Chapter Nine: The Unchanged Status of the Team!

On the very first day of training camp, Lin Tian surprisingly held his own against Jordan in their exchanges, yet this did nothing to improve his standing or situation within the team.

Because Jordan’s targeting of him was only just beginning that day.

In nearly every scrimmage thereafter, Jordan found ways to match up directly against Lin Tian, repeatedly overwhelming and crushing him. Although Lin Tian managed to claw back some ground each time through his speed and passing skills, the truth was he was thoroughly dominated—barely holding his own at a ratio of roughly eight to two.

Jordan’s relentless provocations led nearly everyone on the team to believe that Lin Tian’s departure was imminent. It was only a matter of time before Jordan grew bored or satisfied with the torment, signaling the moment Lin Tian would leave the Bulls.

Who could possibly endure long on a team when the leader was fixated on targeting them?

As a result, Lin Tian found himself largely isolated within the team. Not only did the trio of Browns frequently mock and sneer at him with thinly veiled sarcasm, but the rest of the team also kept their distance, unwilling to be seen as Lin Tian’s allies and fearful of Jordan’s retribution for even a casual conversation.

Only two stood apart from this coldness: Kukoc and Bill Wennington.

Kukoc, who had been doubly targeted by Jordan and Pippen during the 1992 Olympic Dream Team games—so relentlessly that it shook his confidence—knew all too well what Lin Tian was enduring. He sympathized deeply and was the one who passed to Lin Tian the most during scrimmages.

Wennington, despite his fierce appearance and chest hair outnumbering his head hair, had a kindly heart. He often advised Lin Tian to simply soften his stance and talk things over with Jordan, suggesting that perhaps Jordan would ease up in time.

Lin Tian, however, dismissed Wennington’s suggestion without a second thought.

Why? The ‘92-93 Season Jordan Experience Card (3 minutes) now resting in Lin Tian’s system inventory said it all.

That card was the prize Lin Tian earned on a day when he was in exceptional form during training—nailing four consecutive mid-range shots against Jordan, defending several of Jordan’s jump shots, and trash-talking him fiercely. Though the day ended with Jordan nearly breaking Lin Tian’s ribs with an elbow, Lin Tian still felt waves of exhilaration.

This time it was just a temporary experience card—what about next time? A permanent skill?

Just for that possibility alone, Lin Tian was determined to keep provoking Jordan.

Beyond hoping to unlock more valuable rewards from Jordan, Lin Tian keenly felt, during these more than half a month of direct confrontations, that his resilience, defense, and experience were growing rapidly.

Who else in the league could provoke Jordan into a near-constant rage and still face him head-on every day?

These relentless one-on-one battles with Jordan were Lin Tian’s greatest source of learning.

Though Lin Tian’s skills and attributes hadn’t yet visibly improved, he sensed that by the time training camp concluded, his strength would have risen significantly.

Not only did Lin Tian feel the growth, but Phil Jackson also began to look at the rookie with new respect.

Jackson admired Lin Tian’s tenacity, grit, and unyielding spirit—his refusal to back down no matter the odds.

Most importantly, Jackson was impressed by Lin Tian’s innate talent in fast breaks.

Lin Tian’s awareness and speed in fast breaks were among the league’s best. Even more remarkable was his vision and passing during fast breaks and transition plays, which repeatedly amazed Jackson.

In essence, whenever the team pushed the pace and avoided set plays, Lin Tian shone brilliantly.

Though his lack of experience, physical strength in contact, and still-raw ball-handling skills kept his half-court organization from standing out, once the game sped up, Lin Tian’s playmaking reminded Jackson of someone whose passing was so good that people forgot his name: “Magic” Johnson.

Jackson had already mentally drafted numerous plays and strategies tailored to Lin Tian, just waiting for the right opportunity to deploy them.

Yet, despite his high regard for Lin Tian, Jackson showed no outward signs of favoritism.

He did not intervene in Jordan’s targeting or the teammates’ isolation of Lin Tian.

This was his way—letting things unfold naturally.

Jackson trusted that Lin Tian could handle it.

After all, in all the years Jackson had known Jordan, he had never seen anyone so brazen and confident in Jordan’s presence.

On one particular day, Lin Tian pulled up to the arena in a gift from his parents upon entering the NBA—a classic 1954 Corvette—roaring into the parking lot.

As he stepped out, he heard Brown’s mocking voice echoing:

“Some people don’t even know how much money they have or can make, so they just buy luxury goods to satisfy their unrealistic vanity. People like that usually don’t last two years in the NBA before getting cut.”

“And then they go bankrupt within two years, losing everything and ending up back on the streets.”

“Randy, if you’re talking about me,” Lin Tian replied without even glancing at the antagonist, walking on while saying, “then you’re wrong. My family’s money outnumbers the hairs on your head. Me going bankrupt? Why don’t you check the Forbes billionaires list and see how dumb you really are!”

Just then, Wennington arrived at the arena, greeted Lin Tian, and said, “Can your family really be found on Forbes? What’s your rank? What business are you in?”

“Of course not. If I were that rich, I wouldn’t be here playing basketball when I’m sick,” Lin Tian shrugged. “Besides, that idiot probably can’t even read. I bet he doesn’t know where to buy a Forbes magazine.”

“They’re really asking for trouble by offending you,” Wennington said, shaking his head, and fell silent.

Neither Lin Tian nor Wennington noticed the deep venom and malice spreading across Brown’s face behind them.

Not just because Lin Tian humiliated him day after day, but because Brown could plainly see Lin Tian getting better and better.

His anxiety grew stronger by the day, as a sharp, unmistakable premonition settled in: if things continued like this, come season start, the one losing his place would be Brown himself.

He simply couldn’t compete with Lin Tian and was bound to lose all playing time and status on the team.

He had to take action.

Even if he couldn’t drive this bastard away, he had to make sure Lin Tian knew who the real boss was.