He just wanted to play some ball with Su Xi. He was seriously going stir-crazy.

"I’ve noticed you don’t really have any friends in the NBA," Su Xi couldn’t help but roast him. "If you had even a few good friends, you wouldn’t be pestering me like this."

Kobe didn’t answer.

He was just being persistent.

Su Xi went at it with him, trading fierce offensive and defensive possessions, but... ’The ’Super Scoring Technique’ really isn’t integrating anymore. It’s like it has developed a tolerance to Kobe.’

"I’m going to win the scoring title this season!"

Kobe declared to Su Xi with conviction.

Su Xi said, "I’m going to repeat as Finals MVP."

"This season, I’m going to lead the team to the playoffs. I’ll prove that even without O’Neal, the Lakers are still a powerhouse in the West," Kobe said, clenching his fists with unwavering determination.

"I’m going to repeat as Finals MVP."

"This season, I’m going to destroy everyone who sided with O’Neal, including Garnett, J Kidd... Martin... Carter..." Kobe seethed, remembering every star who had taken O’Neal’s side. His resentment was palpable.

"I’m going to repeat as Finals MVP."

Su Xi said flatly. 𝓯𝙧𝓮𝓮𝒘𝓮𝙗𝙣𝒐𝒗𝒆𝓵.𝓬𝓸𝒎

"This season, I’m going to make All-NBA First Team and All-Defensive First Team..."

Kobe stopped mid-sentence and looked at Su Xi. He could already guess what the guy was going to say. He was always so annoying.

"Me too," Su Xi replied.

"Aren’t you going to repeat as Finals MVP?" Kobe could have recited the line himself.

"Can’t I want this, and that, and that too?" Su Xi retorted. "You’ve made plenty of wishes yourself."

"You!" Kobe was furious. "Come on, I’m gonna destroy you!"

"I’m not playing with you anymore. I’m flying back to Indiana tomorrow morning, and I need to spend quality time with Jessica tonight. Don’t hold me up."

"Just one more game. I’ll drive you back. My Lamborghini’s fast, it won’t take long," Kobe pestered, not wanting to give up.

Ugh!

Su Xi sighed. He had no choice but to give in to this persistent little devil. "Just one game."

That one game lasted half an hour.

Afterwards, without even showering, Kobe drove Su Xi to Jessica’s place.

They sped all the way there.

"Hey, after you’re... done... why don’t you come down for a couple more games?" Kobe said. "I’m all pent-up."

"No can do. I’ll be busy all night," Su Xi refused, then offered Kobe some advice. "If you’re so pent-up, go home to Vanessa. She’ll love the angry, hard-working you."

Kobe shot Su Xi an irritated look. ’You think everyone’s like you, with only one thing on their mind? The number of times you’ve gone one-on-one with Jessica these past few days has already fucking surpassed the number of times you’ve gone one-on-one with me. You can’t live on that stuff, young man.’

Huh?

Su Xi felt like something was off. ’Is Kobe lecturing me?’

...

The Pacers’ training camp for the season was being held at the gymnasium of Bird’s alma mater, Indiana University.

Su Xi arrived in Indiana two days before the start of training camp.

Bird and Rick Carlisle went to the airport to pick him up, giving him an unprecedentedly grand reception.

Flowers!

Hugs!

Praise!

The whole nine yards!

Bird claimed he was sincerely proud of Su Xi’s performance at the Olympics. He went on to say that Su Xi was the greatest and most handsome player in Indiana’s history. Not even Jordan’s achievements in the Olympics could compare, he added, because Jordan had never led the Chinese Team to a championship.

Su Xi listened to Bird’s over-the-top praise for ten minutes before he finally couldn’t take it anymore. "Larry, just get to the point."

"Jack, this is the contract extension we’re offering. Five years, 73 million USD. It’s the maximum contract we can give you."

Bird pulled a contract that still smelled of fresh ink from his briefcase.

Su Xi frowned. "Isn’t it a bit early? The season hasn’t even officially started yet."

"Not at all, Jack. The owner has been on pins and needles for two months. He demanded that I do whatever it takes to keep you. You’re the first Finals MVP in Indiana history!" Bird said, slapping his thigh.

Carlisle, who was next to him, frowned. ’Here we go again,’ he thought. ’Can’t you slap your own thigh?’

