Chapter 26: The Knicks, Where Everyone Is a Big Brother

On August 1st, Li You flew to Atlanta with his close friends. The 26th Summer Olympic Games were nearing their end, and if they didn't join in on the excitement now, it would be too late.

The track and field events were the main attraction that day, and Li You witnessed Michael Johnson take the gold in the men's 400 meters with a time of 43.49 seconds.

After a long day, everyone's excitement had finally settled. Aside from the big man Knight, who was busy settling down in Los Angeles, the entire Connecticut basketball squad was present. Back at the hotel that evening, the group complained about the unscrupulous merchants—accommodation prices had skyrocketed during the Olympics.

Ray Allen had been in low spirits; playing in Milwaukee made him feel like his future was dim.

"Playing for the Bucks isn't bad. You're in the same division as the Bulls, which means more chances to see your idol!" Li You teased the gloomy Ray Allen. Ray had spent the past while shouting about wanting to face off against Michael Jordan, and now that dream would come true; as division rivals, the Bucks and Bulls would meet frequently.

Ray Allen sighed helplessly. His life plan had been thrown into disarray the moment he was drafted: "That’s the only silver lining. I should be able to get a starting spot in Milwaukee and I won't lack playing time, but my shot attempts probably won't be high."

"Have you met your Knicks teammates? I get the feeling they aren't easy to get along with." Li You felt the Knicks' locker room atmosphere was destined to be poor—simply put, it was full of "big brothers."

"It's the offseason, so the veterans aren't interested in greeting rookies. But John is a good guy; he helped me find a great apartment in Manhattan." Ray Allen didn't like the Knicks' style of play at all. Whenever he visited New York to watch games during his school days, it was mostly to see the visiting teams.

The Knicks' offense was often a race to the bottom, using "iron-blooded" defense to drag opponents down to their level, only to rely on their vast experience to scrape out a win.

"I hope our rookie season goes smoothly. I think the Bulls will win the championship again this year!" Seeing Ray Allen turning into a die-hard fan again, Li You quickly changed the subject. "After the closing ceremony, you can come to New York for a few days. Living in Milwaukee is truly too boring!"

On August 3rd, at the Centennial Olympic Stadium in Atlanta, the "Dream Team III" easily defeated the Yugoslavian national team 95:69 to take the men's basketball gold medal. Aside from Ewing, all of the "Four Great Centers" had participated in these Games, and Li You witnessed the dominance of the "Dream Team" firsthand.

The Chinese men's basketball team also achieved a respectable eighth-place finish, putting on an impressive performance.

1996 also marked the 100th anniversary of the modern Olympic Games. After enjoying the closing ceremony on August 4th, the group didn't linger in Atlanta and flew back to New York early.

Once the Olympics concluded, the free agent market began to heat up. Charles Barkley of the Suns had been mired in trade rumors, though Phoenix fans refused to believe he would leave.

On August 19th, a blockbuster trade occurred: The Houston Rockets sent Chucky Brown, Mark Bryant, Sam Cassell, and Robert Horry to the Phoenix Suns in exchange for Charles Barkley and a 1999 second-round draft pick.

33-year-old Charles Barkley, 33-year-old Hakeem Olajuwon, and 34-year-old Clyde Drexler formed the Houston Rockets' "Elder Big Three." Although they were a bit long in the tooth, sports media gave the trade high marks, leaving the New York media feeling sour: "The Knicks' current offseason reinforcements give us zero hope for a championship!"

A new wave of criticism against Ewing and John Starks swept through New York. Fans and media began to pine for the 1970s Knicks, a team that won championships with a flamboyant offense.

Aside from paying for a subscription to The Wall Street Journal, Li You bought a copy of the New York Post every day. Watching the New York media act bitter and follow the herd in hyping up the Rockets' "Elder Big Three" had become Li You's source of joy at the end of August.

He went about his training methodically. Having been Ray Allen's teammate for two years, Li You had learned to stick to a plan. He broke everything down into details; unlike Ray Allen, he wasn't obsessive-compulsive and would occasionally relax. Even without games, the skill [Ray Allen’s Excellent Explosiveness] had turned fully green—hard work had paid off.

On September 4th, the Knicks signed veteran Buck Williams to bolster their interior, but the New York media immediately belittled this move as well. The veteran was labeled a bust before he had even played a single game for the Knicks.

Because there were preseason games in early October, the Knicks opened their training camp early. Li You had spent over two months in Manhattan, meeting only John Starks and the newly arrived Allan Houston. The former was his neighbor, and the latter he had met at the New York Athletic Club.

Allan Houston was a decent guy and a devout Christian, leaving a good impression on Li You. The two had even trained together for a week.

On the morning of the 10th, John Starks, having returned from vacation, circled Li You’s car in the apartment parking lot. "You’re actually driving this old-fashioned car? If you make money, you have to spend it! A brand new Chevrolet sports car costs less than 40,000 dollars."

Li You curled his lip. That was 40,000 dollars! That was enough for a normal family to live comfortably for a year! "It’s a 1982 classic. It’s hard to find a red Chevrolet Monte Carlo in this condition on the market!" This was the car Li You had found when he first started at the University of Connecticut. Even as a top-trim model from back then, its features didn't feel outdated.

Getting into the car, Starks looked at the clean interior and sniffed the air inside the vehicle forcefully. "No smell of weed, that's good. Young people are better off not touching that stuff! Anyway, let me introduce you to the locker room rules: rookies have to serve the veterans!"

Li You, who was driving, laughed and retorted, "Didn't you tell me the Knicks were very united and the internal atmosphere was harmonious?"

Starks, who was looking out the window at the street scene with his chin in his hand, seemed to have forgotten his previous words and chuckled. "The team was indeed united before, but you know, the new guy Larry Johnson is definitely not easy to get along with! 'Grandmama' didn't have a good relationship with his teammates in Charlotte, and now that he's in New York and his status has dropped, don't expect him to have a pleasant face."

"Charles Oakley and Patrick Ewing are both old-school. All the new players have to serve them; running errands is inevitable."

"Most importantly, I’m a 31-year-old veteran now, so it’s time I enjoyed veteran treatment. Li, you're the youngest on the team, so you know the rules!"

Driving along, Li You turned to offer a smile, but cursed inwardly: "The results are mediocre, yet everyone thinks they're the boss!"