雷科技
News update, October 10. While browsing photos from yesterday’s NBA China Game in Macau, I, Xiaolei, barely paid any attention to the basketball.
Just look at the lineup sitting courtside in the first row. You’d easily believe it was a cross-industry Hall of Fame awards ceremony.
Jack Ma, Jackie Chan, David Beckham, Joe Tsai, Wang Ning… Internet tycoons, global football superstar, kung fu legend, rising retail magnate. All lined up side by side. This once-in-a-lifetime group shot blew up all over the internet.
What was the scene like on site? Jack Ma wore a red shirt with white trousers and a white baseball cap. He looked utterly relaxed, leaning back in his chair and chatting quietly with Joe Tsai next to him, just like old friends out to enjoy a ball game.
(Photograph source: Weibo)
Beside him, David Beckham was dressed in a black leather jacket, looking as handsome as ever. Every now and then, he picked up his phone to snap a few photos.
Further along sat Jackie Chan, in a white shirt and black-rimmed glasses, still commanding a powerful presence.
Next to Jackie Chan was Wang Ning, founder of Pop Mart. He watched the game quietly, keeping a low profile.
Pull any one of these men out alone, and each is a towering figure who holds sway in his own field.
Jack Ma is an icon of China’s internet industry. Joe Tsai serves as Alibaba’s chairman and owner of the NBA Brooklyn Nets. Jackie Chan is a globally renowned kung fu superstar, David Beckham a football idol recognized worldwide, and Wang Ning a leader in the designer toy sector.
Top-tier names from business, entertainment, sports and retail all gathered courtside to watch basketball. It goes without saying how rare this sight was.
Yet the most viral moment of the whole event wasn’t this star-studded viewing party, but a small incident that happened during a break in the game.
A fan in a wheelchair was brought over, hoping to take a photo with Jack Ma and David Beckham. Before staff could step in to coordinate, Jack Ma bent his knees, and Beckham squatted down right after him.
The framing was off on the first try, so the two adjusted their poses. They kept squatting until they were roughly level with the wheelchair, then smiled and finished the photo with the fan.
(Photograph source: Weibo)
This simple squat alone struck a chord with netizens.
Why has this tiny detail resonated so deeply? Just think about who these two men are. One is China’s former richest man, the other a world-famous A-list superstar. They are no strangers to grand occasions and are used to crowds swarming to take photos with them.
Logically, if they simply stood and gave a peace sign, the fan would surely have been overjoyed. Instead, they chose to squat down of their own accord.
That squat bridged the height gap and embodied respect. Rather than standing tall and forcing the fan to look up at them, they brought themselves to the same level as the fan.
Netizens showered them with praise: true dignity is never about how high you stand, but whether you are willing to bend down for others. This innate grace cannot be faked.
Jack Ma and Joe Tsai are regulars at NBA games. As the full owner of the Brooklyn Nets, Joe Tsai has turned out for nearly all major NBA matches over the years.
Xiaolei Bibi (ID: xiaoleibbb) noticed that these big names maintain cross-industry social circles.
You might think they simply came to watch a basketball game, but this gathering is rooted in years of friendship. What’s more, Taobao is the lead partner for this year’s NBA China Game. More than 2,000 Taobao 88VIP users won tickets through a lottery, accounting for roughly one-fifth of all attendees. It was quite the fan benefit bonanza.
(Photograph source: Weibo)
Turning back to Jack Ma: he has made relatively few public appearances in recent years, and every sighting sparks heated online discussion.
Some track his movements, while others wonder what he has been up to.
Yet judging by his demeanor at the game, he appears relaxed and at ease. He was just an ordinary basketball fan, chatting with old friends. When a fan asked for a photo, he happily squatted down to oblige, with no trace of arrogance.
After watching the scene, Xiaolei Bibi (ID: xiaoleibbb) reflected: once people reach a certain height of achievement, staying grounded becomes the rarest quality.
Everyone knows the saying that high places are lonely. But those who can truly set aside their status and treat others as equals are the ones with genuine breadth of vision.
As one netizen commented: people willing to squat down carry more weight than their front-row seats ever could.
Now a question for you: who surprised you the most in this legendary group photo? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments.
