Y13 [EN]: Chapter 177

Y13-177 2011 Off-Season

After Justin Bieber’s pre-show performance, the host began announcing the first award.

“2011 BEST MALE ATHLETE, announcing!”

Rafael Nadal from tennis, Aaron Rodgers from the NFL, and Jimmer Fredette from the NCAA were called out in turn, each sharing their acceptance speeches. As the final announcement approached, the Dallas players sitting together showed expectant expressions, and the commentator smiled slightly, seemingly aware of their anticipation.

“2011 BEST MALE ATHLETE, NBA!!! Dirk Nowitzki!!”

Wowwww!!

With tremendous cheers, a video of Nowitzki’s highlights began to play on the large screen behind the stage. The crowd was captivated by Dirk Nowitzki’s incredible plays: a one-handed dunk with his teeth clenched, a smooth spin move despite his seven-foot height, and a fadeaway jumper with one leg raised and his tongue sticking out.

Nowitzki smiled, lightly kissed his girlfriend sitting next to him, and stood up. With his blonde hair stylishly styled and wearing a black suit, Nowitzki shook hands with the much smaller host and accepted the award.

“Wow.”

That was Nowitzki’s first word.

“Tonight is a great honor for me. I believe this award is a testament to our entire team’s victory, not just my individual efforts. Thank you.”

As applause filled the auditorium, Nowitzki nodded with a slightly more relaxed smile.

“I want to thank my teammates who are here tonight, especially Kidd. Without Kidd, I wouldn’t have been able to manage the untamed colt that was the Dallas Mavericks alone. I always learn a lot from Kidd. And Terry, he’s incredibly passionate. He always brings that passion to the game. Chandler is the same, but the difference is that Terry is noisy by himself, while Chandler is noisy with everyone.”

A wave of laughter rippled through the audience. Nowitzki seemed more relaxed as he wittily thanked his teammates.

“Uh, Cardinal. Without him, the bench would be quiet and boring. His cheering skills are definitely worth his salary. He’s a really good friend and a reliable player on the court. Barea, he’s a small giant. He’s small, but tougher than anyone else. He’s the only player I avoid arguing with. Haha, lastly, Yoon. I don’t think Yoon is a rookie. He’s definitely a 30-year-old veteran. There’s no way he could be so sly otherwise.”

Just as he seemed to be finishing, Nowitzki bowed one last time and smiled.

“But the reason we have such quirky players is because our owner, Mark Cuban, is the quirkiest of all. I’m the captain of such a quirky team. It was the quirkiest year of my life, but I think it will be the most unforgettable. Thank you.”

The audience responded to Nowitzki’s witty speech with thunderous applause, and he smiled and returned to his seat. After that, Kemba Walker won the BEST CHAMPIONSHIP PERFORMANCE award for his outstanding performance in the Big East Conference Championship. Blake Griffin, who had an impressive 2010-2011 NBA Rookie of the Year season, won the BEST BREAKTHROUGH ATHLETE award.

“I wish Yoon was nominated for that award.”

Youngjae wasn’t even nominated, and Griffin was the expected winner, but Emily seemed disappointed, fidgeting with Youngjae’s hand.

“It’s okay. It would be nice to be nominated, but isn’t this good too?”

It would be a lie to say he didn’t want the award. But dwelling on regret wouldn’t help. He figured he could just work harder next time. Youngjae was happy enough even without the nomination. It’s true that an award given only once in a lifetime is rare, but it’s not everything.

Because he got a necklace and a ring instead.

Blake Griffin held up the trophy and gave his acceptance speech.

“Thank you for this award. I was personally satisfied with my performance this season. However, there were many other great players who emerged this season. I’m truly happy to receive this award among such talented individuals. I want to express my gratitude to the club and my teammates who helped me so much this season.”

After expressing his gratitude, Griffin looked at the Dallas Mavericks players.

“I want to thank a friend who instilled a sense of competition in me this year. He kept me from becoming complacent, and I think he’ll continue to be a great rival in the future. Yoon, thanks to you, I worked harder and always gave my best. I won’t be caught off guard next season like I was last season.”

Youngjae couldn’t hide his embarrassment at Blake Griffin’s sudden shout-out. The ESPY cameras immediately zoomed in on Youngjae, while Blake Griffin continued as if he hadn’t noticed.

“Personally, I’m really happy to have received the Rookie of the Year award and the BEST BREAKTHROUGH ATHLETE award from ESPY. But even though he didn’t receive an award, he won the championship in his rookie season as a proud member of the Dallas Mavericks. As a rookie myself, I’m envious and jealous of Youngjae Yoon’s success.”

Blake Griffin smiled and held up the award.

“But I’m an optimist. I’m just happy to have received the award, beating Youngjae Yoon! And knowing I’ll be playing in the league with Youngjae Yoon, I can’t let my guard down for a moment! Thanks to that, I think I grew a lot this season. Thank you again!”

John Wall and Blake Griffin. Perhaps these three were destined to clash and compete. But even so, they were united by the sport of basketball. Youngjae smiled and applauded, thinking that he could develop a friendly rivalry with John Wall and Griffin, even though they were competitors.

