The next day, the team landed back in New York.
Waiting for them? A whole mob of Knicks fans.
Oakley pulled up with a couple of teammates, alongside team management and a sea of diehard Knicks faithful. The scene was lit.
Zhao Dong, after back-to-back monster playoff performances, got mad love. His status? Damn near Ewing level.
But here's the thing—Ewing ain't the type to interact with fans like that. Dude keeps to himself. Meanwhile, Zhao Dong? He's always choppin' it up with the crowd, signing autographs, talking trash, and showing love.
Guess who's the fan favorite now?
---
The Knicks became the first squad in the league to punch their ticket to the second round, and the media went wild with it.
Zhao Dong? Another triple-double. Not just any triple-double—he dropped a 40-piece with it.
Dude averaged a triple-double for the whole series.
The headlines were rolling in:
"Zhao Dong: Best Rookie Playoff Performance in 18 Years. In This Regard, He's Surpassed Jordan." – New York Sports Daily
At the same time, the paper quoted team reporter Thomas:
"According to Zhao Dong himself, he believes the Knicks will take down the Bulls and win the championship—plus, he's calling himself Finals MVP."
Zhao Dong almost spit out his coffee reading that.
"Man, I ain't talkin' to this clown no more!"
---
Media Hype for Round 2 – Knicks vs. Heat Almost Set
With the Knicks sweeping, the focus shifted to their next opponent.
The Heat were up 2-0 on the Hornets, and it looked like they were about to sweep them too. That meant the Knicks' next battle was damn near set—New York vs. Miami.
The media broke it down—who's got the edge?
Most outlets gave the Knicks the advantage.
But it's a seven-game series. Miami is a legit squad.
Plus, the Knicks have some hotheads. The analysts warned—if the Heat start playing dirty, and the Knicks let emotions take over, things could get unpredictable.
Zhao Dong? He ain't worried. He tuned all that noise out.
After dinner, he went back to his hotel room, kicked back, and flipped on the Bulls game.
---
Chicago was also up 2-0. Game 3? A wrap.
The Bullets were no competition. The Bulls barely broke a sweat.
Jordan's stat line:
14-for-24 from the field
28 points on 58% shooting
0 free throws (man didn't even bother driving in)
0-for-5 from three
Zhao Dong shook his head.
"This dude's different. Ain't even attacking the rim. If he didn't shoot threes and just stuck to mid-range, he'd probably be hitting 70%."
Jordan's mid-range game was insane.
Zhao Dong analyzed it—his own mid-range wasn't touching that level yet.
Gold-badge skill or not, contested shots still drop his efficiency. Against tough defenders? His mid-range might not even hit 50%.
That's the gap.
---
Before locking in on the playoffs, Zhao Dong checked his system.
"You led the team to a first-round victory—rewarding 5 quality points and 5 skill points. Knicks swept the series—reward DOUBLED."
Total? 10 quality points, 10 skill points.
"Sheeeesh! That's basically a whole elite-level skill right there."
Time to level up.
First, he checked his stats:
Flexibility +1 → 85
Balance +1 → 85
"Considering my height, that's just right."
Now, speed and strength.
Speed +1 → 90 (elite level)
Core Strength +3 → 90
Lower Body Strength +4 → 87
More explosiveness, better control, and a nastier first step.
Now, time to upgrade skills.
Ball Control +2 → 90 (elite level)
He asked the system: "At level 90, can I fully unlock Chris Paul's dribble package?"
"No, there are still restrictions."
"Bet. That means CP3's handles are crazy. Let's keep pushing."
Used all 10 skill points—ball control now at 94.
"No more limits?"
"No more limits."
"Say less."
Unlocked Chris Paul's full dribble package.
