Chapter Summaries

Li Fei and Monica shared a romantic dinner before he analyzed Lakers footage and revealed that he planned to recruit Kobe Bryant as a future spokesperson for the Li Fei brand. Monica reminded him that she had been there first.

• Li Fei teased Monica while guiding her as she cooked steak, then lifted her onto the kitchen island to discuss dessert.
• Li Fei and Monica ate steak and wine, then watched Lakers Western Conference Finals footage together.
• Li Fei dismissed Shaq as the main threat and identified Kobe as the key variable in the series.
• Li Fei told Monica that he had contacted Kobe earlier and would evaluate him in the Finals as a possible signature-shoe star for the Li Fei brand.
• Monica pounced on Li Fei and reminded him that she had come before Kobe.

The Knicks overwhelmed the Lakers 118–95 in Game 1 of the NBA Finals, led by Li Fei’s dominant performance and Sabonis’s defense on O’Neal. Kobe took responsibility for the loss and vowed to improve before Game 2.

• Li Fei arrived at Madison Square Garden to a roaring crowd before the Finals opener.
• Sabonis frustrated O’Neal inside while the Knicks’ veterans and Stephen Jackson disrupted Kobe.
• Li Fei scored 42 points with 18 rebounds, 6 blocks, and 5 assists as the Knicks won 118–95.
• O’Neal struggled and committed seven turnovers, while Kobe shot 7-for-25 and finished with a minus-28.
• Kobe accepted blame at the postgame press conference and promised reporters he would play differently next game.
• The Knicks’ victory dominated headlines and fan discussions, and TNT’s commentators began giving their verdict on the series.

After the Lakers pushed the Knicks to the brink in Game 2, Li Fei took over in the final minutes to secure a 2-0 series lead. He then traveled to Los Angeles, where Monica Bellucci welcomed him to her mansion as the Finals continued.

• Before Game 2, Li Fei sent Kobe Bryant a taunting message about losing a potential endorsement deal to provoke him.
• Kobe played with renewed focus, scoring 33 points as the Lakers stayed close to the Knicks, while O'Neal added 27 points and 13 rebounds.
• With the game tied at 110, Li Fei scored repeatedly in the final three minutes to lead the Knicks to a 124-115 win and a 2-0 series lead.
• Li Fei finished with 48 points, 19 rebounds, and 4 blocks, while Kobe left the court with his head held high despite the loss.
• Three days later, Li Fei arrived at his Los Angeles mansion, where Monica Bellucci welcomed him and prepared dinner.
• Monica asked Li Fei about provoking Kobe with an endorsement contract, and he explained that the goal had motivated the young player.

Li Fei spent a romantic evening and two relaxed days in Los Angeles with Monica Bellucci during the Finals break, while continuing to track his brand’s sales. Monica confidently expected him to win the championship, but Li Fei reminded her that Game 3 was still ahead.

• Li Fei told Monica Bellucci that the player he was evaluating had shown he could kill in Game 2 but still needed to prove he could lead the team.
• Monica and Li Fei cooked dinner together, kissed, and went to the master bedroom.
• The next morning, Monica asked whether Li Fei would celebrate a championship in Los Angeles or at Madison Square Garden, and Li Fei warned her not to jinx the Finals.
• Li Fei spent the next two days at Monica’s mansion, watching her film cuts, cooking with her, and relaxing by the infinity pool.
• Li Fei checked David Falk’s sales reports for the Li Fei brand and Allen Iverson’s The Answer sneakers as paparazzi spread images of his carefree break across the USA.

With the Lakers down 0–2 in the Finals, Phil Jackson rallied the team before Game 3, and Kobe Bryant opened the game with a forceful poster dunk. The Lakers showed renewed resolve on their home court as the contest began.

• Li Fei visited Charles Barkley during his rehabilitation, told him the third-generation Flying Pig plans were ready, and promised to beat the Lakers.
• Phil Jackson confronted the Lakers' despair and urged Shaq and Kobe to fight back against the Knicks.
• Shaq declared that Game 3 was only the beginning, while Kobe answered that the Lakers would win.
• Kobe drove past Allan Houston and dunked over Larry Johnson on the Lakers' first possession.

