David Stern’s information was absolutely correct. In fact, if it weren’t for his efforts to use his connections, Gan Guoyang might have already undergone a full FBI investigation before Game 5 of the Finals and been taken away by the New York police during the Finals.
This would have been catastrophic news for the Trail Blazers, for the entire NBA, and would have been a huge blow to the ratings.
Of course, even if such an event happens after the Finals, the impact is not small at all, only the shock to the ratings is slightly lessened.
On the day after the Finals ended, when the other players of the Trail Blazers were about to leave New York to return to Portland to celebrate their championship, the New York police sealed off the hotel where the Trail Blazers were staying and summoned Gan Guoyang back to the police station for investigation.
Local media had long been notified, and the entire hotel was so packed with reporters that it was impenetrable.
This was even more shocking news than the Portland Trail Blazers winning back-to-back championships, or Gan Guoyang’s ninth championship title.
No handcuffs, no hoods, two hefty New York police officers dressed in impeccably tailored suits, with slicked-back shiny hair, "escorted" Gan Guoyang out of the hotel lobby, one on each side.
The continuous clicking sounds might make one think they were at a Milan Fashion Week show, and it was evident that the officers’ suits were carefully selected, likely the best in their wardrobes.
Furthermore, they were meticulously groomed, with brooches and handkerchiefs adorning their chests, and their shoes polished to a high shine, glistening like obsidian under the camera flashes.
In America, a media powerhouse, everyone aspires to fame. After all, their president gained his position through his reputation, so public officials also do not miss opportunities to showcase themselves in the media.
In big cities like Los Angeles, New York, and Miami, there are often so-called "celebrity police officers," like the star officer played by Kevin Spacey in the movie "L.A. Confidential." Fame can bring them chances to appear on television, to give lectures and speeches, bringing more income, and even some endorsement deals or opportunities for other positions since being a police officer may not last a lifetime. Everyone seeks more security for their future.
Arresting the greatest player in NBA history the day after the Finals, especially under espionage charges, is nuclear-level news.
In the NBA world, perhaps only news of Barkley and Michael Jordan’s hidden marriage for ten years could surpass this.
Therefore, the people at the New York Police Department were jockeying for this opportunity, far more eager than for arresting other criminals or any other law enforcement duties.
They were also very polite to Gan Guoyang, calling the Trail Blazers Team and Gan Guoyang himself in advance to inform him to wait in his hotel room.
Gan Guoyang was very calm and composed, having already prepared for this. The night before, when he returned to the hotel, he and his wife discussed various matters and made thorough preparations.
Of course, when the moment came, Wang Fuxi watched her husband being taken away, and her emotions got out of control. She only refrained from rushing to hold him back due to interference from bodyguards. She could only return to the room, crying into her hands, and start making multiple contacts and taking action by phone.
The two children were already sent back to San Francisco overnight, staying with their grandpa and uncle, receiving the best protection.
Just yesterday, Gan Guoyang was at Madison Square Garden, crowned with his ninth NBA championship laurel.
Today, Gan Guoyang was put under police escort, under the public gaze, and it was in New York.
In fact, if the Trail Blazers had lost this game, extending the series to Portland, the FBI and the police would have already acted to detain Gan Guoyang for investigation.
Because once back in Portland, arresting Gan Guoyang wouldn’t be so easy. The citizens of Portland and some extreme fans were truly willing to confront federal agents demanding his release, and even the Portland Police Department would very likely refuse to comply, unwilling to get involved.
It had to happen in New York. The New York Police Department would assist, the New York media would sensationalize, and New York’s citizens and fans would be perfectly happy to see the Trail Blazers’ basketball hero apprehended.
The first two points proved to be correct, but the third was not necessarily true.
When the police car left the hotel, many nearby New York citizens and fans were expressing their bewilderment.
Some even tried to block the police car, not letting it leave, shouting, "This is a wrongful case, a wrongful case!"
Two weeks had passed since the release of the "Cox Report" on May 26th, and Gan Guoyang had made clear responses and credible defenses, yet Congress had not taken any action.
Only a sudden raid after the Finals to arrest Gan Guoyang for investigation, people felt it was very normal to question it.
Moreover, since he became famous across All-America starting in 1981, Gan Guoyang was no longer just a "foreign player."
He is an iconic figure in American basketball history, a part of many people’s childhoods and youth, a monument in basketball history.
It’s not that easy to topple a monument.
Although New York’s fans are fanatical, they are different from the equally fanatical yet narrow-minded Boston fans. New York fans, like the city itself, are more inclusive and magnanimous.
Near the hotel, a young citizen watching the spectacle, wearing a Knicks jersey, was interviewed by a reporter. When asked how he viewed the matter, the young man said: "On the court, we hate Ah Gan. We want to beat him. I would curse him, hoping he wouldn’t win again. But it must be by basketball means, not by any other methods, not by off-court tactics. I will wait quietly for the investigation results, but I am absolutely against using other ways to bring down Ah Gan. I want to see his defeat on the court, for new stars to rise, not for him to be tripped up off the court."