Chapter 155: An Astonishing Proposal

"Grow up, son. A healthy league is one with a path for upward mobility; a league where a player posts star-level stats only to still be carrying bags is a tragic one."

Though the reporter asking the question was easily forty or fifty years old, Xinghui He referred to him as a child simply because his remarks were far too naive.

If a capable person cannot attain a corresponding status, chaos is bound to ensue.

The strong rising to the top and the weak being eliminated is the fundamental rule of the NBA.

"Forcing out the team's primary star to take his place—Kobe did it, and Jordan did it too. How is it that when my turn comes, you suddenly have an issue with it? Could it be that you are prejudiced against the Chinese?"

Xinghui He immediately slapped a heavy label on him, scaring the reporter into hastily explaining, "No, no, no, I'm sorry, He, I didn't mean it that way. I absolutely harbor no prejudice against the Chinese. My phrasing earlier may have been flawed; in truth, I simply feel a sense of regret for Brand, considering how much he has given to the Clippers."

"Listen to yourself, as if there are any players who haven't given anything. Why don't you give David Stern a call and ask him to ban all player trades from now on? That way, no players will ever need anyone to feel regret for them."

With that, Xinghui He fished out his beat-up phone and tossed it onto the table.

Following those words, the reporters fell into a brief silence.

It wasn't that their eloquence fell short of Xinghui He's; it was simply that everything he said consisted of unvarnished truths, making it exceedingly difficult to refute.

The reporters' accusations only held up emotionally; the moment they encountered reality, they were utterly absurd.

"He, while what you say has some merit, I feel that your rhetoric encouraging the fight for alpha status within a team is deeply harmful. It will spark further locker room friction and jeopardize the team's performance."

After a long pause, another reporter cautiously mustered the courage to step up for another round.

"I believe you are insulting the players in this league."

Star-level strike, dishing out hats on the spot.

Upon hearing this, the reporter blew his top. How on earth was he insulting the league's players? You couldn't just throw accusations around like that.

Xinghui He continued with his explanation, stating, "We are a group of highly professional and ambitious players. Both Brand and I wanted to become the team's leader, and we had differences—that is a manifestation of ambition. Yet this does not impact our on-court chemistry or our pursuit of victory in the slightest. Because we are professionals, and once we collect our paychecks, we play hard."

"You assume that when players have internal conflicts, they will inevitably bring those disputes onto the court. That is an insult to our professionalism. On behalf of five hundred players across the league, I denounce you reporters who love to create something out of nothing."

As soon as these words left his mouth, the journalists were dumbfounded, utterly incapable of finding a retort against Xinghui He.

There was no helping it; they had only the Clippers' stellar record to blame, leaving them with zero evidence to prove that locker room discord harmed team performance.

"He, you can speak with such detachment simply because the one who was shipped out isn't you. If you were the one being traded away, would you still happily declare this to be the law of the league?"

A reporter challenged.

As soon as those words dropped, the crowd erupted in approval. That point hit home.

Naturally, those who win in any game will always defend its rules.

"I think you are insulting the Lakers."

Xinghui He replied.

Damn it, when on earth did he insult the Lakers? That statement was completely preposterous.

The reporter opened his mouth to defend himself, but Xinghui He kept right on talking.

He continued, "The Lakers are a storied franchise with a super-teammate like Kobe. Do you honestly believe a team like that is beneath Brand, or that Brand going to the Lakers means he's being wronged? Countless stars would kill for the chance to play for the Lakers, yet they never get the opportunity."

Xinghui He delivered another brutal truth, one that happened to be the prevailing mainstream consensus.

If one truly believed that Brand going from the Clippers to the Lakers was a grievance, it would genuinely imply a measure of looking down on the Lakers.

"Any other questions?"

A triumphant Xinghui He inquired.

Regrettably, not a single reporter dared to stand up anymore.

Heaven knew what kind of label would come flying their way next if they did.

Prejudiced against the Chinese, insulting the players, looking down on the Lakers. Damn it, the destructive power of every single accusation was astonishingly high.

With the slightest misstep and a poorly phrased answer, one's career could easily go down the drain.

This left them utterly speechless. Clearly, they were the journalists—the ones asking the questions and handing out labels. How was it that when facing Xinghui He, they ended up cornered instead?

