Zeng Xingyang scored 44 points, 3 rebounds, and 3 assists today, sinking 10 three-pointers, overshadowing Westbrook’s performance.
After the host finished speaking, Kobe handed the trophy to Zeng Xingyang.
It seemed like a passing of the torch.
Zeng Xingyang first gave Kobe a half-hug, then raised the trophy with both hands.
"Click click click!!"
Zeng Xingyang can be considered the biggest winner of this year’s All-Star Game.
Not only did he win the MVP of the Rookie Challenge, but also the MVP of the All-Star Game.
The host came to Zeng Xingyang and asked, "Zeng, as a rookie, what are your thoughts on tonight?"
Zeng Xingyang took the microphone and said, "I am very grateful to my teammates for their support tonight. As a rookie, my teammates trusted me greatly and were willing to set up plays for me. Of course, I proved that I am one of the best players in the world."
"I know many people don’t like me, but that doesn’t matter. Come on, beat me on the court!"
Amidst the cheers, Zeng Xingyang called over Kobe, and the two exchanged jerseys.
James recorded a triple-double today with 22 points, 11 assists, and 10 rebounds.
It wasn’t that he didn’t perform well; rather, his teammates were at a CBA level.
Those who disliked Zeng Xingyang included Green and Cousins.
They felt uncomfortable being overshadowed by a rookie like Zeng Xingyang.
After the All-Star Game, Zeng Xingyang, along with Song Xue, specially invited Kobe’s family for dinner.
Kobe’s daughters were quite adorable, and GIGI expressed her admiration for Zeng Xingyang, sticking close to him throughout.
During the meal, Zeng Xingyang specifically expressed his curiosity to Kobe about his helicopter, stating his interest in purchasing one in the future.
Kobe was happy to explain some details about the procedures and options for buying a helicopter to Zeng Xingyang.
Of course, Zeng Xingyang didn’t truly want to buy a helicopter.
He was merely planning on finding an opportunity to prevent Kobe’s helicopter accident in advance.
Such an action was just a small effort for him at present.
Considering he was acquainted with Kobe now, he couldn’t bear to see such an accident appear in the news without doing anything.
When Zeng Xingyang flew back to Denver from Toronto, he discovered his giant posters on streets and highways.
Several restaurants and hotels even promoted free meals or lodging if Zeng Xingyang visited.
This, on another level, indicated that Zeng Xingyang’s popularity was further rising.
As a rookie, during his first All-Star journey, Zeng Xingyang won both the MVP of the Rookie Challenge and the MVP of the All-Star Game.
Such achievements kept Nuggets fans fervently pursuing Zeng Xingyang.
Zeng Xingyang in Denver was gradually resembling how Chicago fans followed Jordan back in the day.
Many local kids in Denver considered Zeng Xingyang their basketball deity.
It’s the same domestically, with many kids starting to discuss Zeng Xingyang on the court, emulating everything he did on the court.
Hamilton Heights Christian Academy in Tennessee.
SGA, set to graduate high school this year, was initially considering whether to accept a scholarship from the University of Florida.
After watching Zeng Xingyang’s madness at the All-Star Game, he decided to try for the University of Kentucky.
As a four-star high school athlete, he hadn’t received a scholarship from the University of Kentucky and still had to undergo selection.
The reason for choosing Kentucky was because SGA saw a template.
His physical talents were worse than his own.
But after college, he burst out with tremendous energy and transitioned smoothly into the NBA, taking the path he had previously walked; it surely wouldn’t go wrong.
Though SGA looked thin, he had great confidence in his technical abilities, believing he would become an NBA All-Star sooner or later.
Currently, Zeng Xingyang became SGA’s target.
After the All-Star Game, the season reached the final sprint stage.
At this time, teams aiming for the playoffs and those considering tanking were all playing desperately.
The Nuggets had 27 games remaining, and if they maintained their current win rate, they’d smoothly enter the playoffs.
But among these 27 matches, there were numerous strong teams and playoff-edge teams, all poised to present plenty of challenges for the Nuggets.
The next opponent for the Nuggets was the Kings, not quite part of the listed contenders, as the Kings’ record stood at 22 wins and 31 losses, with slim playoff hopes.
Still, the Kings weren’t a tanking team, making victory more challenging.
After a two-day break, the Nuggets assembled in Sacramento a day before the game.
Cousins, during an interview, disparaged Zeng Xingyang, "Sacramento is not the territory for that rookie. The people here revere true physical confrontations, are fond of tough basketball, not limp three-point shooting."
Cousins wasn’t just resentful towards Zeng Xingyang; he also had grievances against the three-point styles of Curry and Thompson.
However, the Warriors and Nuggets were both strong teams now, and defeating them posed a significant challenge for the Kings.
The Kings faced an awkward situation.
Regarding rebuilding, they had Cousins, a core super-center on their team.
As for scrapping the roster, they were reluctant since Cousins was, after all, still an All-Star, with his points per game ranking fifth this season.
Thus, the Kings’ management acquired Rondo and Guy, hoping to boost the team’s strength.
If improvement wasn’t seen this season, then a complete overhaul would be necessary.
One hour before the Nuggets vs. Kings game.