February 8th, Saturday, 2 PM.
The press conference room at Atlanta's Philips Arena was stuffy due to overcrowding. More than four hundred journalists with passes blocked the aisles, with camera lenses in the front rows almost touching the blue velvet-covered stage.
Fifteen minutes ago, the league's press officer gave a last-minute notification to all resident media that Michael Jordan would be holding a separate pre-game press conference.
Amid a two-minute barrage of flashing lights, Jordan walked onto the stage.
He wore a well-tailored dark gray suit, without sunglasses. His face, now over forty, bore the marks of time, but his expression was calm. Last year's NBA Finals saw the Boston Celtics end his comeback myth, breaking his undefeated streak in the NBA Finals. The torment of that summer and the grueling training camp in Los Angeles had the world wondering how this legendary veteran, eager for revenge, would end his career.
Facing hundreds of reporters below the stage, who were even subconsciously holding their breath, Jordan did not touch the carefully prepared papers by his PR team, but instead simply placed his hands crossed on the table.
"This is my last time participating in the All-Star Game."
His voice wasn't loud, but when it came through the microphone, it was like a depth charge dropped on calm water. A suppressed commotion and gasps immediately erupted in the press conference room.
Jordan gently raised his right hand and pressed it down. This signature move instantly silenced the entire arena. His gaze swept over the anxious faces in the front row, as calmly as if he were telling someone else's story.
"After this season, I don't want to continue. I don't want to play anymore. My gut tells me it's time to end this."
A veteran reporter from the Los Angeles Times jumped to his feet, not even bothering to raise his hand, and urgently asked, " Michael! Does this mean that no matter where the Lakers end up this season, this is your final destination? Even if—I mean, if you win the championship again in June and get your revenge, you won't change your mind?!"
"It won't change."
Jordan's answer was firm and decisive, leaving no room for negotiation.
"Our entire team paid an unimaginable price last summer. Shaq, Jason ( Kidd ), everyone in Los Angeles and I had only one goal: to make one last push for the championship. But whether we lifted the O'Brien Trophy in June or fell to Boston again, my career would be over when the final buzzer sounded."
He placed his hands on the table, his eyes revealing a resolute determination.
"I will not be making a comeback. This time, it's a true farewell."
A brief silence fell over the press conference room, followed by a flurry of camera shutters. Reporters frantically jotted down notes in their notebooks or shouted news updates into their portable communication devices.
In less than ten minutes, the "final declaration" spread throughout North America via radio, television networks, and evening newspaper supplements.
Lin Qi's Study in the suburbs of Boston.
The television screen was replaying a close-up shot of Jordan at the press conference. Lin Qi, who was in suspension, turned off the sound, leaned back on the leather sofa, and lightly tapped the All-Star special edition on the table with his fingertips.
"What a flawless, open scheme," Lin Qi muttered, staring at the television screen.
To fans and media, it was a poignant farewell. But to team management like Lin Qi, Jordan's public statement was far more than just an emotional outpouring; it was a textbook example of locker room politics.
Just yesterday afternoon, Shaquille O'Neal O'Neal was making sarcastic remarks about Kobe in the hotel lobby, his words revealing his ambition for more tactical influence and a greater say in the game. Los Angeles Lakers O'Neal, Kidd, and Jordan —three historically great superstars crammed under one roof—the distribution of power and ball possession is inherently fragile. If this power struggle is allowed to fester in the latter half of the regular season, this formidable team could very well disintegrate from within.
But Jordan chose this particular moment to publicly announce his decision to retire.
He could have waited until the end of the season to say it! Why did he have to say it so early?
By stating it aloud, they cut off all avenues of retreat for the team, clearly defining a single goal for everyone. This was tantamount to pushing the Los Angeles Lakers onto a cliff without any safety barriers.
Lin Qi could imagine the somber atmosphere in the Lakers ' locker room at that moment.
O'Neal could no longer complain about his role, Kidd could no longer worry about his tactical position. Because Jordan's "Last Dance" had hung a Sword of Damocles morality and history over the entire team. Anyone who dared to be emotional at this moment, anyone who dared not to give their all on the court, would be the eternal sinner who ruined the " God of Basketball's " farewell performance, and would be drowned in the spittle of fans across America and even the world.
All internal conflicts were forcibly suppressed and transformed into a shared sense of vengeance in the face of the grand narrative of the " God of Basketball's Retirement Tour." The entire team had no choice but to grit their teeth and be bound to this chariot, launching a desperate counterattack against Boston for a common grand goal.
At the same time, David Stern and the entire league's refereeing system will inevitably lean towards this "perfect retirement tour." A tragic revenge hero is far more likely to boost ratings than a cold, hard Boston Dynasty.
Jordan set up the final arena in Los Angeles, drawing the world's attention to the Lakers ' chariot.
Lin Qi picked up his slightly cold black coffee and drank it all in one gulp.
The media lamented the end of an era, but what Lin Qi saw was a " God of Basketball " who had completely abandoned all distractions and was forced to unleash the last glimmer of his glory.
The second half of the regular season, and even the NBA Finals a few months later, are destined to be anything but easy.
The Boston Celtics, as the defending champions with four consecutive titles, and as the biggest villain in this fairy tale, can only do their best to cooperate in the performance.
Who will ultimately lift the trophy? It's truly intriguing!