Where the noise did not reach

Chapter 48 The King’s Invitation

"Did a fight start?"

"No, but the Suns might be in trouble!"

Roderick Craig looked like he knew all the rules of the NBA.

"What's the problem?" Daryl Dora, who had retired from the school team and was preparing for graduation exams and future career planning, asked curiously.

Seeing his teammates looking at him with puzzled expressions, Craig couldn't help but proudly show off his NBA knowledge: "In 1997, the Knicks and Heat had a chaotic playoff series..."

"I know!"

Next captain Martin Zeno quickly answered, "Jeff Van Gundy was also photographed hugging Alonzo Mourning's leg during the conflict; I've seen that photo."

"That brawl resulted in multiple Knicks suspensions, ultimately leading to their elimination. The league subsequently implemented a rule that any player who leaves their seat during a disturbance will be suspended," Craig said with a laugh. "I just saw Stoudemire and Diaw leave their seats; they're in big trouble."

"But they didn't fight..."

"That's just how the rules are."

Everyone was skeptical, but the next morning, Xu Ling learned from the television while having breakfast that Stoudemire and Dio would be suspended for the "top-of-the-table" match.

"This is a stupid, terrible, disgusting piece of garbage rule."

This was the first time Xu Ling had realized he could speak so much derogatory English. There was no way around it; it was just too ridiculous to ignore.

First, you need to consider the context: the Suns pulled off a stunning comeback on the road, tying the series and regaining home-court advantage; Horry, with the outcome seemingly decided, maliciously knocked Nash to the ground; Stoudemire and Diaw, in their fury, merely stood up and took a few steps before being called back. And just like that, they were suspended.

“Exactly, that’s why people think the NCAA is purer,” Craig laughed. “I assure you, if anyone dared to treat you like that on the court, I’d be the first to stand up for you!”

These words pinpoint the crux of the NBA's problems—or more accurately, the underlying issues sown during the Stern era, which his successor Adam Silver has merely perpetuated.

Under Stern's management, the NBA transformed competitive basketball into something else entirely. It remains basketball, but it's like a diluted liquor—the innate wildness, the adrenaline-pumping competition, all gradually fade within the carefully crafted commercial script. The league attempts to weave a utopian fairytale: here, the world's top athletes must fight fiercely on the court while maintaining impeccable manners; they must showcase their skills while restraining their urge to shout; they must engage in intense competition while remaining mindful of boundaries. As a result, the league becomes increasingly artificial.

Returning to the rule itself, the more Xu Ling thought about it, the more he felt that it couldn't stand scrutiny and was too contrary to human nature.

Imagine you're Stoudemire or Diaw. You'd definitely love playing alongside a teammate like Nash—the soul of the locker room, the leader who takes you to the Finals, the perfect partner in everyone's eyes, someone you're grateful for every day you step onto the court. He's giving it his all for a championship.

Back in the very first game, Nash's nose was fractured by an opponent; Bowen tried every possible way to push and trip him on offense, but he never stopped, and you all naturally followed in his footsteps. Even in the fourth game, when the game was on the verge of collapse and the season seemed to be coming to an end, he was still able to ignite your fighting spirit and pull hope back.

Then, suddenly, a completely unnecessary and malicious foul sent him flying. You were on the sidelines. Your body reacted before your reason—that was your best teammate, now curled up on the floor—you took two steps toward the fouler before suddenly remembering the league's rule: substitute players are not allowed to leave their seats. So you stepped back and watched helplessly as everything spiraled out of control. And 24 hours later, you were suspended because of your instinctive reaction as a teammate.

This is utterly absurd. What kind of league would punish a player who reacted normally after their team's star player was maliciously fouled? The NBA, however, is obsessed with creating a fairytale utopia, attempting to eradicate courage and instinct from players' DNA—it's like some kind of cruel chemical castration. How ironic, and how pathetic!
Xu Ling's thoughts were constantly preoccupied with this matter, and he didn't even have time to feel any aversion towards the Spurs.

Ironically, although he knew the Spurs had won the championship this year, it wasn't because he followed the team. It was simply because this Finals, as a historical footnote to "James' first time leading a team to the Finals only to be swept," was repeatedly mentioned in various media outlets, making it hard for him not to know about it.

But look at the Spurs' shrewd move. We should really be grateful for this relatively innocent era of public opinion. If this happened more than a decade from now, in an era of highly developed social media, the Spurs wouldn't be treated much better than the Thunder in 2025.

Afterwards, the Suns indeed failed to recover from the incident. They lost Game 5, followed by Game 6, exiting the semifinals. Meanwhile, in the East, the Cavaliers, led by LeBron James, surprisingly defeated the Nets to advance to the Eastern Conference Finals. This achievement alone was enough for James to place himself in the Cavaliers' hall of fame.

After all, the Eastern Conference Finals is the Cavaliers' best record in history.

Seemingly because they share the same agent, James has been inviting Xu Ling to watch games in person recently. However, Xu Ling is tied up with a plethora of endorsement contracts and it wasn't until the end of May, the day before the NBA lottery and also the day of Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Finals, that he finally flew to Detroit with Leon Rose.

LeBron James sat on the sofa in his hotel suite, a stack of documents piled on the coffee table in front of him. These weren't ordinary tactical manuals or player statistics, but rather draft contracts from sponsors like Nike, Coca-Cola, and McDonald's.

His hotel suite was completely different from the rooms occupied by the other Cavaliers players. While the other players had standard business rooms, simple and practical, James had a luxurious penthouse suite. The spacious living room featured floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the city of Detroit, and a custom-made massage chair and treatment equipment on one side.

