Basketball Legend: When Pride Still Matters

St. Francis Training Center

Yu Fei once again encountered Ray Allen here.

Yu Fei seldom acknowledged that someone trained harder than him, but Ray Allen was definitely one.

When equipment manager Zack Edou passed by, Yu Fei asked him, "Does Ray train like this every day?"

"No, of course not," Edou replied, "He only comes here to shoot in the mornings after he's had a bad game."

That was much more normal.

Even Yu Fei couldn't manage to train from morning till night every day during the season.

For Ray Allen, last night's game against the Magic was a bad one.

He was not only outperformed by McGrady but also went 3-for-14, scoring only 10 points.

After the game, George Karl said a large part of the lack of responsibility was directed at him because he neither contained McGrady on defense nor contributed on offense.

Ray Allen took another shot. Experience more content on empire

It was a perfect shot.

It should have swished through the net, but, a basketball from another corner flew over at just the wrong time, ruining its perfect arc.

"Bang!"

After the basketball was unexpectedly deflected, Ray Allen looked over with displeasure at the person who had disrupted his practice, "With all the empty courts around, what are you doing here?"

"Training with you," Yu Fei replied indifferently, "Turns out I also played a bad game, I need to put in some extra shooting practice just like you."

Many on the Bucks needed extra shooting practice, but if last night's game was any indication, Yu Fei was the only one who didn't need it.

He shot 10-for-17, scoring a team-high 25 points.

Although he didn't take many outside shots, he still went 1-for-3, which couldn't be considered either good or bad.

This was different from Ray Allen's completely off-target shooting.

For someone like that to say he needed extra shooting practice, wasn't that just nauseating?

"I'll say it again, you can go to any of the other empty courts to shoot!"

He was clearly serious and angry, yet Yu Fei wasn't scared at all.

Yu Fei asked, "Don't you really want to talk about it? As the team's top player, don't you think it's your duty to lead your teammates out of the mud after a defeat?"

Listening to the guy who took over Glenn Robinson's locker talk about being the top player, Ray Allen found it laughable.

Since Yu Fei wouldn't leave, he had to change venues himself.

As Ray Allen was taking his ball to another empty court, Yu Fei continued with his provoking tone, "Well, it seems you really are what George said, a person without a sense of responsibility; no wonder they didn't leave the 'Big Dog's' locker for you."

Ray Allen stopped, turned around, and said, "What did you say?"

"Do you really want me to repeat it?"

Hearing this, Ray Allen, who had been accumulating disdain for Yu Fei, briskly approached him in anger, "What do you know? You think you understand the situation here? I've been playing here six years longer than you! I know how we got to where we are today, you have no right to judge me, because you know nothing. If you were really as smart as you think you are, you wouldn't have come here!"

Yeah, right, as if I'd enjoy the pleasure of having old fossils as teammates.

Ray Allen's reaction confirmed Yu Fei's judgment; the veteran with the deepest tenure on the Bucks indeed harbored animosity towards him.

Because Yu Fei had "stolen" something that was supposed to be his—Glenn Robinson's locker.

Ray Allen was not a player who felt he absolutely had to be the boss, as long as the person in that position "deserved" it, he had no objections.

Glenn Robinson had been traded, Sam Cassell had been traded, all those on the Bucks who were more qualified for that spot than him were gone. The new players included problem player Sprewell and promising newcomer Yu Fei; that position should have been his.

The management and George Karl didn't bother asking for his opinion and simply assigned Glenn Robinson's locker to Yu Fei.

As if it were ordained.

Ray Allen recognized that Yu Fei had a bright future, but he was just a sophomore, not a Tim Duncan-like sophomore, but a sophomore who hadn't gone to college, couldn't coexist with Jordan, "unruly."

How could such a person become the team's leader?

That was why Ray Allen disliked Yu Fei.

However, the difference between Allen and Yu Fei was that Allen had already labeled Yu Fei, whereas Yu Fei was still observing him.

From training camp to now, Allen came across to Yu Fei as more than a second-in-command but not quite a leader.

His ability was certainly sufficient to be a lieutenant but severely lacking to be the boss, especially in terms of personality and leadership.

Take Wizards Dan, whom Yu Fei disdained the most—for all his bad temper, inability to get along, and insufficient skills, he was always on the front line, unafraid of getting dirty or tired, and would raise his thunderous voice to scold his teammates if there were any issues.

Ray Allen lacked this mindset, or perhaps the will.

He was willing to defend, willing to attack, willing to work hard on both ends of the court, but he wouldn't shout or rally everyone's strength in a unified effort towards a common goal.

Such a person couldn't lead the team.

Although Yu Fei, a newcomer, had thoughts of being the leader, he knew he had to keep his cool for now since the Bucks were fraught with problems top to bottom. He needed first to unite the forces around him, win over his teammates' support, and then consider transforming the team.