NBA's King of Talking

Chapter 122 I Don't Want You to Leave

Interestingly, even before the game ended, chants of "Scott Brooks out!" were heard in the arena. Keep in mind this was the Grizzlies' home court; Grizzlies fans would almost never chant like that. Whether your coach is fired or not is none of our business. In fact, in a sense, the worse your coach is, the more beneficial it is for them.

So it's highly likely that the people chanting this slogan were Thunder fans. No wonder they were so frustrated; they thought the last game's victory was a sign of a comeback, but on the road they reverted to their old ways, losing in the exact same manner. This couldn't help but completely break their spirits.

It's infuriating that they can't even copy their own answers.

After the match, the away team's locker room was eerily quiet.

Durant declined to be interviewed and left the locker room early.

Reporters couldn't find anyone good to interview, and when they tried to interview Jia Fei and Reggie, they both declined. They didn't know what to say either; they were also frustrated with the match having progressed this far.

The Thunder returned to Oklahoma City that night, leaving Memphis without lingering and departing directly from this place of heartbreak.

Jia Fei received a message from Sharapova, filled with words of comfort that warmed his heart. He knew that although she had reached the final of the recent Madrid Open, she had been swept aside by Serena Williams.

It has to be said that Sharapova is truly considerate and caring. Even when he was down, she still knew to show concern for him. Given her status in the sports world, it is indeed not easy for her to do this.

It was late at night when Jia Fei returned to Oklahoma City. He went home, lay on the sofa, and remained motionless. He hated failure, and he really didn't want to experience a defeat like this again. This wasn't a case of "wanting to fight but being powerless to turn the tide"; he clearly had the ability, but the team simply didn't want to give him more opportunities.

Bored, he entered the system to exchange points. He currently had 2987 points, but a 1% increase in fusion level required 4000 points, so he obviously couldn't afford to exchange them and had to give up.

The next morning, Jia Fei received a call from Kemba Walker.

"Jia, the game is over, don't be sad. Art and I are in New York, come visit us!" Kemba Walker's continued concern for him warmed his heart.

"Uh... in a few days, I don't want to go out these next couple of days!" Jia Fei was telling the truth; he really wasn't in the mood right now, even though Kemba Walker meant well.

“Okay, you’re welcome to come anytime you want!” Kemba Walker said.

After ending the call with Kemba Walker, Reggie called and invited him to his house to play video games.

Jia Fei went, accompanied by Lamb. The three of them first ate at a restaurant downstairs from Reggie's house, and then went to play at Reggie's house.

Everyone tacitly agreed not to play NBA 2K or any other basketball-related games.

After playing for a while, they got bored, so Reggie ground coffee for Jiafei and Lamb.

As they drank coffee, the three inevitably started talking about the past, present, and future.

“Jia, your contract expires this summer. I’m curious to know if General Manager Presti offers you a satisfactory contract, would you choose to stay?” Reggie asked.

This was also the answer Lamb wanted to know, and he stared intently at Jia Fei.

Jia Fei gave a wry smile, then shook his head slightly.

Lamb and Reggie's faces immediately showed disappointment; it was clear they both wanted him to stay.

Seeing their expressions, Jia Fei knew they had misunderstood, and quickly explained, "I didn't mean I wouldn't stay, it's just that I don't know what the future holds."

Upon hearing this, Reggie and Lamb both breathed a sigh of relief.

Lamb laughed and scolded, "Go away, Ja, are you trying to scare us to death? We thought you didn't want to stay!"

Jia Fei also had his own unspoken grievances. It wasn't a question of whether he wanted to stay or not. If the coaching staff still didn't give him enough playing time and a prominent position on the court, what was the point of him staying? Was he just doing it out of love?

He genuinely hasn't made up his mind, and even if he did, what could he do? He doesn't have a player option, and he's out of contract for next season. If the Thunder want him to stay, they'll need to sign him to a new contract. The length and value of that contract, as well as offers from other teams, will all influence whether he stays or leaves.

Reggie can understand Jia Fei to some extent. The two have been teammates for two seasons, both being 2011 rookies, and now their status within the team is roughly the same.

“Jia, to be honest, if the team really doesn’t offer you a satisfactory contract, although I’ll miss you, as a friend I still hope you go to another team. Why stay and suffer this humiliation? Are you afraid that no team will want you if you have the ability?” Reggie said.

Lamb interjected, "Reggie, don't you want Ja to stay and play with us?"

"But just to play with us, should he really suffer and earn so much less money?" Reggie retorted.

Lamb couldn't answer. Indeed, this was the NBA, and the NBA is a business league. His perspective based on the NCAA was significantly flawed. In the NCAA, the league makes a lot of money, but the players don't earn much. They're really just using the platform; it's not much different from working for love.

Jia Fei smiled slightly and said to the two men, "Jeremy, Reggie, don't worry. If I really make a decision, I will let you know in advance. You are my best friends in Oklahoma City, and that will never change! I can also be honest with you: if the treatment is about the same, I will still choose to stay here."

Jia Fei's words pleased Reggie and Lamb, who certainly didn't want him to leave. They would most likely stay here next season unless the team traded them (which was unlikely).

That evening, Jia Fei received a message from Sharapova.

“Jia, I’m going to New York in two days for the launch of Coach’s new products. It’s a pity you’re in Oklahoma City, otherwise we would have had a chance to meet!” Sharapova wrote in her message.

New York? New product? These two words flashed through Jia Fei's mind. He suddenly remembered that Kemba Walker had invited him to New York, and Sharapova was also going to New York. This was a good opportunity to meet.

"Okay, that's a real shame. We'll definitely have a chance to meet!" Jia Fei didn't mention that he was also going to New York; he wanted to give her a surprise.

As a tennis beauty, Sharapova is not only a darling of major sports brands, but also of many fashion brands. Jia Fei didn't know when she had collaborated with Coach, but he had no doubt about her earning power.