---
Updated Attributes:
Physical:
Stamina: 95
Injury Resistance: 90
Vertical: 97
Coordination: 96
Balance: 85
Flexibility: 85
Strength: 87↑
Speed: 90
Technical:
Shooting: 93
Passing: 85
Ball Control: 94
Dribble Penetration: 94
Pull-Up Jumper: 95
Turnaround Jumper: 95
Step-Back Jumper: 90
Post Fade: 90
Spot-Up Shooting: 76
Floaters & Hooks: 76
Rebounding: 99
Defense: Perimeter 95 / Interior 90 / Blocks 91 / Steals 90
Playmaking: 99
Gold Skills:
Pull-Up Jumper (95)
Turnaround Jumper (95)
Lost Post Fade (90)
His offensive game was elite now.
But he barely even pulled out his turnaround jumper.
He was saving that for Miami… and for the Bulls.
---
The league dropped a bunch of regular-season awards.
Scoring Champ: Jordan (29.6 PPG)
Rebounding Champ: Rodman (16.1 RPG)
Assist Leader: Mark Jackson (11.4 APG)
Steals Leader: Mookie Blaylock (2.7 SPG)
Blocks Leader: Shawn Bradley (3.4 BPG)
DPOY? Mutombo.
Zhao Dong looked at the numbers and wasn't feeling it.
"Man, his defensive stats ain't even better than mine. That's some BS."
But he knew—DPOY ain't just about stats. It's about defensive impact, team efficiency, all that advanced metric stuff.
Still felt like a snub, though.
--
The next afternoon, Zhao Dong finally linked up with Evelyn Lindsay for their bet.
They'd been talking a lot lately.
Not just basketball. Fashion, investments, food, whatever. Conversations would go late into the night.
But he noticed something—whenever childhood or family came up, she got quiet.
Didn't hang up. Didn't change the topic. Just… silence.
He didn't push it.
When he pulled up to pick her up, he realized something else—
She lived in a high-rise penthouse worth tens of millions.
"Damn… this girl been living different."
Zhao Dong wasn't shocked.
After seeing her supercar last time, he was already mentally prepared.
And now? Inside her penthouse, he spotted a bunch of family insignias on different items.
Dude didn't recognize them, but one thing was clear—regular folks don't have this type of stuff.
"Avel, the media's wilding out, saying you might be some kind of princess. Keep it real—you royalty or nah?"
Lindsay chuckled. "I'm European, but I'm not a princess. And besides, I'm no different from regular people. Just an ordinary girl. Zhao Dong, you feel me?"
Her voice was calm, but in her eyes? Loneliness. And even a bit of self-mockery.
Then, out of nowhere, she walked up to Zhao Dong, linked her arm around his, and smiled.
"I'm good now. Can we go?"
Zhao Dong froze.
"You're the first guy I've ever gone on a date with. And I've never held onto any man's arm before. Not even my father's," Lindsay added.
"Damn… I'm honored." He spoke blankly, still caught off guard.
"But don't get it twisted," she clarified. "It's not about you specifically—I just never had social experiences like this before."
Zhao Dong nodded. She really didn't have much of a social circle… or maybe none at all.
He grinned. "So what you're saying is, your background don't matter—we're just friends. Cool, then I gotta ask… Can I shoot my shot?"
Lindsay tilted her head, eyes locked on his. "Are you serious? I mean for real, not the way you used to play around with women."
Zhao Dong scratched his head. "That's tricky… I'm an atheist. And I ain't looking to change that. Lowkey, our views don't line up."
Lindsay smirked but turned her eyes away. "Damn, guess I'm not attractive enough for you."
"Nah, don't get it twisted," Zhao Dong laughed. "You fine as hell. I'm just standing firm on my beliefs."
Then Lindsay suddenly asked, "What if I chased you?"
Zhao Dong was caught off guard. "Wait—you tryna say you could do that?"
She chuckled. "Nah. You said it yourself—we don't see eye to eye on things."
Zhao Dong sighed, grinning. "Alright, guess we're just regular friends then."
"Cool with me."
---
They hit up a high-end restaurant, but no paparazzi caught them slipping.
The media had been digging hard, trying to uncover Lindsay's real background.
So far? All they found was that she was a student at Columbia University.
Nothing juicy.
Meanwhile, the second-round matchups got locked in.
Eastern Conference:
Knicks vs. Heat
Bulls vs. Hawks
Western Conference:
Jazz vs. Lakers
Mavericks vs. Supersonics
--
Back home, fans were losing their minds.
