Chapter Summaries

After the Spurs won the championship, Tang Tian was named Finals MVP and shared the moment with Tony Parker. In his acceptance speech, he thanked the Spurs, their fans, and his girlfriend Elizabeth, publicly confirming their relationship.

• Holt and Popovich praised the Spurs, and Duncan joked that he wanted to win another championship at age thirty-eight.
• Tang Tian told reporters that winning the title mattered more to him than the FMVP and joked that the trophy meant Popovich would not have to resign.
• Stern announced Tang Tian as the 2012-2013 Finals MVP, and Duncan, Parker, Popovich, and Russell congratulated him.
• Tang Tian called Parker the best player in the Finals and raised the trophy alongside him.
• Tang Tian thanked the Spurs and their supporters in his acceptance speech, then publicly thanked his girlfriend, Elizabeth.

Tang Tian celebrated winning the Finals MVP by publicly declaring his love for Elizabeth Olson, while the defeated Heat tried to regroup and look ahead to next season. The chapter ended with James and Wade presenting the loss as motivation for a championship run next year.

• Tang Tian thanked Elizabeth Olson for supporting him, recalled her cakes and lucky shoes, and embraced and kissed her after joking that he would propose only after winning a third championship.
• Bosh overheard James complain that Wade had been badly out-rebounded by Tim, while James Jones defended Wade's performance.
• Jones rallied the dejected Heat players by reminding them that Tang Tian might leave the Spurs, and the team joined hands to pledge to win next season's championship.
• Riley told reporters the Heat would keep its roster together and seek improvements, while James and Wade said the loss had increased their motivation for next year.

After Tang Tian won Finals MVP, fans debated whether he would stay with the Spurs, while Durant reignited the argument by calling him a system player. The chapter ended with Durant’s supporters arguing that Tang Tian could not succeed outside San Antonio.

• Fans debated the Heat’s Finals loss and speculated about where Tang Tian would play next season.
• Fans argued that Tang Tian’s honors made the Spurs likely to keep him, while others discussed possible destinations and his personal life.
• Durant reposted the league’s Finals MVP announcement and called Tang Tian “Just a System Player.”
• Durant’s supporters cited Tang Tian’s high assist rate and weak isolation numbers to claim he depended on the Spurs’ system.
• Durant’s supporters argued that Tang Tian should stay with the Spurs because leaving would cost him his best chance to succeed.

After winning their second straight championship, the Spurs returned to San Antonio and celebrated before riding horses in a parade led by a cutout of James’s crying face. Tang Tian enjoyed the fans’ support and attention as the procession continued through the streets.

• The Spurs returned to San Antonio with the Championship Trophy, and the players celebrated after placing it in the safe.
• Ginobili asked Duncan whether he planned to retire, and Duncan said he had not decided yet.
• The Spurs front office planned a horse-riding Championship Parade, and the players eagerly mounted their horses.
• Tang Tian spotted a cutout of James’s crying face on the lead vehicle and nearly fell off his horse.
• Fans cheered for Tang Tian, who waved his FMVP trophy and admired the crowds along the parade route.

After the Spurs celebrated their championship, James took out his frustration on practice players while fans looked forward to the season’s final spectacle: Shaq honoring his bet with Barkley. O'Neal wore the custom pink dress, dunked over Kenny Smith, and tore the dress in front of the cameras.

• James repeatedly drove past fringe players and dunked on them during practice in Miami, and Cole realized he was next.
• Fans anticipated the draft, free agency, and the long-running bet between Barkley and O'Neal after the Spurs' championship parade.
• Barkley produced a custom oversized pink dress, and O'Neal agreed to wear it while insisting Kenny Smith be dunked on.
• O'Neal put on the pink dress, performed a catwalk, then dunked over Smith and sent him flying.
• O'Neal tore the dress in front of the camera, sparking another wave of social media buzz.

Tang Tian and Walker attended the 2013 NBA Draft, where Anthony Bennett unexpectedly went first overall and Nerlens Noel fell outside the top five. Noel was left crying as the draft continued.

