FWF Chapter 337 Superman
Chapter 337 Superman
The hotels rebuilt after the disaster were far from comfortable to stay in, and to make matters worse, it started drizzling early in the morning.
In an attempt to demonstrate humanitarianism, the league inhumanely pulled all the star players from the event out for a staged photo shoot ostensibly to help rebuild New Orleans after the disaster.
The star players were assigned to various odd jobs at the rebuilt schools, welfare homes, and playgrounds.
Mo Wen took on a job clearing silt. Under the watchful eyes of about a dozen cameras, he moved a pile of construction debris from one side to the other while wearing a raincoat. Although it was a bit silly, Mo Wen could accept it because A Zhan's job was even more touching. He had to wear a raincoat and paint the exterior of a building in the rain.
Of course, the most touching story is that of Stern, an old man with a full head of white hair. He was carrying a bucket of paint and carefully painting an interior wall in the school corridor. However, you can't look too closely at his work, because if you do, you'll find that the area he was painting was already tiled.
Just as there are social customs in the United States, the NBA has also fully demonstrated what utterly useless humanistic care is.
Fortunately, the staged photo shoot didn't last long. Once the reporters captured their selfless dedication, everyone returned to their dignified selves.
Mo Wen only had time to eat two bites of his sandwich before heading to the Nike-arranged showroom to rehearse for the afternoon's new shoe launch.
New season, Christmas Day, All-Star Game, playoffs, Finals, personal birthdays—Nike only updates one shoe model per year, but new colorways are released every two months. Even so, Nike seems to think they're not wielding their sickle fast enough, since workers' salaries are refreshed every month.
The "Winner" series has firmly secured its position as Nike's top-selling brand. Morten's elegant playing style and style have become the most beloved role model for basketball enthusiasts, especially Morten's timeless three-pointers, which not only look cool but also give fans with average physical abilities the possibility of replicating classic moments on the court.
The satisfaction of hitting a three-pointer while wearing Mo Wen's jersey and shoes and then entering a fantasy world is something that a gifted monster like Danzi can never understand.
Danzi was initially reluctant to attend the All-Star event to continue his usual "passing on the torch" marketing campaign, but this time he showed up anyway to receive the spotlight and, incidentally, joined Melo in hyping up the new AJ product launch.
Unfortunately, AJ sales dropped again last quarter.
Historically, the 00s was a period of leaderlessness. Shaq and Duncan dominated the league one after another, but their status as inside players meant they had no impact on the sneaker market. Kobe's image was ruined by the "handsome and dashing" incident. Although he later rebuilt his Black Mamba persona with crazy scoring performances, his peak statistics coincided with the peak of his team's record, making even winning an MVP quite controversial. LeBron was still in his long infancy. He had just begun to grow when he encountered the peak Celtics Big Three and peak Dwight Howard.
During this period, AJ was able to calmly and skillfully sever the brand and the low-key Dan Zi, completing the transformation from sneakers to streetwear culture, just like athlete Li Ning to China Li Ning.
But the appearance of someone disrupted everything. When Mo Wen became the only player with a gap in the current league, and when fans kept comparing Mo Wen to Dan Zi, Dan Zi could no longer remain "low-key" as a legend.
Moreover, Winner, which also has a sub-brand status, has a marketing strategy of constantly marketing the topic of Mo Wen touching Danzi or who is the best in history. When the discussion arises and Danzi returns to the public eye, AJ will naturally be forced to be associated with him again. Then the two sides will change from an invisible high-end business war to a simple and unpretentious battle for endorsement.
Mo Wen's current honors and data accumulation are still some distance from Dan Zi's, but the advantage of active players is that they have fresh data and highlights every day, while Dan Zi can only rehash old ones.
To be fair, Danzi has produced a wealth of highlight reels throughout his long career, but nostalgia is ultimately a sentiment that only players like him can have; young people prefer to look forward.
The timing of Danzi's rehashed personal documentary "The Last Dance" in 2020 was perfect. At that time, fewer and fewer people had seen him play, and memories of him were becoming increasingly vague. Low-bitrate game recordings were no longer sought after, while high-definition remastered highlights became the standard for people to assess his strength. People would automatically fill in the gaps in his performance with data and their imagination. With the help of the GOAT, he really put on a show.
