Chapter 124: All-Star Voting King.
"Scarlett, I want to drink your bathwater!"
On January 17th, at the 68th Golden Globe Awards held at the Beverly Hills Hilton Hotel in Hollywood, Kevin Durant got excited and posted this statement on social media after seeing Scarlett Johansson arrive in a deep V-neck dress.
This immediately sparked endless jokes and ridicule.
After playing Black Widow in 'Iron Man 2' last year, Scarlett's popularity skyrocketed, and she was named America's sexiest woman. Durant, a rising star in the NBA, reacted like a typical fanboy.
Not long after, Scarlett Johansson responded on social media.
"If you win the 2011 NBA championship, I don't mind letting you drink my bathwater."
At 26 years old, Scarlett wasn't phased at all—this was small talk for an American actress.
Durant, on the other hand, was beyond thrilled. The national goddess responded to him so quickly—there had to be something between them!
…
"Three times max tonight," Taylor warned, leaning against Han Sen in her cozy New York penthouse. She felt his strong arms wrap around her as she glanced up, a mix of affection and a little exasperation in her eyes.
The Grizzlies were in town for their game against the Knicks, and with Taylor having no early engagements the next day, the couple finally had some precious time alone. The chemistry between them was undeniable, and sparks flew every time they were together.
"I'm serious, Han. Last time, I could barely move for a week," she said, her lips curving into a playful smile as she tried to set boundaries.
Han Sen's hand, however, didn't seem to be paying attention to her words. Taylor laughed softly, shaking her head. He just couldn't help himself. His energy was... relentless.
"Okay, okay," Han Sen nodded, though his mischievous grin said otherwise.
Later, as they lay tangled up together, Taylor shot him a frustrated look. "You said you'd keep it to three!" Her voice had that playful tone, but she was visibly spent.
Han Sen, leaning back against the pillows, shrugged with a sheepish grin. "I did. But, I mean, you didn't say how intense they could be."
He had held back a lot, but the [Classical Master] had significantly boosted his core strength.
Taylor rolled her eyes. "I swear, you're going to drive me insane." She lightly swatted his chest but cuddled closer, feeling the steady rhythm of his heartbeat. It was impossible to stay mad at him, especially with the way he made her feel.
"Well, I can't help it," Han Sen chuckled, glancing at her affectionately. "The way you look when you're focused... It's intoxicating." His hand gently traced patterns on her skin.
Taylor's face softened, letting out a deep, satisfied sigh. "You're impossible."
After a peaceful silence, she propped herself up on her elbow, her gaze serious but with that playful glint she always had. "I've got a concert next week. I want you to come."
Han Sen looked at her, raising a brow. "Yeah? You sure you want me to be there?"
Taylor leaned in, brushing her lips softly against his before whispering, "Actually… I was thinking maybe we could use it to get you some more votes. Make sure you get that All-Star starter spot." She grinned.
The second round of All-Star voting results had already been released. Han Sen had been pushed down to third place by Chris Paul.
Their votes had been close, and after Han offended Spurs fans earlier, they shifted their votes to Paul, knowing that Parker and Ginobili had little chance of starting, all to prevent him from becoming a Western Conference All-Star starter.
This was also due to the backlash from Han skipping the 2010 FIBA World Championship.
With the national team only making it to the round of 16, the media praised the effort of the team and the federation while labeling him as selfish.
The media in his home country had since given him the cold shoulder, with news coverage of him being limited or even outright negative.
Since the Grizzlies weren't the Cavaliers and Han wasn't LeBron James, it was hard for fans to follow him unless they actively searched for news.
Fan groups? They were nothing compared to the power of the media.
This near-blackout approach was the most damaging.
After all, he was playing overseas, and there was still a figurative wall between China and the U.S.
As for the haters, after realizing that their efforts to vote Han into the All-Star starting lineup last time had backfired, they weren't keen to repeat that mistake.
So while there were still votes coming in from his home country, it wasn't a massive movement, and combined with the NBA's new adjustment to Chinese voting ratios, Han was overtaken.
"Deal," Han Sen smirked, pulling her in for a kiss. She truly did think a lot about him.
When it came to basketball-related matters, he was never shy.
Besides, if he had already clapped back at the reporters before, he would only go harder if given the chance.
As her hand slid up his chest, she suddenly pulled back, narrowing her eyes suspiciously. "What are you doing now?"
