Chapter 162: Slam Dunk Contest (Part 4)

Without a doubt, this was the best dunk of the Slam Dunk Contest so far!

The difficulty level was higher than Wade Dong's first and second dunks. It can be said that there are very few people in the world who can complete this dunk.

And Wade Dong succeeded on his first try!

However, as the fans gradually calmed down from their excitement, they also became curious about the role of the girl in the jersey whom Wade Dong had brought onto the court.

Surely, it wasn't just to let her admire Wade Dong's coolness from up close?

If that were the case, Wade Dong would be too much of a show-off... But then again, not many girls could resist such romance.

"Smack~!"

While the fans were still curious, Wade Dong suddenly walked up to Li Jiajia and planted a kiss on her lips.

"Damn!!!"

At that moment, basketball fans around the world were in shock.

Especially the single fans, they suffered a billion points of damage. When they first saw Li Jiajia, they had the illusion of "falling in love," only to see Wade Dong publicly announce to the world that this beautiful girl was his girlfriend.

"0 points!"

"0 points!"

"0 points!"

The fans in the arena also started shouting, "Wade Dong, your dunk was amazing, but you can't show off your love like that. You hurt us, you know..."

"Hahaha..."

The five judges also laughed, but then they all gave Wade Dong 10 points. Wade Dong's dunk scored another perfect score, making it his third perfect score in the Slam Dunk Contest.

Although each player still had one dunk left, the suspense of this year's Slam Dunk Contest was already gone. Wade Dong's three consecutive dunks were each more difficult and more spectacular than the last.

In the final round, Gerald and Bledsoe scored 45 and 46 points, respectively.

This brought Gerald's total to 92 points and Bledsoe's to 91 points. Wade Dong only needed to score 43 points on his second dunk to win the Slam Dunk Contest championship.

When it was Wade Dong's turn, he was very relaxed.

He dribbled the ball a couple of times at the baseline, then rushed towards the basket. He grabbed the ball with one hand, spun it twice in the air, and then dunked it with a reverse slam.

A 720-degree spin dunk!

Wade Dong effortlessly completed the move that White had failed to do in his first dunk.

"This one is for you."

After landing, Wade Dong clenched his fist and thumped his chest, then pointed at White.

White had talked trash to Wade Dong before the contest, and Wade Dong responded with a 720-degree spin dunk, making the self-proclaimed "720-degree master" White concede defeat.

The comeback was that fast.

"10 points!"

"10 points!"

"10 points!"

...

"10 points!"

The five judges gave Wade Dong another perfect score, making him the champion of the Slam Dunk Contest with four perfect scores.

Wade Dong also became the first player in NBA history to win the Skills Challenge, Three-Point Contest, and Slam Dunk Contest during the All-Star Weekend.

This record will likely remain unbroken for a very long time.

The closest player to achieving this might be LaVine in the future.

After receiving the three trophies and being interviewed by reporters, the reporters also interviewed several superstars present at the event.

When asked about Wade Dong's performance, James suddenly called out to Wade Dong, "Wade Dong!"

"Huh?"

Wade Dong turned around, not knowing why James was calling him.

James said, "Next year, I'm going to participate in the Slam Dunk Contest too!"

"Sure thing."

Wade Dong smiled, "I accept your challenge!"

"Hahaha..."

After that, Wade Dong and James both laughed. James had said a few years ago that he wanted to participate in the Slam Dunk Contest but had never followed through. This time, he made the promise in front of the reporters with Wade Dong.

The 2013 Slam Dunk Contest had just ended, and the anticipation for the 2014 Slam Dunk Contest was already high.

...

After the first day of the All-Star Weekend ended, Yao Ming invited Wade Dong's family to his home. In fact, after the Olympics, Yao Ming had thought about hosting Wade Dong, but there had never been an opportunity.

Yao Ming was the first Chinese player to make it big in the NBA, and Wade Dong was showing signs of dominating the NBA as well. Regardless, this could be seen as a kind of legacy.

Yao Ming rarely visited the United States after retiring.

He had been in China, focusing on promoting basketball, and even became the president of the Chinese Basketball Association.

Because this year's All-Star Weekend was held in Houston, Yao Ming was invited as a special guest, which is why he came to Houston.

Yao Ming hosted Wade Dong's family at his own restaurant, "Yao's Restaurant." After eating a few bites, Yao Ming politely asked, "Uncle and Auntie, do you like the food?"

"The food is great."

Li Zhen praised while eating, "It tastes just like Chinese food."

Yao Ming smiled, "The chefs are all Chinese."

"I knew it," Li Zhen smacked his lips, "American chefs can't cook like this. When it comes to food, China is the best."

If it weren't for Wade Dong, Yao Ming would be considered a big star to people like Li Zhen. Yao Ming, although a basketball player, was as popular in China as some top celebrities.

After eating a few more bites, Yao Ming raised his glass and said, "I propose a toast to everyone. No matter what, it's a joyous occasion to be able to gather with fellow countrymen in a foreign land."

"Thank you for your hospitality!"

Wade Dong and Li Zhen also raised their glasses.

After a few more drinks, Yao Ming said to Wade Dong, "Some remote mountainous areas in China are still quite underdeveloped, and their sports facilities are not very good."

"That's true."

Wade Dong nodded and put down his chopsticks to look at Yao Ming.

Yao Ming continued, "Just in time for the All-Star Weekend, I've contacted the officials. Tomorrow, during the All-Star Game, there will be a small charity event."

"And then?"

Wade Dong listened without interrupting.

Yao Ming paused and then said, "So, I want you to participate in this charity event tomorrow. During the halftime of the All-Star Game, you'll have one minute to shoot three-pointers. For every three-pointer you make in that minute, the Yao Ming Foundation will donate a sports facility to a school in the mountainous areas."

"That's a great cause!"

Wade Dong nodded, "I will fully support it."

"That's wonderful."

Yao Ming raised his glass, "Let's drink to that."

In fact, Yao Ming's plan to donate sports facilities was not only a charitable act but also a way to promote basketball. This is why the NBA officials agreed to Yao Ming's request.

Every year during the All-Star Weekend, there is a similar charity event during halftime.

So, the number of sports facilities donated is not the key; what matters is the act of charity itself. Yao Ming's actions were something Wade Dong would also do, but because of their different statuses, Wade Dong would do it quietly without much fanfare.

Some good deeds are done to leave a name, but others do not need to be publicized.

The dinner was very enjoyable, and Yao Ming and Wade Dong basically agreed on this matter. They were both looking forward to Wade Dong's performance the next day.