The article named "China's First NBA Player" by Philadelphia Evening Post reporter Markson was like a pebble that was dropped onto a calm lake surface. While it created ripples…
Alright, it was obvious that such a huge lake like America would return to tranquility very quickly.
In terms of the speed at which news spread, print media and television were no match for the social media of the future. That was why a whole five days passed before NBA executive Mark noticed that article.
After all, the Philadelphia Evening Post was just a local newspaper of Philadelphia.
If not for Markson's article being mocked by the entire industry, Stern probably would not have noticed that Philadelphia had such an interesting Chinese high school student.
After all, even if ESPN played the match between Lower Merion High School and Chester High School and the segment where Su Feng and Kobe used the Shammgod, the main thing everyone focused on would be the new breakthrough technique anyway.
In Su Feng's previous life, it would take another two years for the Shammgod to become popular. But in the future, even when the "Shammgod" was popular, God Shammgod himself was not.
The reason was very simple. Shammgod himself did not make a name for himself in the NBA.
Hence, the industry all thought that Markson's article was not professional enough.
You want to talk about genius high school students playing basketball in America?
Then the American media would not be exaggerating when they said they could find one every day and with no repetitions.
Unless you were a chosen one like Kobe, Carter, McGrady, or Middleton, who were often mentioned in mainstream basketball magazines and newspapers when they were still in high school, who would know who you were in America's basketball world?
To industry professionals, a player who had never even played in an official high school basketball league match before was not worth writing about.
Hence, after Markson's article was published, the mocking of Markson was relentless…
But it was precisely because of that that NBA executive Mark had the opportunity to chance upon that article and notice Su Feng.
So, this was fate!
Mark and Stern's positions were different. So naturally, the things they saw were different from what their colleagues in the same profession saw.
To Mark and Stern, it was still unknown whether Su Feng could play in the NBA. But so what?
They could provide other opportunities for Su Feng in the future!
What the NBA needed was a bridge. What kind of bridge it was did not really matter.
Hmm…
At least it did not matter now!
Of course, Stern felt that it was still necessary to observe Su Feng.
So he privately discussed with Mark and got him to send someone to Philadelphia to scout the Chinese high school student named Su Feng further.
If he really was talented, then Stern felt that they had to advertise and sensationalise him as much as possible.
Because if you did not, with that speed at which news travelled in the 90s, who knows how long it would take for news of Su Feng to reach China?
If the news did not reach China, how would the bridge between the NBA and the Chinese market be built?
And if they did not advertise and sensationalise him as much as possible, what if Su Feng really had the ability to play in the NBA in the future but failed to get selected in the draft because the teams of the NBA did not believe that an Asian player could make it in the NBA?
To Stern, as a president, he had to prepare a plan C while preparing plan A.
But no matter what, Stern's mood had improved a lot in the past two days.
And after looking at the young Chinese lad in the newspaper, sitting on a chair while hugging a basketball, Stern could not help but feel like Su Feng looked a lot like his long lost… Ptui!
"He looks pretty handsome. If he could really play in the NBA, he would become another idol," Stern thought.
…
Let's turn our attention away from the big boss' secret observation of Su Feng for a moment.
Philadelphia.
As a reporter who adhered to the morals of news writing and had a conscience, Markson felt very regretful now.
Of course, Markson did not regret writing that article.
He regretted how he forgot to consider Su Feng's feelings when writing that article.
"He's still just a child, I'm really too foolish!
Such a predictive report without enough evidence to back it up would definitely be mocked by other industry professionals.
So both myself and the paper have prepared ourselves mentally. But what about him?
What if he can't take the pressure and cracks? Markson felt that it was necessary for him to take a trip down to Lower Merion and apologise to Su Feng personally.
And just as Markson decided to personally apologise to Su Feng, utility player Schwartz was passing to Kobe gingerly in Lower Merion High School'S indoor basketball court.
Swoosh!
Another beautiful fadeaway shot.
"Su, forty push-ups!" After making that shot, Kobe smiled while getting Su Feng to do his punishment.
