The Golden Age of Basketball-Chapter 514 - 17 Give Them Some Color to See See

Finding amusement during the long and tedious season and making games a bit more interesting would trouble Gan Guoyang for a long time to come.

For him personally, this was not an issue; playing basketball was inherently fun.

Even if he played over 100 games a year, even if there was a game every day, even if he played 90 minutes per game, he would never tire of it.

But basketball is a team sport, and it’s impossible to win on one’s own strength alone, no matter how strong one is.

Gan Guoyang could be indefatigable, but his teammates would slack, and they were bound to do so.

Sometimes he thought it would be better if he were a boxer; he wouldn’t have to consider his teammates’ situation like in basketball.

He would only need to think about himself and his opponent in the ring.

In 1987, a superstar with enormous popularity rose in the American boxing scene, Mike Tyson.

With his aggressive ring style and authoritative heavy punches, he created a Tyson whirlwind throughout the boxing world in America.

Not only were Trail Blazers’ players finding the games monotonous, but reporters who covered Trail Blazers’ games also needed some fresh material.

The stats of Gan Guoyang scoring 29 points, blocking 8 shots, and grabbing 16 rebounds in a game against Cleveland no longer caused a stir.

For Ah Gan, such a regular-season performance was too common; 29 points were too few, and 8 blocks were barely passable.

At the post-game press conference, a reporter asked Gan Guoyang, "If you fought a boxing match with Tyson, who would win?"

Ever since Tyson became immensely popular in ’87, such questions had become incessant.

On NBA courts, Gan Guoyang was already invincible across the League.

Throwing Rodman and Thomas to the ground in the Finals, Gan Guoyang became the League’s number one fighter, and no one dared to question it.

But the NBA is still a basketball league. Being the best fighter in a basketball league feels a bit like being the best singer in the comedy world (though Gan Guoyang also played the best basketball).

So some meddlers began to wonder, what would happen if Gan Guoyang and Mike Tyson actually fought?

Gan Guoyang originally couldn’t be bothered to answer such boring questions. He knew that in the future, he would not only have to fight Tyson but also Ali, Foreman, and Holyfield.

Then he would go on to fight tigers, lions, and silverback gorillas.

He might even have to fight a Tyrannosaurus Rex one day.

Sports stars often cannot escape the curiosity of the general public.

In the age of media, people only talk big but won’t actually make you try.

In the 1930s, American sprinter Jesse Owens, having fallen on hard times in his later years due to lack of money, had to race against horses to satisfy people’s curiosity to see if the fastest man was quicker than a horse.

Likewise, Wilt Chamberlain was compared to the boxing champion to see if he could beat Ali.

Now it was Gan Guoyang’s turn to be asked this question. As it was asked more and more, even Gan Guoyang grew tired of it and decided to give a direct response.

He first countered the journalist, "Let me ask you, do you think if Tyson played basketball with me, would he have a chance to win?"

The press room burst into laughter, as it was a known impossibility.

Tyson, with his big head and thick neck, was clearly built for boxing, not for playing basketball.

Gan Guoyang continued, "Obviously, although I know some boxing and am quite strong, I would still stand little chance against a professional boxer. Of course, if it wasn’t limited to boxing and wrestling or using elbows was allowed, and if I trained specifically for it for some time, I might have some advantage."

The press room laughed again.

Gan Guoyang was honest; he would definitely be no match for Tyson by boxing rules.

If wrestling was allowed, then Gan Guoyang could be considered an amateur wrestling enthusiast.

Taking advantage of wrestling’s superiority over boxing, relying on his size and strength, he might actually be able to compete with Tyson.

It was like the fight between Muhammad Ali and Japanese wrestler Antonio Inoki, where Ali didn’t come out on top and even had his legs damaged.

As the regular season progresses, such topics will become even more plentiful.

Because of basketball, people begin to pay attention to Ah Gan, but soon after, they will be more interested in what Ah Gan does outside of basketball.

Of course, there is a premise; Gan Guoyang’s performance on the basketball court cannot decline.

