Ricky Davis repeated to the media what he had said before the game-winning play was drawn up.

"Without a doubt, Jack has shouldered the responsibilities of a leader. He’s always been the backbone of the team. When he’s on the court, our offense is always so smooth, and we can always defeat tough opponents."

"We love it when Jack has the ball."

"He can do everything. He’s a leader who leads by example. In every game, he guards the opponent’s toughest offensive player. In every game, he delivers the most crucial assists to his teammates. He’s a very old-school superstar. It’s not just about dominating opponents on offense; he personally takes on the toughest jobs on defense, never passing the buck."

"I originally thought the team drafted Jack to be my supporting player, but now I have to say, I’m willing to support Jack. He’s not Little Sheep Su Xi, he’s Goat Su Xi!"

Ricky Davis said this loudly during a media interview in Orlando, raising the flag in support of Su Xi becoming the team’s leader.

His statement took everyone by surprise, including Larry Bird and Isaiah Thomas, who were actively making moves.

They had originally intended to create narratives about Su Xi being on par with James, fanning the flames of James’s jealousy. The ultimate goal was to create a situation where two tigers couldn’t share one mountain and force a trade for Jack.

But now, the enemy was in Cleveland?

Didn’t Ricky Davis always want to be the top dog? How could someone so rebellious and untamable publicly declare his support for Little Sheep Su Xi?

Was this genuine support? Or was he trying to pit Su Xi against James, using one rookie to defeat another?

Davis’s move caused a sensation throughout the league, and the eyes of the entire basketball world turned to them.

This was because the basketball media had already designated the Cavaliers as the team of "The Chosen One," James. Even after Su Xi recorded a quadruple-double in his first game, no one thought he should be the master of Cleveland.

But now, with the team’s original leader, Davis, stepping up to strongly support Su Xi, a powerful force had unexpectedly emerged from within.

This immediately shattered some established conclusions.

At the very least, people began to discuss: could Su Xi be a more suitable leader for the Cavaliers than LeBron James?

The media were like sharks that had smelled blood in the water, swarming in frantically. For a moment, little Cleveland was getting the same treatment as Los Angeles. Pundits make a living from analysis, after all. They analyzed the skills of Kobe and O’Neal, debating who was stronger and who had more influence.

Now, they were also debating Su Xi and James.

The mainstream media still generally believed James was more influential and had a higher ceiling. However, many experts pointed to the data. While James’s efficiency was already high and his contribution value was unlike that of a rookie, Su Xi’s efficiency rating was... number one in the league!! When he was on the court, the Cavaliers had the highest plus-minus.

Moreover, Su Xi’s passing efficiency was better. And his defensive efficiency left James in the dust.

When these detailed advanced stats came out, James started to get restless.

Although he kept insisting to Su Xi, "This is just Davis trying to sow discord. We’re about to trade him, we’re about to trade him."

But under the media’s powerful offensive, with the "uncrowned kings" fanning the flames, the atmosphere within the team became a little strange.

James and Su Xi were no longer as close as before. James even started consciously trying to build better relationships with his other teammates.

While in Miami, Carlos Boozer secretly told Su Xi, "Last night, James came and knocked on my door, but I didn’t open it. He wants to win me over."

"But you know me, I support you," Carlos Boozer declared in a low voice. "I think you’re better than LeBron."

Although there were no apparent problems on the team’s surface, undercurrents were swirling within.

Davis’s words had exacerbated the division within the Cavaliers.

This was especially true on the court. Davis would intentionally run to set screens for Su Xi. Whatever Su Xi told him to do, he did it. He had the appearance of being completely obedient.

Davis and Su Xi already had great chemistry. Now that he was so cooperative, their offensive output was even more potent.

In contrast, LeBron James was trying too hard, and it was backfiring. He also began to deliberately chase advanced stats, but when he controlled the ball, the Cavaliers’ efficiency actually dropped again. This was because he was unnatural and a bit forced in his decisions between shooting and passing.

Being forced leaves traces. And with those traces, it’s impossible to be unstoppable.

Su Xi, on the other hand, played with increasing effortlessness.

The contrast between the two became even more obvious.

In Miami, LeBron James had 17 points, 7 assists, 7 rebounds, 1 steal, and 1 block.

Su Xi had 15 points, 9 assists, 4 rebounds, and 3 steals.

Furthermore, at a critical moment, Su Xi passed to Carlos Boozer for the game-winning shot. Before assisting on the game-winner, Su Xi had stopped a drive by Wade. 𝗳𝗿𝐞𝕖𝘄𝗲𝕓𝗻𝚘𝚟𝕖𝐥.𝚌𝕠𝕞

Soon, they arrived in New Jersey.

In this game, Su Xi hounded Jason Kidd the entire time, forcing J Kidd to play passively and have a poor performance. However, the Brooklyn Nets still won in the end. Jefferson played outstandingly, drawing a foul on James in the final moments and hitting the game-winning free throws.