"Damn! That's weird. I already can't beat Kobe in a one-on-one. Why is he still thrashing me in three-on-threes?"
Err…
Su Feng was not looking down on Kobe. Instead, Su Feng was thinking that with his teamwork and view of the big picture, he should not be losing consecutively to Kobe in a three-on-three.
Sigh…
Luckily, Stewart and Lasman, who were Su Feng's teammates, could not hear his innermost thoughts.
If not, Stewart and Lasman would definitely kneel in front of Su Feng and humbly beg him, "Bro, we're begging you, please pass to us!"
Alright, actually it was not that Su Feng did not want to pass.
But his proficiency and potential in passing and vision were very low.
Hence, Su Feng felt that it was better to decide his fate using shooting, which he was proficient in, instead of passing to his opponents.
On the court, after doing 40 push-ups in a row, Su Feng challenged Kobe recalcitrantly. "No way, again!"
If he lost, then so be it. After all, failure was the mother of success.
However, he had not earned enough Brick Shot Points today!
After all, after making it his goal to play in the NBA, Su Feng was rather harsh to himself every day.
Emmm… to Su Feng, if not for his body being unable to keep up with his training intensity, he could train with Kobe forever without eating and drinking.
"Let's take a break," Kobe suggested after suddenly waving at Su Feng.
Su Feng was shocked. Kobe… did you max out your EQ before leaving home today?
And just as Kobe finished speaking, Lower Merion's other utility players quickly escaped from the indoor basketball court they called the "Mines of Moria".
At that moment, the group of Lower Merion utility players experienced the deep love of their boss for the very first time.
"Su, you haven't been reading the newspapers or watching the television, right?" Kobe asked worriedly while looking at Su Feng.
"I've read the newspapers, why?" Su Feng responded.
"Then you… Um, what I meant was, Su, actually you need not be too concerned over what the media says. Didn't they keep comparing me with Vince previously?" Kobe comforted Su Feng.
Huh?
Su Feng gave Kobe a confused look.
Oh, right!
Su Feng quickly reacted. That was because Markson's report made many professionals in Philadelphia's media mock Su Feng for wanting to play in the NBA.
In fact, even some professional basketball magazines commented on that incident.
But all those people who mocked and commented were all either doubtful of Su Feng's ability or mocking Markson for not being professional enough.
However…
Honestly, after reading the articles from those media, Su Feng also felt that they were right!
Su Feng was not stupid. He was very clear that Markson's article was meant to be a bold prediction. Then, after Su Feng succeeded, he could take the title of prophet.
Su Feng had seen many such articles in his previous life. As for those media that doubted his ability and said that he was Markson's long lost biological son…
Honestly, Su Feng's first reaction after reading those articles was:
That's it?
That's it.
Was the media in the 90s really so uninventive?
Did they not even know how to diss someone?
As a keyboard warrior who had engaged in battle against various types of fans on major forums and gotten many medals for his dissing endeavours, Su Feng felt that those reports would not affect him at all.
Moreover, even if the articles were negative, Su Feng did not feel like it was a bad thing.
Because that meant people were starting to pay attention to him!
If you took out the word black from the phrase "black
Su Feng really wanted to take the media by the hand and teach them how to diss him. If not, with such a lack of creativity, it would make the popularity he gained pass very easily.
And in reality…
The popularity that Markson created did indeed not last very long.
Of course, Kobe thought differently from Su Feng and felt that those articles were already pretty malicious. That was why Kobe was worried that Su Feng would be affected by them.
After all, people in the 90s were far less able to deal with stress coming from criticism than people in the future.
Take for example DOTA 2, which Su Feng loved to play in his previous life.
Everyone knew that in TI4, Newbee won the championship with a stunning final move. Newbee team member Chen "Hao" Zhihao was crowned a legend as a result.
But in the future, while reminiscing about his past, Chen Zhihao also mentioned how he was lucky that the community was not so toxic back then!
If it were, after that fateful moment where he got hooked in TI3, he might have been dissed so hard that he would have chosen to retire.