But now, only five years have passed since Danzi's second retirement, and his attempt to rehash old material might first remind fans of his disastrous Wizards journey.
Currently, most players in the league still consider themselves Jordan's followers, but Jordan is no longer willing to trust them because they have a more obvious identity—a prisoner of Morven.
Especially Carmelo Anthony, the current star of AJ, has been labeled as a loser (RBQ) ever since the 58 incident and the 88 miracle, while Ray Allen, the previous star of AJ, has become Morway's second-in-command.
Isn't this also a kind of...
So, like Stern, Danzi set his sights on the future.
Two promising prospects from the upcoming 08 draft class are highly regarded by Dan Zi, but they are still under the control of the NCAA and will have to endure the scorching heat of the upcoming March Madness to determine if they are truly exceptional.
So Danzi appeared at the training ground for the 07 Rookie Challenge in the afternoon. After enjoying the adulation of the new recruits, he went to chat alone with the most charismatic person among them.
"Kid, how's it going in Oklahoma?"
"It's great. The fans there are very enthusiastic. Even though we're not that good, they still support us. My teammates are all young people around the same age, and they're all very talented." Du Xiaoshuai felt incredibly honored to have the opportunity to chat with GOAT alone.
"You're lucky to be able to start from scratch on a new team, with local fans supporting you, and the team is developing you as their absolute core player. This is much more comfortable than when I was in Chicago." Dan patted his shoulder, a hint of nostalgia appearing on his chubby face. Then the topic returned to 20 years ago, and Old Deng unconsciously began to talk about the hardships he faced when he first entered the league.
Durant didn't know how to respond. He didn't like listening to James Harden's sentimental talk, but the GOAT in front of him was one of his idols, so he could only put on an admiring expression and listen obediently.
Yes, he was just one of Jordan's idols. When Jordan retired for the second time, he was in junior high school. Although his height gave him a significant advantage on the court compared to his peers, basketball was just a hobby and entertainment for him at that time. When he truly made professional basketball his dream, he was accompanied by Kobe, Carter, McGrady, and even Morey a few years ago.
Seeing Durant's awkward smile of approval, Danzi chuckled and nodded. "That's why I prefer spending time with young people like you now. The league is too superficial these days. Because of some special cases, everyone is thinking about forming alliances to take shortcuts. They don't know the power of perseverance, the feeling of starting from scratch, leading your teammates step by step, growing step by step, and finally climbing from the bottom to the top. That feeling is absolutely the most wonderful thing in the world."
"You're right, perseverance is indeed a valuable quality." Durant nodded in agreement as usual, but secretly wondered, "With his teammates?"
If he remembered correctly, all of Jordan's teammates during his rookie years, except for Pippen, were eventually traded away. However, those who were traded were no longer teammates, so what he said seemed to make sense.
"You have talent and you're a good kid. Keep it up. Don't let the noise from the outside world distract you. Just keep going steadily. Believe me, the Thunder will be your Bulls. Do your best at the All-Star Game tomorrow. I'm looking forward to your performance."
"Thank you for your guidance, I will remember it." Du Xiaoshuai nodded in agreement.
After chatting with the rookie who casually charged through the encirclement, Danzi waved and left. The surrounding rookies immediately gathered around, curious about what kind of individual guidance Durant had received.
"Nothing, just chatting." Durant's thoughts drifted as he watched Danzi disappear into the passage.
hold fast?
He certainly enjoyed listening to the stories of the older generation who were single-handedly conquering their cities, but as Jordan said, the benefits of Mo Wen's success were simply too great—an unprecedented four championships in four years starting as a rookie.
Looking at the situation in New Orleans, if the team owner hadn't relocated, his career would probably have started in this dilapidated city. That wouldn't even be considered starting from scratch; it would be more like starting from a negative number.
Several teammates who had played here before said that if the team doesn't move, they will most likely consider leaving when it comes time to renew their contracts.
Can a city like this really support the dream of winning the championship?
Even though the quality of several championships has been questioned, the ring is already on his finger. Would he really be unhappy?