Finally, just before concluding the press conference, a journalist threw out one last question: "He, the All-Star Game is the day after tomorrow. You previously said the All-Star main event would be boring without you. Do you still stand by that view?"

"Hand me thirty-five thousand dollars and I'll tell you."

Xinghui He replied, prompting hearty laughter from the room.

He was gently poking fun at himself, recalling how the league had fined him thirty-five thousand dollars the last time he made such a remark.

His sporadic flashes of humor were precisely why fans adored him.

The press conference concluded, and the journalists left with full hands.

Though they had failed to successfully give Xinghui He a hard time, his views and remarks remained thoroughly engaging; publishing them in the papers would still manage to stir up plenty of controversy.

The next day, the article hit the press, though circulation was only moderate.

With the All-Star festivities just around the corner, that grand spectacle naturally commanded the hearts of basketball fans far more intensely.

Some devoted fans even spared no expense flying thousands of miles to Houston to catch the games live.

As for the juicy drama between the Clippers and the Lakers, it could safely be left to marinate for a little while longer; there was no rush to bite into that fruit until it was fully ripe.

......

The moment his game concluded, Xinghui He boarded a flight straight to Houston, where this All-Star weekend promised to keep him relentlessly busy.

Shooting commercials, launching signature sneakers, playing in the Rookie Challenge, hosting his family, and conducting domestic media interviews.

"Ah-Xing."

At the entrance of the Hilton Hotel, Zhaoliping called out to him, followed closely by a group of burly men.

"Let me introduce you. This is Wang Yunshan, the executive producer from CCTV, and Liu Liangchao..."

Zhaoliping briefly introduced the group; these were the personnel dispatched to film Xinghui He's documentary.

Stars of Xinghui He's immense magnitude typically required documentaries to chronicle their developmental journeys, serving as a medium for fans to understand them better.

Years down the road, this archival footage would also transform into cherished memories.

Never mind that Xinghui He had already achieved remarkable success; even ordinary promising prospects usually had precious moments captured by the lens.

Once they achieved fame down the road, those video recordings could be released for audiences to admire.

Take Ai Fukuhara, for instance—she had her life documented continuously since she was just a toddler.

Most stars around the globe actually manifested their extraordinary traits during early childhood, making lightning-in-a-bottle breakouts like Xinghui He's the rare exception.

Xinghui He glanced over at Wang Yunshan and his crew, then abruptly furrowed his brow.

Accustomed as he was to the contemporary media landscape where beautiful female reporters or stunning female assistants were practically ubiquitous, he found the current delegation of seven burly men—totally devoid of a single young woman—to be deeply awkward.

As the old saying goes, a mix of men and women makes the labor effortless.

A team like this ought to at least include a woman or two to liven up the atmosphere.

Moreover, audiences were naturally more inclined to watch when a pretty face was present.

"Why are you all just a bunch of old men?"

Unfazed by propriety, Xinghui He voiced his complaint directly.

He felt that the CCTV staff lacked professionalism, having yet to grasp the essence of internet and media work—specifically, the immense eye-catching gravity of attractive women.

Upon hearing this, Wang Yunshan nearly failed to suppress a laugh.

In reality, they had originally arranged for a young and attractive woman to join them. However, Zhaoliping had adamantly vetoed the idea, demanding a man instead.

That decision had left the young female reporter utterly aggrieved, bringing her to tears for a full day and night.

Wang Yunshan maintained a close personal friendship with Zhaoliping, and through her, he had fortunately learned the reason behind the veto.

The rationale turned out to be Xinghui He's notorious penchant for flirting, making the assignment of a female companion an invitation to trouble.

Wang Yunshan had been quite thunderstruck by the truth, and hearing Xinghui He now complain about the lack of women left him even more speechless.

Had Xinghui He not possessed such a lofty status and remained an indispensable asset to the national team, Wang Yunshan might well have launched into a full-blown critique of his character.

"I specifically selected a group of highly experienced professionals precisely to ensure the smooth filming of your documentary."

Zhaoliping explained with an utterly straight face.

"How is a documentary supposed to be filmed, and what am I supposed to do?"

Xinghui He couldn't be bothered to dwell on it further.

"It's very simple. Just behave exactly as you usually do, go about your business, and pretend we don't exist. We are solely responsible for filming; we won't interfere with your life. Of course, if you'd like to share a few words or interact with us, that's not a problem at all."

