February 7th, Atlanta.
The press conference room at Atlanta's Philips Arena was nearly bursting at the seams with more than 500 accredited journalists from around the world.
This year's All-Star Game atmosphere was unlike any other, which was simply a warm and friendly party. As the stars arrived at the official hotel on Friday, the complex power struggles and internal conflicts within the league were magnified under the media spotlight.
When the Los Angeles Lakers ' vehicle arrived, cameras and microphones instantly blocked the underpass.
Jordan, wearing sunglasses, walked at the front with a stern expression; Kidd, carrying his training bag, walked silently to the side. Only Shaquille O'Neal O'Neal remained active in front of the cameras, but the reporters, always eager to stir up trouble, quickly steered the conversation in a very sensitive direction.
" Shaq, Kobe Brian took 46 shots and scored 43 points in Chicago a few days ago, but didn't have a single assist, Chicago Bulls suffered a crushing 58-point defeat. Lin Qi criticized his selfish playing style on television. As his former teammate, what do you think of Kobe's current situation?" A columnist handed over the microphone.
O'Neal stopped in his tracks, his massive frame like a wall. He first raised an eyebrow in feigned surprise, then a mocking smirk appeared on his lips.
"Honestly, I'm not surprised at all," O'Neal said, spreading his hands at the camera. "That's why he struggled to even make the playoffs in Chicago, while I was chasing a championship in Los Angeles. Lin Qi is a smart guy, and he's right, basketball is a five-man sport. You know, I've tried to talk that kid out of it in the locker room before."
O'Neal deliberately lowered his voice, feigning seriousness. "I once told Kobe, 'Hey Kobe, you know, the word TEAM doesn't have an 'I' (self) in it.'"
The surrounding reporters instantly sensed a major news story and quickly moved their recording pens even closer.
"And then? What did he say?"
Shaquille O'Neal grinned and mercilessly exposed Kobe's true colors.
"Then that kid stared me in the eye and just swore." O'Neal shrugged, mimicking Kobe's stubborn tone, "He said, 'But that word has an M and an E (ME, I) in it!'"
"Boom..."
A burst of laughter erupted from the reporters in the corridor. O'Neal's revelation not only directly confirmed Kobe's almost obsessive individualism, but also took the opportunity to deliver a sharp blow to his former teammate.
Within two hours, O'Neal's quip in the hotel lobby was making headlines across major sports media outlets in the United States.
It was 11:30 p. m. that night at a local high school basketball court in Atlanta.
Most of the All-Star players are currently attending sponsor dinners or enjoying Atlanta's nightlife in nightclubs. The only sound in the empty arena is the monotonous thud of basketballs hitting the floor.
Soaked in sweat, Kobe Brian practiced his turnaround fadeaway jumper in the low post over and over again, under the defense of his practice partner. It was the same footwork that Chris Paul Pierce had used just days earlier when the Boston Celtics defeated him at the United Center.
A senior beat reporter from ESPN pushed open the arena door and walked in. While Kobe was drinking water, the reporter played him the recording of O'Neal's interview from that afternoon.
The reporter expected Kobe to fly into a rage, or, as usual, shout back at the camera.
But Kobe didn't.
His hand holding the kettle froze in mid-air, and a towel was draped over his head.
After listening to the recording, Kobe's eyes revealed a chilling calmness.
" Shaq is a great stand-up comedian." Kobe tossed the water bottle onto his chair, picked up the basketball, and slowly twirled it in his hand. "And he didn't lie about this. I did say that to him."
The reporter was taken aback, clearly not expecting Kobe to so readily admit to such a statement that outsiders would consider absolutely selfish.
"People always love to talk a lot about 'team' when things are going well." Kobe dribbled the ball, his voice ringing out clearly in the empty arena, "But when there are only five seconds left in the game, when you're down by one point, and the noise of 20,000 people in the arena is so loud you can't even hear your own heartbeat... 'team' can't help you put that damn ball in the basket."
Kobe stared at the reporter, his gaze sharp as a knife.
"At that point, only I can solve the problem. If my teammates' hands are shaking when they receive the ball, if they're afraid to take responsibility for missing the game-winning shot, then why should I pass the ball to them?"
The reporter swallowed hard, trying to steer the conversation towards the All-Star Game atmosphere. "But this weekend is different, Kobe. After all, it's an All-Star Game, a show for the fans. You're not only facing Shaq from the Western Conference, but your starting teammates in the Eastern Conference include Kevin Garnett and Chris Paul Pierce from Boston. The whole league is watching you, seeing if you'll still stubbornly play 'self-centered' basketball on this stage that values sharing, just as Shaq mocked..."
Kobe coldly interrupted the reporter. He turned around, faced the basket, and made a standard shooting fake.
" Shaq wants to be a likable comedic star in the spotlight, and the media wants to see a 'selfish guy' get isolated and taught a lesson. I understand, that's what you want, isn't it?"
Kobe leaped into the air, the basketball arcing beautifully through the air.
Swish. Hollowed into the net.
Kobe landed, not even glancing at the goal, but simply wiping the sweat from his face with a towel, his tone carrying an almost pathological obsession and competitiveness.
"But I didn't come to Atlanta to be a supporting character for anyone. I assure you, if the score is close in the fourth quarter on Sunday night, as long as the ball is in my hands... I will personally destroy their boring camaraderie."
"Because this is a basketball game, not a Hollywood family comedy."
After saying that, Kobe turned around, called his practice partner again, and started another set of back-to-the-basket drills in the gym Late Night.
Meanwhile, in the villa in Boston.
After watching the Late Night interview broadcast on television, Lin Qi leaned back on the sofa and finished the last sip of bourbon whiskey in his glass.
"This is definitely Kobe Brian," Lin Qi murmured to himself.