Chapter Summaries

Wang Yi surprised the Clippers by guarding the much bigger Zubac, overpowering him and blocking his shot so brutally that Zubac fell to the floor. Wang Yi then returned to the low block, where Zubac confronted him again, setting up another clash.

• Wang Yi took over Holmes's assignment and guarded Zubac despite their size difference.
• Zubac tried to back Wang Yi down, but Wang Yi held his ground and pushed him backward.
• Wang Yi blocked Zubac's turnaround jumper, knocked the ball loose into Zubac's face, and sent him crashing to the floor.
• Wang Yi passed the ball to Hield and moved to the right low block on the next possession.
• Blood Bu avoided guarding Wang Yi, so Zubac confronted Wang Yi and challenged him to fight.

Wang Yi dominated the Clippers with brutal strength, dunking over Zubac and disrupting their offense. After he nearly swung Jackson off his feet while stealing the ball, the referee called a foul, leaving the crowd stunned by his ferocity.

• Wang Yi drove Zubac back and dunked over him, knocking him to the floor as the rim and backboard shook.
• Tyronn Lue called a timeout and scolded Zubac, who insisted Wang Yi was too strong; Wang Yi then missed his extra free throw.
• Jackson drove past Hield and faked Bagley, but Wang Yi flew in from the corner and swatted his floater into the stands.
• Wang Yi fooled Jackson on a fast break, then grabbed the ball with both hands and spun him around until Jackson lost his grip and crashed to the floor.
• The referee whistled Wang Yi for a foul while players and spectators focused on the force of his attempted steal.

Wang Yi overwhelmed the Clippers with his strength, forcing a successful Kings challenge before dunking over both Zubac and Ibaka. After Ibaka was sent in to stop him, Wang Yi powered past him and left him crumpled beneath the basket.

• Wang Yi grabbed the ball from Reggie Jackson and sent him flying, but the referees overturned the foul after Kings coach Walton challenged the call.
• Wang Yi backed down Zubac and dunked over him, showing that the center could not withstand his strength.
• Clippers coach Tyronn Lue replaced Zubac with Ibaka to defend Wang Yi.
• Wang Yi backed Ibaka down, spun near the basket, and dunked over him, knocking Ibaka to the floor.

Wang Yi overwhelmed the Clippers’ big men with dunks, blocks, steals, and rebounds, turning the first quarter into a one-sided display of strength. The Kings ended the quarter ahead by 11, while the Clippers’ three centers were in foul trouble and unable to contain him.

• Wang Yi backed down Serge Ibaka and dunked on him, then blocked Ibaka’s shots twice as the Kings built an early lead.
• Tyronn Lue sent Hartenstein in to join Ibaka in a twin-tower lineup against Wang Yi.
• Wang Yi spun between Ibaka and Hartenstein and finished with a reverse dunk, then stole the ball from Hartenstein and dunked through Ibaka’s contest.
• Wang Yi kept dominating the Clippers’ big men on rebounds and both ends of the court as the Kings’ lead grew.
• Wang Yi finished the first quarter with 27 points, eight rebounds, five blocks, and three steals, while Zubac, Ibaka, and Hartenstein had two, three, and two fouls respectively.

Wang Yi dominated the Clippers inside, drawing fouls and controlling the rebounds as the Kings built an 18-point halftime lead. In the third quarter, he kept generating second chances, and Holmes finally converted one of them into a three-pointer.

• Wang Yi's physical play gave the Clippers' big men a pile of fouls and left coach Tyronn Lue scrambling for a response.
• Lue told the Clippers to attack from the perimeter, but Wang Yi repeatedly collected rebounds after their missed threes.
• The Kings ended the first half up 18 points, while Zubac had four fouls, Ibaka had four, and Harten had three.
• Barnes privately asked Wang Yi whether he had taken stimulants, and Wang Yi denied it while promising to explain after the game.
• The Clippers sent four defenders at Wang Yi, who passed out and then grabbed successive rebounds after the Kings missed three shots.
• Wang Yi tipped the ball to Holmes, who made a three, prompting Bosh and O'Neal to joke about Wang Yi's rebounding.

