The moment this report came out, the entire United States was in an uproar.
Only then did people awaken as if from a dream and realize that this 23-year-old Chinese giant, already holding four consecutive MVPs and four championship rings, had ambitions and methods that had long surpassed the realm of basketball.
He was weaving an enormous web, forcing Adidas, Nike, and Michael Jordan's AJ Brand into a corner.
Meanwhile, across the ocean in China, it was a bright, sunny morning.
With the arrival of the new millennium, the NBA's influence in China was experiencing an unprecedented explosion. And at the source of it all was that super rookie regarded by the entire nation as its pride—Li Fei.
At ten in the morning Beijing time, long lines had already formed outside newsstands in major cities.
For this marquee first-round playoff matchup, Titan Sports had printed an unprecedented additional 500,000 copies, yet they were still sold out within a single hour.
The bold red headline on the front page seemed ready to burst into flames: <55 Points Shock the United States! New King of New York Delivers a Dimensional Mismatch, Philadelphia's The Answer Left Heartbroken!>
The special Basketball Pioneer Newspaper section inside dedicated a full four pages to an in-depth, all-around analysis of the game.
"This is Li Fei's era! In the first game of the NBA playoffs' opening round today, our pride, Li Fei, showed the world what a true 'dimensional mismatch' looks like. Against the Eastern Conference powerhouse Philadelphia 76ers, Li Fei played as though taking a stroll through his own garden, making 20 of 26 shots and erupting for an unbelievable 55 points, 15 rebounds, and 8 blocks!"
"By contrast, the 76ers' centerpiece, Allen Iverson, also scored 40 points—but needed a staggering 38 shots to get there. Against