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***

On July 2, 2001, at 11:00 PM, at the Ed Sullivan Theater on Broadway, The Late Show with David Letterman began with host David exclaiming:

“Let’s welcome tonight’s special guest, NBA superstar, four-time champion Clay Lee!”

Although it wasn’t his first time on David Letterman’s show, Clay Lee, dressed in a dark blue suit, couldn’t help but inwardly complain twice upon his unscripted appearance.

Waving to the band and the hype crew, Lee maintained a smile, embraced the old man, and immediately greeted him after taking his seat:

“I knew God would favor you. It’s great to be back on The David Show!”

David Letterman had a heart operation last year and almost didn’t make it.

Mentioning his illness, he showed an exaggerated expression of lingering fear and self-deprecatingly joked:

“It was my lovely audience that gave me the courage to overcome my illness. May God bless us all!”

The band and the hype crew also joined in the commotion.

David Letterman truly created a small miracle by returning to the show:

“Lee, I thought you’d choose to accept an NBC show first. The last time you were on my show was in ’99, and now it’s a new century!”

“Back then you had one championship, and now you’ve achieved four consecutive championships. This is truly incredible.”

Mid-sentence, David Letterman suddenly pulled out a book with a black and gold cover and said seriously:

” ‘Win,’ a special book about to be published, introduces Clay Lee’s methods for success and how ordinary people can achieve success.”

“This book deeply impressed me. There’s no shortcut to success, but on the path to success, there are many more effective methods!”

With its black cover, gold lettering, and an illustration of Clay Lee, this book, co-published with Tim Grover, looked very high-class.

The cheers from the audience rose again.

Lee also smiled and clapped along.

Soon, David Letterman changed the subject and teasingly asked:

“I have some questions. Does the “white-hot space” really exist? If it does, why can’t your opponents use this method to defeat you?”

“I loved this year’s Finals. Everyone remembers Game 5. The opponent shot 24 free throws in the last quarter. If it were me, I probably would have given up, but those bastards wouldn’t have an easy time after the game!”

“Beat LA!”

The hype crew also shouted along.

Lee pretended to stand up, cupping his right hand to his ear, as if listening.

After walking halfway around the stage and returning to his seat, Lee laughed for a while, then put on a serious expression and said earnestly:

“The white-hot space does exist, but activating that state requires a lot of training.”

“Shaq is too fat. Perhaps he’s very dominant, but I guarantee his training volume hasn’t reached my level.”

“As for Game 5, I actually like this kind of challenge. I like the feeling of creating miracles and defeating opponents, so I won in the end!”

“As the one being challenged, I allow my opponents to play a few tricks. Perhaps this can make up for some of the gap. Most importantly, everyone prefers this kind of game, don’t they?”

“Enjoying the passion and fun that basketball brings—that’s also the gift I want to give the audience!”

“You are my superhero!”

Hearing this, David Letterman comically imitated Marv Albert’s commentary tone from back then, making the hype crew laugh again.

With a shift in thought, David Letterman changed the subject from another angle:

“I agree with your point, but as far as I know, Kobe Bryant is also training under Tim Grover.”

“You’re only a few months older than him, so why couldn’t he defeat you using the white-hot space?”

“Lee, do you think this has something to do with his early marriage? Although many people don’t favor this marriage, I think Vanessa is a really beautiful girl!”

“They say many Lakers players wanted to pursue her. Yes, I saw the ESPN report.”

When David Letterman mentioned a beautiful girl, everyone present became excited.

ESPN’s headquarters aren’t far from the Lakers, and throughout the season, there were daily gossips, which had broken into mainstream news.

A while ago, major sports media discussed rookie topics.

With the offseason approaching, they brought up the Finals again, and many media reporters found an excuse for the Lakers’ loss:

“The core player fell for a woman!”

Lee wasn’t interested in gossiping about someone’s wife.

Seeing everyone looking at him, he could only shrug:

“Perhaps Kobe isn’t working hard enough. I’ve witnessed Manhattan at 4 AM. A man who wants to succeed must be hard on himself!”

“I also saw Vanessa at Michael Jordan’s party. I believe Kobe won’t attribute the failure to his marriage. They are married, so they naturally need to be responsible for their family.”

Hearing “Manhattan at 4 AM,” everyone applauded, and David Letterman also clapped, then quickly pulled out a photo:

“Lee, I think everyone wants to know about your romantic life. Ivanka, the New York audience knows your relationship seems particularly close!”

Lee cursed inwardly.

