The impact of the lockout was still rippling through the league. Debates raged on everywhere — online, on talk shows, even among players — but Lin Yi, now just a bystander, didn't bother to weigh in.
Klay, Big Mo, and Parsons had all rented apartnts in New York. Motiejūnas, however, had made his stance clear: if the NBA didn't resu by December, he'd go sign with a European team. For now, he was training with the Lithuanian national team in preparation for the EuroBasket tournant that sumr.
The whole situation felt heavy. The uncertainty was getting to everyone, especially Klay. He'd just settled down in New York, but now he was worried sick that the 2011–2012 season might not even happen.
Players didn't get paid during a lockout — that part hit especially hard for rookies.
At Lin Yi's villa, the usually composed Lin Yi reached over and patted Klay's shoulder. "Relax, man. If things drag on, I'll take you to China for a bit."
Klay blinked. "China? But I'm just a rookie. Would Chinese fans even care about ?"
"As long as you make an effort to connect with them, they'll love you," Lin Yi said with a smile.
Of course, Lin Yi had his reasons. For one, during a lockout, every player was responsible for their own training. Lin Yi didn't want Klay turning into the next Shaq over the sumr. And with all the distractions in New York, he wasn't entirely sure how Klay would handle it alone.
Besides, Klay was under Lin Yi's managent company. Looking out for him made sense — and Lin Yi couldn't help but think there was sothing about Klay that would resonate with Chinese fans. Maybe it was that laid-back, genuine personality. In Lin Yi's past life, Klay's popularity in China had skyrocketed — not just because he was humble, but also thanks to his partnership with Anta.
And speaking of connections, Lin Yi had another reason for heading ho: he'd invited Curry to co along too. He was curious to see how the Splash Brothers' dynamic would look in real life.
"Then I'll start learning Mandarin!" Klay declared with sudden enthusiasm.
Lin Yi raised an eyebrow. "Oh? And how exactly are you planning to do that?"
"I'll sign up for a class!"
"..."
Lin Yi stared at him for a mont. "Klay, you know, sotis you surprise ."
Klay nodded. "Yeah, I've always thought I'm pretty sharp."
Lin Yi sighed. "You've got a native speaker right next to you, genius. Why would you need to enroll in a class?"
Still, Lin Yi couldn't help but admire him.
A lot of NBA players treated trips to China as quick cash grabs — do a few events, smile for photos, leave. But with Klay, Lin Yi knew he'd end up winning people over for real.
He just didn't realize yet that bringing Klay to China might end up stealing the spotlight from quite a few other stars in the future.
..
On July 30th, Lin Yi attended Curry and Ayesha's wedding. It was a small, elegant ceremony — nothing over the top. Lin Yi caught up with old Davidson teammates, and nostalgia hit hard. The Davidson Fairy Tale had beco a cherished story among new students by now.
Anthony Beasley had bulked up, while McMillan had gone into business for himself. During the reception, McMillan joked that Lin Yi and Curry could co work for him — until both of them tead up to give him a noogie.
Lin Yi stood as the best man, and Olsen was the bridesmaid. When Ayesha t Olsen, the two hit it off.
For a wedding gift, Lin Yi handed Curry the keys to a custom Koenigsegg. Curry looked at the car in disbelief. "Man, ti flies. I still rember when you'd win money off just to buy burgers."
Lin Yi smirked. "Hey, that was pure skill."
"Hmph."
Dell Curry watched the two with a satisfied smile. Seeing his son married and Lin Yi's career soaring — triple MVP, All-NBA First Teams — he couldn't help but think back to Coach McKillop's old words. The man had once said that both of his star pupils would make it big soday.
Funny thing was, both Lin Yi and Curry knew McKillop was probably just trying to motivate them back then — but they still respected him deeply. He'd been instruntal in shaping who they were.
anwhile, Curry's younger brother, Seth, was practically glowing when he t Lin Yi.
"Man, I can't believe I didn't get your autograph back then," he said, clearly fanboying. "An early signature like that would've been worth sothing."
Watching Seth gush, Curry felt his face heat up. Great — his own brother turning into Lin Yi's biggest fan. To save so dignity, Curry decided to sneak-attack Lin Yi with a kick to the knee mid-conversation.
Lin Yi didn't even flinch. He just grabbed a bottle of champagne and popped it, spraying Curry head to toe.
Ayesha froze mid-sentence when she saw the scene.
Monts later, in a corner of the venue, she was exasperation personified
. "Honey, our wedding hasn't even started yet. Care to explain why you're soaked in champagne?"
Curry looked like a scolded puppy. Thankfully, he had a spare suit. After changing, he shot Lin Yi a glare. "You just wait. Once this wedding's over, I'm getting my revenge."
Lin Yi only grinned and gestured toward his knee. "Co on then, if you've got the guts."
Ayesha sighed, pressing her forehead. Honestly, with the way these two bickered, she sotis wondered if she was the third wheel.
Still, the ceremony went off perfectly. The only hiccup? The very next day, instead of going on a honeymoon, her new husband ran off again — leaving Ayesha wondering if she'd just married a man or a full-ti basketball addict.
...
On August 2nd, sowhere over the Pacific, Lin Yi leaned back in his seat and glanced over at Curry.
"Stephen, are you really not bringing Ayesha on this trip?" he asked, half curious, half teasing.
Curry straightened up, looking every bit the confident husband. "Nah, I'll take her on a trip once we get back. This trip's business, not a honeymoon."
Lin Yi grinned, reached into his bag, and pulled out a thin wooden board. "Then let give your second wedding gift."
Curry frowned. "A board?"
"In China," Lin Yi said seriously, "we call this a washboard. When you get ho, you might want to keep it handy—just in case Ayesha isn't thrilled about you flying off so soon after the wedding."
Curry blinked, confused. Lin Yi just patted his shoulder. "You'll understand when you get back."
Across from them, in the first-class cabin, O'Neal was lounging comfortably with his headphones on, snacking like he owned the plane. Beside him sat Klay, who was quietly watching Curry and Lin Yi chat.
The Big Diesel had officially joined TNT's comntary crew, but with the NBA locked out, there wasn't much to comntate on. The mont he heard Lin Yi was flying ho, he invited himself along, claiming he wanted to say goodbye to his Chinese fans.
Lin Yi wasn't buying it for a second. Yeah right, big guy. You just want everyone to know you've caught up to Kobe in rings.
And sure enough, Kobe was also scheduled to visit China that sumr. The rivalry clearly wasn't over.
anwhile, Klay's vibe was… different. Every ti Lin Yi and Curry started talking basketball—especially about shooting—Klay would glance over with a thoughtful look, like he was holding back a comnt.
Lin Yi couldn't help but notice. "What's with that look, Klay?"
"Nothing," Klay said, his voice calm but sharp around the edges. "I just think people talk too much about who the best shooter is. I'd rather just show it."
Lin Yi raised an eyebrow. Ah… so that's how it is.
He'd imagined the Splash Brothers eting for the first ti as a legendary mont—chemistry, laughter, instant connection. Instead, it was looking more like a brewing rivalry.
When the plane finally touched down in Beijing, Klay stretched, turned to Lin Yi, and asked, completely serious, "Hey, where's the nearest basketball court?"
Lin Yi blinked. "We just landed. You're not even going to rest?"
Klay shook his head. "Nope. I need to let him know who the real shooter is."
Lin Yi leaned back, staring at the ceiling of the airport terminal as they walked off the plane.
This is definitely my fault. I shouldn't have ssed with fate.
If anyone ever learned how things were supposed to go, Lin Yi figured the Warriors fans would hunt him down personally.
...
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