Durant pursed his lips, not thinking about it any further. Even if he wanted to take a shortcut, that was something he could consider much later. He had four years as a rookie, and with the Bird rights, he could sign a five-year contract extension. He still had nine years to think about the issue of sticking with his principles.
……
On the 15th, the league only arranged community activities, rookie training, and press interviews. The carnival activities did not officially begin until the next day.
The Rising Stars Challenge was still pretty much a foregone conclusion. A year is hardly enough time for a seasoned star to improve, but a rookie can make a significant difference if he follows the plan step by step. Not to mention that the second-year team has two championship members, Millsap and Gay, who were trained by Morey.
However, the most outstanding player in this game was not one of the two ring-winning "little big shots," but rather Gibson, a member of the Cavaliers' runner-up team. Unlike other players who showcased their talent with dunks, Gibson took center stage beyond the three-point line, making a historic 20 three-pointers and hitting 11 of them, scoring 33 points.
LeBron James, watching from the sidelines, was so excited that he frequently stood up to cheer for his teammate. At one point, he even had the urge to trade Reed and Bibby together and promote Gibson.
No, they are all his brothers and sisters. Unless he can get them in return... there is no unless!
Danny Ferry's stalling tactics worked, and LeBron James is no longer expecting Bibby to be replaced by a strong inside player.
Suns general manager Steve Kerr approached the Cavaliers privately some time ago, stating that they would be willing to make a trade if the Cavaliers could match the trade amount, but the Cavaliers firmly refused.
The reason given was something even LeBron couldn't find fault with: Marion's contract had a year and a half left, and the hacker hoped his new team could offer him a 3-year, 6000 million contract extension.
The Cavaliers would never offer a contract of this caliber. If Marion leaves when the contract expires, the Cavaliers would suffer a huge loss in this deal.
If LeBron James could make the decision, he would be willing to be traded. Two seasons would be enough for him to contend for a championship. However, Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert rejected this idea, saying that if he were traded for Marion, the team would have no room for adjustment or movement. He also said that the competition was endless and that he and Mo Wen were now on the same level, and the two could compete fairly.
Damn it, I got beaten up by him and a whole truckload of bread sellers two years ago, and you didn't talk about fairness then. Now you're talking to me about fair competition.
Is this the kind of fairness he wants?
Unfortunately, owner Gilbert's main business is mortgage lending. The financial crisis was still brewing, but the subprime mortgage crisis was already increasing. With his main business not doing well, he had no intention of investing more in the Cavaliers.
A-Zhan knew this was the consequence of the long-term contract he signed.
If it weren't for that damned "No-Stop Clause," if he hadn't gotten that damned MVP...
Unfortunately, no if.
Neither the Rising Stars Challenge nor the Celebrity Game that night drew large crowds. The city, still in the process of rebuilding, was not enthusiastic about the All-Star Game. The Hornets' relocation was seen as a betrayal by the locals, and Durant, wearing a Thunder jersey, was even booed by local fans when he took to the court.
During the individual events, Stern learned his lesson. He urgently contacted the mayor of New Orleans and brought in students from several nearby schools, arranging them in the front row and distributing matching T-shirts. The previously empty arena immediately became bustling with activity.
Stern was slightly disappointed that Mo Wen did not register for any individual competitions. If Mo Wen had continued to participate in the Three-Point Contest and won the championship, it would have been an unprecedented four-peat, which would have been a great publicity topic.
However, Mo Wen's withdrawal also has its advantages and disadvantages. If he really monopolizes the competition, then the three-point contest may not be interesting in the future. If Mo Wen withdraws now, he can still hype up the competition four times if he wants to win four consecutive championships.
Shaq, who had entered as a spectator, squeezed next to Mo Wen and began his long rant.
Shaq, who failed to make the All-Star Game, did not want to end his All-Star journey. Moreover, he attended Louisiana State University in the same state, so he was practically a local. He tried to persuade Alonzo Mourning to participate in the Shooting Stars competition and Dwyane Wade to participate in the Skills Challenge.
"Two pieces of shit, and they dare to call themselves tough guys, inheritors of the iron-blooded spirit? Bah, they're all cowards!"
