It's not because his card skills are outstanding, but this guy knows how to cheat, using every trick just to win.
Gan Guoyang's mahjong skills are average; brute force doesn't work here, it's all about luck and a bit of technique.
Barkley sometimes wins, sometimes loses, and you can't figure out his strategy. He seems formidable yet sometimes very weak.
Today he's quite weak, because he knows he said the wrong thing on TV and willingly accepts his penalty.
"Five characters!"
"I win!" Gan Guoyang threw out five and six characters, winning directly, and it's a pure suit.
Jordan said, "Charles, are you crazy? You're playing five characters! Are you being too obvious?"
Barkley replied, "Look at my hand, I don't even have character tiles, why keep them if I can't play them?"
Jordan was speechless, but Barkley wants to give Ah Gan money, and there's nothing he can do about it.
After all, Ah Gan is Barkley's true big boss, right?
"Charles, you can't keep selling your soul like this."
"Do I even have a soul left to sell? I thought I was selling my body by now."
"Oh no~" All three showed expressions of disdain.
Barkley, better forget about your body.
The four of them reshuffled, and Gan Guoyang tore off the paper strips on Barkley's face.
"Alright, alright, everyone knows it's not easy for you, blabbing on TV to make money and always getting ridiculed. If attacking me boosts ratings, go ahead, but there's a line, don't involve wives and kids."
"Sonny, I still have that line."
At the Philadelphia All-Star Weekend, other stars tried to increase their exposure by giving interviews outside, participating in street activities, mingling closely with community fans, and engaging in trendy and street basketball events on outdoor courts, among other things.
Nike, Adidas, And-one, and various other brands are using new marketing approaches to give fans a unique advertising experience.
Unlike the 80s and 90s when basketball shoes were mainly used for indoor courts, by the late 90s and early 21st century, street elements have become increasingly prevalent in the NBA and sports goods.
The distinctive hairstyles and outfits of the new generation of stars have profoundly influenced the sport of basketball.
Mind you, this is Philadelphia, the territory of Allen Iverson.
Dreadlocks, baggy pants, big gold chains, tattoos, shiny steel chain nets on street courts, and wire fences paired with cool street-style sneakers represent young people's impression of basketball today.
Even Gan Guoyang's Skyscraper has started releasing street styles, with sales as stable as ever.
However, it's unlikely for Gan Guoyang to wear sneakers for street events anymore; if no one shows up, wouldn't it be quite embarrassing?
The old folks would rather stay in the hotel, play cards and mahjong, smoke cigars, think about how to while away this All-Star game, and take some good rest.
After a clutch win over the Kings, the Glory Team, following the rule of one outburst leading to three lethargic games, managed one win and two losses in the three games before the All-Star Game, dropping back to eighth place, hovering on the playoff edge.
Luckily, the All-Star Weekend arrived, offering veterans and injured players a chance to recover and rest.
After the All-Star Game, Arenas and Gerald Wallace are expected to return from injuries and start the post-All-Star challenge.
Unknowingly, the playoffs are near, and the Glory Team has successfully passed half a season, with no major slip-ups during the run, and revenue has remained pretty good.
In comparison, Seattle SuperSonics' situation isn't as good as Michael Jordan had anticipated.
The dilapidated KeyArena has affected the team's revenue, even though it can accommodate over 18,000 spectators. The problem is that the facility is outdated, lacking VIP boxes, and services aren't adequate, causing ticket prices always to remain low. After all, this building was designed and built back in 1962.
The MGM Hotel Arena, with fewer seats than KeyArena, managed to double or more the revenue of a home game due to its complete facilities, diverse services, and VIP boxes.
Yet the Glory Team isn't satisfied, complaining that the MGM Hotel Arena is too small and old, and a new large-scale arena is already under construction.
Jordan initially thought his influence could secure a new arena for the SuperSonics in Seattle, boosting revenues.
However, Jordan overestimated his influence on the West Coast; even though tickets sold out every game, asking the city government to build a new arena? Sorry, there's not enough money to invest; your team needs to figure it out on its own.
There are already rumors circulating that the owner of SuperSonics might want to sell the team.
Taking advantage of having Jordan, Payton, and Ewing, it could fetch a good price.
Once Ewing and Jordan are too old and retire later, the team's trade value will surely drop significantly.
The rumors unsettled the SuperSonics team, just like in 1988 when the Trail Blazers were rumored to be for sale.
Such rumors are often proven true eventually, so Jordan isn't in a good mood this All-Star game.
The SuperSonics' record is declining, and although they're still in the playoff spots, they've dropped from the upper half.
In terms of mindset, Jordan and Gan Guoyang are quite different; Jordan hopes to make a mark in the playoffs.
The SuperSonics also aim to pivot on three veterans, with young forces assisting, determined to fight for ranking in the Western Conference.
Gan Guoyang appears much calmer, with a longer-term vision, focusing more on the growth of young players.