Lin Fei's witty answer was quite clever. It not only opened up the question itself, but also played a role in stirring up emotion.
Some sentimental fans at the Target Center once again couldn't help crying with joy.
David Stern continued to ask with a smile: "Lin, according to the data, you averaged 26 points per game during the Finals, making you the highest-scoring rookie player in the history of the NBA Finals!"
"At the same time, you have just turned 20 years old and are also the youngest scoring champion in a single round of the NBA Finals!"
"Regarding the series of NBA Finals records you broke, what thoughts do you have to share with the fans at this moment?"
The smile on Lin Fei's face became more calm, thinking that this is the question that the NBA president should ask!
"Thank you to the Timberwolves for giving me this opportunity, and thank you to the NBA for giving me this dream stage!"
"Without Coach Sanders's bold decision at the last moment of Game 5 of the Western Conference Finals, I wouldn't have the results I have now, nor would I have these incredible finals records!"
"No matter where Lin Fei goes in the new season, he will always remember this championship night, these lovely fans, and the teammates who fought side by side!"
"Minnesota, this will always be the place where my dreams begin!"
Applause, cheers, shouts, tears...
David Stern finally asked: "Lin, as the first Chinese guard to shine in NBA history, you have changed the world's prejudice against Asian players!"
"I believe that on the other side of the ocean at this time, there must be hundreds of millions of Chinese fans waiting in front of the TV to cheer for your performance. So what do you want to say to them at this time?"
I have to say that David Stern really has a soft spot for the Chinese market.
Lin Fei smiled and thought for a moment, then spoke loudly into the microphone:
"I sincerely thank you all for your support and companionship. You have encouraged me all the way to where I am now!"
"Although I played a wonderful performance in the finals and received applause from more fans in the United States and around the world, what I miss more is the days when I was on the bench in the regular season. Those who may be abandoned by the team at any time Such sadness!"
"When I was at my lowest, it was you who accompanied me all the way to the light! Thank you!"
"Always believe that the stage is as big as the heart. Chinese players can stand on the highest basketball court in the world, and Chinese basketball will one day stand on the highest peak in the world's basketball world!"
Lin Fei's words made the hundreds of millions of Tianchao fans waiting in front of the TV with excitement and excitement.
"Wow, wow, I'm so touched. Fei Ge will always be the best. I can watch Fei Ge play basketball in the best years of my life and watch Fei Ge win a championship in the NBA. It's worth it!"
"Lin Fei's emotional intelligence is really high. He is calm when faced with the NBA president's questions and answers fluently. Just look at his calmness and ease in front of the media. He definitely has the demeanor of a superstar!"
"I feel a little pity for Fei Ge that he didn't win the Finals MVP, but Kevin Garnett's data is indeed too comprehensive. Fei Ge deserves to lose!"
"Lin Fei was held back in two consecutive games in G3 and G4. Flip Saunders is Lin Fei's good supporter, but he is definitely more inclined to the Wolf King. After all, this is the cornerstone of the team!"
"You can play in the finals in your first season, and win the championship as the absolute main force and the team's leading scorer in the finals. What else is there to say? This is a symbol of strength!"
"Compared with Battle's championship ring, Lin Fei's value is simply a thousand times higher!"
"I just saw Lin Fei flirting with a beautiful woman on the sidelines? Who is that person? Could it be Lin Fei's Qingbei senior and beautiful manager?"
"Another NBA season is over. Which new team will Feige go to next? I heard that the New York Knicks and Miami Heat have the greatest hopes!"
"I look forward to Lin Fei's return to China and leading the Chinese Men's Basketball Team with Dayao to dominate the Yadian Olympics in August and show off our country's prestige!"
Workers' Stadium, multimedia room.
Seeing Lin Fei and the Timberwolves finally win the championship, the members of the Tianchao men's basketball team preparing for the Olympics were naturally extremely excited and yearning.
This year, Zhu Fangyu, along with Du Feng and other veterans, helped the Guangdong team win the first championship in CBA team history. However, in terms of the momentum and influence of this championship, it is really inferior to the NBA championship by several levels.
