Chapter Summaries

After the Thunder won the Finals, Chen Xi met with GM Presti during the 2019 NBA Draft and offered his opinions on the prospects. The draft’s early picks were announced, and Chen Xi suggested Jordan Poole as a possible choice as the Thunder’s pick approached.

• Media outlets and fans celebrated Chen Xi’s clutch Finals shot and mocked Milwaukee after the Bucks’ defeat.
• Chen Xi visited Presti on draft night, and Presti discussed the Thunder’s plans to retain their championship core and extend Chen’s contract.
• Chen Xi told Presti that Zion would go first but worried about his weight and injury history, and he mistakenly thought Anthony Edwards was the next year’s top prospect.
• The Grizzlies selected Zion Williams first, the Knicks picked RJ Barrett second, and the Cavaliers chose Ja Morant third.
• Presti asked Chen Xi which remaining prospects he liked, and Chen named Jordan Poole while noting that Ty Jerome needed time to develop and Kevin Porter Jr. had concerns.

The Thunder drafted Darius Bazley and Daniel Gafford, while Chen Xi followed the NBA Awards and the summer trade rumors from the sidelines. The story left off with Russell Westbrook agreeing to a three-year, $119 million extension that gave the Thunder more flexibility to retain its core.

• The Thunder selected Darius Bazley with the 23rd pick and Daniel Gafford with the 37th pick, surprising Chen Xi with the second-round choice.
• Chen Xi skipped the NBA Awards, where Luka Doncic won Rookie of the Year and Giannis Antetokounmpo won MVP, among other awards.
• Chen Xi spent his vacation with Talan as rumors swirled about teams pursuing Anthony, Ingram, Lonzo Ball, Irving, Durant, and Leonard.
• The Thunder offered Westbrook a three-year, $119 million extension with a player option and no-trade clause, and he agreed to the deal.
• Westbrook chose the shorter contract over a possible five-year supermax, giving the Thunder a better chance to manage its cap and keep its stars.

The Thunder reshaped their roster by retaining key veterans, adding Marc Gasol, and letting several role players leave. They then secured Chen Xi on a five-year supermax extension, keeping their championship core together.

• Presti offered Jerebko a three-year, $45 million deal with a team option for the third year, and Jerebko stayed with the Thunder.
• The Thunder picked up Carter and Noel's team options, while Seth Curry signed with the Mavericks and Javale McGee joined the Suns.
• On July 9, the Thunder signed Marc Gasol to a two-year, $6 million contract.
• On July 12, Chen Xi gave up his player option and signed a five-year, $170 million supermax extension with a player option for the fifth year.

Chen Xi’s new contract set the stage for a busy free-agency period as teams made major signings and trades. The chapter ended with Kyrie Irving joining James Harden in Houston and Chris Paul heading to Boston.

• The Warriors re-signed Kevin Durant and traded him to the Nets for D’Angelo Russell, Shabazz Napier, Treveon Graham, and two second-round picks, then moved other players to clear cap space.
• The Nets pursued Durant to pair him with Paul George, while Chen Xi’s new Thunder contract and Kawhi Leonard’s talks with Los Angeles narrowed their alternatives.
• The 76ers agreed to a five-year, $170 million extension with Ben Simmons, and the Warriors, Lakers, Clippers, and other teams made a series of signings and roster moves.
• The Thunder signed Kyle Korver after the Suns bought him out, while the Clippers signed Ivica Zubac and Anthony exercised his Lakers player option.
• The Celtics signed and traded Kyrie Irving to Houston for Chris Paul and a top-four-protected 2024 first-round pick, pairing Irving with James Harden and sending Paul to Boston.

The Thunder completed their roster by signing Pau Gasol, while Kawhi Leonard joined the Heat in a sign-and-trade that left the Knicks and Lakers without him. Chen Xi used his system rewards to gain Gold Badges and upgrade several attributes, preparing to expand his game.

• The Thunder signed Pau Gasol to a one-year minimum contract, completing their 15-man roster and going over the luxury-tax threshold.
• The Spurs signed Kawhi Leonard to a four-year contract and traded him to the Heat for Hassan Whiteside, Goran Dragic, and a protected first-round pick.
• The Lakers struggled to resolve Anthony's costly player option after missing out on Leonard, while the Knicks were also left without a major free-agent signing.
• Chen Xi received a random Gold Badge and 10 attribute points for signing his first max contract, adding them to his unclaimed FMVP rewards.
• Chen Xi selected the Hole Hunter badge, drew Slam Dunk Master, and spent his free attribute points to improve his layup, vertical, help defense, rebounding, Breakthrough, and steals.

