The Golden Age of Basketball-Chapter 501 - 4: The King of Strength

When San Antonio got the first draft pick, Gilmore knew he couldn’t escape being traded.

The Spurs would definitely choose David Robinson, even if Robinson had to serve two years in the military, management wouldn’t pass up such talent.

To build a new team foundation, it was natural for an old core member like Gilmore to be shipped off.

After communicating with management, Gilmore expressed his desire to go back to the Chicago Bulls.

The Bulls were the first NBA team he joined after the ABA dissolved, and returning to the Bulls seemed like coming full circle, like leaves returning to their roots.

Many stars, as they near the end of their careers, have this habit of returning to their original team to end their basketball life.

After all, the sentiment of the first team is different, no matter the hardships experienced in between, the wanderer still wishes to return home, to be buried in the soil of his roots.

The Spurs originally agreed with Gilmore, preparing to trade with the Bulls during the draft, as Bob Bass had already discussed with Klaus.

Before, George Gervin was sent to the Bulls by Bass, and the two teams established a good connection and cooperative relationship, with the Bulls willing to be a recycling center for the Spurs’ old goods.

Then, just before the trade was finalized, a call from Stu-Inman came into the Spurs office, saying Portland could offer better bargaining chips than the Bulls.

Bass then put the trade on hold; since someone wanted to snatch Gilmore, as the Spurs manager, he of course wanted to maximize the benefits.

And while Klaus was adamant about only giving a second-round pick from 1988, the Trail Blazers, after getting in touch with Bass, were willing to offer a first-round pick from 1988.

For the Trail Blazers, with championship aspirations, the next two years’ first-round picks weren’t very useful, finding an appropriate backup for Gan Guoyang was what mattered most.

And although the Trail Blazers belonged to the same division as the Spurs, the Spurs had no intention of competing for the next two years until David Robinson arrived.

Bass thought that by the time Robinson played for the Spurs, Gilmore would have retired, and securing a first-round pick was evidently more beneficial for rebuilding.

So, even though Gilmore personally wished to return to the Bulls, Bob Bass still traded him to the Trail Blazers, which left Gilmore somewhat disgruntled.

His grudges with the Trail Blazers couldn’t be described as a blood feud, but they were quite deep.

During the ABA days, he was hit by Maurice Lucas, during the NBA playoffs he was eliminated in a tough battle, and at an older age, he was body-slammed by Ah Gan.

Although Gilmore had come to terms with it, and his relationship with Ah Gan was not bad, the idea of playing for the Trail Blazers was still an obstacle to overcome mentally.

In order to reassure Gilmore about playing for the Trail Blazers, Buckwalter personally called Gilmore and told him,

"You will get a championship ring in Portland, and you will be an important member of the championship team."

Gilmore’s only team honor was the 1975 ABA Championship.

However, the ABA was no longer around, and everything about the league, including its championships, was being forgotten.

Doctor J, Julius Erving, shone in the ABA, winning two championships, almost single-handedly sustaining a league.

But after retiring last season, people remember his grand achievements with the Philadelphia 76ers, namely the 1983 championship.

After joining the NBA, Gilmore hadn’t even touched the finals, let alone a championship.

The closest he got to the finals was in 1983 when they lost the Western Conference Finals to the Los Angeles Lakers.

He was profoundly regretful that year, for if the Spurs could have made the finals and faced the Philadelphia 76ers, it would have been a reunion of ABA stars.

Key players from both teams, Gilmore, George Gervin, Julius Erving, and Moses Malone, were all former ABA stars.

If they had succeeded, it would have been an opportunity for ABA stars to vindicate themselves, showcasing their real talent and flair.

Unfortunately, there are no what-ifs, and after that, the Spurs and Gilmore declined together. Now he was 37, nearly 38, his era was passing.

Getting an NBA championship ring at the end of his career was very tempting for a veteran player.

But the promise of a championship alone wasn’t enough, Gilmore still had some hesitations.

Soon, Gilmore received another phone call from Gan Guoyang in New York, who warmly welcomed him, saying, "Together in the West, we’re going to pulverize Jabbar!"

What can you say, Gan Guoyang was a master of psychology. The lure of a championship was naturally great, but that carrot was a bit intangible, as winning a championship is not so easy.

The 37-year-old Gilmore knew full well how many difficulties lay in the road ahead, not to mention that the Trail Blazers were aiming for a three-peat, which was even more challenging.

But "crushing Jabbar" was much more tangible than a championship, not as distant, achievable even during the regular season.

Gilmore thought about how he had always been compared to Jabbar since he entered the league, always a step behind him.

Now, as both were in the twilight of their careers, if he could have a showdown with Jabbar at the top level, stepping on Jabbar to advance seemed more thrilling than a championship!

Gan Guoyang’s words truly persuaded Gilmore. He decided to play for the Portland Trail Blazers, to be part of the team, to strive for the three-peat.

In mid-July, Gilmore arrived in Portland, where Buckwalter and Larry Weinberg hosted a signing ceremony and press conference exclusively for him.

Gan Guoyang had finished his training in New York and returned to Portland to attend this press conference, as a show of respect from the team leader to the veteran.

