Guys there is already content on patreon, if anyone wants to become a chunin jonnin, hogake or God Shinobi.
patreon.com/Chuga320 (Have more than 50 additional chapters)
—————————————————————————————————————————————
Wang Chong had always remembered the 2005 All-Star Game vividly. For a fan who had just fallen in love with the NBA, nothing was more thrilling than watching the best players face off in such a star-studded event.
Over the years, Wang Chong had rewatched countless All-Star Games, reliving those nostalgic moments. He knew the game by heart. In his memory, if nothing had changed, the Eastern Conference would win this year's game 125-115, and Allen Iverson would be crowned the All-Star MVP with 15 points, 4 rebounds, 9 assists, and 5 steals.
Looking at those stats, one might think they were a bit low for an MVP in later All-Star Games, where players often needed at least 30+ points or even a triple-double to compete for the honor.
But this year was different.
Neither the Eastern nor Western Conference saw any outstanding scoring performances. Ray Allen, coming off the bench for the Western Conference, had the highest score with only 17 points. Among the starters, Kobe had 16, Duncan 15, and everyone else barely made it to double digits.
However, what made this year special was that 14 players from both sides managed to score in double digits. The game wasn't dominated by one or two stars but instead offered everyone a chance to shine. This balance of play gave Wang Chong hope.
If he wanted to win the All-Star MVP, the first thing he needed was for the Western Conference to win. Then, he needed to stack up his own stats just enough to stand out. Luckily, with no player hogging the ball and inflating their numbers, Wang Chong wouldn't need an extraordinary performance to have a shot at the MVP.
Still, the challenge remained. As a second-year player making his All-Star debut, Wang Chong wasn't sure how much time on the court or ball possession he would actually get.
As Wang Chong was deep in thought, the players for both teams were introduced. The crowd erupted in cheers as the All-Stars made their way onto the court one by one. Fans back in China were especially excited when Wang Chong and Yao Ming stood together for the introductions, arms crossed in camaraderie.
"This is a historic moment for Chinese basketball," Coach Zhang said during the live broadcast on CCTV Sports. "Two Chinese players standing on the All-Star stage at the same time. This shows how far our basketball has come, and I'm sure more Chinese players will follow in their footsteps."
Once the intros were over, the All-Star Game began.
Yao Ming and Shaquille O'Neal jumped for the ball, with the Eastern Conference winning possession. Although Garnett had the superior leaping ability, the jump ball between Yao and Shaq was far more entertaining for the fans. It wasn't about who would win but about putting on a show.
Iverson brought the ball up the court and passed to Vince Carter, who launched a three-pointer, opening the scoring for the Eastern Conference.
On the other end, Kobe, ever the playmaker, took on LeBron James in the mid-range, but his turnaround jumper rimmed out. Shaq grabbed the rebound and quickly passed to LeBron, who sprinted down the court and slammed home a tomahawk dunk, giving the East a 5-0 lead.
The Western Conference quickly responded with Garnett scoring under the basket and Yao assisting Kobe on a layup. The score tightened to 5-4.
Both teams traded baskets as the game continued, the lead swinging back and forth. But Wang Chong's worst fear was slowly becoming a reality—he couldn't get the ball.
For most of the first quarter, Wang Chong was running up and down the court, trying to find his place but rarely touching the ball. Finally, about five minutes into the game, he found himself open at the three-point line in the right corner. Without hesitation, he launched the shot, boosted by his recently earned gold-level "Corner Three-Point Shooter" badge.
Swish! The ball sailed through the net.
However, before Wang Chong could celebrate, he was substituted out and spent the rest of the first quarter watching from the bench.
At this pace, how was he supposed to compete for the MVP?
"Looks like if I want to complete this task, I have to rely on myself," Wang Chong thought to himself.
He realized now that waiting around for his teammates to pass him the ball wouldn't work. If he wanted to score, he needed to take matters into his own hands—by grabbing rebounds and creating his own opportunities.
Wang Chong's struggles were nothing unusual. With so many stars on the court, even someone as talented as Yao Ming wasn't getting much attention. By the end of the first quarter, Yao had only recorded 1 assist and 1 foul, with zero points or rebounds.
Unlike Wang Chong, Yao Ming wasn't too concerned. He was calm and relaxed, even chatting with Wang Chong on the bench.
"Brother Yao," Wang Chong said earnestly, "when you get back on the court and grab a rebound, can you pass the ball to me? I want to compete for the MVP."
Yao Ming, slightly taken aback, looked at Wang Chong in surprise.
"You want to compete for the MVP?" Yao asked.
Yao had never considered aiming for the All-Star MVP himself. As an international player, Yao understood that the American stars often had more opportunities. Even though he was a fan favorite and the top vote-getter, his minutes and touches on the ball would never match those of some of the bench players.
Wang Chong, being Chinese-American, had a different background, but as a second-year player, he still had to prove himself among the NBA's elite. Yet, seeing Wang Chong's determination, Yao couldn't help but offer his support.
"I'll do my best," Yao promised.
With Yao's reassurance, Wang Chong felt a bit more at ease. If they could control the rebounds together, it would give Wang Chong more opportunities to shine.
Though both of them would have limited minutes in the game, especially Yao, who was likely to play around 20 minutes, Wang Chong was determined. He needed to be efficient and seize every chance he got to win the All-Star MVP.
He couldn't afford to waste any opportunities!
End of this chapter
Note: Hi if you really like NBA novels, you can support me either in this pg with stones, reviews etc, or in patreon since the niche of sports and specially NBA is very small is Webnovel since people prefer to read Naruto, Pokemon, comics etc.