When Zack slammed the ball into the U.S. team's basket in a style reminiscent of Michael Jordan, Nick Eckhart, sitting in the most prominent spot at the Wukesong Basketball Arena, was overcome with a mix of emotions.
Especially when his younger son, Joey Eckhart, sitting beside him, fanatically cheered "MVP" for Zack, Nick couldn't help but recall the 1992 Barcelona Olympics.
Nick was a devoted fan of the Dream Team. This was his fifth Olympic Games following the Dream Team. In 1992, during that groundbreaking performance by Jordan, Bird, and Magic, Nick, who was courtside, still vividly remembered the incredible roar of the crowd from various countries cheering for the Dream Team.
In 1996, even though that Dream Team, which boasted Hakeem Olajuwon, Shaquille O'Neal, and David Robinson in the paint, couldn't quite replicate the glory of Barcelona, Nick, as a supporter of the Dream Team, was undoubtedly happy and content. It was also from that Olympics that Nick started to learn a bit about basketball. In Atlanta, a "Flying Man" named Hu Weidong had commentators exclaiming, "Hu should come to the NBA Dunk Contest!"
By 2000, Nick conceded that the Dream Team's dominance in international basketball was indeed showing signs of decline. However, Vince Carter's "Dunk of the Century" still became the iconic image of the Dream Team's control in Sydney that year.
Then came the disastrous defeat in Athens in 2004, which felt like a nightmare... Even now, Nick still couldn't understand why the Dream Team, with Allen Iverson, Tim Duncan, and the 2003 "Golden Generation," was utterly outplayed by Puerto Rico's Carlos Arroyo.
And now, here we are, at the Beijing Olympics Men's Basketball final, with the "Redemption Team" facing off against the new GOAT. Nick realized that the Redemption Team, supposedly featuring their strongest players, had no answer for the new GOAT. What's more, Nick knew better than anyone that more and more young Americans, like Joey, were now cheering for this new GOAT.
Nick couldn't deny the new GOAT's charisma, the legends he'd created in the NBA, and how his early "prodigal son returns" story had inspired a whole generation of American youth. But as this new GOAT relentlessly dominated the U.S. team's defense, Nick, as a loyal Dream Team fan, couldn't help but feel a pang of sadness for American basketball.
When the GOAT is on the other side – this is why Charles Barkley thought the Redemption Team was overly arrogant and conceited before the Olympics. If a GOAT could be limited, why would he be called a GOAT? If he couldn't be limited, why would you think the Redemption Team's strongest players could defeat a team that had the GOAT?
At the Wukesong Basketball Arena, Kobe, back on the court, tried to get the Dream Team back on track by focusing on defense first. He worked tirelessly on the perimeter, constantly urging his U.S. teammates to rotate on defense more quickly.
It was evident that, compared to the U.S. team that had suffered three consecutive devastating defeats in major tournaments, this Redemption Team, with a leader like Kobe, had a completely different spirit. This allowed them to gradually find their rhythm on both offense and defense.
Carmelo Anthony, under Zack's tight defense, hit his first three-pointer of the game. Dwyane Wade, subbing in for Jason Kidd, drove hard to the basket on a fast break, scoring over Yi Jianlian. Kobe led by example, hitting a crucial and difficult jumper from the right 45-degree angle off a James drive, thanks to the touch he'd found since the knockout rounds.
On defense, with the U.S. stars playing with desperate intensity, 's perimeter shooters inevitably started to falter. Zhu Fangyu's corner three off a pass from Zack went wide. Sun Yue's three from the top of the arc off a Zack drive-and-kick clanked off the rim. As the Redemption Team, fighting with their backs against the wall, successfully narrowed the score, the Wukesong Basketball Arena entered the most suffocating phase of this Olympic Men's Basketball final.
Yao Ming became the only reliable battering ram for when Zack was frequently double-teamed. "Save your energy, this quarter is on me!" Yao Ming, who trusted Zack implicitly, said after scoring another two points for .
Zack nodded. But in those possessions where the U.S. team's double-teaming wasn't decisive enough, the new GOAT still punished their defense with his exquisite skill.
On the last possession of the first half, Zack dribbled, starting with a scissor step, then a quick pull-back after a "Sam God" crossover, followed by a sudden stop, faking out LeBron James, and pulling up for a three. Swish!
At halftime, the score was 49-54. Zack had 21 points, 8 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 blocks, and 1 steal in the first half. Yao Ming had 17 points, 5 rebounds, 1 assist, and 2 blocks.
During halftime, compared to the dazed early parts of the first and second quarters, Mike Breen still highly praised the Redemption Team for finding themselves again. "Led by Kobe, at least we still have a chance to battle with a deity in the second half!"
