The Talkative Soccer King

On April 14, 2016, Beijing time, two monumental events took place in the NBA.

In Oakland, California, at Oracle Arena, the Golden State Warriors crushed their visiting opponents in a resounding victory. As the regular season concluded, their record stood at a staggering 73 wins and 9 losses, shattering the historic 72-10 milestone set by Michael Jordan’s Chicago Bulls. A new legend was born in the NBA.

That same day, also in California, the Staples Center overflowed with a crowd of nearly nineteen thousand. Streamers drifted through the air, a testament that the game had already ended. Yet every spectator, every soul in the arena, and all the lights converged on center court, illuminating the vast Lakers emblem. Standing in the heart of it all, bathed in golden light, was the man in the number 24 jersey—Kobe Bryant.

As the thunderous roar of fans rose like a tidal wave, the legend who fought for two decades on this court lifted the microphone and slowly spoke: “Mamba Out!”

“Mamba Out...”

At almost the same moment, on the other side of the globe in China, a young man watched the live broadcast on his television, overwhelmed by emotion.

“Rui, stop watching TV and get some rest. It’s almost time for your chemotherapy.”

Before the young man could reply, a nurse in a white coat approached his bed and gently adjusted it lower so he could lie down comfortably.

“Nurse, do you watch the NBA?”

He obediently settled in, his bright eyes blinking as he asked the nurse who cared for him. But before she could answer, he continued, “