"As expected of the NBA, Lin Fei's three-pointers are really accurate. After he returns to China and joins the team, I will definitely ask him for advice!"
After playing in the NBA for several seasons, seeing Lin Fei standing on the championship podium, the envy in my heart was even more intense, and I couldn't help but sigh:
"I really envy Lin Fei so much. I probably will never have the chance to win an NBA championship ring in my life!"
Daba took off the championship ring he was wearing and passed it around among his teammates:
"Lin Fei is the real NBA champion. To a certain extent, his contribution is as good as that of Kevin Garnett!"
"I'm different. I'm just a guy with a championship ring. My status in the team is honestly not as good as that of Mark Medsey on the bench for the Timberwolves!"
Li Nan patted Bus on the shoulder and said with a smile: "No matter what, you still have an NBA championship ring. We can't get along even if we want to!"
While Dayao envied Lin Fei, he also said confidently: "I will lead the Rockets next season. As the big brother, I can't let Lin Fei get away too much!"
Liu Wei was still lamenting his limited ability to pass and control: "These NBA guards have really strong passing abilities. What I'm most afraid of now is that I can't pass the ball to Lin Fei!"
"Silver Fox" Del Harris thought about his short NBA coaching career and his failure to lead the Lakers to win a championship, which became a regret in his heart.
"Your Lin is really not simple. Next season, he is likely to cause an even bigger storm in the NBA!"
Look back to the Target Center Arena.
After the championship award ceremony, Lin Feiye and the Timberwolves players returned to the locker room and continued their crazy celebration.
The Wolf King held a Cuban cigar in his mouth, opened the champagne and sprayed it on his teammates, shouting: "Champion, we are the championship!"
After all, it was a great day to win the championship, and it would only last one night in a year, so Lin Fei also made an exception and drank champagne with his teammates to celebrate.
The Timberwolves championship is indeed not easy to come by.
34-year-old Sam Cassell stroked the glittering O'Brien Cup and couldn't help crying again.
Feeling the dull pain from his back injury, Cassel felt that with this third championship of his career, and also a championship won by one of the three core members of the team,
Even if he retires in place, the "Alien" has nothing to regret.
Compared to most NBA players and even All-Star players, Cassell's career has been perfect enough.
"Madman" Sprewell has similar thoughts. After all, he is about to be 34 years old, and he entered the league one year earlier than Cassel.
As the saying goes, winning is not terrible, but missing someone is embarrassing.
Tonight, "Madman" was suspended for one game, but the Timberwolves defeated the Pistons. This made the straightforward "Madman" somewhat uncomfortable.
But the joy of winning the championship is enough to dilute everything.
Although "Madman" may not have performed better than Lin Fei during the Western Conference Finals and Finals, throughout the season, Sprewell was the team's well-deserved third-in-command.
Cassell was injured in the Western Conference Finals. Without the outbreak of "Madman", the Timberwolves might not have won a game.
The new season is the last year of "Madman's" big contract. He also wants to fight for another season with the Timberwolves and look forward to new honors.
"Kids, you are all Minnesota heroes, let's celebrate tonight!"
As the coach of the Timberwolves for 9 seasons, Flip Saunders is full of affection for this team. Now he has become a championship coach, and all his comebacks have paid off.
Seeing Lin Fei and the players raising champagne to celebrate, Flip Saunders thought again of the Western Conference Finals G5 20 days ago.
When the Timberwolves trailed the Lakers by 12 points in the final quarter, Flip Saunders boldly activated Lin Fei, who had been the water cooler keeper on the bench for almost the entire season.
Letting an overseas undrafted player play in the most critical headwind moment of the Western Conference Finals seems to others to be a decision to give up early.
But it was this decision that allowed the Timberwolves to complete their redemption.
Flip Saunders will never forget this decision. It is also the most profound decision in his entire NBA coaching career.
