Why Provoke Wang Chong for No Reason? Is AMVP Gone?

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Clearly, Kobe did it on purpose, and the reason isn't hard to guess.

This season wasn't going well for Kobe.

Though he averaged 32 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists per game, the Lakers' record in the Western Conference was unsatisfactory. They were hovering around the seventh or eighth spot, far from the top half of the division.

Ever since O'Neal and Wang Chong left the Lakers, the team's performance had been lukewarm. Although Kobe consistently averaged over 30 points per game for the last two seasons, even scoring 81 points in a single game, he couldn't help the team win more games, leaving Los Angeles fans with little hope.

As the star of the Lakers, Kobe's ability to lead the team was naturally questioned, especially this season. Kobe also intentionally switched to wearing the same number 24 jersey as Wang Chong, which stirred up even more buzz.

It's easy to imagine what kind of attitude Kobe had toward Wang Chong.

In fact, if he could, Kobe would prefer to defeat Wang Chong head-to-head on the court to prove that he was a better player.

However, due to his lack of strength, the two regular-season matchups between the Lakers and Bulls this season were already over. The Bulls completed a sweep of the Lakers, both at home and away. The disparity in strength between the two teams left Kobe with no recourse.

It was no surprise that after the All-Star weekend, Kobe wouldn't face Wang Chong again this season—unless the Bulls and Lakers advanced through the playoffs to meet in the Finals, which was highly unlikely. The Bulls still had a shot, but for the Lakers, stuck in the Western Conference with powerhouse teams like the Mavericks, Spurs, and Suns, making it out was nearly impossible.

So, Kobe might have realized that if he lost this opportunity on the All-Star stage, Wang Chong would completely overshadow him this season.

In fact, including last season, Wang Chong had been suppressing Kobe for two consecutive seasons.

Kobe could no longer afford to lose. Even in a casual game like the All-Star Game, he was eager to beat Wang Chong and prove his ability.

Wang Chong could see through Kobe's intentions almost immediately. The rhythm was very similar to when Karl Malone set a pick-and-roll for Kobe during a past All-Star Game, only to be met with Kobe's snarky response, "Save your damn pick-and-roll, I want to play against Jordan."

But back then, Kobe was just getting started, facing the legendary basketball god on the All-Star stage. At that time, he was seen as a promising young player, bold enough to challenge Jordan.

But now, Kobe was a top star in the league. He had four championships and had been selected to the All-NBA team multiple times. Yet, he still wanted to prove himself on the All-Star stage. It felt a little like overcompensating.

You have the opportunity to prove yourself in official games. What's the point of showing off in the All-Star Game?

It's widely known that while Kobe only has one regular-season MVP and one Finals MVP, he's one of the least accoladed among the top ten superstars in history.

However, in terms of All-Star Game MVPs (AMVP), Kobe had won it four times in his career, making him the undisputed leader in that category.

After a future superstar's unfortunate accident, the league even named the All-Star Game MVP trophy the "Kobe Bryant Cup" in his honor.

Wang Chong narrowed his eyes slightly, looking at Kobe, who was standing seriously in front of him.

It was undeniable that Kobe's struggles this season were largely due to Wang Chong, but could he really be blamed?

If Kobe could lead his team well enough to win regular-season MVP and a championship, no one would criticize him for driving Wang Chong out of the Lakers, considering Wang's success with the Bulls.

But what, now that you're weak, you expect sympathy?

Wang Chong had no intention of babying Kobe at all.

Did Kobe want to create his own highlights on the All-Star stage and prove he was stronger? Dream on!

Originally, Wang Chong planned to just enjoy the All-Star Game, but now he changed his mind. He lowered his center of gravity and looked at Kobe like a predator eyeing its prey. He spread his arms wide, revealing his enormous wingspan, completely blocking Kobe's path and creating an overwhelming visual impact.

Even the audience in the stands could feel the suffocating pressure from Wang Chong's defense.

And this was just the first possession of the All-Star Game! Why did things heat up so quickly?

Kobe's movements faltered slightly.

