Streamers rained down from the rafters of Oakland Arena as the 2000 All-Star Weekend slowly drew to a close amid clamor and glory.
But everyone knew that a new era had truly arrived.
And upon the throne of this era still sat that giant from the East.
The media room at Oakland Arena was brightly lit and buzzing with voices.
Countless cameras were aimed at the center of the podium, where Allen Iverson, newly crowned All-Star Game MVP, sat.
He wore a blue T-shirt printed with "EAST" and his signature white baseball cap pulled low over his brow, but his unruly eyes still gleamed with barely restrained excitement and emotion.
The MVP trophy sat carefully on the table before him. Beneath the camera flashes, its golden basketball reflected a dazzling brilliance, much like his life at that very moment.
"Allen, congratulations on winning MVP! You scored 15 points in the fourth quarter alone. What motivated such a dominant performance?" an ESPN reporter asked first.
Iverson picked up the microphone and habitually licked his lips. His voice carried its trademark rasp, yet was full of strength. "Belief. Before the fourth quarter, Coach told me to let loose and play the way I did in Philadelphia. My teammates—especially Li—gave me the greatest trust. He said, 'Go, Allen. This is your stage.' When the king of the league says that to you, what else can you do? You can only give it everything you have and not let him down."
His words were filled with gratitude and respect for Li Fei, and the reporters present caught the scent of a story.
A Sports Illustrated reporter immediately followed up. "Allen, we all saw that the third quarter was a showdown between Li and Kobe, and Li completely dominated the game. Many believe the MVP