Chapter 37: The NCAA Finals Are Coming!
The NCAA finals sold out in less than thirty minutes after the official announcement.
And this wasn't just any small-time venue—this was Lucas Oil Stadium, renovated to seat 75,000 fans. Over 70,000 tickets, gone in half an hour. That's a new NCAA record.
A huge reason? Chen Yan.
From the madness of March all the way to the Final Four, Chen Yan had been crowned with nickname after nickname:
"Allen Iverson Plus,"
"5cm Taller Flash,"
"The College Kobe,"
"Young Jordan,"
and even—according to some tabloids—"Taylor Swift's rumored boyfriend."
Add in his electric playstyle, insane highlights, and mysterious off-court image—he had zero presence on social media—and the hype around him exploded nationwide.
Everyone wanted to see what this kid would do next.
Even NBA players were getting in on the action, placing bets in their locker rooms on who would take the title.
March Madness had reached its final crescendo—the championship game. And this year's finale? One of the most anticipated in NCAA history.
---
The day before the finals.
Chen Yan picked up the phone and made a special call home.
He wasn't the only one. The Texas Longhorns players were all calling family. Hearing a familiar voice helped calm the nerves before the biggest game of their lives.
Chen's parents told him something unexpected: the NCAA Finals were going to be broadcast in China—just one day later.
It felt surreal. Chen Yan had never imagined that an entire nation might sit down in front of their TVs to watch him play basketball.
And honestly, neither had his parents.
They always thought Chen just played ball in college for fun. Now? He was about to be shown on CCTV. National broadcast. It felt like a dream.
And as Chen Yan's name spread, his parents' lives changed too.
Reporters kept showing up at their doorstep, looking for scoops or juicy stories. His dad, who ran a sporting goods store, had customers crowding in—not to buy, but to ask about Chen Yan. Some didn't even shop. They just took selfies at the storefront and left like it was a tourist site.
His mom, a middle school teacher, noticed something strange—her class suddenly got way more attentive. Especially the rowdy boys in the back.
Turns out, they weren't suddenly passionate about academics.
They just wanted their teacher to ask Chen Yan for an autograph.
That's next-level fan dedication.
Despite the occasional hassle, Chen Yan's parents weren't bothered. In fact, they were proud.
Their son was becoming someone the whole world was watching.
"Son, don't stress. Stay humble, stay focused, and play like you do in practice. No matter what happens, you're our pride."
That was his father's last piece of advice before hanging up.
...And then, the same father went right back to clipping out articles and bragging to every relative and neighbor.
"Hey, my son's on TV tomorrow. Don't miss it!"
Classic dad move.
---
After days of build-up, showtime finally arrived.
April 9th. Lucas Oil Stadium.
The NCAA Finals.
On this day, even the NBA cleared its schedule. Officially, it was to "give way" to the college game. Truthfully? No one was watching NBA games tonight anyway.
The whole country's eyes were on this court.
Morning Session.
Both teams hit the floor for light practice, mostly just to get familiar with the environment.
Basketball wasn't an exam—you couldn't cram last-minute. Overtraining would just mess with your rhythm.
The Texas squad was still loose in the morning.
But by the time they returned to the stadium in the afternoon, the tension was real. Faces were tight. Focused.
They were all young, none of them had been on a stage this big. The nerves? Totally normal.
Ohio State was probably going through the same thing.
During warmups, Chen Yan did his usual media rounds and sat down with ESPN.
"Chen, tonight you're stepping onto the NCAA Finals court. Any special feelings?"
Chen smiled. "I'm hyped. This is a legendary arena. I'll be playing in front of 75,000 people tonight. If I can lift that championship trophy by the end of the night? I'll be even more hyped."
"You sound confident. But let's talk about your opponents—Ohio State hasn't lost since January 9. That's 22 wins in a row. Do you think that streak puts extra pressure on your team?"
Chen shrugged and grinned. "A lot of teams say they've never lost—until they play us."
He paused, then added,
"We're gonna end that streak. Because there's only one champion."
That was Chen Yan for you—never fake modesty. He played loud, talked bold, and always backed it up.
Tonight at Lucas Oil Stadium, there was only one mission:
Win the chip. Win the chip. Win the damn chip.
---
In the Texas locker room.
Everyone was waiting on the opening ceremony.
Tonight's delay felt especially long. The NCAA had thrown in a whole production—live music, dancers, acrobats, spoken word poetry—you name it.
Just typical American flair, turning the game into a spectacle.
Before they headed down the tunnel, Coach Rick Barnes gathered the team for one final huddle.
"Boys, we've made it this far together. Now, the last step is right in front of us."
"Let's go take it! Let's make history tonight—and put every single one of your names in the Texas Longhorns Hall of Fame forever!"
"I don't need to say more. You know what this means. Go out there and enjoy the final stage!"
The locker room exploded.
"ONE! TWO! THREE! TEXAS LONGHORNS!"
"ONE! TWO! THREE! TEXAS LONGHORNS!"
"ONE! TWO! THREE! TEXAS LONGHORNS!"
Then the whole squad stormed out with fire in their eyes.
Kevin Durant led the charge.
Chen Yan followed last—reserved for the team's biggest star.
It was symbolic.
Without Chen, this team wouldn't even be on this stage.
---
The entrance ceremony was on another level.
The lights dimmed, beams of white and red slicing across the darkened arena. The DJ's voice blasted over the sound system, calling out the players' names like it was WrestleMania.
Chen Yan stood in the tunnel, soaking it all in.
He stared out into a sea of fans, jam-packed to the rafters. T-shirts, signs, face paint, musical instruments—this crowd came ready to make noise.
Stars from all over the entertainment and sports world filled the VIP seats.
Chen had gotten used to the celebrity attention over the past month, but this? This was still something else.
"And now… starting at point guard… from the University of Texas...
CHEN~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ YAN!!!"
A spotlight beamed down on him.
The roar of the crowd was deafening.
Chen stepped out, head high, heart pounding, adrenaline surging.
This was his moment.
This was his stage.
Time to write his name into college basketball history.
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