After that, Ray Allen won the BEST RECORD-BREAKING PERFORMANCE award for breaking the NBA’s three-point shot record, and Derrick Rose won the youngest MVP award, also taking home the BEST RECORD-BREAKING PERFORMANCE award for his sensational MVP season in the 2010-2011 NBA.

Next, Dallas’s Rick Carlisle was named Coach of the Year, and Dirk Nowitzki was once again selected as Player of the Year, achieving the honor of winning two awards.

“The last award. The team that shined the brightest this year! BEST TEAM! You know who it is without me saying it, right? The team that created the most buzz this season and became the most talked about team: the Dallas Mavericks!!!”

The Dallas Mavericks swept the final award as well, and thunderous cheers and applause erupted from the audience. Nowitzki, Chandler, Barea, Cardinal, and others got up and shared light kisses with their girlfriends, and when Youngjae stood up, Emily, looking a bit shy, lightly kissed him on the lips.

“Congratulations.”

Los Angeles International Airport.

“I’m leaving now.”

After the ESPY Awards event, Emily and Youngjae, who had spent a few enjoyable days together, were saying their last goodbyes at LA Airport before Youngjae’s departure.

“Okay. Come back safely.”

Even as she said that, Emily burrowed into Youngjae’s arms, seemingly sad that he was leaving, and Youngjae embraced her.

“It was so good that I’ll never forget it, and I know the future will be even better. I believe that.”

“Me too. I think things will only get better from here. Because now I think we can move forward together without wavering.”

“So, like an older brother. An older brother who is six years younger.”

Emily pulled away from Youngjae, but Youngjae approached her, who was trying to create distance, gently kissed her, and stroked her hair.

“Tell this older brother everything if you’re having a hard time. Okay?”

“Yes! An older brother who is six years younger. Go quickly. Contact me when you arrive. Take care!”

…

July 22, 2011, Incheon International Airport.

It was the largest airport in Korea, with the most international flights. Despite it being morning, many people were gathered on one side of the airport. It was a scene typical when famous celebrities arrived or departed, complete with “airport fashion” and dedicated airport reporters [journalists specializing in celebrity airport appearances].

“When is he coming?”

“He just landed, so he’ll collect his luggage and come out soon.”

“I didn’t know there would be so many reporters. I think he’s more popular than I thought. I never imagined it would be this chaotic covering a basketball player.”

The reporters gathered with their colleagues, waiting for one person. They were all there for an interview with a player who had decided to join the national team for the upcoming international competition.

Two men were talking and waiting in the arrival hall. Youngjae couldn’t help but feel a sense of novelty stepping onto Korean soil after so long. And his last visit hadn’t been a pleasant memory. This was his first Korean visit since returning at a young age.

“It’s been a long time since I’ve been on Korean soil. I think it’s been three years.”

“It’s been quite a while since you’ve come. Usually, Korean players return almost every off-season.”

Many sports players who play overseas return almost every off-season, usually to see their parents unless their families have moved abroad. Even if that wasn’t the case, they often returned for broadcasting or commercial shoots. Soccer players were an exception because they had to return several times a year for A-match games [international matches] that were as important as club games.

“Ah, I didn’t really have a reason to come that often since I didn’t have a base in Korea. I was desperately trying to survive in basketball in the United States. I didn’t have the bandwidth to overcome linguistic, cultural, and physical differences.”

“I see. There will be quite a few reporters outside. I heard there will be at least dozens of them. Almost all the newspapers and broadcasting companies have sent someone to cover it.”

Youngjae said with a slightly burdened expression, as he had never had so many reporters gather when he visited Korea in his previous life.

“I didn’t feel this much attention in the United States, but the reaction in Korea is different. I’ve only seen it online so far, so I didn’t realize it would be this intense.”

Youngjae still couldn’t fully grasp the explosive reaction in Korea. He remembered that Korean basketball wasn’t very popular, and the NBA’s popularity was similar. He thought it was still too early, even though NBA broadcasts had started on cable channels and he had a personal fan cafe.

“After all, he’s the first Korean player to win a championship in the NBA. There have been cases in overseas soccer and MLB, but the NBA has been considered an insurmountable mountain, with only one other Korean player besides Yoon having played there. He won the championship as a starting player, so the reaction in Korea is understandable.”

Jay paused to catch his breath, looked at Youngjae, and continued with a smile.

“To be honest, I think Youngjae’s looks also have a considerable impact. He’s quite handsome for a sports player. If a player with skills and good looks has the distinction of being the first, then superstar-level recognition is inevitable in any country. In Korea, I think Youngjae has already surpassed the popularity of Kobe or LeBron.”

Since the Jordan era, the NBA’s popularity in Korea had reached its highest level, and thanks to this, Youngjae’s fan cafe had thousands of members. Korean professional basketball was struggling, but basketball as a recreational sport was quite popular. However, Youngjae tried to change the subject, feeling even more embarrassed by Jay’s praise.

“I don’t think it’s that much. To think that this reaction is only because of my appearance… And my appearance isn’t that outstanding. I heard from Kobe Bryant, whom I met before, that the reaction from basketball fans was considerable even during his recent tour.”

“That’s limited to basketball fans. Your recognition is bound to be much higher among the general public. You’re a star from their home country. Moreover, it’s natural for basketball fans to support and cheer for their own country’s players more than their skills if they perform well. Let’s get ready to go out.”