He knew this show would definitely gossip:

“David Letterman!”

The hour-long show, besides advertisements and gossip, also included skits and discussions about personal hobbies.

Do you prefer young girls or older women?

What kind of cuisine do you like? Who is your favorite male celebrity?

Which female celebrity would you most like to date?

Political stance? Donkey Party or Elephant Party?

Racial issues? Are you satisfied with the current White House policies?

David Letterman went all out, making up for the previous scripted segment.

After the show ended at 12 AM, David Letterman’s face was filled with smiles upon learning of the ratings increase, and he chatted with Lee for a long time.

The CBS staff also didn’t miss the opportunity.

Everyone happily pulled Lee for photos. It wasn’t until 1 AM that Lee said goodbye to everyone.

As soon as he left the theater, a black Lamborghini Diavlo SV pulled up in front of Lee.

Ivanka, dressed only in a black camisole and hot pants, waved to Lee.

Dressed like that in the middle of the night, Lee shook his head, took off his jacket, and then sat in the passenger seat.

“Darling, you did great! Want to go for a drive?”

Ivanka particularly liked this cool-looking car.

Lee hadn’t driven it much.

Although he was worried about her driving skills, he adjusted the seat and nodded in agreement:

“That old pervert is so difficult! Where do you want to take me? It’s already very late.”

“Just a quick drive and then home! Don’t you like to see Manhattan at 4 AM?”

After unlocking a new scene, discussing new rope arts, and experiencing an intense overtime game, it was indeed 4 AM.

Looking towards New Jersey from the 66th floor, this iconic building truly gave Lee a different view.

Despite being active all night, Ivanka was still hugging Lee from behind, her hands ceaselessly exploring, and she whispered against his back:

“Will soccer make money? I remember my father invested in it a long time ago, but the team eventually disbanded. It was a failed investment.”

Grabbing her wandering little hand, Lee then remembered that football here is called rugby here:

“It’s not American football. Globally, soccer is more popular and has greater influence. In short, it will likely be a worthwhile business.”

“However, to acquire a well-known club, it will likely take a few more years of effort.”

Lee pulled Ivanka in front of him.

As she wrapped her arms around him, his hands began to explore her waist again.

“You’ve gotten fatter again! Transferring to Pennsylvania, you need to control your weight!”

“Look at Mariah Carey. She’s gotten fatter and fatter these past few years. Fat is a woman’s natural enemy.”

Accustomed to their naked state, Ivanka discreetly examined her body, decided it was fine, and immediately buried her head in his chest, whispering a request:

“I want to go to England for a few days too!”

Ivanka, who is currently interning with her father’s full support, mostly goes to work to please others.

Lee didn’t refuse, just grumbled:

“It’s a private business activity, just remember to keep it confidential!”

The blonde, big-breasted woman, who was being held, chuckled, not caring about the movement at her chest.

Instead, she whispered in his ear:

“I have a very pretty nightgown too!”

In the first week of July, Lee appeared on The Tonight Show again to promote the documentary NBC was producing.

This episode specifically added a street interview segment, and the people interviewed were all New York fans. When asked who the GOAT was, everyone responded:

“Clay Lee is the GOAT. He led the Knicks to four consecutive championships. In my memory, no one else has been able to do that!”

“…”

Young fans naturally hadn’t witnessed the Celtics’ consecutive championships, so they praised Clay Lee without reservation.

The show’s effect was explosive, once again sparking controversy.

On Saturday evening, the 7th, it was time for TNT’s regular program, NBA Saturday Primetime.

Tonight’s broadcast was a rerun of a regular season game between the Knicks and the Lakers, followed by the latest NBA news.

Clay Lee appearing on two well-known talk shows within a week naturally sparked discussion again.

The trio didn’t miss this hot topic.

After the game rerun, Charles Barkley was the first to complain:

“I like The Tonight Show, but they shouldn’t just interview people on the streets of New York. I swear, if they went to Los Angeles, the answer would definitely be that Magic Johnson is the GOAT!”

Kenny Smith laughed, not refuting, but instead joked along:

“I know what you’re going to say next. If they interviewed in Chicago, the answer would definitely be Michael Jordan.”

Charles Barkley nodded unceremoniously.

Ernie Johnson once again brought up the topic, asking:

“Chuck, you don’t think Lee is the GOAT. So, in modern basketball, where would you rank him?”

As if he had been waiting for this question for a long time, Charles Barkley continued unceremoniously:

“Considering Lee’s age, I would at most rank him second!”

