Chapter Seven: Walking Forward Together, We Are All the Best Rookies

Inside the locker room, a restless clamor filled the air—a stifled sort of noise. But the team seemed to have grown accustomed to it, perhaps because they’d lost so often, or maybe they’d simply learned to take things in stride. After all, victory and defeat are commonplace in the world of sports, and as Stern always said, there are no weak teams in the NBA. Still, no one was in a good mood after a loss.

Kaines finished his shower quickly, listening to his music in his own little world. His locker was right next to Lin Fei’s. When he saw Lin Fei coming over to change, he called out, “Hey man, your shooting touch tonight was terrible! You wasted several point guard shots!” he teased. “But don’t worry, God is fair. He let you create miracles yesterday, so he won’t let you go too wild today. Haha! Ever seen the film ‘The Gods Must Be Crazy’? It’s my favorite. Oh, that reminds me, it’s been ages since I watched a movie with my wife and kid!” Kaines always rambled on with no end in sight.

“Oh, man, I’m sorry. I almost wanted to deep-fry that basketball and eat it,” Lin Fei replied, laughing.

“Just don’t forget me! I love fried potatoes and chicken drumsticks, but I’ve never had fried basketball. I’ll bring my kid and my wife along if you ever try it. Hahaha…”

“Hey, man, are you free tonight? I’ve got to show you my Lamborghini—it’s amazing. Can hit 340 miles an hour! The feeling is incredible, you know? Way faster than you on the court, haha!”

“Ha, you’re the only one foolish enough to race a sports car, but maybe you should try breaking through with the ball at that speed.”

“Oh man, that car cost me a fortune—now I can’t even afford to eat! How about you treat me to dinner, eh?”

“Of course, no problem. You’re starting to sound more and more like a Chinese guy, haha.”

“Absolutely! I’ve been studying Chinese culture recently, but my book is called ‘The Ugly Chinaman.’ Hahaha!”

“Oh, that’s by Bo Yang, a writer from Taiwan. He’s incredible, but I’m the real typical Chinese—do I look that bad?”

“When will you take me to China?”

“Of course, you’re my teammate.”

Kaines then took Lin Fei out for a spin in his new Lamborghini. Lin Fei was filled with envy! After all, he was still on his rookie contract, earning just $700,000 a year—hardly enough for extravagance.

They chatted along the way, the ride truly exhilarating.

“When I was playing college ball, I promised myself that if I made it to the NBA, I’d buy a Lamborghini. Now I finally have one,” Kaines said, beaming with excitement.

“I can’t even drive yet, but I love the feeling of speed,” Lin Fei replied.

“Wanna give it a try? In America, even three-year-olds can drive!”

“No thanks. I just love the sensation of speed—like when I’m dribbling, I crave that feeling of being limitless.”

“Hey, man, do you know number 3, Iverson? I grew up watching him play. He’s amazing. Honestly, you remind me a bit of him these days.”

“How could I compare to him? He’s a four-time scoring champion, my idol. His footwork is so quick, you can barely tell if he’s traveling. Haha.”

“Hey Lin, do you like dunking? I hardly ever see you dunk! I love the feeling of destroying the rim—it's just incredible.”

“Oh, that’s a bit tough for me. But I am faster than you, haha!”

And so Lin Fei and Kaines bantered endlessly, heading down a long and straight road. Where did it lead? The distant lights were dazzling, as if illuminating a stage—though neither knew exactly what kind of stage it might be. Yet the two of them, in their car, raced forward at over a hundred miles an hour. Would tomorrow be the same—two men, one car, sharing the wild ride?

Three minutes of play, twenty-eight points of sheer madness, and then being completely overwhelmed by the superstar guard Paul—after all this, should the wild kid Lin Fei now learn how to face the challenges ahead? Only two games into the season, it was too soon to draw any conclusions. Yet one interesting stat stood out: Lin Fei was averaging over a point per minute. If he could maintain that scoring efficiency—combine it with his long-range shooting—the results would be terrifying.

The league officially announced the Rookie of the Month. Lin Fei, thanks to those remarkable three minutes, was named Western Conference Rookie of the Month, while the East’s honor went to the Wizards’ Arnold. Today’s number one draft pick, this rising superstar, was practically a clone of Griffin—superior physicality, nimble footwork, all-around skills, and dominant post moves. A double-double machine, he averaged 19 points and 11 rebounds as a rookie and had already become the core of the Wizards. With most of the season behind them, the experts were convinced: the Rookie of the Year was all but decided. How often does a rookie put up 19 and 11? Griffin was one. There were, of course, other impressive nominees for Rookie of the Year, players with extraordinary stats or unparalleled talent.

Take Brolin of the Timberwolves, for instance: so far, he’d averaged 16 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists in just 32 minutes per game—a rookie shaking up the league. He’d recently hit the rookie wall, his form dipping, otherwise he might have claimed the West’s top rookie honor, leaving Lin Fei in the shadows. Then there was Brook from the Bobcats, averaging 13 and 7 so far, and Lin Fei's own teammate Kaines, who started for the Warriors and posted solid numbers. The whole league marveled at this year’s rookie class—it seemed to be another golden generation.

Every so often, a draft class full of stars emerges. 1984 saw the likes of Olajuwon, Jordan, Barkley, and Stockton; 1996 brought Iverson, Camby, Marbury, Ray Allen, Kobe, and Nash; 2003 witnessed the arrivals of LeBron, Anthony, Wade, and Bosh. Those years were legendary, while some drafts produced only a handful of stars.

Everyone said this was another draft class for the ages. Was it true? Judging by their current performance, absolutely. But that also made this year’s Rookie of the Year race more uncertain. Many favored Arnold, but Brolin was a rare super rookie, and some experts believed he might even surpass Arnold. Brook’s momentum was fierce too—he might average 13 and 7, but lately he often put up 20 and 10, hardly looking like a rookie. And then there was Lin Fei’s explosive debut a couple of days ago, which had shaken the entire league and seemed to mark him as a contender for top rookie honors.