Li Fei overwhelmed the Lakers with a dunk over O'Neal and a dominant first quarter, while Kobe answered with a scoring barrage of his own. The Knicks ended the quarter ahead 38:33, and Li Fei teased Sabonis about O'Neal's post-up.

• After Kobe's dunk, Li Fei drove into O'Neal and posterized him with a one-handed slam.
• O'Neal demanded the ball on the next possession, but Li Fei stripped it from him and started a fast break.
• Kobe scored repeatedly, including a contested fadeaway over Li Fei, while Li Fei beat Kobe with a crossover and finished a layup past Eddie Jones.
• The first quarter ended with the Knicks leading 38:33; Kobe had 16 points, while Li Fei had 18 points, 6 rebounds, and 2 blocks.
• Del Harris urged O'Neal to play tougher, while Li Fei joked with Sabonis about O'Neal's post-up.

Li Fei led the Knicks to a road win over the Lakers, putting them up 3–0 in the Finals after recording 52 points, 24 rebounds, 8 assists, and 5 blocks. He praised Kobe after the game while insisting the young star still had much to learn before he could win.

• Kobe relentlessly attacked the basket while Li Fei controlled the game with scoring, passing, and defense.
• With 48 seconds left, Li Fei passed between Kobe and O'Neal to set up Sabonis for a hook shot that gave the Knicks a five-point lead.
• Li Fei blocked Kobe's final shot, sealing the Knicks' win and their 3–0 series lead.
• Kobe finished with 42 points, while Li Fei posted 52 points, 24 rebounds, 8 assists, and 5 blocks.
• Li Fei praised Kobe at the press conference but said he still had a long way to go before he could win.

After the Lakers fell behind the Knicks 3–0 in the Finals, Jerry West decided Kobe Bryant had to become the team’s future answer to Li Fei. As the media celebrated Li Fei’s dominance, he returned to his hotel and found Monica Bellucci waiting for him.

• Jerry West told Del Harris that Li Fei had neutralized Shaquille O'Neal and concluded that Kobe Bryant would determine the Lakers’ ceiling.
• West committed the Lakers to giving Kobe more opportunities so he could eventually challenge Li Fei.
• The media declared the Finals effectively over after the Knicks took a 3–0 lead, while Li Fei’s performance and shoe line drew widespread attention.
• David Falk announced plans to release championship editions of the Flying General VI and commemorative T-shirts if the Knicks won the title.
• Li Fei returned alone to his Beverly Hills hotel suite, where Monica Bellucci appeared wearing his Knicks jersey and holding champagne.

After Li Fei celebrated the Knicks’ Game 3 victory with Monica Bellucci, Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal steeled themselves for Game 4. The Lakers entered their home game determined to fight back despite trailing the series 0–3.

• Monica Bellucci surprised Li Fei with champagne, and they spent the night celebrating privately.
• Kobe Bryant replayed Game 3 footage through the night, dwelling on Li Fei’s block and his own defeat.
• Shaquille O’Neal punched a training bag as he struggled with the Lakers’ loss and Sabonis’s dominance inside.
• Del Harris rallied the Lakers locker room, and Kobe Bryant and O’Neal led their teammates in vowing to defend their home court.
• Kobe told a TNT reporter that the series was not over and that the Lakers would fight until the final buzzer.

The Knicks lost 108–92 to the Lakers in Game 4 of the Finals despite Li Fei scoring 45 points, leaving the series at 3–1. Lakers players celebrated a possible comeback, while news outlets and fans argued that the Knicks had deliberately lost to win the championship at home.

• Shaquille O'Neal vowed that the Lakers would not let the Knicks celebrate on their home court.
• The Lakers overwhelmed the Knicks, using an 18–2 third-quarter run to take control and win 108–92.
• Li Fei scored 45 points, grabbed 15 rebounds, and made 8 assists, but the Knicks' other players struggled.
• Kobe Bryant and O'Neal celebrated the victory and declared that the Lakers could still come back in the series.
• Sports analysts and the New York Post suggested that the Knicks had intentionally conceded a game to stage their championship celebration at Madison Square Garden.
• Lakers and Knicks fans clashed online over whether the win marked a Lakers comeback or a planned Knicks loss.

