Chapter 82: The Future is Yours.
The All-Star individual contests take place on the second day of the All-Star Weekend, and today, Han Sen is participating in the three-point contest.
This year's All-Star game is special because the main game isn't held at the Mavericks' home court, the American Airlines Center, but in the Cowboys Stadium, which can hold 100,000 spectators. This crowd size will set a world record in basketball history, surpassing even the NCAA Finals.
Of course, that's for the main event later. The celebrity game, rookie game, and individual contests are still held at the American Airlines Center. However, fans who traveled far won't settle for just one main game, so the arena is completely packed for today's contests as well.
It's so crowded that servers struggle to deliver food and drinks, eventually leading to the suspension of that service. This is probably the most intense atmosphere in the history of NBA individual contests.
After the Shooting Stars competition and the Skills Challenge, the three-point contest is up next.
The six participants in the three-point contest include Han Sen, Steph Curry, and Paul Pierce, along with last year's champion Daequan Cook, Chauncey Billups from the Denver Nuggets, and Channing Frye from the Phoenix Suns.
As the players prepare, reporters come to interview them. Soon, a reporter approaches Han Sen.
When Han Sen appears on camera, a wave of boos echoes from the crowd. In terms of being a love-hate figure, Han Sen stands alone.
"What are your expectations for this contest?" the reporter asked with a professional smile.
"I think at this very moment, there's only one quote from my idol, Larry Bird, that perfectly captures how I feel."
Larry Bird's your idol?
The reporter was caught off guard; she had never heard him mention Bird before, but something already felt off.
"I just want to ask the other contestants... are you all here to fight for second place?!"
Before Han Sen could finish, the crowd erupted in boos. He just smiled, raising his arms to welcome the wave of jeers— no, hater points.
This feeling was it— the fuel that made him feel like he could fly.
"Did I hear that right?" Over at the commentary booth, Magic Johnson's eyes were wide open.
It had been years since he'd felt this level of showmanship.
"We gotta admit, he might be telling the truth— but too bad Michael isn't here tonight!" Barkley chuckled beside him.
My idol, Bird.
Han Sen's over-the-top comments finally had a source. Too bad for Jordan, who'd been looking for Bird-type player for years; they could have just picked him with the twelfth pick this year.
As the contestants did their final prep, other players had various stars in their corner chatting them up— except Han Sen, who was left solo, courtesy of his pre-game bravado.
"Don't worry. I got faith in you," Shaq said, putting down his camera and walking over to give Han Sen a supportive pat on the back.
"Relax. Easy win," Han Sen said with confidence, making Shaq burst into laughter. He patted Han Sen on the shoulder, then went back to his camera, ready to catch it all.
Han Sen was up first.
He looks completely unbothered—because he is. If he loses, the haters will have a field day. If he wins, they'll hate him even more! Either way, he wins, so why would he feel any pressure?
Besides, Han Sen has been using three-point contests to evaluate his shooting ability since his NCAA days. It was the same format he used when he had Chris Rondo record his perfect 25-shot video to send to Barkley.
While his overall three-point shooting might not match Steph Curry's— the latter's ball-handling is superior— the three-point contest isn't always won by players like him. Often, it's the role players who come out on top.
Why? Because all they have to do is focus on making threes.
Han Sen doesn't have much to do on the Cavaliers, and with their emphasis on three-point shooting, his skill is more than enough.
In the contest, there are five spots, each with five balls: four regular balls worth 1 point each, and one money ball worth 2 points. A perfect score is 30 points. Players can choose to start from the left or right corner, and Han Sen chooses the right corner.
As his hands hover over the first ball, the arena goes silent. While the crowd may not like Han Sen, they aren't going to disrupt him— they want to see if he can back up his words.
With the referee's whistle, Han starts shooting.
From picking up the ball to jumping and releasing, everything feels just like his practice.
After finishing the first rack, he hits four out of five, missing only the money ball. But that's enough to shock the crowd, and the commentators' eyes widen in disbelief.
Usually, the first player at the first spot struggles to get into rhythm, but Han Sen looks like a machine.
When he hits four out of five again at the second spot, including the money ball this time, the crowd can't contain their excitement. The commentators aren't just wide-eyed now— they're open-mouthed as well.
Han Sen's performance is rock-solid, almost unnaturally so!