“Magic Johnson has five championships, but Clay Lee achieved four consecutive championships. Their achievements are not far apart, so I think this is a reasonable ranking.”

As soon as Kenny Smith heard “second place,” he immediately retorted:

“No one can be sure about the future. If we talk about the number of championships, without a doubt, Bill Russell is the GOAT, and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is second.”

Ernie Johnson quickly called a halt, then emphasized again:

“We are currently discussing modern basketball…”

“Kareem Abdul-Jabbar also experienced modern basketball. He is the NBA’s all-time leading scorer and won championships with Magic Johnson.”

“If ranked by championships, he is my GOAT.”

Kenny Smith was very firm, insisting that six is greater than five.

The three argued fiercely, unable to convince each other.

Finally, a bizarre ranking emerged, placing Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Michael Jordan together in first place, and Bill Russell, Magic Johnson, and Clay Lee together in second place.

After the show aired on Saturday night, a fierce tearing battle quickly erupted among basketball commentators.

Whenever rankings are involved, someone is dissatisfied.

Clay Lee isn’t the first to be subjected to hypothetical “IFs.”

Commentators supporting Michael Jordan argued vociferously:

“If Michael Jordan hadn’t retired, he could have won at least two more championships. Michael Jordan is the real GOAT!”

“…”

ESPN, as a professional ranking media, seeing the GOAT debate in full swing, took the opportunity on Sunday to re-rank the four great centers.

Patrick Ewing directly became the first, Hakeem Olajuwon was second, and David Robinson was third.

Shaquille O’Neal was ranked fourth.

As expected, after the show aired, it immediately stirred up a hornet’s nest.

Shaquille O’Neal, who had been very low-key since the Finals ended, angrily blasted ESPN:

“If you don’t watch the games, you should at least check my stats. I am the most dominant center in history!”

“No one can stop me. Even if there’s a defensive three-second rule next season, I can still dominate all the big men in the NBA!”

O’Neal, enraged, gave an interview to the Los Angeles Times, wildly criticizing the outrageous ranking.

As a result, he was quickly mocked by many outspoken commentators:

“Robinson has always stayed with the San Antonio Spurs, while Shaq went to a big market to play and still achieved nothing. He didn’t dominate anyone! He’s a coward.”

“He couldn’t even win a championship with the NBA’s favoritism, and he still doesn’t seem to realize it. ESPN’s ranking is spot on!”

Kobe, who was training hard in Los Angeles, originally had no interest in these verbal battles, but standing up for his teammates was something he should do:

“Shaq shouldn’t be treated differently. We all know his dominance.”

Kobe, in his interview, was also very low-key.

He had been in a cold war with his parents recently, and his marriage with Vanessa was increasingly not looking good.

He didn’t like ESPN gossiping about his private life at all.

Kobe underestimated the malice of sports media.

Yahoo Sports concocted an article on Monday:

“The Inefficient ‘Jordan Successor’ — Kobe Bryant.”

This article thoroughly analyzed Kobe from an Excel perspective, and his brick-laying in the Finals that cost them the championship was repeatedly brought up.

The intention revealed throughout the article was very clear: to remove Kobe from the ranks of “Jordan successors.”

Kobe’s support for O’Neal was also mocked by many outspoken commentators:

“He’s not qualified to participate in this topic. He should think about how to improve his scoring efficiency.”

“The NBA got it wrong. Kobe Bryant is just an ordinary All-Star. No matter how much favoritism he receives, he won’t win a championship.”

Reporters from the New York Post struck hard, taking advantage of this opportunity to fiercely criticize the “OK” duo.

The more they belittled their opponents, the happier New York fans were.

They loved this kind of talk.

As the Finals began to be rehashed, the GOAT topic was temporarily overshadowed by:

“The Most Overrated Active Players Ranking!” which was quickly officially released.

In the New York Times’ selection, to ensure fairness and objectivity, they began randomly interviewing fans again, and the results quickly emerged:

The first place was Kobe Bryant, and the second was Allen Iverson.

Through an Excel analysis, these two were labeled “inefficient stat-padders.”

Third was Shaquille O’Neal, who consistently failed to lead his team to a championship and had been dominating nothing for the past few years.

Fourth was Tim Duncan. The entire NBA tanked for this power forward, shouting “win big” to San Antonio fans, and this is all they got?

On Saturday morning, Lee read the newspaper after breakfast at his home on 82nd Street.

The sports section was lively, rehashing old scores and arguing about rankings.