After the Lakers won their first game of the Finals, Li Fei told Monica Bellucci that the Knicks had deliberately eased up and planned to finish them off at Madison Square Garden. The Lakers flew to New York believing they could force a comeback, while the city prepared for Game 5 with championship fever.

• Li Fei told Monica Bellucci that the Knicks had let the Lakers win so they could crush their hopes at home, and Monica laid out outfits for their usual rules.
• Del Harris rallied the Lakers on their flight to New York, urging them to win Game 5, force a sixth game, and bring the Larry O'Brien Trophy back to Los Angeles.
• Two days later, New York filled its streets with Knicks fans ahead of Game 5, and Mayor Rudy Giuliani urged the team to bring the championship home.

Li Fei erupted on offense from the opening tip as the Knicks faced the Lakers in a hostile Madison Square Garden. He scored repeatedly and left the Knicks crowd roaring, with the game still unfolding after he began a signature Dream Shake move.

• Spike Lee confidently predicted the Knicks would win, while Kobe and O'Neal said the Lakers had come to win and would not end the fight that night.
• Li Fei opened the game by clearing out and hitting a 20-foot jumper over Rick Fox.
• After Sabonis started a fast break, Li Fei caught the ball beyond the three-point line and made a transition shot to put the Knicks up 5:0.
• Li Fei broke through a double-team, collided with O'Neal, and scored a reverse layup for an and-one before roaring at the crowd.
• Li Fei blocked Kobe's drive, then backed down Fox and began a baseline spin and fading jumper using Olajuwon's Dreamy Footsteps.

Li Fei led the Knicks to a dominant Game 5 victory over the Lakers, securing the 1997–1998 NBA championship at Madison Square Garden. The Knicks finished with a 125:95 win and celebrated their third title.

• Li Fei scored 10 points in the opening minutes as the Knicks raced to a 10:0 lead.
• Li Fei shifted to playmaking, and the Knicks ended the first quarter ahead 38:22.
• Kobe Bryant attacked the Knicks in the second quarter, but Allan Houston and the Knicks extended their lead to 65:43 by halftime.
• The Knicks kept control through the third and fourth quarters, and Li Fei and the other starters left the court with just over three minutes remaining.
• The Knicks defeated the Lakers 125:95 to claim the 1997–1998 NBA championship.

Li Fei led the New York Knicks to the 1997–1998 NBA championship and earned his third Finals MVP, while the defeated Michael Jordan resolved to rebuild the Bulls for another run. The chapter left the Lakers grieving their loss and hinted that Jordan and Li Fei would face off in a new rivalry over basketball and the athletic-brand market.

• Li Fei posted 48 points, 22 rebounds, 11 assists, and 6 blocks as the Knicks celebrated their championship, and Kobe congratulated him before vowing to train and beat him next season.
• David Stern presented the Larry O'Brien Trophy to the Knicks and named Li Fei the Finals MVP after he averaged 45.8 points, 21.2 rebounds, 8.6 assists, and 5.4 blocks in the series.
• Michael Jordan reflected on the Bulls' loss to the Knicks and admitted that his stamina had failed him against Li Fei.
• Jordan told Scottie Pippen they would begin training early and called Tim Grover to arrange a training-facility meeting in one week.
• Jordan noticed Li Fei Brand's rapid growth in the teen market and recognized it as a threat to his Air Jordan business.
• The Lakers players sat in silence in the visitors' locker room, with Shaquille O'Neal hiding his face beneath a towel as he mourned the loss.

After Li Fei and the Knicks celebrated their championship, David Falk told him that Li Fei Brand’s sales and licensing demand had surged. Li Fei ordered his team to prepare the brand for an IPO, setting up a bid to challenge Nike and Adidas on Wall Street.

• Kobe Bryant vowed to defeat Li Fei next season while the Knicks celebrated their championship in the locker room.
• Li Fei joined his teammates’ champagne celebration and later answered David Falk’s call.
• Falk told Li Fei that the championship edition shoes had sold out, other product lines had surged in sales, and major retailers wanted to expand their orders.
• Li Fei asked Falk how close Li Fei Brand was to Nike and Adidas in value and market potential.
• Li Fei told Falk to prepare for an IPO and announced his intention to challenge Nike and Adidas on Wall Street.