In Su Feng's previous life, as social media got increasingly popular, not only did the spread of information get faster, many different ways to diss someone were developed because the cost of dissing someone got lower and lower too…
Let's talk about LeBron James, who Su Feng really liked in his previous life. Honestly, no normal person would be able to stand the kind of dissing and criticism that LeBron had to withstand from those reports.
Although one could say that "uneasy lies the head that wears a crown" and that many things happened because of his actions, one could not deny that people in the future were far better at managing stress than people in the 90s.
But then again, no matter what, although Su Feng felt that Kobe's consolation was unnecessary, as his best friend in his current life, Su Feng felt warm and fuzzy in his heart after being consoled by Kobe.
True friendship really existed after all!
This was what you called a friendship forged in steel!
And right as Su Feng prepared to tell Kobe that he was fine, suddenly…
"Excuse me, excuse me. Is Su here?" Markson shouted while standing outside the indoor basketball court.
"Is he the one who wrote the report that made everyone doubt your ability?" Kobe clenched his fists, and it seemed like he was going to charge up to Markson and beat him up at any moment.
Meanwhile, Su Feng was very calm because he felt that, based on the actual effects of Markson's article, it was actually beneficial to him.
After all…
Su Feng really wanted to teach those people how to doubt his ability!
If not, where would the satisfaction come from if he really managed to enter the NBA in the future?
"Su, sorry… I specially came over just to apologise to you because my article damaged your reputation." Markson walked in front of Kobe and Su Feng and apologised to Su Feng sincerely.
Su Feng blocked Kobe as he was about to flare up. "Apologize? Why do you need to apologize?" Su Feng asked Markson curiously while looking at him.
"I'm sorry… I did not consider that you were still a high school student before publishing my article.
"If you require therapy, I'll cover the costs," Markson assured Su Feng.
Su Feng did not expect Markson to be such a morally upright reporter. This was quite different from those reporters in his memories…
"Are you talking about those reports? Honestly, I'm okay. I think you know what I've been through too.
"And I'm not someone who would get beaten down by setbacks." Su Feng was not a saint, but he was someone with morals.To Su Feng, there was no need to make Markson feel guilty.
"No, no, no, of course I know about your experiences in Nefaria.
"But Su, all of this is because I made a mistake.
"You might not be willing to accept my apology, but that's okay.
"Su, I've already sought the editor's approval.
"In the upcoming season, I'll open up a special column in the newspaper and use it to write exclusively about Lower Merion's matches," Markson stated extremely seriously.
A special column for Lower Merion?
Su Feng knew that Markson's meaning between the lines was: "Since those industry professionals don't really care about you now, I'll use article after article to document your story. After you enter the NBA in the future, there'll be no way for them to reach you!"
This was great news!
Su Feng was very clear that those kinds of reports were what he needed most right now.
Because without those kinds of reports, how else would he get to play in the NBA!
Do you really think that the NBA was full of love?
Whether it be playing high school basketball or playing in the NCAA in the future, to Su Feng, that was all meant to prepare him for playing in the NBA.
But since it was meant to prepare him for the NBA, how could it be done without the help of the media?
That was especially so in the 90s. After all, social media did not exist yet.
Taking Kobe for example, his fame was created by the countless articles those supposed professionals wrote about him.
Su Feng looked at Markson's sincere gaze. At that moment, even his boorish face seemed to become handsome to Su Feng.
"But I'm worried that you'll make industry professionals doubt Su even more by doing that." As Su Feng was still pondering, Kobe spoke up worriedly.
"I know, I'm just a normal photojournalist.
"My words and my judgements will very likely draw the mocking and criticism of those industry professionals.
"But you need not worry. I've already sent my younger brother information about Su. He's very interested in him.
"Oh right, I forgot to introduce him. My brother's name is Jackson. He's an NBA scout," Markson told Kobe and Su Feng.
NBA scout?
Hold on…
Su Feng had to think about that for a while.
That's not right!
This wasn't written in the script!
Su Feng could not help but think that his current life…
Was going way too smoothly.
"I must be God's chosen one after all," Su Feng thought. He had previously doubted himself in front of the system's wheel of fortune and had now regained his self-confidence.
…