Wang Yunshan said with a smile.

"You aren't planning on filming absolutely everything, are you?"

Xinghui He asked.

"Of course not. Certain private matters of yours, such as bathing, using the restroom, or sleeping, are things we certainly won't record. Furthermore, we won't film anything you prefer to keep out of the public eye. Once the shooting wraps up, edits can also be made in accordance with your specifications."

Wang Yunshan clarified.

"That's more like it."

Hearing this, Xinghui He set his mind at ease; if they truly insisted on filming him sleeping, he would never be able to get used to it.

With the logistical arrangements settled, Zhaoliping announced she had to take her leave ahead of time.

"Sister Li, there's no need to rush quite so much, is there? Let's grab dinner together."

Xinghui He offered out of polite courtesy.

"No, several other domestic delegations have already arrived in Houston, and I need to race against time to finalize partnerships with them."

Zhaoliping refused outright.

Sharing a meal alone with Xinghui He was simply too perilous.

*Damn, do I really possess some sort of domineering aura? Why are the people working for me all such relentless workaholics?*

*Mark is like that, and Zhaoliping is too, and I never even promised them any bonuses.*

Xinghui He wore a look of utter puzzlement.

......

On the 17th.

Under the watchful gaze of the camera crew, Xinghui He completed his morning routine of brushing his teeth and washing his face, then led the production team to the arena to rendezvous with his fellow rookies.

The Rookie Challenge was slated for the following day, but today everyone would undergo an hour or two of joint practice.

After all, coming as they did from various different teams, a lack of practice could easily lead to an unsightly mess on the court the next day.

True to tradition, this year's Rookie Challenge pitted the team of first-year players against the sophomores.

On the freshman side, eight players had earned selection.

They were Luther Head from the Rockets, Danny Granger from the Pacers, Chris Paul from the Hornets, Channing Frye and Nate Robinson from the Knicks, Charlie Villanueva from the Raptors, Xinghui He from the Clippers, and top draft pick Andrew Bogut from the Bucks.

Seeing Xinghui He appear, the group stepped forward to greet him.

In the hearts of quite a few rookies, Xinghui He served as their ultimate idol.

Overthrowing the team's veteran leader to successfully claim the throne—achieving heights rivaling Jordan and Shaquille O'Neal—was a fantasy they had all entertained.

Yet among them, the only one who had actually pulled it off thus far was Xinghui He, while even Chris Paul still lacked a bit of that specific pedigree.

Naturally, there were also those who harbored private reservations about Xinghui He, but given that he currently reigned as the biggest name among the rookies, pragmatism prevailed.

Anyone with an ounce of sense knew better than to intentionally cross him.

After all, should one ever find themselves traded to the Clippers down the road, there would be nowhere left to cry.

Consequently, everyone maintained a remarkably warm attitude toward Xinghui He.

The sole exception was Andrew Bogut, whose lingering arrogance kept him from initiating any greetings. After all, he felt compelled to preserve his pride as the number one overall draft pick, even if his scoring average hovered below ten points per game.

Seeing Bogut's aloofness, Xinghui He couldn't be bothered to pay him any mind either.

Just as plenty of Chinese people held reservations toward foreigners, countless foreigners harbored prejudices against the Chinese; people simply kept those sentiments locked away internally.

Given that Bogut was the type to wear his biases on his sleeve, Xinghui He decided that simply refraining from flashing him a middle finger was already an act of immense restraint.

"Paul, what on earth were you doing in yesterday's game? You couldn't even handle Kobe—you're a massive disappointment."

The moment Xinghui He spoke, the rest of the room burst into amusement.

*You couldn't even handle Kobe*—that specific turn of phrase struck a chord with them.

"I'm not like you, having a teammate like Pau Gasol to bail you out."

Chris Paul retorted.

"Oh, so you're complaining about your own supporting cast?"

Xinghui He clenched his fist to mimic a microphone, imitating a reporter conducting an interview as he fired the question back at Paul.

The surrounding players roared with laughter, relishing the spectacle of someone else getting teased, leaving poor Chris Paul to suffer the brunt of the joke.

On the hardwood, the freshman class was joined by the sophomores.

Nine second-year players had been selected: Dwight Howard, Andre Iguodala, Luol Deng, Ben Gordon, Devin Harris, T.J. Ford, Nenad Krstić, David West, and Andres Nocioni.

