Check out my new fanfic.
12th man to Cricket legend. It's a cricket book for cricket lovers only.
Please give it a go 😊
***
After the 78th All-Star Baseball Game concluded, the annual ESPY Awards were held as scheduled the following day.
On the evening of July 11, 2007, sports stars gathered in Los Angeles, and media reporters flocked to the Microsoft Theater.
With major sports events concluded, this was the last chance for juicy gossip.
In recent years, Jimmy Kimmel Live has become a huge hit, and Jimmy Kimmel was set to host this year's awards ceremony, partnered with LeBron James.
Although the The Chosen One lost decisively in the Eastern Conference Finals this year, his reputation actually rebounded after people watched the Finals!
Tim Duncan, who was in his prime, set the record for the largest winning margin in Finals history.
It was understandable that LeBron James, who was under 23, lost by so much, as he was still 'Young LeBron.'
As everyone knows, Jimmy Kimmel, born in Brooklyn, New York, is a New York Knicks supporter.
During the 2003-2004 Finals, Kimmel's late-night talk show had just exploded in popularity.
He had originally recorded a segment for the Finals, but it was ultimately pulled by ABC due to 'overly sharp remarks.'
Afterward, Kimmel even apologized to the Los Angeles fans.
As for what he actually said, New York Media had already leaked it:
'The Lakers can't win games. They will always play the role of clowns.'
This was the New York fans' favorite joke at the time, but it caused great damage to the Lakers.
Even though it wasn't aired, New York Media would occasionally boast about it afterward.
It's no wonder Lakers fans hate the New York Knicks.
No one can tolerate being mocked when they reach the Finals.
San Antonio completely broke down this year.
After the Finals ended, all news about the San Antonio Spurs disappeared from the newspapers.
Even Tony Parker and Eva Longoria's grand wedding in France a few days ago went unreported.
Angry fans would call if they saw news about the San Antonio Spurs, as no one wanted to invite trouble.
Compared to the old guys who lost in the Finals, LeBron James received much better treatment.
New York Media rarely mocked him.
As long as he didn't appear on the Finals stage, and as long as he didn't put up exaggerated stats at Madison Square Garden, most columnists were very friendly.
LeBron James, appearing on the red carpet that afternoon in a black suit, was all smiles.
His influence was steadily rising, and he had just welcomed his second son, which made him very pleased.
This year's Best Upset award would undoubtedly go to the Golden State Warriors, as eliminating the 68-win MVP's team was beyond everyone's expectations.
After a simple red carpet ceremony, LeBron James noticed the Golden State Warriors players, with Stephen Jackson and Matt Barnes being the most conspicuous.
Accompanied by their beautiful women, Jackson and Barnes received many blessings from reporters.
When the former was asked about the awards that night, he jokingly and loudly declared:
"Matt and I are champions! Don't compare me to those softies."
Fearing others wouldn't hear, Jackson, with his head held high, spoke disrespectfully.
It proved that as long as a player performs well, fans will forgive his off-court antics.
In mid-June, Jackson was indicted for firing a gun in a strip club.
Although a settlement was reached through his lawyer's efforts, he was still fined and sentenced to one year of community service after paying.
However, Warriors fans didn't care about any of that, and Head Coach Don Nelson and the team didn't show much concern either.
Everyone was still reveling in the joy of eliminating the MVP.
Gloria, with her curvaceous figure and half-exposed chest, nestled in her boyfriend's arms.
She wouldn't receive this much attention in New York.
Feeling his girlfriend's good mood, Matt Barnes didn't object to his teammate's words.
Facing the reporters, he shrugged his shoulders, smiled, and joined in the banter:
"Stephen is right. We know how to win, how to build a true winning culture!"
"Don't underestimate championship experience. In crucial games, we are better than most players in the league."
Sports reporters clearly enjoyed the show and didn't refute their bragging.
Instead, they used the topic to egg them on from behind:
"Matt, have you contacted Dirk Nowitzki?"
