Chapter 594: Chapter 428: The New Waves Push The Old Ones Chapter 594: Chapter 428: The New Waves Push The Old Ones If there was anything less than perfect about the Supersonics’ season, which could be described as a dream, it was that they had to win the championship on the road.

For a team facing the risk of relocation, winning the championship would undoubtedly increase their support at home. This benefit would not diminish just because they won on the road, but the lack of a home court trophy ceremony did leave a sense of incompleteness.

This brings us back to the issue of the NBA Finals’ format.

The 1984 NBA Finals, hailed as the greatest modern NBA Finals, adopted a 2-2-1-1-1 format. This was a fair season, no matter how you looked at it, but afterwards, the Finals switched to the 2-3-2 format.

Over the years, there have been many who expressed dissatisfaction with the format, but the NBA never considered changing it.

North Shore Garden was about to host the ultimate ceremony.

David Stern would present the championship trophy to Supersonics owner Clay Bennett and then award the Finals Most Valuable Player.

Bennett excitedly lifted the trophy amidst weak jeers as most Celtics fans had already left the scene.

Then came the moment everyone anticipated without any suspense.

As long as the Supersonics won the championship, there was no suspense about the FMVP.

David Stern held in his hands the answer that the whole world already knew.

It was a dream season where the league’s most important player left his kingdom, moved from the Eastern to the Western Conference, and revived a team stuck in the mud.

But recently, the verdict on Tim Donaghy’s trial was about to be delivered.

The scandal, which the league tried hard to downplay, became known nationwide.

Especially among Yu Fei’s camp, which vehemently derided the Celtics as a home team because they lost all their away games, in order to put pressure on the league.

For Fei’s team, their aim was not to give the league a reality check but merely a publicity offensive, which indeed made Stern’s repeated emphasis that “Donaghy is the only criminal in the referee team” seem laughable.

The fans’ trust in NBA referees reached an all-time low.

Especially after the Celtics truly achieved a record of losing all away games; then they stood no chance of winning the championship.

If the Supersonics had not clinched the championship in game six, then the Celtics would have been targeted in a game seven on their home turf.

Fortunately, the Supersonics were up to the mark, and when it was time for the Celtics to perish, they let them die swiftly and decisively.

It was a perfect ending.

While the damage caused by Donaghy might take more time to heal, the story of Yu Fei saving the Supersonics was enough to dominate the league’s narrative for the foreseeable future.

“You returned to Seattle in the name of salvation, personally spurring the local market, and by any standard, you are deservedly a superstar,” Stern said. “To this day, you have fully fulfilled your initial promises, doing your best within your abilities–your achievements are unprecedented. In light of your outstanding performance in the Finals, Frye, you have been named the Finals Most Valuable Player!”

Yu Fei was pushed forward by his teammates out of the crowd, to claim his fifth FMVP trophy from Stern’s hands.

Stern said with a smile, whispering, “Frye, you should know this is just the beginning. If the Supersonics’ new arena financing plan does not receive support from the city government, the team will still relocate.”

“Isn’t one championship enough?”

Yu Fei asked quietly.

“As far as I know, it’s not enough.”

According to the latest bill in Seattle, if the city government is to pass financing to help sports teams build stadiums, the teams need to prove their profitability and commercial potential.

Therefore, even after winning the championship, this year is the first year the Supersonics have made a profit.

That’s why Stern said it was not enough.

“Would three championships be enough?”

Yu Fei asked again.

Stern answered, “More than enough.”

Then Yu Fei laughed, went to the front, and raised the FMVP trophy to accept the interview.

When Stern finally caught his breath, he realized the enormity of what Yu Fei had just suggested.

The Supersonics had to pass the financing bill before the summer of 2010; therefore, if Yu Fei was to win three consecutive championships to gain the city’s support, it meant achieving a three-peat for the Supersonics.

If he accomplished this, his number of championships would surpass Jordan’s.

At that time, could Jordan still securely sit on the throne as the Greatest of All Time?

Stern couldn’t help but wonder, under his presidency, would the title of NBA’s best player change hands twice?

Why not?

What’s wrong with that?

Jordan is already a thing of the past, and the bygone days cannot be pursued.

What matters most is the present.

