Before the game started, the longer the Portland fans cheered, the more uneasy Kobe felt.
This bad mood began when Gan Guoyang announced his comeback and joined the new team in Las Vegas. It had been accumulating since then.
By the night of Gan Guoyang's return, it reached a peak, but Kobe could not find an outlet to vent it.
If he could celebrate like the Portland fans, he would celebrate the most wildly, because in terms of emotions, his admiration for Ah Gan surpassed anyone's.
When he was very young, he idolized Gan Guoyang and followed in his idol's footsteps all the way until they became teammates, fighting on the same team.
In Kobe's view, everything was perfect. They won three consecutive championships, Ah Gan chose to retire, and he inherited the leader position of the team, continuing the basketball legend of Portland.
The only blemish was that the Trail Blazers were taken over by a consortium led by Nike, and Michael Jordan joined the management, which made Kobe very unhappy.
Kobe and the Portland fans once united to oppose the Nike Group's series of initiatives to change the team logo, jersey designs, and erase Ah Gan's traces.
Nike had always tried to win over Kobe, hoping he would switch from Adidas to Nike in his next contract.
Kobe refused Nike's suggestion and stated that if Nike continued to "act recklessly" and insisted on cutting ties with their glorious past, he would consider seeking a trade and leaving Portland.
Then Kobe fell out with Jordan, directly forcing him to leave, using his actions to prove that Ah Gan was the true owner here.
To Kobe at that time, the "dead" Ah Gan was the best Ah Gan. He would be the totem here, the goal Kobe chased in his heart, for which he would pay a heavy price.
For instance, enduring the harsh criticism from Oregon fans, who believed that Kobe would never compare to Ah Gan.
In the 2000-2001 season, Kobe officially rose to become a league MVP-level superstar.
He averaged 31 points per game, won the league's scoring title, and led the Portland Trail Blazers to an impressive 59-23 record, aiming for a fourth consecutive championship.
Unfortunately, in the playoffs, they fell in the Western Conference Finals, eliminated by the Los Angeles Lakers 4-2, missing out on the finals, let alone the fourth consecutive championship.
Without Ah Gan, Shaquille O'Neal was unstoppable on the inside; Little O'Neal and Ben Wallace still couldn't stop the Shark's rampage.
Kobe, although surpassing Tracy McGrady in perimeter battles, was ultimately defeated by the combination of Pippen, McGrady, and Holi.
His overly selfish playing style in some crucial games subjected him to much controversy; he wouldn't pass when double-teamed and took forced shots, but didn't have Ah Gan's shooting percentage.
People criticized him for trying to imitate Ah Gan in every way, while in reality lacking Ah Gan's abilities—they felt he'd be lucky to be another Jordan.
In terms of character, Kobe only learned Ah Gan's harshness, but not his magnanimity and tolerance. Being young, he only knew to be straightforward without understanding how to unite teammates and be a true leader.
Luckily, Kobe didn't abandon the principle of leading by example, which maintained his dignity in the locker room.
And the identity of Ah Gan's successor allowed Kobe to enjoy the richest political legacy at the Trail Blazers.
People criticized him because they had high expectations of him, comparing him to Ah Gan, as in "the deeper the love, the harsher the reprimand."
Like Little O'Neal, who shared the same position with Ah Gan, received no such criticism. Being able to play as an All-Star was already commendable.
Therefore, Kobe knew that to wear a crown, one must bear its weight, and he was willing to bear that weight.
But he never expected that the so-called old Emperor, buried in the ground, would climb out of the grave and say, "I'm back" in Las Vegas.
Of course, fans were very happy. Regardless of other teams, across the oceans, or Portland fans, they all wanted to see Ah Gan continue to play, offering more exciting games.
But Kobe's mindset was different; he felt deceived and betrayed, as if his past idolization of Ah Gan, his persistent efforts to extend the Portland dynasty, had become a joke.
Of course, Gan Guoyang didn't think it was a joke, saying, "I'm retired, but I'm not really dead."
"Portland is already your city. Run it well, play well, win a couple more championships, and you will have your own legend."
After his comeback, when asked in interviews how he viewed the young players of the Trail Blazers, Gan Guoyang clearly said, "They will create their own era. My career with the Trail Blazers is over, but the team and the fans will always be there. I believe one day they will win a championship, with only their names on it, not mine."
Other players of the Trail Blazers, as well as the fans, could understand this.
But Kobe couldn't understand, or rather, he was unwilling to understand.
So, at the start of the season, he carried a strong hatred.
Until this game started, Gan Guoyang received respect from the whole of Portland. Their old Emperor was resurrected; even if he led another army to siege the city, the citizens still pledged allegiance to him, cheering and applauding for him.
All of this agitated Kobe, who vowed to destroy Vegas Glory with his scoring tonight and pull Ah Gan down from his pedestal.
Therefore, he refused to shake hands with Gan Guoyang and uttered arrogant words. This was the true thought in his heart, a real depiction.
Gan Guoyang didn't understand, but he could feel Kobe's emotions, like a child desperately wanting to take down the "rebellious father" and accomplish a psychological patricide.