Chapter 164: The Very Different Successors

Bynum's helpless demeanor made it difficult for Fan Xi to connect him with the arrogant, overbearing posture he had displayed just a few days ago when he wanted to compete with Kobe for the Lakers' leadership.

He confirmed once again that Andrew Bynum was a man without a sense of responsibility; he was still a long way from maturity.

Therefore, Fan Xi looked at him coldly and asked, "Can you handle Joel Anthony or Haslem?"

Huh?

Bynum was stunned for a moment, then nodded: "Of course I can."

"Then that settles it."

Fan Xi replied curtly.

"Then what about LeBron James and Dwyane Wade?" Andrew Bynum pressed.

"Didn't I say it long ago? I will take it on, I will shoulder it," Fan Xi retorted indifferently.

As he spoke, Fan Xi picked up his training bag and walked out of the room.

Watching Fan Xi's calm and lonely back, Andrew Bynum stood behind him, a sudden, inexplicable sense of stability welling up in his heart; in his subconscious, Fan Xi's shadow strangely overlapped with Kobe Bryant's.

…

After the Lakers announced that Kobe's season was over, public opinion went instantly wild.

This was something no one had expected; after all, before Kobe Bryant left the court, he had stolen the ball from James once and blocked James once. Everyone had previously guessed that Kobe only had a minor injury, but they never expected… it was actually a fracture.

In other words, Kobe had played on the court for three minutes with the pain of a fracture, and even completed a block over the head of the rampaging, bull-like James… My god, is this person even human? To what terrifying degree must his willpower be?

A modern-day Guan Yu, scraping bone to remove poison, could hardly be more than this.

The media was shocked by Kobe's tenacity, and everyone was filled with awe. Even the Miami fans had to admit one thing at this moment: in terms of willpower, Kobe crushed LeBron James.

Furthermore, in this highly anticipated battle of the faces of the league, Kobe did not lose; he left with the pride of a victor and a fracture.

Kobe received unprecedented praise.

At the same time, the Lakers' winning percentage plummeted to the bottom.

The whole world knew that the Lakers were Kobe's team; losing Kobe meant losing their soul.

Without Kobe, the possibility of the Lakers defeating the Heat was infinitely close to zero.

Many media experts began to predict that if Miami didn't want to sell an extra game's worth of tickets, they would eliminate the Lakers in Los Angeles 4-1. (The Finals format is 2-3-2.)

This had become the mainstream view.

The Heat were even taken aback. Originally, after the first game ended, they were incredibly pessimistic; the Lakers' lineup was stronger than they had imagined, and Fan Xi was still growing rapidly. The Big Three even pressured Pat Riley after the game: if you don't bring us better three-point shooters and an interior center next season, we will make you regret it.

However, they woke up the next morning.

Before they had even eaten lunch, Kobe Bryant's season was over, and the situation instantly flipped.

Kobe had scored 29 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 steals, and 2 blocks in the first game of the Finals, and had formed a powerful output in the two low-post areas, stuck in Miami's "seven inches" (vital spot), making Miami extremely uncomfortable.

If the Lakers lost those 29 points, what on earth would they use to go up against the Heat?

Chris Bosh called James immediately; he wanted to celebrate with James.

But he found the call wouldn't go through, because James was already on the phone with Wade, popping champagne to celebrate.

"This is absolutely a blessing bestowed upon us by God," LeBron James said piously. "I finally have the first championship of my career."

Dwyane Wade was also very excited.

But compared to James's desire for a championship, Wade, who had been dunked on for the game-winner, lost all face, and became a background prop in the last game, had a greater grudge against Fan Xi.

"I can finally free up my hands to match up against Jack Fan without restraint."

Wade said through gritted teeth.

This was the second time in his career he had been hit with a game-winner by Fan Xi in person, and his grudge against Fan Xi had reached an unprecedented height. Looking at the infinitely glorious Fan Xi in the media, and thinking of the grief and humiliation of being ridden under the crotch, Fan Xi leaped to become the opponent Wade hated most in his career.

Wade even chanted Fan Xi's name repeatedly in his sleep.

The kind where his teeth ground together with a clacking sound.

Now, with Kobe injured and the Lakers losing their biggest constraint on the perimeter, Wade could finally free up his hands to complete the revenge he had dreamed of.

The two were chatting excitedly on the phone.

By the end of the conversation, they even discussed whether they should throw a game in Los Angeles to let the Finals return to Miami to end.

This way, it would be convenient for the championship celebration ceremony, and it would help the team sell one more game's worth of tickets. This year's ticket revenue plus single-game sponsorships could easily break 20 million US dollars.

From the topic they were discussing, it was not hard to see that they had a sure-fire grasp on the championship.