Since Wang Chong had left the Lakers, Kobe rarely had one-on-one matchups against him on the court.

So Kobe's defensive expectations for Wang Chong were still stuck two years in the past.

At that time, Wang Chong's overall skill set wasn't as polished, and his perimeter defense wasn't as formidable as it was now, rated at an 85. It was completely different now.

Although Kobe was secretly surprised, he wasn't about to back down. He knew that stopping to shoot in front of Wang Chong would be asking for trouble, so his only option was to drive with the ball.

Despite Wang Chong's intimidating wingspan, the league's newer "no hand-checking" rules greatly limited defenders' ability to guard against drives. If Wang Chong used his hands to block Kobe's advance, a blocking foul would be called immediately.

So, Kobe wasn't going to be scared off by Wang Chong's terrifying wingspan. After a slight adjustment in his steps, he accelerated directly, attempting to break through on the right side.

While Kobe's speed on the drive wasn't quite on par with guards like Wade, Iverson, or even McGrady, he was still in the upper echelon. Wang Chong knew that his lateral speed wouldn't be able to keep up with Kobe.

But Wang Chong was prepared for this. Even as Kobe blew past him on the right, Wang Chong stayed close, raising his arms to cover all the space above Kobe's head.

Kobe, determined to assert himself, attempted a powerful dunk, leaping towards the basket.

Wang Chong immediately jumped after him, aiming for the basketball in Kobe's hands, ready to block the shot.

But Kobe, always aware of Wang Chong's movements, smirked slightly. With an impressive display of core strength, Kobe hung in the air just a bit longer, using his ability to stay airborne to his advantage. In that brief moment, he switched the ball to his other hand, going under the rim and attempting a layup.

Kobe's ability to stay in the air was one of his most impressive skills, rivaling even Jordan, the "Airman" himself.

Fans who witnessed this move were ready to cheer and applaud Kobe's spectacular finish.

But then...

SMACK!

The crisp sound of a palm hitting the basketball echoed through the arena.

Kobe suddenly felt a force in mid-air, causing him to lose control and crash to the ground. The basketball bounced off and was quickly scooped up by a bewildered LeBron James.

What just happened?

Not only James but also the players and fans seemed confused.

How did Kobe, after executing such a beautiful move, end up on the ground the next second?

Of course, some sharp-eyed individuals had seen what really happened. Wade, who had a clear vantage point, witnessed Wang Chong, after initially being fooled by Kobe's fake, extend his left hand with his massive wingspan, swooping in over the rim to block Kobe's shot.

A 2.26-meter wingspan is no joke!

James, realizing there was no whistle from the ref, snapped back to reality and sprinted to the offensive end, leading the Eastern All-Stars in a fast break.

The Western All-Stars were stunned.

The Eastern team's starting five—Arenas, Wade, James, Wang Chong, and O'Neal—boasted unmatched mobility, with the exception of O'Neal. The four of them surged toward the basket simultaneously.

Meanwhile, Kobe was still on the ground, struggling to get up. McGrady, hindered by multiple injuries, lacked the explosive power he once had, and the rest of the Western All-Stars couldn't keep pace.

The result? The Eastern All-Stars played a 4-on-0 in the attacking zone, with James finishing the fast break with a thunderous dunk, giving the East the lead.

The crowd roared in applause and cheers, but Wang Chong received the most praise, as it was his block on Kobe that had sparked the fast break.

People were left amazed at Wang Chong's shot-blocking ability.

But Durant's shot-blocking prowess had always been underrated.

Throughout his career, Durant averaged around 1.1 steals and blocks per game, while LeBron, known for his shot-blocking, only averaged 0.8 blocks per game. It just goes to show how strong Durant's defense actually was.

As Kobe got up from the floor, his face darkened… though his skin tone masked it well, no one could tolerate being humiliated like that on the All-Star stage in front of everyone.

"Pass me the ball!" Kobe demanded furiously.

But this was an All-Star Game, not a Lakers game. D'Antoni soon took Kobe out, subbing in Nash and Stoudemire.

End of this chapter

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