decision instantly cloaked him in a saint-like aura. Accepting a bench role not only didn’t harm his historical status but actually elevated it. This caught even Yu Fei by surprise; they underestimated the power of the Los Angeles media.

Yao indeed made sacrifices, but after being excessively hyped by the media, it seemed a bit exaggerated. Wherever he went, reporters asked him how he continued to lead the bench to support the team.

“It was all your great idea!” Yao complained to Yu Fei with a wry smile, “Now I can’t even step down from this pedestal!”

Yu Fei earnestly said, “I give advice, but it doesn’t mean you must accept it. We’re a democratic team; no one is forced to do something they don’t want to do.”

Yao walked away, cursing under his breath. Despite seeming reluctant, being revered as a saint wasn’t too difficult—it was just the pressure that comes with fame.

On the court, the Spurs players were displeased with Yao’s recent “rise to fame.” Duncan told Jokić, “Tell Yao to be careful, Manu is very upset.”

“Why?” Jokić curiously asked.

“Manu had already done this before Yao relinquished his starting spot, but he never received such praise. Don’t you think he should be upset?”

Jokić relayed this to Yu Fei. Yu Fei laughed and said, “Tell him the Lakers are willing to offer minimum salary, and he’s welcome to come and play as a substitute!”

Jokić looked troubled, thinking the remark was too harsh, so during the jump ball, he told Duncan, “Just tell Manu to drink a few more Cokes.”