On the 18th, during the Long Beach Summer League, the Philadelphia 76ers faced their second opponent: the Los Angeles Lakers.
Because Su Feng had been confused during a previous phone call, it's no surprise that Kobe didn't take the initiative to reach out to him in Long Beach.
Su Feng is the hammer; Kobe is the needle—classic Virgo!
While warming up before the game, Su Feng originally intended to greet Kobe, but Kobe deliberately acted like he didn't know him...
At that moment, Su Feng realized he had overestimated Kobe's emotional intelligence.
Still, Su Feng had already made up his mind: today, he was going to hammer Kobe from the start.
Now it's time to prove who's the true one-on-one king of Philadelphia!
…
During the warm-up before the game, Su Feng noticed that, in addition to Xu Jicheng, Zhang Weiping, and Su Junyang—who had already formed a deep friendship with him—there were also Hu Weidong and Gong Luming in the stands.
Gotta say, glasses are truly a magical prop.
Without them, Hu Weidong had always seemed like a cold-blooded killer in Su Feng's memory. But with glasses on, he suddenly looked much more... approachable.
"Are you planning to go all out today?" Iverson, half-asleep, tugged at the corner of Su Feng's jersey before tip-off.
"No, Kobe—what's up?" Su Feng replied, taking the chance to rub Iverson's flat-top haircut.
Iverson snapped awake. "When you asked me to learn those breakthrough moves the other day, I thought you were prepping to take on Kobe."
Su Feng shook his head. "Allen, I'm not trying to brag, but if Bryant scores 20 points on me today, I'll retire and become a truck driver."
"Alright then, want me to hype you up from across the court?" Iverson smirked.
Su Feng: "…"
Allen, can't you just let me have my moment?
"That's fine, Allen. You know me—I've always been a humble guy," Su Feng said with mock sincerity.
For some reason, Ben Wallace, who was starting tonight, overheard Su Feng's "humble" claim—right as Su Feng casually drained a three-pointer.
Wait a minute…
Am I falling behind the times?
Right then and there, Big Ben silently vowed to study harder and keep up with the game's evolution.
Meanwhile, as Su Feng and Iverson joked around on the 76ers' side, Kobe Bryant watched from afar, troubled by a strange kind of "joy."
In his mind, it was like a voice was whispering:
Young Kobe, who are you fighting today? Golden Iverson or silver Su Feng?
Ugh, so annoying!
What if I want to fight both?
Iverson was the No. 1 pick in 1996—of course Kobe wanted to challenge him. But Su Feng? In Kobe's eyes, he needed to be dealt with too.
But… Kobe's not Naruto. He can't clone himself!
Luckily, at that critical moment, the Lakers' highest-EQ player, Derek Fisher, saw right through Kobe's dilemma.
Before the game began, Fisher offered a suggestion:
"Kobe, I think the 76ers will assign Su Feng to guard you. So why not defend Allen while you're at it? That way, you'll be matched up with both on offense and defense."
Kobe's eyes lit up.
Makes sense!
Double the challenge, double the glory.
Off to the side, Fisher smirked. Mission accomplished.
No need to guard Iverson today? Sweet!
At 185 cm and 90 kg, Fisher was a strong defender—but if he could avoid chasing Iverson around, he absolutely would.
From casual chats with Kobe, Fisher knew Su Feng's go-to moves: turnaround jumpers and fadeaways.
So in Fisher's mind, Su Feng was easier to defend than Iverson's lightning speed.
And to be fair, Fisher wasn't just bragging. With his big elbows, most shooting guards couldn't even get past him.
As for Su Feng's defense?
Please. Even if Su Feng charged at him full speed, you think Fisher would back down?
Scoring?
Fisher knew his role. He wasn't there to rack up points.
If Su Feng came over to guard him, perfect—he'd just help draw defenders away from Kobe.
You might not believe it, and Fisher wouldn't admit it, but he understood the game's "pattern."
