Clearly, they didn’t want to endure Larry Brown’s grueling training again during the offseason.

Larry Brown was quite taken aback by this. He even said to the media, "I was very surprised. In the end, all I could say to the association was, ’Fine, we’ll just go with the players who are willing to show up.’"

Larry Brown later drew up a list for them. This list included some young players, even rookies with just one year under their belts.

"Give me a few young guys, like Wade, Stoudemire, LeBron, and Carmelo, and just have them on the bench," Larry Brown said. "I’ll tell them, ’You might not play a single minute, or you might play 20, but you are the future of this team. You need to learn the right way to do things from the other players.’"

Larry Brown was known for his dislike of developing rookies, but now he had made such a decision. This was a clear indication of the dire straits this edition of the Dream Team was in.

In the end, the final roster for the Dream Six Team was confirmed the day before Su Xi departed for China. It was headlined by Allen Iverson and Tim Duncan, with the other experienced players being Stephon Marbury, Shaun Marion, Lamar Odom, and Richard Jefferson.

Then there was the group of young guns. Among the second-year players were Carlos Boozer and Stoudemire. The first-year players included Dwyane Wade, Carmelo Anthony, and LeBron James. And finally, there was the recent number two draft pick, Emeka Okafor.

When Carlos Boozer was selected for the Dream Six Team, he made a point to call Su Xi and gloat, "Hey, Jack. I’m about to get myself an Olympic gold medal. I’m not going to let you get too far ahead of me. Besides, I’ve always wanted to play for my country. In that regard, I’ll definitely be one step ahead of you."

Su Xi already knew that Nike had reached an agreement with the Chinese Team. They had increased their sponsorship fee to help him clear away some unnecessary hurdles, ensuring his smooth selection to the national team.

But he didn’t reveal this to Carlos Boozer, deciding to play it coy. He teased him, "What if the Dream Six Team doesn’t win the championship? Your team doesn’t exactly have any championship DNA. You could call it a league of losers."

Carlos Boozer, however, took him seriously. "Team USA is on a completely different level from any other team. Even a team made up of NBA reserves could sweep the floor with the rest of the world. Besides, we’ve got Iverson and Duncan, plus a whole group of young phenoms."

"Alright, alright, alright! You go get ’em!" Su Xi cheered him on.

Not long after, Su Xi saw LeBron James’s supremely confident face on television. He announced, "I’ve decided to take my talents to Athens. It’s my honor to play for my country. I’m going to help the team win the championship in Athens. The gold medal belongs to the United States, and the glory belongs to the United States!"

Whenever LeBron James appeared on television, he was always radiating positivity.

In contrast, Wade was more low-key and reserved. He called it a learning experience.

Carmelo Anthony was also full of confidence. "The Dream Six Team should surpass all the Dream Teams that came before. We were born to make history."

It was no wonder Anthony and James were hailed as the two peerless prodigies of the ’03 generation.

However, with Su Xi’s rise and his victory as the youngest Finals MVP in history, the "two peerless prodigies" moniker was being mentioned less and less.

James had been all over the media lately; he wanted to use this year’s Olympics to reclaim the spotlight.

An Olympic gold medal to overshadow a Finals MVP trophy.

It was a bold strategy.

...

At Beijing Capital International Airport, Su Xi felt a little dazed as he stepped off the plane. This was the first time he had set foot on his home soil in ten years.

Back then, his grandfather had held his hand as they boarded a ship.

Now, he was walking off the plane, cradling his grandfather’s ashes.

It felt like a lifetime ago.

He looked up. The scorching July sun was blinding.

It all felt surreal.

"I’m back, Grandpa."

Su Xi murmured softly.

Soon, official staff members came to receive him and Isaiah Thomas.

But as they walked out into the terminal, before they even had a chance to get their luggage, Su Xi witnessed the most shocking scene of his life. A crowd of reporters from some forty-five media outlets surged forward, a massive, dark throng. Behind them, at least a thousand people were shouting his name.

The exit terminal was a sea of people.

It was a scene unlike any Su Xi had ever witnessed.