Wang Yi powered through the Clippers’ defense, scoring despite Leonard’s swipe and then completing a layup while George and Reggie Jackson fouled him. The stunned Staples Center watched as Wang Yi’s strength and balance left both teams in silence.

• After Tyronn Lue called another timeout, he ordered Leonard to help the Clippers’ big men stop Wang Yi.
• Wang Yi spun past Ibaka and dunked over Zubac despite Leonard slashing at the ball.
• Wang Yi ripped the ball from George, who fell to the floor as Wang Yi headed upcourt.
• George wrapped both arms around Wang Yi while Reggie Jackson shoved him, but Wang Yi stayed balanced and made a finger roll.
• The Staples Center fell silent as Shaquille O'Neal, Bosh, and the fans stared at Wang Yi’s layup through two defenders.

Wang Yi continued to dominate the Clippers, helping the Kings carry a 22-point lead into the fourth quarter. The Clippers tried to adjust, but Wang Yi blew past Leonard and charged toward the basket, where Harten fouled him.

• Wang Yi's dominance inside forced the Clippers to double-team him and left the Kings' perimeter players open, putting the Kings up by 22 after three quarters.
• Tyronn Lue told the Clippers to defend Wang Yi one-on-one and foul him if necessary, while Wang Yi declined Walton's offer to rest.
• Leonard hit a three-pointer to cut the deficit to 19, but Wang Yi answered with a Logo three.
• Leonard guarded Wang Yi on the perimeter, but Wang Yi's crossover and Lightning Break knocked him off balance.
• George tried to help, but Wang Yi's drive sent him spinning, and Harten fouled Wang Yi to stop his dunk.

Wang Yi overwhelmed the Clippers in the paint, dunking over Harten and knocking him unconscious before forcing all three of their big men out of the game. With no centers left, Wang Yi ruled the paint as play resumed.

• Wang Yi drove through the defense and dunked while hanging on Harten, sending Harten crashing to the floor.
• Harten briefly lost consciousness from a concussion, then woke confused and was carried off for further examination.
• David and Pan Guoguo watched the game from the hospital and feared what Wang Yi might have done if he had fought them with full force.
• The Clippers put Zubac into the game, but he fouled out against Wang Yi less than two minutes later.
• Ibaka also fouled out, leaving the Clippers without any of their three big men and Wang Yi unopposed in the paint.

Wang Yi answered the Clippers’ comeback with a powerful dunk that shattered the backboard, silencing Staples Center. His feat left players, fans, and commentators stunned, while the Warriors wondered how they could defend him in a possible Western Conference Finals matchup.

• After Harten, Zubac, and Ibaka fouled out, Wang Yi dominated as the Kings built a 28-point lead.
• Reggie Jackson hit five three-pointers, cutting the Kings’ lead and rallying the Clippers.
• Wang Yi drove past Leonard and George, then dunked over Reggie Jackson with enough force to shatter the backboard.
• Staples Center fell silent, and fans and Clippers players watched Wang Yi in shock.
• Warriors coach Steve Kerr asked who could guard Wang Yi, while Draymond Green accused him of using steroids without evidence.
• Clippers owner Ballmer and commentators Shaq and Dragon King Bosh reacted in disbelief to Wang Yi’s dunk.

After Wang Yi shattered the backboard, the Kings routed the Clippers by 35 points, but the Clippers filed a complaint over his extraordinary performance. Wang Yi welcomed the league investigation and submitted to a urine test, which ended with both teams’ staff crowded into the collection room.

• Wang Yi left the game after shattering the backboard, and the Kings went on to beat the Clippers by 35 points.
• Wang Yi recorded 62 points, 27 rebounds, 14 blocks, 10 assists, and 6 steals, earning his third quadruple-double of the season.
• Wang Yi told a reporter that anger over being called Number Zero Thug had unleashed his untapped potential.
• Tyronn Lue and the Clippers filed a complaint, prompting the league to send an investigation team to Staples Center.
• Wang Yi asked the investigators to film the process so he could clear his name, then agreed to a urine test.
• Wang Yi invited the coaches, representatives, and doctors into the cramped collection room and shouted, "Open the floodgates!"

Wang Yi was cleared in two drug tests, but the Clippers demanded further testing as his nickname, “Number 0 Thug,” spread worldwide. He then attended a livestreamed hearing with Lawyer Luo to address an investigation, which began as the chapter ended.

