The Golden Age of Basketball-Chapter 113 - 18 Preparation for Counting Money

"Bob, I think coaching seems pretty easy," said Gan Guoyang.

"Cut the crap, you’ve won just one game! So what, you want to coach? I can introduce you to a job. Or, you won’t even need my introduction, people will come knocking," Guoyang replied.

"No, no, I don’t have that kind of energy and passion anymore, and I’m really not interested in managing players. I don’t have such a loud voice or strong vocal cords," said Gan.

After the game between Team USA and the NBA All-Star Team, Bob Knight kept his promise and went out to dinner with Havlicek as planned.

Havlicek was in a great mood, ate a lot, and unusually, he made fun of Bob Knight.

One minute saying coaching is easy, and the next admitting he didn’t have the vocal strength; it really got under Knight’s skin.

"Bob, why don’t you eat some more, are you not hungry?"

"Fuck you, just eat your food! Stop talking to me, I want some peace," Knight snapped.

Havlicek covered his mouth and snickered; it had been a long time since he’d seen Knight so frustrated.

Tonight’s loss indeed hit Knight hard. He originally wanted Gan Guoyang to join the All-Star Team to help Team USA patch up their weaknesses.

It was also a move to do a favor for Fleisher, giving Gan a chance to showcase himself on the court.

Well, that plan backfired, instead of patching up, it was like punching a hole right through.

Now, everyone is doubting the real strength of Team USA and whether they can win the gold medal at the Los Angeles Olympics.

Knight regretted it deeply—it was like digging a hole for himself, a game that should have been an easy win.

But he couldn’t help but admire Gan Guoyang’s sun-like heat on the court, shining on his teammates and melting opponents.

No wonder he could lead two obscure teams to the peak; his influence on the court was possibly on par with Bill Russell.

Knight finally took a bite of his steak, sipped some red wine, and asked, "Hong Duo, what do you think of that kid Gan? Does he remind you of Russell?"

After thinking for a bit, Havlicek said, "I think he’s more like me."

"Shit, you’re particularly unpleasant to listen to tonight! What’s wrong with you? Did you catch that crazy kid’s madness? I really don’t want to hear a word of what you’re saying now, it’s disgusting!" Knight complained.

"What’s wrong with that? Doesn’t his relentless running across the court remind you of me? I thought no one could run like I did until I saw Gan play tonight."

"You can run like that because you have lungs the size of a horse’s."

"Oh, then Gan must have camel-sized lungs." Hong Duo was unusually talkative tonight.

Havlicek did have lungs and a heart much larger than ordinary people’s; when he was given an X-ray at the hospital, one plate wasn’t enough to cover his lungs, they had to use an extra one.

They chatted a bit more, and Havlicek even brought up Jordan, saying his performance was astounding.

"I never imagined someone could play like that; to be honest, if I encountered him in my time, I really wouldn’t know how to deal with him."

Havlicek’s era was one where the NBA’s talent was relatively mediocre, and white forwards could still survive.

"Michael is indeed amazing, I think he could become the greatest player in history, but first he has to surpass Gan," said Knight.

"So why not let Gan be the greatest of all time?"

"Huh? Let a Chinese person be the greatest in NBA history?"

Havlicek finished the steak on his plate and said to Knight, "Bob, do you know what sets Russell apart from many NBA players?"

"He’s got four balls."

"Don’t joke, Bob. Bill wasn’t great because of basketball, but rather, basketball was great because of him. I have a feeling that this might be the difference between Michael and Gan. Of course, it’s just a feeling; I’ve been out of touch with basketball for a long time."

Havlicek’s words made Bob Knight reflect for a while. After dinner, he made a decision: he would call Kevin Loughery, the coach of the next game’s NBA All-Star Team, and ask him to limit Gan Guoyang’s playing time in the upcoming Minnesota game.

"Let him play for a while in the first half, a bit at the start of the second half, but not during the final stages!"

Knight gave Loughery a heads-up, and Loughery, the current coach of the Chicago Bulls, was set to coach Jordan the following season.

Loughery thought to himself, you guys got upset in the last game, and now you want to win the next by banning my most targeted player outright? Is that really okay, Knight?

But he had to give Knight face, plus this round of U.S. Olympic Team vs. All-Star Team games was inherently exhibitionist in nature.

If the Olympic Team kept losing, it would not only hurt the players’ confidence but also damage the confidence of American fans.

So Loughery agreed to limit Gan Guoyang’s playing time, to avoid him stealing the limelight from American players.

However, in the first game in Providence, Gan Guoyang had already stolen the show with his key scoring streak and his replication of Coach Havlicek’s steals in the final stages, quickly landing him the top spot in the American Sporting News.

Also receiving attention with him were the new shoes on his feet—the Avia 830 skyscrapers.

The bright design and color scheme of these shoes instantly caught the public’s eye, as people were already tired of the ancient design of Converse canvas shoes.

While Avia has previously released several trendy shoe models, the company was just starting out as a small brand with a significant presence only in a few large cities on the West Coast.

Gan Guoyang’s "game-led sales" quickly fermented Avia’s fame, and the power of television broadcasting started to show its influence in 1984.

In the past, people mostly learned about products through magazine advertisements, a low-efficient and slow method requiring a long period to accumulate information.

Television broadcasting, however, had many people sitting in front of the TV at a fixed time, being bombarded with advertisements and implanted with the same information.

Moreover, Gan Guoyang’s appearance wasn’t a direct advertisement; instead, throughout the game, close-up shots were given to him, allowing people to see this unique pair of sneakers.

With the dramatic ending of the game, an explosive influence was triggered, and Avia shoes quickly entered the public’s sight.

In stores in Portland, Los Angeles, Seattle, and other places, the shoes were quickly sold out.

Avia’s production line went into full gear, distributing goods along the West Coast and beginning to ship across America.

Just like Michael Jackson’s "Thriller," the new media era brought about new effects of dissemination, with megastars destined to emerge and be born in this time.

Upon leaving Providence, Tim Hanni told Gan Guoyang that in just two days, Avia’s sales had increased by five hundred percent, with an estimated gross profit of over a million US dollars.

"So what you mean is, in two days, you’ve earned back what you’re paying me for five years’ endorsement?"

"That’s right, yes! You... I, I don’t know how to express it, but... there’s an incentive clause in the contract, you get a percentage of the sales!"

Tim Hanni, upon receiving the news from headquarters, was ecstatic and incoherent. He felt he had made the best decision of his life.

Gan Guoyang took the sales commission in stride. He patted Hanni on the back and said, "Don’t get too excited; this is just the beginning. There’s a long road ahead. Make sure you prepare the money well."