When Link came out to warm up today, he found that a surprising number of fans in the stands were cheering for him.
Some held up giant portraits of him, while others raised signs with his name on them. Chinese Americans were still a minority in Memphis, so many of the fans cheering for Link were locals.
Memphis was different from some other American cities. It had always been highly accepting of different ethnic groups. In the beginning, it was people from all walks of life who had helped rebuild the city. As a result, Link didn't face rejection from the fans in Memphis.
Of course, the most important reason was that the Grizzlies had won all three games Link had played in Memphis. What's more, he had turned in an outstanding performance each time. It was his ability on the court that had earned him the love and respect of Memphis fans.
This was the NBA, the world of competitive sports. Any player who could help his team win was a good player.
Link took a deep breath. A sudden sense of purpose came over him. With so many people looking forward to seeing him play, he couldn't let down all the fans supporting him.
It felt as if he'd returned to Oklahoma, back to the Blue Team. There, he hadn't been some bottom-of-the-roster player. He'd been the team's hero, loved by everyone.
Now, in Memphis, Link had found that feeling again. He wanted to fight for the Grizzlies, to fight for the fans here. As a starter, he wanted to lead the Grizzlies to victory!
Link had no idea that a Russian with ill intentions had already set his sights on him. Kirilenko had assured his head coach, Jerry Sloan, that he wouldn't need to worry about the