Although Lin Yi had barely touched a basketball during his trip back to China, he felt more exhausted than after several days of high-intensity training.
After bringing his parents home, Lin Yi quickly discovered that his status within the family had fallen to an all-time low. At this point, even Wiggles, the hamster, ranked above him.
Spring had finally arrived for both Sakazuki and Wiggles.
Lin Yi's parents adored animals. It took only a few days for his father to completely win over Sakazuki.
Watching the usually hyperactive dog lying obediently beside his father, Lin Yi could not help but wonder:
"Is that really a Red Siberian Husky? It looks more like a golden retriever."
With Olsen's due date drawing near, Lin Yi's mother became increasingly dissatisfied with her son's approach to family life.
"How can you leave everything to the nanny?" she scolded. "Your wife is about to give birth, and you're not even taking care of her yourself?"
Lin Yi rubbed his forehead.
He really wanted to explain that she was not a nanny.
That was Tijana, Milicic's younger sister.
During the summer, Jonas had once again secretly flown over to visit. According to her, her stubborn brother could not stop her dream of entering the entertainment industry.
Unfortunately, before she had managed to break into show business, Tijana had somehow become a full-time helper in the Lin household.
One day, Olsen looked at Lin Yi and asked curiously,
"Your mother is so gentle. Are all Chinese women this gentle?"
Lin Yi reached over and patted her head.
"Liz, that's only because you haven't seen the other side yet."
Gentle?
Chinese women?
Lin Yi could already imagine countless husbands across China protesting that statement.
Especially those from Sichuan.
...
While Lin Yi was enjoying his peaceful family life, another superteam was taking shape in the NBA.
The Truth and KG had officially arrived in Brooklyn.
As news spread, fans began asking the same question:
"Has building superteams become the league's newest trend?"
After trading for Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce, the Brooklyn Nets strengthened their roster further by signing Andrei Kirilenko away from San Antonio.
The move immediately sparked controversy.
The Spurs had reportedly offered Kirilenko a mid-level contract, yet the Russian forward chose to sign with Brooklyn for the veteran minimum.
An infuriated Popovich publicly criticized both Nets owner Mikhail Prokhorov and Kirilenko, openly suggesting that some kind of private arrangement existed between them.
The NBA had always maintained a zero-tolerance stance toward under-the-table agreements. The Timberwolves had paid a heavy price for violating those rules in the past.
However, after a league investigation, officials found no evidence of wrongdoing.
Kirilenko's explanation was simple.
He joined Brooklyn because he admired Prokhorov's personal charisma.
Whether anyone actually believed that explanation was another matter entirely.
Still, Kirilenko managed to make the situation sound remarkably respectable.
With Deron Williams and Joe Johnson already on the roster, Brooklyn's starting lineup looked like an All-Star team on paper.
Unfortunately, the Nets' striving for fame and domination was destined to remain a fantasy.
Because New York already belonged to the Knicks.
Brooklyn hoped that assembling a collection of famous names would allow them to steal attention from New York's reigning powerhouse.
Lin Yi found the idea amusing.
In his previous life, the Nets had struggled to outshine even the dysfunctional Knicks. How could they possibly challenge the current Knicks, a team that was winning championships and dominating headlines?
Unless numbers 23 and 24 somehow joined forces, no team was taking the spotlight away from New York.
The Knicks were simply too successful.
. . .
On August 25, after discussions with the coaching staff and front office, Lin Yi finalized his return schedule for the upcoming season.
He would rejoin the team on November 3.
Olsen was expected to give birth in late September, and there was no question about where his priorities lay.
Family came first.
As a result, Lin Yi's streak of perfect attendance would finally come to an end.
He would miss the Knicks' China Games, the entire preseason, and the first two regular-season games of the new campaign.
For the first time in years, the Knicks would begin a season without their franchise cornerstone on the court.
Although Lin Yi felt a little regret over missing out on two games' worth of experience points, skipping his wife's childbirth would have been unacceptable.
Some things mattered more than basketball.