Battle with a deity. Just looking at the box score, it's hard to truly grasp the pressure Zack put on the entire U.S. team in the first half under FIBA rules.
Back in the locker room, a grim-faced Kobe demanded that every member of the Redemption Team maintain the defensive intensity they showed in the latter half of the second quarter. "This is our only chance to win! Not all of their players can handle this kind of defense!"
Younger players like Wade and Chris Paul eagerly chimed in, "Kobe's right, no matter how strong the Messiah is, his individual ability has limits. Only by working together can we achieve redemption in this game."
Kobe, acting as the team's unifier, showed through his actions what a leader should do when a team is in a difficult situation.
In contrast, in the team's locker room, everyone, including head coach Jonas Kazlauskas, collectively looked at Zack, whose expression remained calm. At that moment, no one knew what Zack was thinking. But the calmer Zack appeared, the more secure the players felt.
After halftime, according to FIBA rules, it was 's ball. The U.S. team maintained its full-court press, with LeBron James leading the defense on Zack.
Knowing that he would likely be double-teamed early by the U.S. team if he dribbled across half-court, Zack patiently observed the U.S. team's on-court positioning as he brought the ball up. Zack was well aware that with the U.S. stars now putting aside their egos and fully committing to defense under Kobe's rallying call, even if he could pass the ball to a teammate, it would be difficult for anyone other than Yao Ming to maintain their shooting percentage.
So, the moment he dribbled past half-court, seeing Wade charging at him, Zack created space with a cross-over, then suddenly lowered his dribble and exploded forward. Zack cleverly used his prior dribbling path to position James and Wade directly in a line. This meant the U.S. team's double-team couldn't come from both sides.
Then, Zack dribbled straight ahead, and the moment he encountered Carmelo Anthony's help defense, he executed an unexpected tornado spin, cutting directly into the U.S. team's paint. Dwight Howard stared, dumbfounded, at Zack, who had appeared before him in an instant. Though Howard instinctively jumped with all his might, Zack, who had already opened his body in mid-air during the spin, was like a mighty axe cleaving the heavens, shattering the restricted area guarded by Howard the very next second.
Slam!
The Wukesong Basketball Arena erupted as Zack's terrifying 1-on-4 dunk ignited the crowd! James, Melo, Wade, and Howard all became mere backdrops in that play! This was a dunk where Zack showed the world, through his actions, the kind of dominance a GOAT should possess!
The entire arena was so loud that no other sound could be heard. And Zack? After landing from the dunk, Zack turned, just like Jordan in old stories, and slowly spread his hands towards the U.S. team's bench.
"Our strongest players are being toyed with," ESPN's Mike Breen described Zack's 1-on-4 dunk.
Back on the other end, it was the U.S. team's ball. Shoulder shake, sidestep, step-back, fadeaway. Kobe, with his signature offensive moves, salvaged some pride for the Redemption Team.
But the new GOAT, now in "God-mode," broke free from James's perimeter defense with a sudden crossover, opening up a wide path to the U.S. half-court. On the court, James, whose balance was thrown off by Zack, could only follow awkwardly behind him.
However... Zack, always maintaining a favorable position, once again cleverly broke the U.S. team's pre-emptive double-team. Since James was firmly trapped behind Zack, when Wade charged at Zack, facing a double-team that still couldn't come from both sides, Zack quickly pulled the ball back and dribbled past Wade, causing James and Wade to unfortunately collide. Then, Zack stopped dribbling at the three-point line, raised his hand, and hit a three-pointer!
"Your teamwork isn't great, is it?" Zack quipped, looking back at Wade and James who had just crashed into each other.
Hearing that, James and Wade remained silent. Though they were reluctant to admit it, their silence spoke to one fact: under Zack's authoritative dominance, the entire basketball world was terrified of this new GOAT. If no one dared to provoke Jordan back then, now, no one dared to provoke Zack.
"Alright, I'll give you another chance to show some teamwork. Next possession, I'll shoot from the same spot."
And even more frustrating than Jordan, Zack's aggression was far beyond Jordan's. Not only could you not provoke him, but you also had to endure his mental torment and destruction. At that moment, both James and Wade were fuming. They didn't believe that, even with their combined efforts, Zack could really shoot from the same spot on the next possession.
It was the U.S. team's turn to offense. Wade used an off-ball cut to score with a floater before Yao Ming's help defense arrived. LeBron James intently pressured Zack, who was preparing to receive the ball. Then, Sun Yue suddenly dropped back to receive the pass and dribbled the ball across half-court unimpeded. This was a mind game. Once the U.S. team got used to Zack bringing the ball up, who's to say Sun Yue couldn't occasionally act as the ball-handler?