In the three-point contest, it's less about shooting ability and more about rhythm, experience, and mental state. Jordan once scored only five points in this contest— not because his three-point shooting was bad— but because his rhythm was off. He finished his shots with 10 seconds left, which suggests he hadn't practiced specifically for this contest.
But Han Sen, on the other hand, has the rhythm, the confidence, and the experience. This doesn't look like his first contest— it looks like he's showcasing his signature skill!
At the third spot, he struggles a bit, hitting only two out of five, but he nails the money ball. Finally, the crowd lets out a sigh of relief— he's human after all.
Yet that relief is short-lived. After adjusting, Han Sen hits four out of five at the fourth spot, bringing his score to 16.
At the final spot, Han Sen's performance continues to dazzle, with each made shot eliciting gasps from the crowd.
"18 points… 19… 20… 21… 23!" Mike Breen counts aloud as Han Sen drains shot after shot.
When the final money ball swishes through the net, the crowd erupts.
A perfect final rack! Even the stars in the front row stand and applaud.
Shaq is grinning ear to ear, excitedly snapping pictures with his camera like a giant baby.
Was Han Sen just being arrogant? No, this dude is the real deal!
"That was just the preliminaries," Kenny Smith reminds everyone, being the voice of reason.
The next contestant, Frye, steps up, looking tense. He finishes with only 11 points, a disappointment for the Suns' top shooter this season.
Then Cook, the defending champion, surprises everyone with a mere 13 points.
Curry, who follows, takes deep breaths before starting. Only now do people realize the immense pressure Han Sen's trash talk and 23-point performance have put on the other contestants.
"He wasn't lying— he's the next Larry Bird," Johnson says, finally coming to his senses.
Back in the day, Bird only needed 17 points to win the contest, but his trash talk had thrown everyone else off their game. Han Sen seems to have inherited Bird's swagger in more ways than one.
Curry, under the weight of expectation, struggles at first, hitting only two of his first five shots, and missing the money ball. The pressure is palpable.
The crowd murmurs— if this continues, Han Sen's victory seems inevitable. To win while being so cocky— it's infuriating!
But Curry turns it around at the second rack, sinking four out of five shots, and then goes three-for-five at the top of the key, hitting the money ball as well.
He's slow to warm up, but he's coming to life!
By the end, Curry finishes with 18 points— not enough to surpass Han Sen, but a solid score compared to Frye and Cook.
As Curry steps off the court, Han Sen stands and gives him a high five. Curry is surprised but appreciates the gesture— it's a genuine sign of respect from Han Sen.
Curry handled the pressure well. It's not just the "small ball era" that's made him a star— he's got the mindset to back it up.
Curry's success lifts some of the pressure off the remaining contestants.
Next up is Billups, who finishes with 17 points.
Now, all the pressure is on Paul Pierce.
According to the rules, only the top three players advance to the finals, meaning Pierce needs at least 17 points to move on.
Before his turn, Pierce glances at Han Sen, who smiles back and points at the scoreboard.
The message is clear: Don't choke, my number one hater!
Pierce manages to keep his cool, scoring 18 points, just enough to make it to the finals.
Known for his clutch performances, Pierce has 11 career game-winners and five buzzer-beaters. He lives up to his reputation by nailing the final shot, securing his spot in the finals.
After his final shot, Pierce glances back at Han Sen with a smirk. He may have scored fewer points than Han Sen's 23, but in the finals, it's a clean slate.
Han Sen, ever the showman, gives Pierce a slow clap from the sidelines.
Breen chuckles at the playful exchange: "So it'll be Han Sen, Curry, and Pierce in the finals, huh?"
"This is the NBA I love," Barkley adds, thoroughly entertained by the drama.
"I'm calling it now— Pierce is going home with the trophy," Johnson declares with a grin.
"Care to bet on it?" Barkley shoots back.
Before we even reach the finals, this contest has become the highlight of the night!
---
After the preliminary round, Han Sen, Curry, and Pierce advanced to the finals, with their order determined by their scores, from lowest to highest.
There was a five-minute break between the preliminaries and finals, during which a reporter approached Han Sen again.
"Is there anything you'd like to say to your opponents now?" the reporter asked, knowing just the right question.
"I hope they enjoy the competition," Han Sen replied, leaving everyone stunned.
Is this the same guy who just quoted his idol Larry Bird with all that trash talk?
Maybe he's just parroting Bird's words? But as everyone wondered, Han Sen's next comment stirred the crowd into another round of boos.
