The filming for the ad wrapped up smoothly this time, taking just two days from start to finish.
This kind of commercial didn't demand much acting. It was mostly everyone having fun, joking around, and leaning into the chaos.
The only real hiccup arose from a shared complaint—no one was fully satisfied with their assigned roles.
"I want to be a swordsman," Curry protested. Unfortunately for him, he'd been cast as a mage.
Harden was even more annoyed. His cool horseback entrance ended with him getting instantly taken out by Lin Yi.
"How come I have that little combat power?" he grumbled.
Griffin, who got kicked off-screen by Lin Yi in the script, narrowed his eyes.
"Lin… I get the feeling you just wanted an excuse to kick me."
Of course, there were exceptions.
Westbrook, for one, was perfectly satisfied with his role. He liked Kobe, liked the energy on set, and liked the feeling of everyone being together again.
He was still a little down about Harden leaving for Houston, and during breaks, the two of them kept chatting quietly on the side.
Lin Yi knew that once Fisher's time bomb finally went off, the Thunder's Big Three—assuming they weren't fools—would eventually see things clearly.
They'd fought side by side. That kind of bond didn't disappear overnight.
At the set, Lin Yi also saw Vanessa. From her expression alone, he could tell—reconciliation wasn't far off.
On December 1, 2011, Vanessa filed for divorce, citing 'irreconcilable differences'. The news shocked everyone, and for a while, it seemed like the couple might be drifting apart for good. Kobe quietly focused on his training and spent as much time as he could with his daughters, determined to make amends and prove that he could be the husband and father Vanessa needed.
Though the details of their private lives remained largely hidden from the public, it was clear that both were making efforts to reconcile. Little by little, Vanessa was moved, and the couple publicly announced that they had decided to give their marriage another chance.
During downtime on set, Vanessa casually offered Olsen some advice.
"Let me tell you, they're not scary at home," she said. "But once they're on the road? You need to be careful. Text him often. See if he replies."
Olsen nodded along, knowing full well Lin would never betray her.
Harden stepped in to defend his bro.
"Trust me," Harden said seriously. "Lin's definitely at the gym. Guys like him? Nightclubs don't even exist to them. To my knowledge, he went there once with your permission. You got no worries."
This was all things Olsen knew, and she smiled to show her appreciation.
. . .
After filming wrapped, everyone gathered for a meal in Los Angeles. When the topic shifted to the new season, the thing everyone was most curious about was Lin Yi's potential return to the Slam Dunk Contest.
At the dinner table, Harden and DeRozan tried to hype Griffin up into challenging Lin Yi.
Griffin shook his head decisively.
"No thanks. I don't want to be a background character."
Shockingly, the big guy's survival instincts were fully online.
Elsewhere, Kobe and Westbrook talked for a long time. Kobe encouraged Westbrook to be more aggressive next season.
"Kevin's a great scorer," Kobe said calmly, "but a team that relies on only one guy won't go far."
Westbrook took it to heart. After becoming the starting point guard for the Western Conference All-Stars last season, he knew it was time to carry more responsibility.
Just like that, on September 2nd, everyone went their separate ways.
Before leaving, Curry handed Lin Yi a photo album from his Davidson days.
"Lin, Coach McKillop asked me to give this to you," he said. "He also said thanks for introducing that new recruit. He's really confident about making March Madness now."
Lin Yi nodded. The first page showed a team photo of the Wildcats. Looking at it, he couldn't help but feel emotional—he'd been helped by so many good people along the way.
He patted Curry on the head.
"Stephen, see you in the Finals."
Curry laughed. He wasn't even sure the Warriors would make the playoffs, yet Lin Yi was already talking about the Finals.
Still… something clicked.
"See you in the Finals," Curry said again, suddenly feeling a surge of confidence.
After returning to New York with Olsen, Lin Yi noticed she started telling him about the advice she got.
Finally, Lin Yi leaned down and kissed her.
"Liz, believe me. When I'm on the road, I'm either sleeping or training."
Olsen blushed.
"I know that. I trust you."
Still, teasing came naturally.
"So," she asked with a smile, "what were you just saying to Stephen?"
Lin Yi held the Davidson photo album, smiled, and nodded.
"Oh… that."
…
Davidson College — Basketball Gym
Coach McKillop glanced at the court, then turned to Karl Beasley.
"Karl, starting today, you'll handle the one-on-one work with Giannis."
Karl Beasley stood at 203 centimeters, broad-shouldered and solid. His older brother, Anthony Beasley, had once battled through March Madness alongside the Shooting Stars. As Davidson's starting center, Karl looked at the new kid with curiosity, then grinned.
"Alright, rookie," he said lightly. "Let's see what you've got."
The rookie didn't seem to hear him.
Giannis Antetokounmpo was standing near midcourt, arms hanging long at his sides, eyes scanning the gym as if he were taking in something sacred.
"…This is where Lin and Steph used to play?"
Giannis had come to America with genuine respect for Lin Yi.
Six months earlier, Lin Yi had personally called him.
"Come to America, Giannis," Lin had said calmly. "You have the talent to be a number-one pick."
To the young Greek kid scraping by in Europe, it felt unreal—like a stranger stopping you on the street and casually revealing he was an NBA legend-in-the-making, offering to take you to another world.
Giannis didn't think he was special. He believed there were countless players better than him. But Lin Yi's confidence stuck with him. In the end, he packed his bags and crossed the ocean.
As for how long it took Giannis to overwhelm Karl Beasley?
Assistant coach Jennings watched the scrimmage and sighed afterward.
"When Lin was here, it took him one possession to break Anthony," he said regretfully. "Giannis still needs some polishing."
McKillop smiled, eyes never leaving the court.
"So did Lin, at first," he said. "But this kid… he has the same kind of presence. He's the type who can shock the whole country."
McKillop trained Giannis almost exactly the way he once trained Lin Yi. And with Lin's constant guidance over calls and messages, Giannis had already abandoned the rigid, traditional style most players his size were locked into.
At 203 centimeters tall, with a wingspan stretching close to 220, Giannis was still growing. Yet his position on the court was unmistakable.
Point guard.
During the team scrimmage, when Giannis took the ball at the three-point line and exploded forward in three long strides, the gym went quiet for a split second.
It was the same silence they'd felt years ago—right before Lin Yi announced himself to the world.
McKillop's only concern was consistency. Giannis's shot wasn't as stable as Lin's had been. But that hardly dampened his excitement.
"If teams are trying to tank," McKillop said softly, almost amused, "this kid is going to drive them insane."
This era—twisted and accelerated by Lin Yi's influence—had clearly gone completely off the rails.
. . .
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