Soon after the Chinese men's basketball team got its revenge against Spain, the long-awaited American Dream Team finally took the stage at the London Olympics.
Their opening act was ruthless.
Team USA cruised past France, 98–71, in a game that never really felt competitive. Even with constant rotations, the Americans overwhelmed a French squad led by Tony Parker, Boris Diaw, Nicolas Batum, and Ronny Turiaf. Five players off, five players on—it barely mattered. The level stayed the same.
Kevin Durant was the standout, pouring in a team-high 22 points on 8-of-12 shooting. Efficient, smooth, and completely in rhythm.
By contrast, Kobe Bryant and LeBron James had relatively quiet nights. Kobe went 3-of-11, LeBron 3-of-9.
What made it strange was that those two—numbers 23 and 24—were the only players on Team USA to shoot under 40 percent.
That alone said a lot.
Still, the most interesting moment came after the game, during Durant's interview.
With a relaxed smile, he said,
"I honestly think the Chinese men's team is our biggest rival for the gold. Everyone knows what Lin Yi's done in the NBA, but I don't see myself as any less than him."
Then he added, calmly but confidently,
"We expect to win every game. I'll do my job and score for this team."
When Lin Yi saw the interview, he couldn't help but laugh.
Team USA and Durant, in particular, had essentially put them on a pedestal.
It was flattering, no doubt, but it also came with a downside. By openly acknowledging them as a serious threat, the Americans had removed the most valuable edge in tournament basketball: being underestimated.
If the two teams were to meet in the Finals, there would be no complacency, no casual starts, and no easing into the game. Team USA would come in fully locked in, treating China as a true equal rather than a surprise challenger.
And that, more than anything else, quietly lowered the odds of pulling off an upset.
If China had anything close to the U.S. roster depth, Lin Yi knew exactly what he would've said before boarding the plane:
If we don't win it all, we'll swim back home.
Durant, meanwhile, clearly thought he was pushing back a bit with that interview.
Unfortunately for him, the internet had other plans.
The moment his interview clips hit social media, comment sections lit up with disbelief.
"China as your main rival? Yes," one post read. "But this roster should be enough to blow them away."
Another user was even blunter:
"With the talent Team USA has, anything less than an overwhelming win is underachieving."
Some fans framed it as false humility.
"This is the most stacked Olympic team in years," a popular comment said. "Durant acting cautious just sounds soft. You've got five All-NBA guys on the floor at all times."
Others dragged the comparison angle.
"Respect is fine. Lin Yi and Yao Ming deserve that much," someone wrote, "but let's be real. The U.S. bench could start for half the tournament."
Some felt Durant was dodging pressure.
"When you've got that much depth, you don't talk about 'challenges' even if you got the reigning MVP on the opponent's bench," one fan argued. "Unless Lin Yi explodes to the extreme, I don't see Team USA losing. Gold or bust."
Durant stared at the screen, perplexed and pissed.
So, in a moment of questionable judgment, he logged into an alternate account under the name "Russell" and jumped straight into the replies.
And just like that, a full-blown Twitter war quietly began.
…
On the 29th, the men's basketball team finally had a day off.
That was when everyone truly realized how absurd Lin Yi's popularity had become.
From early morning, athletes from other Olympic delegations, including the Chinese—also enjoying their rest day—kept dropping by, inviting Lin Yi to watch events together and into their dorms.
Some truths didn't need to be explained.
He had seen the thousands of condoms that were brought in containers by the officials on opening day in the Village. Those condoms vanished in an instant.
The amount of sex and flirtation going on in the place would have had it mistaken for a brothel. He wanted none of it. It was because of these distractions that the USA Basketball normally stayed a few kilometers away from the Village in their residence.
In the end, he politely declined most of the invitations and chose to stay back and chat with Olsen while he rested at the team residence.
Still, that afternoon, he casually followed a few other events. While watching the men's sabre competition with Yao Ming, Lin Yi nearly spilled the cup of goji berry tea he'd just brewed.
After Hungarian fencer Áron Szilágyi won gold and stood on the podium, the big-bearded champion looked… confused.
Later, during his interview, he said,
"I've heard the Hungarian national anthem countless times. I can confirm the version they played today was off."
The Hungarian national anthem, played during the medal ceremony, was a specially prepared recorded version different from the traditional Himnusz, with unusual harmonies, faster pacing, and tones compared with the version they knew. The Hungarian delegation protested, and the anthem recording was subsequently changed for later ceremonies.
...
The next day, on the 30th, controversy shifted to the fencing piste.
In the women's épée semifinal, South Korean fencer Shin A-lam was eliminated in one of the most disputed moments of the London Games. In sudden death, with the score tied, the final second on the clock seemed to stretch endlessly. Officials restarted the bout multiple times, and when the deciding touch was finally awarded to Germany's Britta Heidemann, the Korean camp erupted in protest.
Shin remained on the piste, visibly distraught, refusing to leave as her coaches lodged an official appeal. Under fencing regulations, she was allowed to stay while the protest was under review, and for more than an hour, she stood there in tears as officials debated the ruling.
The appeal was ultimately rejected.
The decision stood, and Shin was forced to accept elimination in one of the most uncomfortable scenes of the tournament. It was another reminder that the London Olympics, barely underway, already seemed to thrive on chaos and controversy.
It was that kind of Olympics.
…
After a day's break, the afternoon of the 30th arrived under far lighter moods. Amid the lively atmosphere of the Games, the Chinese men's basketball team stepped onto the court for their second group-stage matchup.
Once again, all eyes were on Lin Yi—the player who had single-handedly raised expectations back home.
He didn't disappoint.
Against Russia, Lin Yi played the full forty minutes, finishing with 20 points, 15 rebounds, and 10 assists. Another triple-double in the bag.
Under his leadership, China edged out an 85–72 victory, securing their second straight win in group play.
On paper, Russia wasn't as strong as Spain. But on the court, they lived up to their reputation as a fighting nation. Russia was simply tough.
Every possession was contested. Every rebound was a battle.
The two teams combined for 38 fouls in a bruising, physical contest that never let up. In the end, China pulled away thanks to steadier free-throw shooting from Lin Yi and Yao Ming.
After the game, Yao Ming—still in good spirits—noticed Lin Yi studying the stat sheet with a slight frown.
Yao shook his head and smiled.
"Lin, if anyone else played a game like this, they'd be begging for compliments. You're the only one who goes straight to picking yourself apart."
Lin Yi smiled and nodded.
He wasn't someone who got carried away by a couple of wins. Even now, he knew there were things he hadn't done well.
Spotting problems after a win mattered just as much as celebrating it.
For Lin Yi, the review didn't end with the final buzzer.
....
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