…

In the afternoon, LeBron James issued a statement to the media, sending his blessings to Kobe Bryant for a speedy recovery. He praised him: "…He will always be a role model for me to learn from. I pay tribute to his competitive spirit; it inspires me to become a better player. It is a great honor to be in the same era as such a player."

"He will always be the basketball hero in my heart."

LeBron James's very moving expression during the interview led the Florida media and mainstream basketball media like ESPN to praise him for being sentimental, a good person, and having true charisma.

It was already seven o'clock in the evening when Fan Xi walked out of the training gym.

He had blocked out all outside information, burying his head in improving his offensive skills, constantly initiating the stop-and-go jump shot skill.

Although Kobe Bryant was out, the thing the Lakers were best at originally and lacked most now was perimeter ball-handling offensive firepower.

Fan Xi's penetration was sharp, and his finishing at the rim was not bad either. His three-point shooting after off-ball movement was at the level of a top-tier shooter. What he lacked now was the ability to play one-on-one with the ball, to hit shots under direct defense and direct double-teams. And this ability, in fact, was known as the stepping stone to becoming a superstar.

Not everyone who possesses the ability to shoot off the dribble is a superstar, but a superstar must possess this ability.

Fan Xi was anxious.

Phil Jackson, Ku Pu Qie Ke, and Jimbas, who were standing next to him, kept telling him: "Don't shoulder too much pressure; you should play with a relaxed mind. The responsibility is not on you. Even if you don't win the championship, you have already proven yourself, and the team will definitely build its tactics around you…"

Jimbas even said to Fan Xi: "I suggest you go to the beach in Miami tomorrow morning to rest for a while, soak up the sun, and relax."

For these three, they least wanted to see Fan Xi take on everything, because they all knew Fan Xi was a stubborn person. If he went all out to chase victory and got injured again, that would be bad; Fan Xi's physical stamina wasn't very good.

At the same time, Jean Bas, Magic Johnson, and other front-office executives walked into Andrew Bynum's room. Bynum was eating potato chips and playing video games at the time.

Seeing these big shots enter, he was startled.

Jean Bas was very kind; she comforted Bynum, telling him not to be too anxious. "The current situation is favorable to you. Kobe Bryant is injured; although we lost the championship, you can win a bright future. Miami's interior firepower is not strong. Starting from the next game, you must constantly attack the paint, take the ball out of Jack Fan's hands, and consolidate your interior status and stats."

Jean Bas was giving Bynum pointers.

Bynum frowned, and he subconsciously asked: "Shouldn't I be coordinating with Jack to take down Miami?"

His agent heard this and laughed, saying: "Andrew, do you think Jack is more powerful than LeBron and Dwyane? At this time, your personal interests are the most important."

As Bynum's agent, it was normal for him to say such things.

However, Magic Johnson and Jean Bas, who were standing nearby, did not correct him immediately. This showed how slim their confidence was in the team winning at this time, and how intense the struggle for the successor within the team was.

"Andrew, tell me. Have you really made up with Jack now? Or are you just using him…" Magic suddenly asked the child he had watched grow up.

"I…" Bynum immediately became impatient: "Of course I'm using him. How could I possibly make up with him? We are not the same kind of people at all."

"Hmm. Then you have to do your own thing and get your stats up. Remember, we support you; you will become our new leader and take up the banner of the great centers in Lakers history." Jean Bas encouraged Andrew Bynum; she hoped this child would work for her.

Upon hearing this, Bynum subconsciously replied: "Aren't the great centers of our team all traded for? It seems our team only has a tradition of cultivating great guards…"

This kid was truly blunt; one sentence choked Jean Bas.

However, Magic Johnson was a smart man, and he quickly said: "Andrew, times are different. In the past, the Lakers never had a woman in charge of the club, but now they do."

"Who?" Bynum still didn't understand.

Jean Bas rubbed her forehead; she vaguely realized that betting on Bynum might be a mistake.

At this moment, Bynum's agent poked him, and he quickly caught on, hurriedly saying with a face full of smiles: "Of course I know! Who in the entire Lakers club doesn't know that Jean's ability is far superior to Jimbas? If the Lakers weren't run by Jean, I predict it would be destroyed very soon…"

Even when the Little Shark said flattering things, it felt strange, as if he weren't smart enough.

…

Fan Xi indeed went to the Miami beach the next day, and he was even photographed with Si Jia Li. This instantly caused a huge uproar.

After all, this was the Finals.

Fan Xi appearing on a sunny beach sunbathing with a Hollywood actress sounded extremely unprofessional.

Could it be that because Kobe was injured, he just gave up, not even bothering to pretend?

Vacationing in Miami directly?

… ===== CHAPTER 165 =====