"Hey Shaq, did you hear what Zhao Dong said? What do you think about that?"
A reporter quickly caught up to Shaquille O'Neal and shoved a mic in his face.
"Huh?"
Shaq froze for a second before waving it off.
"I got nothin' to say. I've only just tapped into that level, so I ain't got much to share."
With that, he turned and walked off in a hurry.
"What did he mean by that?"
The reporters were confused and tried to get back to Zhao Dong for clarification—but by then, he was already tailing O'Neal.
"Yo, Shaq! What level you talkin' about, huh?" Zhao Dong caught up with him, smirking.
"If Rambis pissed you off, go deal with him! Choke him out, kick him in the jewels—why you comin' after me?" O'Neal barked, clearly annoyed.
Zhao Dong laughed. "You think I'm some lunatic?"
---
Meanwhile in New York, Latrell had just finished watching the Knicks game on TV and was about to turn in for the night—when he suddenly sneezed three times in a row.
His face was covered in snot and spit. "Damn… must be someone talking about me."
"My hand still hurts from that last block. Yours alright?" Shaq asked, confused.
"Idiot, you should go ask Karl Malone and Iron Mike. In their eyes, I am the Iron Man."
Zhao Dong flexed as he hyped himself up.
Then he looked down at O'Neal with mock pity.
"Next time, I'm snatching ten boards off you, man. Wanna roll with me?"
"…?"
Shaq blinked, struggling to process what he just heard.
By the time it clicked, Zhao Dong was already walking off.
"Yo! Zhao Dong! If you steal another rebound from me, I'm draggin' your ass down with me!"
From a distance, Zhao Dong's voice echoed back:
"Loud on the outside, soft on the inside!"
"Speak English, damn it!" Shaq shouted.
"My English just ain't deep enough to express how little I think of you," Zhao Dong replied calmly, slipping into the visiting team's locker room.
Shaq blinked.
"…That sounded kinda poetic. Damn, that actually had some style."
---
Inside the locker room, Zhao Dong found Hu Weidong smiling at his phone. It didn't take long for him to figure out what was up.
"Yo, Brother Hu, another 24 points tonight! You feelin' it?"
"Man, it feels great! My girl just called—said she's proud I've been droppin' 20+ points game after game. Haha!" Hu laughed.
Just then, Knicks assistant Coach walked over.
"Hu, once Latrell returns, you'll still be in the rotation, just not on the injury list anymore. But your minutes will go down a bit. We need you healthy—we can't afford another injury," he explained.
"I understand, Coach." Hu nodded with a smile.
---
Meanwhile, in the Lakers' locker room, Coach Kurt Rambis was fuming. Shaq had just told him exactly what Zhao Dong had said postgame.
"So now I'm the reason he went off tonight? Wow, Coach Rambis, you're really good at getting under people's skin," Shaq said sarcastically.
"He's just a maniac. Why should I care what he thinks? Who does he think he is—some kind of basketball god?" Rambis snapped.
"Alright, that's enough. Let's not turn the locker room into a war zone," GM Jerry West interjected.
"Yeah, he doesn't belong in this locker room," Shaq added, glaring at Rambis.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Rambis turned red.
Shaq turned to the team.
"Man, even if a stranger says hi, most people nod or wave. But some folks—" he paused and looked directly at Rambis—"some just walk by like you don't exist. No respect. No manners."
Rambis shot back, "You couldn't beat Zhao Dong tonight, so now you're taking it out on me?"
Shaq stormed up and towered over him.
"What'd you say? They doubled and tripled me out there! Anyone here help me? Your 'tactics' help? Man, you make me sick!"
"This is outrageous!" Rambis muttered, slamming the door as he stormed out.
Jerry West sighed deeply. As the GM, he could feel it—Rambis had completely lost the locker room.
If the team leaders didn't support the coach, it was over.
With Kobe maturing fast and Shaq entering his prime, the Lakers were on the verge of becoming serious contenders. They couldn't afford a coach who couldn't manage the egos and talent.
But where could he find a suitable replacement this late in the season?
"If the Knicks knock the Bulls out again this year, Jordan might really retire… And if he does, the Bulls collapse. That means Phil Jackson might be leaving too…"
West rubbed his chin, deep in thought.
He didn't want just anyone to replace Rambis. He wanted someone like Phil Jackson—a winner.
The Lakers were already competitive in the West. Without the Jazz standing in their way, they had a shot at upsetting the Spurs.
But with Rambis? That shot was slipping away.
---
An hour later, the post-game press conference began.
Zhao Dong, Charles Barkley, and Hu Weidong sat at the front table, ready to face the media. Hu looked thrilled—he had been on the Knicks for over a year, and this was his first time being invited to speak after a game.
"Zhao Dong," the first reporter from Los Angeles Daily News stood up, "We heard the reason you went off tonight was because Coach Rambis offended you. Is that true?"
Zhao Dong smiled.
"He was rude, wasn't he? Yeah, we've got beef. If the Lakers make the Finals, the beef continues. If they don't? Then that's the end of it."