After upgrading three badges and reviewing his improved attributes, Chen Xi finished a packed run of commercial appearances and went on vacation in California with Talan. At Kobe’s Newport City mansion, he discussed buying nearby property and reminisced with Kobe about winning the FMVP.

• Chen Xi upgraded Volume Shooter, Dodge Finisher, and Death Coil to Gold, bringing his Gold Badges to eight and reviewing his boosted attributes.
• Moon visited Chen Xi, who admitted he had not paid attention to her schedule; after signing new team contracts, they prepared for weeks of commercial events.
• After wrapping up his busy schedule in mid-August, Chen Xi returned to Oklahoma City, rested, and flew to California with Talan.
• Kobe picked Chen Xi and Talan up from the airport and brought them to his Newport City mansion, where Chen Xi joked about becoming his neighbor.
• Chen Xi met Vanessa and Kobe’s four daughters, then talked with Kobe about the feeling of winning the FMVP trophy.

Chen Xi vacationed with Kobe in California while controversy grew over his absence from China’s national team. He also tried to encourage Kobe to avoid risky travel and teased him with supposed traditional remedies for having a son.

• Chen Xi and Kobe went to the beach, where Chen Xi relaxed and thought about visiting Miami next time.
• As the World Cup approached, Chinese fans argued online about Chen Xi’s failure to join the national team, but none of the people involved responded.
• Chen Xi showed Kobe a helicopter-crash story and urged him not to risk his life to save time; Kobe agreed to keep safety in mind.
• Chen Xi told Kobe about traditional Chinese remedies supposedly associated with having a son, and Kobe eagerly asked for their recipes.

Chen Xi returned to Oklahoma City and trained for the Thunder’s new season, while following the host nation’s disappointing World Cup results. After training camp began, Donovan evaluated the roster and new players as the team settled into its new lineup.

• Chen Xi resumed recovery training after returning from California and watched the host nation fail to reach the World Cup’s Round of 16 or qualify for the Olympics.
• Chen Xi considered coaching the national team himself but recalled that Yao had said the team’s problems would take time to address.
• The Thunder opened training camp on September 25, and Chen Xi rejoined a largely unchanged roster with added depth across several positions.
• Donovan assessed Pau Gasol, Vanderbilt, and rookie Daniel Gafford during joint practices and found each could contribute in a specific role.
• The Thunder players regained their form and welcomed new teammates, and the Gasol brothers gradually grew more comfortable on the team.

Chen Xi and the Thunder treated their four preseason losses as practice while building chemistry and evaluating young players, then watched the 2019–20 regular season open with the Lakers beating the Heat and the Rockets crushing the Celtics. The Thunder’s title defense had not yet begun, as they were not scheduled to play on opening night.

• Chen Xi played briefly in the Thunder’s preseason games, while the team rotated veterans and young players and lost all four games.
• Chen Xi chatted with Westbrook, Davis, and Gasol during games as the Thunder’s bench antics entertained fans.
• The League opened the regular season with the Lakers facing the Heat and the Celtics facing the Rockets, highlighting offseason conflicts involving Leonard and Irving.
• James led the Lakers past the Heat with 40 points, 14 rebounds, and 6 assists after Leonard missed a late shot.
• Harden led the Rockets to a 125–98 win over the Celtics, scoring 37 points and recording 13 assists while Irving finished with 18 points.

The Thunder celebrated their 2019 championship before opening the season at home against the Bucks. After Westbrook announced the team’s goal of winning another title, the game began with Milwaukee winning the opening tip.

• Chen Xi carried the O’Brien Cup to the platform as Westbrook and Davis raised the Thunder’s 2019 championship banner.
• Adam Silver introduced the ring ceremony, and Chen Xi and his teammates received their championship rings.
• Westbrook thanked the team and fans, recalled Chen Xi’s advice, and declared that the Thunder would pursue another championship.
• Giannis grew angry at the Thunder’s celebration and vowed to beat them in the opener.
• The Thunder and Bucks began the game with their announced starting lineups, and Brook Lopez tipped the ball to Milwaukee.

