In the US, trouble found me, brothers don't believe it, it's all fake news.
The clarification post on the Tang Long Knights forum quickly debunked the rumors, complete with team training footage and a video of Mike Brown fiercely condemning the creators of fake news as despicable and shameless.
"Brothers, 'Dong Ge Lan' deleted the posts, and those portal websites have also pulled their news."
"I asked, they said it was a self-initiated article, unrelated to 'Dong Ge Lan,' and they've banned that user."
"These scumbags now deliberately make fake news appear as user IDs. When something goes wrong, they shift blame to the user. It's utterly dishonorable."
"I knew the Knights were so harmonious, there was no way Tang Long would clash with the coach. These trash will do anything for traffic, they have no shame!"
"It's so good to be a fan of Tang Long. When fake news appears, they clarify it immediately!"
Tang Long's fans were having an incredibly good time. Which star would explain things to his fans immediately, answer every question directly, and show absolutely no airs of superstardom?
Soon, the phrase 'The Happy Troubles of Tang Long's Fans' hit the trending search.
As the fake news in China gradually died down, the entire Cavaliers team shut themselves in the training facility for intensive practice.
Having lost to the Lakers on the road in their last game, the Cavaliers were all fired up, determined to defeat the Lakers in the next match and avenge their loss!
On June 13th, at the pre-game press conference, Phil Jackson and Kobe Bryant appeared together.
After Phil Jackson made a brief statement, he handed the microphone to the reporters, allowing them to ask questions freely.
At this moment, a reporter stood up, holding the microphone, and asked, "Kobe, your shot attempts account for more than half of the team's total, and your shooting percentage directly impacts the team's win rate! We saw in the game against the Cavaliers that your shooting percentage was less than 45%. Do you think you're affecting the whole team?"
"Your name is Katherine, right? I heard Tang really dislikes you and has forbidden you from interviewing the Cavaliers."
Katherine had intended to deliberately stir up controversy to attract attention, but Kobe's remark completely broke her composure.
"Bias, this is pure bias! That's a popular player using his influence to prevent an honest reporter from covering the news. I will continue to fight against such unfairness!"
"Then continue fighting, just don't bother me!" Kobe shrugged. "Also, the Lakers will also ban your interviews from now on."
"This is unfair, this is your tyranny, I..."
As Katherine was still shouting, Lakers staff members turned off Katherine's microphone and handed the microphone to another reporter.
"This is disrespectful to journalists, I will call on my colleagues to boycott you."
Katherine was furious, stamping her feet and staring enviously at her colleague who had taken the microphone.
Reporters in the US were very united, especially when organizers prevented reporters from speaking or acted rudely and disrespectfully. In such cases, the reporters would all walk out in protest.
Even at White House press conferences, if someone was impolite to reporters, their colleagues would step in to continue asking questions.
However, something that made Katherine's jaw drop occurred.
Her colleagues not only did not stand by her side, but they also glared at her with disgust.
Katherine was utterly devastated.
"You... how can you compromise for just one report? I despise you."
Katherine grumbled as she left the press conference.
"You guys just wait."
With red eyes, Katherine stepped outside, took out her phone, and called her informant in the sports world.
"Dig everything up, no matter the cost. Anything about Tang, and that damned Cavaliers team! Oh, and now add some juicy material about the Lakers. Dig up everything."
...
"When everyone else hesitates, I must stand up. We might lose the game, but if no one steps up to encourage the whole team, we won't have a chance to win."
Kobe still answered the question, and the reporters were satisfied.
Afterward, Kobe answered other questions. Just as the last reporter stood up to ask a question, the staff took away the microphones, announcing that the press conference had run over time and they needed to conclude.
The reporter sighed regretfully, while some other reporters still held up their microphones, continuing to ask questions, all of whom were blocked by the staff.
"Wait!"
Kobe stopped the staff and gestured for him to give the microphone to that female reporter.
"You're Xiao Gen, right? Tang's friend?"
Xiao Gen nodded. "Yes, Kobe. Tang is my best friend, no one else."
Kobe looked at Xiao Gen with a smile and said, "It seems this best friend is very dear to you. Tang is a highly respected opponent. For his sake, I can let you ask one more question."
Xiao Gen's eyes lit up immediately. "Really, Kobe? Thank you so much!"
The reporters who had already planned to leave, seeing the staff hand the microphone back to Xiao Gen, looked on with envious eyes.
Getting exclusive interviews with the entire Cavaliers team, and being able to interview a popular league superstar at any time. Now, even after the press conference had ended, Kobe was willing to make an exception for her to ask another question. Such an honor was enviable.
They were all reporters, yet her interview privileges were outrageous.
Xiao Gen, feeling the envious gazes of her colleagues, became a little nervous. She took a deep breath before asking her first question.
"Kobe, if you had to choose, would you want the MVP or the championship?"
"The championship, of course!"
Kobe answered without hesitation.
Immediately afterward, Kobe's lips curled into a smile, and he looked at Xiao Gen, saying, "Xiao, if you had to choose, would you want the Lakers to win the championship? Or the Cavaliers?"
"Ah?"
Xiao Gen froze for a moment. This question was too tricky.
The reporters who were previously envious of her chuckled upon hearing this question and watched Xiao Gen with great interest.
This question was a minefield. Answering "the Lakers" would clearly offend the Cavaliers.
But if she supported the Cavaliers, she would offend the Lakers. Kobe had just made an exception to let her interview him; if she gave an unsatisfactory answer, she might also offend Kobe, and her future reporting career might become difficult.
"Never mind, I won't put you on the spot. Tell Tang Long later that both the Lakers and he deserve to win the championship and MVP. He's still young; he needs more time to grow."
With that, Kobe and Phil Jackson left the press conference.
Xiao Gen breathed a sigh of relief.
She had almost blurted out "Cavaliers." No matter what, it was because of Tang Long that she was quickly promoted from Fox and even got her own interview show.
But Kobe's warm gesture also made Xiao Gen understand why he was so popular!
So you can have the MVP, but the championship still belongs to Tang Long!
Xiao Gen struggled internally for a moment. After all, it was an undeniable fact that the prestige of an MVP was forever inferior to a championship!