The most regrettable thing for Su Xi about this game was that Kitels didn’t play. He was out with an injury.

But Su Xi hadn’t forgotten him. Before the game started, Su Xi taunted him through the media: "Last summer, Kitels said Reggie Williams was nothing special, just a hyped-up player. He spouted nonsense at Reggie’s funeral, saying he’d never cross paths with a nobody like me, and that he’d be sitting in his 100,000 USD luxury car throwing bottle caps out the window."

"So, what about now? I’m here. Where are your bottle caps?"

Su Xi pressed on aggressively, "I got a Nike endorsement. I’m a friend of the Porsche brand. What about you?"

Su Xi was relentless.

He backed Kitels into a corner.

Furthermore, all the way from Los Angeles, Kobe Bryant came out in support of Su Xi. He said: "I completely understand Jack’s retaliation against Kitels. I was there at the time, so I know what the situation was like. He was just an unknown college student back then that nobody looked twice at. But at that moment, he had the courage to step up and challenge an NBA star to defend the dignity of his deceased friend. I commend him for that, and I also stopped a violent altercation."

"Jack’s achievements in the NBA today have undoubtedly surpassed Kitels’s. Kitels owes him, as well as Reggie Williams and Dennis Scott, a formal apology."

Kobe was embroiled in his own controversy, but he still stepped up to strongly support Su Xi in this matter.

Those three weren’t the only ones at the scene at the time.

Soon, the media got the full story from other inside sources.

With the New York Media fanning the flames, the entire incident was quickly exposed.

Instantly, Kitels became a public pariah. The New York Media heaped all manner of ridicule and sarcasm upon him. At the same time, Su Xi’s image as a loyal and righteous person was further highlighted.

Reggie Williams had been the pride of New York basketball, the leader of Syracuse University before Cameron.

Moreover, he was also born in New Jersey.

Even New Jersey fans wouldn’t let Kitels off the hook.

After all, what he had done was truly despicable.

Because of this incident, Su Xi once again made headlines. People love this kind of underdog story, where the hero rises from the bottom and proves his opponents wrong.

This Chapter of Su Xi’s basketball career was like an American Dream story.

He seemed more like the protagonist than even "The Chosen One," LeBron James.

After all, James was "The Chosen One" from the start; he wore a halo from day one.

Su Xi, however, had fought his way up step by step.

Naturally, people identified more strongly with the latter.

After all, in any fantasy novel, the protagonist always rises from the bottom, rather than starting out as a success story.

This is also the core of the American Dream.

James looked at the overwhelming media coverage. Especially in New York, the world’s greatest city, Su Xi’s influence had completely surpassed his... at least for the time being.

Outside Madison Square Garden Arena, there were even signs that read: Jack! Come back! We need you!

Su Xi was the number 8 pick, drafted by the Knicks and then traded away.

Moreover, he had also been a player for Syracuse University. Syracuse University has always been a source of basketball pride for New York.

After entering the arena, during warm-ups, many fans wearing Su Xi’s Syracuse University jersey ran to the sidelines to ask for his autograph. One kid was even wearing the composite jersey Su Xi wore on draft night... Su Xi took a moment to write a long, heartfelt message of blessing on the kid’s jersey, and also signed his own name, Scott’s, and Reggie Williams’s.

"Jack! Let’s find some time to go one-on-one tomorrow."

After three days, James finally approached Su Xi for a private chat.

During this time, James had been bottling up a lot of frustration.

He wanted to vent.

Su Xi said, "Sure! No problem."

Su Xi couldn’t have asked for more.

Especially seeing James’s look of pent-up frustration, he was clearly holding back strong emotions. Su Xi loved playing against geniuses who were emotional; it brought out more in them.

But after a little while, Ricky Davis, who was still practicing, was suddenly called over by a staff member. They talked for a bit on the sidelines.

Then, Ricky Davis was seen taking out his phone to talk to his agent.

A moment later, he took off his Cavaliers jersey and started walking towards the locker room.

He didn’t take two steps before he turned back.

He found Su Xi. "Jack, there are a couple of things I want to tell you."

"I have no personal grudge against you. I was in the wrong about the Banks thing. I want to apologize for offending you that first time."

"Second, you’re a very talented player. You have great leadership skills, and you’re fair and just. On the court, you never let personal grudges stop you from passing the ball. You see the bigger picture. Your nickname really suits you."

"Finally, I know you and LeBron have a good relationship. But believe me, he won’t be able to tolerate you. Request a trade as soon as possible. This isn’t the place for you. If you stay with him, you’ll never have your day in the sun unless you curtail your own abilities to adapt to him."

"He can accept you becoming a star, but he can’t accept you becoming a bigger star than him."

"Everything I said in Orlando was the truth. You’re a better fit to be the leader than he is."

"Watch your back."

Davis clapped Su Xi on the shoulder, then left without looking back.

...