The Thunder seized control against the Bucks as Chen Xi repeatedly attacked the basket, capped by a thunderous dunk over Brook Lopez. After Buden called timeout, the Bucks returned to the court but missed another shot, and Chen Xi broke Matthews’s balance on the Thunder’s next possession.

• Giannis scored the Bucks’ first basket with a reverse layup, but Chen Xi answered with a drive and layup against Matthews.
• Little Gasol blocked Giannis’s next layup, and Westbrook led a fast break that ended with Grant’s two-handed dunk for a 4–0 Thunder lead.
• Chen Xi called for a pick-and-roll, drove past Brook Lopez, and slammed the ball over him as Davis celebrated with him.
• Buden called timeout after Chen Xi’s dunk put the Thunder ahead 6–2.
• After play resumed, Brook Lopez missed a three-pointer, and Chen Xi drove past Matthews before stopping abruptly and making him fall.

Chen Xi led the Thunder to a dominant win over the Bucks, shutting down their attempted comeback with a blistering third-quarter run. The Thunder took a 28-point lead into the fourth quarter, while Chen Xi and Westbrook joked about their statistics on the bench.

• Chen Xi scored on a three-pointer after posterizing Lopez and crossing up Matthews, helping the Thunder take a 9–2 lead.
• The Thunder pulled away in the first quarter as Chen Xi and the substitutes overwhelmed the Bucks, ending the quarter ahead 42–24.
• The Thunder maintained their advantage through the second quarter and led 74–51 at halftime.
• Middleton helped the Bucks cut into the lead in the third quarter, but Chen Xi made his next five shots and led the Thunder on a 12–2 run.
• The Thunder ended the third quarter ahead 102–74, while Chen Xi had 37 points, seven rebounds, nine assists, two steals, and one block and Westbrook recorded a triple-double.
• Chen Xi joked with Westbrook about getting a triple-double as they sat on the bench during the break.

The Thunder opened the season with convincing wins over the Bucks and Wizards before traveling to Philadelphia to face a strengthened 76ers team. Chen Xi scored against Simmons as the matchup began, and the game remained underway after Horford hit a three-pointer.

• The Thunder beat the Bucks 128–103, then defeated the Wizards 119–101 two days later.
• Chen Xi chatted with the injured John Wall and offered him support in a later interview.
• The Thunder traveled to Philadelphia, where the 76ers had added Tobias Harris, Josh Richardson, and Al Horford to their roster.
• Embiid scored against Marc Gasol to open the game, and Chen Xi answered with a mid-range jumper after getting past Simmons.
• Horford hit a three-pointer after Simmons drew Davis's help defense, making the score 5–2.
• Westbrook sent Chen Xi an Iverson Cut pass at the right elbow, where Chen Xi began a post-up.

The Thunder and 76ers traded baskets early, with Philadelphia’s role players hitting several threes. After Donovan called a timeout, the Thunder tightened their defense and went on a 7–0 run, while Brett Brown kept the game going without a timeout.

• Chen Xi beat Simmons in the post and passed to Little Gasol for a dunk, then later set up Davis for a floater.
• The 76ers’ Harris, Horford, and Richardson made five threes as Philadelphia kept pace with the Thunder.
• With five and a half minutes left in the first quarter, Donovan called a timeout and urged the Thunder to defend more aggressively and take more threes.
• Chen Xi made a three after the timeout, and Grant contested Harris’s corner shot, which missed.
• Westbrook drove to the basket, drew a foul, and made one free throw before Embiid missed against Little Gasol.
• Westbrook, Chen Xi, and Grant combined for a fast-break three, extending the Thunder’s run to 7–0; Brown gave Simmons instructions but did not call a timeout.

The Thunder built a large lead over the 76ers behind Chen Xi and their deep bench, but Donovan’s late rotation mistake let Philadelphia storm back. Embiid’s three-pointer put the 76ers seven points ahead, leaving the Thunder’s comeback uncertain.

• Westbrook led the Thunder on a fast break, and Chen Xi scored with a Euro Step as Philadelphia called a timeout with the Thunder on a 9–0 run.
• Alexander and Davis led the Thunder’s reserves to a 10–2 run, and the Thunder finished the first half ahead 71–61.
• Chen Xi scored 12 points and added two rebounds and three assists in five minutes of the third quarter, helping the Thunder build a 17-point lead.
• Richardson attacked Korver for ten straight points, then Simmons helped Philadelphia open the fourth quarter with a 10–2 run and take the lead.
• Donovan put Chen Xi, Little Gasol, and Brow back in, but Simmons scored in transition and Embiid hit a pull-up three after Grant missed, giving the 76ers a seven-point lead.

