The Best Point Guard

Chapter 375: Chapter 116: NBA Top 10, Su Xi’s Evolution

Actually, Jessica Alba wasn’t the only one recruiting Su Xi to Los Angeles.

There was also Kobe, who had been calling Su Xi nonstop for the past few weeks. He hadn’t even been this dedicated when he was pursuing Vanessa.

"Have you seen the huge billboard Nike put up for you in Beverly Hills? The people of Los Angeles love to stop and take pictures under it. They’re anticipating your arrival."

"We can forge a whole new perimeter partnership. Jordan and Pippen are a thing of the past. The league should be ruled by highly-skilled perimeter stars like us. You and me... is there any peak in the NBA we couldn’t conquer?"

"What’s in Indiana? Frumpy old women, a bunch of rednecks, and fans with absolutely no class... Los Angeles is the playground of fame and fortune where a successful man belongs."

"Come on, come to Los Angeles. You’ll conquer all the media here. You’ll become a true media king. With the Los Angeles press machine behind you, your influence will reach every corner of the globe."

"There won’t be any fighting over who’s the alpha. The Lakers are big enough for two superstars..."

Kobe Bryant’s desire for Su Xi reached an unprecedented level. He was even more relentless in his pursuit than he was at scoring, which came to him as easily as breathing.

Magic Johnson was also recruiting Su Xi for the Lakers. He spoke to Su Xi about the impact a big city has on a superstar, telling him that in the history of the NBA, no all-time great had ever truly emerged from a small-market team.

"I know you have a lot of business in California. Come to Los Angeles. I can help you."

Magic Johnson was a successful businessman with numerous ventures in California. This was no empty promise.

But Su Xi didn’t want to focus on choosing his next team right now.

He wanted to improve himself.

In game after game, he pushed the limits of his own shooting. In the words of the basketball experts: Little Sheep Su Xi had given up on defense.

His rhythm in games now was to lead his teammates in a stretch of run-and-gun basketball. Then, regardless of whether the team was leading or trailing, he would start "rewarding" himself with shot attempts.

Kobe Bryant claimed that Little Sheep Su Xi was his best friend in the league, and Su Xi was busy proving with his actions just why that was.

In November, Su Xi averaged 14.5 bricks per game, second only to Kobe Bryant.

In December, he doubled down.

With Little O’Neal’s return before Christmas, the Pacers’ overall strength increased. But the team’s tempo didn’t change; their play style still revolved around Su Xi.

The Pacers’ number of losses began to increase, but they still held a firm grip on first place in the East.

Conversely, the Pistons, the team they had brawled with, wilted. After being neck-and-neck with the Pacers, their record plummeted, dropping them to sixth in the East and looking like they were on their way to eighth.

Although it was still too early to talk about the playoff picture, the drama-lovers were already anticipating a first-round playoff matchup between the Pistons and the Indiana Pacers.

The Pacers’ Christmas Day game this year was against the San Antonio Spurs.

Both teams had a rather clinical, unemotional style, and neither side seemed particularly enthusiastic.

Neither team catered to the league’s mainstream hype, playing the Christmas game with... a distinct Industrial Revolution vibe.

In the first half, both sides locked in on defense. Su Xi repeatedly challenged the Spurs single-handedly.

Both sides relaxed in the second half. The Spurs gave Tim Duncan an early start to his Christmas break, keeping him on the bench. The Pacers, however, showed a much better work ethic. Su Xi led the team in a run-and-gun pace, going head-to-head with Tony Parker and Ginobili.

The game was flashy.

But it lacked any real substance.

On the sidelines, Eva kept fiddling with her long hair. She and the Frenchman, Tony Parker, were already discussing marriage.

They were another of the NBA’s more famous celebrity couples, a union of sports and entertainment.

Although their romance wasn’t as sensational as Su Xi’s love triangle with Jessica and Scarlett, it was still considered warm and romantic and was frequently in the news. Eva loved a Frenchman’s romance. She loved a Frenchman’s tongue even more.

A reporter once asked her, "Does Tony Parker also bring you an unimaginable amount of pleasure?"

"Of course!" Eva had replied affirmatively. "Tony Parker is my soulmate."

However, a week before Christmas, some gossip outlet filmed a conversation on the set of *Desperate Housewives* between several of the lead actresses. In the chat, they told Eva with absolute certainty: "There’s no way Tony Parker is as impressive as Little Sheep Su Xi. Just think about it—Su Xi has two Hollywood goddesses completely head over heels for him. They know about each other but refuse to break it off, staying completely entangled. Could Tony Parker do that? If you found out Tony Parker was cheating on you, would you still love him unconditionally?"

"Of course not!" Eva said firmly.

"So. I think even though Tony Parker is an NBA player... well... *heh heh*. Just think, couldn’t any of your ex-boyfriends give you the same pleasure he does?"

"Uh..."

This conversation was leaked to the media.

Tony Parker was deeply upset. Although he and Eva put on a public display of affection for the media—including her coming to San Antonio to spend Christmas with him tonight—it wasn’t enough to soothe his bruised ego.

He was particularly aggressive when facing Su Xi.

The French Roadster’s performance was indeed impressive. He might have had a leaf-spring suspension, but he was well-tuned and had strong handling. Even Su Xi had trouble guarding him at times.

But from the very beginning, Su Xi had never considered Tony Parker his rival.