Chapter 53 Vanessa

Vanessa, Tang Tian hadn't met her before, but he recognized her.

He walked over, coughed twice and said, "Are you looking for me?"

Vanessa looked up, saw Tang Tian, and immediately nodded with a smile.

"Where are Natalia and Gianna?"

Tang Tian asked after sitting down.

"They're with Kobe."

Vanessa replied with a smile.

Tang Tian was even more puzzled. The daughters went off with Kobe, so why was his wife looking for him?

He knew that Vanessa had a reputation for stirring things up and wasn't well-regarded in the Los Angeles wives' circle.

"It's like this, I have something I'd like you to help me with."

Vanessa said, seeing the change in Tang Tian's expression.

"What is it? I'll help if I can."

Tang Tian drew a clear line between on and off the court. Back when Kobe did that *Godfather* commercial with him, it was indirectly helping him out.

"Only you can do it," Vanessa said definitively.

"Only I can do it?" Tang Tian had a bunch of question marks over his head.

"Yes, I know it was you who persuaded him to do those things, which is why I finally chose to forgive him. I know he probably only listens to you now."

Hearing Vanessa say this, Tang Tian suddenly felt that Kobe was a bit of a pit, selling him out like that.

But, it also made sense. Vanessa definitely knew Kobe's personality. If someone else had given the advice, she probably wouldn't have forgiven Kobe.

"Kobe, he's injured."

Vanessa's next words let Tang Tian know what her purpose was in coming.

"Kobe has been playing with injuries all along. I've advised him many times, but he won't listen. He says basketball is his business, he knows his own limits, but he's already 34 years old, and he's still training the same as before. I'm really worried that one day he won't be able to take it."

Vanessa's eyes were full of worry as she spoke, and it was clear that she was genuinely concerned.

Tang Tian also remembered at this time that Kobe, in his past life, seemed to have ruptured his Achilles tendon this season, and then was completely done.

If he hadn't had this injury, he might have been able to play until he was 40.

"I'll try to do it, but I can't guarantee success," Tang Tian said.

Kobe's personality was very stubborn. To put it nicely, it was the Mamba Mentality; to put it bluntly, it was stubbornness, like a bull.

This was much harder than persuading him to admit his mistakes to Vanessa.

"Okay, I'll arrange a dinner in a few days, and then I'll find a way to give you some alone time," Vanessa continued.

Tang Tian nodded.

"Thank you," Vanessa said gratefully.

"Don't mention it, just friends helping each other out."

Tang Tian said with a smile.

If Kobe didn't consider him a friend, he wouldn't have run over before the game to issue a challenge.

You can't use ordinary people's thinking to understand Kobe.

Leaving the arena, Tang Tian returned to his apartment and made a call to Olsen.

*The Martian* was a global hit, and Olsen was currently in China with the crew doing publicity.

Looks like distant water couldn't quench the present thirst.

Then he should just go do some extra training!

Tang Tian got up, grabbed his training clothes, and drove straight to the training hall.

The game between the Spurs and the Lakers was over, but there was still a lot of post-game discussion among fans.

Besides the Kobelievers and Kobehaters fiercely fighting over the Mamba Mentality, the thing that was mentioned the most was Tang Tian's finger-wagging gesture.

"That's absolute provocation, the league should fine him and suspend him!"

"Yes, it's only because Kobe has a good temper, if it was someone else, they would have definitely fought!"

"Harden: I'm not human."

"Kobelievers, don't get excited. I don't think Tang's gesture was a provocation, he did it to the audience, not to a person. He was paying tribute to Mutombo."

"Tribute my ass, that's provocation, you're just quibbling!"

"Brothers, let's give this 6 billion Kobe fan a lesson!"

...

League office.

"David, we should add fines and suspensions, that's not allowed in the league."

Adam Silver said angrily to Stern.

"Adam, that's not a big deal, he didn't do it to a player, he just did it to the stands."

Stern said calmly.

Now Tang Tian was a treasure in his eyes. After the Chinese market was reopened, the league's influence in China had returned.

He'd have to be kicked in the head by a donkey to go looking for trouble with Tang Tian at this time.

"That's still not allowed."

Silver still wouldn't give up.

He didn't like Asian players in the first place, let alone after having a falling out with Stern last season because of Tang Tian being selected for the All-NBA Second Team.

"Adam, don't mention this again. If we really want to get to the bottom of it, Kobe has done it, Michael has done it too. Whether it's provocation or not, whether it should be called or not, the referee on duty will grasp it himself."

Stern was also a little unhappy. Silver never saw the big picture.

"That's the referees' negligence," Silver continued.

"No, in fact, I think they did a good job. We can make an exception for Mutombo alone, but the existence of exceptions is not a good thing. We can take this opportunity to allow this action, of course, provided that it can only be done to the audience."

Stern continued.

Silver didn't say anything, but it was obvious that he was still very unhappy.

"Adam, take a long-term view, be more open-minded. In two years you will take over from me, and you will have to consider these things at that time. And don't you think that more of these non-violating celebration actions will make the game more watchable and give fans more to talk about after the game?"

Stern said earnestly.

"I know."

Silver said he knew, but it was obvious that he was still unconvinced.

Perhaps Stern's words reminded him that he would be the league president in two years, and then he would have the final say.

Stern made the decision, and the league soon issued a decision.

The league will not punish Tang Tian for his finger-wagging behavior towards the audience in the game. That action is considered to be a tribute to Dikembe Mutombo's action, but actions that are expressly prohibited, such as throat slitting and spraying, will still not be allowed.

The meaning of this decision was obvious.

As long as it wasn't a provocative or strongly suggestive action, the league encouraged it.

As Stern expected, this decision sparked another wave of heated discussions.

Although the Kobelievers were still insisting on punishment, many fans stood up to express their welcome to the decision.

For many people, the NBA was about the intense competition on the court, and these celebration actions by the players were what attracted them.

Scoring and winning weren't the whole of the game.

And shortly after the league made this decision, Kobe also posted a status on his personal Twitter.

"Tang is my friend, I know what he did it for, we are all for winning."

As soon as Kobe's status was posted, the world was instantly quiet.

Since Kobe, the person involved, didn't think there was anything wrong, those Kobelievers with rich imaginations naturally had nothing to say.

ps: Continue to ask for monthly tickets!