Emeka Okafor had also been selected, but remained sidelined due to injury.

Noticing that everyone had assembled, Xinghui He clapped his hands and announced, "Alright gentlemen, hold on for a moment and listen to me."

Hearing the call, Dwight Howard bounced over enthusiastically; backing up his good friend was a given.

Seeing the top draft pick trot over, the remaining sophomores reluctantly followed suit.

"How many of you are thrilled about missing out on the All-Star main game?"

Xinghui He posed a rhetorical question; after all, who wouldn't want to make the main roster?

"I'm right there with all of you—neither convinced nor happy. That's why I have a fascinating proposal: what if we turn the Rookie Challenge into a far more entertaining spectacle than the main event and completely steal their thunder?"

Xinghui He declared.

This was his grand design: injecting sheer theatrical flair into the rookie showcase to cast a shadow over the actual All-Star Game.

If they genuinely pulled it off, the media would inevitably contrast the two contests and viciously roast the main event, leaving him—the mastermind behind the chaos—to bask in the glory once more.

"He, you make it sound so effortless, but how on earth are we supposed to play a more entertaining brand of basketball than them? You surely don't believe our individual talent eclipses Kobe and Shaq's, do you?"

Nate Robinson chimed in skeptically.

"Nate, who told you that higher skill equates to a better show? Does Tim Duncan play an exciting brand of basketball? Does Ben Wallace?"

Xinghui He countered.

Uh...

Nate Robinson froze, utterly at a loss for how to reply.

Tim Duncan's abilities were beyond question, but the visual spectacle of his playstyle certainly lacked aesthetic thrills.

"He, if you've got a brilliant scheme, just spit it out instead of keeping us in suspense."

Dwight Howard urged; stealing the spotlight from those megastars sounded entirely too amusing.

"Alright, as long as you all trust me and follow my lead, I guarantee we can put on a breathtaking show, command limitless attention, and completely overshadow the main game."

With that, Xinghui He gestured to Mark, who retrieved a thick binder from his backpack and handed it over.

*What the hell is this, a classroom lecture?*

Everyone stared at the scene with looks of sheer bewilderment.

What Xinghui He had pulled out was a script he had authored himself, detailing the specific roles and dramatic beats each player was expected to execute during the Rookie Challenge.

Playing a conventional game would yield no difference from any ordinary matchup.

To achieve maximum entertainment value, a dose of orchestrated dramatic irony was mandatory.

"This... might be pushing things a little too far, don't you think?"

Flipping through the script's contents at a glance, Nate Robinson voiced his doubts.

His character arc for the match designated him as a player obsessed with blocking shots—a description that clashed hilariously with his five-foot-nine frame.

Furthermore, the script required him to suffer several consecutive failed blocks before flying into a furious rage and rejecting his own teammate.

Such an absurd sequence of events would quite literally never transpire in a legitimate professional game.

Yet Xinghui He found the concept inherently comical and engaging.

"No, no, no, can't you guys embrace a little artistic dedication? Kate Winslet stripped down on film just to please audiences. I'm not asking any of you to drop your pants out here on the court, which means I'm already treating you kindly."

Xinghui He argued.

"......"

Chris Paul.

His reasoning was so airtight that Paul found himself entirely speechless.

Having successfully won over the players, Xinghui He still needed to pitch the idea to their coaching staff, Thibodeau and Brett.

Fortunately, given that this was merely a Rookie Challenge exhibition, Thibodeau would never have dared entertain such a proposal during a regular fixture; it was simply too wild.

Ultimately, however, Thibodeau and Brett agreed to give it a shot, conceding that Xinghui He's blueprint genuinely sounded intriguing.

With everyone on board, they commenced their rehearsal.

Mastering the routine proved even more challenging than drilling offensive schemes; not only did they need to memorize their respective cues, but they also had to deliberately manufacture specific coincidences on the fly.

Thankfully, each player's individual workload remained modest since the scripted performance was confined strictly to the first half, spanning a mere twenty minutes total. The second half would revert to unscripted competition, serving up a hybrid of pure entertainment and athletic rivalry.

After running through the sequences a few times, every participant understood their assigned duties.

"I simply can't wait for the opening tipoff."

Howard declared with palpable excitement.