Gan Guoyang’s presence made Gilmore feel respected, and he was very satisfied with the environment in Portland, with the team arranging a villa for him at Lake Oswego Park.

The scenery here is beautiful, the air is fresh, and the gymnasium is close by. Gan Guoyang also provided Gilmore with a Ram car for commuting, sponsored by Portland’s car dealers.

This made Gilmore grateful, but it also brought him immense pressure.

After the signing ceremony, he spoke openly and honestly with Gan Guoyang, "Ah Gan, to tell you the truth, there’s not much gas left in my tank."

In the 1986 season, Gilmore was still able to shine and make the All-Star team, but by the 1987 season, he began to decline across the board.

His average points per game dropped to a career-low of 11.4, and rebounds to a career-low of 7.1, with blocks, steals, and minutes played all reaching career lows as well.

This indicated that Gilmore had officially reached the twilight of his career, and once players enter this stage, their performance often rapidly declines, sometimes even abruptly coming to an end.

Like Bill Walton, who was still in good shape in 1986, by the 1987 season, he was in his twilight years, and if he could contribute a couple of good plays per game, that was considered decent.

Gilmore was older than Walton and he worried that Gan Guoyang and the Trail Blazers might have too high expectations of him. It would be embarrassing if he couldn’t deliver a satisfactory performance.

Gan Guoyang said, "Fate is in our own hands. As long as you’re healthy, you can find a better state."

"I am healthy, but..."

Last season, Gilmore maintained perfect attendance, playing all 82 games, which is quite an accomplishment for a veteran.

"As long as you’re healthy. Are you interested in joining me for some strength training? This summer, I plan to gain weight and train my muscles to be more outstanding. Working out can keep a person young; take a look at Jabbar, perhaps you should give it a try."

Once Jabbar was mentioned, Gilmore perked up again.

In the summer of ’86, Jabbar had put on more than ten pounds, which was almost inconceivable for a 40-year-old veteran.

Those ten pounds weren’t fat but solid muscle, earned through sweat in the gym.

Gan Guoyang was always as strong as a beast in the league; even Gilmore, the former king of strength, was astonished by his power.

He never expected that Gan Guoyang was still looking to gain more weight and further enhance his strength.

"This league changes quickly; everyone is becoming stronger and faster. To win a championship, one needs to ensure absolute advantage. Strength is the foundation of my survival and the foundation of the game inside the paint; of course, I need to strive unremittingly."

Gilmore was a player from the ’70s, a time when few players went to the gym for strength training.

Even when they did train, it wasn’t scientific or systematic, and training too hard could easily result in injuries.

For Gilmore, his strength was natural. As age increased, his muscles began to show signs of degeneration and aging, losing the resilience of his younger years.

Gan Guoyang shared with Gilmore the importance of scientific strength training, telling him that he had started systematic strength training since high school, which, coupled with his natural talent, led to his performance today.

Convinced and motivated by Gan Guoyang, Gilmore started rigorous strength training with him in Portland after signing the contract.

Gan Guoyang specifically hired Mike Clark, the strength trainer from the University of Oregon, as their personal coach.

Mike Clark wasn’t a basketball trainer, but a trainer for the University of Oregon’s football team.

Clark trained Gan Guoyang and Gilmore according to the standards of a football player.

He didn’t limit the training to the gym but took it outdoors to a wider space.

Clark replaced Gan Guoyang’s daily obligatory morning run with diverse aerobic exercises such as cycling, swimming, and playing soccer, complemented with jogging.

These activities stimulated Gan Guoyang’s muscles and motor nerves more than monotonous running could.

In terms of strength training, apart from basic weightlifting equipment, Clark also engaged them in various exercises such as log lifting, stone carrying, and rock climbing.

The goal was to stimulate more muscle groups, strengthen the coordination between them, especially targeting deep muscles and those around the joints.

Professional coaches like Clark, with their deep understanding of human anatomy, have a variety of training methods that can further improve someone like Gan Guoyang, who was already at the peak of strength.

Gilmore had never experienced such professional, scientific, and systematic strength training in his career.

While the process was painful, in just one month, Gilmore could feel his body changing.

Gan Guoyang planned to continue such training until the new season started, ensuring at least two sessions a week.

It was only after training with Gan Guoyang that Gilmore realized how hard-working and desperate this young man was.

No wonder he achieved such astonishing success; aside from his talent, extraordinary effort was key to reaching the peak.

There were two occasions when the training was so harsh and exhausting that Gilmore couldn’t bear it and asked the coach for time off.

But Gan Guoyang was unyielding, rain or shine, and his training volume was even greater than Gilmore’s. After strength training, he would still practice shooting.

Right up until the day before training camp in early August, Gan Guoyang told Gilmore, "I’m sorry Artis, I need to take a day off today."

Gilmore said, "Whoa! Sonny, you finally can’t take it anymore and need a day off, huh?"

Gan Guoyang replied, "Not that I can’t take it, but I need to take a day off to go back to San Francisco for my wedding. You’re welcome to come and celebrate, Artis."