Chapter 63: The Inescapable Arena of Fame and Fortune (Part 1)

On January 20, 1997, the Knicks returned to New York for a little over a day of rest before hosting the Washington Bullets that very evening.

Since the All-Star voting results were about to be announced, most players across the league took this opportunity to fiercely showcase their abilities, while the media frequently steered their topics toward the All-Star Game.

Although Lee You was a rookie, he had continuously broken records ever since entering the league, grabbing plenty of attention over the past few months.

In the Knicks' locker room before the game, New York media surrounded Lee You two deep. Such scenes frequently occurred lately, leaving the rest-and-cheer squad to silently chew on lemons in their hearts.

"Lee, will you be selected for this year's All-Star Game? New York fans have all been voting for you!"

Having just changed into his training gear, Lee You saw everyone shoving their recording devices in his face and could only resort to diplomatic cliches:

"I thank the New York fans who voted for me, but I am still a rookie player with insufficient game experience and many shortcomings in my skills."

"It would already be great enough to participate in the Rookie Challenge. As for the All-Star Game, I just want to be a spectator and grab a few autographs while I'm there."

Clearly, this answer did not satisfy the reporters on the scene. As master stirrers of the pot, this bunch hoped to get more explosive news from Lee You's mouth:

"By now, we can surely conclude that your votes will definitely surpass Tim Hardaway!"

"The Knicks' current record is also better than the Heat's. Lee, do you think you will be selected for the All-Star reserve roster?"

Lee You felt too exhausted to complain inwardly; the reserve roster had absolutely nothing to do with fan votes:

"The league's coaches will give the optimal answer. Tim Hardaway is a star guard in the league, and I've learned many skills from him. Him being selected as an All-Star is entirely well-deserved."

Seeing that Lee You didn't run his mouth to campaign for himself, the New York reporters were somewhat disappointed, but they quickly adjusted their emotions:

"It doesn't matter what is said, the important thing is how it's written!"

Ewing also had a crowd of New York reporters around him. This bunch seemed to have collective amnesia, forgetting how they belittled Ewing just a few months ago, and began heaping flowery praises instead.

The Gorilla was also flattered into a state of supreme confidence. This year felt like another peak in his life, and he cheerfully engaged in mutual commercial flattery with the reporters around him...

Larry Johnson pulled a long face and remained silent on the side. The All-Star game definitely had nothing to do with him; his stats had shrunk severely this season, and a reserve spot wouldn't fall to him.

"Grandmama" was washed up!

Perhaps the flattery from the New York media worked its magic. During that night's game, Ewing had an overwhelming presence, delivering outstanding performances on both ends of the floor.

32 to 53. By the end of the first half, the Knicks were already leading by 19 points.

"The 34-year-old Ewing is still able to dominate the interior! As long as he maintains this state, I believe the Knicks remain strong contenders for the championship!"

At the courtside MSG broadcast desk, broadcaster Marv Albert couldn't help himself and started hyping up the home team again.

Color commentator John Andariese knew his old partner had said a bit too much and smoothly shifted the topic:

"I want to praise Lee's performance. It's hard to believe he just turned 19. Look at those records; the people who doubted him can finally shut up!"

"Two years of college basketball helped Lee build a solid foundation. Give him two more years to get even stronger, and I think the Knicks won't need to worry about the backcourt for the next 10 years."

This blowout made the atmosphere at Madison Square Garden increasingly fiery, but Jeff Van Gundy didn't dare to let down his guard, increasing his substitutions as soon as the second half began.

The schedule this week was simply too intense; the coaching staff definitely didn't want any injuries on the team...

In the end, 79 to 100. Returning home, the Knicks secured a massive victory over the Bullets, getting this week's games off to a great start.

Tonight, the Bullets' Dikembe Mutombo sat on the bench in a formal suit; with the season nearing its halfway point, injuries had naturally appeared.

Madison Square Garden remained very noisy. A in high spirits Ewing took the initiative to chat with an old friend after the game, while Ben Wallace, who had only played 3 minutes in this match, was being lectured by Oakley:

"You only grab one rebound after stepping onto the court, and all you know how to do is run back and forth?"

