"You, you’re here, come in, come in." Yao Ming was a bit nervous and stuttered as he spoke.
"Guohui said you were sleeping, I guessed you’re probably waking up around now, haven’t adjusted the time difference, right?"
"No, I want to sleep but can’t fall asleep."
"Perfect, keep me company for a drink."
"I... don’t really drink."
"It’s okay, I don’t drink much either, just an occasional drink during the offseason."
Saying that, Gan Guoyang took out a bottle of sparkling sherry and two glasses from a paper bag, placed them on the coffee table, unscrewed the cap, and poured two glasses.
The wine was slightly sweet, easy to drink; after two glasses, they felt slightly tipsy and the mood became livelier. Yao Ming felt his tension and stuttering disappear.
Fully drawing open the hotel curtains, Gan Guoyang moved a chair to sit in front of the large floor-to-ceiling window, the two of them gazing at the bustling New York City, brilliantly lit.
"Tomorrow at this time, this place, New York, will temporarily belong to you," Gan Guoyang said.
"Hmm." Inside, Yao Ming was surging with emotions, but his expression and reaction were calm. He added, "For just two minutes, I suppose."
"Exactly, just two minutes, that’s already enough. One of my regrets is not being able to attend the NBA draft in person, instead going to that tedious Olympic training camp. This time, no matter what, I should come to experience it."
Gan Guoyang missing the 1984 draft had always been a small regret in his heart.
Originally, Yao Ming wouldn’t have been able to come either because he needed to join the national team training, and the Basketball Association was worried his trip to America would disrupt training and games.
Gan Guoyang made a phone call to the sports bureau, which insisted that Yao Ming must attend the draft; it was a major event.
Meanwhile, the national team training location happened to shift to Las Vegas, where Yao Ming would join the national team and participate in the summer league, using games to substitute training.
They chatted and drank, and half a bottle of wine quickly went down.
Basketball players, being tall in stature, typically handle liquor well; half a bottle each would be like nothing.
But Gan Guoyang wasn’t one to overindulge; he drank just enough to set the atmosphere, then capped the bottle and put away the wine.
This offseason, he had plenty to do, though it wasn’t as hectic as the summer of 2001. The Glory Team was already on track, their rise akin to a miracle, just like the city of Las Vegas.
As a newly founded team, they not only reached the finals but also succeeded as the eighth seed, eliminating the defending champions, the Lakers.
For three whole days, global media was all about this great eighth-seed success, the incredible clutch play, elevating the reputation of the Glory Team even further.
However, in the semifinals, they went to six games with the Sacramento Kings, ultimately falling to the overall stronger and strategically versed Kings team.
It was the first time in Gan Guoyang’s career that he failed to lead the team to the Western Conference Finals; even the "King of the West Finals" has a day of stumbling.
Fans, of course, weren’t surprised; a 38-year-old Gan Guoyang leading Glory this far was already a miracle. No one expected such a fresh team to win the championship—after all, the NBA isn’t a cakewalk, especially in the West where every team is as fierce as a tiger.
In the Western Conference Finals, the Kings, after a seven-game series, defeated the Portland Trail Blazers and advanced to the Finals.
In the first round, the Blazers eliminated the Seattle SuperSonics, with the combo of Jordan Payton. Kobe leading the Portland folks once again trampled over Jordan.
Then, they took down the Dallas Mavericks in the semifinals, who themselves had ousted the Spurs 3:2 in the first round. The feud between the Mavericks and Spurs began this year, and comparisons between Nowitzki and Pau Gasol never ceased.
Kobe performed exceptionally well in the West Finals, but the Kings were the better overall team. This year, the West belonged to them.
Waiting for them in the Finals was the season’s dominant force, the Boston Celtics, who had been waiting a long time for this championship.
Compared to the hardship endured by the Kings, the Celtics steamrolled their way to the Finals, having waited far too long for this opportunity.
After the 2000 Finals loss and being injured in the 2001 playoffs, Tim Duncan finally harvested success in the 2002 season.
In the regular season, he bested Shaquille O’Neal to win the regular-season MVP, made the All-NBA Team, and the All-Defensive First Team. In the playoffs, a healthy Duncan led the team to decimate opponents. Under Bobby Berman’s leadership, the Celtics amassed great fighting power.
In the Finals, Duncan vs. Wei Bo was likewise an exciting showdown that grabbed impressive viewership.