He knew Kobe was the Lakers' golden boy, the one being groomed for greatness. His job was to protect Kobe's Achilles heel.
In Su Feng's past life, Fisher won five championships. Teammates came and went, but Kobe was always there.
When the "OK" duo split, Fisher was the first to leave, saying he'd won enough and needed to focus on his family.
But in the 2007–08 season, when the Lakers showed signs of resurgence, Fisher tearfully told the Jazz front office that his daughter needed eye treatment in Los Angeles.
He even announced his retirement to care for her.
Touched, the Jazz let him go without hesitation…
Only for Fisher to show up in a Lakers jersey days later, happily playing alongside Kobe in the Finals.
Jazz fans were furious. Betrayal wasn't even the word—it was an insult to their intelligence.
Back on the court, Fisher—pleased with his scheming—walked to center court with a grin, just as the starting lineups were announced.
76ers: Ben Wallace, Joe Connet, Su Feng, Frank King, Allen Iverson
Lakers: Knight, Chris Koviak, Jerome Corsi, Kobe Bryant, Rumiel Robinson, Derek Fisher
Judging by the height of both lineups, the Lakers were clearly the more dominant side. Knight stood at 213 cm, and Chris Kovyak measured 206 cm.
On the 76ers, you might not believe who was the tallest. If we go by perceived height rather than actual measurements, Su Feng might've been the tallest of them all.
In the stands, after seeing both teams' lineups, Gong Luming couldn't stop shaking his head.
"The 76ers are way too short. I heard their No. 1 draft pick this year is the shortest in NBA history. Do they have a soft spot for short players?" Gong Luming wondered.
Hu Weidong nodded beside him. In basketball, height is usually justice.
But...
There's always room for surprises.
When the ball was tipped, Big Ben proved with action that not every 213 cm big man is a beast.
Knight may have height and looks, but with elbows thinner than Fisher's and a vertical leap of barely 10 cm, what good is a 220 cm wingspan? He dared to compare himself to Oakley in high school?
Smack!
Gong Luming was stunned as Ben Wallace soared and won the opening tip for the 76ers.
Su Feng knew that after the game against the Suns, Big Ben had already conquered Jason and Rick.
And now, this was the rookie's counterattack.
On the court, Iverson brought the ball past half court, with Kobe assigned to defend him.
In Su Feng's past life, AI and Kobe were both rivals and friends. Tonight marked the first time they faced off in their careers, and Kobe's focus was sharper than ever.
Normally, Iverson would've gone all out against Kobe on this possession. After all, he was still young and full of fire.
But after two days of learning "secret techniques" from Su Feng, Iverson hadn't slept well.
And with Su Feng in a favorable mismatch, Iverson didn't hesitate — he passed the ball straight to Su Feng on the wing.
Kobe: "…"
Wait… what kind of referral was that?
That wasn't AI!
On the court, Iverson yawned and ignored Kobe's death glare. He simply watched Su Feng, now matched up against Fisher, with wide eyes.
Come on, Su — show them your post-evolution form!
At that moment, Iverson looked like a Pokémon trainer, eager to see the results of his recent coaching.
As the saying goes: one-on-one is thrilling, but brotherhood leads to the crematorium.
Iverson, ever the righteous teammate, was joking with Su Feng — but he truly intended to let Su Feng take the spotlight in this game.
He knew how long Su Feng had waited for this moment. Since arriving in Long Beach, Su Feng had been glued to the schedule.
It's just summer league, after all. Why not let the brothers shine?
Okay… maybe it's also because Iverson didn't sleep well and wanted to take it easy today.
On the court, after receiving Iverson's pass, Su Feng looked at the short and stocky Fisher. Without hesitation, he raised the ball with his right hand, ready to shoot…
"So, you're trying to use your height to beat me?" Fisher thought, sensing Su Feng's intention. He stepped forward to apply pressure.
But in the next second, Su Feng suddenly palmed the ball with his right hand.