Then, as soon as Sun Yue dribbled past half-court, Zack sprinted to his previously designated spot. To avoid a turnover, Sun Yue's lob pass gave Wade and James an opportunity to double-team Zack. But Zack, true to his word, caught the ball and, using his height and wingspan, released the shot before James and Wade could fully close in.
Swish!
The ball perfectly swished through the net. Zack's three-pointer not only pierced the net but also shattered the mental defenses of James and Wade.
"Looks like your teamwork really isn't good. Good thing you aren't teammates in the NBA."
On the court, after casually leaving that remark, Zack finally retreated to his own half, satisfied. Meanwhile, James, who desperately wanted some alone time, almost turned the ball over due to distraction after dribbling it across half-court for the U.S. team. Kobe snatched the ball before Zhu Fangyu could intercept it, then immediately turned and shot. Clang! The ball bounced off the rim. Yao Ming secured the rebound and immediately passed it to Zack.
To prevent Zack from initiating a fast break directly, the U.S. players on the court showed their determination with a quick retreat. However, James, whose mind was already in disarray, was again shaken off by Zack's nimble footwork as he aggressively pressed him. Seeing this, Kobe and Wade quickly moved in the direction Zack was dribbling, attempting to close the gap and stop his progress.
But to Wade and Kobe's surprise, Zack suddenly stopped short, and from two meters beyond the three-point line, he gathered the ball and pulled up for a shot! It's well known that the FIBA three-point line at this time was only 6.25 meters. So, even adding two meters, it was still only the distance of an NBA super-long three-pointer. Admittedly, in the NBA, Zack would only shoot such threes when he felt like gambling. But with his shooting touch getting hotter and hotter tonight, Zack unhesitatingly launched this intercontinental missile!
Swish!
At the Wukesong Basketball Arena, as Zack's three-pointer stripped everyone of their composure, the crowd immediately erupted into a frenzy! Mike Breen, at the commentary table, held his head in his hands and exclaimed, "That's a shot only a madman would take! He's destroying our understanding of the game of basketball with his madness!"
At the scorer's table, U.S. head coach Mike Krzyzewski, with a look of fear, called a timeout, hoping this break would interrupt the hot hand of the deity who had suddenly gone berserk on the court. The shorter FIBA three-point line undoubtedly amplified Zack's ability to shoot without restrictions on the court, given his physique and ball-handling skills. Krzyzewski feared Zack finding his rhythm because, compared to the long two-pointers Zack made in the NBA, the threes he was raining down in FIBA could potentially kill the game for in a short amount of time. If Zack's dominance in the NBA was a 100, then in FIBA, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say it was doubled.
After the timeout, it was the U.S. team's offensive possession. Kobe demanded the ball on the perimeter. Fortunately, Sun Yue's timely switch prevented Kobe from getting an immediate shot off. So, Kobe dribbled, took a soft step into the three-point line, and hit a fadeaway jumper. Kobe's finish was beautiful.
But right back on the other end, Zack, even more unreasonably than Kobe, executed a pull-up fadeaway from the top of the arc. James desperately leaped towards Zack, successfully knocking him to the ground. But the ball, already in the air, bounced off the backboard and, to the despair of U.S. fans, swished through the net. And with the referee's whistle, Zack's somewhat lucky three-pointer plus the foul ignited the entire arena once again.
"Has God abandoned us?" Breen wailed on ESPN.
At the free-throw line, Zack made the extra shot. The score was 55-68. The U.S. team, desperate to catch up, finally created an outside shooting opportunity for Anthony through a side pick. But Anthony, who hadn't touched the ball in a while, responded with a "clank," adding another rebound to Zack's stat sheet.
Immediately after, as he dribbled up the court, Zack also used a screen from Yao Ming to once again box out James behind him. The Redemption Team's lack of chemistry was glaringly obvious at this moment. Howard, focused solely on retreating on defense, left an already exhausted James isolated and without support in an instant.
Zack seized the opportunity, quickly driving the ball to half-court, and using his excellent perimeter play from the previous few possessions, successfully drew multiple U.S. defenders for help. Sun Yue, completely wide open under the basket, received a brilliant pass from Zack. To avoid the embarrassment of missing an uncontested layup, Sun Yue jumped in place and slammed the ball in with both hands.
The score was 55-70. And in the arena, as extended its lead to fifteen points, the exhilarating and loud cheers began to echo throughout the building.
Zack's scoring show continued. On the court, just as James scored a tough bank shot for the U.S. team, Zack, who was constantly wary of the U.S. double-team, was like a swift leopard, forcing his way through the seam of Wade's and James's trap.
