Before the game against the Hawks, Gan Guoyang received a warm invitation from Wang Zhizhi to visit his home in Atlanta, which Gan Guoyang accepted gladly.
Wang Zhizhi rented an apartment near the Hawks’ training facility, enough for him to live alone, with simple furnishings and decorations unlike the place a millionaire NBA player would usually reside.
Seeing Wang Zhizhi living so simply, Gan Guoyang couldn’t help but recall visiting Stockton’s house during his rookie season in Salt Lake City; Stockton’s living conditions were worse than those of the underpaid Mexican workers, not even willing to turn on the heating and relying on the neighbor’s heat, with his fridge full of his mother’s frozen foods.
Wang Zhizhi wasn’t as frugal as Stockton; he would still spend when necessary, but saved most of his money to send back home to his parents.
"Playing basketball, as long as the basics are guaranteed, it’s sufficient," Wang Zhizhi explained.
Due to his position and talent, combined with Gan Guoyang’s guidance and the patience of the Hawks, Wang Zhizhi’s NBA journey was much smoother than Hu Weidong’s.
Hu Weidong, even under Bobby Berman’s care at the Celtics, was just at the end of the bench, having 5-10 minutes a game to show his skills.
As a dedicated three-point shooter, Hu Weidong’s role in the NBA was indeed quite limited; apart from catch-and-shoot long-range shots, his other skills lacked competitive strength.
If at a weaker team, Hu Weidong might get more playtime, but at the strong Celtics, 5-10 minutes were already quite good.
Other weaker NBA teams had little interest in Asian players like Hu Weidong, preferring local Black players for the same role, as connections are crucial in the NBA.
Comparatively, Wang Zhizhi had a better start; he entered the league younger than Hu Weidong, at 22, equivalent to a college graduate’s age, making him worthy of nurturing.
As an inside player, he had fewer competitors at the same level; his soft touch and excellent footwork as a 7-foot player were rare everywhere.
Moreover, the path Gan Guoyang charted for him was correct—focus on offense first, without rushing to bulk up, prioritize scoring initially.
Wang Zhizhi had impressive shooting talent, with a free throw percentage reaching 80%, although less frequent than Garnett, but for a big man, this level is excellent.
With Gan Guoyang setting an example, Wang Zhizhi trained intensely, yet didn’t face excessive pressure, as everyone knew he couldn’t reach Ah Gan’s achievements.
No reasonable person would expect Wang Zhizhi to become "Ah Gan II," sparing him of expectations as a burden; following a path paved by predecessors made Wang Zhizhi much more relaxed.
Now, he has solidified his starting position with the Hawks, averaging 12 points per game, with good scoring ability, many points coming from ball-holding plays rather than easy ones, making him a crucial offensive asset for the team.
Of course, due to his defensive and rebounding issues, the Hawks’ record naturally isn’t great.
Mutombo guards the inside alone, but with a group of young players focused on offense outside, the African Mountain feels overwhelmed.
Mutombo reached the peak stats of his career in rebounding and blocks, but the team’s overall defensive efficiency is mediocre.
The team concedes over a hundred points per game, one of 10 teams to do so this season, highlighting glaring gaps in the team’s overall defense.
In the next day’s game, Gan Guoyang used flexible outside attacks to puncture through Mutombo on offense.
Gan Guoyang could clearly sense Mutombo’s helplessness; despite his peak personal stats, the team’s defense lacked structure.
Moreover, the team was rife with mistakes, fouls, aimless offensive choices, and many foolish errors.
The Trail Blazers easily secured victory in Atlanta, with Gan Guoyang scoring 31 points, while Wang Zhizhi scored a commendable 15 points.
This loss left the Hawks with fewer than 15 wins, effectively bidding farewell to playoff hopes.
Lenny Wilkens’ coaching journey with the Hawks has reached its end.
After the game, Gan Guoyang advised Wang Zhizhi, "Nice performance, but don’t get complacent. Scoring continuously in a lousy team isn’t the path to progress. Either do more or find a way out."
Wang Zhizhi nodded; whether he understood was uncertain.
Subsequently, the Trail Blazers easily beat the Hornets, thus concluding the away games on a satisfactory note, returning to Portland.
Time flies fast; the first month of 2000 is already halfway through.
The NBA schedule continues relentlessly, grinding away at the Trail Blazers’ veterans’ backs and knees one game after another.
After barely resting at home for two days, work came knocking again; the Dallas Mavericks came long-distance to challenge the Rose Garden.
Before the game, Don Nelson called Gan Guoyang, saying, "Sonny, could I ask you for a favor?"
"Sure, not going on the court is definitely not possible."
"Rest assured, that won’t happen. I’m thinking, could you help guide our German kid in the game, play a bit tougher against him?"
"What? You want him dead?"
"Not at all, Sonny. I want him to live better. On the basketball court."
Gan Guoyang thought to himself, this kind of request I’ve never heard of before, but since it’s from Old Nelson, it’s not surprising.
"Alright, the German guy, it must be Dirk. No problem, I can guide him a little, just have him guard me one-on-one. I’m currently very motivated to teach, might as well seize this opportunity to instruct a few more."
Perhaps sensing he doesn’t have much time left, Gan Guoyang is increasingly mentoring younger players on the court.
Indeed, this is a tradition in the NBA, especially among inside players; there’s a legacy among them, even if they are opponents.
Because the world of giants is lonelier, giants tend to be more united.
Dirk Nowitzki is yet unaware that his first big challenge in the NBA is about to arrive.