"How does it feel to help Head Coach Don Nelson get revenge? Tell us more."
Stephen Jackson loved being the center of attention.
He hugged his girl, becoming even more smug, and in the midst of the cheers, he continued to tease:
"I don't like Dirk Nowitzki. He shouldn't have stolen Lee's trophy. Now I just hope the trophy can return to Lee's hands next season. As for the league's plans, what player cares about that!"
"..."
When Jackson and the others left, many sports reporters were delighted.
They took the opportunity to also criticize David Stern's'star-making machine.'
In recent years, New York Knicks ticket prices have soared, and Madison Square Garden has been raking in profits, but one team cannot stop the league's decline.
Every time Finals viewership declined, commentators would come out to criticize David Stern.
The huge disparity between large and small markets, overly obvious star calls by referees, unfair award selections, and the league's lack of fresh blood were all reasons cited by armchair critics.
This year, the MVP was eliminated in the first round, and no one complained about the New York Knicks' dominance anymore, nor did anyone grumble about Clay Lee winning too much.
Related professionals seemed to have reached a consensus: Clay Lee is very strong, but the quality of the stars in recent years has indeed been disappointing.
Viewership is declining, and those 'fake stars' should reflect on themselves.
LeBron James, planning to outlast the old guard, saw the high-spirited Warriors team leave and suddenly thought of the recent hot news in the NBA circle.
All-Stars around 30 years old being able to play on the same team surprised him with the changes in the league.
Jimmy Kimmel, wearing a black suit and a red striped tie, with his hair slicked back, stepped forward, patted his partner for the night, and reassured him again:
"Hey! LeBron, don't be nervous. Leave everything to me. This isn't live, so it's okay if you make a mistake!"
LeBron James snapped out of it and forced a smile.
Dirk Nowitzki and Tim Duncan's declining reputations were good for him.
When the old guys faded, more people would pay attention to him.
"Yeah! I've been preparing for a long time. Actually, I'd rather go on your show."
The two exchanged simple pleasantries for the media and took a photo.
Afterward, LeBron James focused all his attention on the show.
He didn't want to make a fool of himself.
Meanwhile, Kevin Durant, dressed in a light blue suit, walked awkwardly across the red carpet, constantly looking around.
He felt a little disappointed not to see Lee and his goddess.
His mother, Wanda, was dressed up elegantly today.
Her son had signed a big contract with Nike and was selected as the second overall pick.
They had endured hard times, and now they could fully enjoy life.
Wanda, with her short black hair, noticed her son's distracted look.
Her plump face immediately showed a serious expression as she quietly reminded him:
"You're going to receive an award. Think about what you're going to say on stage! I don't want to see you make a fool of yourself!"
"I know, I know, Mom."
Durant responded casually.
He didn't have strong feelings about the Best Male College Athlete award.
Besides athletes, there were also many big stars and beautiful models present.
Reporters gathered more and more around the red carpet at the entrance of the Microsoft Theater, and Tiger Woods's appearance erupted in even louder cheers.
At 9 PM sharp, the ESPY Awards officially began.
As usual, the hosts would talk about the major sports events of the year, tell jokes, and poke fun at some athletes.
Although LeBron James had prepared for a long time, Jimmy Kimmel, once he got into the swing of things, didn't follow the script.
Instead, he suddenly started talking about recent news:
"As a New York sports fan, I've never hidden my love for the New York Knicks. I am a Lee supporter. Without a doubt, he is the greatest player in NBA history!"
"Last night, I just watched ESPN news. Look at Bill Simmons. That guy is shouting for Boston again."
Laughter and jeers erupted in the audience.
This sports expert has always been a die-hard Boston fan, but in recent years, he could only praise Clay Lee, becoming a 'two-faced person' for traffic and popularity.
Jimmy Kimmel spoke rapidly.
After the laughter subsided, he joked about his old stories:
"I want to kindly remind Bill Simmons that the last Lakers team to form a super team became the biggest joke. His champagne was popped too early."
