NBA: Basketball Legend.

Chapter 26: Iverson's Comments! You Don't Have to Watch the Texas Game

"We have to get him! He's the player we've been searching for!"

In the VIP box, Grizzlies owner Michael Heisley was practically roaring with excitement.

Just a few days ago, he still had doubts about Chen Yan's overall game—but tonight, those doubts were completely shattered.

It wasn't just the kid's scoring ability. Chen Yan's playing style screamed box office gold.

That was why Heisley couldn't contain himself.

Watching Chen Yan in person was on a completely different level compared to highlight reels—it was electric, explosive, almost surreal.

He couldn't get that one play out of his head—Chen Yan's 360 layup around Hibbert, followed by a dunk over the seven-footer.

Hibbert, somewhere in the background: "Man... can I stop being the poster boy for this kid?"

Jerry West, standing nearby, chuckled at the owner's enthusiasm.

"Now it's just about luck," West said. "We can't control the draft lottery."

Even though the Grizzlies were basically locked in as the worst team in the league, that didn't guarantee them the number one pick.

The lottery gods didn't reward tanking—but their odds were better than most.

Other non-playoff teams had also started playing bad on purpose, clearly trying to join the Chen Yan sweepstakes.

After his jaw-dropping performance in March Madness, it was obvious—Chen was easily worth a top-five pick.

Hell, even if you didn't get him at No. 1, you'd be lucky to land him at all. No way you'd lose on that investment.

---

Back on the court, players from both sides were showing respect—hugs, handshakes, no drama.

To their credit, Georgetown played with class. Even when they were getting blown out, they didn't resort to dirty plays or cheap fouls.

One moment stood out to Chen Yan: Jeff Green actually pulled his legs back mid-air more than once, just to avoid a potential collision.

That kind of awareness and sportsmanship? Chen respected the hell out of it.

But once the final buzzer sounded, it was chaos—reporters swarmed the court like it was a free-for-all at the lunch buffet.

Durant straightened his jersey, ready for his moment in the spotlight. He was the highest scorer of the night, after all. Surely, the cameras were coming for him...

Except they didn't.

Nearly all the media rushed straight to Chen Yan, swarming him three layers deep.

Durant blinked at the lone pair of microphones shoved in his direction and muttered under his breath, "MMP... guess I'm invisible now."

During the interviews, he kept glancing at Chen from across the court.

That guy had the looks, the confidence, the media savvy... like he was born to be the main character.

Chen, on the other hand, was smooth. Calm and collected, answering questions with a natural charm.

Unless it was private or sensitive, he answered everything.

He gave the media what they wanted—and in return, they hyped him up everywhere. It was a win-win.

Meanwhile, in a quieter corner of the arena, Allen Iverson was just trying to head out when an ESPN reporter caught up to him.

"Hey, Allen! Mind if I grab a few minutes?"

Iverson, already rocking sunglasses, paused. "Go ahead."

"First of all, tough loss for Georgetown. How do you think the team played tonight?"

Iverson exhaled. "Man... it hurts seeing my alma mater go down like that. But you could tell the young guys gave it their all. They've just got some growing to do."

The reporter nodded, then pressed on. "What about Texas' Chen Yan? Thoughts on his performance tonight?"

Iverson didn't hesitate. "That kid? He left a mark. Straight up—he's on another level compared to Georgetown's guys."

That was Iverson for you—never sugarcoating, never faking. He wasn't about to hold back just because the Hoyas were his guys.

That same honesty got him into it with refs more than once over his career...

"Some fans say his crossover reminds them of a young you. What do you think?"

Iverson finally cracked a smile. "I like how he moves. Real smooth, real sharp. Watching him cross dudes up is art—it's the closest I've seen to how I used to do it."

"What if he ends up in Denver with you? You think y'all could coexist?"

Iverson laughed. "Man, forget it. We already got me and Melo. There ain't enough basketballs to go around."

The reporter grinned. Iverson always kept it real.

After the interview, he didn't just leave. He walked over to Chen Yan, who was still fielding questions, and wrapped him in a hug right in front of the cameras.

"You killed it out there," Iverson said, patting him on the back. "Keep grinding."

Chen grinned. "You know it."

"See you in the league."

Click-click-click! Cameras flashed nonstop, capturing the torch-passing moment.

---

Postgame Press Conference

"Coach Thompson, what do you think about Patrick Ewing Jr. getting ejected after two quick techs?"

Coach John Thompson III kept his tone level. "He lost his cool a little, yeah. But he's already apologized to the team. I know he'll come back stronger next season."

Then, inevitably, the conversation shifted to Chen Yan.

"Before tonight, I saw some of the media hype," Coach Thompson said. "Honestly, I thought it might've been overblown."

He paused, then added with a rueful smile:

"But after playing against him... he's worth every bit of that hype."

"We thought we had a plan to slow him down after the tip-off. We were wrong. Completely wrong. What he shows on tape is already impressive, but seeing it live? Whole different beast."

The Next Day — University of Texas Campus

The buzz was everywhere—cafeteria tables, lecture halls, gym locker rooms. You couldn't go five feet without hearing someone mention Chen Yan.

And it wasn't just students. Professors, janitors, even campus security guards were talking about his game like they were analyzing NBA Finals tape.

Then someone in the middle of a crowded walkway asked:

"Wait, you didn't watch the Georgetown game?"

Everyone turned to him like he'd grown a third eye.

Another student chimed in:

"Bro, do you even need to watch the Longhorns anymore? Just wake up, check the score, and it's another blowout win!"

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