• Tang Tian and Walker went to Barclays Center to watch the draft, where Tang Tian spotted prospects including Nerlens Noel and Anthony Davis.
• David Stern opened his final draft amid loud boos, and the Cavaliers kept the first pick despite rumors they might trade it.
• Tang Tian predicted Anthony Bennett would go first, and the Cavaliers selected Bennett with the top pick, stunning Walker and the crowd.
• The Magic selected Victor Oladipo second, the Wizards took Otto Porter third, and the Bobcats chose Cody Zeller fourth.
• The Suns picked Ryan fifth, while Noel, whose knee injury had damaged his draft prospects, broke down in tears as Anthony Davis tried to comfort him.

Tang Tian watched the 2013 NBA Draft, where the Pelicans traded Nerlens Noel for Jrue Holiday and David Stern announced he would retire as NBA commissioner. After the draft, Tang Tian left the arena with Walker and was approached by Anthony Davis.

• The Pelicans selected Nerlens Noel sixth, then traded him and a protected 2014 first-round pick to the 76ers for Jrue Holiday and the 42nd pick.
• The draft continued with selections including CJ McCollum, Michael Carter-Williams, Steven Adams, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Rudy Gobert, whom the Nuggets traded to the Jazz.
• David Stern announced that he would step down in February and hand the NBA presidency to Adams.
• Xiao Hua took the stage to lead the second round, and the Spurs selected DeShaun Thomas.
• Tang Tian and Walker left the arena after the draft, and Anthony Davis called out to Tang Tian.

Tang Tian heard Davis’s awkward pitch for him to join the Pelicans but said he could not decide before the Spurs made their move. After the Spurs extended him a Qualifying Offer, Tang Tian became a Restricted Free Agent and learned that seven teams had contacted his agent.

• Davis told Tang Tian that he wanted him to teach him how to win a championship and invited him to join the Pelicans.
• Tang Tian explained that he was still a Spurs player and would wait for the team to contact him before making any decision.
• Tang Tian avoided telling Walker about Davis’s pitch because he did not want Walker to start recruiting him.
• Fagan told Tang Tian that the Spurs had extended him a one-year Qualifying Offer worth $1.08 million, making him a Restricted Free Agent.
• Fagan gave Tang Tian a list of seven teams that had contacted him: the Lakers, Rockets, Bobcats, Pelicans, Hawks, Mavericks, and Cavaliers.

Tang Tian set demanding contract terms as he considered leaving the Spurs for a team where he could become a core player. After several teams withdrew, he prepared to meet with his remaining choices, but the Lakers pulled out at the last minute.

• Tang Tian told Fagan he would only sign an offer sheet with a team that would make him a core player; otherwise, he would stay with the Spurs on a qualifying offer.
• Fagan contacted seven interested teams, and none initially withdrew.
• Tang Tian demanded four-year Poison Contracts, prompting the Cavaliers, Hawks, and Bobcats to withdraw.
• Tang Tian ranked the Lakers, Mavericks, Rockets, Pelicans, and Spurs by preference and arranged meetings in New York.
• As Tang Tian prepared to meet with the Lakers, Fagan told him they had withdrawn.

Tang Tian met with the Mavericks, Rockets, and Pelicans as he weighed his free-agent options. The Pelicans made their case by telling him they believed he could become the team’s perimeter core.

• Tang Tian learned that Dwight Howard had pressured the Lakers to avoid signing him, removing the Lakers from his choices.
• Mark Cuban and Donnie Nelson pitched Tang Tian on the Mavericks’ opportunities and team atmosphere, and Tang placed them at the top of his list.
• James Harden and Morey urged Tang to join the Rockets, emphasizing Houston’s market, roster, and potential to pursue stars.
• Tang Tian met the Pelicans’ owner, coach, general manager, and Davis, who showed how strongly they valued him.
• Monty Williams praised Tang’s development and told him the Pelicans believed he could grow into their perimeter core.

Tang Tian weighed the Pelicans’ offer against the Mavericks and Rockets before NBA free agency opened and several major signings quickly reshaped the market. He then met with Popovich and Buford, leaving his decision on where to play still unresolved.

