Generation Z Artists

Chapter 228 Retirement Declaration
"NO!"

"Kajima!"

"No, Brother Fang!"

Fans all over the world were screaming and holding their heads in shock.

As far as Full Sky Stars is concerned, Fang Xinghe can do anything. As long as he shows up and there are materials, they can keep chasing him.

But for true fans, the Commander is a beacon of light in the world of basketball; when he shines elsewhere, this place becomes a dark apocalypse.

The commentary booth erupted in cheers.

"WHY?!"

They didn't care about Sister Li; they were heartbroken and terrified of the days without Fang Xinghe.

But Fang Xinghe remained unmoved by anything and coldly announced his retirement.

"Even before I got all of this, I realized that I wasn't that passionate about basketball."

Fang Xinghe raised the FMVP trophy in his hand, then glanced at the championship trophy.

"I don't understand where your passion comes from, but I know very well why I don't love it—the certainty of basketball is just too high for me."

Even Jordan, who knew this would happen, was completely dumbfounded.

Bro, do you want to hear what you're saying?!

No need. When your brother Fang gets cocky, he doesn't care about anyone, not even a madman. He should be called a god of madness.

This is how he explained certainty.

"When you are strong enough, everything that happens on this small basketball court is within your expectations. No matter what difficulties you encounter, you will have a way to solve them. So from the beginning, you can set a seemingly high but actually completely reasonable goal and then achieve it step by step."

For example, the 96 Bulls won 72 games by holding back, and their playoff run was like a leisurely trip.

For example, with the Wizards this year, I was away for more than a month, but this did not affect our teamwork or our smooth path to the championship.

That's just how the world of basketball is..."

Fang Xinghe shrugged, dismissing it as nothing.

"When your strength reaches that point, there are no surprises or unexpected events."

"Wow……"

The female fans couldn't help but start squeezing their thighs together.

This isn't about whether he's handsome or not.

This is a kind of sexual tension that you can hardly experience from other people.

There's no need to describe how Fang Ge seems to glow; just looking at his face is enough to spark the imagination.

Fang Xinghe continued to exude an aura of dominance.

"This is true for almost all sports. The stronger you are, the higher the certainty of success. You only need to overcome a very small number of unexpected events to achieve the expected results."

I realized this clearly when I reached the middle of the season.

This year, no one can rival the Wizards.

We have the best off-ball movement player in the league, Hamilton, who is like a tireless iron man who can easily shake off any defender.

We have the league’s best stretch four power forward, Robinson, who can draw away the opponent’s defensive anchors to the three-point line, creating good offensive space for his teammates.

We have one of the best rim-protecting centers in the league, Campbell, who is hardworking, solid, reliable, and not clumsy under the basket.

We have one of the best offensive breakaway players in NBA history, Michael Jordan. He never plays easy games, and whenever the team is stuck in a situation where they can't execute their plays, his beautiful fadeaway jumper can always easily break the deadlock.

We also have the league’s best and most undefendable three-dimensional, multi-layered spatial offense, thanks to Coach Doug, who made a huge contribution to the development of this offense.

What I mean is...

He wholeheartedly supported me in building this system, and always humbly asked me for advice: What is the core idea behind this running route? Wow, awesome!
How did that pick-and-roll screen create the passing lane? Wow, so cool!

Many details of our entire tactical plan were filled in by Doug's spot-filling, even though his initial purpose might have just been to flatter him.

"Hahahaha!"

The Wizards players were laughing hysterically, as were the audience members. Doug himself was the one laughing the loudest.

"In the end, the Wizards still have me."

Fang's expression turned serious, and he began to give a self-reflection.

"I'm not an absolute offensive threat who can solve all the problems on the court. When the team is in dire straits, Michael Jordan's way of solving the problem is to go one-on-one indiscriminately and finish with an unstoppable offensive wave."

My job is more structure-oriented—to bring everyone together and use our strengths to attack the opponent's weaknesses.

I stand on high ground, outside the game, ruling over probability.

Basketball is neither mysterious nor exciting to me. I divide the court space, move the defense around, calculate the hot zone and the defensive positioning rate, and handle the ball calmly and scientifically.

It's like a math exam, or a delicate surgery. It doesn't require passion or a sudden burst of energy. The exact answer is there; you just need to fill it in.

In Game 5, the final game, I had 25 assists.

This means the Lakers have no secrets from me anymore; the only difference is whether my teammates can make those shots—if they miss, I can try a different approach, and the outcome will be the same.

Many basketball experts thought we were weaker than the Lakers, with the pre-season vote ratio being about 62% to 38%. But as it turns out, their assessment of our strength was too narrow.

Does complete tactical restraint count as strength? Does unmatched offensive resources count as strength? Does my spatial awareness and perception count as strength?

They can't give an answer, that's okay. I've already shown the world with the results that the Wizards are the stronger team.

