The Golden Age of Basketball-Chapter 102 - 9 Selection

Constrained by status, Stu-Inman couldn’t have too much private contact with Gan Guoyang and others during the training camp.

If the NBA investigation found out that they had private contacts or exchanges with rookies, or even monetary transactions before the draft, the league would impose heavy penalties.

Therefore, most of the time, Stu-Inman could only sit on the bench by the court, observing the players’ training on the court as an observer.

The Portland Trail Blazers were in need of a center, and their initial target was Patrick Ewing.

They thought that if Ewing entered the draft in ’84 and they got the first pick, they would definitely choose Ewing; if not, they would go for Olajuwon.

Late on, when it seemed likely that Ewing wouldn’t enter the draft, he also paid attention to Sam Bowie.

But with the sudden emergence of Gan Guoyang, whether Ewing entered the draft or not no longer mattered.

Sam Bowie, having been outplayed by Gan Guoyang in the Final Four, was no longer considered by the Trail Blazers.

During the training camp, Stu-Inman almost called Portland every day, reporting the situation here to the owner, coach, and scouting team, praising Gan Guoyang to the skies.

Portland’s management harbored doubts about whether to choose Gan Guoyang, as he was Asian, and no Asian had ever survived in the NBA.

The NBA is a conservative clique, especially in terms of tactics and personnel use, as NBA teams face immense operating pressures. Drafts are a matter of life and death for teams, where a good pick can bring blessings for years, while a bad choice can taint a legacy forever.

"I’m certain, today he made an incredibly long shot at the last moment. He was playing with Stockton and Karl, and two other hillbillies whose names I can’t even remember, and he won five or six consecutive games, defeating everyone else... What?"

"I said, I don’t need a center making long shots. Am I supposed to sign him to throw three-pointers?"

"Oh no, that’s not what I meant, Jack. I’m just saying that he’s very versatile. His defense is also very good—Ewing can hardly get the better of him. You saw the live game against Georgetown too!"

"I know, but I’m just worried about his height and health. Can he withstand the intensity of the NBA?"

"Good heavens, this guy is known as the Bionic Man. I only found out at the training camp that his training volume is unbelievable, no one can match him! And his height is absolutely no problem—he’s a solid 6-foot-10, maybe even a little taller. Russell was only 6-foot-9, and we missed out on Moses before..."

"I get it, Stu. You are the general manager, you make the decisions. I’m just expressing my concerns as usual. After all, the thought of an Asian player makes people worry. Does Larry agree? What’s his opinion?"

"Larry has similar concerns, but I think race is completely irrelevant. We’re not Boston. So I need your support, and anyway, I’ll arrange a tryout soon enough, then you’ll see for yourself what level he’s at."

Stu-Inman hung up the phone and lay on the hotel room bed, taking a long breath of relief.

He now couldn’t wait for the training camp to end so he could take Gan Guoyang to Portland and let the head coach Jack Ramsey and the owner Larry Weinberg see for themselves what an outstanding giant he really was.

But he also felt a bit uneasy, as Ramsay, a famous traditionalist coach, had always been resistant to flashy styles of play.

Last year, there had already been some friction between Drexler, the team’s rookie, and Ramsay. The conflict arose because Drexler had a free-spirited playing style, not that of a traditional guard, and the two often clashed on tactics.

Drexler was unhappy with his minutes, and Ramsay felt that Drexler was too casual both on and off the court, and his shooting was not satisfactory.

"If only Clyde could shoot like Gan... Oh, that guy named Porter isn’t bad either. He has an excellent shot. Tomorrow is the last day; I’ll go see how he performs."

Yin Man felt fortunate to have come to the Olympic selection camp in Indiana to scout. Witnessing these young talents train and play basketball was greatly beneficial for the Trail Blazers’ future selections of young players.

Moreover, Yin Man could vaguely sense that, unlike the ’70s, the youngsters of the ’80s were treating basketball in a whole new way, revolutionizing the style of the game.

Barkley, Jordan, Gan Guoyang—these gifted players had shattered the previous conventions of the basketball court.

For instance, Barkley was of a guard’s stature, yet he weighed more than a center and played like a forward, unstoppable when charging like a tank. Hassel and Dumars tried to stop Barkley in a game, but one ended up with a broken rib and the other was knocked flying and dazed on the ground for quite a while.

Although Jordan was a shooting guard, he was no longer just an auxiliary hand beside the center. His speed, explosiveness, and leaping ability were on a whole different level when playing on the court, as if there were two separate layers in operation.