"I haven't taken a shower yet…"
"No worries, let's take one together," Han Sen's grin widened.
Taylor laughed, shaking her head in disbelief.
…
A week later, Swift held a fan appreciation concert in New York.
Though it was a small concert, and the venue had been moved to the comparatively tiny Madison Square Garden, it still sold out completely.
Thanks to the success of her 'Fearless' world tour with 118 performances, Swift's popularity skyrocketed, solidifying her as a top-tier artist.
As the lights dimmed, Han sat in the VIP box, taking in the electric atmosphere.
Though they had been together for over two months, this was the first time he had attended one of her concerts in person. Actually, it was the first concert he had ever attended in both his lifetimes.
There was something magical about seeing her on stage, under the bright lights, captivating the entire audience with every note.
She shone with a glow that was impossible to look away from.
The setlist built up to a crescendo, song after song driving the crowd wild. Then, the opening chords of Love Story rang out, sending the audience into a frenzy.
Taylor's voice echoed through the venue, the lyrics carrying a story that felt personal and real.
Han took a deep breath and left the VIP box, making his way to the stage. He had rehearsed this moment, but now that it was happening, his pulse raced with excitement.
As Taylor reached the chorus—"It's a love story, baby, just say yes"—the music abruptly stopped, catching everyone off guard. A hush fell over the crowd.
Then, in an instant, a spotlight found Han as he stood at the edge of the stage.
Gasps and whispers rippled through the audience as his face appeared on the massive LED screens, handsome and clear, no longer just a figure in paparazzi photos but a real person, right there with them.
But surprisingly, his Hater System didn't react much.
It seemed that the fans at this concert were die-hard Swifties.
Han began walking toward Taylor, each step met with louder cheers and applause. The fans could feel the anticipation, the romance in the air.
As he reached the center of the stage, Taylor extended her hand, and he took it, their fingers interlacing as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
Standing together, with the stage lights glowing around them like a halo, the moment seemed to stretch on forever. It was as if, for those few seconds, they were the only two people in the entire arena.
With a smile that could light up the darkest room, Taylor raised her microphone to her lips.
"I have a promise to make," she said, her voice steady but filled with emotion. "If Han gets voted as an NBA All-Star starter, I'll perform at the halftime show."
The crowd erupted, and Han turned to her in surprise, a genuine, unguarded expression on his face.
She hadn't told him about this plan—it was a spontaneous act of love, a gesture so very her: unpredictable, bold, and full of heart.
He leaned in and kissed her, and the arena seemed to hold its breath, captivated by the connection between them.
The lights dimmed, and the music swelled back in, bringing Love Story to a climactic finish. As the last notes faded, the cheers of the audience roared back to life, louder than ever.
In that moment, as they stood hand in hand, Han knew this night would be remembered as one of the most romantic gestures he had ever experienced.
And he could feel it—no matter how many votes came in from Spurs fans or anyone else, this was going to change everything.
Taylor had just given him the ultimate assist, and with her by his side, there was no doubt he would be in the All-Star lineup.
…
Two days later, the third round of All-Star voting results were announced, and Han Sen's votes had already surpassed Paul's, trailing just behind Kobe.
If it weren't for the changes in the over-seas voting systems, Han Sen might have even overtaken Kobe.
However, at this time, the Grizzlies received some bad news.
Gay had dislocated his shoulder after being hit by Anderson.
There were two treatment options for this injury: conservative treatment or surgery.
Surgery would require a recovery period of 4-6 months, which would mean Gay's season was over.
Gay initially hoped to recover through conservative treatment, especially since the Grizzlies were having a strong season and he was on the verge of making his first career playoff appearance.
However, his recovery wasn't going well, and after more than half a month with little progress, he was ultimately forced to undergo surgery.
After Gay's adjustment to his playing style this season, his importance to the Grizzlies was undeniable.
Losing him suddenly was a significant blow to the team.
Han Sen was furious when he heard the news.
"Damn it, don't let me see the Spurs in the playoffs, or I'll take them down!"
Gay's season-ending injury also caught the Grizzlies' management off guard.
They had no choice but to target the trade market in search of potential deals.
Hollins was troubled as well; the Grizzlies already had few scoring options, and with the scoring ability of their bench players, it would be tough to fill the gap.
Until management could figure out a trade, he had no choice but to follow the previous strategy and have Sam Young step in.