This move was one of the "Awesome Eighteen Styles" Iverson had taught him over the past two days.
Fisher was stunned. Wasn't Su Feng supposed to just shoot or fade away?
…
On the court, Su Feng dribbled directly and pulled up decisively just as he stepped inside the three-point line.
In Iverson's words: who says you need fancy dribbling to break through?
Charging in like a walking explosive, this Middle Eastern-style drive was still a breakthrough!
Inside the paint, the Lakers' interior defense was lacking.
The dashing Knight, perhaps stunned by Su Feng's equally dashing presence, instinctively took a step back—and that single step gave Su Feng the space to finish a clean layup.
Besides his large hands, long fingers, and broad shoulders, Su Feng had once been compared to McGrady back in Orlando. His legs were definitely longer than Kobe's.
2–0!
After Su Feng's drive, Iverson gave him a big thumbs-up.
On the court, Fisher froze, and Bryant glared at him bitterly.
Kobe was not happy.
Not only had he missed out on a one-on-one moment with Iverson, but Su Feng had scored first.
And worst of all—Fisher couldn't even stop Su Feng's drive?
In Kobe's eyes, that wasn't a breakthrough. That was theft!
Annoying volute.
In the stands, Gong Luming watched Su Feng score and felt a mix of emotions.
Technically, the move wasn't complex—but the raw talent was undeniable.
Still, Gong Luming wondered: if Su Feng wasn't recruited, would it really make a difference?
Back on the court, while Gong Luming was still evaluating, Iverson suddenly launched a risky steal.
Don't ask why—just know someone was lurking behind.
Fisher was stunned. He never expected Iverson to go for the steal so recklessly.
Kobe, who had just reached the frontcourt, panicked—but the lane was blocked. As the ball flew, Kobe kicked into high gear, chasing it down like he was powered by nitrogen.
But catching Iverson? That's a tall order...
Then again—Kobe actually caught up.
Because Iverson was waiting.
Just as Kobe leapt for a monster block, Iverson casually dropped a no-look pass behind him...
Su Feng caught it and slammed it home!
Boom!
Kobe, outplayed by the "Ai-Feng" duo, became the poster boy of the moment. Even Hu Weidong stood up in the stands to applaud Su Feng's dunk.
"Nice pass, Allen! You really are the 'Pennsylvanian Magician' in my book!" Su Feng said, fist-bumping Iverson after the dunk.
Kobe, overhearing this, was even more annoyed.
Pennsylvanian Magician? That's supposed to be me!
Annoying volute ×2!
"Give me the ball. I'm feeling lucky," Bryant snapped at Fisher, who had just retrieved the ball.
As a loyal Lakers guard, Fisher nodded silently and passed it over.
And to be fair, after a year of sewer-ball with Su Feng, Kobe was fired up—and this time, he actually organized a solid play.
On the court, Robinson slipped free, and Kobe instinctively passed to him.
But Robinson bricked the shot off the backboard, and Big Ben roared from the paint: "Mine!"
After grabbing the rebound, Big Ben swung his elbow to intimidate Knight.
The young Knight looked shaken...
Like a guy spooked by Brother voice.
Kobe's frustration was mounting.
His teammates were playing like amateurs!
The 76ers attacked again. Su Feng and Iverson set a high screen, and Kobe got stuck behind Su Feng...
Even though Iverson was happy to let Su Feng take the spotlight, when a golden opportunity presents itself, how could he not show off?
Iverson accelerated straight to the rim. Knight, seeing him take flight, closed his eyes in despair.
Boom!
In the stands, Gong Luming—who had just been criticizing Iverson's height—was left speechless.
No way!
Iverson wasn't much taller than Gong himself, but that bounce...
Is he even human?
6–0. On the sidelines, the Lakers' coach was already debating whether to call a timeout.
The 76ers had come out blazing tonight—like a rainbow streaking across the court.
