One by one, his old teammates from the days they fought side by side had bid farewell to the court, leaving Li Fei, still at the peak of his career, feeling the passing of the years.
Sprewell shook his head and let out a quiet sigh.
"Another old-school star is leaving the stage. The courts of the '90s are really about to turn the page for good."
Allan Houston nodded slightly, his eyes full of regret.
"KJ at his peak was absolutely one of the league's elite point guards. It's a shame injuries and trades ruined the latter half of his career."
The league's wave of retirements did not stop with KJ's departure.
Just as the buzz around Kevin Johnson's retirement began to build, the Pacers officially announced another major piece of news.
The team's interior cornerstone, 34-year-old legendary center Rik Smits, officially announced his retirement.
The news once again shot to the top of sports trends, shrouding an already boisterous offseason in the atmosphere of an era coming to an end.
Rik Smits, known to fans as the "Dutch Giant," had been one of the most underrated elite centers of the '90s.
During the golden era when The Four Centers ruled the paint and monopolized the honors, Smits carved out a place for himself with his fundamentally sound skills, soft touch, and outstanding physicality inside.
He did not possess Olajuwon's Dreamy Footsteps or O'Neal's overwhelming physical dominance, but he had one of the most well-rounded interior games on both ends of the floor.
High-post facilitation, mid-range jumpers, low-post backing down, rim protection—he excelled at everything and was the perfect team-oriented interior centerpiece.
He remained among the Eastern Conference's elite big men year after year, made multiple All-Star teams, led the Pacers to several Eastern Conference Finals, and went head-to-head