Ever since she and Link began their tour of Europe, Rachel's social media account had exploded in popularity.
Every day, she posted photos of herself traveling with Link. At a time when basketball fans around the world were all discussing trades and roster changes, Link's way of making an appearance was certainly refreshingly unconventional.
Of course, Rachel's constant displays of affection also left the fans who eagerly awaited Link and Rachel's breakup in utter despair.
Most stars' relationships after becoming famous generally did not last very long.
Even players who looked honest on the surface, like Thompson and Chandler Parsons, changed girlfriends at an astonishing rate.
But Link and Rachel had always remained deeply affectionate. Aside from work-related photos, the most common posts on Rachel's social media were pictures of her with Link.
And on July 17, when Rachel posted photos of Link proposing to her beneath the Bridge of Sighs, male fans around the world who liked Rachel felt a sharp pain in their hearts.
As a result, Link somehow became the first player to make headlines during this bustling offseason for something other than a trade.
"Congratulations to Link. He won the championship and got the girl too. For him, 2015 was practically a perfect year!"
"Link must be the happiest man in the world right now. Congratulations!"
"We have no reason not to give them our blessings. Hopefully, Link and Rachel will stay happy forever."
Although Link had taken plenty of hits from the media over basketball, when it came to his proposal, he received nothing but blessings.
Basketball grudges belonged on the court. The media was not vicious enough to attack Link's personal life.
Moreover, after James and Durant's transfer sagas, Link's image in people's minds had gradually improved instead.
Now, Durant and James, who had