When the Knicks officially announced that Lin Yi would miss the start of the season, fans responded with overwhelming support. Most believed he had already sacrificed enough for the game and deserved time with his family.
Even Paul publicly came to his defense.
"We should give this living legend some time to enjoy his private life," Paul told reporters. "You have no idea how hard Lin works. All he does is train, train, and train. He's the most dedicated player I've ever seen. No question."
After reading the quote, Lin Yi nearly laughed.
Chris, don't think I can't see what you're doing.
Paul could hardly hide his excitement.
If Lin Yi missed a few games, Paul would finally have the chance to prove that the Knicks could still win without him.
Naturally, Lin Yi kept those thoughts to himself.
After all, Paul's statement earned him even more sympathy from fans and the media.
Meanwhile, the Knicks' opponents for the first two games of the season, Miami and Chicago, were practically celebrating.
D. Rose even called Lin Yi personally.
"Lin," he said, trying his best to sound serious, "why don't you take November 28 off too?"
Lin Yi glanced at the schedule and immediately understood.
These guys are treating my absence like a national holiday.
Across the league, the reaction was almost identical.
Please rest a little longer.
Your health is important.
Spend time with your family.
Take it easy. You are about to be a dad.
Lin Yi could almost hear all thirty teams praying for an extended vacation.
He made a silent vow.
The moment he returned, every team that had secretly celebrated would pay for it.
Otherwise, his frustration would have nowhere to go.
Lin Yi had always been the type to keep score.
Still, beneath all the jokes and competitive thoughts, he was genuinely nervous. In fact, he was more anxious than Olsen. The feeling of becoming a father was impossible to describe.
For the first time in years, basketball wasn't the center of his attention.
. . .
August came and went.
September arrived.
Every morning, Lin Yi woke up thinking that today might be the day.
Around the league, preparations for the new season continued.
Miami still had not found a suitable trade partner. Pat Riley reportedly held a lengthy private meeting with LeBron James before training camp opened. According to insiders, James left Riley's office looking extremely satisfied.
In Houston, Dwight Howard confidently declared that the Rockets' goal was to reach the Western Conference Finals.
Meanwhile, the Warriors defeated the Lin Yi-less Knicks twice during the China Games.
During one game, Stephen Curry's crossover sent Paul stumbling backward, creating an instant viral highlight.
Although Paul later insisted he had slipped because he stepped on Curry's foot, fans clearly preferred the first version of the story.
The clip quickly exploded online.
Back in New York, the mood remained relaxed.
Vince Carter reminded everyone why he had once been the human highlight by throwing down a spinning fast-break dunk that brought the entire arena to its feet.
Watching from the stands was Tracy McGrady, now wearing the No. 1 jersey for the Shanghai Sharks.
No one cheered louder than he did.
Interest in the CBA also surged heading into the new season.
Fans were eagerly anticipating the Shanghai-Beijing rivalry, where McGrady and Stephon Marbury would headline one of the league's biggest matchups.
The basketball world was buzzing with activity.
Yet none of it held Lin Yi's attention.
Over the past few days, he had become so nervous that he barely touched a basketball. Even his usual shooting routines were temporarily abandoned.
Olsen had already moved into a private hospital recommended by Knicks owner James Dolan.
Every day, Lin Yi stayed by her side.
He talked with her.
He accompanied her.
He listened to her.
He worried alongside her.
To Olsen, this period felt almost unreal.
She was probably receiving more conversation from Lin Yi in a single week than she had during the entire months of the regular season.
If someone had told her earlier that basketball could be pushed aside so completely, she would never have believed it.
But now she was seeing it with her own eyes.
For once, she occupied all of Lin Yi's attention.
. . .
September 29.
4:00 a.m., New York time.
The quiet of the early morning was suddenly broken by the cry of a newborn child.
Standing outside the delivery room, Lin Yi froze.
For a brief moment, the noise of the world disappeared.
The championships.
The MVP awards.
The scoring records.
The endless pursuit of greatness.
None of it seemed important.
Then the nurse emerged with a smile.
And at that moment, Lin Yi officially became a father.
. . .
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