Chapter 16: A Shock Across the Web! Targeted by a Kardashian?

After upgrading his attributes, Tang Lei quickly fell asleep. The game had taken a significant toll on his stamina, especially with all the off-ball movement and breaking through defenses—it was truly exhausting.

Meanwhile, across the Pacific Ocean, it was lunchtime in China. Tang Lei's game-winning buzzer-beater had caused an online explosion! Headlines on platforms like Weibo, Toutiao, and other major media outlets were all buzzing about him, and he shot up to the top three of various trending lists. The hype was unstoppable!

Headlines such as:

 • "Game-winner! Chinese Player Tang Lei Makes a Legendary Buzzer Beater!"

 • "From Zero to One: The First Chinese NBA Player to Hit a Game-Winner!"

 • "Confirmed: Curry Passes the Torch, Lei the King Ascends!"

 • "Stunning Performance! Tang Lei Drops 36 Points, 5 Rebounds, and 6 Assists in a Breakout Game!"

Basketball content creators were also quick to jump on the trend, editing highlight reels of Tang Lei's amazing moves and shots, and posting them on Douyin, Kuaishou, and other short video platforms, riding the wave of traffic. In just a few hours, "Tang Lei's Game-Winner" had become a viral sensation, sweeping across the internet, and was being talked about everywhere, from toddlers to grandparents.

However, compared to the massive sensation in China, things were relatively "calmer" overseas. Although there were quite a few articles about Tang Lei, most of the media attention remained focused on Kevin Durant's injury.

Articles like:

 • "How Will Durant's Injury Impact the Warriors' Title Chances?"

 • "Could Durant's Injury Affect His Free Agency Decision This Summer?"

 • "Durant Undergoes MRI Scan Overnight!"

For many foreign outlets, while Tang Lei's performance was impressive and his buzzer-beater was clutch, they saw it as just another regular-season game. Durant's injury, on the other hand, was a potential game-changer for the Warriors' championship hopes.

At around 3 or 4 AM, the latest news about Durant's injury surfaced, with the Warriors' beat reporter breaking the news:

 • "Fortunately, there's no structural damage. However, KD is still feeling pain and will likely be out for 3 to 4 weeks."

Upon hearing this, Warriors and KD fans around the world could finally breathe a sigh of relief. The team later officially confirmed the news.

The next day, Tang Lei woke up and immediately checked his phone. The first thing he saw was the report on Durant's injury. Like many others, he was relieved to see that KD's injury wasn't as bad as it could have been.

With his sudden emergence and stellar performances, Tang Lei realized that his presence had already started to create ripple effects in the league. In his previous life, Giannis Antetokounmpo had never caused Durant to sprain his ankle. Now, the fact that KD avoided serious injury felt like a small stroke of luck.

Tang Lei then instinctively opened his Weibo account. Seeing that four or five of his hashtags were trending in the top 10, he couldn't help but smile. It was within his expectations—after all, he was the first Chinese player to hit a game-winning shot in the NBA, and against a powerhouse like the Bucks, no less. The significance was enormous.

When he checked his follower account, he was stunned to see that it had surged by over three million. Combined with his previous following, Tang Lei now had over five million followers on Weibo, and this had all happened in just a matter of days.

"Insane! This is absolutely insane!" Tang Lei felt like he was on cloud nine, almost like he could touch the sun. But being a time traveler with a steady mindset, he quickly composed himself and posted a thank-you message:

"Thank you to all my fellow countrymen for your support. I'll keep working hard, improving myself, and delivering even better performances."

Afterward, Tang Lei checked his Twitter. While his Weibo followers had surged by three million overnight, his Twitter gained a "modest" 130,000 new followers.

Scrolling through his direct messages, he was shocked to find one from someone named "Kardashian."

"What the heck? Is this for real?"

Seeing the name, Tang Lei's heart skipped a beat. He quickly clicked on the profile, and sure enough, it was the Kardashian he was thinking of—the same one who even James Harden couldn't handle. The one who had allegedly caused his slump, and who Harden only began to flourish again after breaking up with her.

"No way, why is she coming after me? I'm a Chinese guy; I'm not into that kind of thing." Tang Lei muttered to himself, completely indifferent to her.

It wasn't just the age gap—he was definitely not interested in someone who had been with that many people. Raised with traditional values, Tang Lei found it hard to accept such a lifestyle.

At this moment, the only woman on his mind was her—the girl he had secretly admired for three years. That white-clad, basketball-loving, academically gifted girl who was both quiet and playful.

Later that afternoon, the Warriors gathered together and took the team bus to the airport, boarding their flight back to the Bay Area. Durant, of course, was with them. His injury wasn't severe, and with rest, he would be fully healed in about three or four weeks.

Back at the Warriors' practice facility, just as Tang Lei was about to hit the gym for some shooting practice, Steve Kerr approached him and said, "Tang, the GM wants to see you."

"Oh." Tang Lei nodded and headed toward the general manager's office.

He had already hinted at turning down the GM's initial contract offer over the phone, so it was no surprise that the GM was calling him in now. After all, Tang Lei's current contract was a two-way, non-guaranteed deal. If they didn't lock him down soon, there was a real risk that another team might swoop in.

Note: The name "Carol" can sometimes be humorously associated with the word "BBQ" in Chinese, as the word (kǎo ròu) means "barbecue," and the sounds are similar.