Chapter 11: The Hallmark Childhood of a Superstar

Every year, the teams that advance to the NCAA Final Four receive immense attention. In an era without Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram, information spread primarily through radio and print media.

As per tradition, Sports Illustrated produces exquisite covers and feature spreads for the Final Four teams, releasing special editions that offer in-depth coverage and commentary on the games.

USA Today, currently the largest national daily newspaper and an official NCAA partner, also dedicates special reports during the Final Four, including player rankings.

Since signing a long-term contract with the NBA in 1982, CBS Radio has held exclusive broadcast rights and spares no effort in promoting the tournament as March draws to a close.

Although ESPN does not hold broadcasting rights, it provides analytical coverage, with its SportsCenter program relentlessly chasing hot topics and actively predicting the champion.

These four outlets represent the mainstream media, all intensifying their efforts as the Final Four approaches, causing the tournament’s popularity to skyrocket.

Fans, however, lament the early exit of Allen Iverson and Tim Duncan, leaving only stars Antoine Walker and Ray Allen remaining.

Li You’s performance has also been outstanding. Although Connecticut’s path to the semifinals did not involve facing any star point guards—mostly shorter players just over six feet tall—his efficient play over several games left a deep impression on many fans.

On March 25, after arriving in East Rutherford, New Jersey, the Connecticut team was granted exclusive interviews.

They cooperated with Sports Illustrated staff for photos and answered questions fans cared about.

Ray Allen naturally attracted the most attention, with many media outlets unanimously predicting he could be picked within the top five in the upcoming draft.

The team photo was to be taken at the Continental Airlines Arena, differing from previous finals venues. This time, the choice was the New Jersey Nets’ home court, which only seats about 20,000. Many fans expressed dissatisfaction due to rising ticket prices.

After the final photo shoot, the Connecticut players chatted and laughed, ready to change and stroll through the nearby American Dream shopping and entertainment center.

Poor Li You just wanted to fill his stomach first. As he exited the arena, he encountered a bespectacled, black-haired middle-aged woman.

“Lee, it’s a pleasure to see you here. I’m Anna Quindlen. I believe you’ve read my articles in USA Today.”

Looking at the confidently smiling middle-aged lady, Li You felt assured his lunch was settled.

“Of course. Maybe we can chat over a meal!”

Li You smiled and gestured for the columnist to treat him. He had indeed read her columns, which often focused on women’s status, social issues, and race.

Whenever a hot topic arose, her sharp commentary was a fixture in USA Today.

Unfortunately, she chose a café, where they could at most have a light snack before a meal.

“I’ll have a turkey sandwich and an iced Americano, no sugar, please!”

“And two chocolate chip cookies and a latte for this lovely lady—she doesn’t like overly sweet things.”

Seated, Li You did not hesitate and smiled as he placed the order with the freckled waitress, who glanced at the elegantly dressed middle-aged woman before turning away with a slight smile.

Sensing Li You was not an ordinary youth, Anna Quindlen began to appeal to his emotions:

“Lee, I’m glad to see you made it to the Final Four with your team. Could you talk about your childhood? I’m truly sorry about your father.”

Li You had the typical childhood of a star athlete—his father passed away before he was born; he never met him.

In 1996, most immigrants obtained green cards through special means; from his memory, his father was a typical ABC (American-born Chinese).

“Childhood? Maybe my father made wrong choices. This isn’t paradise. Every state should strengthen gun control.”

“What happened in Los Angeles’ Koreatown has also occurred in New Mexico. No child wants to live under the threat of guns!”

While speaking, Li You nibbled on half a sandwich. Anna Quindlen’s mouth twitched slightly—she had hoped to steer the conversation toward the American Dream.

But this columnist lacked the depth to steer the topic beyond the hardships of people living across the ocean.

Every time she tried, Li You would counter that life here was also extremely hard.

After savoring a turkey sandwich, two chocolate chip cookies, three blueberry muffins, and a piece of cheesecake, Li You was half-full and beamed:

“Beautiful lady, you should visit China someday. Seeing is believing. Of course, I owe Coach Calhoun my thanks for bringing me to Connecticut.”

“As for boring social issues, we’re all powerless. Asians won’t listen to me because they don’t like Chinese people.”

Anna Quindlen realized Li You likely saw through her intentions. She gave a deep look at the extraordinary young man and then smiled:

“An impressive conversation, Lee. You will succeed in America.”

“...”

Perhaps military drills across the ocean had stirred some nerves, as recent newspapers often praised life here while disparaging their old homeland.

With limited information channels, Li You felt speechless reading these reports, while Anna Quindlen attacked current safety issues from a unique angle.

Her article wasn’t flattering but was influential, causing some African-American readers to mutter under their breath:

“Damn yellow man...”

Many scouts witnessed another side of Li You—the labels “independent thinker” and “young man with strong opinions” stuck to him.

These traits were actually not favored in NBA players; many team executives disliked intelligent players.

...

On March 30, the NCAA national semifinals officially commenced. In the first game, the University of Kentucky once again crushed their opponent.

At halftime, the score was 28-36, Kentucky leading by eight points.

Antoine Walker, playing the swing positions three and four, was solid but unspectacular. The small guard Tony Delk became the main scorer on the court.

Kentucky maintained pressure on the University of Massachusetts, winning 74-81, advancing to the national championship game.

The Connecticut versus Syracuse game was scheduled for 9:40 p.m. Before the game, nerves ran high, but once play began, the big man Knight dominated the paint.

Right at the start, Knight blocked a drive layup by Syracuse’s star player John Wallace.

This 2.03-meter African-American small forward was Syracuse’s top scorer and a senior expected to be drafted in the first round.

Due to Syracuse’s lack of height inside, they had no effective response to Knight’s high-flying defense.

Coach Calhoun was deeply engaged, constantly signaling to feed the ball inside.

Just like in the Southeast regional final, Connecticut quickly established a six-point lead thanks to their outstanding inside play.

Li You noticed Ray Allen spent most of his six-plus minutes on the court running back and forth, lamenting:

“No defensive three-second rule—this is truly the era of big men!”