"Zhao Dong, how does it feel to win your first 'Player of the Week' award?" A fine-looking mixed-race reporter asked during the post-game interview at Madison Square Garden.
"This is my first pro-level individual honor, so yeah, I'm hyped," Zhao Dong said, still catching his breath. Dude was gassed—33 minutes battling in the paint against Camby took a toll. The kid had heart, but he wasn't built for that kind of grind yet. If Camby had been a real defensive force, Zhao Dong might not have lasted that long. He was still at about 80% fitness—decent shape, but far from elite.
After wrapping up the on-court interview, Zhao Dong made his way to the locker room. On the way, he ran into Coach Van Gundy.
"Zhao Dong, get ready. You and Ewing are up next," Van Gundy said.
Zhao Dong blinked. "A press conference?"
"Yeah, what else?" Van Gundy chuckled.
"Bet," Zhao Dong nodded, ready to roll.
Fifteen minutes later, after a quick shower and throwing on some training gear, Zhao Dong followed Ewing out to the media room.
"Charles, why not you?" Larry Johnson asked as Zhao Dong walked past.
"He's young, fresh-faced, and just dropped another 20-10 game. Me? I'm old, ugly, and my numbers ain't popping like that no more. Who wants to see me up there?" Oakley shrugged.
Johnson let out a helpless sigh. Oakley wasn't exactly hyping up the rookie, but he wasn't hating either. The man was old school—respect had to be earned, not given. Zhao Dong was making waves, but he wasn't in the club yet.
"Damn injuries," Johnson cursed under his breath. As a former first-overall pick, he felt the pressure. If Zhao Dong kept balling out, his spot in the starting lineup wasn't safe. He could already feel the heat.
Allan Houston, sitting nearby, was also tight. Back in Detroit, he was the future. Now? Just another shooter in Ewing's shadow. He had adjusted to the role, but it still stung. And now, a rookie was creeping up on his territory? Yeah, that wasn't sitting right.
Elsewhere in the locker room, frustration was brewing—especially with the other two first-rounders. While Zhao Dong was out here chasing a starting gig, they were still stuck fighting for minutes.
At the press conference, a reporter fired off a bold question. "Zhao Dong, Michael Jordan dropped 53 last night and said you'd never touch that number. Any response?"
Zhao Dong smirked. "Man, one day, I'ma drop 50-plus on his head. Give me two seasons."
The room damn near exploded. Reporters murmured, cameras flashed, and Van Gundy ran a hand over his face like his stress levels just spiked. Oakley elbowed Zhao Dong, a silent "chill out, rook" gesture.
Oakley knew MJ. The dude took everything personal. Zhao Dong just lit a fuse.
A different reporter turned to Ewing. "Patrick, what do you think about the team having Zhao Dong?"
Ewing kept it cool. "I'm glad we've got a talented young player."
That was it. No extra praise, no shade. Just straight neutral. Ewing wasn't losing sleep over Zhao Dong. He was still the Knicks' cornerstone, and everyone knew it. The franchise had his back—hell, they fired Nelson because the dude wanted him to play sidekick to Shaq. As for Zhao Dong's little 20-10 streak? Ewing had seen it all before. It wasn't moving him.
Later at the training facility, Zhao Dong opened up his system. He had three quality points to use, so he dumped them all into speed.
His speed rating jumped from 77 to 80. That might not seem like much, but in the big man category, that was a game-changer. It put him at second-tier speed among power forwards and above average at small forward. Dude wasn't slow anymore. That bulk he carried wasn't gonna slow him down as much now, and that meant more versatility on the floor.
The biggest win? His vertical was also improving, which meant his overall athleticism was leveling up fast. If he wanted to go at MJ, he needed elite speed. This was a step in the right direction.
From the Knicks' perspective, when Zhao Dong played power forward, Oakley had to shift outward. Oakley, though undersized, was a true inside enforcer. That meant their playstyles clashed sometimes.
If Zhao Dong wanted to fit better? Small forward was his best bet. And since the Knicks had no standout SF, that spot was wide open for him to take.
---
The Next Morning
Zhao Dong was locked in, hitting the gym early to fine-tune his jumper before the next game against the Timberwolves. KG was on the other side waiting, and that was a matchup Zhao Dong wanted.
He hoped the system would bless him with a sniper mission—extra rewards meant extra motivation.
Meanwhile, in an interview, Houston and Barkley reacted to Zhao Dong's MJ callout.
Barkley laughed. "Knicks' No.1 pick needs to show some respect. Jordan's earned his stripes. Zhao Dong? He ain't done a damn thing yet. Dude needs to prove he's worth that top contract first."
---
Afternoon Practice
Larry Johnson was finally back in contact drills, meaning the rotation was about to shift again.
Zhao Dong watched closely. Johnson wasn't right. His back was holding him back—he couldn't generate the power he used to. That meant his low-post game was fading.
Van Gundy and Ernie Grunfeld were watching, too.
"Jeff, maybe we should bring him off the bench," Grunfeld suggested.
Van Gundy nodded. Johnson wasn't that dude anymore.
"At his peak, he could've been in the same convo as Karl Malone or Shawn Kemp," Van Gundy said. "But now? His size is a real issue inside."
Van Gundy wasn't rushing a decision. He needed more time to evaluate both Zhao Dong and Johnson.
But one thing was clear—the rookie was coming.
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