The swarming reporters had already aimed their cameras—long-lensed and short—right at him. A chaotic babble of voices bombarded Su Xi with questions from all sides, some in Chinese, some in English.

It was total chaos.

To Su Xi, it was all just a blur of confusion.

Isaiah Thomas, standing beside him, was also stunned by the spectacle. Fortunately, airport security moved in quickly, and the staff who had come to meet them cleared a path. Only then were Su Xi and Isaiah Thomas able to break free from the crowd and get into the car.

Even after getting into the car, they were blocked by the crowd for a while as many excited fans ran up and pounded on the windows.

This was beyond anything Isaiah Thomas had imagined.

He couldn’t help but say to Su Xi, "Jack, I think your popularity in China is even crazier than Michael Jackson’s was in his prime. They look like frantic rock fans."

Su Xi was just as surprised.

When he got back to his hotel, he turned on the television. He saw footage of his airport arrival on the CCTV Sports Channel. He changed the channel, and the same footage was playing.

Su Xi turned on his computer, only to find it flooded with news reports about him.

Although Huang Xiaoman had warned him that he was immensely popular in China, it was only now, seeing the wall-to-wall television coverage and the frenzied discussions online, that he was certain. ’I’m facing incredibly high expectations,’ he thought. ’I’m even being treated like a national hero.’

He casually clicked on a sports forum.

The most popular thread was titled: "Su Xi Joins the National Team, How Far is the Chinese Men’s Basketball Team from an Olympic Gold Medal?"

"Su Xi, the youngest Finals MVP in NBA history. Not even 20 years old and he’s already one of the most sought-after stars in the NBA. He led the Pacers to their first championship in franchise history, his skill is SSSSS-tier, and now the Chinese Team has officially announced he’s joining. With him, plus Yao Ming, Wang Zhizhi, and the young phenom Yi Jianlian... how could we possibly not win the whole thing?"

That was the original poster’s comment.

Su Xi read it and was stunned.

He had been optimistic, but winning a championship was incredibly difficult.

It wasn’t something that could be achieved overnight. Even a team as strong as the Pacers had to gel for years before winning the title. Putting Su Xi in charge of a bad team wouldn’t even get them into the playoffs, let alone a championship.

"Winning gold is too hard, but I think getting on the podium shouldn’t be a problem. With this lineup, my grandma could coach them into the final four."

"Su Xi coming back to play for the country at a time like this proves he’s a true patriot. But we shouldn’t hype him up to the point of failure. His achievements in the NBA are one thing, but he’ll need to adapt to the FIBA system. Aiming for a medal is more realistic."

"Su Xi IS the gold medal! He’s so handsome! Of course he is, growing up on steak and milk. I love him to death!"

"You have to admit, Su Xi is the most watched athlete in the Olympics right now. He’s like this larger-than-life hero surrounded by a glorious aura. If he leads the Chinese Men’s Basketball Team to a gold medal this time, his prestige will just explode! He’ll be in a league of his own, way ahead of everyone else."

"I’m not watching anything else at the Athens Olympics. It’s all about the men’s basketball team and Su Xi."

"Shouldn’t Su Xi consider dating a couple of female celebrities here in China? He can’t show favoritism! The Pacific Ocean is big enough for a free-for-all between the female stars of both countries!"

"Whether Su Xi wins a gold medal or not, it won’t affect his status. He’s already the number one figure in Chinese sports, and the most famous celebrity in the country. But if he does win gold, his historical legacy will be even greater..."

"..."

As Su Xi read through these comments, his head started to buzz.

’This is going to be a huge challenge,’ he thought.

Su Xi checked a few other websites. It was more of the same.

Nearly every sports forum was talking about Su Xi.

The hype was off the charts.

A little while later, Su Xi got a call from Huang Xiaoman. She told him that the arrangements for his trip to his hometown were all set. She also mentioned that CCTV wanted to conduct an exclusive interview with him that evening.

Su Xi readily agreed.

"They’d also like to interview Isaiah Thomas at the same time. Could you talk to him and see if he’s willing?"

Huang Xiaoman added.

"Okay, I’ll go ask him."