"Beep, beep."
As the whistle blew, the 2006–07 All-Star Rookie Challenge officially tipped off.
Su Yi didn't get too involved in the offense at first. Instead, the second-year players kept seeking him out and challenging him one-on-one.
Monta Ellis, Danny Granger, and Chris Paul all went at Su Yi without holding back.
Su Yi wasn't annoyed in the slightest. In fact, he was thrilled.
After all, when someone came to you asking to be your sparring partner, you might as well take advantage of it.
At first, Su Yi really was getting isolated and shown up with all kinds of flashy moves.
But as time went on, he gradually adjusted to the pace. He began using his naturally enormous wingspan to disrupt his opponents' attacks, and even managed to block several shots.
After Su Yi successfully stopped a few attacks, the first-years' morale soared, and they launched a furious counterattack.
Rudy Gay was especially dangerous on the fast break. He darted to the basket and threw down one monster dunk after another.
Watching him, Su Yi couldn't pretend he wasn't jealous. When would he get to fly through the air like that?
The second-year players didn't seem to realize the game was turning against them. They were still focused on taking turns going one-on-one against Su Yi.
Meanwhile, under Su Yi's leadership, the first-years showed off some excellent teamwork.
They moved the ball around, tore apart the second-years' defense, and scored again and again.
"Beep, beep."
The final whistle blew.
The first-years won 136–124, beating the second-years by 12 points.
They had successfully stopped the second-years from winning four straight.
Su Yi was named Rookie Challenge MVP. He shot 12-for-19 from the field and 7-for-12 from three, finishing with 31 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists, and 4 blocks.
Rudy Gay