The Bulls

A highly anticipated showdown turned into a one-sided slaughter. Fans, while marveling at the Suns' strength and Carlos's prowess, quickly shifted their attention to the upcoming Suns vs. Bulls matchup.

"The duel between the 'Monster Rookie' Carlos and the 'Windy City Assassin' Rose is so highly anticipated."

"Both of them have highly entertaining offensive styles. Just thinking about a direct confrontation between them makes my blood boil!"

"Last week's Eastern and Western Conference Players of the Week, Rose and Carlos, meeting at this point, is sure to explode with excitement."

"Looking forward to it..."

The thoughts of the fans were already focused on the Suns vs. Bulls matchup.

However, the next day, major news outlets and media did not overlook the previous night's game. They intensified the hype around Carlos, further highlighting his dominance by portraying Nowitzki as a background figure.

In response, Nowitzki felt somewhat helpless and even a hint of anger. However, he didn't counter the narrative. During interviews, he chose not to make excuses for his poor performance. Last night, he indeed lost to Carlos on both ends of the court and accepted the defeat gracefully.

As discussions among fans and media continued, Carlos's individual performance and the attention he garnered elevated his popularity. Many teams in the league regretted not signing Carlos for a higher price. Various companies were eager to collaborate with Carlos, seeking to sign him.

Carlos had become a hot commodity.

In the midst of all this, Carlos, with Austin's help, found a well-located three-story villa around the Phoenix arena, covering an area of 145 square meters. He moved out of hotel life.

Last night, the Suns team flew back to Phoenix overnight. When Carlos returned to the villa for rest, it was nearly 2 a.m. Today, he woke up at 1 p.m., checked his phone, saw two missed calls from Austin, and two unread messages.

He returned Austin's call.

"What's up, Austin?"

"Carlos, I have good news for you. Many sneaker companies are eager to sign you after your outstanding performances. This morning, Adidas's agent, Wagner, came over with a direct offer of a five-year, $100 million contract. They want to sign you."

"Oh?"

Carlos responded, not saying much, just listening quietly to Austin's explanation.

"In 2007, 'KD' Durant signed a seven-year, $60 million contract with Nike during his rookie season, even though it was in 2007. But your offer of $100 million for five years has already surpassed Durant. In my opinion, it's comparable to what 'The Flash' LeBron signed with Nike during his rookie season in 2003, a seven-year, $90 million deal."

"In short, Adidas's offer is not only high, but it also tells you that they recognize your talent, similar to LeBron and Durant. It's a pretty good offer. Moreover, Wagner's attitude is very positive. It's clear that Adidas really wants to sign you."

Upon hearing this, Carlos said, "What do you think of this offer?"

"I think it's pretty good. The duration isn't too long, and the price is hefty. You can consider it. However, Adidas's market isn't as extensive as Nike's. So, I think you can wait a bit and see Nike's offer. If the difference is significant, choose Adidas. If it's not too different, consider Nike. They can provide you with more resources."

"Hmm..."

Carlos nodded. He didn't immediately agree. The initiative was in his hands, and he needed to keep it that way. He had the confidence to do so.

"Uh..."

After some thought, Carlos said, "Austin, go back to Adidas with a message. Tell them... I don't need such a high fixed salary. I prefer a reduced salary but want equity."

"What do you mean... Alright, I got it."

Click...

The call ended.

Carlos squinted. Indeed, what's the point of a fixed salary? With equity, the more he earned, the more he would get a cut. Though there was a risk of earning less and getting a smaller cut, Carlos believed in his current physique and abilities. He also had the random system-generated tasks. Completing them would earn him rewards and further enhance his skills.

Thinking about the random tasks...

"Tomorrow's opponent is the Bulls, the Eastern Conference leaders. Winning against the Bulls will earn me the 'Eagle Spear,' a reward to enhance steal ability. It's a must-win!"

After sorting things out with Austin, Carlos checked his phone for two unread messages.

The first was from his mom, Shirley, reminding Carlos to keep warm as the weather turned cold. Carlos felt warm in his heart and replied with several greetings to his mom.

The second message was from Cindy, saying she had some things to attend to recently and needed to postpone their meeting. Carlos replied, saying it was okay and that Cindy was welcome to visit anytime.

Even though Carlos had no idea who Cindy was or what she looked like, their relationship seemed close. After replying, Carlos found it amusing.

"Whatever, I'll deal with it when we meet. Forget it!"

Tossing his phone aside, Carlos went back to sleep.

...

In the evening...

The Bulls continued their dominance by defeating the Knicks in three quarters, solidifying their position as the Eastern Conference leaders. The "Windy City Assassin," Rose, displayed another magnificent performance with 37 points, 5 rebounds, and 9 assists. It seemed like he was declaring that this season belonged to him.

With explosive plays tonight, Rose made Bulls fans even more eager for tomorrow's game. They anticipated Rose's attempt to end the Suns' 12-game winning streak on their home court.

The next day...

Perhaps due to the high expectations, the daytime passed in a blink of an eye.

At 9 p.m...

The Western Arena was already packed an hour before the game. The deafening noise made it hard to believe it was a stadium in a small city.

The Suns and the Bulls.

Both teams' players arrived early for warm-ups.

At the same time...

In the broadcasting studio of the Mexican National Sports Television, Mario and Jose were seated in front of the TV, preparing to commentate on the game.

The camera swept over the packed stadium. Mario smiled and said, "Look at the popularity in this arena. If you didn't know better, you'd think you were in a big city."

"Yeah..."

Jose nodded, smiling. "That's all thanks to Carlos. With his skyrocketing popularity, he attracted countless fans to come and watch the game, making the stadium lively. Of course, tonight's game between the 12-game winning Suns, ranked fifth in the West, and the Eastern leaders, the Bulls, featuring the 'Monster Rookie' Carlos against the 'Windy City Assassin' Rose, is already full of excitement. The popularity is naturally soaring!"