The Timberwolves won the NBA championship, and the league headquarters also rewarded the team with a bonus of more than 1.6 million US dollars in accordance with relevant regulations.
This bonus, regardless of severity, will be equally divided among the Timberwolves' players, coaching staff and other staff, with each person being approximately US$36,000.
For Lin Fei, who has not yet started to make a lot of money, this US$36,000 is also a lot of money.
For some ordinary staff members of the Timberwolves, this $36,000 is enough to change their lives.
The Timberwolves' official championship also brought the NBA's 2003-04 season to a perfect end.
As the saying goes, some are happy and some are sad. Fans of other teams have begun to pay attention to the draft and the free market, and are looking forward to the new season in advance.
Sports newspapers and magazines across the United States were abuzz with headlines, all reporting the news that the Timberwolves won the first championship in team history and that the Wolf King was crowned double MVP.
For a time, the discussion of Kevin Garnett's new historical low has also become a hot topic among fans and experts.
#Minnesota Timberwolves won the first championship in team history, Kevin Garnett won the Finals MVP#
#Kevin Garnett won the NBA championship, regular season MVP and Finals MVP Grand Slam in a single season, becoming the seventh single season in history after Magic, Bird, Jordan, Olajuwon, O'Neal and Duncan. Grand Slam Star#
#Wolf King has surpassed Malone in one championship and is catching up with Tim Duncan at a historical low. He is now the second most powerful forward and is well-deserved#
#The future is boundless! Winning his first NBA career championship on his 20th birthday, can "Linsanity" continue his magic in the new season? #
#天朝 rookie Lin broke multiple NBA finals three-point shooting records and received 3 votes in the finals MVP voting, second only to the Wolf King’s 5 votes#
#Timberwolves championship hero Lin and beautiful manager Qin’s suspected relationship was exposed, and they kissed each other when they won the championship#
#Timberwolves No. 22 jersey sales continue to rise, ranking among the top ten in NBA jersey sales last week#
#Timberwolves player Lin has become an unrestricted free agent. More than 19 teams in the league have made secret contract offers to Lin. Who can win the crazy competition for Lin? Waiting for the NBA free agent market to open on July 1#
Timberwolves boss Glen Taylor personally hosted the event at noon on the second day after winning the championship, bringing all the Timberwolves players and head coach, several assistant coaches, and general manager McHale with him.
Went to the highest-end seafood restaurant in Minnesota and spent more than 2 million US dollars to book three top-notch feasts to celebrate the Timberwolves' final championship.
Scottish lobster, Alaskan king crab, bluefin tuna, Australian giant oysters, black diamond shrimp, and a bottle of Rye 925 tequila and 82 Lafite worth hundreds of thousands of dollars...
Although Lin Fei is a very self-disciplined person in his daily diet, when faced with the delicacies on this table, which is thousands of dollars worth of top-quality seafood with one knife and fork, of course there is no reason to refuse!
Winning the championship only happens once a year, so you have to enjoy it to the fullest.
Glen Taylor was smiling broadly. The Timberwolves' championship was full of legend. The team's market value in Minnesota will inevitably continue to rise.
As the owner of a small-market team, Glen Taylor's personal worth is only four to five billion, and he is willing to pay more than $17 million in luxury tax for the team, which shows that he is a conscientious and humane owner.
This season, the Timberwolves were able to win the championship from a desperate situation. Glen Taylor is most grateful to two people, one is Kevin Garnett, and the second is Lin Fei.
When Glen Taylor took the initiative to deliver a congratulatory message, Glenn Taylor gave Lin Fei high praise, but he refused to ask about Lin Fei's offseason team selection, giving him full respect for the hero who won the championship.
Lin Fei was also flattered by this. Compared with most team owners in the league, Glenn Taylor was good enough.
After the celebration banquet, Lin Fei declined the invitation from Wolf King and others to go to the bar that afternoon, and drove his red Mustang back to the small riverside villa in the wealthy area.
Standing on the electronic scale in the gym, Lin Fei was immediately shocked. He weighed 89.7 kilograms. He actually gained more than 6 kilograms after eating this meal...
