Chapter Forty-Six: Provocative Conversation
On November 9, 2016, U.S. time, the NBA hosted a total of eleven games—a veritable feast for basketball fans. Among them, the spotlight shone brightly on several matchups. For instance, the Texas showdown between two Western Conference powerhouses, the Houston Rockets and the San Antonio Spurs, drew particular attention. Both teams lived up to the anticipation, battling fiercely until the final second.
With just 0.6 seconds remaining and the Rockets leading 101 to 99, Houston maintained possession. Yet, in a dramatic twist, their star player James Harden committed a costly turnover, gifting the Spurs one last chance. Kawhi Leonard, who had tallied 34 points and 7 rebounds, was naturally entrusted with the final shot. The San Antonio crowd fell hushed as Leonard, amid the weight of expectation, launched his attempt for a game-winner. Unfortunately for the home team, his shot veered just off the mark.
Ultimately, the Rockets escaped with a narrow two-point victory on the road. In the postgame interview, Harden, who had posted an impressive triple-double—24 points, 12 assists, and 13 rebounds—admitted that his late-game mistake was a grave one and vowed it would not happen again.
Elsewhere, Kevin Durant, having departed Oklahoma City for the Golden State Warriors, also found success that night. Durant, Curry, and Klay Thompson combined for 72 points, propelling the Warriors to victory.
Of the former “Thunder trio,” the eldest and youngest had each secured wins. Russell Westbrook, left alone in Oklahoma City, poured his heart into securing a victory as well. That night, the Thunder hosted the formidable Toronto Raptors. As expected, Westbrook delivered a staggering performance: 37 points, 8 rebounds, and 8 assists, single-handedly forcing Toronto’s defense into disarray.
Alas, the Raptors, who had started the season with a solid 4-2 record, were in fine form themselves. With DeMar DeRozan scoring 37 and Kyle Lowry nearly notching a triple-double with 19 points, 9 rebounds, and 10 assists, the Raptors handed Westbrook his second loss of the season.
Meanwhile, news of the Timberwolves’ young trio combining for 86 points to snap a four-game skid left fans marveling: “With that kind of talent, anything is possible!”
As the day’s games came to a close, the trending topics emerged swiftly. Westbrook and Durant topped the searches, just as many foreign websites had predicted. The most talked-about stories of the offseason revolved around these two stars.
Yet just as everyone thought the day’s hot topics had all been revealed, another phrase suddenly surfaced in the public’s view.
“Man, can you believe it? The news piece I wrote offhandedly has become a new trending topic!”
Inside ESPN’s office, the reporter who had just finished interviewing Zach LaVine pointed excitedly at the computer screen, where his post had been pinned to the front page. The headline was clear as day: “Who is Michael Wu!”
“Whoa, that’s really unexpected… But this Michael Wu, if I recall correctly, he’s a second-round rookie this year and hasn’t seen much playing time,” his colleague remarked, unimpressed. As a fellow reporter well-versed in NBA affairs, he glanced at the content but showed little interest. After all, his own piece centered on Westbrook and Durant—a far more compelling topic in his eyes.
“Logan Stark!”
Just then, from the NBA editor’s office, the young and attractive secretary called out to the gathering of junior reporters, “Chief Editor Smith needs you for something.”
“Hey, coming!” The one being summoned was the very reporter who’d interviewed LaVine earlier. As he tidied his documents, he muttered to his nearby colleague, “Just wait—Smith knows exactly how much potential this story has!”
“Oh, come on, man. I bet he’s assigning you to dig up a story about James Harden, not some second-round rookie,” the other reporter scoffed, not bothering to look up from his own piece on Westbrook and Durant. He saw little value in covering a low-profile rookie.
“Hey, hey, hey! Did you see ESPN’s headline today?”
Mornings in Orlando are quiet, but the Magic’s training facility is never without its familiar figure of Asian descent. Wu Rui had arrived early for his shooting drills. Hours later, Bismack Biyombo, just arriving, threw an arm around Wu Rui, his tone conspiratorial: “Check this out, Michael—it’s way more interesting than practice!”
“Enough, Bismack. No news out there is more important than training,” Wu Rui replied with a smile, slipping from his teammate’s grip to continue his drills. “Unless you’ve been traded to the G League.”
“Michael!” Biyombo was left speechless by the joke, but then shook his head and pulled out his phone. “Alright, man, see for yourself.”
Biyombo’s phone had a large screen, and the key area had been magnified. At a glance, Wu Rui spotted the scrolling news headline:
The Dunk King’s Challenge: Unveiling the Birth of the Chinese-American High-Flyer!
“A Chinese-American high-flyer? Who’s that supposed to be?” The headline left Wu Rui baffled—he’d never heard of such a figure.
But Biyombo didn’t answer. Instead, he gave Wu Rui a meaningful look. That look sent a jolt through Wu Rui. Suddenly, as if a lightbulb had gone off, he raised his hand and pointed to himself. Biyombo nodded in confirmation.
“The Chinese-American high-flyer? Me?” Still pointing at himself, Wu Rui was utterly bewildered. To make ESPN’s news ticker was already a shock; now, being dubbed the “Chinese-American high-flyer” left him frozen in surprise, as if struck by lightning.
“Michael, I’ve told you before—you’re the highest-flying Asian I’ve ever seen,” Biyombo said, suppressing a laugh, patting Wu Rui’s shoulder. “And this story is more than just a catchy headline.”
“Did you see Coach Frank this morning?”
“No… No, I didn’t…”
Biyombo’s question snapped Wu Rui back to reality. As usual, he’d arrived early to train, but Coach Vogel hadn’t appeared—not even after Biyombo arrived. Why was that?
“Exactly!” Biyombo slapped Wu Rui on the back triumphantly. “Michael, word is ESPN will be broadcasting live nationwide today!”