"Yeah, rookie Blake Su is incredible!"
"Incredible? That doesn't even cover it—it's downright ridiculous. I watched the entire game. Can you imagine a 215-centimeter center not battling in the paint, but pulling up for jumpers and attacking from the perimeter?
That's exactly how Blake Su played. He even crossed up this year's No. 1 pick, John Wall, one-on-one. And in the end, he sealed it with a stop-and-fadeaway jumper to beat the Wizards. I was completely stunned."
"No… no way. Did Blake Su really play like that?!"
"My god, Blake Su is actually a center? A center shooting from the perimeter and still maintaining 100% accuracy? My entire understanding of basketball just got flipped!"
"Exactly. His offensive style is completely unconventional."
"..."
That night,
the online buzz around Blake Su completely exploded.
The next day,
the impact of the game continued to spread.
"Suns bench center Blake Su turns the tide, scores 23 points in half a quarter, and hits the game-winner to complete an epic comeback against the Wizards!" — Houston Chronicle
"Shocking! Suns rookie center Blake Su breaks the ankles of No. 1 pick John Wall!" — Milwaukee Sentinel
"'Yao Ming's successor'? Center Blake Su leads a 22-point comeback with pinpoint jump shooting!" — Associated Press
"Suns beat Wizards at the buzzer. No. 1 pick John Wall posts 35 points, 3 rebounds, and 5 assists, but against 23-point 'Mr. Perfect'—rookie center Blake Su, who led a 22-point comeback and hit the game-winner—his performance fades into the background." — Boston Herald
...
Even in the United States, the internet wasn't yet fully developed. Still, driven by nonstop coverage from newspapers, news outlets, and radio stations, last night's Wizards–Suns game—
where Blake Su outshined the No. 1 pick John Wall, led an epic comeback, and delivered a dazzling game-winning debut—spread at lightning speed.
Blake Su…
became famous in a single night.
...
Across the ocean, after a full day of buildup, major basketball newspapers and publications were also filled with Blake Su's name. After all, this was major basketball news—
and it naturally received special attention.
No. 5 High School, Class 3, Grade 10.
During the morning break, a group of boys gathered around a desk, sharing a copy of Basketball Daily.
"My god, Blake Su is way too cool!"
"Blake Su dropped 23 points and pulled off a game-winning comeback? Th-this is really a rookie? He's insanely strong—just ridiculous."
"Hey, did you see this? It says Blake Su crossed up Wall—this year's No. 1 pick. My goodness, is that even something a center can do?!"
"Haha, it's unbelievable. Where did this monster Blake Su come from? And that deadly mid-range shot—totally not something you'd expect from a center."
"Uh… I remember Yao Ming's jumper was really accurate too. Could Blake Su be 'Yao Ming 2.0'?"
"Now that you mention it, he really does feel similar!"
"Hahaha!"
The high schoolers chatted excitedly, all of them stunned by Blake Su's flawless performance, and unanimously slapped him with the nickname "Yao Ming 2.0."
And it wasn't just them.
Anyone who followed the basketball news that day instinctively gave Blake Su the same title.
Yao Ming was widely regarded as one of the most dominant centers of his era, so this nickname clearly reflected the level of recognition Blake Su was receiving.
...
Suns team manager's office.
Manager Lance Blanks urgently called Coach Alvin Gentry over, his face glowing as he laughed. "Gentry, how did we end up with a center as talented and explosive as Blake Su?"
"That's something you should be answering,"
Gentry shot back with a grin.
"Huh?"
Lance scratched the back of his head, clearly having forgotten, then burst out laughing. "None of that matters. What matters is that you put him on the court yesterday.
A treasure like this—if we'd kept hiding him on the bench, I don't know how I'd live with the regret."
"Hehehe,"
Gentry was in great spirits as well. "So, Lance, what did you think of Blake Su's performance last night?"
"Perfect!"
Lance snapped his fingers, paused, then said, "If 100 is a perfect score, I'd give Blake Su 200. Do you know why?"
"Why?"
Gentry asked with a smile.
Lance smiled back and explained, "His talent speaks for itself. What really matters is his style of play. If he can keep this up, he might—just might—change the league's landscape.
Right now, the league is shifting from the interior to the perimeter, gradually entering… the small-ball era."
Gentry picked up on it immediately. "You're saying Blake Su could make the small-ball era swing back to a center-dominated era?"
"No."
Lance shook his head, straightened his sleeves, and said slowly, "The small-ball era will still be the small-ball era—but it'll be a completely different kind of small-ball era."
"Lance, I get it."
Gentry smiled knowingly, then added after a moment, "But I have to remind you—Blake Su has only signed a ten-day contract.
There's about a week left."
"Mhm."
Lance nodded, a sharp gleam flashing in his eyes. "This gem—I'll give everything I've got to keep him."
...
At the same time,
after learning about Blake Su's godlike performance, the front offices of the Spurs, Rockets, Bulls, and other teams all set their sights on him, acting quickly and decisively in hopes of signing him.
In short,
Blake Su's one-game rise to fame caused quite a stir across the league.
However…
that attention lasted only half a day before being eclipsed by an even more explosive matchup.
Tonight,
the Suns would face the Hornets.
But the showdown between the Heat and the Thunder—the Heat's "Big Three" versus the Thunder's "Big Three"—was set to become the most anticipated game of the season so far.
Last year, the Thunder added James Harden, forming a trio with Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook. With three supremely talented players, the Thunder instantly joined the ranks of the league's elite.
Then, this summer,
LeBron James left the Cavaliers after seven seasons and took his talents to the Miami Heat, who also acquired "Bosh Spice" Chris Bosh. Together with Dwyane Wade, they formed the Heat's "Big Three."
The league was in an uproar.
Ten straight wins to start the season—still undefeated.
They were like comic-book supervillains: powerful, ruthless, and seemingly unstoppable. No one wanted the Heat to win the championship. Everyone hoped a superhero would rise up to defend the league's balance.
Right now,
the Thunder's "Big Three" might just be that superhero.
The hype around this super showdown exploded.
Even with Blake Su's incredible performance, it still couldn't compare to a matchup that would be broadcast nationwide.