Gan Guoyang felt that playing like this wasn’t very interesting, so he pulled Kobe and Little O’Neal over for a two-on-two match.
Bird and Little O’Neal formed one team, while Gan Guoyang and Kobe formed the other.
With the help of a teammate, Bird played much smoother, constantly coordinating with Little O’Neal.
Little O’Neal was matched with Gan Guoyang, and Kobe went to defend Bird, clearly at a disadvantage in terms of experience.
The two teams played back and forth, greatly increasing the fun of the competition, and continued for more than half an hour.
Eventually, Bird couldn’t handle the physical demands anymore and slumped to the ground, waving his hand, saying he couldn’t keep playing.
Gan Guoyang felt satisfied as he pulled Bird up from the ground, with Bird saying, "So, how was it, satisfying? I know you’re great, but sometimes take it easy on us."
Kobe chimed in upon hearing this, "No need to wait, I can catch up."
"Shut up! Go practice your three-pointers, kid. Also, you can’t even defend me, I suggest you go watch more footage."
Kobe begrudgingly went to the side to practice his three-pointers. When it comes to training intensity, Kobe is excellent—he’s always the last to leave every day.
Lately, his performance has been improving, as in the game against the Jazz, he scored in double digits for the first time, achieving a small milestone in his career.
On the defense end, his experience is accumulating bit by bit, not showing immediate effects, but Bird can notice his progress.
However, high school players have many habits to develop from scratch. With the NBA schedule being so intense, it all depends on whether he’s putting in the effort.
Feeling much more refreshed, Gan Guoyang wrapped up his training and returned home, where Gan Wenshan rushed over with a question, "Dad, dad, I want to ask you a question!"
"What’s the question?"
"Dad, who’s the number one center in the NBA now?"
"Number one center? Of course, it’s your dad, me."
"That’s not right. My classmate said that the number one center is Shaquille O’Neal, so you’re not the number one center."
"Which classmate said that? Go and beat him hard."
"But didn’t you say I shouldn’t hit people?"
"Such people who confuse right and wrong deserve a beating."
"No, he said, he said, O’Neal is a center, so he’s the number one center. But you’re not a center anymore; your playing style doesn’t look like a center."
Gan Guoyang chuckled upon hearing that. So the issue with not being the number one center wasn’t because he wasn’t number one, but because he wasn’t a center.
Gan Guoyang’s playing style indeed looks less and less like a center—lots of outside jump shots, attacking while dribbling, playing inside and outside, and often stepping back for shots.
No wonder—in the eyes of kids, a center is supposed to stand inside, not play like Gan Guoyang.
Gan Guoyang patiently explained to his son, "Daddy is a center; just my playing style is different from other centers, but that doesn’t mean I’m not a center. All the skills and functions a center can do, I can do them all, and I’m top-notch."
Gan Wenshan shook his head and said, "I don’t believe it. Center is center, Gump is Gump."
"..."
Gan Guoyang was momentarily speechless; this was a slogan Avia came up with in the 80s, created by Gan Guoyang himself.
The original intention was because centers don’t sell shoes, but Gan Guoyang was different, using this slogan to highlight his uniqueness for selling shoes.
This slogan became increasingly popular as Gan Guoyang’s achievements accumulated, eventually becoming a classic and well-known advertisement line.
Unexpectedly, years later, it turned into a bullet, through his son’s words, shooting straight into Gan Guoyang’s heart again.
"Alright, Dad will play against the Lakers in a few days. I’ll show you on the court with the center’s way against O’Neal, so you and your classmate can see who the real number one center is, okay?"
"Sure! No problem! But Dad, if you don’t win, you can’t hit people."
"Don’t worry, if Dad can’t win the game, I’ll come back and hit you to blow off steam."
"..."