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Chapter 103: Of Headlines and Headstarts
🕑 Added 2025-05-04 13:16:27 +0000 UTCThe photos of Lin Yi and Elizabeth Olsen shopping together were quickly picked up by New York tabloids, courtesy of some relentless paparazzi. Suddenly, Lin Yi was the hottest name in town, and the gossip mill didn't want to miss a beat.
Lin Yi didn't react much when he saw the news. To him, Elizabeth and he were just friends, although he wouldn't mind something more if the opportunity presented itself.
Meanwhile, Elizabeth had become a minor celebrity in her college class overnight. Her classmates were buzzing about the tabloid story, speculating whether she and Lin Yi were an item. Even her dorm-mates were grilling her about her love life.
This was the first time Elizabeth had gotten so much attention. But instead of feeling flattered, she felt like she had accidentally given Lin Yi trouble. On the surface, she might've looked calm and confident, but deep down, Elizabeth struggled with insecurity. Feeling guilty, she called Lin Yi.
"Hey… I just wanted to say I'm sorry," she said.
"Sorry? For what?" Lin Yi replied, confused. "You just walked down the street with me. Should I start expecting apologies every time someone grabs a bite with me, too?"
"But the photos… I mean, I didn't want to cause trouble for you," she said.
Lin Yi chuckled. "Relax. It's not a big deal. Besides, aren't you coming to Madison Square Garden in a couple of days to catch the game? By the way, did you end up downloading that game I told you about?"
"I did," Elizabeth said. "But… is it as fun as you made it sound?"
"Trust me, you'll love it," Lin Yi said with confidence. "It's totally addictive."
Lin Yi had been on a League of Legends recruiting spree. Aside from Elizabeth, he'd also convinced Curry, Griffin, Harden, and Flynn to give it a shot.
...
On October 25, the Knicks wrapped up their final preseason game. They finished with five wins and two losses. Lin Yi played in six of those games as a starter, posting averages of 16.5 points, 7 rebounds, 6 assists, 2.5 blocks, and 1 steal per game. His shooting splits? A ridiculous 60% from the field, 48% from three, and 95% from the line.
Most of Lin Yi's shots were wide-open looks or clean cuts to the basket—nothing fancy, just high-efficiency basketball.
Preseason stats can be misleading, sure, but with Blake Griffin expected to miss out on the time due to injury, many were already predicting Lin Yi to win Rookie of the Year.
The silver lining? Griffin had League of Legends to keep him company.
Tickets to Knicks games were suddenly in high demand. Last year's basement-dwelling team had become the league's new darlings, and rival franchises couldn't help but wonder:
How the hell did New York pull off that deal with the Clippers?
When's it our turn to rob the Clippers blind?
Knicks owner James Dolan was over the moon. Thanks to Lin Yi, Dolan believed the team no longer needed to chase big-name free agents. Their cap space next summer would be massive, and Dolan was even dreaming about a playoff run.
As a result, New York probably wouldn't be trading for Tracy McGrady anymore.
Lin Yi had built a strong relationship with Assistant GM Javier Stanford and had an insider's peek into the front office. Compared to GM Donnie Walsh, Javier was way more basketball-savvy, and Lin Yi knew this New York team had the potential to become something special.
The Knicks' official roster for the new season was set:
Centers: Lin Yi, Darko Miličić, Eddy Curry
Power Forwards: David Lee, Jared Jeffries, Earl Barron
Small Forwards: Al Harrington, Danilo Gallinari, Marcus Landry
Shooting Guards: Larry Hughes, Wilson Chandler, Ewing Jr
Point Guards: Chris Duhon, Tony Douglas, Nate Robinson
Nate Robinson would be returning soon, and Donnie Walsh hoped Coach D'Antoni would find more playing time for him, possibly even pairing him with Lin Yi.
...
On October 27, League of Legends officially launched. Lin Yi wasted no time gathering the 2009 rookie crew—and Elizabeth Olsen—for their first Summoner's Rift experience. Lin's eyes lit up when he saw his in-game gear again.
After a marathon gaming session, Curry, Griffin, Harden, DeRozan, and Flynn were all hooked. Lin Yi knew it: League of Legends was about to take over their lives.
Zhong Muchen, Lin's agent, was fully on board. Getting NBA stars to play also doubled as free marketing. No ad budget needed—just a few casual streams or shoutouts.
Elizabeth loved the game too. She played support while Lin Yi ran ADC. With Lin carrying, she coasted to win after win.
"Yo, you're pretty good. Wanna add me?" someone messaged Lin Yi after a match.
"Sure! You Chinese?" Lin asked.
"Yeah! I'm Yu Jingxi. Just call me Ruofeng."
Lin Yi: …
...
October 28. The Knicks flew out to Miami to open the regular season against the Heat.
The Knicks sure are loaded, Lin thought.
. Their charter plane was absurd—he stretched out in a plush seat, sipping juice and snacking like royalty.
One day, I gotta get a private jet of my own, he mused.
Danilo Gallinari, wide-eyed, was acting more like a first-year rookie.
Before the flight, Lin had rallied the rookie group to stage a bit of coordinated hype around their pro debuts. Poor Griffin, still sidelined, saw Lin's post and sighed.
Why… why can't I just hoop like everyone else?
Griffin quietly left the group chat and launched League of Legends. He preferred the solo lane—no resource-sharing, no distractions.
Half an hour later, he was smashing his keyboard.
"Who the hell plays ADC like this?! MOVE, you useless support!"
"Jungle diff again?! Are you even trying?!"
He was raging.
Griffin slumped over, defeated, and patted the head of the Shiba Inu he'd just adopted.
Might as well spend this injury period learning to shoot threes, he thought.
The dog tilted its head, and the two shared a laugh.
At this point, it was hard to tell who was sillier—Griffin or the Shiba Inu.
Either way, Lin Yi had unknowingly changed Griffin's fate, too.
