Chapter 141: Seduction

"Let's go. The longer I watch this, the more bitter I feel."

Mobley patted his teammate on the shoulder and turned to head back to the locker room early. Staying here just to watch He Xinghui bask in the glory was truly tiresome. The others agreed and followed suit, with the exception of Kaman, who refused to leave; he was determined to stay and wait for his buddy.

The arena spotlights were fixed on He Xinghui, while Taylor stood by his side, soaking in the reflected glory, the envy of countless young girls. The most perfect script they could imagine in their fantasies had already been snatched up by Taylor.

Knicks celebrity superfan Spike Lee approached He Xinghui and said, "Kid, listen to the cheers from the crowd. This is the city that fits you best."

As a die-hard Knicks fan, Spike Lee naturally wanted the team to be stronger and to have a franchise superstar. The He Xinghui before him was the perfect choice. Not only was he talented, but more importantly, he was flashy enough.

"Perhaps, but I'm quite popular in a lot of places," He Xinghui replied with a smile.

He wasn't bragging. If he were to publicly announce that he wanted to leave his current team, the fans of the other twenty-nine teams would immediately chant their welcome and hold up banners begging him to join them. Even the Pistons, Celtics, and Spurs fans, who currently loathed him, would immediately pull a one-hundred-and-eighty-degree turn in their attitudes. Some people are insufferable as enemies, but quite adorable once they become your own.

After waving goodbye to the fans one last time, He Xinghui returned to the locker room.

Meanwhile, reporters had already swarmed Taylor Swift, aiming their cameras and microphones at the lucky girl. As someone preparing to enter the entertainment industry, Taylor certainly wouldn't reject such a golden opportunity for exposure. She answered the reporters' questions with grace and confidence, mentioning her career as a singer, expressing that she was a fan of He Xinghui, and promoting her upcoming record.

Producer Nathan Chapman, watching the live broadcast, jumped off his couch in excitement. The advertising value of this nationally televised interview was even more potent than a billboard on Broadway. This single moment saved their record company millions in promotional costs. By continuing to ride He Xinghui's coattails, they could save their entire marketing budget.

The post-game press conference began with the Knicks. Larry Brown and Marbury sat before the reporters, faces void of expression. Having lost so miserably, they couldn't even force a smile.

"Stephon, it's a pity you lost the game. How do you think your performance compared to He's?" a reporter asked.

Marbury sneered inwardly at the question, followed by a sense of helplessness, and finally, numbness. He replied, "What do you expect me to say? I played like shit."

Marbury resorted to self-deprecation; if he didn't mock himself, others would do it for him anyway. There was no real difference.

"And what about He's performance?" the reporter pressed, every word designed to sting.

"Do I even need to answer that? Just look at how the home fans reacted." Marbury's tone was heavy with resentment.

The betrayal of home fans was something only Knicks supporters seemed capable of. This time, it was particularly egregious—the shameless collective defection was unprecedented.

"Are you saying you're unhappy with the fans turning on you?" The reporter had no interest in coddling the player; the more hurtful the question, the more eager they were to ask it. They were waiting for Marbury to lash out at the fans or say something inappropriate.

"That's not what I meant. I'm just blaming myself for not playing well enough," Marbury answered, suppressing his rage.

The reporters continued to press him, but Marbury didn't take the bait and managed to deflect the questions. Frustrated, the reporters shifted their fire to Larry Brown: "He exploded in the third quarter. Did you consider any tactical adjustments to stop him?"

"How else could I have stopped him? He blew past five of us in one go. Even if the referees allowed me to sub in and play defense, it would have only added one more person for him to dribble past." Larry Brown, usually known for being stern and rigid, was uncharacteristically humorous.

He was trying to use self-deprecation to defuse the embarrassment of his coaching failure. It wasn't that he hadn't thought of a way to stop He Xinghui when he went on his run—he had even tried—but the results were the same: he simply couldn't be stopped. For a defensive-minded coach, having his defense blown to pieces was humiliating.

"The home fans are collectively calling for He to join the Knicks. If He really came to the Knicks, would you be willing to coach him?" The reporter was stirring the pot, asking such a question right in front of Marbury. If Larry Brown said no, the media would mock him for being hypocritical. If he said yes, it would offend Marbury.

It was a difficult question to answer, but Larry Brown responded immediately, as his conflict with Marbury had already erupted, and he no longer felt the need to be cautious.

Larry Brown stated, "If I could coach He, I would lead him to at least three championships within ten years. He perfectly validates my coaching philosophy: the closer you are to the basket, the higher your shooting percentage. His 83.3% shooting percentage today proves everything. He is the kind of player I love."

The reporters were slightly taken aback by this statement. Three championships in ten years was a monumental task. That Larry Brown would say such a thing showed just how much he admired He Xinghui. Of course, the smarter reporters saw through the ruse. The chances of Larry Brown actually coaching He Xinghui were slim, so he could say whatever he wanted without consequence; since it couldn't be tested, no one could prove he was bluffing. If, by some chance, he did get the opportunity to coach He, it would be even better—he could build a championship roster around He Xinghui to fulfill his boast. If he succeeded, it would be perfect; if not, it would be a decade later, and he would have at least benefited for the first ten years.

A reporter challenged him: "Larry, if I recall correctly, you said something similar when you coached Iverson with the 76ers."

"Did I? You've misremembered. I only said there was hope with the 76ers; I never said it was certain." Larry Brown defended himself.

"So, you're saying He is better than Iverson?"

"Yes. At the very least, He has higher potential than Iverson. He has an incredible 197-centimeter wingspan, plus terrifying leaping ability and speed. If I were to coach him, I could develop him into an unstoppable force on both ends of the floor." Larry Brown was blunt. To express his desire to coach He Xinghui, he did not hesitate to belittle his former protégé.

Of course, it wasn't entirely a slight; there was some truth to what Brown said. In terms of raw talent, He Xinghui did indeed have a higher ceiling than Iverson.

The room erupted in clamor. Then, a wave of excitement followed. With these quotes from Larry Brown, they wouldn't have to worry about tomorrow's headlines.