The Way of Basketball: Never Talk Shit to Him!
Chapter 263 - 163 What the Hell is Respect!

Chapter 263: Chapter 163 What the Hell is Respect!

Western All-Star Dressing Room.

As Kevin Garnett entered the locker room, he said to McGrady, "Tracy, I think you’re in trouble."

McGrady, in an effort to thank everyone for their support, had been enthusiastically telling jokes to cheer everyone up, but Garnett’s words brought his joke-telling to an abrupt halt, and a hint of seriousness appeared in those eternally sleepy eyes, "What?"

"When I arrived at the arena, I saw Su Wan, and he looked very serious, as if he were about to face a war. I think he’s going to play especially hard tonight!" Kevin Garnett patted McGrady on the shoulder, with a look that said "he didn’t seem to take you seriously at all."

Sitting nearby, Kobe frowned slightly, feeling that Kevin Garnett was stirring the pot.

And to his knowledge, Su Wan didn’t have any grudges with Kevin Garnett.

McGrady looked towards the huge figure next to him, which was Yao Ming.

"What’s up with your little brother?"

There was a faint accusation in his tone.

Yao Ming furrowed his brows slightly; he suppressed the annoyance in his heart and spoke evenly, "I don’t know, he hasn’t talked to me about these matters."

"I think he’s deliberately not giving you face, Tracy!" Kevin Garnett continued to provoke.

Kobe couldn’t listen any longer, "Enough, Kevin. Even if Su is taking this game very seriously, that’s perfectly normal. He’s a fighter, he enjoys every battle, and that’s a quality every professional player should have."

Kevin Garnett shrugged, as if to say "I don’t want to argue with you, Kobe," but his annoyance was evident in his tone, "I’m just reminding Tracy that tonight I’m on his side. I want to help him win the All-Star MVP smoothly."

Upon hearing this, McGrady showed gratitude.

As for Kobe, McGrady thought that Kobe was upset with him for not congratulating him on his "81-point night" and was deliberately opposing him.

But no matter, they weren’t the same as when they were seventeen or eighteen and training together anymore.

Kobe didn’t speak, simply shook his head gently. Born into a middle-class family, he just couldn’t understand this street culture. He was even more at odds with the forced sense of camaraderie that Kevin Garnett exuded.

He spoke only for what he believed to be right.

That was probably why he hadn’t had many black friends.

The locker room fell into brief silence, and Kobe stood up to start warming up early.

McGrady cast a wary glance at Kobe’s back, thinking to himself:

Next time you’re in this kind of situation, don’t expect me to help you!

The game time quickly approached.

As usual, the All-Star starters were introduced with cool presentations.

When it was Su Wan’s turn, the arena was filled with boos.

Clearly, the Houston media had been very successful in their brainwashing.

Seeing the Rockets fans disliking him so much, Su Wan felt at ease.

With the boos filling the air, whatever he did tonight, he wouldn’t feel it was too much.

Yao Ming shook his head slightly. He knew the Rockets fans were expressing strong discontent under the influence of the media, but what he wanted to say was:

Why provoke Su Wan for no reason?

Isn’t that just asking for trouble?

Having heard in the locker room about Su Wan’s combative state, Yao felt that tonight Su Wan was going to snatch the All-Star MVP at the Toyota Center.

This was the most direct and effective way to annoy the Houston media.

At the time, he wasn’t entirely sure.

But now, with waves of boos rising, Yao Ming could be sure that McGrady would probably have a hard time getting what he wanted tonight.

It wasn’t that he was confident in Su Wan’s abilities, but rather he understood McGrady’s condition very well.

Think about it, take a closer look...

After warming up, the game officially began with the classic "Yao Sha" jump ball, and Shaquille O’Neal successfully won the first possession for the Eastern Conference.

Wade took control of the ball, and as he crossed the halfway line, he passed the ball to Su Wan.

The crowd immediately let out another series of boos.

Kobe approached Su Wan as soon as he received the ball, his fervent demeanor as if to say, "Come on, tonight I’m going to battle you for three hundred rounds."

If you ask why Kobe was defending Su Wan in the locker room,

Part of the reason was that he didn’t like the way Kevin Garnett was instigating, and another part was, as he said, treating every game as a battle isn’t wrong, and also, he thought Su Wan was targeting him, wanting to continue their duel in the All-Star Game.

But as it turned out, he was overthinking.

Su Wan didn’t speak, just waved his hand at Kobe, but the message was clear:

Be smart, Kobe, today isn’t about our grievances, step aside.

"Come on, Tracy, guard me, let me see what kind of condition the guy who’s gearing up for the All-Star MVP is in tonight!"

His voice was loud, everyone at the courtside seats could hear it.

A bunch of entertainers who were there just to get on camera immediately sat up straight, stopped chatting, and put down their phones, all wearing surprised looks, focusing on Su Wan.

Was this sure to be a basketball game, not hockey?

Why was there such a strong smell of gunpowder right from the start?

McGrady’s face turned green instantly.

Garnett was right; this guy did come to compete for the All-Star MVP tonight, and he didn’t even consider McGrady!

He had intended to pretend he hadn’t heard.

Haven’t even won a "Scoring King," only got a championship by brawling—in his eyes, Su Wan just wasn’t in the same league as he was.

But Su Wan’s brazen challenge left him no room to ignore in front of everyone.