The national basketball federation's phone lines were flooded.
People even showed up outside their offices, demanding Zhao Dong get recruited.
Liu Yumin? She saw an opportunity.
She kept pushing the fans' demands up the chain.
But the problem?
The Basketball Management Center was being restructured, and she had already been pushed to the side.
Even though she was still technically the director, she had zero real power.
The league she built—the CBA? All of it was taken over by Xin Nancheng and a younger group of execs.
And despite all the public pressure, the Sports Commission was still dragging their feet.
So for now? She just had to wait.
---
Zhao Dong had some free time, and his mind drifted to Zhang Mingji's proposal—getting Yao Ming to the NCAA.
Zhang had been waiting on his call.
To Zhao Dong, this was a no-brainer.
"If Yao goes to the NCAA for a few years, he'll be better prepared for the NBA than if he stays in the CBA. The transition would be way smoother."
Meanwhile, across the world, Yao Ming was chilling in Shanghai, eating breakfast with his family and Zhang Mingji.
They were chatting while eating.
"Damn, Zhao Dong's different. Bro averaged a triple-double in the playoffs. If I could get just ONE triple-double in my life, I'd be hype for a whole year," Yao Ming joked.
"Xiao Zhang, should we call Zhao Dong over?" Yao's mother asked.
Zhang Mingji nodded. "He's got time now that the first round is done. I'll hit him up later."
Yao's father chuckled. "You don't even know him, and you're just pulling up on him like that?"
"Hey, it's for Dayao," Yao's mother said with a smile.
Zhang Mingji grinned. "Nah, don't worry. Zhao's family is super friendly. And when I talked to him on the phone before, he was real cool and welcoming. No issue at all."
As they were chatting, Zhang's phone started ringing.
Caller ID? Zhao Dong.
Dude picked up instantly.
"Zhao Dong? Hey, it's Zhang Mingji."
"Yo, Mr. Zhang. Where you at?"
"I'm in Shanghai, at Yao Ming's place."
"Bet. Let's talk."
"Hold up, I'll put Aunt Fang on the line."
Yao Ming's mom took the phone, a little nervous.
"Relax," Yao's father told her before answering.
"Hello, Zhao Dong?"
"Yup, that's me. You must be Dayao's mother?"
"Yes, yes! I'm Fang. Call me Aunt Fang, no need to be formal."
"Alright, Aunt Fang, what's up? What do y'all need?"
She explained the situation—they wanted Yao Ming to play NCAA ball, but they didn't know the system. Zhang was new to the basketball business, and they needed advice.
Zhao Dong broke it all down.
They talked for a solid twenty minutes.
"Aunt Fang, if Yao wants to play in the NCAA, he should aim for a big-time basketball school. One that actually makes it to March Madness. If I had gone to one, I would've been a second-round pick last year for sure."
"Of course, if y'all need connections, I can help. My agent has pull—I can have him reach out to some schools and get invitation letters."
"Zhao Dong, thank you SO much!" Fang said, overjoyed.
Zhang Mingji, Yao's father, and Yao Ming himself all smiled.
"No need to thank me. I just wanna see more homegrown talent make it big," Zhao Dong replied.
After the call ended, Yao's family and Zhang Mingji went right back to strategizing.
"Xiao Zhang, which schools are you looking at?" Yao's mom asked.
Zhang thought for a second. "I was gonna reach out to Wisconsin—that's my alma mater, and they've got a solid sports program. Chicago too, where I got my degree. But honestly? Zhao Dong's recommendation might be the best move. He's a superstar now. If his agent backs Yao, schools will definitely pay attention."
Yao's father sighed. "Only problem is, the Shanghai Sharks ain't gonna let him go that easy."
Yao's mother nodded. "Yeah, we don't even know what the buyout's gonna be. If we could land a scholarship, it'd make everything way easier."
---
Zhao Dong just made moves for the future of Chinese basketball.
But right now?
He had a second-round war against the Miami Heat to focus on.
It was about to get REAL.
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