There's nothing wrong with that; I don't care what others think or say.

But I can't deceive myself—

Basketball is definitely not that fun.

Or let me broaden the scope a bit more—

Sports that only require physical fitness and simple calculations are not that interesting.

I'm tired of playing this game, that's all.

In comparison, art is more mysterious.

Literature, music, film, painting... no matter what kind of art it is, there are no standards, and it will not produce a completely predictable result in the early stages of its creation.

Even the most talented directors or actors cannot guarantee that their finished products will be well-received.

It is precisely this unknown that fully motivates me.

I don't know if you fully understand what I mean, but I'll emphasize it again..."

Fang Xinghe paused for a moment, then looked around at the media.

These guys were so excited their faces turned red, but they tried their best to keep quiet and listen to him finish his last sentence.

Oh no, a more accurate description is that I'm looking forward to him finishing his last bit of showing off.

Brother Fang declared: "For a genius like me, only the path of art can give me enough setbacks, and I will devote myself to those setbacks, sinking or shining in the unknown."

The last sentence is concise and emphasizes the main point.

Basketball, out.

This is what Kobe said in his retirement speech.

He said: Mamba, out.

The implied meaning is that the Black Mamba has been eliminated from the basketball world.

But Fang Xinghe's attitude was like an old man—basketball was officially eliminated by me.

"Fuck!"

Barkley jumped up, clutched his head in his hands, his face filled with disbelief, his mouth twisted and his eyes slanted.

"Has SR always been this... this arrogant and conceited?"

Huaxia Mantianxing nodded vigorously: Yes, he has always been like that.

The surrounding reporters instantly transformed into zombies, frantically raising their microphones and bombarding the audience with questions in a chaotic, disorderly manner. The entire venue was filled with utter noise, making it impossible to hear anything else. However, viewers at home could hear the desperate cries of despair erupting from the audience.

"NO!"

"Star River, don't go!"

We can't live without you!

Cries, shouts, and pleas for them to stay were deafening.

Fang Xinghe ignored them all and handed the microphone to Bolin; it was his turn to go on stage.

"Guys, guys, listen to me!"

Who wants to listen to you!
Reporters frantically surrounded Fang Xinghe and Jordan, but the two had already been protected by their teammates. So, after a bit of commotion, they finally had to listen to what Paulin wanted to say.

"I deeply regret his decision and have been so heartbroken that I haven't been able to sleep at night. Please believe me, if there's even the slightest possibility, I will do everything in my power to keep him!"

Bolin was also moved and spoke a rare, incredibly truthful statement—who could be more heartbroken than him? His fortunes had only lasted a year before the God of Wealth vanished.

Old Bo wiped his wet eyes and began to sob.

"But I can only respect him, we must respect him. Fang has already brought us so much, I cannot selfishly ask him for more!"

That's pointless; he made the request, but he had no leverage.

"I love you, my child, the Wizards will always be your home!"

Next, Pauline spent another two minutes rambling on about his love, until all the reporters grew impatient, and finally he got down to business.

"To thank Fang and Michael for their outstanding contributions to the Wizards, and to give them both a perfect career, our management has decided after discussion—"

Let's put on a grand retirement tour for them!

The reporters perked up and eagerly pressed for details: "A tour? Could you tell us more about the specifics?"

Pollin replied slowly and deliberately: "McKou's contract has one year left. After next season, he will bid farewell to basketball for good."

Therefore, next season, the Wizards will no longer pursue results, but will try to coordinate their schedules and, at the same time, coordinate with the visiting teams, choosing appropriate times to interact with the visiting teams and their fans during the 41 away games.

The tour's main focus is Michael Jordan, who played 15 seasons in the NBA and played a huge role in promoting the sport of basketball.

He deserves this treatment upon his retirement.

Of course, Fang also made indelible contributions to the promotion and publicity of the NBA in Asia.

How many viewers in Asia watched this year's finals?
5 million? Or more?
In short, in the NBA's globalization process, Michael Jordan and Michael Fang have given wings to all teams and everyone in the league...

Therefore, this retirement tour will primarily feature Michael Jordan and secondarily SR, a nationwide parade with ample interaction with visiting teams. I believe they will definitely gain the love and respect of local fans…”

Pauline is a little old man who talks a lot of nonsense.

Even after extraction, the logic remains very messy.

But the reporters fully understood the strategy behind this tour—it could only be successful if the visiting team cooperated. If the visiting team didn't cooperate, the Wizards would just be playing one game.

So, will the away team give them face?

Los Angeles residents: Absolutely not!
New Yorker: Come on, I've got my tears ready!
Bostonians: Yellow-skinned monkeys and blacks, get out of Boston! Oh? It's Fang... I'll have to take a look.

Clevelanders: Fuck, write to the league and try to get a live stream when they come!
The big news of his retirement tour quickly spread throughout the league, arousing strong anticipation from fans.

