Chapter 28: The Welcome Ceremony (Part II)

Alan Houston and Chris Childs, men of few words, teamed up in the backcourt, while rookie John Wallace wore a sour expression as the three were placed on the starters’ side.

Starks partnered with Li You in the backcourt, although at this moment, Starks sported a smug grin, clearly displeased with Larry Johnson’s attitude.

The inconspicuous veteran Herb Williams showed no interest in internal conflicts; after nodding to Li You, he fell silent.

The scrimmage was naturally low in intensity. In the first possession, Patrick Ewing caught the ball low on the left and took a step inward before leaping for a hook shot, which rattled off the rim.

Rookie Walter McCarty grabbed the rebound and immediately passed to Li You.

Chris Childs quickly stepped up to defend. Li You, holding the ball in his left hand, executed a behind-the-back dribble and then charged past the defender, swiftly crossing half court.

Scanning the positioning, Li You promptly signaled Larry Johnson, stationed on the left wing, to make a diagonal cut toward the right elbow of the free-throw line.

Larry Johnson shot Li You a reluctant glance before hastily moving. Rookie John Wallace, guarding him, stuck close, tense and wary of even the slightest lapse.

From the top of the key, Li You began moving laterally. Without waiting for Larry to fully settle, he flicked his wrist and sent a bounce pass.

Seeing the ball approach, Larry instinctively quickened his pace and drove inward. Upon catching the ball, he realized he was already inside the paint. Taking a quick step, he launched himself upward.

Charles Oakley, positioned under the basket, was caught off guard as Larry slammed a two-handed dunk!

“Ah!!”

Oakley, already somewhat annoyed with Larry, immediately shoved him.

“Don’t be yelling around me, kid. This is New York!”

Larry Johnson, no stranger to a temper, shoved back at the old-timer.

“Show some respect! I’m no rookie!”

Before the assistant coach could react, the two were tangled up. Standing beyond the three-point line, Li You simply smiled, watching the scene unfold.

Jeff Van Gundy, sensing trouble, rushed onto the court yelling:

“Hey! Stop! Chill out, fellas!”

Ultimately, Patrick Ewing stepped in to separate them.

Li You stoked the fire: Larry Johnson, matched against rookie John Wallace, used his physical advantage to shed his defender with simple cuts and penetrate the paint.

After several passes and assists, Larry began to accept Li You’s direction on movement, nearly exclaiming, “Not bad!”

Meanwhile, Charles Oakley, intent on teaching the newcomer a lesson, grew increasingly aggressive. The two clashed with full force.

Alan Houston used Patrick Ewing’s screen near the left baseline to sprint to the left elbow of the free-throw line.

Starks failed to keep pace, but Li You noticed movement behind him and suddenly cut off Chris Childs’ passing lane.

---

The pass was a beat late; after Alan Houston caught it, Starks closed in. Using his height advantage, Houston dribbled sideways before fading for a mid-range jumper at the free-throw line.

“Swish!”

After several possessions without a shot, Alan Houston’s first attempt was off the mark.

The ball bounced right to Starks, who quickly flipped it to Li You, already advancing past midcourt. Meanwhile, Larry Johnson sprinted down the right sideline with his head down.

Li You, aware that Oakley was rapidly retreating on defense, accelerated with the ball in his left hand. Near the three-point line, he executed a quick behind-the-back dribble, switching to his right hand and spinning sharply.

Chris Childs adjusted his stance and reached out to steal, but Li You dropped his center of gravity, feigning a drive.

As Childs slid to the right rear, Li You pulled up beyond the arc, stopped abruptly, forcefully dribbled once, stepped back, and launched a jump shot.

Childs, caught off balance, froze in place. Larry Johnson, ready under the basket, watched the ball sail through the net without touching rim.

Riding the momentum, Larry turned and shouted at Li You:

“Damn it! Rookie, pass me the ball! Alley-oop! Can’t you see?”

“I’m the point guard. I call the shots on the court. You just run your cuts and stop complaining!” Li You snapped back.

Hearing this, Larry Johnson nearly exploded with anger, storming toward Li You.

Li You shoved Chris Childs aside, stepping in front of Larry:

“If you want easy points, stop complaining. When the ball’s in my hands, I’m in charge!”

Just as a confrontation seemed imminent, Jeff Van Gundy dashed over, quickly separating the two and shouting:

“Timeout! Take a breather! Everyone stay calm!”

Charles Oakley then came over, patting Li You on the shoulder and whispering provocatively:

“Li, I’ve got your back. Give him a couple of punches! That guy still thinks this is Charlotte. He’s past his prime!”

Patrick Ewing, ever the peacemaker, noticed Larry’s grim expression and spoke up firmly:

“Enough! Keep it down—I don’t want to see our team’s internal fights on TV!”

Humiliated, Larry shot Li You a glare but fell silent.

---

The morning training session ended on a sour note. In the afternoon, players worked through tactical drills with assistant coaches, easing tensions.

The tempers of the black players flared quickly but faded just as fast. The morning’s unpleasantness was soon forgotten as they chatted about beautiful women, and Larry Johnson even smiled.

“The great thing about playing in New York is there’s always a crowd of passionate young women around!”

Larry Johnson was enthusiastically sharing his thoughts when Charles Oakley, animated, began advising him about New York’s media:

“LJ, watch out for the New York press. These guys report on everything—even a new haircut becomes a headline for days!”

The two had clearly moved past their earlier friction.

“New York’s great, but I still need time to adjust. I love the nightlife here!”

“Li, you’re not old enough to drink yet! Next time we hit the bar, I’ll order you a glass of milk!”

Larry Johnson, once fierce in the morning, now teased Li You warmly.

“Don’t compete with the young guys at drinking—when you get older, your metabolism slows. Even if you all team up, you probably can’t keep up with me!”

“Wow!”

Starks chimed in, egging on the banter:

“I swear, Li isn’t joking. When it comes to drinking, I admit—I’m getting old!”

Alan Houston used the break to comfort the rookies, while Charles Oakley ignored them, leaving everyone somewhat uneasy.

“Every rookie goes through this. Back in Detroit, I carried the bag for a whole season.”

Despite the comfort, John Wallace and Walter McCarty still wore grim faces.

At 4 p.m., Jeff Van Gundy announced the end of practice with a heavy heart. The young head coach still hadn’t figured out how to utilize Larry Johnson effectively.

Back in the locker room, Charles Oakley flashed a mischievous grin, sat down, and loudly declared:

“John, Walter, you guys played like crap this morning. It’s your turn to shine!”

Stretching out his legs, Oakley motioned for them to untie his shoelaces. The two rookies, smiling nervously, bent down to comply.

“Li, we’ve got a special gift ready for you, too. Hope you like it!”

Li You shrugged indifferently at Ewing’s words.

When everyone left the locker room, chatting and laughing on their way to the parking lot, Li You’s eyes fell on his car filled with popcorn. He couldn’t help but mutter under his breath:

“Damn it! Looks like I’m walking home.”

Seeing Li You’s pained expression, Charles Oakley laughed loudly once more:

“Rookie, welcome to New York!”