Chen Xi and the Thunder answered the 76ers’ scoring run with a surge of their own after Donovan’s timeout. The Thunder ended the chapter defending a late-clock Simmons three, which missed.

• Chen Xi hit a step-back three to halt the Thunder’s scoring drought, but Harris laid in a basket for the 76ers and Grant missed a mid-range shot.
• Toha caught Simmons’s pass on a fast break and dunked, prompting Donovan to call timeout and urge the Thunder to raise their intensity.
• After Donovan’s pep talk, Chen Xi assisted Westbrook on a powerful dunk, and Westbrook later blocked Simmons’s shot against the backboard.
• Chen Xi grabbed the block’s rebound, beat Richardson and Harris, and finished a fast break with a windmill dunk.
• Horford hit a three for the 76ers, while Brow answered with a close-range basket for the Thunder.
• The Thunder shut down the 76ers’ Horns offense, and Simmons missed a three as the shot clock ran down.

The Thunder beat the 76ers and Pistons to extend their winning start, then Chen Xi spent a short break at home with Talan. After hearing about Daryl Morey’s deleted post supporting Hong Kong independence, Chen publicly denounced him and refused to back down when Moon called.

• Chen Xi scored 32 points and led the Thunder to a 125–117 win over the 76ers, their third straight victory.
• The Thunder defeated the Pistons 121–97, with Chen scoring 38 points and nearly recording a triple-double.
• During the team’s three-day break, Chen woke Talan by opening the curtains and later relaxed with her in the living room.
• Westbrook warned Chen about Daryl Morey’s post, and Chen found the deleted image and its Hong Kong independence slogan circulating online.
• Chen posted “shut up! son of a bitch!” and tagged Morey, then told Moon he would not delete the post or apologize.

Chen Xi’s public criticism of Morey intensified the controversy, drawing the League, Chinese companies, and the Rockets into the dispute. The League and team distanced themselves from Morey, while Chen Xi ended the chapter with another pointed comment under Morey’s post.

• Chen Xi dismissed Moon’s concerns, explained the dispute to Talan, and left the matter alone after posting his statement.
• Silver struggled to respond after Chen Xi’s intervention drew widespread attention and Chinese companies began ending their partnerships with the Rockets.
• Nets owner Boss Cai spoke out, and Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta said Morey’s remarks did not represent the team.
• Morey defended his remarks as personal, and the League said they represented neither the Rockets nor the League.
• Chen Xi mocked Morey’s defense by saying he liked Morey’s wife, framing it as his own personal opinion.

After the Mor dog incident stirred up backlash across the NBA, Chen Xi and the Thunder faced the Spurs on October 31. Chen Xi sparked a dominant start with dunks and a three-pointer, leaving the Thunder ahead as the game continued.

• Westbrook, Davis, Harden, Kobe, and others spoke out about the Mor dog incident, while Popovich defended Mor dog's freedom of speech and praised his courage.
• Mor dog stayed silent and hoped the controversy would fade, even as League officials and team owners grew unhappy with the damage to their interests.
• The Thunder began their road game against the Spurs, and Chen Xi opened the scoring with a dunk before adding a putback dunk after Westbrook's missed layup.
• Chen Xi set up Davis for a dunk, giving the Thunder three dunks in their first three possessions and prompting a Spurs timeout.
• The Spurs scored a corner three after the timeout, but Chen Xi answered with a step-back three over White as Popovich watched angrily.

Chen Xi led the Thunder to a 140–97 blowout of the Spurs, scoring 40 points in under 19 minutes. After the game, he criticized Popovich in a reporter interview, prompting Popovich to respond the next day and drawing heated reactions from fans.

• Chen Xi stole the ball from Dragic, and Westbrook turned it into a layup as the Thunder surged to a 42–20 first-quarter lead.
• Chen Xi scored and defended aggressively after returning in the second quarter, helping the Thunder reach halftime ahead 85–46.
• The Thunder's reserves kept the Spurs at bay, and the game ended in a 140–97 blowout.
• Chen Xi told reporters he hated the Rockets' general manager and suggested Popovich should focus on the Spurs, while finishing with 40 points, five rebounds, and six assists.
• Popovich praised Chen Xi's right to express his opinions and said the Spurs were on course, sparking debate among fans.