NBA: Miracle Workers

Chapter 591 Everyone Thanks Li · Part (Daily Chapter)

On Thursday, September 2008, 9, all members from New York set out early and gathered in Springfield, Massachusetts.

At the same time, a large number of NBA legends will also be there. Tomorrow night is the 08 Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame induction ceremony, which is an important moment for many players.

This year's Hall of Fame inductees are Patrick Ewing, Hakeem Olajuwon and Adrian Dantley.

The coaches were Pat Riley and Cathy Rush, and the basketball contributors were Dick Vitale and William Davidson.

Two of the three players are championship centers, and Ewing even won four consecutive championships. Such an achievement deserves respect from practitioners, after all, it is the only chance for a player in his lifetime.

NBA TV will broadcast the entire event at 7:30 tomorrow night. On TNT, Kenny Smith will of course be there, but Charles Barkley will be a little reluctant.

After all, the Rockets are not a good memory for him. That team-up was a big loss.
Since the ceremony would be held in the Symphony Hall, the place became lively the day before, with the old guys gathered together laughing and reminiscing about the past in advance.

The Lakers also have many famous players. Although they "got rid of" Pat Riley that year, Show Time is a wonderful memory and no one will deny the coach's contribution.

While the league staff was still arranging seats, Magic Johnson, dressed in formal attire, looked around in a pretentious manner, then laughed and joked:
"Why don't I see Michael? Hasn't he arrived yet?"

"Is this guy worried that Pat will make fun of him on the spot, so he won't come? Shit, I have to call him!"

The old guys all laughed. Ewing had just become a member of the Bobcats coaching staff. He knew Michael Jordan would definitely be there, but he still grinned and laughed:
"This guy has been in a bad mood since the Knicks released a new documentary. The Bobcats have had terrible results and fans are complaining about his selection skills."

"."

Ewing, who was as fat as a ball, smiled more and more brightly. Olajuwon and Dantley couldn't help but smile and shake their heads. Everyone knew that Michael Dunk had a bad eye for draft picks, and the Bobcats were basically ruined by him.

There are indeed some differences between players who have won championships and those who have not. In 06, when Charles Barkley was inducted into the Hall of Fame, he was not as "arrogant" as Ewing.

Now seeing the other party like this, he began to feel jealous. In addition, the face of his former teammate brought back bad memories, so Big Mouth seemed a little silent.

It wasn't until the NBA TV crew began the interview that Charles Barkley regained his spirits. When talking about Ewing's championship, he made a sarcastic remark that made everyone laugh:
"If Lee had entered the league 10 years earlier, I could have been as successful as Ewing."

"."

In the past, the gorilla would have felt unhappy to hear this.

But many years after retiring, looking back on that experience, and seeing that his eldest son was being taken care of by Li You, Ewing just smiled knowingly. He would not deny these words.

Of course, Barkley deliberately acted like a sour person, mainly because his relationship with the Knicks was not very good back then. Charles Oakley never liked him, and the two had a deep conflict.

After Li You joined the team, both of them were at the end of their careers, but they still fought on the court. They even had an argument in the players' union hall during the suspension period.

Although most of these grudges have been blown away by the wind, it is still difficult to make Barkley bow his head and praise. The "core championship theory" invented by Big Mouth is to denounce these people who cling to the upper hand!

This is a carnival moment for the old guys, so Li You naturally won't join in the fun and steal the limelight. Although the other party says that he doesn't care, he actually still likes the spotlight. Being there tomorrow would be the greatest respect.

Michael Jordan also arrived a day early and organized a card game in the hotel. In the afternoon, Michael Jordan's eyes were red from gambling, and he finally threw the cards:
"Damn good luck."

Michael Jordan slumped in his seat, smoking a cigar. He looked a little depressed. When he saw Li You slowly counting the rolls of US dollars, he couldn't help but complain:

"You shouldn't have lent money to Charles. This guy says bad things about me every day!"

Ever since Li You wrote the check, Michael Dunk has been holding a grudge again, but after more than a month, his anger has almost subsided. After all, Barkley is an old brother, and he just wants to teach him a lesson.

"That's his job. Fans like to hear these words. He has to ensure the ratings. The Bobcats are really a bit bad. You should hire a professional general manager."

The puffing McDunk was a little unnatural. Most of the people he hired were flatterers. He knew this, but he just liked to manipulate the team. He would feel uncomfortable if he let it go:
"Do you have a good candidate?"

This time it was Li You's turn to raise his eyebrows. You know, he had suggested to the other party to hire Grunfeld a long time ago. As a result, the two sides had a talk and Michael Jordan was reluctant to let go and finally politely refused.

"OK! Let's not talk about that. You want to sign OJ Mayo? I've seen that little guy. He's not that good."

"As for Russell Westbrook you mentioned, it looks even worse!"

As sub-brands, the two have the opportunity to participate in sneaker contract issues every year. After Hook signed OJ Mayo, due to Kobe's popularity exploding on the other side of the ocean, he prepared to go there to reap another wave of leeks.

Mayo, who has already signed, is unlikely to get his own signature shoes. The solution given by Hook is to let the newbies wear Li You's shoes. They just need to change the color to the Grizzlies'.
During the tryout, Michael Jordan personally went on the court and taught Mayo, the star high school student and "the next Lee," a lesson, which was considered a humiliation for the newbie.