Ultimately, the Celtics were superior, winning 4:2, clinching the championship in the sixth game in Boston, capturing their 16th championship trophy.
This was also the first time the championship trophy returned to the Eastern Conference since the 1997 season.
With that, the 2001-2002 season came to a close. The smoke of the Finals hadn’t even cleared for a month, yet the ambitions for the new season already arose.
No matter what outsiders think, failure is still failure. Gan Guoyang chose to come back, and at this age, he must be ready to swallow the bitter fruit of failure and then keep moving forward.
This summer, he was fully prepared to immerse himself in training completely.
He no longer had to worry about team operations—the team could function smoothly.
The only two things he had to concern himself with, one was this draft, Yao Ming’s destination.
In this draft, Yao Ming’s name was being called a lot.
NBA scouts, one might say, are half-blind when it comes to seeing future potential clearly, which is why each year there are some gems overlooked and some busts.
But when it comes to assessing current displayed strength, scouts and management can see clearly.
Without a doubt, 22-year-old Yao Ming was the strongest of the 2002 class. During repeated tryouts, Yao Ming showcased his advantages and talent.
Gan Guoyang of course understood, Yao Ming has potential, and moreover, he is extremely diligent and hardworking.
He originally hadn’t wanted to interfere with Yao Ming’s draft; everyone has their fate, and no matter which team he joined, he would make his mark.
Moreover, the Glory Team really didn’t have much to trade with; Gan Guoyang spent his efforts persuading Jordan and Ewing to join.
Jordan’s time in Seattle wasn’t pleasant, as the team owner sold it to Starbucks, voiding all previous promises, leaving them in disarray.
Ewing was already preparing for retirement, as his knees could hardly support his massive frame anymore—the iron giant was worn out.
But for various reasons, Gan Guoyang hoped everyone could join forces once, for the championship, for ticket sales, to solidify the team’s standing in Las Vegas.
Until before the draft lottery, David Stern found Gan Guoyang and expressed hope that Yao Ming’s potential could be realized, to continue the prosperity of the Chinese market.
Gan Guoyang knew Stern, the old fox, intended to manipulate things again.
The Glory Team’s revenue potential was evident; Gan Guoyang’s comeback, calling upon old friends—truth be told, how many more years could this group of old timers last?
Indeed, it was necessary to prepare for continuity, otherwise, how would this major source of income sustain the whole league later on?
Fiscal crisis has always been the greatest concern in major sports leagues, and unfortunately, something fans rarely see or care about.
The strategy of managing the league employed by David Stern has always been having the affluent lead the less affluent—boost the major cities and major sources of revenue, then distribute money and subsidies to smaller teams as companions. If small teams manage to develop, like the Kings or Pacers, that’s impressive, but the solid support always leans towards the core, popular teams.
The Glory Team’s first-year revenue of 1.67 billion was too alluring, and it spurred the entire NBA’s excitement. Even without the Glory Team, the 2002 Finals ratings were still impressive.
Stern hoped this situation would continue, for the Glory Team to rise and illuminate the league.
Gan Guoyang wasn’t originally inclined towards Yao Ming, but once Stern said that, naturally, he began to act.
As expected, during the 2002 draft lottery, the Cleveland Cavaliers, with a 5.9% chance, secured the top pick of 2002.
Although Stern didn’t say anything explicitly, Gan Guoyang immediately understood, as the Cavaliers’ general manager was his former teammate, Jim Paxson.
By this point, Gan Guoyang had established a vast network across the NBA—everyone he had mentored possessed rings, championship experience, finding jobs with various teams post-retirement.
Previously, through Vandeweghe, they traded for Van Exel, and now with Jim Paxson from the Cavaliers securing the top pick, the likelihood of a trade was significantly increased.
Of course, though an old teammate, Jim Paxson wouldn’t just give away the top pick; negotiations were necessary.
Discussions went on from May till June 26th, the day of the draft. Representing the Glory Team, Danny Ainge repeatedly negotiated with the Cavaliers and finally secretly settled on the trade terms.
Half an hour ago, Gan Guoyang received calls from both Ainge and Paxson, informing him that the trade was completed, just waiting for the draft to begin.
Thus, Gan Guoyang carried the wine to Yao Ming’s room to share a drink, though he didn’t reveal the situation to Yao Ming, since secrecy was crucial.
Gan Guoyang simply raised his glass, toasted Yao Ming with the last glass of wine, saying, "Wishing you smooth sailing in the NBA."