After Li Fei led the Knicks to the NBA championship, New York and Dragon Country celebrated him as a global icon whose influence had surpassed Bruce Lee. Two days later, millions lined Broadway for the Knicks’ championship parade as Li Fei rode through the city to thunderous cheers.

• The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and ESPN celebrated Li Fei’s championship and declared that his era had arrived.
• New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani announced that Li Fei would become an honorary citizen, that a street would bear his name, and that a parade would take place two days later.
• Dragon Country’s media and public celebrated Li Fei, while a youth magazine argued that his achievements had surpassed Bruce Lee’s influence.
• Millions of New Yorkers filled the parade route as a championship bus carried Li Fei and his teammates from Battery Park toward Central Park.
• Fans chanted Li Fei’s name and waved Li Fei Brand signs as he rode through the crowd in a Knicks championship shirt and cap.

At New York City Hall, Li Fei accepted the Larry O'Brien Trophy and addressed the celebrating fans. He praised each of his teammates in a championship roll call, ending with an embrace of Arvydas Sabonis.

• Mayor Giuliani presented the Larry O'Brien Trophy to Li Fei at City Hall.
• Li Fei raised the trophy and told the crowd, "We are the champions!"
• Li Fei praised Stephen Jackson for his defense, then honored John Starks for his fighting spirit.
• Li Fei credited Charles Oakley with protecting the team and Larry Johnson with sacrificing for its success.
• Li Fei thanked Allan Houston for his scoring and Charlie Ward for directing the offense.
• Li Fei called Arvydas Sabonis his mentor and a true legend, said half the championship belonged to him, and embraced him.

After the Knicks’ championship, Li Fei Brand began preparing for an IPO while Li Fei considered how the team could replace key players it might lose in free agency. Reviewing the Knicks’ 1998 second-round draft options, Li Fei noticed an overlooked prospect just as he was about to give up.

• David Falk told Li Fei that Li Fei Brand’s IPO preparations were progressing and that the company could list on Nasdaq before the offseason ended.
• Ernie Grunfeld told Li Fei that Charles and John sought expensive contract extensions and that the Knicks might lose both players.
• Grunfeld asked Li Fei for advice about the Knicks’ thirty-second pick in the 1998 NBA Draft.
• Li Fei reviewed the draft prospects and scouting reports, finding few viable second-round options.
• Li Fei noticed an inconspicuous prospect near the bottom of the list as he was about to close the document.

Li Fei convinced Ernie Grunfeld and James Dolan to use the Knicks’ thirty-second pick on streetball player Rafer Alston, believing he could develop Alston’s ball-handling and creativity. At the 1998 NBA Draft in Vancouver, early picks included Vince Carter and Paul Pierce as the draft unfolded.

• Li Fei recommended Rafer Alston to Grunfeld as a high-potential point guard for the Knicks.
• Grunfeld relayed Li Fei’s recommendation to James Dolan, who approved taking Alston with the thirty-second pick.
• The 1998 NBA Draft began in Vancouver, with the Clippers selecting Michael Olowokandi first, followed by Mike Bibby and Raef LaFrentz.
• The Golden State Warriors selected Vince Carter with the fifth pick.
• The Boston Celtics selected Paul Pierce with the seventh pick.

Li Fei watched the Knicks select Rafer Alston with the thirty-second pick, while tensions over the Bulls’ future erupted between Michael Jordan and Jerry Krause after Chicago’s Finals loss. Jordan defended Phil Jackson and Scottie Pippen and insisted the Bulls could return to contention without rebuilding.

• Li Fei watched the Knicks draft Rafer Alston, who celebrated his chance to play for a championship-caliber team and showcase his streetball skills in the NBA.
• Reports surfaced that Jerry Krause did not plan to renew Phil Jackson’s contract and was considering trading Scottie Pippen, possibly for Tracy McGrady.
• Michael Jordan confronted Krause in his office over the plans to replace Jackson and trade Pippen.
• Jordan argued that the Bulls had lost Game 7 to fatigue and luck, and said they could recover and seek revenge against the Knicks.