Beside James was Maverick Carter, a member of his core team. Carter was on the phone with his agent, his voice loud and confident. But James's mind wasn't on the documents or the phone call; he kept glancing at the closed door, waiting for a young man named Eli Xu to arrive.

He was curious about what kind of person this player, described in the scouting report as "calm to the point of being cold," really was. He had seen too many young "geniuses" who shone brightly under the spotlight, but when they actually faced him, their eyes always revealed awe and a hint of nervousness.

The young king remained silent. This period had been a rollercoaster for him; when his team won, he was the one who made his teammates better; but when his team lost, a barrage of criticism would fall. He had nowhere to hide, for his destiny was to escape the Chicago specter hovering over everyone.

These days, before a pivotal game that could decide the season's outcome, meeting the young talents who are about to enter the league and become opponents is a rare pastime.

Wait, young?
James bit his nails. Am I not young?

The doorbell rang, and James's lips curled into a slight smile. He didn't get up immediately, but instead gestured to Carter to pause the call.

When the door opened, a tall, slender young man with a calm expression walked in. He wore a simple hoodie, his steps were unhurried, and his eyes were clear and serene. Following him was a stocky young man who looked somewhat uneasy. Then, the person who had connected them—Lion Ross—also entered.

When the door opened, James was already standing up. His gaze passed over Rose and landed directly on Xu Ling—the young man who made that legendary shot in the NCAA final was now standing right in front of him.

“Eli,” James flashed his signature smile and extended his hand, “It’s finally time to meet.” Xu Ling shook his hand: “It’s an honor to have the great ‘A King’ on my mind.”

His tone was calm, without the excitement of a fan meeting their idol or the deliberate aloofness of someone trying to be cool; it was as if he were greeting an ordinary friend.

James paused for half a second, his smile still on his face, but a subtle ripple stirred within him.

A King? Not The King?

The words sounded like a compliment, but the extra definite article at the beginning evoked a different interpretation. It acknowledged your strength, yet implied you weren't unique. It was like saying—you're just one of many kings. His hand unconsciously tightened its grip, and his smile grew even brighter.

Rose chimed in at the opportune moment: "LeBron has wanted to see you ever since March Madness."

“Of course,” James said with a smile, gesturing for everyone to sit down. “I’ve watched the replay of that game-winning shot that hit the Florida logo at least twenty times. It was insane!”

"I hope this doesn't affect your playoff preparations," Xu Ling said half-jokingly.

"On the contrary," a glint of shrewdness flashed in James' eyes, "it reminds me that basketball is always full of possibilities."

At the other end of the room, James's best friend Maverick Carter put down his phone and scrutinized Xu Ling with sharp eyes.

“Bron called you two weeks ago,” Carter said, his voice clearly displeased. “I thought you weren’t coming.”

Upon hearing this, Ross smoothed things over, saying, "Eli has been tied up with business activities lately."

“I understand,” James interrupted Rose, giving Xu Ling a friendly smile. “Business activities are part of professional basketball. But you’ve come at just the right time tonight—our fifth game against the Pistons is about to start. Interested in watching it live?”

“But LeBron… isn’t his media pass already booked for tonight?” Carter said abruptly.

James gave Carter a warning look, then smiled at Xu Ling and said, "It's okay, the front seats are better, you can see more clearly."

“Then I shall accept your offer.” Xu Ling nodded, calmly meeting Carter’s gaze.

Then came casual conversation. James talked about the Cavaliers' season; Xu Ling shared behind-the-scenes stories of winning the NCAA championship; Carter pretended to check his phone. Only Rose maintained a professional smile and steered the conversation appropriately.

The meeting could be described as "a very pleasant encounter." Finally, Xu Ling rose to take his leave: "Then we won't disturb your preparations any longer."

James saw them to the door: "See you tonight. Hope you get to see a great game."

After seeing Xu Ling and his group off, Maverick Carter couldn't help but say, "What's with this kid's airs? He actually took half a month to come see you! Does he really think he's some big shot?"

James's kind face still showed little detail; he simply said, "Mav, I arranged this meeting for you."

Carter looked at James in astonishment: "For me?"

Within LeBron James' inner circle, there are four key figures, with James at the core and Vince Carter among the other three. Serving as a bridge between Carter and Nike, Carter joined the company in 2003, where he will learn everything he needs to learn. One day, James will entrust him with more important responsibilities.

That's why we're meeting today.

“I don’t care about Eli,” James casually straightened his cuffs, “but Nike wants to sign him.”

Carter scoffed: "Nike can sign anyone."

“That’s right, money moves the world,” James laughed. “Do you remember? Reebok offered me a $1 million contract, while Nike only offered $8000 million.”

How could Carter forget? Reebok not only offered a $1 million contract, but also an additional $1000 million signing bonus, meaning that if James signed, he could receive $1000 million on the spot.

But James still chose Nike. Because James knew it wasn't about money; Nike's platform, shoe design, and influence were far superior to Reebok's.

“Now it’s Eli’s turn to make the choice.” James’s voice suddenly sharpened. “Nike won’t offer the highest price, but they still want to sign him. They’ll send you to negotiate—representing both me and Nike.”

Carter's eyes lit up. He knew all too well what this meant—this would be a golden opportunity for him to build capital within Nike.

"what should I do?"

“Let’s talk more about our ‘friendship’,” James said with a sarcastic smile. “And let’s emphasize Nike’s platform advantages.”

“I understand,” Carter said confidently. “Leave it to me.”

(1) The good seats are usually not full, so players will invite their friends to watch the game.

(End of this chapter)