On the court, after the dunk, Iverson pounded his chest and bumped fists with Su Feng like he didn't recognize his own relatives. On the 76ers' bench, Jason and Rick were in tears.
Look at that, Master Pat Claus—your two rookies are putting on a show!
Back on the court, Bryant took a deep breath. The Lakers attacked again, with Kobe running the play.
And to his credit, Kobe gave his teammates another chance.
But...
Clang!
Fisher bricked the shot.
At the rim, Big Ben grabbed the rebound and quickly passed the ball to Iverson.
By then, Su Feng was already taking off!
Su Feng, fully confident in Big Ben, believed that if he couldn't secure this kind of rebound against the Lakers' two clumsy big men, then he didn't deserve to be called Big Ben anymore.
On the court, the "Ai-Feng" connection activated again. This time, Iverson found Su Feng with a laser-like bounce pass across half court.
Su Feng caught it and finished with ease.
8–0!
On the sidelines, the Lakers called a timeout.
Bryant stood with his hands on his hips, questioning his entire existence.
For some reason, he suddenly remembered his old partnership with Su at Lower Merion...
Even though he was a little annoyed with Su Feng, Kobe had to admit: the teammates on the floor today weren't worthy of his passes.
Still, having survived the sewer-ball era with Su Feng, Kobe knew he had to step up during the timeout.
But just as he passed by the 76ers bench...
"Allen, that pass you just made... I don't think even John Stockton could've pulled that off," Su Feng said, already wrapped in the towel handed to him by a teammate, smiling as he patted Iverson's head.
"I just handed it off," Iverson replied. "But speaking of it, your high school buddy's been pretty unlucky tonight. His two passes were actually pretty solid."
At that moment, Su Feng's former classmate clenched his fists tightly after overhearing their conversation.
Maybe Kobe hadn't made up his mind earlier, but now he was certain: no more passing this game.
That's right!
This bunch of "scrubs" doesn't deserve the magic of the real "Pennsylvanian Magician"!
Fun fact: in this Long Beach Summer League, because jersey numbers weren't assigned with much logic, Kobe was wearing No. 32 — the number once worn by Magic Johnson.
Back on the court, the game resumed after the timeout.
The Lakers attacked, and Su Feng, now guarding Kobe, noticed that his eyes were practically shooting flames...
Boom—!
Boom—!
Boom—!
After receiving Fisher's pass, the furious Kobe activated hard mode.
Fueled by rage, he used his shoulders and elbows, trying to bulldoze through Su Feng.
After pushing Su Feng back a few steps, Kobe spun and went for the shot.
But just as he turned, Su Feng popped up right in front of him.
Surprised?
Come on — the guy who trains with Su Feng daily is Ben Wallace.
Kobe had created space, but Su Feng had let him.
Anger clouds judgment.
Normally, Kobe would've seen through Su Feng's bait.
But this time, he fell for it.
Like Iguodala stealing the ball from LeBron in the future, Su Feng snatched the ball right out of Kobe's hands.
Kobe tried to recover with his quick hands, but Su Feng's massive grip had the upper hand.
Kobe: "..."
On the court, Iverson received Su Feng's pass and scored.
10–0!
Kobe felt like his lungs were about to explode.
In the stands, Gong Luming and Hu Weidong exchanged glances...
Su Feng's defensive ability had exceeded all expectations.
And remember — he was guarding Kobe Bryant, the same guy who had shredded the Chinese national team's defense just two days ago.
"Give me the ball!" Kobe barked at Fisher as the Lakers set up another attack.
Fisher quickly passed it, while the rest of the Lakers spread out...
Kobe couldn't believe it — why couldn't he get past Su Feng today?
This time, Kobe executed a slick crossover, drove to the free-throw line, and launched into a graceful jump.
"Die, Sixers!"
Smack—!
Just as Kobe was about to finish with a noble layup, Ben Wallace — who had been waiting patiently — rose up!
If this moment had a caption, it would be:
"The enemy tries to flee... and eats my elbow!"
Kobe: "..."