"Most importantly, I don't like his articles. Don't call weakness 'chasing dreams'!"
Durant, sitting in the audience, also laughed happily.
Although he was the one who sent Ray Allen away, he didn't have much respect for the veteran's choice.
Rookies simply looked down on such 'teaming up' behavior!
Afterward, the awards ceremony had no major highlights.
Clay Lee once again won the Best NBA Player award, but his agent, Mark Bartelstein, accepted it.
The Golden State Warriors received the Best Upset award as expected, and Durant also successfully won the Best Male College Athlete award.
As the awards ceremony concluded, the subsequent athlete party continued.
Due to Kimmel's 'disrespectful remarks,' LeBron James now faced an awkward question:
"LeBron, how would you evaluate your partner's views tonight? Will ESPN air this segment?"
The Yahoo Sports reporter asked the question and deliberately reminded him of the 'Four Giants'' ages, fearing LeBron James would forget.
Kevin Garnett was currently 31 years old, Ray Allen would turn 32 in a few days, Stephon Marbury was already 30, and Paul Pierce wouldn't turn 30 until October.
"I can understand the veterans' feelings. Time is not on their side."
"But as a basketball player, I don't like such decisions. Look at Clay Lee and Michael Jordan. They have always played for one team."
"..."
LeBron James did not directly answer, only emphasizing his 'loyalty.'
Although he planned for 'brotherhood basketball,' that was just a backup plan.
On Thursday, July 12, at the Thomas & Mack Center at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, the Summer League continued.
On Tuesday, the New York Knicks and the China team played a game.
Although Yi Jianlian and Sun Yue, who were drafted, played, the final score was 60:98.
Petteri Koponen, a combo guard selected by Donnie Walsh at the 30th pick this year, did not play for the New York Knicks.
This Rookie chose to play another year in the Finnish league after learning about the team.
What was impressive about this game was the three-point shooting of Gary Neal (60th pick), Barea, and Novak, who were part of the atmosphere squad.
The former played with all his might, fighting for every ball.
Although his Defense was lacking, he was extremely active.
The latter two rarely appeared in the regular season, but they stood out in the Summer League.
Training with the main players still had an effect.
At least many of Barea's minor skills showed traces of Lee.
Tonight's opponent was the Sacramento Kings, and Prince and Chandler, who had already flown to Las Vegas, were also present.
Both had been attending a mini training camp for the national team these past few days.
Kobe Bryant, the 81-point scorer, also arrived at the training camp early.
Thinking of the attitude he had shown these past few days, Prince, who was watching the game, suddenly sighed:
"I can understand why a player like Gary Neal, who was almost undrafted, trains so hard, but it's unbelievable that Kobe actually starts playing at 4:30 in the morning."
Gary Neal, who was fighting for an out-of-bounds ball on the court, fell off the baseline.
After getting up, he was in so much pain that he kept gasping for air.
The audience quickly gave him applause and cheers:
"Oh!!"
Chandler smiled and clapped along, but he didn't care about his teammate's words and instead teased him:
"You want to be teammates with Kobe? I'm not interested in waking up early with him every day, and what right does he have to throw tantrums at us?"
"I invited him to play Texas Hold'em, but he lectured me instead! Lee doesn't have such airs. We can win games by playing cards every day."
When All-Star players gathered, entertainment options were limited.
Chandler, who had won a championship, organized a card game, and Kidd and others agreed, but only Kobe did not participate in such "degenerate" activities.
Lee didn't go to the ESPYs because he was taking care of his child, while Kobe missed the awards ceremony because he didn't win any awards.
When everyone chatted, gossip naturally arose.
Kidd always made fun of himself.
This "Lee-approved captain" certainly lived up to the trust, being as good at livening up the atmosphere as LeBron James and Dwight Howard.
Prince didn't like to criticize players behind their backs.
He could only raise an eyebrow at Chandler's words.