"After all, I'm not the one starting first this time."
The reporter instinctively took a small step back; this guy's aura of arrogance was overwhelming.
"I've said it before— he's the next Bird," Johnson laughed at the commentator's desk.
The finals began with Pierce stepping up first.
Living up to his reputation, Pierce showed his poise under pressure and scored even better than in the prelims, netting a solid 20 points—the second-highest score of the night so far, setting off a round of cheers.
With 24 previous editions of the NBA's three-point contest, only nine champions had scored above 20. With 20 points, Pierce had a strong 50% chance of winning.
As he left the court, Pierce shot Han Sen a challenging look. 'Testing nerves? You're too green for this, rookie!'
Han Sen's reaction surprised Pierce; he simply gave Pierce a big thumbs-up. 'Nicely done. No wonder you're my top hater!'
Pierce rose to the challenge, but Curry faltered under the pressure. Between Han Sen's taunts and Pierce's high score, it was a lot for a rookie to handle.
He finished with 17 points, leaving him out of the running. Now, it was Han Sen's turn.
As Han Sen stood up, he was greeted by familiar boos. At this rate, in a couple of years, he'd be the player version of 'Stern', showing up to a guaranteed chorus of boos.
But he smiled, looking relaxed. The competition this year wasn't that intense. Sure, Curry was here, but he was still a rookie. If he were up against a prime Curry and Thompson, he'd feel the heat. For now, his biggest competitor was himself.
In the prelims, he'd stumbled a bit on his third rack, showing a bit of nerves. He wasn't a machine, after all.
After steadying himself, Han Sen walked to the right side of the half-court and prepared.
Beep! The finals had officially begun.
On his first rack, he wasn't as sharp as in the prelims, hitting only three out of five, though he did sink the money ball.
The crowd, noticing his slight slip, started to feel hope for Pierce.
But as he reached the second rack, that doubt disappeared.
From the third ball on the second rack to the second ball on the fourth rack, Han Sen hit every shot. It was a downpour of threes.
The crowd went wild. Han Sen was born for the three-point contest!
By the end of the fourth rack, Han Sen was sitting at 20 points. As he moved to the final rack, he could feel his hater points skyrocketing.
'This is the feeling! Pure exhilaration!'
On the last rack, Han Sen scored four out of five, finishing with a total of 24 points!
This put him in second place among all-time three-point contest champions, just behind Kapono's 25 in 2008.
When the last money ball bounced off the rim, Han Sen showed only a hint of regret before turning and raising his arms with a smile, welcoming the cheers.
He might attract hate, but he truly delivered.
This isn't humiliation; it's domination!
"From now on, I'm a fan— don't try to stop me!" Barkley yelled from the commentator's table, grabbing Kenny Smith's hand in excitement.
Kenny laughed heartily, realizing that Barkley's previous banter had always been fan behavior in disguise.
The other contestants joined in, applauding Han Sen. They'd lost fair and square.
Aside from his bold opening remarks, Han Sen had given Curry a high-five and a thumbs-up to Pierce, showing real class.
Shortly after, the championship trophy presentation took place.
Accepting the trophy, Han Sen gave a short speech.
"I want to thank my coach, Mike Brown, whose three-point drills are probably the toughest in the league."
Mike Brown, on vacation at home, suddenly sneezed, not expecting to be the first to get a shout-out from Han Sen.
The crowd was a bit surprised, too; the news made it sound like Han Sen and Brown didn't get along well. It just showed more of Han Sen's character.
"Next, I want to thank the fans," Han Sen continued, knowing they'd contributed to his hater points.
"Your presence is our greatest motivation. This trophy belongs to each one of you, too."
The crowd broke into applause.
Han Sen might be cocky, but he sure knew how to play it.
"And lastly, I want to thank one person."
He glanced over to the players, his gaze lingering on Pierce.
Pierce was caught off guard, feeling an odd sense of impending crisis, only to realize he'd been mistaken when Han Sen's gaze shifted to Curry.
'This guy... he's doing it on purpose!' Pierce clenched his teeth in frustration.
Looking at Curry, Han Sen's face turned sincere:
"Steph, the future's yours."
Two kids from Akron, both deserving of the same praise given to LeBron.
Thunderous applause erupted.
Although Han Sen, like Curry, was just a rookie, he was now a three-point contest champion.
This was the highest recognition one champion could give to a rising star.
Weekly Power Status
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Ranking 
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