Reporters glanced around at each other in confusion.
"Charles, what do you think about all this?" a reporter turned to Barkley during the Knicks' press conference.
"The hate Zhao Dong feels—man, that's the hate we all feel as Knicks. And when it comes to the Lakers? That's our sworn enemy right there. Our fire's lit, we ain't scared of nobody. We're on one right now. Unstoppable!" Barkley said, full of energy and fire.
"That confirms it—Zhao Dong's just using this as fuel. Dude's trying to stir the pot and get the squad hyped," a local New York reporter said to his cameraman.
"Yeah, he's a master motivator, gotta give him that," the cameraman replied with a wry grin.
Meanwhile, over on the Chinese broadcast, it was CCTV's turn. The veteran anchor leaned forward.
"Hu Weidong, you've now scored 20-plus points in several straight games. How do you feel about your form?" asked a local reporter.
"Feels great! I'm getting into my rhythm now," Hu replied with a smile.
Over at the Lakers' presser, though, things were falling apart fast.
"Coach Rambis," one of the L.A. beat reporters asked bluntly, "do you admit that your disrespect toward Zhao Dong fired him up and led to your team's collapse?"
Rambis looked pissed. "I don't get it—our team loses and suddenly it's all my fault?"
"Coach, please just answer the question," the reporter pressed.
"Tch." Rambis scoffed, then stormed off the podium, visibly frustrated.
But the chaos didn't stop there. The media pounced.
"Jerry, is there tension in the locker room?"
"Mr. West, are the Lakers falling apart?"
"Shaq, is there beef between you and Coach Rambis?"
Even after Rambis bounced, the press conference didn't slow down. Reporters flooded Jerry West and Shaquille O'Neal with questions, trying to squeeze out every ounce of drama.
---
At 4 a.m. in Los Angeles, rookie Kobe Bryant's alarm went off.
No hesitation. He jumped out of bed, hit a cold shower, threw on his gear, grabbed his ball, and headed out to the home court.
The fire from last night's game still burned in his chest. Watching Zhao Dong dominate had shaken him to the core.
"I gotta catch up. I can't waste time. Not anymore."
As the first light of dawn broke over L.A., Kobe was already deep in his training, sweat dripping from his forehead with every rep, every jumper.
By the 12th, every sports outlet was buzzing about the Knicks' huge win over the Lakers—and the storm that was Zhao Dong.
"To future head coaches: If you're gonna piss off Zhao Dong, you better stock up on backboards."
— The New York Times
"Zhao Dong lands in L.A.—coaches beware."
— Los Angeles Daily News
"Rambis starts a war, Shaq takes the blame."
— New York Sports Daily
"Rambis lit the fuse. Zhao Dong brought the fire."
— The Washington Post
"Zhao Dong's rage fuels ratings surge across the league."
— Miami Daily
"If a real man holds a grudge, he gets payback that very night."
— China Sports Weekly
Even athletes from other sports were chiming in.
Magic Johnson spoke to the press, grinning: "Zhao Dong straight up told the league—'Treat me right, or I'll ruin your night.' Violent on the court, man. That's respect through dominance."
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar added, "That whole game was a lesson in etiquette—especially for coaches. Disrespect the wrong guy, and you'll pay."
Michael Jordan? He couldn't resist either. "People say I'm ruthless? Man, George Karl once ignored me and I dropped 50-plus. Zhao Dong? He damn near shattered the entire arena last night. Don't call me crazy no more—he's ten times wilder."
Even Tiger Woods chimed in. "I was there. Front row. That was something else—absolutely electric. And when I heard why Zhao Dong snapped? I thought, 'Yo, this guy's a genius. Found a reason to unleash hell and boost his team.' Respect."
And from across the pond, Beckham smiled as he gave his two cents: "The Tyrant were out for blood last night, weren't they? It was insane. That kinda motivation? I don't think it fits my sport, but hey—might be worth a try one day. Pick a rival, stir the drama up a bit?"
---
Later that afternoon, the Knicks landed back in New York.
After wrapping up their Western Conference road trip, they stood at an impressive 19 wins and just 2 losses—top of the league.
"Zhao Dong has already dropped 50-plus in eight games this season, including four straight. He's averaging a ridiculous 45 points per game—nobody else in the league is even close."
— The New York Times
"The crown's shifting hands. Zhao Dong is taking over."
— New York Sports Daily
The New York media went all in, doing everything to push Zhao Dong into that #1 spot in the league.
"Whether it's the numbers or what he brings to the table, Zhao Dong's the most dominant player on the court right now. Period."
"We're not talking all-time greats. We're talking right now. In 1996, he's the guy. Jordan's amazing, no doubt. But Zhao's global impact, his insane scoring run—it's unmatched."
Knicks legends like Willis Reed and Walt Frazier came forward, backing the campaign.
Of course, Chicago wasn't having it. The Chicago Daily News clapped back:
"You want to challenge Jordan? Win some rings first. Zhao Dong ain't built a dynasty."
