As a retired player, he had not been in the spotlight for a long time. Though he was a veteran of the basketball world, his career had earned him relatively few accolades, so he was not especially well-known or popular in the United States.
Compared with his old friend Kobe, he was nowhere close.
In fact, without Yao Ming, he might have been even less famous.
Chen Xi, on the other hand, was a superstar rookie who was all the rage in the League.
People were strange like that. If an ordinary fan came up asking for his autograph, he might find it a bit of a hassle. But if the fan was an NBA All-Star and a rising star, it felt completely different.
He was even a little flattered.
After happily getting Tracy McGrady's autograph and contact information, Chen Xi returned to his seat, satisfied.
The game officially began not long afterward.
Still, the Celebrity Game wasn't much of a game. It was just a gimmick to draw attention from each player's fanbase.
"Look! My fave's actually playing in the NBA now!!!"
For Chen, the harder task that night was maintaining his image and avoiding getting caught in any weird candid photos.
The Celebrity Game ended quickly, and the result didn't matter.
Soon, they moved on to the next event.
The All-Star Rookie Game.
The two teams lined up as follows:
World Team: Bogdan Bogdanovic (Kings), Dillon Brooks (Grizzlies), Joel Embiid (Philadelphia 76ers), Buddy Hield (Kings), Lauri Markkanen (Bulls), Jamal Murray (Nuggets), Frank Ntilikina (Knicks), Domantas Sabonis (Thunder), Dario Šarić (Philadelphia 76ers), Ben Simmons (Philadelphia 76ers)
Team USA: De'Aaron Fox (Kings), Taurean Prince (Hawks), Jaylen Brown (Celtics), John Collins (Thunder), Chris Dunn (Bulls), Brandon Ingram (Lakers), Kyle Kuzma (Lakers), Jayson Tatum (Celtics), Donovan Mitchell (Jazz), Chen Xi (Thunder)
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