Gan Guoyang rarely drank so much. He can hold his liquor well and doesn't get drunk, just feeling his skin slightly warm, floating comfortably.
After saying goodbye to Bird and the others, Li Wei headed to the airport, where a private jet was waiting for him.
Wang Fuxi saw Gan Guoyang's slightly tipsy appearance and said, "It's rare to see you drink. You're not allowed to hold our daughter."
Gan Guoyang replied, "What does it matter? My precious daughter loves the faint smell of alcohol on her dad, right?"
Gan Wenyi looked a bit embarrassed, but she still leaned over, held her breath, and gave Gan Guoyang a hug, which made him very happy.
He lay on the airport lounge sofa, gazing at the cabin ceiling, reminiscing about the complex emotions of returning to Portland these past two days, emotions far beyond what a buzzer-beater victory could describe.
He closed his eyes for a quick nap, the plane was about to take off soon.
When the plane was halfway there, and everyone thought Gan Guoyang was asleep, he suddenly opened his eyes wide, startled, and sat up from the sofa.
Wang Fuxi, who was handling team matters, was shocked and asked, "What's wrong with you, sitting up like that scared me to death."
Gan Guoyang looked at his daughter sleeping in the seat next to him, gently stroking her hair, and said, "Honey, I want to make a decision and I hope you support me."
"I support you in any decision you make. We've been together for so many years, when have I not supported you?"
"Hmm... but this time, this decision might cause some controversy."
"As long as you don't change your gender, I will support you, even if you retire tomorrow."
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After the away victory over the Portland Trail Blazers, the Glory Team couldn't shake off the pattern of winning one game and losing the next, advancing two steps forward and one step back.
The integration and progress of the team is a long process, with the growth of some young players taking two to three seasons in the fast lane and five to six seasons for slower growth; it's a slow endeavor.
That's why some teams and stars are unwilling to wait for young players to grow, as the investment period is indeed long.
Under the meticulous guidance of veterans like Gan Guoyang and Porter, the young players of the Glory Team have improved significantly. However, NBA competition is fierce. Just progressing doesn't mean you deserve to win, as everyone is striving and working hard.
Winners have to do more and do better, and Gan Guoyang's ability to hold the fort during the regular season is indeed declining.
After a highly efficient game against Portland, he slumped in two subsequent games, and upon returning to Las Vegas, performed mediocrely against the Kings and the Mavericks, leading to team losses.
These two teams were already strong and had styles that counteracted the Glory Team's, and without Gan Guoyang going into beast mode and just simply getting 20+10, he couldn't help the team win.
However, Gan Guoyang's patience in the past was not lost, and he didn't lose his temper with the coaching staff or the players because of the losses.
Instead, as a part of the team, he summed up with everyone and together solved problems in training.
He gradually curbed his superpowers, no longer jumping in to solve problems when the team didn't play well.
During critical moments, critical nodes, and pivotal tactics, he handed more responsibilities to other players to face and handle.
Every time the team faced difficulties, he no longer thought, "What should I do, I'll solve the problem."
But instead, with his teammates, he proposed, "What should we do, what role can I play in solving this problem."
He truly saw himself as part of the team, laying a solid foundation for team basketball for the Glory Team.
"I will certainly leave the league before you, and I hope by then, the Glory Team has become a team with a good tradition and winning culture. Whether I'm here or not, you can continue to win. This is not a team existing for me alone, but I continue to exist for it."
Gan Guoyang left his best physical form and championships with Portland, while leaving his faith with Glory.
Time ticks away slowly, and December is soon halfway over. During this period, the Glory Team's record remains stable, consistently in the middle of the Western Conference standings.
Anyone can win, and anyone can lose.
Gan Guoyang's performance indeed resembles Bird, hidden within the team.
Moreover, he's very happy before every game, greeting every opponent.
In the past, he would whisper devilish words, planting seeds of malice within the league's tough players.
Now, he laughs and jokes, chatting with old friends and joking with the young players.
The young players feel puzzled and ask the veteran players, "Everyone says Ah Gan is terrifying, but I think his personality is really nice, truly, the real big shots are always kind and approachable."
The veteran players dismissively say, "You just came at a good time."
There are still some hot-blooded young ones, eager to provoke Ah Gan during the game, only to be pulled back and held down by the veteran players.
Kenyon Martin, a rookie in 2000 picked by the Nets, boasted before the December 18th game against Glory, saying, "I will complete at least three spectacular dunks over Ah Gan."
After saying this, he smiled at the camera, showing off his muscles and braces.
But in the game, he got blocked by Gan Guoyang six times, and the Nets, at their home court, were defeated 89:94 by the Glory Team's defense.
After this match, Kenyon Martin tattooed four Chinese characters on his arm: "Silence is golden."
This game marked the beginning of the Glory Team's Eastern road trip, with two more games before they could return to Las Vegas for Christmas.
Since the Christmas Day games were scheduled early and couldn't be changed, the Glory Team missed out on them this season.
But Gan Guoyang didn't plan on missing this Christmas celebration. Just as Mariah Carey's "All I Want For Christmas Is You" began playing in malls, hotels, and other public places across America, major TV stations, radio, and print media reported a news teaser: "Sonny Gan will announce an important decision on Christmas Day 2001."