Tied for second in history, Lee looked at the New York Times’ column article with a strange expression.

Since when could rankings be tied and based on future potential?

In contrast, the New York Post was much bolder, ranking Michael Jordan first and Clay Lee second, stating that the achievement of being the vice GOAT (Deputy GOAT) had been reached.

Krysten Ritter, wearing a white camisole and short shorts, massaged Lee’s shoulders from behind.

Taking advantage of no one being home, she boldly started to flirt again:

“If the fashion show in September still doesn’t progress, I’ll just honestly become a print model!”

Lee had been busy socializing with people from CBS and NBC television stations for the past week, almost getting harmed by alcohol and women again.

He naturally didn’t react much to the temptation behind him:

“Supermodels also need talent. You’ve been in this industry for so many years, you definitely know better than me.”

Hearing Lee’s words, Ritter pouted in annoyance.

In the past year, she had traveled to several countries, made a big circle, and still ended up as a mood-setter.

Looking at the girl who sat on his lap without a sound, Lee also felt a bit helpless.

With a slender waist, long legs, and a not-small chest, this girl was suitable to be a vase, really not suitable for the supermodel route.

“Don’t worry about spending too much, Alyce. Actually, a life like Melania’s isn’t bad either, as long as you’re happy!”

It took her a while to realize that Melania was Ivanka’s “stepmother.”

Seeing Lee start to chuckle, Krysten Ritter punched him twice, then started to grumble again:

“If it really doesn’t work out, I’ll become an actress. It’s all Hathaway’s fault, otherwise I would have been the lead in The Princess Diaries!”

Lee looked at the little assistant, whose temperament was definitely not pure, and without refuting her, he patted his backside and asked in a low voice:

“Remind me again what work I have this week? You’ll be with me this week.”

Running to the study to get a notebook, Krysten Ritter hugged Lee, looked at the schedule, and whispered:

“An interview with Sports Illustrated, followed by some costume fitting photos.”

“An interview with SLAM magazine. They’re releasing a special issue early next month, and the interview content is extensive, so we’ve arranged it at home.”

“There’s an interview with the Wall Street Journal, which should be for the wealth section.”

“And there’s a party on the weekend, with Vanity Fair also having a photoshoot request.”

“…”

Monday to Friday was gone again, and he still had to deal with things on the weekend, with sponsor events next week.

Lee felt a headache.

This offseason had much more work than previous years.

Krysten Ritter secretly touched her flat stomach.

They hadn’t used protection last night, and she had even unlocked some special knowledge.

Becoming a model hadn’t worked out, but having children and being a housewife was also a reliable choice.

The sports media kept arguing this week.

In this era, everyone took things seriously.

If you said Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was dominant, someone would dig up footage and data to thoroughly refute you.

If Magic Johnson was more dominant than clay Lee, then why couldn’t he achieve four consecutive championships?

Although there were different versions of rankings every offseason, fans loved to see them, and with Lee achieving four consecutive championships this year, this topic surprisingly became hotter and hotter.

On Wednesday the 11th, reporters in Chicago spotted Michael Jordan.

When interviewed, Michael Jordan was in a good mood and again mentioned his private training camp:

“I feel very excited right now, like I’m a teenager again.”

“Training camp? I just want to move my body and check my physical condition.”

“I love basketball, it’s that simple. The training camp is just my personal wish, unrelated to any brand.”

Soon, the Chicago Tribune unearthed a shocking piece of news:

“Next season, Michael Jordan plans to return to the court!”

As soon as this news was announced, the ranking topic immediately ended, and then everyone started arguing again.

On Thursday’s TNT show, Charles Barkley, as Michael Jordan’s good friend, directly denied the news of Michael Jordan’s comeback:

“Impossible! Why would Michael want to return to the court? He’s already 38 years old. He can’t handle high-intensity games.”

“A comeback is destined to fail. Times have changed. I don’t believe he’ll choose to come back.”

Kenny Smith also couldn’t believe the news.

Getting trashed in games after a comeback—that choice was terrible!

In his opinion, neither the Chicago Bulls nor the Washington Wizards had playoff potential:

“I agree with you. Michael Jordan probably just wants to move his body, just like he said, he loves basketball.”

Ernie Johnson was not an athlete, and he loved to watch the drama unfold.

Seeing them share the same opinion, he immediately smiled and retorted:

“What if it’s true? What if Michael Jordan chooses to come back and return to the court?”

Charles Barkley shook his head again, then loudly complained:

“No way!”

