Basketball Legend: When Pride Still Matters

But he still didn't budge.

Yu Fei scored with a jump shot.

"That's why the Lakers Team doesn't want to renew your contract."

Off to the side, Garnett was starting to catch on.

Yu Fei's treatment of him just now was simply a practice run for when Shaquille O'Neal would take the court...

Now Garnett got it, realizing it wasn't personal against him. If it had to be labeled as a grudge, it was between Yu Fei and O'Neal, and he was just caught in the crossfire.

Even though he was tough, he knew how deep the feud between the two was. After some thought, he decided to let it go. A true man should see the bigger picture.

Mad dogs like Fei, who held grudges from start to finish, were even avoided in the gang circles of his old neighborhood.

The All-Star stage provided Yu Fei and O'Neal with a chance to settle their personal scores one on one.

Because the All-Star players who came to compete generally wouldn't get involved, as they were there to relax.

Garnett might have interfered, but he had figured out the trick.

Kobe, who should be helping O'Neal, was now only complaining that Yu Fei wasn't being ruthless enough.

A five-on-five basketball game makes an all-around guard targeting a center an unfair crush.

Yu Fei's pick-and-roll offense was something O'Neal couldn't defend. And if O'Neal wanted to force a one-on-two, he needed to get deep enough in the low post.

As the game went on, Fei easily dominated O'Neal on the court.

By the end of the first half, Yu Fei had racked up 20 points, 7 rebounds, 9 assists, leaving O'Neal, who couldn't find a one-on-one opportunity, to rely on put-backs and alley-oops for scraps. While O'Neal's numbers were decent (10 points, 7 rebounds), they weren't a testament to his individual skills.

During the halftime break, Yu Fei was interviewed on site.

Suddenly, his gaze intersected with a blonde woman in the celebrity area.

Yu Fei recognized her—it was Paris Hilton, the heiress to the Hilton hotel chain. Of course, her recent rise to fame as a top-notch actress had nothing to do with her heritage, but rather the intimate tape released by a bad ex-boyfriend. That tape had elevated her from a mundane socialite to America's hottest young actress.

Despite the multitude of messages contained in Paris's gaze, Yu Fei was sure it included a strong sensual signal. But he didn't care, because this "stupid blonde" did nothing for him.

Just a moment of distraction, and his attention was back on the ABC reporter interviewing him.

"As the best player of the first half, how did you manage to find your best form in this unusual away game atmosphere?"

Yu Fei smiled elegantly, "I must thank Allen Iverson. When I was uncertain about my role on the court, he let me be myself. And I did."

As Yu Fei walked through the corridor, a ball boy ran up with a piece of paper: "Frye, Paris asked me to give this to you, she hopes you'll call her."

Yu Fei took the paper.

"Thank you." he smiled, asking, "Would you like my autograph?"

If there was any significance to Paris Hilton giving her phone number to him, it was that it gave him additional fodder for conversation among the players.

When Yu Fei, feigning innocence, showed Paris's number in the locker room and stated he didn't understand the intention, the locker room erupted with various sounds like an earthquake.

"Damn! Is it really that Paris Hilton?"

"Hell, how could she fall for a pretty boy like you!"

"Buddy, you won't be able to handle that woman!"

The last comment came from Iverson.

Yu Fei asked, "Why wouldn't I be able to handle her?"

"That woman's tape with her boyfriend spread faster than HIV. Are you sure you want to call her? Do you want your own tape to go viral one day?"

Letting this information slip in the locker room would have another consequence: soon, everyone would know he got Paris Hilton's phone number.

That might lead to some paparazzi starting to follow him.

But it would be useful for boosting his fame.

Even though he was already famous in sports, nationwide or even worldwide, Paris Hilton giving him her contact information was completely a long shot for him.

In the second half, the Eastern All-Star Team continued their offensive from the first half.

Due to Yu Fei's meddling, Shaquille O'Neal's desire for the AMVP had significantly weakened, and he gradually began to act like a normal player just going through the motions at the All-Star game.

