Chen Yilun stumbled his way to the edge of the court. The celebrity game had just ended, and the 2014 rookies, along with some from the 2013 class, were warming up.
This year's rookie game came with a new twist: Team USA versus Team World. Team USA was made up of players like Victor Oladipo, Trey Burke, and Zach LaVine, but honestly, they didn't look all that impressive.
Team World, on the other hand, was much flashier: this year's No.1 pick "Maple Jordan" Andrew Wiggins, "Aquaman" Steven Adams, "The Greek Freak" Giannis Antetokounmpo, "The Paris Tower" Rudy Gobert, Dennis Schröder, the future "Love Killer" Kelly Olynyk, and the overlooked rookie Nikola Jokić.
2015 was a special year. It marked Adam Silver's first year as commissioner and was later remembered as a turning point. After this season, small-ball swept the league, and international players began claiming a bigger share of the spotlight. Many even say 2015 was the beginning of the decline of American basketball.
Chen Yilun straightened his slightly wrinkled suit and stood courtside, just in time to meet Jokić's eyes.
"How are you feeling? Nervous?" Chen teased the sweaty Jokić, who had just finished warming up.
"Not really, feels about the same as usual. Just a little loud," Jokić chuckled in his distinct European accent.
"Good, as long as you're not nervous. Actually, I don't think I've ever seen you nervous." Chen thought back over the past six months with Jokić. No matter the situation, this easygoing European rookie was always cheerful. While other rookies hit the wall and panicked, Jokić just rewarded himself with two big meals and moved on.
"Maybe you're growing faster than I thought."
If not for Chen Yilun's butterfly effect, Jokić would still be in Europe right now. He wasn't supposed to come to the NBA until next season—and even then, it would've taken a couple of years before he showed his dominance. But thanks to Chen's influence, Jokić arrived a year early and grew quickly under the devilish training of his mentor, Vlade Divac. Maybe the Kings' road to revival wouldn't take as long as people thought.
The game soon began.
LaVine managed to earn a starting spot, while Jokić sat on the bench.
"Bam!" LaVine shook off his defender, caught Oladipo's alley-oop, and slammed it over Giannis.
Of course, this was still the early version of Giannis—thin and raw, with a huge frame but none of the muscle yet. He looked awkward on the court compared to the monster he'd become later.
"Nice one!" Oladipo couldn't help but high-five LaVine on the way back. "I heard you were a dunker, but I didn't think you were this good."
"You too. That pass was fast and on point," LaVine grinned.
"Good eye. Next possession, it's all you—go one-on-one."
One-on-one? LaVine hadn't heard that in a long time.
With the Timberwolves, he had settled into a 3-and-D role—not because the team forced him, but because he chose it. The coaches and GM had told him several times they hoped he'd take on more responsibility as a secondary ball handler, but he never stepped up.
It was easier to stay in his comfort zone. He had great athleticism, good stamina, and a solid three-point shot. Early on, when his role was limited, he worked hard as a role player just to stay on the floor. But that role became his comfort zone, and even when the coaches wanted to give him more touches, he wasn't sure how to handle it.
This time was different. As Oladipo crossed half court, he signaled everyone to clear out, then handed the ball to LaVine before jogging to the corner.
At the top of the arc, unsure of his next move, LaVine glanced at Chen Yilun on the sideline. Chen's encouraging look said it all: Go for it!
LaVine took a deep breath and faced Andrew Wiggins, his draft classmate. He hesitated, then tried to drive inside.
But Wiggins was Wiggins—his talent was off the charts. The moment he read LaVine's move, he pressed up, cutting off every bit of space.
Tough defender! LaVine feinted a drive into him.
Wiggins bit, stepping back to disrupt LaVine's balance.
But LaVine instantly pulled back, stepped away, and rose for the jumper. The ball arced through the lights and dropped cleanly through the net.
"Good shot!"
Chen Yilun jumped up and clapped, shouting, "That's it! That's how you play!"
The outburst caught the attention of Team USA's coach, Alvin Gentry, who shot Chen a glare sharp enough to kill. Who's the coach here, you or me?
Feeling the heat of Gentry's stare, Chen quickly ducked his head and shut up. He couldn't risk angering the man—if LaVine got benched because of him, it would be a disaster.
After a round of substitutions, Jokić finally checked in. Right away, he teamed up with Schröder for some two-man action. Both were pass-first players, and in no time, they had the opposing rookies running in circles.
The rest of Team World had it easy—running into open shots or suddenly finding the ball in their hands without much effort.
Compared to them, Team USA just wasn't on the same level. Aside from LaVine and Oladipo, no one else could really compete. The game quickly turned into garbage time.
It didn't even reach a competitive fourth quarter before it ended. Wiggins walked away with the Rookie Game MVP trophy.
As Wiggins smiled innocently with the trophy, LaVine realized his night was over and started packing up. Just then, Oladipo came over.
"Zach, those two teammates of yours are pretty tough," Oladipo said, pointing at Jokić and Bojan. Honestly, the chemistry between Bojan and Jokić was incredible. Being teammates gave them an extra edge, and their connection looked far smoother than anyone else's on the court.
"That's right! My teammates are amazing!" LaVine said proudly.
"I really envy you. First year in the league and you land on a team on the rise." The envy in Oladipo's tone was impossible to miss.
You couldn't blame him. As last year's No. 2 pick, he had lost the top spot to Anthony Bennett in bizarre fashion, and now he was stuck on the mediocre Orlando Magic. Predictably, they were tanking again this season.
Meanwhile, LaVine—one year younger—joined a surging Kings team and was already being trusted with real minutes. It was the dream start. Why couldn't his luck be a little better?
...
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