“If Michael Jordan chooses to come back, I’ll sign with the New York Knicks for the veteran minimum. Lee might even be able to lead me to a championship!”

“…”

While everyone started discussing Michael Jordan again, Orlando Magic Head Coach Doug Rivers arrived in New York with Tracy McGrady.

Many of the Magic’s management also came along.

Having failed to recruit Tim Duncan and Grant Hill last season, they learned from experience this time and came with greater sincerity!

The group wasn’t worried about being discovered by New York reporters.

After all, Allan Houston was a free agent, and visiting him to recruit was within regulations.

The two parties met at an indoor golf club.

Upon seeing Allan Houston, Rivers eagerly stepped forward to embrace him, appearing very excited, and said loudly:

“Allan, thank you for giving us this opportunity. The Magic have come with sincerity!”

Allan Houston had some goodwill towards Rivers.

In the NBA, this Black coach had a genuinely good reputation, and his ability was beyond doubt, having won Coach of the Year.

“Thank you all for coming all the way from Orlando to see me. You can also spend a few more days playing in New York.”

Allan Houston was very polite.

For the last big contract of his career, as long as the other party was sincere enough, he could join any team.

As everyone swung their clubs, Doug Rivers began to offer encouragement and paint a grand picture:

“Believe me, Allan, after joining the Magic, we can have a dream backcourt combination!”

“Tracy McGrady’s strength is underestimated. Having a champion player like you to lead the team will definitely allow the young players to fully realize their talent.”

“In the Eastern Conference, we actually don’t have many opponents. As long as you join the team, management will build a championship roster around you.”

“With the Magic, you will be the absolute leader!”

“…”

Tracy McGrady, who had seen Clay Lee promoted to “23-year-old Vice-GOAT” these past two days, was envious but also yearned for higher pursuits.

He had been overshadowed by Kobe at Adidas, simply because Kobe had played in the Finals.

Tracy McGrady didn’t fantasize about reaching the top in one go, but he believed he could certainly play in a Conference Finals and appear on a bigger stage!

“The coach is right. Many times, I can play point guard, and on Defense, I can take on more tasks.”

“Allan, you just need to focus on scoring and continue doing what you’re good at. I believe we can definitely succeed!”

Tracy McGrady also began to cooperate with Rivers, drumming up support.

Anyway, with the ball in his hands, his stats wouldn’t be bad.

If they shared the ball, it would definitely improve the Magic’s strength.

Allan Houston was just saying polite words.

In his heart, he didn’t care about the Magic’s performance at all.

He needed more sincerity.

Doug Rivers seemed to have seen through Allan Houston’s true thoughts and immediately winked at the general manager and staff.

Magic General Manager John Gabriel understood and immediately extended an invitation:

“Allan, we can go back to Orlando first and experience the local basketball atmosphere together.”

“Take your family and friends to Disney World for a few days. It’s definitely the kids’ favorite place.”

Considering that the freeze period was still ongoing, Allan Houston smiled and nodded in agreement after receiving the invitation.

Doug Rivers seemed to have thought of something and hurriedly added:

“Don’t worry, Allan, your family and friends can enjoy private jet service throughout the trip. This is our sincerity. The Magic are very eager for you to join.”

Feeling that this might work out, Tracy McGrady also excitedly said:

“Cool! Bro! Let’s team up and achieve something great!”

“…”

Having the Coach of the Year personally recruit Allan Houston was indeed a matter of prestige.

Seattle SuperSonics Head Coach McMillan was actually also in New York, but the rookie coach received no attention.

Rashard Lewis’s contract year was next season, so he naturally hoped to achieve better statistics.

The two met at Lewis’s apartment.

After an in-depth conversation, Lewis seemed to sense the sincerity of the rookie coach opposite him and suddenly asked meaningfully:

“If I join the Seattle SuperSonics, will I get more shot attempts? After all, this is Gary Payton’s team.”

As a Seattle SuperSonics veteran, Nate McMillan, known as Mr. Sonic, merely nodded confidently upon hearing this question:

“I’ve been with the Seattle SuperSonics for many years. In the locker room, everyone listens to me. For the sake of victory, Gary naturally knows what to do.”

“Black people should help black people.”

Although he secretly yearned more for the Houston Rockets, after the Black rookie coach opposite him made a promise, Lewis finally nodded in agreement:

“That seems like a good choice!”

“…”

….

By the way, don’t forget to throw power stones and leave a review to motivate me 🙂

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep