At dusk, Chen Xi rode in Westbrook's Ferrari F12 to his house.
"Damn! So this is what a supercar feels like. That's amazing." Chen Xi genuinely envied the All-Star players who had money to burn.
"Like it? Let's make a deal. If you ever earn a starting spot from the coaching staff, I'll buy you one."
"Really, Godfather?!"
Westbrook grinned as he joked with Chen Xi.
There was no affection without reason. Westbrook had been looking out for Chen Xi because of the time they'd spent together recently.
Every day after practice, he saw the young man putting in extra work. Nobody disliked a hard worker, especially someone who worked hard himself.
Westbrook had been heartbroken after Durant "stabbed him in the back" that summer, but fortunately, his strong inner core had helped him recover quickly.
This year, he'd use his performance to show the world that the Thunder were still a strong team without Durant!
He'd show Durant that he'd made the wrong choice!
Basketball wasn't a one-man game. Westbrook knew that even someone as great as Kobe needed help from Gasol, Artest, Odom, and others.
So he'd been deliberately looking for promising teammates, hoping he could help them improve. As it happened, Chen Xi had caught his eye.
After talking with him, Westbrook discovered that the young man was surprisingly easy to get along with. He had the brash confidence that most Asians lacked, yet knew where to draw the line and how to gauge the right tone in a conversation. Talking with him was comfortable, so Westbrook didn't mind giving his new little brother some encouragement.
"Whoa, so when are we going to pick out the options? By the time the car arrives, I'll definitely have a starting spot!" Chen Xi's eyes lit up as he bragged without restraint.
"Forget it. I don't believe you can beat Victor."
Being cocky was one thing, but Westbrook wasn't going to let Chen Xi rub it in his face. He didn't hesitate to pour cold water on him.
"Why Victor? Why can't I take your starting spot?"
Chen Xi was still running his mouth.
"You'd better save that kind of daydreaming for when you're asleep, rookie."
The two of them walked into Westbrook's mansion, laughing and joking.
October 12
Thunder vs. Mavericks
The 38-year-old German tank was nearing the end of the road, while the 28-year-old Blue Supercar was in his prime. The Mavericks' decline was plain to see. Deron Williams, only four years older than Westbrook, hadn't been the same Deron "Sleep-and-eat-Paul" since leaving the Jazz. (He'd actually still been great in his first two years with the Nets, but let's not talk about his time with the Mavericks.) A big-bodied guard to begin with, he could now barely keep up with Westbrook.
Fortunately, it was only a pre-season game. Westbrook was taken out early, and young Oladipo took over as the Thunder's primary ball handler. Chen Xi was subbed in at shooting guard, matched up against JJ Barea, who, like Deron, was already 32. It was worth noting that three of the Mavericks' starters were born in 1984, with Bogut being another one. Deron and Barea had even been born on June 26, 1984—a special coincidence.
The youngest starter on the entire team was Harrison Barnes, born in 1992. The other three were 32, and one was 38. It was hard not to sigh at the sight. The Spurs next door, often called old, had already found their next generation, but the Mavericks' new king seemed nowhere in sight. (Though he did arrive in 2018.)
Facing a fading Mavericks team, Chen Xi showed no mercy. He raced along the three-point line during his limited minutes, constantly looking for opportunities. Thanks to his excellent Three-point attribute and shooting Badge, he went five for seven and scored 15 points. He also put on a dazzling display of one-on-one defense against the Mavericks' backup guard Devin Harris, forcing him to pick up his dribble before stripping the ball from him. Donovan, watching from the sidelines, was impressed.
As time went on, the Thunder played the Timberwolves and Nuggets, and, along with the Mavericks, easily won all three games to finish the 2016–17 pre-season.
Chen Xi had played well. Across the three games, he averaged 18 minutes, 15.3 points, 1.4 rebounds, 0.6 assists, and 1 steal, earning the coaching staff's favor with his impressive stats.
Sure enough, Chris Chen's name appeared on the roster the team announced on October 25.
"Chris, looks like you're one step closer to that Ferrari."
Westbrook sent his congratulations by text that very day.
"I told you we should've picked out the options that day!"
Chen Xi replied cheerfully, then headed to the kitchen to make himself a celebratory meal.
{Don't you leave~~ Distance can't keep us apart~~}
Suddenly, a Chinese song drifted into his ears.
Chen Xi answered the phone.
"Hello, who's this?"
"Hello, is this Chris Chen?" A man's voice came through the phone.
"Yes. What is it?"
"Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Darren Moon, and I'm a professional agent. As far as I know, you haven't signed with an agent yet, have you?" Confidence showed in the man's voice.
"Do you have some time? Perhaps we could talk."
Oh, right. I don't have an agent yet.
Still not used to his new life, Chen Xi had forgotten that he was now an NBA player earning hundreds of thousands of dollars a year before taxes.
Even a fringe player was still an NBA player. A lean camel was bigger than a horse, and that made him worth an investment to some professional agents. Besides, he was Chinese American, which came with the potential to embrace the Chinese market. (The story made him an American citizen for convenience. Setting up a Chinese citizenship background would be a bit of a hassle, and I don't want to write about the Basketball Association's headache-inducing issues early on. My heart is Chinese!!!)
"Sure. Are you in Oklahoma?"
"Of course, sir. Then please give me an address. Would it be convenient if I came by tomorrow?"
"Sure. Tomorrow works."
Chen Xi gave him an address, then hung up.
He had no idea whether the guy was any good, but no other agents had approached him so far, so he might as well hear him out.
An agent could take care of a lot of everyday hassles in exchange for a fee, much like a personal assistant. Without one, he'd have to handle everything himself, from communicating with the team to negotiating endorsement deals with businesses. It would be quite a hassle.
Mulling it over, Chen Xi continued cooking.
Today's menu: Spicy Beef Rice Bowl!
The next day, Darren Moon, the man from the phone call, arrived at Chen Xi's place.
"Forgive my frankness, but your home is rather far out of the way. The trip took a while, though I'm glad I didn't miss our appointment." A neatly dressed, middle-aged man walked in with a smile.
"You reminded me. I should probably start looking for a new place soon. This one's really far from the arena."
"If we sign together, leave the small stuff to me! Now, allow me to briefly introduce what I can do for you."
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