"Jordan's got the championships, the MVPs, the Finals MVPs. Zhao's just getting started."
— Chicago Sports Daily
But New York didn't flinch.
"We're talking active players, not history books."
— New York Sports Daily
"Zhao Dong's averaging 45 a night—Jordan's highest was 37.1 back in '87. This season? MJ's putting up 26.8. Sorry, but from now on, New York's recognizing one king, and his name is Zhao Dong."
— The New York Times
Some media caught up with Charles Barkley and asked his thoughts on who the No. 1 player in the league was right now.
As a longtime rival and close friend of Michael Jordan, Barkley didn't hold back.
"From what we've seen this season, from the numbers and impact? Zhao Dong's on another level," he said. "Mike's still Mike, but Father Time's undefeated. Gotta respect the truth—Zhao Dong's the top guy now."
Magic Johnson also weighed in.
"I've said it before—a new era is here. With how Zhao Dong's been playing, if he ain't the best player in the league right now, Mike's the only one who'd argue that.
But I'll say this to him—this schedule's brutal. You can't keep going like this without it catching up. You gotta take care of your body, man. Let's see how long you can keep up that beast mode."
With the Bulls on a road trip in Dallas, media swarmed Jordan for a response.
"I'll answer that straight up," Jordan told them. "I'm not gonna dodge it. Everyone gets old—even God comes down from heaven someday.
Yeah, his numbers this season? They're wild. If y'all call me the best in the league right now, that's disrespectful to the truth.
But… he's not the best yet. A season's a grind. You wanna be the best, you gotta finish the job. Defend the title. Do it when it counts."
Jordan's honest take earned him praise across the media.
Except for a few outlets in New York, most reporters agreed—Zhao Dong could only claim the crown if he finished the season strong and brought the Knicks another title.
---
March 16
Latrell was back.
But Danny Fortson was still sidelined, and the injury report said he wouldn't return for at least another two weeks—maybe not until the end of the month.
Meanwhile, Hu Weidong had been ballin'. Four straight games with 20+ points caught the media's eye.
Coach Don Nelson praised him publicly.
Even with Latrell returning, Hu kept his spot in the starting five, though his minutes were cut.
But the grind of the season was setting in, and the league's injury lists were getting longer.
---
March 20 – Knicks Practice Facility
After a tough workout, Zhao Dong and Hu Weidong sat courtside cooling off.
"Yo, Brother Hu," Zhao Dong said, "Management got some trade calls asking about you. They turned them all down."
"Huh? Really?" Hu blinked.
"How's your knee feeling?"
"Still holding up. Nothing serious," Hu replied.
"Don't rush it this offseason. Get it checked properly. Do rehab here, not in China."
"What? The Dongcheng Base can't handle that?"
Zhao Dong shook his head.
"They can do rehab, yeah. But you need a full diagnosis first. China's still behind on this stuff, even at Dongcheng."
Hu Weidong nodded, realizing Zhao had a point. His knees had to be protected—one wrong step and it could all be over.
---
March 22 – Knicks Begin Three-Game Back-to-Back Stretch
The schedule was brutal. The players were drained.
Hu Weidong went down again, needing a week off.
Billups tweaked something and would miss two games.
Barkley was still nursing an old injury and would sit for another two weeks.
Coach Nelson tightened the rotation.
Zhao Dong? He actually asked for more minutes. But for everyone else, minutes were cut to preserve health.
The Knicks dropped one of the three games—that was their third loss of the season.
But still, their record stunned the league.
"If this was a full season, the Knicks would be on pace to smash the Bulls' 72-win record." —The New York Times
But not everyone was sold.
Jerry Krause, the former Bulls GM, came out of nowhere with a warning.
"The regular season's exposed too much of this team's potential. If they keep playing like this, I'm not confident they'll repeat."
It was the first time Krause had spoken up in months.
Rumor had it he was gearing up for a return to front office life—some teams were already knocking on his door.
---
March 29 – NCAA Finals at Madison Square Garden
It shocked everyone, but the Final Four and the Championship Game were set to take place at MSG.
Led by Yao Ming and Elton Brand, Duke University had steamrolled its way into the finals with an undefeated record.
They looked like a lock to win it all.
Their opponent? The University of Connecticut.
The Huskies came in with a 34–2 record, just behind Duke. They were hungry—Connecticut had never won an NCAA title before, and they weren't planning to leave empty-handed.
Duke had history and talent:
Two dominant bigs in Yao Ming and Elton Brand.
Plus Corey Maggette and Shane Battier holding down the wings. Their lineup was stacked—on paper, way too much for UConn.
But Zhao Dong knew something most didn't.
In his last life, it was Richard Hamilton—yes, that Richard Hamilton—who had led UConn to shock Duke in the finals, taking down Brand, Maggette, Battier, and even Carlos Boozer.
Hamilton had been named NCAA MOP that year, Most Outstanding Player.
So no, this game wasn't a lock.
And this time, Duke had one more weapon: Yao Ming.
That changed everything.
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