Seeing that Wallace remained silent, Oakley turned his head to introduce him to Lee You:

"If this guy can't get a contract in the future, remember to take him under your wing if you come to the Knicks."

"Ben is very talented. Of course, I don't mean offensive talent. As long as there's a suitable platform, he can make a name for himself in the league."

Perhaps feeling that his words lacked persuasion—since Ben Wallace's playing time had been pitifully small this half of the season, and he couldn't even get on the court when playing against the Knicks—Oakley added another sentence:

"Defense also requires talent, he just needs an opportunity!"

Lee You looked at Ben Wallace, who wore a flat top and kept his head down submissively, and said in a breezy tone:

"Run, jump, and defend. As long as you do those well, you won't have to worry about stats, man. That definitely shouldn't be hard for you!"

Ben Wallace looked at the two of them and finally nodded obedientically. Although going through the back door was a bit embarrassing, if he really couldn't sign a contract next season, this was also a backup route.

...

After finishing the home game, the next stretch consisted of three consecutive away games. That very night, the whole Knicks team flew directly to Chicago, where they would challenge the Bulls on the second night of a back-to-back tomorrow.

As the All-Star Game approached, discussions regarding the NBA 50 Greatest Players climbed in heat once again.

American sports media, fond of stirring up trouble and watching the drama, brought up the past and dug up Chamberlain's perspective:

"In my view, the greatest basketball player is neither Michael Jordan nor Magic Johnson, but Robertson. It's a pity he wasn't born in a good era."

Of course, the sports media didn't forget to mention Bill Russell's previous remarks either:

"In the 1960s, many talented players were born in the league, it's just that none of us caught a better era, especially Jerry West. He should have had a lot more rings!"

Jabbar and Hondo similarly agreed with Russell's words, and Pat Riley also joined in stirring the pot, stating in an interview that Jerry West was the true "Mr. Clutch."

Worshipping the past and belittling the present, the American sports media constantly consumed Michael Jordan:

"A lucky one protected by rules," "Enjoying the dividends of modern basketball"...

With the All-Star Game approaching, Magic Johnson also came out to join the fun at this time. This nice guy didn't consume his good friend, but instead expressed a relatively objective stance:

"Basketball is a collective sport. There are 5 positions on the court, and everyone is indispensable. Calling any single player the greatest of all time is definitely unfair!"

The old fogies were clearly pulling rank. Back in early October of '96, Michael Jordan had been pissed off enough, and now with the All-Star Game approaching, he was almost blown up with anger again...

Against this backdrop, the Knicks became the punching bag. On the afternoon of the 21st, during the Chicago media's routine pre-game interview:

"Michael, have you noticed the Knicks' rookie? Lee has broken many records since entering the league!"

Wearing the Bulls' training gear, a disgruntled Michael Jordan wore a smile when facing the media, conveniently finding an imaginary enemy to spar with:

"Charles talked to me about Lee. A very good kid with great fundamentals, and he also understands the rules and knows how to respect veterans."

"However, I don't want to evaluate young players. We played in different eras, and I respect his playing style!"

"Tonight I accept the young man's challenge. I will go all out; it's about time a rookie undergoes a real baptism!"

Michael Jordan's passive-aggressive response made the Chicago media on the scene almost burst out laughing. Clearly, the grudge-holding Jordan deeply minded the perspectives of the old-timers.

The sports media, fond of stirring the pot, naturally wouldn't let go of this opportunity. Lee You, who had finished his pre-game warm-ups, was cornered the moment he returned to the locker room:

"Lee, how many points are you going to score tonight?"

"?"

Lee You wore a face full of question marks. The Chicago media cheerfully recounted Jordan's words, heavily emphasizing the word "challenge."

Although he knew the sports media in front of him was exaggerating, Lee You was still somewhat puzzled. He didn't remember ever saying he wanted to challenge Baldy:

"Making things up in your own head and fighting imaginary enemies?"

"..."