Courtside, Nick Eckhart's pupils suddenly dilated. As the two "heaven's chosen" from the 2003 "Golden Generation" were repeatedly torn apart by Zack on the court, Zack, growing stronger with each play, simultaneously tore apart the souls of these Dream Team supporters.
Swish!
Zack in the third quarter was definitely the Zack that all U.S. team fans dreaded seeing the most. The new GOAT had proven he was in peak form with his scoring exhibition. And his hot streak seemed to have no end.
In the final moments of the third quarter, Zack, intentionally drawing the U.S. double-team near the sideline, first passed the ball to Sun Yue, who came to him for a give-and-go. Then, using Sun Yue's pass for a wall-pass combination, Zack drove straight to the basket and delivered a lob pass to Yao Ming that the latter would never forget. "You've seen Saint Seiya, right? There's a move called 'Athena Exclamation' that requires three Gold Saints to activate. When I received that pass from Zack in the game, I thought, it was as if mine, his, and Sun Yue's cosmos all converged at one point," Yao Ming recalled this alley-oop dunk years later.
Slam!
At the Wukesong Basketball Arena, Yao Ming's alley-oop dunk set the score between and the U.S. at 68-84 after three quarters. Zack, who exploded for 24 points in that single quarter for , single-handedly widened the score.
Regarding Zack's creative ways of breaking the double-team in the second half, Mike Breen sighed, "Through his pre-observation and his unique basketball IQ, he made this uncoordinated Redemption Team pay a heavy price throughout the entire third quarter."
Even in his rookie season, Zack's observation skills and basketball IQ were fully recognized by the veteran coach Jerry Sloan. Although these two attributes are more subtle compared to the more intuitive and visually apparent physical talents, their importance becomes more pronounced in higher-level competitions.
The lack of chemistry in this Redemption Team meant that they would inevitably struggle to execute high-level defensive tactics in FIBA. Zack, coming from the future, knew very well that the U.S. team's defense primarily relied on individual star power and full-court pressure to force turnovers and generate fast-break opportunities. But once the U.S. team couldn't pressure their opponents' offense in this manner during a game, they would also be dragged into tough battles by many opponents whose overall strength was far inferior to theirs.
Again, FIBA and NBA are two different dimensions of basketball. If the U.S. team wished to win in FIBA by simply stacking up stars, they would have to ensure that their stars' caliber completely overwhelmed the opposition. However, in this game that would decide the Olympic gold medal, Zack was clearly the most valuable superstar. In fact, he was undeniably the greatest player in FIBA history.
In the fourth quarter, Kobe, still trying to rally his team, repeatedly attempted to speed up the game's pace to get more offensive possessions. But in FIBA, where each quarter is only ten minutes, if the Redemption Team couldn't consistently hit threes like Zack, it would be an impossible dream to overcome a 16-point deficit. Moreover, Zack's passing and ball-handling skills wouldn't give the U.S. team any easy fast-break opportunities to quickly close the gap.
On the court, Zack controlled the game's tempo for like an elegant point guard. And the Wukesong Basketball Arena... this once boisterous arena gradually had only one sound remaining. Especially as the game neared its end, those fans who were initially worried about 's usual fourth-quarter collapse gradually felt a sense of security under Zack's historic ball-handling and control.
"Time is running out for the U.S. team!" Zhang Weiping powerfully narrated on CCTV.
"Only 19 seconds left until the men's basketball team makes history by becoming Olympic champions!" Sun Zhengping, beside him, said with a trembling voice in his broadcasting tone, watching the team intentionally run down the clock on the last possession.
Beep—!
Beijing.
When the final buzzer signaling the end of the game sounded, Zack, dropping the basketball, was almost instantly mobbed by the team players who could no longer contain their emotions.
Unlike the "world champion" with quotation marks next to it, Zack was now a true world champion! This new GOAT of the basketball world, after personally crushing the American basketball's dream of redemption, officially ushered in an era that could only be defined by him with a legendary performance!
Mike Breen, with great grace, summarized after the game: "American basketball's dream of redemption ended in a heartbreaking way, but basketball, led by the Messiah, stands at the pinnacle of the world. As fans of the U.S. team, we are unfortunate, but as basketball lovers, we are undoubtedly fortunate. I think this is a game that will be talked about repeatedly even a hundred years from now. The Messiah perfectly exemplified the greatest individual heroism in the sport of basketball in these Olympics. He made the team, with him, more worthy of the name 'Dream Team.'"
...
①: This comment comes from the original English commentary of the Atlanta Olympics.
②: As mentioned before, the NBA champion is also sometimes called the "world champion" in the U.S.