Becoming an All-Star

Goodwin stopped in his tracks and turned his head to look, only to see Yao Ming walking over, followed by reporters and photographers.

Familiar skin.

Goodwin was a bit stunned.

A compatriot?

No, no, I'm a white guy now.

Soon, Yao Ming arrived in front of Goodwin, threw an arm around him, and said to the camera, "This is my best friend in the NBA, Goodwin."

Best friend?

The reporters and photographers were a bit dazed, and even Goodwin was taken aback.

Two seconds later, Goodwin snapped out of it and replied in a language everyone present could understand: "Yao, aren't you afraid your team leader will get jealous and deal with you when you get back?"

Yao Ming laughed and said, "Steve Francis isn't that petty."

"Hahaha, then I'll have to whisper a few words in his ear."

Yao Ming couldn't help but widen his eyes; he didn't know such a move existed.

Yao Ming blurted out a classic Chinese exclamation: "Holy crap, you can do that? Then I'll take you out first!"

Yao Ming started "beating" Goodwin for real.

Goodwin also let out a dramatic, exaggerated scream.

The two of them horsed around in front of the cameras like old friends.

"Yao, Goodwin, was that Chinese he just spoke?" After the two finished messing around, a reporter immediately asked.

Yao Ming frowned, looking both amused and helpless: "Didn't you just hear it?"

The reporter nodded.

Seeing this, Yao Ming had no choice but to look at Goodwin and say, "Goodwin, say something else quickly; my compatriot is a bit incredulous."

"It'll cost you. 100 per character."

"Get lost! Talking about money hurts our friendship."

"Then I'm leaving." Goodwin made a move to walk away.

"You get back here." Yao Ming reached out, grabbed Goodwin by the collar, and yanked him back.

Goodwin: "..."

Do I have no dignity?

"Yao, you've embarrassed me in front of 1.3 billion friends. You just wait, I'm going to crush you on the court later." Goodwin channeled a certain wolf villain, declaring: I will definitely be back!

Hearing this, Yao Ming couldn't help but laugh out loud: "I'll be waiting for your arrival in Houston."

At this moment, the two locked eyes, an invisible magnetic field forming between them, crackling with countless sparks of electricity.

Just then, the reporter couldn't help but remind them: "Excuse me, you two, but there are no opportunities for you to face each other in the remaining schedule."

Yao Ming: (ÒωÓױ)!

Goodwin: (ÒωÓױ)!

"However, you will have the chance to face each other next season, and I am very much looking forward to that matchup," the reporter continued.

The two nodded silently.

"Yao, then I'll just wait until next season to bully you," Goodwin said. He would definitely be stronger by next season; even if he didn't reach the very top of the pyramid, he would certainly reach the first tier.

"Goodwin, I was going to say the same thing to you," Yao Ming replied, refusing to be outdone.

The reporter watched the two bickering and the corners of his mouth curled up slightly. He hadn't expected that there would be a player on the other side of the ocean who could speak fluent Chinese; it was like a blind man threading a needle—a perfect hit every time.

Afterward, the reporter conducted a brief interview with Goodwin.

This interview was broadcast back to China across the ocean, letting all the Chinese fans know that there was a player in the NBA with a handsome face who spoke fluent Chinese, and his name was Goodwin.

Before leaving, Goodwin said to Yao Ming, "Thanks."

"Remember to treat me to a meal."

"No problem."

After saying goodbye to Yao Ming, Goodwin returned to the locker room to pack his bags and leave. As for the post-game interviews, he didn't participate; would it really make a difference if he was there or not? He was just a small fry.

Goodwin did not come to watch the three events the next day; he had zero interest in them. Watching the games in person wasn't as good as training.

Goodwin did not miss the main event on the third day.

Sitting in the stands, he watched the familiar superstars warming up: Kobe Bryant, McGrady, Iverson, Vince Carter, Shaquille O'Neal, Tim Duncan, Kevin Garnett, Brad Miller, Andrei Kirilenko, Peja Stojakovic, Sam Cassell, Ray Allen, Dirk Nowitzki, Yao Ming...

OMG!

As he watched, Goodwin felt an inexplicable urge to go down there and compete.

Goodwin: Senior Paul, get down there.

Paul Pierce: Get lost!

"Beep." With the sound of the whistle, the 2003-2004 NBA All-Star Game officially tipped off.

As soon as the game started, Iverson connected with Vince Carter. Iverson casually tossed the ball against the backboard, and Vince Carter, charging in, finished with a side-winding tomahawk slam!

In an instant, the entire arena erupted.

Just a few minutes later, the performance repeated itself. After an Eastern Conference steal, Iverson launched a fast break. It was the same recipe—only this time, Iverson threw the ball directly into the air, and Vince Carter, reading his mind, caught it with ease and slammed it home!

"Ahhhhh!" Goodwin stood up from the stands, cheering excitedly.

Following that, the other superstars began to showcase their signature moves.

Kobe Bryant executed a high-difficulty hang-time layup; facing Carter, he jumped early and used a twisting maneuver to put the ball in for an and-one. Kidd delivered a no-look pass; during a fast break, Kidd kept his eyes wandering before unleashing a left-handed crescent-moon pass to assist Martin for a two-handed slam.

McGrady performed a self-alley-oop; McGrady drove past Kirilenko, penetrated into the paint, tossed the ball against the backboard, and caught it with both hands for the dunk.

Yao Ming and Francis coordinated with each other. "Little brother, catch!" Francis drove in to draw the defense and delivered a brilliant pass to Yao Ming for an alley-oop slam.

The German Nowitzki was not to be outdone, driving in from the three-point line for a tomahawk dunk.

Then came the comedy; Shaquille O'Neal grabbed a rebound and, refusing to pass to anyone, pushed the ball to the front court himself. He lowered his center of gravity, performed a hesitation move followed by a spin—a series of guard-like dribbling moves—before missing the layup.

"Hahahaha!" "Hahahaha!" "Hahahaha!"... The crowd burst into laughter.

As the game time slowly ticked away, the players on both sides began to get into their rhythm, and neither side wanted to lose the game.

Back and forth they went, neither giving an inch, and the score remained extremely tight.

In the end, a three-pointer from Kobe Bryant and a bank-shot mid-range jumper from Tim Duncan sealed the victory for the West.

136:132

The Western Conference All-Stars took the win by 4 points, marking the first time in history they had won three consecutive All-Star Games.

The MVP award went to Shaquille O'Neal, who finished with 24 points, 11 rebounds, 2 steals, and 2 blocks.

After watching, Goodwin was left wanting more. This was what an All-Star Game should be—not only filled with flashy dunk performances and a rich atmosphere of entertainment, but also brimming with suspense regarding the outcome in the final moments.

He really wanted to participate!

At that very moment, Goodwin made up his mind: next year, he would attempt to participate in the NBA All-Star Game. He was going to become an All-Star.

In an instant, a surge of primal power welled up in Goodwin's body, driving him toward his goal.

Training, training!

Goodwin ran toward the training facility without a moment's delay.