• Investigators collected and tested Wang Yi’s urine samples after accusations that he had used performance-enhancing drugs.
• Shaquille O'Neal and James defended Wang Yi, while Zha Zha Pachulia and Bogut voiced suspicions, and Clippers fans spread accusations online.
• Both urine samples tested negative, but the Clippers disputed the results, prompting the league to arrange several more tests over the following week.
• A pharmacology expert argued that performance-enhancing drugs could not explain Wang Yi’s strength, while his highlights and nickname “Number 0 Thug” spread around the world.
• Lawyer Luo arranged a livestreamed hearing, and Nicole drove Wang Yi to Los Angeles City Hall, where the hearing began.

Pan Guoguo accused Wang Yi of assaulting her and David at a Los Angeles hotel, while the hearing panel reacted strongly to her testimony and the surveillance footage. The host asked whether the sides could settle, but Pan Guoguo insisted they wanted justice rather than money.

• Pan Guoguo described herself as a prospective American and praised the United States while disparaging China.
• Pan Guoguo testified that Wang Yi tried to take her phone, knocked David unconscious, and struck her, leaving David with broken ribs and her with missing teeth.
• Officer Harris Whister presented hotel surveillance footage that appeared to support Pan Guoguo's account, prompting alarm among the hearing panel.
• Pan Guoguo's lawyer said the footage and eyewitnesses supported the lawsuit against Wang Yi.
• The host suggested a financial settlement, but Pan Guoguo said they sought justice and wanted Wang Yi kept from endangering the public.

At Wang Yi’s hearing, Luo Xiang challenged the prosecution’s claims and argued that the available video could not prove what happened before the assault. He then shifted the focus to a serious service failure at the Los Angeles Center Hotel, leaving the hotel’s owner stunned as the hearing continued.

• Wang Yi agreed to let Luo Xiang handle his defense and said only that he did.
• Luo Xiang argued that the unclear video could not prove Pan Guoguo’s account, so the presumption of innocence applied.
• The prosecution lawyer argued that Wang Yi had brutally assaulted a man and attacked Pan Guoguo without cause, drawing anger from the hotel owner.
• Luo Xiang said the prosecution could not establish why Wang Yi attacked the plaintiff and promised to explain an important contributing factor.
• Luo Xiang blamed a serious service failure at the Los Angeles Center Hotel, and the presiding officer made the owner sit down and let him continue.

Luo Xiang argued that the hotel’s failure to protect Wang Yi’s room information and provide timely security meant Wang Yi was not solely responsible for the confrontation with Pan. He then announced that Wang Yi would sue the jury for defamation, leaving the jurors and prosecution scrambling to verify a newly effective law that permitted such suits.

• Luo Xiang argued that the hotel had leaked Wang Yi’s room information and failed to send security guards within one minute, so Wang Yi bore no more than 50 percent of the liability.
• The prosecution lawyer offered no further evidence, and the moderator moved to adjourn the hearing until Luo Xiang said he was not finished.
• Luo Xiang announced that Wang Yi would sue every jury member for slander and defamation, prompting laughter and objections from the audience and moderator.
• Luo Xiang cited a new provision allowing lawsuits against jurors, and the prosecution lawyer and jury members denied knowing about it.
• Luo Xiang said the law had taken effect at midnight, and audience members searched for news about the change.
• Luo Xiang warned the jury to expect summonses and said he would compile evidence against a bespectacled audience member for possible racial discrimination.

Lawyer Luo ended Wang Yi’s hearing by threatening to sue the jury under a newly amended law, then admitted he had exaggerated Wang’s likely share of responsibility to make the opposing side work harder. Wang Yi and Nicole flew to Sacramento to prepare for their game the next night, while Wang Yi still felt drained after using Shaquille O’Neal’s peak-form card.

