Lin Yi's back‑to‑back MVPs sent shockwaves through the league—again.
The poor league executives were already on edge, and now every phone vibration felt like a personal attack. According to some "reliable roadside journalism," a few execs have developed a genuine phobia of notification buzzes.
Sensing the perfect opportunity to stir the pot, TNT launched a special episode titled "Who's the Real No. 1 Right Now?"
The guest list was stacked: Stockton and Malone from the old Jazz days, Pippen from the Bulls dynasty, the ever‑smirking Isiah Thomas, and Kings legend Chris Webber. Barkley, Kenny Smith, and O'Neal hosted, diving straight into the debate—was Lin Yi already the NBA's top player after winning consecutive MVPs?
Barkley led the "Yes" camp.
"People always say LeBron is the league's No. 1, and he earned that with back‑to‑back MVPs. But Lin just did the same thing, and last season, he carried his team to a championship as the lone core. That counts for something."
To Barkley, the résumé spoke for itself: Lin Yi had earned the right to be called the current No. 1.
O'Neal headed the "Not Yet" side.
"Look, he's top five for sure. Maybe the top three. Maybe even the top two. But No. 1? Not yet. He needs more on his record."
Shaq pointed out that Kobe had five rings, while Lin was only in his third season. Crowning him this early felt premature.
Webber wasn't having it.
"Come on, Shaq. You were the best player in the league once, but not in your third year. You're just salty the kid got two MVPs before he even hit 23."
Shaq glared at him.
"Chris, I've got five rings. I played with Lin. I'm not jealous."
Stockton and Malone backed Shaq.
Stockton said, "He's only 22. Let's revisit this when he's 25."
Malone added, "Winning back‑to‑back MVPs is impressive, but the league's superstar pool is thinning. Back in our day—"
Barkley cut him off before he could start another "old man basketball" speech.
"Karl, we're talking about the current No. 1, not who had the biggest elbows in the '90s."
Seeing the tension rise, Kenny Smith jumped in.
"Alright, Karl has a point, but Charles is right. Tonight's topic is the current No. 1."
Then Isiah Thomas chimed in at just the right moment.
"No question—Lin is the No. 1 right now. Age doesn't define dominance. To me, Lin is like Michael—someone who leads an era."
Of course, Thomas praising Lin Yi wasn't exactly shocking. The Knicks were still paying him retirement money; who else was he going to hype up?
But Pippen didn't appreciate the Jordan comparison.
"Isiah, don't do that. Michael's greatness isn't something a kid like Lin can match. Michael fought for every point. Today's game is different."
Kenny had to step in again.
"Scottie, we all know Michael is great. But tonight, we're talking about the current No. 1."
And just like that, the whole panel devolved into a nostalgic, petty, hilarious argument. Imagine the Utah duo teaming up with Shaq to roast Barkley. Imagine Barkley and Webber—who once mocked each other relentlessly—suddenly becoming best buddies for a night.
No conclusion was ever going to come out of that debate. But for Lin Yi, the fact that the conversation was happening at all meant everything.
If people are seriously debating whether you're the No. 1 player…
You're already halfway there in their minds.
Lin Yi understood this. His reputation had reached a new peak—he was now in the "quasi‑No. 1" tier. And the more the world hyped him up, the calmer he became.
Because he knew the truth: he'd only truly dominate this era once every fundamental skill and badge of his reached diamond level—and after he put himself through another round of brutal training.
Lin Yi didn't mind getting a head start in the prestige department. If people wanted to hype him up, he wasn't going to complain. Honestly, if someone called him "the best in the universe," he'd probably nod and say, "Sounds about right."
His back‑to‑back MVPs also slapped a big "wrong" sticker on the scouts who once claimed the 2009 draft class was weak. Sure, this year's vote wasn't unanimous like last season, but that didn't matter. What mattered was the title: MVP.
The 2009 class was stacked—future All‑Stars everywhere. Lin Yi knew he'd entered the league at the perfect moment, right when the Lakers and Celtics were battling for dominance and the league was shifting into a new era.
And with this second MVP, he'd done more than boost his résumé—he'd rewritten history. LeBron James was supposed to win his third MVP around this time. Lin Yi had quietly shut that door.
Prestige-wise, Lin Yi had already built an invisible pressure system over James, Rose, Durant, and the rest of the rising stars.
All overshadowed.
The established superstars? Also living under Lin Yi's growing silhouette.
Well, except for a few like Kobe.
Nike seized the moment and launched its new signature shoe, the Glory I. Unlike the "Grim Reaper" line, this one was still a guard shoe but with more of a center vibe—but the colorway? Let's just say it was… bold.
[Image]
T/N: Death Sneakers -> Grim Reapers
A blinding gold that practically screamed, I'm rich now, deal with it.
And yet, the moment it dropped, sales exploded. Nike beat Apple to the punch with its own "Tyrant Gold" trend.
Just like last year, Lin Yi lifted the Maurice Podoloff Trophy in a hall filled with camera flashes, surrounded by friends and teammates, the Knicks front office having arranged everything down to the last detail.
He became the 11th player in NBA history to win back‑to‑back MVPs. Fans immediately started dreaming—could he go for three straight?
Only Russell, Bird, and Chamberlain had ever done it. Even Jordan never pulled it off.
Three consecutive MVPs weren't just a personal challenge—it was a challenge to the league's entire ecosystem. In the Stern era, only Larry Bird managed it, and that was right when Stern had just taken over and was still following O'Brien's blueprint.
After that? Stern made it clear: two MVPs in a row were fine, but three? That was bad for business. The yearly MVP race kept fans invested. Letting one guy dominate the award for too long wasn't ideal.
So Lin Yi's path to a third straight MVP was destined to be brutal.
During his acceptance speech, Lin Yi said, "There's a saying I really believe in: There's only a way forward—no way back. Leaving yourself a retreat is the fastest way to get stuck."
He continued, "First, I want to thank my family, my darling Elizabeth, and my Knicks teammates. Stephen, don't look at me like that. You know I treat everyone who's helped me as family."
Curry, sitting below the stage, finally cracked a smile and gave him a clap.
Deep down, Curry wondered if he'd ever win one himself. It felt impossibly far away.
Lin Yi's speech was even shorter than last year's, but he still found time to tease Chinese students:
"The college entrance exam is coming! Study hard and aim for a good university!"
Students across China felt blessed—until he added:
"Because if you keep working hard, you'll eventually discover that luck always happens to other people."
Chinese students collectively: Are you serious?
Lin Yi laughed. "Relax, that was a joke. Let me give you some real advice: If life deceives you today, don't be sad, don't cry…"
"Because life will continue deceiving you tomorrow."
Just like after last year's championship, Lin Yi knew bigger challenges were waiting.
Because in his world, unexpected events never stopped coming.
...
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