The Cavaliers were a prime example. Despite acquiring a group of experienced role players, they were stuck in a cycle of losing streaks. When Su Xi left, the Cavaliers were fourth in the East; now, they had plummeted to eighth. It was only because the East wasn’t very competitive; otherwise, they would have damn well dropped out of the playoff picture long ago.

During this time, Tony Battie was constantly taking potshots at the Cavaliers in the media. On December 3rd, he made a famous statement that was quoted by many commentators: "In modern society, a Knight has forsaken the law to choose a King. This is the beginning of their failure. The Cavaliers should be renamed the African Tribe, or The Chief and His Subjects."

This statement caused a huge uproar.

The Yahoo Website voted it the season’s most vicious jab at James.

It’s only because Tony Battie is African American. If Su Xi or any white person had said it, the public outcry would have been insane.

This acerbic jab made Tony Battie the most hated man in Cleveland.

On December 5th, when the Pacers played on the road in Cleveland, a furious Cavaliers crowd booed Tony Battie for the entire game, even though he only played for five minutes.

"I don’t care. Following Jack gets me wins and endorsements. All they can do is vent their impotent rage."

Tony Battie was living the good life. He may have given up a significant salary, but he had gained immense popularity in China. He even signed three endorsement deals: one for throat lozenges, one for an alcohol brand, and one for athletic shoes.

He accepted any offer that came his way, regardless of the price.

He became the first person to cash in on the dividends of Su Xi’s market in China.

The Cavaliers lost the game by 27 points.

Though many had predicted an earth-shattering clash between Su Xi and James, Su Xi never guarded him directly. Ron Artest was the one matched up against him the whole time.

He simply looked for opportunities, nabbing two steals.

In this showdown against James, Su Xi put up a near triple-double with 17 points, 11 assists, 7 rebounds, and 4 steals.

LeBron James had a lackluster performance and didn’t play long. In 22 minutes, he shot 4-for-14, finishing with just 12 points, 6 assists, and 4 rebounds before being taken out.

By every metric, from the stats to the final score, Su Xi claimed a total victory.

After the game, Carlos Boozer and Jason Kapono immediately ran over to embrace Su Xi and congratulate him.

Boozer also shared some news. "The team has held several internal meetings about erasing your influence. Also, Stephen Jackson almost got into a fight with LeBron."

Su Xi wasn’t very interested in such gossip, merely encouraging them to play well.

The media didn’t give much coverage to Su Xi’s ’revenge game.’ The narrative in the United States was more inclined to report on LeBron James’s achievements. Nike’s marketing focus in North America was also James, as they had much higher hopes for him.

After the Pacers secured a 12-game winning streak, the NBA announced the All-Star ballots. From the Pacers, Little O’Neal, Reggie Miller, Su Xi, and Ron Artest were all on the list of candidates.

Only three rookies from the 2003 draft class were eligible for votes, and the other two had close ties to Su Xi. One was his college teammate, Carmeron Anthony, and the other was his former Cavaliers teammate, LeBron James.

Anthony was playing exceptionally well for the Denver Nuggets, averaging 22 points, 6 rebounds, and 3 assists. In the stacked Western Conference, he was keeping the Nuggets in the top eight. If he could ultimately lead the team to the playoffs, he would be the strongest contender for Rookie of the Year.

In reality, only these three players were considered contenders for the Rookie of the Year award.

James was averaging the 20-5-5 that Ricky Davis had always dreamed of, but his Cavaliers weren’t guaranteed to make the playoffs.

Su Xi had many incredible games on his resume, including a quadruple-double, and his total number of triple-doubles gave him an edge. He had also solidified his position as the core of the Pacers’ backcourt. While some criticized his low offensive efficiency, the Pacers were known for shutting down their opponents’ offense as well. Besides, having the best record in the league was a massive, undeniable advantage.

As soon as all three were named to the All-Star ballot, many media outlets immediately cried foul.

The memory of Yao Ming beating out O’Neal for a starting spot last year was still fresh, and many people felt that Su Xi’s voting advantage from China would be magnified to an absurd degree.

"This is unfair! Allowing a Chinese player on the ballot is inherently unfair to the other players at his position. Do you really think Little Sheep Su Xi is greater than Allen Iverson? Do you think he’s better than Tracy McGrady?"

ESPN was the first to voice its dissent.

This sentiment quickly spread throughout the American media. They all believed the All-Star voting rules had a loophole that needed to be closed. Only fans in the United States should be allowed to vote!

The outcry was loud, but Stern found it laughable. He dreamed of making the NBA a global league. ’And you want to block votes from other regions? Dream on!’

So, despite the media clamor, the NBA officials remained unmoved.

In fact, thanks to the media fanning the flames, Su Xi’s vote count surpassed both Allen Iverson and Tracy McGrady on the very first day, albeit not by a large margin.

As it happened, the Pacers’ 13-game winning streak came to an end on that same day.

The Pacers lost to the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Guarded by Sam Cassell, Su Xi shot a miserable 3-for-15, scoring only 8 points.

After the game, Cassell said dismissively, "I don’t think the kid is all that great. I was even giving him a step, and he still couldn’t hit a shot."

The media ran with the quote, and ESPN even aired a special segment dedicated to analyzing the level of Su Xi’s offense.

They concluded: Little Sheep Su Xi’s offense was at an average NCAA level. When it came to his pull-up jumper, he was even below that.

They began to predict that Little Sheep Su Xi was about to hit the rookie wall.

It was about time, too.

Compared to Carmeron Anthony and LeBron James, his talent was half a tier and a full tier lower, respectively. In terms of offensive skill, the gap was even wider. Carmeron and LeBron could continue to improve, but what about him? Once he was thoroughly scouted, what else could happen besides him hitting the rookie wall?

"Little Sheep Su Xi can definitely become an elite player; his defense guarantees his floor. But to pick him as an All-Star starter over Iverson and McGrady is just absurd. Moreover, I don’t believe his future prospects will ever surpass Carmeron’s or LeBron’s. I don’t even think he can be mentioned in the same breath as Dwyane Wade. Those three are destined to be superstars."

"Honestly, the Pacers’ strength is what delayed his rookie wall. If he had stayed in Cleveland, he would’ve been exposed back in November. In this game, the Timberwolves revealed his true colors," said renowned ESPN television analyst Mike Brin, hitting the nail on the head.

Just then, the Philadelphia 76ers arrived in Indiana.

Allen Iverson was the superstar Su Xi was dying to face. ’Because... my super-speed talent comes from Iverson. If I go up against the man himself, the fusion will be even faster.’