While fans were still confused, a die-hard Blake Su fan with the username [Peeing Ten Meters Against the Wind] stepped in once again to explain:
"The NBA has a clear rule. To be eligible for statistical rankings, a player must have appeared in at least 70% of the season's games.
At the start of the season, Blake Su didn't play in the first 10 games. He only began playing from Game 11 onward. After last night's game against the Celtics, he has played 23 games.
Only now has his total number of appearances exceeded 70% of the season's games.
That's why his stats only showed up in today's rankings and were officially included."
With that explanation, fans finally understood.
But what followed was an overwhelming wave of shock.
Blake Su's season stats.
Because he had not been eligible for the rankings before, most fans only remembered his explosive single-game performances. Games with 13 three-pointers, 40-plus, 50-plus, even 60-plus points, along with multiple dominant weekly performances.
But those were just individual games or short stretches.
Very few people actually knew what his full-season averages looked like.
Now that everything was compiled, Blake Su's season averages were revealed:
38.8 points, 10.8 rebounds, 5.5 assists, 2.6 steals, and 3.9 blocks per game.
"Oh my God!"
"Before Blake Su, the scoring leader was Kevin Durant at 28.7 points per game. I already thought that was insanely high, but Blake Su jumps in and takes the top spot immediately, ahead by a full 10 points.
What kind of monster is this?
Chris Paul was leading the league in steals with 2.4 per game, but Blake Su, with 2.6, takes over the top spot.
And in blocks, Andrew Bogut was leading with 2.6 per game, but Blake Su comes in and blows past him with 3.9, completely dominating the category again.
Blake Su is just ridiculous!"
"Seriously… either he's not on the board at all, or he shows up and tops three categories at once. That's terrifying."
"And the craziest part is that he's a rookie. He's beating established superstars at the top of these categories and taking the number one spot."
"Right, and 10.8 rebounds and 5.5 assists per game are nothing to scoff at either."
"Exactly. A center averaging 5.5 assists would probably rank top three at the position.
And 10.8 rebounds is impressive too, especially since Blake Su doesn't just stay under the basket.
But the most unbelievable part is the steals. A center averaging 2.6 steals and leading the league?
Look at the top ten in steals. Everyone else is a guard. And then there's Blake Su at number one.
That's just insane."
"Just look at those numbers. How can anyone be this dominant? I knew he was good, but leading three categories is on another level."
"He's ahead of second place by over 10 points in scoring, leads blocks by 1.3, and as a center, he beats out elite guards like Paul, Rondo, Monta Ellis, and Russell to top the steals leaderboard.
Straight to number one in three categories.
Blake Su… there's no limit to how strong he is."
"Haha, quiet at first, then one move and he shocks everyone. That's exactly why I like him."
"Blake Su: top-tier rookie, confirmed again."
"Blake Su: the ultimate 'monster rookie,' a true super rookie, the strongest top-tier rookie in NBA history, no debate."
"..."
As soon as the updated rankings were released, Blake Su's stats swept across the internet, becoming a major topic of discussion among stunned fans. Media outlets quickly updated their reports, using his triple-category dominance to fuel even more coverage.
In short, the Suns' 23-game winning streak combined with Blake Su's rise to the top of the leaderboards pushed him back into the center of attention.
Even with standout performances from other stars the night before, Kobe scoring 40, LeBron putting up a 30-plus triple-double, Derrick Rose dominating in three quarters, and Kevin Durant hitting five threes in a single quarter on his way to 44 points, they all faded in comparison.
...
Around the same time.
On social media, a Blake Su fan made a post:
"I don't know when everyone else started following Blake Su, but for me, it was from his very first game.
That game where, in just half a quarter, he erased a 21-point deficit against the Wizards and hit the game-winner to complete an all-time comeback.
So far this season, Blake Su has played 23 games.
He became the youngest player to score 50 points, the youngest to score 60, set the fastest triple-double record, and led the Suns to tie their franchise record with a 17-game winning streak.
Now he's pushed that to 23 wins, surpassing Yao Ming and taking sole possession of the second-longest winning streak in history.
Five game-winners, a record 13 threes in a single game, six straight Player of the Week awards, December Player of the Month, and number one on both the Rookie MVP and MVP rankings.
He's already in the top three in the Western Conference in the first round of All-Star voting.
He re-signed with the Suns at double the salary of the No. 1 pick John Wall, signed a massive deal with Adidas, and became a spokesperson for Lexus.
As a rookie center, Blake Su is redefining the position with a completely new style of play. He's become the brightest new star in the league.
In my opinion, his individual performance has already surpassed Yao Ming.
What do you all think?"
The post was titled:
#Blake Su Officially Surpasses Yao Ming#
As soon as it went live, it struck a chord and quickly gained traction, with comments flooding in.
"Absolutely."
"It's true. Forget popularity. Just based on ability, Blake Su has already surpassed Yao Ming."
"I didn't realize it until you laid it all out. He's insane."
"I just started following him yesterday and thought he was good. After reading this, I'm fully convinced."
"Blake Su has officially surpassed Yao Ming."
"I agree."
"Same here."
"Count me in."
"Don't leave me out. I agree completely. Blake Su, this 'monster rookie,' this super rookie… he really has surpassed Yao Ming."
As more fans joined the discussion, the post's popularity exploded, quickly climbing to the number one spot on the trending list.
Number one in basketball news trends.