He also felt that Kobe's uncooperative attitude was indeed a bit unsociable.
Thaddeus Young, the 11th overall pick, didn't have too many standout performances.
Even in the Summer League, the New York Knicks still relied on their core point guard to drive the offensive rhythm, which made the Rookie a bit uncomfortable.
The game process was still overwhelming.
In the end, at 84:100, the New York Knicks suppressed their opponents throughout the game and won another game.
"Wow!"
The arena began to get noisy.
Chandler put his arm around Barea and Novak, and seeing Thaddeus Young, who was a bit reserved on the other side, he invited him again:
"Come play a few games at my place tonight! Relax, I won't let you lose too much. I'll treat you later."
Barea patted his Good Brother.
Seeing the hesitant Rookie, he smiled and invited him again:
"Come on, man! If you can, if you can make the active roster, you'll have to play cards on road trips. If you can beat Lee, maybe he'll even take care of you."
Thaddeus Young, who was tugging at his jersey and had given himself a buzz cut to show his determination, instinctively widened his eyes when he heard this.
Novak, however, pursed his lips and exposed his teammate's mischievousness:
"Lee might have professional-level skills. No one has ever beaten him. This is a friendly joke."
"I knew it! Okay, Bro! I'll definitely go tonight!"
Thaddeus Young readily agreed and then flashed a fawning smile at Prince.
In the new season, he would be a bag-carrying subordinate and had to act according to his Good Brother's wishes.
The Head Coach for the Summer League was still Mike Malone.
Although most of the players on the team were unknown, New York Media still paid attention:
"Young's talent is excellent, but to get into the rotation, he still needs to train hard."
"Starting with adapting to the tactics, I believe he will get a chance in the regular season."
Mike Malone, who had won the game, was actually a bit overconfident.
He had completely mastered the "core guard system" created by Mike D'Antoni.
As long as there was a suitable opportunity, he wouldn't mind going out to be a Head Coach and achieving his own career.
Gary Neal was helping the staff pack up equipment.
Seeing that the high-drafted Rookie had already integrated into the team, he felt even more bitter.
He wanted to improve so badly, and at this moment, he could only secretly encourage himself:
"Just a little longer, I can stay here."
On Friday, July 13th, a blockbuster trade was officially approved.
Although it was a bit later than expected, Danny Ainge did deliver on his promise to the fans.
The Celtics sent Ryan Gomes, Gerald Green, Al Jefferson, Theo Ratliff, Sebastian Telfair, and two 2009 first-round picks (including the Washington Wizards' pick);
In a 7-for-1 trade, they finally acquired the MVP—Kevin Garnett.
After the news broke on various sports media outlets in the morning, many Timberwolves fans expressed their dissatisfaction with General Manager McHale on Reddit.
Al Jefferson was a player McHale favored, and Theo Ratliff's final year of his contract would help the Timberwolves rebuild quickly.
For this trade, the management only offered blessings.
At the same time, the Celtics signed Stephon Marbury with a full mid-level exception.
The 2-year contract caused a significant loss for the faded All-Star, but for his dream, Marbury gladly accepted.
At this time, Lee was in Tarrytown attending the opening party of Diaw's cafe.
The Frenchman had attended his former teammate Parker's grand wedding last weekend and would only be in New York for a few more days.
In early September, the EuroBasket would begin in Spain.
Pau Gasol had gone home early, and even his brother, who was drafted by the Lakers, did not stay in the United States.
The two brothers rushed to enjoy their few remaining days of vacation.
The cafe was not large.
In addition to selling coffee, it mainly offered authentic French pastries and bread.
Krysten Ritter had just given birth to a son not long ago, and the Happy Cafe in the financial district was currently having a promotion.
Although the cafe's head pastry chef, Ghaya Oliveira, was busy, she heard that the Frenchman had brought the most authentic bread from his hometown, so she came along today to exchange experiences.
Diaw saw many familiar faces from financial district restaurants today and thanked them again:
"Thanks, Bro! This will save me a lot on advertising. Don't be a stranger when you come here in the future."
