In Michael Jordan's career, no one had ever tried to challenge his status within the team.
Scottie Pippen had a chance, but after losing the semifinals by a hair in 1994, it became impossible for him to challenge Jordan. Although Pippen repeatedly said that before he joined the team, Jordan was just an ordinary player, he still needed Jordan.
Jordan knew how to control Pippen, but he did not know how to control Yu Fei.
As a thriving member of Generation Y, Yu Fei should have been a fan of Jordan's.
But he wasn't.
He wasn't a fan of Jordan's, nor did he watch his games. Even coming from a region near Seattle, he had a natural antipathy toward Jordan.
None of that mattered; Jordan wasn't a US dollar bill, why did everyone have to like him?
What was unsettling was the obvious lack of respect that Yu Fei showed toward Jordan.
Though supremely confident, Jordan believed he could achieve an absolute dictatorship within the team that the nation wouldn't dare to imagine, but Yu Fei stepped up and delivered a big block—both literally and symbolically—making Jordan, who thought he was invincible, wonder for the first time "whether I can tame this wild horse at this stage."
At this point, Ratner, who had claimed he would teach Yu Fei a lesson on Jordan's behalf, spoke up again, "Michael, we've got to let that ill-mannered brat know that the NBA has its rules."
Jordan habitually pouted and didn't trust Ratner one bit, "What do you want to do?"
"He's too fast. I have a hard time keeping up with him on the outside. We can use Tyronn as bait to match up with him. As soon as he gets inside, I'll let him know how brutal the competition is in professional basketball."
Jahidi White glared at Ratner, dissatisfied.
This had nothing to do with him; why was he getting dragged into it?
After considering it, Jordan felt it was feasible, so he turned to White and said, "Let's do it."
With Jordan's word, White had no choice but to follow through, yet he was still unhappy with Ratner.
White gave Yu Fei the impression he was just like his draft-classmate Rodney White, able to swing between positions without speciality, and thus, a jack-of-all-trades but master of none.
White's biggest advantage over Yu Fei was his extra years in the NBA, offering better physical confrontation, but in the small forward position, his overall skills were far too inferior.
Yu Fei got free from White through off-ball movement and Brown's screen, received the pass from Coach Lu from the outside, and realizing he was open, immediately attempted a three-pointer.
Since the start of training camp, Yu Fei had been practicing his shooting intensively every day. Although not yet back to his best, he had regained his shooting confidence.
This shot, had a perfect arc.
"Swish!"
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"Jahidi, what the hell are you doing?" Jordan berated angrily, "How could you let a rookie score like this?"
Ratner, who was basking in reflected glory, chimed in, "That rookie has no long-range shooting skill, and yet you let him score?"
White was even more annoyed with Ratner now. Was that even a human thing to say? Since the rookie had no long-range ability, wasn't it natural for me to let him shoot? And if he makes it, it's my fault?
Still, White knew his priority was to please Jordan right now.
Ratner was just a simpleton, a dog wagging its tail only for recognition; paying him any heed was superfluous.
The offseason hard work was paying off for Yu Fei.
Every staff member of the Wizards team could accurately point out the player in the best competitive condition.
That was Yu Fei.
Compared to the Yu Fei who had tried out at the Verizon Center, this Yu Fei was faster, stronger, and better at applying his techniques.