Where the noise did not reach

Chapter 82: Dragging them all down

The media room at the FedEx Forum was brightly lit and packed with people.

Compared to usual, there were significantly more reporters today, all of whom focused their attention on the main figure on the stage.

"Eli, congratulations on your big win. Judging from the game, you completely dominated KD. Was this a strategy you devised before the game?" Richard Mann from New York couldn't wait to ask.

"Strategy? No, we just execute our tactics normally. As for the matchup results, I think it depends more on the players' focus and desire to win on the field."

ESPN reporter Dick Danny asked, "How would you rate Durant's performance tonight? Do you think this matchup has put an end to the debate over Rookie of the Year?"

Xu Ling answered with a smile almost without thinking: "Kevin has extraordinary talent. His shooting touch is a gift from God. It's just that his gift has expired tonight, but it doesn't matter. After a good night's sleep, he will still be Kevin Durant."

Sometimes, the lives of NBA players are just like those of Hollywood stars.

Especially those method actors who became obsessed with acting, such as Heath Ledger, paid the price for playing the greatest Joker in history on screen by isolating himself for several months, believing that he was the Joker, writing a Joker diary, and appearing on set like the Joker. All of this became an immortal performance, and he never came out of it.

Now, Xu Ling's public image is also fixed: he is an arrogant person, someone who doesn't allow others to challenge him, someone who always keeps his word, someone who will make a "it's either him or me" situation with teammates he doesn't get along with within a month, someone arrogant towards fans, and someone who doesn't know how to restrain himself in front of reporters.

Such villainous characters are very popular among teenagers, as they possess a peculiar "coolness." For middle-aged and elderly people, Xu Ling evokes the images of many sports and Hollywood stars. Sports reporters say he is as rebellious as Allen Iverson and as arrogant as Stephon Marbury.

Entertainment news outlets, on the other hand, love to compare him to Hollywood's bad boys. Like Russell Crowe, he makes no attempt to hide his temper in front of the media, even if it means throwing a tantrum or smashing things in public, just to prove he keeps his word; like Sean Penn, he's always hostile under the spotlight, never giving reporters a friendly look, which makes him seem real; some even compare him to Robert Downey Jr. on the basketball court, spoiled by his talent in his youth, arrogant, indulgent, and constantly in trouble, yet possessing a natural charisma like a movie star—even if you dislike him, you can't help but stare at him.

The media's extensive coverage has collectively shaped Xu Ling's current public image.

His agent suggested it to him, and Adidas also encouraged him to do so.

Xu Ling regarded this villainous facade as his camouflage. Sometimes even he himself couldn't tell whether it was his true nature or if he had become addicted to the pleasure of playing the villain.

Therefore, when asked about the race for "Rookie of the Year," he gave this response:
"Rookie of the Year is just an award created by the media," Xu Ling said calmly but meaningfully. "My goal has never been that trophy, but to lead this team into the playoffs. If I win an award along the way, that would be great too."

After the interview, Xu Ling ran into Durant in the hallway; he was on his way to be interviewed.

"Is everything alright, KD?"

Xu Ling asked thoughtfully, just like a polite host.

Durant remained expressionless, but inwardly he was extremely disdainful. Why was this Chinese man pretending to be so familiar with him? From the very first day they met, the other man had shown hostility towards him during the game, so why was he able to act as if nothing had happened after the game?
"not bad,"

Durant wanted to say a few polite words, but Xu Ling's face brought him back to the game. The image of the opponent scoring over him flashed through his mind, and the ear-piercing screams of "My Lord Eli!" echoed in FedExCity. All of these things made him feel uncomfortable, and he had a strong sense of imbalance in his heart. Even though he had accepted the fact that Xu Ling was currently above him, he was still unwilling to lower his stance.

“Every corner of Memphis,” Durant blurted out unconsciously, “is not as vibrant as Seattle.”

Durant paused for a moment, then said bluntly, "I don't like it here."

Xu Ling now suspects that Durant's straightforward boy image is a manifestation of his inner demons. He pretends not to know what he's saying, but in fact, he is clearly trying to stare at Memphis.

This is a statement that shows we won't lose face even if we lose the game.

But what right do you, a player who's a stat-padder on a bottom-ranked team in the league, have to say these things?

“Of course,” Xu Ling said in a gentle tone, almost like an elder, “Memphis is indeed unlike Seattle. There aren’t as many blank spaces here that need to be filled by future imagination.”

Durant naturally understood the sarcasm in Xu Ling's words.

