Divac still thought of Petrović, and since the airstrikes began, he called Gan Guoyang every week, hoping to get some comfort from him.
Gan Guoyang gave Divac a lot of encouragement and help, advising him not to return home for the time being as he needed to take care of his wife and children in America.
Divac had three children, the youngest of whom, Perat, was adopted after her biological parents were killed by the Kosovo military while out shopping.
The footage and content of Gan Guoyang’s interview were quickly broadcasted by the media, causing quite a controversy.
In the militarily staunch Texas, the media immediately criticized Gan Guoyang’s remarks.
"From this statement, our fans and audience should realize that Ah Gan is not an American, he is a foreigner, a Chinese!"
"It’s unbelievable that for the past decade or so, people have ignored this elephant in the room!"
"What’s the reason? Is it just because he’s the best basketball player on the planet?"
In response to such comments, the Oregonian stated, "Ah Gan is the best basketball player on the planet, isn’t that reason enough? Should he be the best marksman on the planet instead?"
A fierce war of words erupted between the two sides. Many people in Oregon were already opposed to the bombing of Kosovo, and now, with the help of the NBA playoffs and the events of May 7th, both sides were at it.
On the night of the 8th, Divac called Gan Guoyang again, saying, "Thank you for speaking for me, brother. The emails and messages sent to me were worded more gently, with less profanity."
"I know you’ve had a tough time, you’ve suffered too much all these years. Stay optimistic, don’t leave basketball. Your last few shots in the game were bad, buddy, why didn’t you pass it to Wei Bo?"
"Chris? To be honest, I’m better than him."
At the critical moment of game five, the King’s tactic was always Divac’s low-post play, never trying to give the core leader Wei Bo a chance to attack.
Divac managed to score some key tying points during a few attacks, but then he faltered.
The two laughed and chatted for a while, and Divac had to stay up every night until two o’clock to watch CNN news.
It happened to be around 11 o’clock at his hometown, where the latest news would be relayed.
"Don’t forget to watch the Trail Blazers and Spurs game tomorrow, I’ll perform well."
"From now on, I’ll keep quiet and say nothing, I’ll speak through my performance on the court."
"You know, what San Antonio is, I’ll show them something."
What is San Antonio?
It’s a major American Air Force military hub, home to one of the twelve largest joint air force bases in America, stationed with strategic bombers.
Moreover, Texans love martial arts, riding horses, herding cattle, playing with guns, and they are always the most proactive supporters of American foreign wars.
Thus, after the events of May 7th, the fourth game held immense significance for Gan Guoyang.
On May 9th, the fourth game between the two teams continued in San Antonio.
Before the game, reporters once again asked Gan Guoyang related questions, but he no longer responded directly.
He just said, "I will respond on the court, open your eyes wide and get ready."
In the locker room, Gan Guoyang was relaxing his muscles, and the team atmosphere was slightly awkward, not as relaxed and natural as before.
Sabonis came over and quietly said to Gan Guoyang, "Sonny, I support your statement. But others... they want to keep a slight... distance, I hope you understand."
After all, Gan Guoyang’s remarks had touched the nerves of some American patriots. Lawufo had also been criticized and isolated due to the national flag incident before.
The Trail Blazers, once able to form a party branch, now only had Gan Guoyang and Sabonis as the backbone.
Bird came over and said to Gan Guoyang, "Sonny, I told you, don’t talk about this matter, just stay silent or brush it off."
Gan Guoyang said, "Larry, you said you would always stand by my side."
"Of course I’m on your side, I’m saying this because I’m on your side."
"Then I’ll say it, you tell me what to do."
"What to do? Of course, beat the Spurs up, what else can you do? You son of a bitch."
An hour later, the Trail Blazers warmed up on the court. When Gan Guoyang appeared on the court, there was a huge boo from the audience.
Some fans held up signs with insulting language and gun-shaped symbols threateningly pointed at Gan Guoyang’s picture.
David Stern was personally present to watch the game tonight, maintaining his signature faint smile.
But he felt terrible inside, damned Ah Gan, no, damned American Air Force, why on earth did they bomb others?
Stern knew that with Gan Guoyang’s identity, he was bound to speak out; he was a representative in the sports world for his country, how could you possibly keep him silent?
But understanding doesn’t mean support, and support doesn’t mean full endorsement. David Stern was already considering the risks of this matter in his mind.
Moreover, he knew much more than ordinary citizens; in just a day, he already heard some bad tidings, and the matter was not as simple as it seemed.
However, seeing Gan Guoyang looking calm and composed while warming up on the court, Stern couldn’t help but admire this guy; his psychological resilience was truly extraordinary.