As a result, the shooting and strength training sessions in the afternoon and evening were twice as many as usual.
Now Lin Fei's system personal level has been upgraded from LV1 to LV2, and the upper limit of free attribute points obtained through training every day has also increased from the previous 15 points to 20 points.
Lin Fei thought that when the next official competition starts, it should be the Yadian Olympic Games in mid-August.
There are still nearly 2 months until the first game of the Olympic men's basketball team on August 14. If you keep training every day to gain 20 free attribute points, you will be able to accumulate more than 1,100 points by then.
In addition to the 500 free attribute rewards obtained after winning the finals, the total is more than 1,600 free attribute points.
When the time comes and all the defensive attributes are added, Lin Fei believes that his overall defensive value will definitely reach a very good level.
At least during the Olympics, it was enough to reach above the average defensive level of basketball guards from various countries.
At the same time, coupled with the ten-fold bonus of strength, endurance and speed training cards, Lin Fei believes that his personal physical fitness can also be significantly improved through unremitting efforts during the offseason.
June 21st.
All members of the Timberwolves team, the head coach, general manager and others got on the championship float and set off from the Target Center Arena to begin the championship parade in Minneapolis.
Lin Fei also put on a newly printed Timberwolves exclusive championship T-shirt with his teammates, walking among the sky full of ribbons and cheering fans, enjoying the glory of winning the championship.
Agent Qin Dongmei put on a custom-made crystal dress and accompanied Lin Fei like a princess.
Now she is not only Lin Fei's manager, but also Lin Fei's girlfriend.
Kevin Garnett stood in the front row of the championship float with a cigar in his mouth.
Putting the championship trophy, regular season MVP trophy, finals MVP trophy and the All-Star MVP trophy he won last season in front of him,
It shows a domineering attitude of showing off one's strength to others.
The championship trophy is engraved with the words of the 2003-2004 NBA championship.
Kevin Garnett's name is also laser-engraved on the three MVP trophies.
Standing next to Garnett, Lin Fei couldn't help but envy the Wolf King. Now, Garnett has basically obtained all the most important honors in the NBA.
When can I also win an NBA Grand Slam?
5 years? 3 years? Maybe faster?
As a small city with an urban population of only 400,000, stimulated by the Timberwolves' championship parade,
Fans from all over Minnesota, even from other states and overseas countries, came to Minneapolis today.
More than 700,000 Timberwolves fans took to the streets to participate in this grand championship parade.
It can be said that the streets are empty.
"OMG, Timberwolves championship, we are the championship..."
Cassel tossed free championship jerseys to the fans on the float.
Szczerbiak sang his favorite song, "Heal the World" by Michael Jackson.
"Madman" Sprewell took out his water gun with an exaggerated expression and sprayed water at the little fans on the roadside in the summer, reflecting the beautiful colorful rainbow under the sunlight.
Lin Fei put his arms around Qin Dongmei and waved to the fans on both sides of the road, as if he was showing off that he was the championship and that he was showing off his girlfriend who was as beautiful as a princess and a fairy.
Become famous at a young age, beauties by your side, teams snapping up, big contracts coming in an endless stream...
20-year-old Lin Fei can be said to have reached the pinnacle of life that countless young people long for.
But Lin Fei knows that his NBA journey has just begun its first stop.
There is still a long way to go.
After screening and comparison by beautiful agent Qin Dongmei, and taking into account Lin Fei’s personal opinions,
The New York Knicks, Miami Heat and Phoenix Suns have also become Lin Fei's last three choices.
As an agent, Qin Dongmei has already made plans for interviews and trial training with the three teams in advance. Lin Fei, accompanied by Qin Dongmei, will go to these three teams in person.
to make the final decision.
June 25th.
New York, Madison Square Garden.
The 2004 NBA Draft is about to begin.
Lin Fei, who was wearing a black suit, and Qin Dongmei, who was wearing a white evening dress, sat in the front row of the court.
