Kobe Bryant aside, Fox was the second person after O'Neal to run up and fist bump He Xi Meng, while asking, "Any reliable film crews you can recommend lately? You know, I'm not picky about roles…"
He Xi Meng shrugged and replied, "I haven't been back to Los Angeles much lately. After this game, I'll ask Kayla. She should have a new project coming up in a while… maybe I can get you a bit part…"
"Haha, thank you, Xi Meng! You're always my good brother!" Even though the new role wasn't secured yet, since He Xi Meng had promised, Fox felt it was practically a done deal, and the new project seemed to be beckoning him…
Kobe was fast, and O'Neal could understand that. After all, Kobe and He Xi Meng had a deep relationship, which O'Neal was aware of. But Fox, who didn't seem to have known He Xi Meng for as long as himself, went out of his way to greet He Xi Meng before O'Neal, even at the risk of displeasing O'Neal, which left O'Neal rather perplexed.
"Is Fox planning to switch to the Spurs?" O'Neal couldn't help but ask He Xi Meng as they bumped fists.
He Xi Meng was taken aback. Realizing O'Neal seemed to have misunderstood Fox, thinking he had "second thoughts," he quickly and cheerfully clarified, "Not at all! Fox would never leave Los Angeles, not even if he died! He just has some personal matters he needs my help with, nothing to do with basketball…"
O'Neal nodded in satisfaction. Behind him, Da Zhi was smiling and greeting He Xi Meng.
"Hey, Shaq, have you been taking good care of my good brother?" He Xi Meng asked O'Neal, half-jokingly.
After all, the nominal leader of the Lakers was O'Neal, not Kobe. He Xi Meng didn't need to specially remind Kobe, as Da Zhi was not only He Xi Meng's brother but also an old acquaintance of Kobe's. Whether it was for He Xi Meng's sake or Da Zhi's own, Kobe would do his best to look after Da Zhi.
But O'Neal was different. O'Neal had no prior interaction with Da Zhi. For O'Neal to look after Da Zhi, a stranger, He Xi Meng's favor was necessary! He Xi Meng owed O'Neal a favor, asking O'Neal to take care of Da Zhi… Judging by Da Zhi's current situation with the Lakers, O'Neal was indeed giving He Xi Meng a lot of face.
"Of course! Come on, Da Zhi, tell him yourself, do I usually look out for you?" O'Neal pulled Da Zhi from behind him, letting Da Zhi speak to He Xi Meng directly.
Da Zhi, of course, spoke highly of O'Neal, making O'Neal laugh heartily. Perhaps it was due to He Xi Meng's encouragement, but Da Zhi's current English listening and speaking skills were much better than in the original timeline, which also helped Da Zhi adapt better to the league's games and life.
"Thank you, Xi Meng! I know you've found many people on the Lakers to look after me! O'Neal, Kobe, Fox, Horry… including Coach Harris and Assistant Coach James Worthy, they've all been very friendly to me! Now I'm starting to regret it a little…"
"Regret what?"
"Regret not listening to you and coming to the NBA earlier, coming to the Lakers earlier to play with you… There are always stories about you circulating within the Lakers…"
"What stories?" He Xi Meng suddenly became curious. What stories about him in the Lakers were worth circulating?
"Among the young players, the stories are about you, fresh into the league, teaming up with Kobe, outsmarting Scott, Ceballos, and Van Exel… How you, a yellow-skinned rookie who was once disliked, grew step by step into an All-Star point guard, into a Finals FMVP. It's an inspiring journey… Everyone wants to emulate your motivational path, follow your steps to success, and become a big star in Los Angeles…"
"Hmm, young people are passionate. It's good if I can serve as a role model for them. That can be considered my last contribution to the Lakers… What about the veterans? What are the veterans saying?"
"The veterans…" Da Zhi lowered his voice and whispered in He Xi Meng's ear, "The veterans are all talking about you standing up to the commissioner, saying that Mr. West let you leave because he couldn't tolerate you…"
"Don't be swayed by these rumors! You just focus on playing your game well! In fact, my relationship with Mr. West is much more harmonious than the outside world portrays… The real contention with Mr. West wasn't me; it was someone else…"
Although Da Zhi hadn't experienced the harsh realities of society or the fickleness of human relationships yet, with his innate intelligence, he sensed that this was an internal power struggle within the Lakers' management. He Xi Meng seemed to have inadvertently become a reason for their conflict.
"I know! The most important thing for me now is to secure my second contract!" Da Zhi nodded and replied with a smile.
"That's right! With a big platform like the Lakers, as long as you secure your position in the second unit, you can definitely be a starter for a less powerful team in the future… Of course, starting positions on weaker teams are even more fiercely competitive. From starter to unemployed could be a matter of a single thought. In comparison, with a powerhouse like the Lakers, if you play well as a reserve, you won't lack honors or salary… You might even win a few more championship rings…"
After advising Da Zhi, He Xi Meng bumped fists, exchanged pleasantries with Horry, Nash, and other former Lakers teammates who came forward, and finally, He Xi Meng made a special trip to the Lakers' coaching bench to hug and bid farewell to Head Coach Harris and Assistant Coach James Worthy. Honestly speaking, during his three years with the Lakers, these two coaches had provided He Xi Meng with considerable help.
When He Xi Meng left the Lakers, he felt no guilt towards Kobe or O'Neal, only towards Harris and James Worthy. After all, both coaches had always had great faith in He Xi Meng, offering him significant trust and support, which allowed He Xi Meng to maximize his abilities and rapidly grow into an All-Star player in the league…
To put it bluntly, if He Xi Meng had gone to a team with a coach who was very rigid in his player management, even with his extraordinary talent and league-leading vision, he probably wouldn't have achieved his current league status within just three years. Therefore, He Xi Meng remained grateful and highly respectful towards Harris and James Worthy.
They also knew the real reason for He Xi Meng's departure, knowing it was a confrontation between He Xi Meng and Jerry West. They hadn't failed to warn He Xi Meng not to challenge the power held by the "logo man," but He Xi Meng had stubbornly insisted on pursuing what he called "management power" beyond just being a player…