NBA: Basketball Legend.

Chapter 149: Chapter 149: Christmas Battle – The First Signature Shoes Debut

Chapter 149: Christmas Battle – The First Signature Shoes Debut

The night before the Christmas game, Chen Yan received a mysterious gift box from Li Ning.

Inside was nothing but his very first signature sneakers—[AeroWing].

The moment he lifted the lid, Chen Yan’s eyes lit up. White and gold, sleek lines, Velcro straps on the forefoot—the design looked futuristic, almost out of place in this era.

Li Ning hadn’t just focused on looks. The shoe was packed with tech rarely seen at the time: a full-length carbon fiber plate in the midsole, forefoot bounce tech, rearfoot cushioning, and Chen Yan’s personal touches—his initials and jersey number on the heel, his logo stamped on the torsion plate, echoing the tongue’s inner mark.

Every detail screamed precision. Every angle screamed star power.

Most importantly, the sneakers were handsome. Fans don’t just buy performance—they buy style. And these were dripping with it.

Li Ning’s marketing team had it all planned out. Chen Yan would debut the sneakers not in warmups, but under the brightest lights—on Christmas Day, in a showdown with the Lakers. A perfect launch.

---

December 25th. America West Arena.

The Christmas spectacle began.

Kobe Bryant and Kevin Garnett walked onto the floor during warmups, drawing a storm of boos from the Phoenix crowd. It was the same reception the Suns got at Staples—two hostile arenas, two hungry fanbases.

The veterans didn’t flinch. Kobe nodded, smiled faintly, and even threw out a cheerful, ”Merry Christmas,” to photographers and opposing players alike.

This was a new Kobe—still lethal, but calmer, more composed. He’d even hosted the entire Lakers squad for dinner twice this season, something unimaginable years before.

”Ready for my revenge?” Kobe smirked as he greeted Chen Yan.

Chen Yan grinned back. ”Already asked the janitor for the arena keys. Heard you like to practice all night after losing, so I figured I’d save you the trouble.”

Kobe laughed, shaking his head. ”This kid...” His trash talk was catching up to his game.

But Chen Yan knew—Kobe’s smile before the tip was just camouflage. When the ball went up, it would vanish.

---

The lights dimmed. The crowd roared. The starting lineups were announced.

And then came Chen Yan’s surprise.

As the players gathered at the scorers’ table, a Suns ball boy ran over and handed Chen Yan a shoebox.

”What the hell’s this kid doing?” Garnett frowned, unimpressed. Old-school stars hated flashy stunts.

Kobe shrugged. ”I don’t know. He never plays by the book.”

The cameras zoomed in. Fans leaned forward. Chen Yan opened the box, pulled out the gleaming [AeroWing], and laced them up right there at center court.

Li Ning’s executives watching from headquarters nearly jumped out of their chairs. They had wondered why Chen Yan skipped wearing them in warmups. Now they understood—he wanted the whole world to witness the live debut.

Genius. Pure marketing genius.

Online, fans exploded.

”Holy hell, those look insane!”

”Are these even from 2006? They look like future tech!”

”Take my money—where do I buy them?”

”First time I’m hyped for Li Ning sneakers!”

Wearing his brand-new signature shoes, Chen Yan jogged to the tip-off circle, soaking in the spotlight.

---

The starters:

Suns – Nash, Chen Yan, Raja Bell, Diaw, Stoudemire.

Lakers – Fisher, Kobe, Luke Walton, Garnett, Kwame Brown.

Both sides rolled out their strongest lineups. The arena buzzed like a hive about to erupt.

Garnett rose up and tapped the ball back—the Lakers took first possession.

Fisher brought it across halfcourt, swung it right to Kobe.

At the 45-degree angle, Kobe faked once, and Raja Bell bit. Kobe blew past him, Dio stepped up, and both launched skyward.

But Kobe hung, glided past, and hammered it home with a thunderous one-hand slam.

”Ahhh!”

He pounded his chest, veins bulging, unleashing a primal roar. The Lakers bench shot up as one, feeding off the energy.

But while Kobe was still celebrating, the Suns had already inbounded.

Diaw tossed it to Nash, who immediately pushed. Two passes later, the ball found Chen Yan outside the arc.

No hesitation. Pull-up. Release.

”Swish!”

3–2, Suns.

The crowd exploded. Chen Yan high-fived his teammates, calm and composed.

Kobe glanced back, half-smile tugging at his lips.

So his dunk was just Chen Yan’s warm-up for a three?

Translator’s Note

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