On the plane back to Los Angeles from Russia.

The excitement of winning the Western Conference championship cooled down for the time being.

The plane flew at an altitude of 10,000 meters, and it was pitch dark outside.

The Lakers didn't stay in Oka City long.

Instead, he flew back to Los Angeles overnight.

It's good to start recuperating early.

Get ready for the Grand Final.

Everyone sleeps on the plane.

Listen to the song, listen to the song.

All in all, they are in a very relaxed state.

Kobe Bryant also looked very relaxed.

He sat in his seat.

Wearing headphones while listening to a song while looking at the photos of her daughter on her phone.

Wang Shuang sat next to Kobe and slept a lot.

He was the most tired one in the game today.

Almost the whole game.

And the offensive and defensive ends are shoulder-to-shoulder.

Slept until near landing.

The lights in the cabin are on.

Signal passengers to prepare for landing.

Wang Shuang rubbed his eyes and stretched.

Kobe Bryant saw that Wang Shuang was sleeping so deeply.

Said: "Dreaming? Did you win the championship in your dream? ”

Wang Shuangdao: "What does it mean to win the championship in a dream?" I'm going to win the championship in reality! ”

Kobe Bryant smiled and said, "Of course, you will definitely win the championship." ”

Wang Shuang's tone was a little wrong when he heard Kobe.

What do you mean by "you're going to win the championship"?

This time Wang Shuang got it, didn't Kobe Bryant get it too?

Why does Kobe Bryant look a little depressed?

"Hey, Kobe, why are you a little frustrated? The finals are coming soon. You deserve to win the championship and retire in style, don't you? ”

Bryant nodded, saying; "Of course, I'm going to give it my all to win the championship. However, regardless of whether I win or lose this Grand Final, I will retire at the end of the season. ”

Wang Shuang was surprised and said, "Why? With your form, you can play at least two more seasons. ”

Bryant said: "No, I can't move, what I said is true." I want to spend more time with my family, my daughter, my wife. It's been 20 years......"

At the post-match press conference.

Wang Shuang said that if he couldn't win the championship.

Kobe Bryant will keep playing.

Kobe Bryant didn't say anything at the time.

Just a faint smile.

In fact, Kobe Bryant did not agree with Wang Shuang's words.

It's because he already has the answer in his heart.

Although there is reluctance, there is wandering, there is rising, and there is yearning.

But on the plane, when Kobe Bryant reminisced about the past, he looked at the photos of his wife and children on his phone.

He knew that he had no regrets or nostalgia for this site.

Especially in the last season, he was able to reach the finals.

I really feel extremely satisfied and honored.

At the same time, I also feel extremely tired.

The seven games of the Western Conference showdown have almost exhausted Kobe Bryant.

He had never felt so tired.

Both physical and mental.

This season, Kobe Bryant's original plan was to retire after playing the regular season.

As a result, I didn't expect to be pulled into the playoffs by Wang Shuang.

Even if you enter the playoffs, you can also go all the way to the finals.

In the process.

Kobe Bryant kept getting tired and kept getting up.

In just one season, it seems to be a condensation of his past 19 careers.

In the back and forth, the ups and downs, the fight has been carried on.

And now, he's reached the finish line.

The trophy at the finish line is just around the corner.

But whether to win the trophy or not is not so important to him.

It's not like he had to take it in '09 or '10.

In '09, he wanted to prove that he could win a championship without O'Neal.

proved that he was the first person in the league at that time.

Prove that he has lost and that he is going to get it back.

For 10 years, he is going to prove that he is facing an opponent who has beaten him before.

He must take revenge.

So those two times Kobe Bryant gritted his teeth and wanted to take it down.

Right now? Of course he still wants the championship.

Imagine being like Michael Jordan.

Leaving the league with six champions.

Leave behind a legend that belongs to him.

But none of this seems to be so urgent.

It's not a business that you have to accomplish at the cost of your life.

Kobe Bryant looked at Wang Shuang, and he knew that this was Wang Shuang's journey.

Kobe Bryant, just a footnote.

His end point will be Wang Shuang's starting point.

The plane landed steadily.

The Lakers will get off the plane.

The person who came to pick up Wang Shuang back this time was Pelinka.

Jessica Chan is still in Europe.

Across the United States and the Atlantic.

Wang Shuang sent her a remote call.

Miss Chen said that she came back in the finals.

"I want to see you win the championship."

After hanging up the phone, Wang Shuangchang breathed a long sigh of relief.

Pelinka drove down the roads of Los Angeles.

"Hey, Wang, your performance is amazing, it's wonderful. You've made the right decision, and you deserve a top salary. ”

Pelinka is still inseparable from the contract.

Broker, no way.

Wang Shuang didn't speak, just looked at the night sky outside the window in a daze.

Pelinka continued: "Hey, Wang, are you sure about this Finals? ”

Wang Shuang did not respond positively, but said: "Kobe Bryant still decided to retire." ”

Pelinka was a little surprised and said, "Really? What you said after the game made everyone think that Kobe Bryant would play for another two years......"

Wang Shuangdao: "No, what he just said on the plane is that no matter whether he wins or loses in the finals, he will retire." ”

Many fans heard what Wang Shuang said before.

Instead, I hope that the Lakers can lose this Finals.

"If the Lakers lose the Finals, the boss will be able to play for another two years."

"Yes, after two more years, Wang Shuang will grow up and enter the finals to win the championship!"

"I really hope that the boss will continue to fight and not retire!"

The fans' expectations are rustic and pure.

When the stars were young.

Fans will want him to make a name for himself and destroy the city.

Win after win.

If there are no victories and champions.

Who would like him?

In competitive sports, victory is fundamental.

But when time accumulates enough.

A star who has grown up with the fans.

It is no longer a tool for forum quarrels.

It is not a stand-in to satisfy one's dream of victory.

It's a kind of spiritual companionship.

Later, the fans just wanted to watch him continue to play on the field.

As long as you can play, you can score.

Of course, the star himself doesn't think so.

Especially the former kings.

I can't accept my own inaction.

Kobe Bryant and his fans are in such a contradiction.

Back to the apartment, empty.

Wang Shuang's mobile phone is full.

It's all all kinds of messages and missed calls.

The so-called poor in the downtown no one asks, and the rich have distant relatives in the mountains.

Wang Shuang is now famous.

Every time he has something amazing in a game.

It is indispensable that a few former friends, classmates, and relatives want to contact him.

He was already surprised by this.

He didn't even bother to pay attention to his biological parents.

Not to mention these friends, classmates and whatever.

Ignore all of them, go to bed and get ready for bed.

But in the middle of the night he couldn't sleep.

Probably sleeping too much on the plane.

I kept my eyes open until four or five o'clock in the morning.

It was dawn, and I still hadn't fallen asleep.

"Damn, don't sleep! Go Train! ”

So, at four or five o'clock in the morning.

Wang Shuang changed into a sweatshirt with a hat.

Go for a run and head straight to the Toyota Center training gym.

Los Angeles in the morning, there will be one less figure in the future, and one more figure at the same time.

(End of chapter)