He felt as if his mentality were like those early years when he first joined the League.
Back then, he hadn’t spread much terror in the League, and it was the right time to sow seeds vigorously.
Now, fertile fields are becoming scarcer, and fat opportunities like Shaq are truly tantalizing.
"Stop, replay, watch this part again."
Gan Guoyang asked Shalov to replay the video to observe O’Neal’s technical details.
From his rookie season games, one can see that many of O’Neal’s skills are still rough.
His turnaround speed is fast, but the turning radius is small because his foot positioning is incorrect.
When making offensive choices in the low post, he’s somewhat impatient, often charging hard instead of choosing cautiously.
He has a strong desire for offensive rebounds and, once he grabs the ball under the basket, is hard to stop.
He’s only 20 years old and his weight has already reached 285 pounds.
His torso and arms are extremely robust, yet not cumbersome.
The core muscle group is very large (back, waist, abdomen, hips) and explosive power is strong.
He indeed possesses beastly physical qualities and top-notch coordination and agility.
He can dribble coast-to-coast and slam dunk, like a bulldozer, and no one dares to stop him.
Blocking shots is very violent; opponents often easily overlook his speed and explosiveness, and make hurried shots only to get blocked.
Shalov repeatedly adjusted the video speed and asked, "Sonny, this guy physically may not be inferior to you."
Gan Guoyang said, "If we compare pure strength, the difference between him and me is indeed not big. But in terms of details... he still has a lot of room to improve."
If others heard Gan Guoyang say this, they might think he’s bragging.
But Shalov has been an assistant coach with the Trail Blazers for so many years and has a clear concept of Ah Gan’s strength.
This guy really seems to have muscles growing in his bones, full of energy.
Moreover, Gan Guoyang has a nerve recruitment ability that surpasses ordinary people.
The coaching staff has done some tests on Gan Guoyang.
His reaction speed far surpasses that of average players.
Muscle exertion is fast, able to quickly gather strength.
Furthermore, Gan Guoyang’s physique is not small, a solid 6 feet 10, visually more imposing than some 7-foot centers.
Karl Malone, known as the NBA’s Mr. Olympia, clearly appears a size smaller standing next to Ah Gan.
On February 8, 1993, the Magic just finished their road trip in Utah.
O’Neal faced Karl Malone’s one-on-one defense on the road, scoring 22 points on 8-for-17 shooting.
Malone’s individual defense against O’Neal was pretty good.
Of course, it was also an excellent performance for rookie O’Neal to score 22 points against Malone.
Now, everyone’s attention is focused on this matchup between the Trail Blazers and the Magic.
When the plane began to descend, Gan Guoyang left the tactical meeting cabin to sit on the sofa and rest.
His mind didn’t stop, constantly simulating a confrontation with O’Neal in his head.
The more he thought about it, the more excited he became, making it completely impossible to sleep; he could only save sleep for the hotel.
Gan Guoyang was excited for another reason; in the League, he could finally meet a center who could match his strength.
For nearly 10 years, Gan Guoyang was the undisputed king of strength in the League, with no one able to rival him in low post confrontations.
Once he was determined to use the back-to-the-basket bulldozer tactic, no one could stop him.
Because the two had never faced each other directly on the court before, whose strength was greater remained to be seen.
Gan Guoyang wanted to know in the comprehensive confrontation of strength on the court who was stronger.
In the summer, Gan Guoyang controlled his weight around 265 pounds, slightly heavier than during the Olympics.
The reason for doing so was not to be at a major weight disadvantage against O’Neal in the showdown of strength.
As Gan Guoyang was making full preparations, O’Neal on the Magic side was equally attentive to this game.
However, unlike Gan Guoyang’s technical and tactical preparations, O’Neal mainly focused on psychological preparation.
And dealing with the endless media questions, as they bombarded O’Neal with questions before the game.
They hoped to hear about the conflict between the two, the hatred and grievances between the newcomer and the old king, the long-planned assault and attack.
But O’Neal meticulously followed his father’s guidance to remain humble, especially in front of true powerhouses.
After half a season of games, O’Neal’s confidence had greatly inflated.
However, he hadn’t inflated to the point of thinking he could crush the number one in the League, his idol Ah Gan.
"I hope to learn more from Sonny. You know, I have always been a fan of Ah Gan, wearing Skyscraper before signing with Reebok. I like his playing style, it’s so unique, redefining the center position. Just watching his game videos, I’ve learned a lot; this game is definitely a great opportunity."
O’Neal’s words were smooth and flawless.
They fully reflected respect for the basketball veteran.
But to say O’Neal was completely convinced internally, naturally, that was impossible.
Athletes cannot lack a competitive spirit, especially stars who have achieved remarkable accomplishments.
O’Neal, playful, with a rich life outside the court, quirky in character, is equally competitive on the court.
Like many giants, growing up in a military base, he had a sensitive heart.
Faced with any ridicule or contempt, he doubled down in return.
This is almost the fate of giants: either to die silently under cold stares or to burst forth under the gaze of the public and become a true giant.
Orlando fans still remember O’Neal’s first encounter with Ewing.
Ewing, aside from Ah Gan, was O’Neal’s favorite center.