The Way of Basketball: Never Talk Shit to Him!
Chapter 88 - 86: Does This Newbie Need to Be So Petty? (Eighth Update)

Chapter 88: Chapter 86: Does This Newbie Need to Be So Petty? (Eighth Update)

LeBron felt stifled.

However, if the people of Indiana knew how easily he felt stifled, they would tell LeBron,

"High school kid, don’t get stifled so easily, everything has just begun, we have prepared a lot..."

Even without these reminders, LeBron quickly realized it.

As his teammates entered the Conseco Arena.

The stands were already filled with Pacers fans.

The moment they saw LeBron, they greeted him with a massive chorus of boos.

Many fans held up posters with all sorts of mocking words and various jeers:

"Thank you, LeBron, without you, we couldn’t have Su Wan!"

"LeBron, you will always be a friend of Indiana, when we win the championship, we will definitely add your name to the Championship Trophy!"

"Chosen One, why didn’t I see your name in the All-Star starting lineup?"

"Cleveland must regret letting go of Su Wan, don’t they? Now they probably want to let you go, LeBron?"

"High school kid, have you made any progress recently? Don’t always make Su Wan worry!"

...

LeBron watched and listened to all this in front of him, and he couldn’t control his expression; it immediately darkened.

Since he became the "Chosen One," he had never faced such targeting.

Even on away games, he was always the center of attention, especially in these small towns—who wouldn’t want to have LeBron James!

He was not used to this.

But this was not the end.

As the home team’s player introduction ceremony was about to start, the arena’s DJ began introducing the visiting team players.

This timing was much later than usual.

Normally, the introduction of the visiting team players would have finished much earlier. But this time, they waited until just before the home team’s ceremony to start, and the DJ introduced LeBron James with an unusually grand flourish:

"The Chosen One from ABCD Camp, the number one pick of the 2003 draft, the absolute genius of Saint Mary High School, the future face of the league..."

Not to mention the audience, even LeBron James was surprised by the DJ’s introduction of him.

Could this be his "hidden fan," unable to watch the Pacers fans mock him and stepping up to support him?

Before he could smile and raise his hand to acknowledge, the DJ continued:

"But still hasn’t made the All-Star yet... LeBron James——"

The arena, initially somewhat quiet, erupted in laughter and cheers from the Pacers fans who seemed like they wanted to rush the DJ booth and stab the DJ.

LeBron’s smile froze on his face, then shifted to the audience.

Indeed...

If one had to choose a song to represent LeBron’s mood at this moment, it would certainly be this one:

I’m overthinking it, I always say this!

Why would he think the Pacers’ home DJ would be his fan?

After introducing LeBron James, it was immediately followed by the home team players’ introduction ceremony.

"Let’s welcome, the spirit of Indiana, Special Agent number 99, who, in his first professional year, ousted LeBron James to become the Eastern All-Star starter, Su — Wan —"

Su Wan was the first to enter the court.

This was his first time being the first to enter since his debut home game for the Pacers. Usually, he was one of the last or second-to-last to take the court.

He didn’t understand why today was arranged like this.

Standing at the entrance of the players’ tunnel and hearing the DJ’s introduction of LeBron, he instantly understood.

These people are even sneakier than him!

He glanced at LeBron on the Cavaliers’ bench, just as he thought, trying hard to control his rigid expression.

He was on the verge of breaking down.

The main DJ’s words, "Bumping off LeBron James in his first career year to become an Eastern All-Star," really hit hard.

Lies don’t hurt people, the truth is a swift knife!

Looking at the votes, if it weren’t for Su Wan, this year’s starting backcourt duo for the Eastern Conference would have been LeBron and Allen Iverson.

Thinking about it, didn’t Su Wan indeed bump LeBron James from the starting spot?

It’s frustrating!

Su Wan simply glanced at LeBron from afar. Tonight, he had plenty of chances to "stab" LeBron, so he wasn’t in a rush to antagonize; instead, he raised his hands, savoring such a wonderful moment.

LeBron watched as the crowd intensified their chants with Su Wan’s gesture, his expression incredulous.

He had been secretly keeping tabs on news related to Su Wan; he knew that Su had quickly become the "leader" upon arriving in Indiana, but witnessing this moment of unanimous support, he couldn’t help but feel surprised.

Until he witnessed it with his own eyes, he still harbored illusions:

With Su Wan’s temper, he couldn’t possibly win over the masses so quickly in such a tumultuous environment in Indiana.

That’s just what the Pacers’ management wanted the outside world to see.

Right...

It must be!

He knew all too well how the media could package a player.

But at this moment, watching the fervor in the eyes of the Pacers fans on the scene, his last bit of fantasy shattered.

The look of loving someone cannot deceive, nor can the gaze of worship.

The way these Indiana people looked at Su Wan was strikingly similar to how the Cavaliers’ home crowd looked at him.

It was a fervor akin to that of devoted believers...

Su Wan had truly done it, swiftly winning over hearts in this turbulent city.

Those news stories were true.

No embellishments...

The following question then arose:

How did he manage to do it?

Such a terrible temper!

A person who won’t compromise at all!

How on earth did he manage it?

LeBron James didn’t understand; it should have been him, a person adept at garnering favor,

more skilled at winning hearts. How did Su Wan...

The arena’s big screen displayed the starting lineups for both teams.

For the Cavaliers, after Su Wan’s departure, McGinnis returned to the starting lineup, playing as a shooting guard, with the other starters unchanged: point guard LeBron, small forward Newell, power forward Drew Gudeng, center Big Z.

For the Pacers, the injured Stephen Jackson returned, sending James Jones back to the bench with the rest of the starters unchanged: point guard Tinsley, shooting guard Su Wan, power forward Little O’Neal, center Foster.

Just before going on the court, Su Wan took the initiative to ask Tinsley to switch defense: "Let me handle that high schooler!"

Physically, Su Wan was better suited to handle LeBron than Tinsley, who was too short. LeBron facing such a "short but strong" guard would find it easy as long as he didn’t think of "Post-up play." With screens, it was a straightforward deal.

Tinsley thanked him profusely, as he really didn’t want to be matched up against LeBron, but he cleverly replied, "Then I’ll back you up, Uncle!"

Rick Carlisle was stunned when he heard this; Tinsley actually took the initiative to help a teammate on defense, something he was notoriously bad at in the past, usually needing others to cover for him. Had Su Wan, without anyone realizing, revamped another player?

But Su Wan refused: "Hold your own mark; don’t let the other side’s high schooler rack up assists."

The real threat of LeBron with the ball was not just his Breakthrough but his "Breakthrough Passing." Many teams, to force him into passing, often chose to double-team him prematurely, which was exactly how LeBron liked to play.

The truly uncomfortable tactic against LeBron was not to allow him to freely choose his offensive mode.

Put simply, to make him feel pressured on the offensive end.

As a "Super Star" who handles pressure the worst, once he felt stressed, LeBron’s tendency to "disappear" was evident to all.

Before heading onto the court, Su Wan greeted his old friends from the Cavaliers like Calderon and "Big Z" and specifically walked up to Paul Silas last, "This time, you can’t stop me from guarding LeBron, can you?"

After saying this, he walked toward the center of the court.

Paul Silas, looking as if he’d seen a ghost, could only helplessly shake his head.

This rookie, did he really have to be so petty?