However, this news needs time to digest, and its effects will only be seen next season.

And now the only headline can only be Fang Xinghe's retirement.

It was too sudden, too decisive, and too shocking.

Unlike Danzi, who can play for another year at most, all fans are mentally prepared.

And what about Fang Xinghe?
He's not even an adult yet!
Winning a championship as a minor and then retiring gracefully before reaching adulthood—who ever does that?!

Before the Wizards held their championship, the whole world was in an uproar, which lasted for a whole week.

ESPN: "In all frankness, this legend will never be surpassed."

TNT: "This is the greatest fairy tale in the history of world sports. No other sports story can compare to it. Fang Xinghe left behind an indelible legend that we can only look up to."

New York Sports Daily: "Fang Xinghe recklessly relinquished his throne as the God of Basketball. If he had been willing to continue playing, I can't imagine how many championships he could have won."

He is the only cornerstone superstar in NBA history who is neither picky about coaches nor teammates.

He can dominate any system, activate any teammate, and win championships at an incredibly low cost.

If he's willing to play until he's 35, I'll definitely lend him at least eight championships. Eighteen years, minus the aging of his teammates and the development period for rookies, the remaining years will be his window to win championships.

Moreover, he himself is still growing and is far from reaching his peak.

I have full confidence that 25-year-old Fang can achieve absolute dominance over this league, just like Michael Jordan.

This was a monster born for basketball, but he got bored after only one year, simply because his path to the championship was too smooth...

Holy crap, isn't this humiliating?
Even the strongest teams in the league can't give him the thrill of a challenge, and the throne of basketball god can't hold him back, while I'm still working overtime and staying up all night for a promotion and a raise...

Fuck you, I'm not writing anymore!!!

And Dolan, you piece of trash!

It's all over. Star River will never come to New York. Fuck Dolan, fuck the Knicks!

The report really did end there, and even more surprisingly, the New York Times published it verbatim, which then received a lot of praise from New York basketball fans.

All I can say is that America is a truly magical place, and there's something to it.

Hubie also wrote a long article for Sports Illustrated, which is too long to be summarized here.

"I will always cherish this season."

Um, isn't this abbreviated too much?

But that's alright, Hubie's style is professional and restrained, his articles are full of dry data and logic, with little emotion.

The Washington Post was the one that truly moved people.

This political newspaper devoted a large section and wrote a heartfelt letter of thanks to Fang Xinghe on behalf of the people of Washington.

"Thank you for everything you've given us. Washingtonians don't love professional basketball, they never have, and they never will, but they loved it briefly because of you."

We know that the noise will eventually fade, the passion will eventually die out, and no love can last forever.

And that's the magic—you ignited our love, and at its most intense moment, you took it away, so that this love will remain in each other's memories, never fading, never indelible, becoming an inseparable part of the lives of Washingtonians, and not just sports, just professional basketball.

This city, which shares the pounding of its heart for you, and holds the rapid breaths for you, will tremble, it will weep, it will be drunk with madness tonight, because you will leave…

Fang Ge's comment: Cheesy.

Danzi's comment: Damn!

Even after winning the championship, Danzi did not gain Washington's approval.

Even if he didn't win the championship, Fang Ge would still be someone they fawn over.

Because of this retirement announcement, Washingtonians held Fang Xinghe in even more fervent adoration.

An artist? That's perfect!
Nothing could hit the G-spot of Washington citizens better than a handsome, unconventional, and aloof Eastern artist who appeals to both men and women.

In this matter, Fang Xinghe's Chinese identity is even a plus—white artists are nothing special, but black brothers? They don't deserve it!
In short, it's outrageous. Your brother Fang achieved legendary status in Washington with a single championship, his status rivaling that of the guy in the White House...

To be honest, he doesn't even have that much support in China.

When he announced his retirement, the country was in an uproar. Half of his casual fans who had built up a following through basketball immediately turned against him, criticizing him for being too willful, failing to live up to expectations, wasting opportunities, and being irresponsible, among other things.

In this day and age, there are too many young and middle-aged people in China who are extremely lacking in national pride and desperately crave identity, clinging to outdated mindsets.

They insisted that since Fang Xinghe has the ability, he must continue to fight for the country's honor in the NBA. This is not just his personal matter, and he cannot abandon his post for such a willful reason.

The intensity of this surge was something Fang Xinghe himself hadn't anticipated.

How could Generation Z possibly understand this?
But upon closer reflection, it seems that there are quite a few sports stars in later generations who have been morally blackmailed. In a large forest, there are bound to be all kinds of birds.

So he stopped rushing and patiently read through various articles that supposedly "represented the consensus of the Chinese people," preparing to pick out two unlucky guys, tie them to a cross, and fire a couple of shots at them.

Wow, so many familiar faces!
Fang was itching to go back to China.

(End of this chapter)