However, Yu Fei was still targeting him everywhere, with relentless double-teams and dedicated pick-and-rolls making O'Neal's life miserable.

If this were a Lakers' game, O'Neal might have hoped for support from his teammates, and Phil Jackson wouldn't have just stood by watching him be targeted.

But this was the All-Star Game, and nobody was going to help him.

To spare O'Neal's pride from continued injury, Flip Saunders, the coach of the Western All-Star Team, could only treat him as a bench center should be treated—by reducing O'Neal's playing time.

As long as O'Neal wasn't on the court, the All-Star Game would become a peaceful show again.

Although humiliated on his home court and no longer having the status of a faux-reserve but real starter, O'Neal avoided the fate of being shamed by Yu Fei from start to finish.

For him, that was all he could ask for.

With O'Neal out, Yu Fei shifted his focus from ball-handling to passing.

Especially passing to Michael Redd, who was still nominally a teammate.

Redd had only played 11 minutes tonight, 7 of which were with Yu Fei.

Although Yu Fei's relationship with Redd had soured after his "telling it like it is" day, Redd's help from last season, as a shooter with a 44% three-point field goal percentage, and his contribution of averaging 20 points per game over two months while Ray Allen was injured, couldn't be erased.

The team couldn't give him the status he wanted.

It was a reality issue, simply because Ray Allen was better. That's all.

Redd couldn't accept it, so he requested a trade, and the team could only let him go.

But before leaving, he still had to play the All-Star Game as a member of the Bucks, and Yu Fei decided to give him a small consolation.

So, during those 7 minutes, Yu Fei repeatedly called for a two-position pick-and-roll, using his strong penetration to create shooting opportunities for him.

In 7 minutes, Redd took 8 shots, hitting 5, and the All-Star rookie made a small splash on the big stage.

Then, Yu Fei was subbed out to rest, and Redd's ball-handling opportunities plummeted.

But that was no longer Yu Fei's concern.

The last thing Yu Fei focused on doing on the court was that.
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At the final buzzer, 141 to 112, the Eastern All-Star Team dominated the Western All-Star Team.

Yu Fei lifted the AMVP trophy with a massive triple-double of 36 points, 13 rebounds, and 18 assists.

As Yu Fei held the trophy with a beaming smile at Staples Center, the venue once again resounded for him.

At that moment, Hollywood celebrities present couldn't compare to Yu Fei; Nicholson was just one of the tens of thousands booing in the crowd, Leonardo DiCaprio, despite being a Lakers fan, wasn't as obsessed. Neither Demi Moore, Beyonce, nor Latin queen Christina Aguilera received the same level of noise tonight—though it stemmed from hate, Yu Fei could indeed face the cameras with a smile.

The image was signed with "Look, this is my charm."

Postgame Interview

"Frye, where's your AMVP trophy?"

A reporter noticed that Yu Fei wasn't carrying his just-won AMVP trophy with him.

Yu Fei laughed, "Oh, that? I gave it to a friend."

He enjoyed the reporters' reactions: "Ah?"

"I can't reveal his name here, the guy was mad at me for my poor performance in the three-point contest, so I had to promise to win the AMVP to make it up to him, and now, he has finally forgiven me," Yu Fei said.

Everyone could tell that Yu Fei was joking, and the atmosphere on site was very relaxed.

In a Los Angeles media room associated with professional basketball, relaxation was a word unfamiliar to them for nearly half a year.

"What impressed you the most tonight?"

"Of course, my charisma," Yu Fei didn't forget to jab at Shaquille O'Neal, "Although Los Angeles has a piece of repugnant dogshit who calls himself the most dominant player in history, I've never seen anything related to dominance from him. But I believe everyone will admit that my charisma in Los Angeles tonight surpassed that of every celebrity present. So, if that piece of dogshit who has no dominance without Kobe can crown himself as MDE, then I'm the MAE (Most Attractive Ever)."

PS: There's only one chapter today