Once he starts to slide, playing poorly, people’s focus will return to basketball, only to criticize and mock him.

If this downward spiral continued, with losses piling up, the media and fans would gradually forget him.

At least in 1987, no one could see Gan Guoyang being forgotten.

After leaving Cleveland, the Trail Blazers immediately headed to Indianapolis to face a back-to-back game against the Pacers.

Back-to-back away games are the most grueling schedule during long road trips.

You finish one game by midnight, rush to the next city, sleep during the day, and have another game that evening.

This is a great test for the players’ physical and mental endurance.

Ramsay canceled the day’s training and then announced at the pre-game preparation meeting that Gilmore would rest today and Jones would step up as the first substitute for the inside line.

"Can I take a rest too?" Gan Guoyang asked knowingly.

"You can rest after you’re dead," Ramsay said without any pleasantries.

Bobby Berman added, "I’m afraid even if Jack let you rest, you wouldn’t take it. Tonight against the Pacers you’ve got Reggie Miller to deal with."

"What Miller?"

"Miller."

"Which Miller?"

"Reggie! Reggie Miller! Have you forgotten our opponent in the high school championship finals?"

Gan Guoyang suddenly remembered and said, "Remember, remember, the skinny kid who got his shot blocked by me at the buzzer. I heard his sister plays better than he does."

"His sister is Cheryl Miller, the strongest female basketball player in America."

"Didn’t expect to bump into an old acquaintance. It seems I’ll have to give him a little welcoming gift. I suspect I’ll be meeting more and more old acquaintances in the future."

Gan Guoyang was one who entered the League relatively early, participating in the draft after two years of college.

People like Kevin Johnson and Reggie Miller, on the other hand, joined after finishing college.

On the evening of the 27th, the Trail Blazers challenged the Pacers on their home court.

The Pacers and the Cavaliers could be described as suffering brothers, as both had been languishing since the beginning of the ’80s.

Moreover, the decline of the Pacers was somewhat related to the Trail Blazers since Gan Guoyang, the second overall pick, was snatched from them.

Now, as the Cavaliers were slowly getting on track, the Pacers too were heading in the right direction.

Donnie Walsh was promoted from assistant coach to general manager in 1986 and began to rebuild the team.

He invited Mike Schuler as the new head coach. This meticulous basketball workaholic quickly built up the fundamental structure of the team.

During the 1987 draft, he passed over Indiana star Alford to select Reggie Miller, a choice that was highly controversial at the time but later proved to be correct.

The Pacers now focused on young players.

Their core members were Wayman Tisdale, Vern Fleming, Chuck Person, Herb Williams, Steve Stipanovich, and Reggie Miller.

Most people thought that Person and Tisdale would be the core of the team’s future, and Reggie Miller was just a supporting player.

But obviously, one should never judge a book by its cover. Whether a player can become the core is one thing, but character is often the more critical part.

In the NBA, there are many talented individuals; anyone who enters the NBA is a genius, the protagonist of their own story.

To stand out among a group of protagonists and become the leading figure, a competitive mindset is crucial.

Chuck Person was talented; he surpassed Ron Harper last season to win the Rookie of the Year.

But on the court, he lacked a certain aggressiveness. Nicknamed the Long Shooter, he turned into a bugler in the face of Gan Guoyang.

Instead of confronting Gan Guoyang head-on, he had to suck up to him, ensuring he wasn’t beaten too badly.

Such a player is destined to be a side character.

Then there’s Tisdale, who, like Daugherty, did not love playing basketball as a child.

His real interest was music, and basketball was just a job.

In the future, he would become an excellent bass guitarist and a remarkable musician, not remembered as a basketball player.

Only Reggie Miller, that guy was a basketball player with a full-on competitive spirit.

The night before the game against the Trail Blazers, Miller was so excited he couldn’t sleep. He fantasized about hitting three-pointers over Gan Guoyang’s head.

A game-winner would be best.

Reggie Miller thought this way, swearing that he would show Gan Guoyang something special in tomorrow’s game.