NBA: Built to Dominate

Alex Mo's interview left the Los Angeles press stunned into silence.

On one hand, this confident rookie from China had made a bold declaration:

Fear does not exist in his dictionary.

In fact, if anyone should be afraid—it was everyone else.

Good grief.

Did they just bring a guy down from the heavens with this kind of self-assurance?

On the other hand, the media had gotten exactly what they wanted.

This wasn't just another rookie interview—this was headline gold.

Forget Michael Jordan, the Bulls, or even the Rockets—Alex Mo had just dismissed every star in the league as trash.

Iverson Takes Notes

"Mo, where the hell did you learn to talk like that?" Iverson asked, smirking as he caught up with his teammate after the interview.

"Those reporters looked straight-up shook."

"Learn? What's there to learn?" Alex spread his arms. "I was just speaking the truth."

The truth?

Iverson glanced at his towering teammate and immediately understood.

This guy was flexing. Hard.

Iverson's Turn at the Mic

Now, it was Allen Iverson's turn.

A reporter from the Los Angeles Times fired off the first question:

"Allen, some say you'll be the next Magic Johnson. Others compare you to John Stockton. Some even think you could be the next Michael Jordan.

Who do you see yourself as?"

The LA press came prepared—they weren't about to let these rookies off easy.

But Iverson wasn't about to be boxed in.

"I'm not the next Magic Johnson," Iverson replied coolly.

"I'm not the next John Stockton.

I'm not the next Michael Jordan."

He let the words sink in.

"I'm Allen Iverson. The one and only."

A classic quote.

From where he stood, Alex Mo couldn't help but feel nostalgic.

This moment—it was history in the making.

No matter how much time had passed, no matter how the timeline changed—Allen Iverson was still Allen Iverson.

Some things never change.

The Point Guard Debate

"Allen, there are critics who believe you aren't a true point guard," another reporter pressed. "Yet your registered position in the NBA is point guard.

How do you respond?"

Iverson didn't wait. He grabbed the mic.

"I don't know what a 'true' point guard is supposed to be."

He let that statement hang in the air before continuing.

"I just do whatever it takes to win. Even if people say I'm selfish."

Then, he smirked.

"But since Mo and I are teammates now, you'll probably see a lot of double-doubles this season."

Winning Is All That Matters

One of the reporters was quick to respond.

"But Allen, you seem to only pass the ball to Alex Mo—"

"And? We win when I pass to him." Iverson shot back. "Where's the problem?"

Iverson turned to look at Mo, who was already watching him.

At that moment, he realized that handling the media was Mo's specialty.

One-liner responses. Short, sharp, effective.

Next time, he'd have to try that.

The Georgetown Twins Make Waves in China

After the interview, the Los Angeles media had their narratives set.

Alex Mo: A force of nature—confident, powerful, and unapologetic.Allen Iverson: A firebrand—rebellious, outspoken, and fearless.

Both were rookies.

Neither was someone you'd want to mess with.

Their interview was quickly translated and broadcast in China, and fans there gave the Georgetown duo a new nickname:

"A Moment of Silence."

Why?

Because every team that faced them would need one.

The NBA Preseason Begins

October 10, 1996.

The NBA preseason kicked off, and David Stern had big plans.

The commissioner was eyeing international expansion, wanting to host preseason games in Europe and China.

Unfortunately, this season was too soon for that to happen.

Still, Stern was betting on Alex Mo to ignite the Chinese market, making the NBA even bigger worldwide.

For now, though, the NBA had something special in store—

The Lakers' first preseason game would take place in Washington, at Georgetown's home arena: the Verizon Center.

It was a homecoming for the Georgetown Twins.

Georgetown Honors Its Legends

Before the game, Georgetown President and Coach John Thompson addressed the crowd.

"To honor the legacy of our greatest duo," he announced, "Georgetown University will retire the jerseys of Allen Iverson and Alex Mo after the NCAA Finals next year."

The arena erupted in applause.

They had led Georgetown to an NCAA title.

Now, they were getting their well-deserved recognition.

The Georgetown Twins Run Wild

Lakers coach Del Harris decided to let Mo and Iverson play the entire first quarter.

For most teams, preseason was just a warm-up.

But for the Georgetown Twins?

They were hungry.

They destroyed the Washington Bullets' rotation.

Yes, the Bullets had Juwan Howard and Chris Webber, but their depth was exposed.

The commentators were shocked.

Even Coach Del Harris remained unimpressed.

"It's just the Bullets," he muttered. "This is nothing to celebrate."

Mo himself wasn't thrilled either.

His focus had shifted to something else.

An Unexpected Talent on the Bench

On the Bullets' bench, Mo spotted a player waving a towel with full enthusiasm.

The jersey read #30.

Ben Wallace.

Mo recognized him instantly.

Undrafted. Overlooked. Considered too short for center, too unpolished for power forward.

Yet, Mo knew the truth.

Ben Wallace was a defensive monster in the making.

And right now—he was a steal waiting to happen.

Recruiting the Towel Waver

After the game, Mo approached Del Harris.

"Coach, did you see #30 on the Bullets bench?" he asked.

"Who? The guy waving the towel?"

"Yeah," Mo nodded. "We don't have a hype guy like that on our bench."

Iverson overheard and grabbed a towel, waving it enthusiastically.

"I can do that!"

Mo snatched the towel from him.

"No, you look ridiculous."

Iverson blinked, then caught on.

Mo wasn't joking.

They needed Big Ben.

Del Harris looked at the Bullets' bench, where Wallace was still hyping up his team despite the blowout loss.

Interesting.

"I'll bring it up with Jerry West," Harris said.

A Second-Round Steal

That night, when Jerry West got the call, his response was simple.

"You said an undrafted player? No need."

Then he heard Mo Ran suggested it.

"Wait—Alex Mo said that? Alright, let's get it done."

Double standards? Absolutely.

Within days, the Lakers traded a second-round pick for Ben Wallace.

At first, the media laughed it off.

"A second-round pick for an undrafted rookie? Waste of time."

They wouldn't be laughing for long.

The Regular Season Begins

November 1, 1996.

The NBA season officially started with the defending champions, the Chicago Bulls, defeating the Boston Celtics at the United Center.

After the win, Michael Jordan made his stance clear:

"Our goal is the same—win it all. No matter what happened this summer, nothing changes.

Not even God can stop me from defending my title."

Confidence radiated from the greatest player of all time.

But in Phoenix...

A new era was about to begin.

The Georgetown Twins' first official game was here.

Lakers vs. Suns.

The Alex Mo Era was about to begin.