However, since the Vancouver Grizzlies no longer exist, their jerseys from that period sell surprisingly well, with many buying them as collectibles, turning them into a classic style.
This shows that there was nothing wrong with their jersey design; they just lacked the hype to get fans to buy them.
Like the other Canadian team, the Toronto Raptors, thanks to Vince Carter, their fan gear sells like crazy.
Especially the Raptors’ number 15, the white and purple striped dinosaur jersey, sells exceptionally well, becoming a common streetwear choice.
For many young fans, wearing Carter’s jersey is trendier and more fashionable, even cooler than Gan’s number 11 or Jordan’s number 23, and favored by rappers, too.
This is the power of a young superstar.
Of course, a veteran superstar like Gan Guoyang still wields enormous influence, as he is the pioneer.
Throughout the morning, the Glory Team could hardly conduct practice because there were too many interviews, too many people.
For the team’s exposure and influence, they couldn’t just drive people away, so they let everyone take as many photos as they wanted.
It wasn’t until lunchtime that Gan Guoyang found Tomjanovich and said, "Let’s train in the afternoon, close the venue, and prohibit any irrelevant people from coming in."
Tomjanovich agreed, and after lunch, the arena’s security locked down the entrances and exits, leaving only players, coaches, and some management inside, finally achieving peace and quiet.
Tomjanovich gave his first speech to the players, explaining the team’s goals for this season and how difficult it would be for a new team to survive in the NBA.
"When I started my career, I played for a new team, the San Diego Rockets. I was drafted in 1970 when the Rockets were only three seasons old and performed terribly. When I joined the team, the Rockets were so poor that they charged for drinks from the vending machines in the training facility—we even had to pay for water."
The room burst into laughter, and Gan Guoyang said, "We shouldn’t, there are even free beds here."
Everyone laughed again, and Tomjanovich continued, "After playing one season, the team moved from San Diego to Houston, but the situation didn’t improve. Houstonians preferred football to basketball, and our game venues were often half-full. We fought every day, and Calvin Murphy was a fight king. As a pacifist, I got hit with the hardest punch in League history. To this day, I have to hold my skull when I sneeze, fearing that high impact might split my head open."
Everyone laughed once more; it was evident that Tomjanovich was the humorous, mild type of coach who fosters a relaxed atmosphere.
For a newly established team, this has benefits and drawbacks. The good side is that the team atmosphere will be nice, and everyone can quickly come together.
The downside is, of course, lax discipline, leading to poor defense and performance.
However, with Gan Guoyang present in the Glory Team, the latter concerns aren’t an issue. That’s why Danny Ainge brought Tomjanovich here.
There are many veterans and young players on the team; they’re strangers to each other, so easing up is beneficial.
"Everything was rough: logistics, transportation, training, venues, not to mention the notorious drugs and violence, but we persisted and made it, rooted ourselves, and became a cultural symbol there. Now, the NBA is well-run, and conditions are excellent, as Ah Gan said, the team is filthy rich, capable of meeting almost all your needs."
"But without achieving significant results and playing thrilling games, all these perks become a heavy burden. This is an entirely new team in a very young, desert-risen city, giving us the chance to create our enterprise, forge a cultural symbol for a city."
"All we can do is give our best, play the best games, keep the audience in the arena, keep the team in Las Vegas, like neon lights, light up the desert nights, be a beacon for the lost, and become the brightest glory in the NBA."
Tomjanovich delivered a passionate speech, showcasing his excellent oratory skills.
The players, the high-ranking officials at courtside, and even Gan Guoyang applauded warmly, moved by his words.
This is Tomjanovich’s forte; his sensitivity, charisma, and personal appeal can stir the players’ spirits, just what the Glory Team needs.
Of course, while motivational speeches are great, practice and games still need tangible substance.
In terms of tactical systems, Tomjanovich is a relatively loose coach, encouraging players to exercise more autonomy.
Meanwhile, he’s also one of the coaches in the League who first emphasized space and long-range shooting. Plus, Tomjanovich has his system on defense.
As an experienced coach, the first lesson in the Glory Team’s training was defense.
"A good defense is the foundation of a team’s combat power because every night, defense won’t deceive you."
The training started at 1 pm and lasted until 3:30 pm, two and a half hours in total.
Tomjanovich didn’t want everyone to be overly exhausted on the first day of training camp, so he blew the whistle to wrap up the day’s work.
What the players decided to do after training was entirely up to them.
Some would typically clock out and head for Las Vegas’s vibrant spots.
Others would stay and keep training until dark, as this accumulation determines a player’s future height.
However, Tomjanovich went to chat with a few executives on the sidelines, discussing team planning.
When he turned around, he found that no one from the team had left; everyone stayed for extra practice.
Including veterans like Steve-Kerr and Kevin Willis, as well as notorious troublemakers like Riddle, they weren’t rushing to the locker room to shower and change.
The veterans stayed to work on their shooting and chatted, while the young ones hit the gym to build strength. Riddle even found a trainer to practice one-on-one duels.
Tomjanovich found it odd. The session was over; it’s okay to head back if you need to.
Could it be that my motivational speech was too effective, and everyone felt moved to voluntarily put in more hours?
Tomjanovich asked Riddle, "Hey! Isiah! Aren’t you heading back? How long are you going to keep extra training?"
Tomjanovich knew Riddle was a notorious troublemaker in the League, having a bad record after leaving the Trail Blazers.
Upon learning he was drafted to the team, Tomjanovich kept a close watch on him to prevent him from becoming a locker room cancer.
Since arriving in Las Vegas, Riddle had been the wildest one, clearly not seeming like he was here to seriously play basketball.
Unexpectedly, not only did he show up on time today, but he arrived early, and after practice, he didn’t leave early but stayed for extra training.
Looks like he distinguishes work and play very clearly.
Riddle made a pull-up mid-range shot and said to Tomjanovich, "I don’t want to get beaten by Ah Gan, I’ll leave when he leaves."
Tomjanovich now understood that it wasn’t his motivational speech that did the trick; instead, under Ah Gan’s deterrence, veterans stayed put, and young players were motivated to intensify their training.
At this point, Gan Guoyang was leading the veterans in a half-court 3v3, with the young players watching on the sidelines, ready to substitute any time.
The competition was quite intense. Gan Guoyang appeared slimmer than at any previous stage.
His weight had reduced to 245 pounds, meant to minimize knee stress and allow for a lighter physique.
In his playing style, he leaned more towards the perimeter, like a true small forward, with outstanding dribbling and shooting.
It’s almost hard to convince someone who’s never seen basketball that this is the NBA’s all-time greatest center, a beastly center who once dominated everything.
During the training, Tomjanovich was wondering, this guy is already 37, can he still transform and become an even newer player?
Is he still a rookie, or is he a veteran approaching retirement?
At this moment, Gan Guoyang received the ball on the court and nailed a three-pointer, driving the opponents away.
As Gan Guoyang’s teammate, Porter quietly advised the newcomers, "Don’t win, don’t win, this way, we can leave earlier."