Chapter 126: Take on Stern?

"That is what you said, not me. Everyone, I need you to be my witnesses." He Xinghui pointed at the reporter and laughed heartily.

His words implied, "I suspect the league is rigging the results, but I won't say it, nor will I admit it." The reporters were left helpless; as long as He Xinghui did not admit it himself, they had no way to report it. If they fabricated the claim, they would only be waiting for a lawyer's letter from Mark Collins.

"He, what you mean is..." The reporters were still unwilling to give up, hoping to bait him into making an even more explosive statement. However, the Clippers' press officer stepped in just in time to end the press conference. They were genuinely worried that He Xinghui might tear into Stern, which would lead to serious trouble.

The interview ended. While the reporters hadn't gotten exactly what they wanted, their haul wasn't bad. He Xinghui’s line about "washing up and going to bed" could be used to stir up controversy, while subtly hinting at his attitude to lead readers to their own conclusions.

The next day, reports on He Xinghui’s interview appeared in the news with the headline: "He: Without Me, What’s Left to Watch in This All-Star Game?"

As soon as the news broke, it sparked heated debate among fans. "Star Fans" felt that He Xinghui’s behavior was cool; after all, no player had ever openly criticized the league like that before, and he was the first. Although attacking the league seemed a bit irrational, He Xinghui had never done anything rational in his life anyway. By now, his fans had grown to love this side of him. Those who didn't like it had long since turned into casual observers or anti-fans.

Consequently, after He Xinghui made his comment, his fans began shouting about a "black curtain" to show their support for their idol. They left messages on various forums, and some even attacked the league directly.

"Rigged! It’s all rigged!"
"On what grounds is Nash ranked ahead of He? He just destroyed Nash on the court not long ago!"
"With the Lakers' record, how does Kobe even have the nerve to get selected?"

His fans were incredibly aggressive.

"Damn, who does he think he is? Without him, the All-Star game will be even better."
"What is this guy? A rookie thinking he can get into the All-Star game?"
"Brainless fans, completely unreasonable."

...

The remarks from his fans immediately provoked responses from anti-fans and casual observers, leading to a fierce online war.

When this situation was reported to David Stern, he frowned. He felt that He Xinghui was too immature—how could he say such things out loud once he knew the truth? It was a clear lack of respect and a challenge to his authority; it was simply audacious. However, like it or not, when Stern considered disciplining He Xinghui, he realized he didn't really have any effective methods to do so.

Deny him free throws? He Xinghui already didn't get many, averaging only three-something a game, which was pitifully low. Even then, countless fans were already crying foul; continuing to target him would make the bias too obvious.

Stop promoting him? It seemed He Xinghui hadn't been promoted by the league to begin with; the player had earned his status through his own performance and his constant habit of courting disaster. Whether the league promoted him or not didn't seem to affect his popularity.

Talk to him? Stern felt that was also a dead end. Based on He Xinghui's previous behavior, he was clearly not a person who was easy to reason with.

"The All-Star game won't be fun without him? I’ll make this guy realize that the All-Star game can be spectacular even without him," Stern snorted.

Ultimately, his strategy was simply to slap He Xinghui in the face. He decided to make this year's All-Star game as grand and magnificent as possible, to let He Xinghui understand that no player in this league is indispensable. And he, He Xinghui, certainly wasn't.

"So, are we still going to discipline him?" Adam Silver asked.

"Of course, but just a token gesture. Fine him a few tens of thousands of dollars." Stern didn't take the matter too much to heart. Every year, All-Star selections caused controversy. This year’s just happened to be a bit louder. Once the All-Star festivities were over, these voices would fade away. People would keep watching the games; few fans would actually turn their backs on the NBA over something like this. If the debate were intense enough to go mainstream, it might even help more people learn about the NBA.

In the end, the league issued a notice: He Xinghui was fined $35,000 for inappropriate remarks. At the same time, the league provided an explanation for his low vote count, stating that voting closed on the 24th, before He Xinghui’s 82-point performance. Excluding that game, while his previous performance was impressive, it still couldn't compare to established stars like Kobe and Nash, making the voting results perfectly normal.

At first glance, this explanation held some water. Rational fans began to calm down, already looking forward to next year. By then, it would be impossible for He Xinghui to be left out. A few die-hard fans remained dissatisfied with the league's explanation, but they couldn't stir up any real trouble.

Upon learning of the league's punishment and explanation, He Xinghui remained unmoved. He had long anticipated such an outcome and hadn't taken it to heart. It was only $35,000; that wasn't even a fraction of one of his endorsement deals.

"Boss, I beg you to have some pity on me and be a bit more level-headed. Attacking the media is already dangerous enough, but you went and attacked Stern," Mark Collins complained. Stern was the big boss of the league, after all. Offending him could have serious consequences. When He Xinghui’s news broke, Mark had been terrified, frantically digging for any information on Stern’s reaction. Fortunately, Stern hadn't flown into a rage.

Mark continued, "Stern isn't truly furious this time; he just said he wants to make you realize that without you, the All-Star game will still be very exciting..."

"He really said that?" He Xinghui’s eyes lit up, and he asked excitedly. Dealing with the media was too boring; if he could go head-to-head with Stern, that would be interesting.

"What are you planning?" Seeing He Xinghui’s reaction, Mark felt a sudden, inexplicable panic.

"I want to slap Stern in the face," He Xinghui laughed. As it stood, he was definitely not getting into the All-Star game. However, he was a lock for the Rookie Challenge, and the league had no excuse or reason to stop him from participating. If he could make the Rookie Challenge spectacular—even more entertaining than the main All-Star game—that would certainly be fun. When that time came, he really wanted to ask Stern if the All-Star event was still fun without him.

Doing so would be difficult, as the star power of rookies couldn't compare to the superstars in the main event. But He Xinghui wanted to try.

"You..." Mark suddenly felt a tightness in his chest, as if he might vomit.

"Don't worry, Mark, I have my own sense of judgment," He Xinghui patted Mark on the shoulder.

*Like hell I believe you. When have you ever let me rest easy?* Mark Collins wanted to cry. Ever since he became He Xinghui’s agent, he hadn't had a single peaceful night of sleep.