Su Xi was quiet for a moment.

Those ten-plus seconds were agonizing for Bird.

Then, he heard Su Xi say, "Let’s talk after this season."

Back when they traded for Su Xi, and when Su Xi had altered his contract, Bird had guessed his intentions. Su Xi was the type of player who wanted to control his own destiny. He didn’t want to be traded around.

"Repeating as Finals MVP is a great goal, Jack! We all think you can do it," Larry Bird said excitedly, slapping his thigh.

Carlisle winced in pain. He slowly moved Bird’s hand off his own thigh and continued, "Jack, I don’t think you’ll have a problem repeating as Finals MVP this season. Our roster has been honed from last year and has gotten even stronger. Plus, we signed Stephen Jackson. Our team is even better now."

"Meanwhile, the Lakers in the West have completely fallen apart."

"It’s very possible we could build a dynasty."

Carlisle said, "A three-peat, a four-peat, a five-peat..."

Even though Bird had slapped his thigh, he was still playing the role of persuader for him.

Su Xi smiled, then added, "By the way, Rick. Our regular-season record this year might not be as good as last season’s."

Huh?

Bird and Carlisle were both surprised.

’How could it not be as good as last season? We’re stronger now. We won 71 games last season. This season, we should be aiming to break the all-time record, trying for 73 wins to kick the Bulls’ and Jordan’s asses.’

"Why? Are you worried about the chemistry with Stephen Jackson?" Carlisle asked.

"I want to work on my offensive skills this season. I’m still bothered by the loss to Argentina in the group stage of the Olympics this year. I can’t believe I missed two straight shots at a critical moment. I can’t forgive myself for that. I have to raise my one-on-one scoring percentage."

Su Xi said very seriously, "I spent the last week in Los Angeles, and I talked it over with Kobe. Kobe told me that if you want to improve your skills, you have to take a crazy number of shots, face challenges head-on, and have the courage to brick shots against tough defense."

Uh...

As soon as Su Xi said that,

the two men looked at each other, speechless.

Bird thought, ’Why are you learning from Kobe? He’s a team-wrecker. His chucking even drove O’Neal away. What good can you learn from him?’

Carlisle, on the other hand, was thinking, ’Why are you so hung up on a group stage loss? Didn’t you get your revenge in the final? You eliminated Argentina and won the gold medal. Why are you acting like you lost it?’

"There’s a saying in China: ’Sharpening the axe doesn’t delay chopping the wood.’ If I can improve my scoring percentage, our team’s overall strength will be even greater. I need you to support this plan. If you two won’t support me, then there’s no better GM and no better head coach in the entire league who would."

Su Xi pressed on, trying to persuade them. "After all, you’re the Coach of the Year, the youngest head coach to establish your own system in record time. You’ve swept the stale college-style coaching into the trash can. You make all who follow look up to you from behind. You’re a living tactical playbook."

"And you, my great talent scout, Mr. Bird. You are the one and only supreme all-around genius in the history of basketball. As a player, you were an absolute ruler. As a coach, you were a tactical master. And now, as an executive, you’re a master strategist, orchestrating victory from a thousand miles away. Who could possibly know more about basketball than you?"

Su Xi’s speech made both men’s faces flush red.

Especially Bird. The flattery was just too good.

He couldn’t help but slap his thigh again, making Carlisle’s mouth contort in pain.

"Jack, the regular-season record doesn’t matter. As long as we secure a playoff spot, that’s all that counts. Your idea is right. Hone your offensive skills first, and come playoff time, who’s going to stop you from dominating? I guarantee that by next April, May, and June, no team will want to face us."

Bird had laid down his verdict.

Wincing in pain, what else could Carlisle say? The "living tactical playbook" spoke up: "I’ll design brand new one-on-one plays for you."

"Thank you. Meeting you both has been my greatest fortune."

After that conversation, everyone was happy.

After the business van dropped Su Xi off at his home in Indiana,

the two men sat in the car on the way back, a sudden feeling of emptiness washing over them.

The assistant in the front seat said, "It seems like we didn’t convince Jack... instead, Jack convinced us..."

Bird clutched the contract, only then remembering the original purpose of his trip to the airport.

Wasn’t this a classic case of suffering a double loss?!