Sitting on the left side of Lin Fei is Kobe Bryant and his wife Vanessa.
After not seeing each other for many days, Lin Fei and Kobe also had a friendly exchange, chatting and laughing.
Kobe also expressed his understanding that Lin Fei did not choose to join the Los Angeles Lakers in the end.
With O'Neal completely falling out with the Lakers management, his departure has become inevitable, and the Lakers' prospects for the new season are worrying.
Now that Kobe is young and frivolous, he may leave the Lakers one day. He will not let his loyalty harm him, otherwise he will never have a chance to surpass Michael Jordan.
"Is Shaquille really going to be traded? I've also heard some media rumors!"
Kobe nodded solemnly. He obviously knew the truth:
"Shaq's agent has already negotiated with Pat Riley. He will be traded to the Heat. The news will be officially announced when the free trade market opens on July 1!"
Lin Fei frowned and nodded. It seemed that his butterfly effect was not enough to affect O'Neal's deal.
"What bargaining chips did the Heat give?"
Kobe is obviously also concerned about the chips given by the Heat, but he doesn't seem to be satisfied:
"The Heat offered Lamar Odom, Caron Butler, Brian Grant, a first-round pick and a second-round pick!"
Lin Fei smiled and comforted Kobe: "I feel that Lamar Odom and Caron Butler are both future All-Star substitute players, and they both have great potential!"
"Since Shaquille has decided to leave, he cannot keep him after all, and this deal cannot be considered a loss for the Lakers!"
Kobe's eyes flashed and he looked at Lin Fei curiously: "Lin, are you going to the Heat too? Are you going to join forces with Shaquille in Miami?"
Lin Fei had no need to hide anything and said with a smile: "I do have this plan, but it hasn't been finalized yet!"
"The contract offered by Pat Riley is very sincere. My fellow countrymen in China are probably also Heat players. It's good to take care of each other in the new season!"
Kobe was not surprised, but still nodded slightly disappointed:
"Well, it is indeed a good choice for you. The high screen pick-and-roll between you and Shaquille will definitely be very lethal!"
"It's just that you know that Shaquille is not easy to get along with, so you still have to pay attention to this!"
Lin Fei listened to Kobe's serious words and couldn't laugh or cry in his heart. Did the young Black Mamba say that the big shark was difficult to get along with? It must be him who is not easy to get along with!
But I kindly reminded myself that I still have to thank you after all.
"Okay Corvo, Kevin and I get along very well, so it shouldn't be a problem with Shaquille!"
Kobe nodded twice more and said no more.
On the stage at this time, David Stern walked to the center under the spotlight and officially announced the start of the draft.
"Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the scene!"
"Today is the NBA's 2004 draft. Our big family will welcome another group of talented young players today!"
Although David Stern has always treated the New York Knicks as his own son since he came to power, the 1985 No. 1 pick, "King of New York" Ewing, was the one who blatantly tricked the Knicks into getting the No. 1 pick. .
But the local fans in New York didn't appreciate it and were always used to booing the little old Jewish man in return.
David Stern had long been accustomed to this kind of treatment. He smiled and finished a long section of polite words before finally getting to the point.
"I announce that the Orlando Magic selected with the first overall pick in the 2004 NBA Draft:"
"High school student from Southwest Christian Academy in Atlanta, Dwight Howard!"
Amidst the applause, the tall and dark Dwight Howard walked out of the small green room smiling like a child.
Wearing a baseball cap with the Magic's LOGO printed on it, he walked to the center of the stage, bent down, hugged and shook hands with David Stern and took a photo.
Lin Fei, who was sitting in the front row on the sidelines, could not help but return to last year's draft. The memory of the original owner had already merged with his own.
The top pick in last year's draft was the "Little Emperor" LeBron James, and his popularity was much more intense than the current "Warcraft".
Compared with last year, this year is indeed a pure draft year.
Lin Fei, who was sitting in the front row of the audience, felt uneasy. Until the end of the draft, he could not hear his name from David Stern and the vice president.