Rolling up the sleeves of his white shirt, Diaw, wearing a blue apron, smiled happily at the lively scene in the cafe.
He had indeed put his heart into opening this shop.
Inside the cafe, rows of small round tables were set up, covered with checkered tablecloths, and in the center of each was a small vase with fresh lavender.
Lee, near the bar, took the coffee Diaw handed him and praised the decor after a glance:
"Oliveira is right, your bread is truly delicious!"
"Don't underestimate her. Daniel still wants to poach her. You know his French restaurant. My small shop relies entirely on Oliveira's skills."
His little assistant was still hospitalized, and during that time, many restaurant owners and staff came to visit her.
Compared to Scarlett's group of "plastic sisters," Krysten Ritter, who had been in the physical business for many years and focused on cafes, had made better friends.
"Lee, aren't you going to talk to the reporters? I just got back and heard the big news too. This is truly a blockbuster trade."
Diaw looked towards the New York Times reporters and quietly reminded him, but Lee waved his hand, put his jacket aside, and focused on savoring his coffee:
"I don't need to respond. They know how to write it. These guys know better than I do what New York fans want to see."
"Ray still hasn't replied to my text. He probably feels embarrassed, being kicked off the team by a Rookie. I'm not interested in caring about anyone else."
"Instead of focusing on them, you should pray that you guys don't get injured. The coach has already gone to Spain."
Mike D'Antoni's confidence mainly stemmed from the fact that the New York Knicks had too many players.
After the Celtics' Four Giants, the remaining players could only be signed at the minimum salary.
This disparity was visible to the naked eye.
Pundits were only responsible for hyping up blockbuster trades to entertain fans, and as for what happened next, fans could imagine it themselves.
Seemingly thinking that veteran players in good condition like Finley could only wave towels with him, Diaw spread his hands and stopped talking about basketball:
"Boss, you're right!"
Lee, drinking coffee, just smiled.
Although there were no leeks for him to harvest this year, his talent panel had locked in his physical condition, which was only finally confirmed after a season of experience.
Lee, who had been fighting the female Valkyrie Katheryn every day recently, was more worried about being defeated by this formidable opponent.
On Monday, July 9th, at 6 PM, a large number of media reporters gathered at the Will McDonough Media Studio in the TD Garden.
When the Four Giants appeared on stage, the atmosphere was incredibly enthusiastic.
Pierce, in a suit with a bright smile, the resolute Kevin Garnett, the expressionless Ray Allen, and the excited Stephon Marbury all raised their green jerseys together, and the clicking sounds were endless.
After the four sat down, the Celtics' spokesperson also smiled broadly.
Pierce, as the original leader, humbly indicated that the other three were the protagonists.
Ray Allen's emotions were flat.
He was still somewhat dissatisfied with the Seattle SuperSonics.
Without waiting for questions, he spoke for himself immediately:
"There's nothing wrong with my ankle. The surgery was very successful. I even feel like my ankle is back to how it was when I was 18."
Hearing these words, Kevin Garnett, who was beside him, looked even more resolute.
He led the high-fiving and looked at Stephon Marbury on the far right, simply reminding "Stephen."
Becoming the focus of attention again, Stephon Marbury was overjoyed, and his face showed an excited expression.
He held the microphone and spoke emotionally:
"I don't like some media reports. I know that this Celtics team now frightens many players."
"After entering the league, I wasn't appreciated. In fact, all I pursue is victory. I've been winning since I was a child. You might have forgotten that I was also winning early in my career."
"I have 7 children at home. My parents are great. We all went to college, which wasn't easy!"
"My three older brothers have always longed for the NBA. I play with their dreams. I want to win a championship!"
"Now we are gathered together, only to pursue our dreams, no matter how you evaluate us."
"Remember, basketball doesn't lie!"
"..."
....
By the way, don't forget to throw power stones and leave a review to motivate me :)