"Last season, he didn't win the Finals MVP; he saw himself as just one member of the team. This season, after winning the Finals MVP and an Olympic gold medal, he has finally revealed his ambition. He's like a fledgling Kobe Bryant, eager to prove that he's a league superstar and the absolute master of the Pacers. He's started playing the game his own way..."
"And then, the disaster began."
This article circulated widely and was very influential.
Larry Bird said the report was bullshit.
Rick Carlisle said he couldn't comment on something completely fabricated, but he had to admit it had a large market among the 'purist fan' group.
This so-called 'purist fan' group was a bunch of die-hards who firmly believed that American basketball was invincible and that Black players were unmatched by anyone in the world.
This was not a small group.