Young was a lower-tier version of Gay. His ball-handling wasn't great, his coordination wasn't the best, and he lacked a consistent three-point shot. However, he did have a decent mid-range game and played defense with energy.
On this rest day, Han Sen was working on his mid-range shooting.
After a round of shooting, he sat down at the sideline to rest.
It had been over a month since he obtained the [Classical Master] talent, and his training progress had reached expectations, but it still didn't feel fast enough.
When he trained his three-point shot, it took the whole summer. At this rate, he might not get there before the end of the season.
It seemed that he would need to ask West to be his training partner again soon.
From previous training sessions, he learned that practicing under defensive pressure always produced better results.
After training ended, he returned to the locker room and, after showering, was surprised to find Tony Allen there.
Judging by Allen's sweaty appearance, he had just finished a strength workout.
Allen had joined the Grizzlies with him last summer, but because of their past experiences and competition for the same position, they hadn't really talked much.
But now that he saw Allen, Han Sen had an idea.
After all, when it came to defensive skills, Allen was much better than West.
He rummaged through his locker and found an unopened MP3 player.
"Tony," Han Sen called out with a smile, walking over to Allen.
Allen looked a bit surprised by Han's sudden friendliness, unsure how to respond.
"I endorsed this Walkman brand recently, and they sent me some products. I'm not much of a music guy, so it's just sitting there going to waste," Han Sen explained, holding out the Walkman.
The endorsement Thomas had arranged for Han Sen was with a local Memphis company, not a major brand, but the product was well-made and stylish.
Most NBA players have a love for music, and Allen was probably no exception.
Han Sen thought he had a chance, so he sat down next to Allen.
"I'm training right now, but I'm missing a partner. Would you be interested in joining?"
"Sure."
He had planned to say more, figuring the Walkman would be a good icebreaker.
He didn't expect Allen to agree so quickly.
But it was good news; there was no need to ask more questions. Han grinned and handed the device to Allen.
However, Allen's response caught him off guard.
"I'm not really into music either."
So, it turned out Allen was in the minority.
"Then why did you agree?" Han Sen asked curiously.
"I want more playing time. I want to make it into the starting lineup," he said firmly.
Gay's injury was bad news for the Grizzlies, but for Allen, it was an opportunity.
Though, in theory, Gay's replacement would be a small forward like Sam Young.
But Han Sen was 6'7" (2.01 meters) in shoes, weighing 215 pounds (98 kg), so he could swing to the small forward position.
Han Sen certainly couldn't decide who started, but training with him could help Allen refine his defense and improve his game.
So, they had a common goal.
Han handed the Walkman to Allen and said, "See you tomorrow."
Allen's defensive skills were well-known; he was aware of that even last season.
His problem was his offensive game, which was so weak that teams often treated it like 4-on-5 basketball, making him a 'backup option' for most coaches.
The Grizzlies signed him as a backup for Han Sen, too.
Since Han Sen had stayed healthy, Hollins had no reason to rely on a backup with limited offensive skills.
But that wasn't Han Sen's concern. He wasn't LeBron James, managing teammates' playing time.
All he needed was for Allen to agree to train with him.
Once Allen joined the training sessions, Han Sen could clearly feel the improvement.
In on-ball defense, Allen was absolutely elite.
It wasn't just about technique; Allen seemed to have endless energy on defense. His focus and confidence impressed Han Sen.
This was something Han hadn't understood before, or perhaps Gay's injury truly was a chance for Allen.
---
By late January, the fourth and final round of All-Star voting results were announced.
Kobe led with 2.38 million votes, making him the top vote-getter.
Han Sen secured 2.18 million votes, right behind Kobe, outpacing Howard (2.09 million) and James (2.05 million) to become the runner-up.
This meant he would be joining Kobe as the starting backcourt for the Western Conference.
Notably, he became the first player in NBA history to start the All-Star Game for different conferences in his first two seasons.
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East Starters: Rose, Wade, James, Stoudemire, Howard
East Reserves: Rondo, Ray Allen, Pierce, Garnett, Bosh, Joe Johnson, Horford
East Coach: Thibodeau
West Starters: Kobe, Han Sen, Durant, Anthony, Yao
West Reserves: Paul, Deron Williams, Ginobili, Gasol, Duncan, Nowitzki, Griffin
West Coach: Popovich
Author's Note: Gay missing the season is based on historical events. When the Grizzlies completed the eighth-seed upset, he wasn't playing.
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