Basketball Legend: When Pride Still Matters Chapter 320: 204: Humiliating Oneself

Chapter 320: Chapter 204: Humiliating Oneself

The Lakers team exited the airport, making their first visit of the season to Milwaukee.

If all went well, they would et the other team in next year’s Finals, and then, they could settle the score for good.

Shaquille O’Neal called out to a baggage handler, “Wait! Wait! That suitcase! Give that suitcase to !”

He got it.

Then, O’Neal carried the black case onto the team bus, pressed a few buttons on it, put on headphones, and quietly listened to hip-hop music.

After the bus had driven for a while amidst various noises, suddenly, O’Neal unplugged his headphones and the tune of 50 Cent’s “P.I.M.P” blared from the speakers.

As a song much loved by the Lakers players, they could easily sing along, most of them knowing the lyrics by heart.

“I don’t know what you heard about

But a bitch can’t get a dollar out of …”

(I don’t know what you heard about But a bitch can’t get a dollar out of …)

The song was ant to start like this, but O’Neal improvised a rap instead:

“Kobe is a bitch, everyone can see

But you’ll never see on TV…”

(Kobe, he’s a bitch, everybody can see But you’ll never catch on TV…)

For O’Neal, this was just a commonplace prank, a slight release of his dissatisfaction with Kobe.

Just the night before last, after finishing a ga, O’Neal “kindly” “suggested” to his little brother: “You should beco a passer.”

The little brother imdiately replied, “I don’t need advice from anyone.”

O’Neal, predictably irritated, said, “I hoped that things would start off on the right foot at the beginning of the new season. If you don’t like it, then you can choose to leave. As long as this is my team, I will voice my opinions. If you don’t like them, then I don’t need you.”

Seemingly in retaliation, yesterday Kobe invited ESPN’s Jim Gray for an exclusive interview, where he fully responded to O’Neal’s comnts. Moreover, from Gray’s recollection, Kobe had not one ounce of love for Shaquille O’Neal.

That was why O’Neal embarrassed Kobe in the na of a prank on the bus.

Standing next to Kobe were two burly n, his bodyguards, who didn’t know how to react, because Kobe was wearing headphones and couldn’t hear O’Neal’s freestyle.

Compared to these events, the grudge between O’Neal and Yu Fei was just a minor interlude.

Phil Jackson had too many things to worry about.

Every season before it started, he would set a the for the team.

His most famous season the was “The Last Dance” for the 1997-98 season, and this season, seeing OK combust like fire and water, Payton claiming mastering the Triangle Offense only needed a week yet still not understanding his tactical role, Little Buss questioning his coaching abilities, external expectations and pressures, and the burden of having to win the championship, all made it hard for him to breathe.

Eventually, Jackson chose “Where Is the Soul” as the the for the Lakers season.

He called the team a “squad seeking its soul”, in fact, that was the title of his next book. What he didn’t know was that although the book purported to be about the team, in reality, it contained material that would drive Kobe fans mad. Now, less than two years before the book’s release, Kobe was about to unlock a unique milestone – less than a decade into his career, two of his colleagues closely related to his career had written books trashing him.

Bradley Center

Two teams unbeaten so far in the season were about to clash here; this was the least interesting of all their storylines.

Compared to the dramatic backdrop of the ga itself, no one cared about their records.

The only Lakers’ F4 mber to greet Yu Fei was Gary Payton.

It made sense for the forr King of Seattle to say hello to a son of Seattle.

“Gary, you’ll regret not joining us sooner or later,” Yu Fei said. “George still hasn’t forgiven you for accepting the mid-level exception from the Lakers.”

“Fuck off!” Payton had no respect for Karl, “You gave the sa mid-level exception. So what if I chose the Lakers? They are a three-ti dynasty, and you’re just a bubble team who lucked out on a championship.”

If he said that, Fei would not be pleased.

“Indeed, hope you have a good ti with that racist and snitch-filled team,” Fei mocked. “No, you should play here until retirent.”

If there was anything special about this ga, it was the presence of Christina Hendricks.

However, since Christina was unknown in Hollywood, her appearance didn’t garner any extra attention; ABC didn’t even bother to give her a close-up shot.

Tonight also marked the return of Bucks’ starting center Dan Gadzuric after his coback.

The Bucks were probably the only team where Gadzuric could secure a starting spot, and though his abilities weren’t outstanding and his play style wasn’t Fei’s favorite kind of big man, in the Big Ball Era, his presence was vital for the Bucks.

The Bucks didn’t expect Gadzuric to hold off Shaquille O’Neal or Duncan; they just hoped he would make a productive sacrifice as cannon fodder.

Now the cannon fodder was back, which also spared the Bucks the embarrassnt of having to continue starting Pachulia at the five.

After a while, the starting lineups for both sides ca onto the court.

Without discussing the Bucks, the Lakers’ side was truly star-studded, Payton, Kobe, Fox, Karl Malone, O’Neal – four future Hall of Fars.