F**k Chris!

The Thunder, by contrast.

Chen Xi walked slowly over to the bench, then dropped into the seat his teammates had made for him. He took the white towel and started wiping off his sweat.

Donovan was saying something to the team, but Chen Xi didn't listen.

It wasn't until the brief timeout was almost over that Chen finally spoke.

"I'll take it from here."

His words were so confident they bordered on arrogance, yet in that moment, they gave his teammates an unparalleled sense of security.

Donovan's reaction said it all.

As Head Coach, he had just carefully explained the team's upcoming offensive and defensive plans.

But after Chen Xi spoke, all of that was about to be thrown out.

Donovan wasn't resentful in the least. He simply looked at Chen Xi with heartfelt relief.

Then he turned his gaze back to the team.

"Alright! Guys, looks like you don't have to work so hard to get open. From here on, focus on defense, spread the floor, and get the ball to Chris!"

"Yes, sir!"

At that moment, anyone could clearly see who had the most say on the Oklahoma team.

After all, influence was never something you could just seize.

It wasn't enough to keep insisting, "I'm the leader. I'm the team's best player. I'm the core." That didn't automatically give you absolute authority over a team.

Chen Xi never said things like that.

He had always relied on his actions.

When it mattered, he shouldered the responsibility time and again, standing firm under pressure and saving the team.

Everything he had done over the past four-plus years had been seen by every member of the Thunder.

That was why he had earned such immense respect from the team.

He could overturn the Head Coach's plans with a single