Chapter 66: Post-Game Interview Sparks Heated Discussion!
Ding! Congratulations to the host for completing his NBA debut. You have been awarded 5 Honor Points!
Ding! Congratulations to the host for winning the game. You have been awarded 4 Honor Points!
As soon as Chen Yan stepped into the locker room shower, the system notification chimed in his mind.
Nine honor points.
Not bad for a debut.
Compared to college ball, scoring points in the NBA was clearly on another level.
But this was just the beginning. There were 82 regular-season games, and then came the playoffs... The grind was real.
After his shower, Chen Yan walked out wrapped in nothing but a bath towel—only to be instantly swarmed by reporters.
Unlike other leagues, NBA locker rooms were open to the media after games—a long-standing tradition.
Chen Yan clearly wasn't used to it yet.
As soon as he appeared, a few of his teammates burst out laughing.
"Yo! Rookie still thinkin' he in college!" Stoudemire cracked up.
Chen Yan had played like a seasoned vet on the court, but off the court? He was still every bit the rookie.
He had a lot to learn.
Shrugging, Chen Yan sat down in front of his locker and tried to keep his composure. He could only play it cool, or the embarrassment would hit harder.
Reporter: "Chen! First off, congrats on a perfect debut. What's the biggest difference between the NCAA and the NBA?"
Chen: "The biggest difference? Hmm... I've never been half-naked, wrapped in a towel, and interviewed by this many people after a game before."
Everyone: Laughter erupts
Reporters cracked up. Chen's quick wit and relaxed attitude won them over immediately.
NBA media loved players who could talk—not just play.
Reporter: "30 points, 5 rebounds, 5 steals—that's one of the best rookie debuts we've seen. How'd you pull it off?"
Chen: "Because I've got a squad full of real ones. My teammates were unselfish and fed me the rock all night. They created space, set solid screens, and had my back every possession. Without them, tonight wouldn't have gone so smooth."
His answer hit all the right notes.
The guys around him smiled. Chen wasn't hogging the spotlight—he knew how to share the shine.
Dio even walked over and handed Chen a cappuccino, earning some chuckles from the cameras.
Chen didn't forget to shout out the coach either.
Chen: "Coach D'Antoni's system gave me a lot of freedom on offense. He trusted me to go downhill and let me be aggressive. That's a big reason I found my rhythm early."
Reporter: "Do you have a message for the Suns fans? They were on fire tonight—chanting your name as you left the court."
Chen: "I just wanna say thank you. I know y'all have been waiting on my debut, and I promise—your patience will be worth it. This is just the beginning."
Reporter: "Are you satisfied with tonight's performance?"
Chen: "This was my first NBA game. My goal was to feel the vibe, get a sense of the tempo out there."
Reporters: "...???"
You dropped 30+5+5 just to get a feel for the court?
He said it so humbly, but it was absolute flex.
Then came a spicy one.
Red-haired female reporter from Fox Sports: "Chen! Has anyone told you your muscle definition is... perfect?"
She leaned in with a mischievous grin, mic in hand, clearly unbothered by locker room etiquette.
Chen raised an eyebrow but stayed composed. He answered her just like he did everyone else—respectful, cool, professional.
He knew the game wasn't just on the court.
Having a good relationship with the media mattered. They voted for awards like MVP.
Even Kobe's MVP campaign in 2005-06 might've gone differently if he'd been on better terms with reporters.
In the same locker room, reporters shifted their focus to other Suns players.
Grant Hill, the veteran, spoke with class:
"I've seen a lot of rookies come through this league, but Chen? He's different. That was one of the most impressive debuts I've witnessed."
Stoudemire kept it blunt:
"Best debut I've ever seen—hands down. Better than Iverson's. And don't come at me with Wilt or Big O. That was a different era, man. Half those numbers were against part-time plumbers."
He wasn't wrong. The league had evolved, and dominance in the modern NBA carried a different weight.
Meanwhile, at the Toyota Center in Houston...
After finishing his own game, Tracy McGrady cracked open his laptop and scrolled through the night's headlines.
T-Mac: "Yao, isn't this Chen kid your little bro? He just went off."
Yao Ming: "How many points?"
T-Mac: "Thirty-one."
Yao blinked. He'd barely had time to catch up on the night's other games.
Yao: "Thirty-one? In his debut?"
T-Mac: "Yeah. 31 points, 5 boards, 5 steals. Rookie went nuclear."
Yao let out a low whistle.
"He's making headlines for sure."
At Staples Center, Los Angeles...
The Lakers had just torched the Bobcats in their season opener.
Kobe dropped 29 points and 7 assists—his new chemistry with Kevin Garnett already showing.
During his post-game presser, a reporter asked:
Reporter: "Chen Yan scored 31 points and had 5 steals tonight. Thoughts?"
Kobe raised an eyebrow.
Kobe: "Wait... 31 and 5? You serious?"
Reporter: "Yup. Fresh out the gate."
Kobe leaned back, grinning.
Kobe: "You're asking a guy who dropped zero in his debut to comment on that?"
Everyone: Laughs
It was no secret Kobe went scoreless in his first NBA game. He was in a good mood after a win and didn't mind roasting himself a little.
Then he turned serious.
Kobe: "It's dope seeing young talent pop up. I watched some of his NCAA games—kid's legit. I'm looking forward to matching up with him."
Later that night, Chen finally left the arena and slid into his Ferrari 458.
He was about to head home when—
Gridlock.
But it wasn't traffic—it was fans. Dozens of them packed around the exit, chanting his name.
He rolled the window down, gave a few waves, flashed a smile.
But he didn't stop for photos or autographs.
It wasn't that he didn't want to.
He just knew—
If he stopped now, he might never get the engine started again.
[TL: I didn't expect our power stones for this week break past 100, thank you guys, this type of support from you guys motivate me most, so i'll expect more hahahaha ]
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