The new Las Vegas Radiance season opener kicked off at seven o’clock that evening, against the Los Angeles Clippers.
Before the game started, Gan Guoyang attended the pre-match press conference and answered questions from reporters about the new season.
Of course, everyone was most concerned about when Gan Guoyang would retire. Gan Guoyang replied, "You’ve been asking me this question for three years now. Are you planning to keep asking? Maybe when you stop asking, I won’t be in the League anymore."
Since Gan Guoyang attended Armani’s new product launch before the game, a reporter asked Gan Guoyang, "Is staying in the League due to business considerations?"
A player, once he ends his career, his commercial value will greatly decrease accordingly.
"I endorsed Armani as a favor; I don’t charge an endorsement fee. What I need to consider now is who to find as my spokesperson, not to endorse others."
The site erupted in laughter. The expansion speed of Gan Guoyang’s assets has been rapid over the past two years.
Naturally, when viewing numbers alone, without major public companies, Gan Guoyang’s worth can’t match those of super-rich magnates.
But if you strip away the stock market bubble, from cash flow, asset distribution breadth, and influence, Gan Guoyang has already reached the elite tier.
Take the Las Vegas Radiance for example. Year after year, revenue contributions from these seasons exceeded expectations, perfectly fulfilling the wager agreement content.
The Radiance not only generates income but also enriches the entire NBA, elevating its wealth to a new level, with major casinos also earning substantial amounts.
Today, throughout Las Vegas, many key industries, large casinos, are under the control of Gan Guoyang’s company.
His "Gump Sports Entertainment Industry Company" further covers various sectors such as real estate, transportation, and tourism, making him one of the most influential figures in Vegas.
When Gan Guoyang first came to Las Vegas to establish a new team, it wasn’t just about playing in a different location, but about establishing his own domain in America.
Of course, among all his ventures, the two "loss-making" endeavors are what make Gan Guoyang the proudest.
The first was his large-scale investment in SMIC years ago back in the home country, which got listed in Hong Kong and New York in 2004.
The company has faced numerous challenges and disputes over recent years, such as the ongoing patent litigation with TSMC.
In the short term, this investment may not yield excessive returns, and due to various reasons, his shares need to be split, leaving him without decision-making power.
But this early colossal investment has provided vital support for the company’s development and construction, making Gan Guoyang believe that it’s worthwhile, and flowers of success will bloom eventually.
The second project was the establishment of a special fund for American firefighters after the 9/11 incident, dedicated to treating various diseases and issues caused by the events.
At that time, Gan Guoyang promised to donate all his annual salary from playing to the foundation and vowed to provide additional funds if it fell short.
Originally Gan Guoyang intended this fund to merely supplement, to aid those firefighters in improving their lives or providing rewards.
Since the bulk should be covered by official responses, after the 9/11 events, the administration provided complete, detailed healthcare policy safeguarding those heroic firefighters and their families.
However, some funds and policies were not adequately implemented; some firefighters injured in the rescue operations lost labor capabilities due to strict processes, dying in despair during lengthy waits.
Especially cancer, many survivors due to inhaling large amounts of toxic gases and dust, suffered continuously post-event without timely assistance, resulting ultimately in death.
Then the rescue fund established by Gan Guoyang became much more flexible and convenient, offering medical funding and assistance without requiring lengthy processes.
However, Gan Guoyang’s personal wealth is limited, unable to cover vast numbers of victims on a long-term basis.
Gan Guoyang didn’t give up, thought of many solutions, such as collectively sending patients to China for treatment, where medical costs were cheap, and seeking ways to raise social funds, among other strategies.
Thanks to Gan Guoyang’s help, many firefighters managed to survive until the release of federal aid funds.
Gan Guoyang also provided jobs for partially disabled individuals who hadn’t fully lost their labor abilities or work opportunities for their families.
In Las Vegas, he owns many industries that can absorb employment, such as casinos, hotels, security companies, cleaning companies, etc.
These people lived and worked under Gan Guoyang’s protection, in return offering him their support.
No wonder one would say, "Ah Gan is indeed the true ruler of Las Vegas, the underground mayor."
If this reporter understood all this, they wouldn’t ask such a foolish question like "is Gan Guoyang staying in the League for commercial considerations?"
After the pre-match interview ended, Gan Guoyang headed to the locker room, changed into his uniform, and prepared for warm-up and to enter the stage.
Terry Porter was staring blankly at the tactical board, worried with knitted brows, contemplating the potential issues to tackle in the first game of the new season.
After the 2003 season ended, Tomjanovich delivered a famous speech at the Championship Ring award ceremony, telling everyone "never underestimate the heart of a champion."
Then he honored his graceful retirement due to health reasons, left with a Championship Ring to rest at home and enjoy his twilight years beautifully.
Before leaving, Porter was chosen as the successor, this has been the tradition for Gan Guoyang’s team, where coaches would cultivate successors within the team to better serve Ah Gan.