Chapter 115: Chapter 115: Who Cares About the Silver Medal?
As they stepped down from the podium, the USA and XB men's basketball teams felt a sense of disappointment. They hadn't lost to a team; they had lost to one man.
Especially the USA team, with their incredibly strong lineup this year, only managing to win the silver medal was hard to accept.
Losing to the XB men's basketball team wouldn't have been as painful. After all, the XB team was also strong overall. But the Chinese men's basketball team, aside from Wade Dong, consisted of players whose names they couldn't even remember.
After stepping down from the podium, LeBron James approached Wade Dong.
Wade Dong and LeBron James embraced, and Wade Dong patted his shoulder, saying, "Idol, today we were lucky to beat you. I can't maintain such a high three-point shooting percentage every game."
"You are already the greatest three-point shooter in history," LeBron James said. "You just need to accumulate more accolades. After a few seasons in the league, Allen and Miller won't be able to compare to you. Even Bird, I feel, is a bit weaker than you."
"Hahaha..."
Wade Dong laughed, "Those words would be more satisfying if they came from the three of them directly."
Of course, tonight's performance wouldn't always be there. If it weren't for the Olympic final, Wade Dong wouldn't have chosen to spend 150 talent points to win the game.
If it were a regular season game, being down by 33 points in the third quarter, Wade Dong would probably have been benched.
Of course, no one questioned Wade Dong's efficiency in the fourth quarter. After all, Wade Dong showing off like this had happened more than once. In the game against the EL men's basketball team, he didn't step inside the three-point line the entire game, making 21 out of 32 three-pointers. This set the stage for tonight's fourth quarter.
Gasol, Kobe, and a few others also came to congratulate Wade Dong. It wasn't that they intentionally ignored Guo Qi, Yi Nan, and the others; they simply weren't familiar with them. In the eyes of the strong, there are only the strong.
If Kevin Durant had come to congratulate Guo Qi on winning the Olympic gold medal, it would have been awkward. Guo Qi might not even be able to tell if Kevin Durant was complimenting or mocking him.
The Chinese men's basketball team defeating the USA team to win the gold medal broke the USA's monopoly in this event.
This event was almost as shocking as China winning the 100-meter sprint gold medal at the Olympics.
So, in an instant, the Chinese men's basketball team became national heroes, especially Wade Dong, who scored 90 points in a single game, becoming a hero among heroes.
...
The afternoon was busy. After the award ceremony, reporters surrounded Wade Dong.
Anna was an intern sports reporter, a third-year university student assigned to cover the men's basketball news. She was lucky; her first assignment was to cover the men's basketball team winning the gold medal.
"Brother Dong, Brother Dong!"
As soon as Wade Dong stepped down from the podium, Anna and her cameraman stopped him.
"Hello~"
Wade Dong knew she was a sports reporter and that the interview was likely being broadcast live in China, so he was very polite.
Anna faced the camera and said into the microphone, "Ladies and gentlemen, I am very excited right now because I have witnessed a great victory. The men's basketball team has won the Olympic gold medal for the first time."
"Now, I will interview the biggest contributor to this victory."
After saying that, Anna turned the microphone to Wade Dong, "Brother Dong, please say hello to the audience."
"Hello, everyone in the motherland!"
Wade Dong smiled and waved at the camera. At that moment, Yi Nan and Chen Jiang also appeared in the frame, making funny faces. Wade Dong laughed and shooed them away.
Anna said, "Congratulations to the men's basketball team on winning the gold medal. Brother Dong, do you have anything to say to the audience?"
"This was a very difficult game," Wade Dong said. "Our overall strength is weaker than the USA team, and we must acknowledge that! So, winning the gold medal involved some luck, and that luck came from the support of billions of fans in the motherland."
"Well said!!!"
The Chinese audience, hearing Wade Dong's words, all cheered and applauded. Acknowledging their weaker strength but still winning—that was because of the fans' prayers...
Otherwise, why was Brother Dong's three-point shooting so accurate in the fourth quarter?
So many people couldn't defend against it! Especially the game-winning shot, catching the ball in mid-air, turning, and fading away—this move would be impossible for an ordinary person to even attempt. Brother Dong not only made the shot but also scored against the defense of Kobe and LeBron!
This shot was the most difficult three-pointer Wade Dong attempted in the entire game! It was even more challenging than the cross-court super three-pointer.
"Brother Dong is being modest," Anna said. "Everyone saw you score 90 points in the game, making 14 out of 14 three-pointers in the fourth quarter, and scoring the game-winning shot against the USA team."
"I used all my strength," Wade Dong said with a laugh.
The interview was brief. Finally, Anna asked, "After winning the Olympic gold medal, who do you want to thank the most?"
This question is often asked by reporters.
So, Wade Dong casually replied, "First, I want to thank the country. Second, I want to thank my parents and my girlfriend. Of course, I also want to thank the fans who support me."
"Thank you, Brother Dong, for the interview!"
Anna said this, and the camera moved away.
But in China, the audience caught a piece of information: Wade Dong had a girlfriend!
"No way!!!"
A chorus of female fans' wails echoed from the TV screens.
How could Brother Dong have a girlfriend? Brother Dong is mine... That night, many female fans were sure to be sleepless, and a small number of male fans might also have trouble sleeping.
After interviewing Wade Dong, Anna also interviewed Yi Nan, Wang Xin, and Zhu Gui, as they were considered veterans of the Chinese men's basketball team.
When the interview ended and the camera was turned off, Anna suddenly called out to Wade Dong, "Senior, wait a moment."
"Hmm?"
Wade Dong turned around, puzzled, looking at this intern reporter who was about 1.6 meters tall but had a very curvaceous figure.
Anna quietly stood in front of Wade Dong and looked up at him, asking, "Senior, do you remember me?"
"No, I don't," Wade Dong shook his head. Was he supposed to be familiar with this reporter?
Anna wasn't offended and extended her hand, "Then let's get to know each other again. I'm Anna, a third-year journalism student at Yanjing University."
"Oh, oh," Wade Dong shook Anna's hand briefly and then let go, "So, you're my junior."
Anna joked, "How could you not recognize me, Senior? I'm known as the second most beautiful girl at Yanjing University."
"Second most beautiful? Isn't there only one most beautiful girl?" Wade Dong raised an eyebrow and smiled, "Besides, everyone only remembers the champion. Who cares about the silver medalist?"
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