Gan Guoyang even broke free from the constraints of the oldest position of center. He was agile, full of energy, had precise shooting, and could dribble across the entire court without the stiffness typically associated with centers.

Others, like Karl Malone and Perkins, were no longer the conventional gritty power forwards; they were flexible, strong, and aggressive.

On the contrary, the most famous Patrick Ewing seemed somewhat old-fashioned and dim in comparison. 𝙧𝙚𝙚𝔀𝒆𝓫𝓷𝙤𝓿𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝙤𝓶

The shadow of victory left by Bill Russell continued to loom over many people, and Ewing, hailing from Boston, was always considered the second coming of Russell.

Yin Man previously thought the same. He believed that Gan Guoyang’s playing style, especially in offense, resembled that of Willis Reed, who had never won against Russell in the league. It was only after Russell’s retirement that Reed led the Knicks to rise.

But Yin Man’s views were gradually changing. Perhaps the times really had changed.

His mind was a mess, thinking about this and that, until he finally fell into a deep sleep. The next day, he got up early to watch the players’ morning training, intending to pay special attention to Porter.

But when he arrived at the gym, Porter was not there. Knight told him that Porter had developed chickenpox and probably wouldn’t be able to stay at the training camp. He was preparing to call Dale Curry to come and replace Porter.

Gan Guoyang was also not at the training ground. Yin Man anxiously asked, "Where did Gan go?"

"He went to the hotel to take care of Porter. Since he’s a practice player, it doesn’t matter if he doesn’t participate in the training."

After the four-day short training camp ended, another batch of people were cut.

Terry Porter had to leave Indiana because of chickenpox; Dale Curry replaced him to participate in the final training camp with 20 people, out of which the final Olympic team would be selected.

Of course, including Gan Guoyang, there were 21 people in the camp. Stockton, Barkley, and Malone all made it to the end. For Bob Knight, the final selection was undoubtedly the most difficult.

In fact, out of these 20 people, even if they were to randomly draw 12 to participate in the Olympics, they would most likely still win the gold medal.

The question of how to choose inevitably involved other factors.

Knight and the coaching staff found themselves in a difficult selection process, holding meetings that lasted for several hours. Among them, Jordan, Ewing, Chris Mullin, Perkins, and Irving Robertson were certain to be selected; their capabilities were unquestionable and had been set from the first day of the training camp.

The remaining seven spots were a real dilemma Knight found Gan Guoyang after the meeting.

Gan Guoyang had driven Porter to the airport that afternoon. After contacting his family and waiting for the plane to take off, he returned and wrote a letter to Wang Fuxi after dinner.

Gan Guoyang knew why Knight had come. He spoke directly, "With Ewing, Jordan, and those other five, no matter who you choose, you’ll win the gold medal. However, if I had to pick the most suitable, I would first eliminate Barkley."

"Why?"

"Barkley is strong, but he needs to be the core of the team. His assistance abilities are average. Aside from rebounding, his long-range shooting and defensive coverage are not up to the mark. Moreover, he can’t seem to get his weight down, and his personality can be both good and bad for the team. Actually, you appreciate Charles a lot, and I like him too. He’s a jester, but you’re not going to choose him."

Gan Guoyang, who mingled with everyone daily, served as Knight’s eyes and ears, so he knew the players very well.

"Do you think John could stay? He’s very good, you’re his teammate, and you know him well," Knight inquired about Stockton.

"Bob, I know you want to keep Alford. It’s just that you’re embarrassed to cut John since it’s obvious that John is the better player. But Alford is more familiar with your system. Now you’re hesitant because if you keep Alford, you’ll be accused of favoritism, but you’re worried you won’t be able to use John comfortably."

Alford was a white point guard newly recruited by Indiana University last year, a freshman who was noticeably eye-catching and the new core of Indiana University—the apple of Knight’s eye.

However, the reason he managed to stay in the camp wasn’t due to his abilities but more because of Knight’s familiarity and protection.

Faced with Gan Guoyang’s blunt revelations, Knight couldn’t help but feel embarrassed. But he thought about why he had brought a practice player in the first place. It wasn’t for flattery, but for candid communication.

"Bob, just like how the USBWA didn’t choose me for the All-America player of the year, I don’t see it as my regret or loss. Because one day, they will realize it’s the USBWA’s loss. John is the same, he deserves an Olympic spot."