• Williams and Davis described the Pelicans’ commitment to Tang Tian, giving him another reason to consider joining them.
• At midnight on July 1, NBA free agency opened, and Howard re-signed with the Lakers while Paul agreed to join the Clippers.
• Iguodala signed with the Warriors, Al Jefferson joined the Bobcats, and Paul Milsap agreed to play for the Hawks.
• Fans debated the rapid signings and Iguodala’s move to the team that had eliminated the Nuggets.
• Tang Tian met with Popovich and Buford at a western restaurant for the Spurs’ free-agency meeting.

Tang Tian chose to sign a four-year offer with the Pelicans after negotiating with the Spurs, Rockets, and Mavericks. He left the Spurs’ decision on whether to match the offer unresolved, with the team facing a 72-hour deadline.

• Tang Tian told Buford and Popovich he wanted to become a team’s core and would accept a four-year contract if the Spurs matched it, provided Duncan retired in two years rather than early.
• Tang Tian met again with the Rockets, Mavericks, and Pelicans and asked whether he could influence front-office decisions; only Benson said there would be no reason he could not if Tang proved himself.
• On July 11, Tang Tian had Fagan contact the Mavericks and Rockets, then called Dell Demps and agreed to sign a four-year contract with the Pelicans.
• Demps announced the signing, and Woj reported the deal was worth roughly 40 million, with a starting salary of 5 million and maximum salaries in its final two years.
• Fans debated Tang Tian’s choice and whether the Spurs would match the offer before their 72-hour deadline.

The Spurs debated whether to match the Pelicans’ four-year Qualifying Offer to Tang Tian, but Holt persuaded Popovich that the contract and Luxury Tax costs made keeping him impractical. Popovich accepted the decision and searched for a bottle of wine to share with Tang Tian before he left.

• The Spurs learned that the Pelicans had signed Tang Tian to a four-year Qualifying Offer, and Holt, Popovich, and Buford met to decide whether to match it.
• Holt argued that Tang Tian’s contract would conflict with Leonard’s future deal and impose Luxury Tax costs the Spurs could not afford.
• Popovich defended Tang Tian and proposed matching the contract, but Holt persuaded him to compromise and rely on Leonard, Green, and Manu instead.
• After leaving Holt’s estate, Popovich thought about losing Tang Tian and searched his basement for a bottle of 1874 Jefferson Wine.
• Popovich told Jill that the wine was for a good kid, meaning Tang Tian, rather than Manu.

Tang Tian and Popovich shared a bottle of Jefferson Wine and accepted that Tang would leave the Spurs for the Pelicans. While they slept, Woj reported that the Spurs would not match Tang’s Qualifying Offer, prompting an uproar online.

• Jill helped Popovich find the Jefferson Wine, and Popovich booked a flight to New York.
• Popovich visited Tang Tian with the wine, and Walker, Butler, Irving, and Thompson left them alone together.
• Popovich recounted the wine’s history and talked with Tang Tian about Duncan, Leonard, Green, and Tang’s departure from San Antonio.
• Tang Tian and Popovich drank together, got drunk, and fell asleep on the couch.
• Woj reported that the Spurs would not match the Pelicans’ Qualifying Offer for Tang Tian, and social media reacted to his move.

After Durant’s vague “traitor” tweet sparked attacks on Tang Tian, Iguodala explained why he had joined the Warriors, and Durant clarified that he had not meant Iguodala. Fans then turned their criticism on Tang Tian for leaving the Spurs, while Tang chose to focus on training and received support from Butler, Kobe, and Stern.

• The Heat, Lakers, and Thunder made offseason roster moves as Tang Tian’s departure changed the balance among contenders.
• Durant tweeted “Traitor,” prompting fans to suspect Iguodala after he signed with the Warriors.
• Iguodala said he had left because he refused to follow George Karl’s request to use non-basketball methods against Stephen Curry, and Durant clarified he had not meant Iguodala.
• Fans accused Tang Tian of betraying the Spurs and doubted his future with the Pelicans.
• Walker, Irving, and Thompson defended Tang Tian, but Tang said he would ignore the criticism and focus on playing well.
• Butler argued with fans in support of Tang Tian, and Irving announced that Kobe and Stern had also tweeted in his defense.