• Lawyer Luo got the moderator to adjourn the seven-minute hearing after challenging the jury over their remarks about Wang Yi.
• The audience confirmed that the Civil Hearing Law had been amended, leaving the jury members worried that they could face defamation suits.
• On the drive back, Lawyer Luo told Nicole he planned to sue the jury and revealed that Wang Yi’s share of responsibility could exceed seventy percent under California law.
• Lawyer Luo explained that he had claimed Wang Yi was at most fifty percent responsible to make the other side gather more evidence.
• Two hours later, Wang Yi and Nicole boarded a flight to Sacramento for his game the next night, and Wang Yi continued to feel weak after using the Peak Shaquille O’Neal Experience Card.

David used a photo of Wang Yi signing a Clippers jersey to stir up public outrage while Wang Yi remained focused on the Playoffs and unaware of the online backlash. Wang Yi apologized to his Kings teammates, who accepted his explanation and trusted him more.

• Pan Guoguo reminded David that she had sent him a photo of Wang Yi holding the signed Clippers jersey, and David posted it on Twitter with a taunting caption.
• The photo and a video of Wang Yi dismissing the criticism sparked a fresh wave of online attacks, while Wang Yi stayed offline and did not see them.
• Nicole asked Wang Yi why he had not explained himself, and he said that public explanations would not help and that he cared more about his relationships with his teammates.
• Barnes warned Wang Yi not to sign other teams' jerseys again, and Wang Yi apologized to his teammates and promised to stop.
• Wang Yi's teammates accepted his apology and trusted him more for admitting his mistake.

Wang Yi struggled with depleted energy as the Kings lost Games 3 and 4 to the Clippers, falling behind 1–3 in the series. On the way to Los Angeles for Game 5, he rallied his teammates with his familiar excitement and promised they would do something big.

• Before Game 3, Wang Yi told the coach that his legs felt weak after pushing himself in the previous game.
• Wang Yi scored 37 points with 14 assists and 5 blocks, but the Kings lost Game 3 by 12 points.
• In Game 4, Wang Yi recorded a triple-double, but Leonard and George led the Clippers to another double-digit win and a 3–1 series lead.
• Fans and commentators mocked Wang Yi, while media outlets gave the Kings only a 2.7% chance of advancing.
• On the team bus in Los Angeles, Wang Yi excitedly told his teammates they would pull off something huge in Game 5.

Wang Yi returned to form as the Kings faced elimination against the Clippers, and he promised his teammates they would reach the Western Conference Finals. After activating an Intermediate Five-Double Experience Card, he opened the game with a block and a 360-degree windmill dunk.

• Wang Yi rallied the Kings by declaring that their goal was the Western Conference Finals, and the team ignored Clippers fans trying to sow distrust between them.
• Wang Yi planned to address Tristan Thompson's hostility toward him and Holmes after the second round, if the Kings advanced.
• Wang Yi checked in before the game and received an Intermediate Five-Double Experience Card that lasted 24 minutes.
• Wang Yi activated the card, blocked Zubac's shot, and sprinted downcourt past Reggie Jackson for a 360-degree windmill dunk.

Wang Yi returned to form against the Clippers, blocking Kawhi Leonard and scoring a three after provoking him. He then chased down Reggie Jackson and blocked his fast-break layup against the backboard.

• Wang Yi blocked Leonard’s mid-range shot one-handed and caught the ball out of the air.
• Wang Yi dribbled through Leonard’s legs, taunted him, and drew a frustrated foul.
• Wang Yi got free of Leonard with a screen and made a three-pointer.
• Reggie Jackson rushed into a fast break, but Wang Yi caught up and blocked his layup against the backboard with both hands.

Wang Yi dominated the opening minutes against the Clippers, turning steals and blocks into a fast Kings lead. After the Clippers rallied briefly, he continued reading their plays and had 11 points, 3 steals, and 4 blocks halfway through the first quarter.

• Wang Yi blocked Reggie Jackson, spun past Kawhi Leonard, and made a midcourt three-pointer to give the Kings an 8–0 lead and force a timeout.
• Tyronn Lue urged the Clippers to stay calm, and Leonard regained his composure as the team rallied its morale.
• The Clippers scored five points over two possessions, but Wang Yi blocked Zubac on their next attack.
• Wang Yi intercepted Zubac’s pass after predicting he would pass rather than shoot, using his knowledge of Zubac’s habits.
• Wang Yi stole Leonard’s alley-oop attempt to Zubac, reaching 11 points, 3 steals, and 4 blocks midway through the first quarter.