What kind of names are these?
Already seated in the back row, Chen Yilun frowned at the messy list of names on the document he was reviewing and muttered to himself.
The game's outcome was already clear, and Chen Yilun, now relaxed, stopped paying attention to the court.
After the Warriors benched their starters, Butler—who'd been holding back all night—finally unleashed. In just half a quarter, his relentless drives and jumpers completely overwhelmed Steve Kerr's team.
"Ding, you're up. Replace Barnes."
Kerr had basically thrown caution to the wind. Since they couldn't stop the Kings, he might as well rest Barnes and save him for a second-half push.
"On it!"
Caught off guard by how soon his number was called, Ding hurriedly changed into his uniform and got ready to check in.
As soon as he stepped onto the court, the arena erupted in a noticeable wave of cheers.
"Looks like Ding's got a few fans here," Curry said with a grin, towel draped over his head.
"Yeah," Thompson replied lightly. "He's been getting some attention lately."
Ding glanced briefly at the crowd but quickly refocused on the court. This was his first real chance to prove himself, and he knew it.
"Play your best," a calm voice called out from nearby.
Turning his head, Ding noticed Chen Yilun standing from his seat, giving him a brief nod before sitting back down.
"Got it," Ding answered simply before jogging toward the scorer's table.
"Hey! Get back here!"
Kerr's sharp voice cut through the noise.
"Huh?"
Just as Ding was ready to check in, he turned around, confused.
"Your jersey! It's not tucked in!"
Looking down, Ding saw the hem of his jersey flapping loose. NBA rules were strict—stepping onto the court without tucking in your jersey could result in a technical foul.
"Oh, right!"
He quickly tucked it in, stepping onto the court amid laughter from both benches.
Butler, smiling, glanced at the newcomer beside him.
"You're the kid from last year's training group, right?"
"Yeah," Ding replied, his English slightly stiff but clear.
"Welcome to the NBA."
With that, Butler suddenly changed direction, shaking off Ding's defense and catching Oden's inbound pass.
"Come on, rookie, let's see what you've got."
Sensing the challenge in his tone, Ding focused and moved in to defend. The Kings players spread out, clearing space for Butler to attack.
At the top of the key, Butler dribbled fast, his rhythm changes forcing Ding to adjust. Then, with a sharp burst, Butler drove past.
So fast.
Ding recovered quickly, following a step behind as Butler charged into the paint. Whiteside slid over to help, cutting off the lane.
Seeing the help defense, Butler switched direction and went up for the layup.
At that exact moment, Ding was already beside him, timing his contest perfectly.
This kid reacts well, Butler thought, a brief flicker of surprise crossing his face.
He'd underestimated the rookie. With Whiteside on one side and Ding closing in from the other, his angle was gone. Still, he committed and went up for the shot.
The two collided midair before crashing to the floor.
Beep!
After a moment's hesitation, the referee's whistle blew.
Pulled up by teammates, Ding winced slightly and raised his hand to signal the foul.
To the crowd, it looked like Butler had drawn contact and finished strong. But the coaches saw something else.
"Good defensive read," Malone commented, glancing at Chen Yilun.
"Damn, we should've grabbed him when we had the chance. Golden State really snatched a gem from us."
The game quickly moved on.
The Kings continued to dominate, controlling the pace on both ends.
Durant, in just two and a half quarters, put up an efficient 28 points, 8 rebounds, and 6 assists. Jokić added a triple-double with 20 points, 15 rebounds, and 11 assists.
On the Warriors' side, Curry's 30 points weren't enough to close the gap. Ding finished with 12 points and 5 rebounds off the bench—a decent showing for his minutes.
When the final buzzer sounded, players from both sides met at center court to shake hands.
Chen Yilun walked down from the stands, exchanging brief words with a few players. When he passed Ding, he gave a light pat on the shoulder.
"Good effort out there," he said evenly.
"Thanks," Ding replied, keeping his tone professional.
Chen remembered when Ding had played for the Kings during the Summer League. Back then, he'd been just another young prospect—raw, but clearly determined. Seeing him hold his own on an NBA floor now brought a quiet sense of satisfaction. Moments like this reminded Chen why he believed in picking up overlooked talent and giving it a real chance to grow.
The Kings had opened their season with confidence, and Chen Yilun was already thinking ahead. The night had offered plenty of takeaways—but for him, it was just the first step in a long season.