Kobe and Stern defended Tang Tian after fans criticized his decision to leave the Spurs, while Tang Tian negotiated a major new Nike endorsement deal. He signed a four-year, forty-million-dollar contract, pushing his spending points to eleven million and allowing him to exchange for a Purple Skill.

• Kobe defended Tang Tian on Twitter, and Stern warned fans to consider the restrictions placed on Restricted Free Agents, turning public opinion against the critics.
• Durant tried to respond but found his ability to post had been restricted, so he smashed another phone.
• Tang Tian told Fagan to seek a Nike endorsement worth ten million dollars a year, while explaining that he needed enough spending points to buy a Purple Skill.
• After a week of negotiations, Tang Tian and Nike agreed to a four-year, forty-million-dollar contract.
• Tang Tian received about six million dollars from Nike, raising his spending points to eleven million and meeting the requirement to exchange for a Purple Skill.

Tang Tian reviewed the system’s Purple Skills and redeemed King of Jumps and Tracy McGrady’s pull-up jumper, then began adapting to the new skill in training. Shabazz Napier arrived with two UConn teammates, and Tang Tian agreed to test the former championship group in a five-on-five game.

• Tang Tian decided to prepare for Turtle Bombing later and redeemed King of Jumps as a prerequisite for Tracy McGrady’s pull-up jumper.
• Tang Tian redeemed Tracy McGrady’s pull-up jumper and felt his core and arm strength improve.
• Tang Tian intensified his pull-up jumper practice but missed his first attempt as he adjusted to the skill.
• Walker told Tang Tian that Shabazz Napier wanted to join their training.
• Napier arrived at the Training Facility with Porter Wright and Niles Giffy and gathered his former UConn teammates for a five-on-five game.
• Tang Tian agreed to the matchup, while Thompson looked forward to playing against the group.

Tang Tian unveiled his pull-up jumper during a full-court game against Napier's group, scoring seven straight points and impressing his friends. Later, he traveled with Olson to meet her family, whose remarks left him embarrassed and suspicious about the connections between his acting role and her grandmother.

• Tang Tian used his new pull-up jumper to score repeatedly against Wright, then added a fast-break three-pointer as his team defeated Napier's group.
• Napier praised Tang Tian's new playing style, while Thompson admired his ability to add new skills and Butler resolved to practice more.
• Tang Tian and the others trained together for the next half month, until Olson arrived in New York with news that her family wanted to meet him.
• Tang Tian met Olson's father, who gave the couple a key to a villa in New Orleans, and then reunited with Olson's mother, who privately told him to be gentler with Elizabeth.
• Olson's grandmother happily mentioned Tang Tian's godfather role in I Love You, leaving him uneasy about the connection.

Tang Tian and Olson left San Antonio and moved into the villa Olson’s father had given them in New Orleans. The next day, Walker called to tell Tang Tian that Anthony Davis had come looking for him.

• Tang Tian returned to the Spurs’ locker room to collect his belongings, reminisced about his time with the team, and spoke with Leonard.
• Tang Tian and Olson flew to New Orleans and settled into their new villa near the Pelicans’ arena.
• Tang Tian called Carl to help furnish the villa, and he and Olson spent several days getting the home ready.
• Walker called Tang Tian and said someone was waiting for him, then Anthony Davis appeared on the video call and said he had searched New York’s Training Facilities for Tang Tian.

Tang Tian trained with Anthony Davis and helped him improve his defense while adapting to Tracy McGrady’s pull-up jumper. At McGrady’s retirement gathering, Tang Tian met Yao Ming and supported his plans for basketball reform before Mutombo asked Tang Tian if he wanted to travel to Africa.

• Tang Tian returned to New York, met Davis, and began working with him on avoiding fouls and reading opposing players.
• Davis improved during training, while Tang Tian practiced his pull-up jumper and shifted more training time to ball-handling.
• Olson joined Tang Tian in New York, where they attended a private gathering after McGrady announced his retirement.
• Tang Tian met Yao Ming, Battier, and Mutombo at the gathering and discussed basketball with Yao Ming.
• Mutombo asked Tang Tian whether he wanted to travel to Africa.