If Yu Fei can really take this step, Stern wouldn’t mind giving him a push.

A person surpassing Jordan could really lead the League out of a series of scandals that have hurt fans since the lockout of 1998.

The aftermath of winning a championship is lasting.

Its impact on Fei is particularly evident.

Since Yu Fei won his third championship, the comparisons between him and Jordan have never ceased.

When his number of championships was only half of Jordan’s, Jordan’s defenders could easily shred Yu’s supporters in debates.

As Yu Fei won his fourth championship at the age of 25, the GOAT debate became both serious and earnest.

Now, Fei has five championships.

And this championship not only has a legendary backstory but also relates to a concept.

Two three-peats were a symbol of Jordan’s absolute dominance in the 90s.

Thus, if someone wants to surpass Jordan but can’t do it with consecutive championships, they too would be questioned.

The biggest controversy surrounding Fei now is whether his championship with the Supersonics should be considered in isolation or as an extension of the Bucks’ back-to-back championships?

If it’s an extension, then that’s a three-peat.

If it’s isolated, then there are problems in fact.

Because Yu Fei has genuinely won three championships in three years, but a three-peat with a team change is unprecedented, and how it’s defined has become a hot topic of debate in the public discourse.

This is not something Yu Fei needs to worry about; that’s the job of those so-called basketball experts.

For him personally, the fifth championship means he is incredibly close to Jordan.

He’s only 26 but already has five championships in hand.

With at least another ten years in his championship window, given his championship frequency in the past seven years, surpassing Jordan in the number of championships is an easily predictable matter.

However, what greatly displeases Jordan’s supporters is that Yu’s supporters have already openly declared Fei the GOAT.

Why? Because Yu Fei is a more versatile player, he can team up with different teammates and win championships in various environments.

All of Jordan’s achievements are tied to the Bulls and the 90s; he struggled during the era of zone defenses, and his comeback in D.C can be deemed a failure.

That is his blemish.

To the followers of Jordan, this argument is absurd.

For a long time, Jordan has reached an unprecedented level through the media and culture’s oversaturation marketing, and for those fans who worship him as an impeccable figure, it is almost impossible to view Jordan with fresh eyes because, for them, any discussion of Jordan presupposes the acknowledgment that “you must know Jordan is the greatest of all time.”

Undoubtedly, Jordan is an immensely great player, his value incalculable. Fans are familiar with his legend, skills, and so-called killer instinct because these aspects have been repeatedly mentioned in the media for decades. Moreover, the League, sponsors, and others have spared no effort to promote, publicize, and deepen his mythical image.

But does that allow Jordan to be unanimously acknowledged as the greatest player in history?

No, of course, it’s not that simple.

Being the greatest in history has always been about specific propositions and narratives; no one knows what kind of players will emerge in the future, but if we want to elevate someone of the present to sainthood, we can bury the past.

Hence, in Jordan’s era, “the merger era” emerged as an exclusive term for the NBA. Writers, journalists, and media personalities discussing records “since the merger” has become normal practice. And for professional basketball “prior to the merger,” they often take a denigrating stance. This was a necessary step to elevate Jordan to the throne.

Jordan’s statistics fall short of Chamberlain’s, and his number of championships is less than Russell’s. To convince fans they are watching the greatest of all time, the history of the past must be cloaked with the “outdated” coat. Thus, it became a taken-for-granted fact.

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Through purposeful marketing, Jordan’s achievements and honors were amplified, and players from before the merger era were diminished because, for the gods to take the stage, it’s impolite for those old-timers to remain in the way.

Eventually, those people succeeded, and Jordan ascended to divinity in 1998. But every advocate of the present over the past must face the fact that time will continue to move forward. In the end, Jordan too will become outdated, he too will stand in the way of others’ ascension, and for the new gods to rise, Jordan’s legend will be demeaned just as Russell’s and Chamberlain’s were in their time.

It’s just that Yu Fei rises too quickly, with Jordan’s fervent supporters still active in the basketball world. So when Yu’s supporters propose the argument for Fei as the GOAT, it’s only natural that a fierce debate erupts between the two camps.

This will be a protracted war.

Until Yu Fei wins his seventh championship, there will be no conclusion.