But Xu Ling hadn't finished speaking: "Compared to Seattle, Memphis is more pragmatic; we only celebrate the good things that have already happened. Like tonight's victory. I hope you and the Seattle fans can experience this kind of real joy in that vibrant city soon." "Go ahead, KD. The reporters are waiting to hear your growth story."

For example, how you stayed on the court during garbage time when you were down by 30 points, and elegantly scored 22 points against our third unit—those media outlets that love to lick Nike's boots would love to hear that.

Durant fell silent, and the last vestige of feigned friendliness between him and Xu Ling crumbled under the weight of his own true feelings.

After Durant walked away, Roderick Craig, who was next to Xu Ling, sneered, "I really don't know what he's so smug about. Seattle, a city full of life? How can he say that? They can't even keep their team!"

"Why didn't you say that just now?" Xu Ling rolled her eyes at Craig. "Your words were much better than my sarcasm. I even doubt he understood what I said."

As they walked toward the locker room, chatting, Craig suddenly remembered something and said, "Why does it seem like every Nike player doesn't get along with you?"

"How could that be? I think LeBron has been quite friendly to me."

That's because you hadn't signed with Adidas yet.

Moreover, they will never forget what happened when Xu Ling was negotiating with Nike.

The following day, the Memphis Business Journal ran a provocative front-page headline, "Judgment Day: Memphis's 'Lord' Baptizes the 'Holy Infant'," reporting on the previous night's game. The article provided a detailed analysis of how Xu Ling completely dominated Durant, both technically and psychologically, and wrote: "It's time to stop all the talk about 'ROY.' Eli Xu is winning right now. He has not only redefined the Memphis Grizzlies but also redefined the benchmark for rookies."

Even Durant's biggest supporter, Bill Simmons, publicly changed his stance: "I have to revise my opinion. I used to define Eli as an excellent troublemaker, but now I have to admit—he is an excellent troublemaker who brings victory. What he did to KD last night was brutal and merciless, but it worked perfectly. The suspense for Rookie of the Year is over."

Naturally, Nike will not stand idly by while Durant's public image continues to deteriorate. Even if they are not in a favorable position right now, they must make their voice heard.

Chris Sheridan, a well-known critic of Xu Ling, continues to criticize him, but in his latest article, he plays a word game that avoids the main issue: "Eli's post-match comments lacked the most basic respect for his opponent, which exposes a flaw in his character—and this is exactly what we have been worried about. In the world of sports, can achieving results justify all of a person's bad behavior?"

Xu Ling's camp had long been dissatisfied with Sheridan.

As soon as the article was published, Roderick Craig immediately retweeted the link on Twitter and directly tagged Sheridan's account, writing: "Since you hypocrite are so keen on discussing 'character' and 'misdeeds,' why don't we talk about the Kobe and Eagle County incident? Let's discuss whether someone who was ultimately acquitted through legal procedures but is considered guilty by countless people still deserves to be considered a superstar—or are you only willing to target rookies but not dare to question those already established superstars?"

A word stirred up a thousand waves.

Kobe being dragged into this mess is naturally an innocent victim, like someone lying down and getting shot at.

But Chris Sheridan never hides his role as Nike's mouthpiece; his articles clearly convey the sports giant's will and direction. When he spoke out against Xu Ling, he represented Nike's stance.

Those around Xu Ling were already tired of the endless cycle of proving their innocence. They knew this rhetoric all too well: emphasize the facts if they are in your favor, talk about principles if they are not, and muddy the waters if neither is in your favor—this tactic has worked every industry.

A perpetually passive defense will never win the war of public opinion.

Craig's impulsive remarks actually escalated the conflict, directing criticism at Nike's top star and igniting another round of heated debate. Strategically, this was undoubtedly an effective defensive counterattack.

However, as Xu Ling's close friend and number one supporter, most of the hatred he attracts will eventually be transferred to Xu Ling himself.

In other words, even though Xu Ling has not officially met Kobe or even played against the Lakers, he may already have a Kobe who dislikes him and a large number of Lakers fans who wish he would disappear immediately.

“Well done, buddy,” Xu Ling said to Craig the next day. “You’ve taken a big step in helping me become the most hated person in the league.”

Craig chuckled, seemingly oblivious to the slight displeasure in Xu Ling's tone, and said like a simpleton, "Don't be so polite, Eli. No matter how fiercely they curse us, they can't come through the internet to attack us! Besides, the more they hate you, the more successful we are. After all, no one wastes time hating someone insignificant."

Looking at his troublemaking attitude, Xu Ling could only shake his head and laugh.

(End of this chapter)