Mo Wen unconsciously twitched the corners of his mouth; if he were in his shoes, he would also be cowardly.
All-Star games are meant to entertain the public, but entertainment doesn't mean making a fool of yourself. If you're teammates with someone like that, you're probably headed for the worst record ever.
This year's Three-Point Contest is missing Mo Wen, but it still has its highlights because Kobe Bryant has signed up.
Influenced by Mo Wen, Kobe in this timeline improved his three-point shooting, but his two-way shooting was not suitable for the uncontested three-point contest. In addition, he had a finger injury, so he only scored 16 points in the end.
Shaq was having a great time watching Kobe miss shots, but this result actually helped Kobe reach the finals.
Peja and Nash, who were highly regarded, both fell short, scoring 11 and 9 points respectively. After the game, they had to sit at the same table as Arenas and Dan. Hamilton, on the other hand, stepped out of bounds twice due to his instinctive mid-range shooting, resulting in a score of only 14 and his unfortunate elimination.
In the end, it was the least famous Kapono who scored a game-high 20 points, and even scored 25 points in the final, winning the three-point title with his small stature. However, fans are wondering who he is and which team he is from.
The good mood that Kobe had when an unknown player stepped on his head didn't last long for Shaq, because the dunk contest had begun.
Mo Wen left his seat and ran to the sidelines to cheer on Guy, who was participating in the competition. However, he was a little nervous on his first dunk and failed to dunk well. He then switched to a classic long swing dunk, but because it lacked originality and visual impact, the judges gave him a low score of 37 points.
Even though Mo Wen made a precise pass to assist him in the second dunk, allowing him to jump out from behind the backboard, catch the basket, bounce back, and complete a difficult windmill dunk for 49 points, he was still eliminated due to his low total score.
The entertaining performance of Dwight Howard became the biggest surprise of this slam dunk contest. When he tore open his jersey to reveal Superman's classic inner lining, and Billups tied a red cape around his neck, the atmosphere in the entire arena exploded.
When Mo Wen glanced at Shaq, everyone's expressions stiffened.
Shaq likes to give nicknames to others, and he especially likes to give himself nicknames, including The Big Shaq, The Big Aristotle, The Big Diesel, etc., but his favorite is the one without "big", which is Superman.
He started comparing himself to Superman during his rookie season with the Magic, and even had the Superman logo tattooed on his right shoulder. He also wore a Superman cape at the All-Star Game in 2000 during the Slam Dunk Contest, although he didn't participate that time. Wearing the Superman cape was just for fun and interaction with Vince Carter.
Generally, tributes are announced beforehand, but it's obvious that Howard genuinely wants to be Superman and doesn't intend to pay tribute.
As Dwight Howard, dressed in a Superman suit, delivered a stunning dunk, scoring a perfect score and receiving thunderous applause, Shaquille O'Neal's expression clearly betrayed his barely concealed emotions.
Shaq was already resentful about not being able to participate in this year's All-Star Game, and now seeing Howard successfully steal his nickname, the fat man's resentment is about to become a reality.
What made Shaq most uncomfortable was that when the camera focused on him, he had to force a smile and cheer for Howard to maintain his image.
"That damn rookie hasn't even won a championship and he wants to be Superman? Next time we meet, I'll teach him a lesson!"
"Take it easy, Shaq. He's just playing around. You'd better not take him to heart." Mo Wen patted him on the shoulder.
"Why? That's my Superman!"
“Because he’s only 23, because he has Darko and Chauncey by his side, because you’re already 35 and 330 pounds (147 kilograms).” Every word Mo Wen said was like a dagger to Shaq’s heart. Shaq felt very frustrated but had to admit that Mo Wen was right.
"unless……"
"Unless what?" Shaq's eyes lit up.
"Unless you retire now, then you can use your status as the greatest center in history to critique him."
"Mo, you're a bitch too..."
"Oh right, there's another way."
"uh-huh?"
"I heard that LeBron has been looking for a great center. If you team up with him, you might have a chance to win the Eastern Conference title and maybe even give me a championship."
"You're a fucking bitch, mo!" (End of Chapter)