Basketball Legend: When Pride Still Matters

While most players were still recovering from their game, Yu Fei's competitive state had already reached match standard.

Facing Jordan's offense, Yu Fei guarded each movement perfectly, eventually forcing his opponent to pass the ball.

"Passing the ball?" Yu Fei trash-talked Jordan unreservedly, "Steve Kerr isn't here."

No sooner had he finished than Chris Whitney's three-point attempt clanged off the rim.

Jordan had to redirect his fury at Whitney, "What the hell are you doing?!"

"What good does it do you to provoke Michael like that?" Coach Lu asked.

He wanted to persuade Yu Fei to stop.

"You're wrong, he likes it," Yu Fei snorted, "Just look at how he treats Kwame. Instead of being passive, I'd rather take the initiative!"

Yu Fei was quickly struck down by divine retribution.

When he tried a low-post move on White, Jordan, anticipating this, double-teamed him and with a chop that contained a decade of skills, he knocked the ball away.

Jordan's coast-to-coast counterattack missed, but Johnny Bach called a ticky-tack foul on Yu Fei for a failed chase-down block attempt.

Jordan's brows relaxed and he mocked Yu Fei viciously, "You're even stupider than Karl Malone, that clueless bastard who only cares about scoring and not defending!"

How dare you bring up that steal from Karl?

Calling that push-and-shoot 'The Shot' really messes everything up!

Yu Fei completely entered the realm of a qualified Generation Z (born between 1997 and 2012/pre-time travel Yu Fei) basketball fan. As someone who had no good impressions of Jordan, his dislike multiplied after meeting him, turning into a true "Anti-Mike."

"Indeed, I'm not Karl, and Karl isn't you. Who else can shove people around and get the refs to not let anyone touch you?" Yu Fei retorted mockingly, "You'd better make both free throws."

When it comes to free throws, Jordan is above average among superstars. At his peak, his free-throw shooting percentage reached 85%, with a career average of 83.5%, which is quite stable. However, today's scrimmage was Jordan's first intense confrontation since 1998, very different from the practice games in Chicago where he rehabbed. Artest, that blind fool, could just throw his weight around and break his ribs, indicating how much his body had been hollowed by wine and women over the years.

Jordan's first free throw was good, but he missed the second.

Yu Fei leaped up, snatched the defensive rebound with one hand, and upon landing, he immediately took off, racing down the court so fast that Ratner had no chance to foul him and he burst past the backcourt three-point line.

"Cassidy!" Jordan shouted.

White was the only one in a good defensive position, but he wanted nothing to do with Yu Fei.

Because Yu Fei was charging at full speed, if White attempted a hard stop at that moment, regardless of success, the risk of injury would increase significantly. It was just a scrimmage, so was it necessary? Everyone was a working stiff, and it's not like they wouldn't see each other again. This Anti-Mike had simply done what everyone else wanted to do but was too scared to attempt. Why should one risk it all for Boss Jordan's personal vendetta?

White chickened out, turning into a battle-shy lizard, and sidestepped to avoid contact when Yu Fei went up with full force, letting him complete an impressive glide dunk with a tomahawk finish.

"What the fuck are you doing?!" Jordan raged, "What the fuck are you doing?!"

White complained with a hint of grievance, "I tried my best, Michael!"

Yu Fei believed White had tried his best on defense. If he hadn't, at most it meant he hadn't risked injury to stop him.

But Jordan certainly wouldn't believe White tried his best. He was a master of bullying who thought it necessary to break down his teammates to make them stronger. He wanted to suppress Yu Fei right now, but with White choosing to act like a coward, this worthless trash was good for nothing.

The angry Jordan found a bit of his game sense, and even without shaking off Yu Fei's defense, he still scored by raising the arc of his shot over the defense.

This wasn't even his best state.

Yu Fei felt that if Jordan returned to his prime state, while he was energized, he would be the strongest offensive player on the team.

His on-ball offense and off-ball movements were too exceptional. Hamilton's only advantage over him was stamina, even his best skill - off-ball movement - was negligible compared to Jordan's.

Yu Fei's performance gradually created an anxious atmosphere in the hearts of some of the veterans.

For someone like Ratner who had conflicts with him, it was even worse.

Having Jordan as a towering figure above them was frightening enough, and many veterans were pleased to see Kwame Brown fall. No one wanted a master in the team while also dealing with a young master.

But now, the problem had become even more serious.

Yu Fei was far stronger than Brown and possessed a rare confrontational personality that showed no fear even in the face of Jordan.

Even in the first scrimmage, the tension between him and Jordan was already so intense that it suffocated the veterans. New chapters at m v|le|mp|yr

The Ratners had to worry about something— if Yu Fei gained Jordan's approval, would he become the new young master?

Even now, with Yu Fei making Jordan lose face, the Ratners still harbored such thoughts because that was Jordan after all. He liked confrontation and appreciated tough guys who dared to take it up with him, a rarity during his playing days.

They forgot one thing, though: Jordan liked confrontation and challengers, but he was selective.

Just like during his playing days when he didn't regard Isiah Thomas and Reggie Miller as equals, yet felt honored to be respected by Larry Bird and Magic Johnson.

What Yu Fei showed today was infinitely closer to the former rather than the latter.

For Jordan, who was aging and could not suppress Yu Fei with sheer strength, how could he possibly hope his handpicked young player turned out to be a mad dog like Reggie Miller and Isiah Thomas?

Ratner was determined to suppress Yu Fei's arrogance.

However, for ten continuous minutes of the game, Yu Fei did not give him any chance.

Because apart from fast-breaks, Yu Fei did not attempt to penetrate the inside during set plays; his floaters were too accurate. A small forward with the body for inside play not practicing hook shots or low-post backdowns but instead having a masterful floater was insane. Did he usually encounter giants that he must avoid with a floating shot?

Finally, in the latter half of the scrimmage, Ratner saw an opportunity.

Yu Fei was executing a buzzer-beater play, and his continuous fakes made Cassidy White struggle to maintain his footing. White's body swayed like a tree with no roots, teetering side to side, and soon he couldn't withstand the violent changes in direction and his knees buckled, sending him to his knees.

Yu Fei powered up, took one step inside, and jumped toward the paint. He was determined to dunk, but then Ratner appeared. With his physical condition, there was no way he could stop Yu Fei— even jumping would only serve as a poster backdrop for a dunk. Had he lost his mind?

Ratner set up his arms, elbowing aggressively toward Yu Fei's flank. In that instant, Yu Fei felt a jolt and a sharp pain burst from his waist as his body crashed to the ground like a meteor.

"Whistle!!!"

This time Johnny Bach had no choice but to call a foul on Ratner; the move was just too excessive.

"Frye?"

"Frye!"

Yu Fei lay on the ground, shifting his body slightly. It hurt, but it was bearable.

He clenched his fists as uncontrollable rage surged within him at lightning speed.

Ratner extended his hands innocently, "You all saw it. He was the one charging too hard. I just accidentally..."

Before Ratner could finish his sentence, Yu Fei, already on his feet, found his target and struck him directly in the face with a punch.

Ratner fell to the ground.

"WCNMLGCB!!!"

Yu Fei let out a hysterical scream in words that nobody understood and leaped onto Ratner, throwing punches wildly.

All of a sudden, the situation spiraled completely out of control.