NBA: Warrior godfather.

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After hanging up the phone with Stevens, Liam checked the time. It was already 11:30 p.m.

With a wave of his hand, he announced:

"I don't need to catch a flight today. I'll rest in Indiana for the night!"

As soon as he said this, everyone cheered.

After all, humans are creatures of the land, and no one likes to float in the sky for long.

That night, the Warriors enjoyed a restful evening in Indiana before boarding a charter flight to New York the next day. Liam gave the team a day off to adjust and recover.

The Knicks were still the Knicks everyone knew. They had started the 2009-2010 season with a dismal 1-8 record. Before this game, they had just suffered a five-game losing streak and were dead last in the standings, even below the Bobcats, who topped the Eastern Conference.

Liam watched a single game video of the Knicks before calling it a day.

The Knicks' gameplay was so chaotic that Liam doubted the sanity of New York fans who spent so much money to fill Madison Square Garden and watch their team perform poorly.

Closing his laptop, Liam picked up his phone, scrolled through his contacts, and dialed a number.

"Yi Jianlian, I just arrived in New York. Do you have time to grab dinner together?"

…

"Let's head out first," Brook López said to Yi Jianlian.

"Oh, take care on the way. See you tomorrow," Yi Jianlian replied, forcing a smile and waving.

Brook and a few other Nets players exited the locker room, chatting and laughing. Yi Jianlian overheard snippets of their conversation:

"Why not invite Yi to join you..."

"Don't you know? He never does..."

Yi Jianlian bowed his head, packed his gear silently, and waited for his teammates to leave before stepping out of the locker room alone.

"Last one out again, Yi. Stay safe on your way home," one of the Nets' coaches called out to him.

Yi Jianlian nodded with a small smile but said nothing, leaving the arena in silence. He headed toward New York City.

That morning, he had received a call from Liam. It was now 5 p.m., and the Nets had wrapped up practice, giving Yi Jianlian just enough time to meet up.

The drive from New Jersey to New York City was about 80 kilometers and took roughly an hour.

As Yi Jianlian drove his sports car, the earlier snippets of conversation replayed in his mind.

He knew his teammates were heading to a nightclub. When he first joined the Nets, Devin Harris had enthusiastically invited him to tag along.

However, Yi Jianlian was reserved and held traditional values. He couldn't adapt to that environment. After declining a few times, the invitations stopped.

His English, though functional for daily conversations, was average. He didn't grasp much slang or cultural nuances, making it hard to bond with his teammates. Over time, the gap in communication grew.

This was how Yi Jianlian found himself feeling the same cold isolation he had experienced with the Bucks.

He longed for mornings sipping coffee and chatting with familiar faces in his hometown. Instead, he ate bland Western food alone, trained in silence, and returned home to an empty apartment, staring out the window before falling asleep in solitude.

Training itself wasn't the issue. Having trained in basketball since he was 12, it had become second nature.

What weighed on him was loneliness—being oceans away from Chinese, without family or friends nearby. This sense of isolation left Yi Jianlian struggling.

Though the Bucks drafted him with the sixth pick, they showed little interest in developing him, favoring Charlie Villanueva. He was traded to the Nets after his rookie season.

The Nets weren't much different. While he got 20 minutes of game time, he lacked a clear role. He tried to perform his best, but internally, he felt lost.

This environment pushed Yi Jianlian further into himself. His communication with teammates diminished, much like his days in Milwaukee when he barely exchanged a word with Andrew Bogut.

Fortunately, Yi Jianlian wasn't entirely alone in the basketball world. When he joined the national team in 2004, Yao Ming saw his potential and offered valuable advice.

Later, when Yi Jianlian entered the NBA in 2007, Yao Ming stayed in touch, inviting him to dinner whenever their teams faced each other and providing encouragement.

It was through a mutual friend, Sergio Duque, that Yi Jianlian got in touch with Liam. Though one was in the NBA and the other in the NCAA, they exchanged greetings during the holidays.

This was their first in-person meeting.

Driving to New York, Yi Jianlian racked his brain for a good restaurant. Unable to think of one, he decided to head to Chinatown.

An hour later, Yi Jianlian arrived at the Warriors' hotel, called Liam, and stepped out to wait.

A few moments later, Liam appeared, smiling as he walked over.

"Yi, it's good to finally meet."

"Coach L—"

"Just call me Liam," he interrupted with a grin.

"Uh... Liam," Yi Jianlian said hesitantly.

Knowing Yi Jianlian's reserved nature, Liam took the initiative to break the ice, hopping into the car.

"Where are we eating?"

Yi Jianlian paused before replying, "I don't know New York well, but there's a decent Chinese restaurant nearby..."

"Great! But it better be good since I don't usually eat Asian food".

"Haha... Alright, let's go."

…

Thirty minutes later, they arrived in Chinatown and parked outside a small Chinese restaurant.

As Yi Jianlian shut the car door, he muttered, "Milwaukee's too quiet, winter's freezing and dry, and there aren't even decent Chinese restaurants. Sometimes, I cook just to avoid Western food..."

Thanks to Liam's light-hearted jokes, Yi Jianlian's stiffness melted away.

Inside, Yi Jianlian ordered with ease. The waiter, a fellow immigrant, recognized him immediately and asked for an autograph, encouraging him with, "Keep going, Yi Jianlian! Yao Ming's out, so Chinese basketball is counting on you!"

Hearing this, Yi Jianlian forced a smile but waved politely.

After the waiter left, his mood darkened. He stared at the table, lost in thought.

"What's wrong? Not happy to meet a fan?" Liam teased.

Yi Jianlian sighed softly, speaking in a low voice.

"Of course I am, but there's such a big gap between Yao Ming and me. He's a superstar, and I don't even know if I'll get another contract. People back home think I'm a failure."

Liam's smile faded as he listened. After a moment, he said,

"Yi, you're playing for yourself. Don't let others' opinions weigh you down. Just be yourself."

Yi Jianlian gave a bitter smile and poured his heart out, sharing his frustrations about playing in the NBA—how coaches gave him little guidance, how he struggled with his role, and how difficult it was to connect with teammates.

The conversation continued until their food arrived, untouched as Yi Jianlian vented.

Finally, realizing the time, Yi Jianlian apologized.

"Sorry, Liam, you came to eat, not listen to my complaints."

Liam smiled warmly.

"Don't worry, Yi. That's what friends are for."

End of this chapter

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