But this year is completely different. Although Lin Fei's status as an undrafted player in 2003 cannot be changed, his wonderful performance in the finals has made him as popular as the 2003 golden generation.
"Lin, do you think Dwight Howard has a chance to surpass Shaquille?"
Next to him, Kobe touched his chin with his hand and unconsciously asked Lin Fei a question.
After a round of competition in the Western Conference finals, plus several phone calls between the two on weekdays, Kobe felt high emotional intelligence and mature and wise thinking in Lin Fei.
It seemed that every time he talked with Lin Fei, he could gain new insights. This made Kobe no longer think of Lin Fei as a rookie, but truly regarded him as a friend who could talk about everything.
Faced with Kobe's question, Lin Fei shook his head and said with a smile: "How is that possible? There is only one Shaquille O'Neal in this league, and it may be difficult to have another one in the next hundred years!"
Lin Fei is absolutely right in what he said. The NBA is about to enter the small ball era. Even if there is a monster as talented as O'Neal, it will be difficult to reach the heights of the Sharks in the new environment.
Kobe nodded heavily and sighed softly: "You are right. If you have Joe, choose Joe, but if you don't have Joe, choose Shark. Shaquille's talent is indeed too strong. If he can work half as hard as you and me, the Lakers will win." It’s been five consecutive championships already!”
Lin Fei could only smile awkwardly. Kobe's paranoid character really couldn't be changed.
Of course, if it changes, it won't be Kobe anymore.
"In the 2004 NBA Draft, the Charlotte Bobcats selected with the second overall pick in the first round:"
“Emeka Okafor at UConn!”
"In the 2004 NBA Draft, the Chicago Bulls selected with the third overall pick in the first round:"
"Still from UConn, Ben Gordon!"
…
The next few picks in the first round are not much different from Lin Fei’s memory in his previous life.
The Clippers selected Shaun Livingston with the 4th pick in the first round, and the Washington Wizards selected Devin Harris with the 5th pick.
The Phoenix Suns selected Luol Deng with the 7th overall pick, and the Philadelphia 76ers selected Andre Iguodala with the 9th overall pick.
The only thing that made Lin Fei feel different was that the Miami Heat intercepted Tony Allen with the 19th pick in the first round.
In the original world, Lin Fei remembered that this defensive champion was selected by the Boston Celtics with the 25th pick in the first round.
David Stern walked off the stage after announcing the first-round picks, and the second round was announced by the vice president.
The morning after attending the draft, Lin Fei, accompanied by his agent Qin Dongmei,
Interviewed in person with New York Knicks General Manager Isaiah Thomas.
The negotiation process went quite smoothly, and Lin Fei was quite satisfied with the final contract offer given by the Knicks.
However, the Knicks' coaching team is lackluster and does not have a clear enough judgment on Lin Fei's position in the team for the new season. At the same time, the Knicks' head coach for the new season is still to be determined.
When I heard Isaiah Thomas patting his chest and vowing that if a suitable head coach cannot be found before the start of the new season, he will personally take charge of the Knicks' head coach.
Lin Fei resisted the urge to laugh, hurriedly ended his trip to the New York Knicks, and promised to make a final decision before July 1.
That night, as the host, Little Swift borrowed five hundred dollars from her father Scott and personally took Lin Fei and Qin Dongmei around New York.
We also queued up to eat the famous Manhattan Alini pizza and cheesecake.
Early the next morning, Lin Fei and Qin Dongmei boarded a commercial airliner from New York to Miami.
Although it was first class, Lin Fei still didn't feel as comfortable as traveling on the Timberwolves' team plane.
Not long after the plane landed in Miami, Lin Fei received a strange phone call. After calling back, a familiar voice came from the other end.
It's actually Shaquille O'Neal.
"Hi, Lin, Dwayne and I are waiting for you at the airport. Welcome to the charming Miami!"
I need to sort out the outline of the new season. I will write a chapter today with a lot of words. I will make up for it tomorrow. Thank you for your support!
(End of chapter)
