But with the lesson from the Heat, Barkley was still hesitant.
Keep in mind, when the Heat’s Big Four were assembled, everyone was younger, held higher status, and there was Pat Riley, the super coach.
The result was still a failure.
And with this Nets’ giant combination, Barkley and Olajuwon are two years older, Pippen is still at his peak, Richmond is good but not as star-studded as Drexler.
Harper and others are also at the twilight of their careers. Can they truly challenge Gan and the Trail Blazers? It seemed like a joke.
Barkley knew well that if he joined the Trail Blazers and signed a veteran contract, next season it was likely that Gan would carry him to success.
But... he still couldn’t get over that hurdle in his heart. He called Jordan again to explain his hesitation. Jordan mercilessly warned Barkley, if you go and rely on Gan, I’ll look down on you forever.
Jordan’s words sparked Barkley, and he finally decided to give it another try. He said over the phone, "Michael, I’m going to do what you can’t, defeat Gan in the finals!"
After boasting, Barkley first contacted the Nets to discuss contract issues, then held a press conference, officially donning the Nets jersey.
Then Barkley and Olajuwon headed to Los Angeles, which has increasingly become popular with NBA stars in recent years. The facilities are perfect, the climate is pleasant, and there are plenty of basketball professionals gathered here. It’s an excellent place to improve oneself during the summer.
Olajuwon told Barkley that it was after a pilgrimage in the summer of 1992 that he spent a very meaningful summer in Los Angeles, where his offensive skills made a qualitative leap into a new realm.
After arriving in Los Angeles, besides training, Barkley spent a week at a spiritual retreat center in Calabasas.
In this monastery, which also serves as a weight loss center, Barkley controlled his weight while training in yoga and meditation.
His breakfast was an apple, his lunch was salad and fruit, and his dinner was a bowl of soup.
In Barkley’s words, the food here is worse than that for pigs, yet in a week, he lost 17 pounds and strengthened his leg muscles, and he could see a semblance of abs.
Barkley believed he had experienced a transformative feeling until the last day when he was about to be discharged. Hakeem Olajuwon came to pick him up, bringing a Big Mac and fries!
"Is this how Allah teaches you to treat friends?" Barkley questioned Olajuwon, never taking his eyes off the food.
"It’s a beef burger," Olajuwon replied.
In the end, Barkley couldn’t resist the temptation of McDonald’s, eating 10 burgers and 15 packs of fries on the day of discharge—those barely filled his teeth.
Even so, Barkley declared to Olajuwon, "We’re about to have a great season!"
Olajuwon just smiled and didn’t speak. Back when Barkley first came to the Heat, he said the same thing, but everyone saw what happened.
Olajuwon certainly hoped to have another shot; otherwise, he wouldn’t have signed such a strange contract with the Nets, only taking $3 million next season, just to attract big-name free agents, assemble a super team, and challenge Gan again.
Jordan ultimately gave up his challenge against Gan and ended his professional career.
Olajuwon wasn’t planning on ending his, the 1993 Finals defeat still stung him like a needle.
Though the 1995 championship somewhat alleviated his regret, earning him the title of "Second Center of the 90s."
However, people kept saying Olajuwon benefited from Gan Guoyang’s retirement, which made Olajuwon internally unsatisfied.
No matter how many times he prayed to Allah in the mosque, a voice inside him always echoed: "You should try to defeat Gan in the finals."
This thought haunted Olajuwon like a ghost during the 1997-1998 season in New Jersey as he endured hardships.
While playing, he gathered energy and maintained his form. He reduced his weight, gradually transformed his style, reduced shooting attempts, enhanced defense, waiting for a big move in the summer of 1998.
In truth, Olajuwon really wanted to team up with Michael Jordan. The top pick and third pick from the 1984 draft, two of the three key players from that golden era, should join forces to challenge that man’s dominance.
But Jordan had no interest in such a super alliance. He couldn’t do it, while Olajuwon was already familiar with the process, mastering it better each time.
Barkley felt similarly, once you’ve done something once, the second and third times become much easier.
"I heard... the boss wants Magic to be our coach, do you think that’s feasible?" Olajuwon brought up a more practical issue with Barkley.
After quickly assembling a luxury team, the Nets faced the issue of who would manage this lavish lineup.
The team’s coach is John Calipari, indeed a very talented coach, but the problem is he has a high probability of not being able to keep the team’s big stars in line.
This is an ongoing consideration for NBA teams when selecting coaches, unlike colleges, in the NBA interpersonal relationships are a key factor, especially for veteran-heavy teams.
If a coach can’t maintain control, the team will break into factions, and good performance becomes a pipe dream.
Paul Allen went to great lengths to assemble this super ensemble and certainly doesn’t want an unknown, ordinary coach to ruin his money and effort.