Listening to Michael start to scold the two, Li You curled his lips and noticed that some of the entourage were already laughing. He knew that this was not the first time this had happened:
"I'm not optimistic about Mayo, but I'm willing to help Matt Parker. He's been under some pressure recently and has had some problems with revenue."

"As for Westbrook, you can sign him. Young fans like to watch him play. Maybe he can become a triple-double king in the future."

"ha!."

Michael Jordan almost choked himself, as if he had heard a huge joke. Since becoming the boss, he likes to give instructions and pay special attention to some potential newcomers:
"Triple-double? If he can make the All-Stars, I'll sign him! Not every player is qualified to wear my sneakers!"

“I think these young people are nothing!”

Michael Jordan always appreciates players from some strange angles, but he didn't realize that there was something wrong with his point of view. After chatting for a while, he started to get itchy hands and took out his phone to call people.

Before the call was connected, Maikou showed a curious look on his face and asked again:
"After signing him, how are you going to introduce him?"

When the Jordan Brand signed Ray Allen, Michael Dunk had high hopes for this low-key star and kept bragging about him when he attended events.

Now it's Li You's turn. The two will have to hold a press conference. Compared with Ray Allen, Meng Xin is not famous enough now. From a brand perspective, this signing is actually not very good:
"I want him to be the 'Memphis Mamba'! I think people would like that."

"You're targeting my little brother again!"

On the evening of Friday, September 9, after some preparations, the Symphony Hall in Springfield had taken on a completely different look.

The large screen on the upper right side of the podium is particularly eye-catching. The entrance ceremony will begin in half an hour.

This is one of the carnival moments in the NBA league. For old fans, such a ceremony should not be missed. Those stars represent their youth, and no one can refuse those beautiful memories.

Jeff Van Gundy is dressed in a red scarf again. Except for becoming bald, the dark circles under his eyes have completely disappeared. Since returning to the commentary booth, he has regained his confidence and his reputation has also improved a lot.

In an interview with NBA TV, Van Gundy smiled happily and seemed very humble when talking about Ewing's achievements:

"Pat is the hardest working player I have ever witnessed! He was not defeated by injuries, and God finally answered him. I am glad to witness his career!"

"As for those championships, I'm proud of him and God saw his perseverance."

The arrival of Maikou and Li You one after another quickly caused a huge sensation, but neither of them tried to steal the spotlight. After a brief interview, they each looked for a seat.

Li You was arranged in the front row, with Van Gundy, his old teammates, and all the Knicks staff there.

Michael Jordan sat next to the legends, and the two sides soon started greeting each other with laughter.

Charles Oakley was still the same. He exchanged a few taunts with Barkley before coming back shaking his head. When he saw Starks gaining weight, he immediately laughed:

"What do the team feed you every day? Shit, you're so fat! Look at Allan, this is what a championship player should look like."

The equally fat "aunt" cursed twice. The two old guys were still very happy to be able to participate in such a moment. Although Starks smiled, he still whispered:
"Lee, do you need me to warn Ron? This guy has been playing political games. It's only a matter of time before those bastards swindle all his money away."

Alan Houston, who also works for the team, was also shocked by this outrageous operation. The management was very dissatisfied, and with the media's exaggerated reports, everyone seemed to be represented.

Political inclinations are very private matters. Artest, who did something stupid after signing a big contract, finally angered the public this time.

"I can talk to him too! He needs to focus on basketball, what do you think, Lee?"

Alan Houston, who was sitting on Li You's right, looked serious when he talked about this. As soon as he finished speaking, Charles Oakley, who was also sitting, immediately added:
"I can go find those henchmen. Those guys just treat him like a fool."

With the exception of Larry Johnson, who doesn't often live in New York, all the other old teammates are here, some working for the team and some working for the affiliated communities.

Whenever a Knicks player fooled around, they would get the news. JR Smith was taught a lesson, and then he became completely honest and became a "licker".
"I plan to help him set up a family foundation so that he won't go bankrupt in the future. Guys, this is a personal choice. You can't stop Ron from expressing his political views."

Li You, who was dressed in a formal suit, has only recently paid attention to these bad things, but he can guess that the money is the culprit. In recent years, Artest's family and friends have been "sucking blood" constantly. "Training camp hasn't started yet, relax, maybe Ron's condition is better than you think, we have to respect him!"

Oakley wanted to say something after hearing what Li You said. He was a hardliner and liked to act like a veteran. But Starks quietly waved his hands and tried to raise his eyebrows and wink on his fat face.

The old guy didn't say anything more in the end, but he could see that Li You was also not satisfied with these weird actions.

After greeting everyone, Van Gundy sat down and looked at the former championship members with an involuntary nostalgic look on his face.

Compared to James and Howard who stabbed him in the back, these are his "family".

"This is the NBA, Lee! I've seen too many lost players. Even Pat Riley left Los Angeles because he was obsessed with fame and fortune!"

"."

Van Gundy sat down and talked about this topic, and also gave some historical facts, that is, everyone in this area is from the Knicks, otherwise his fabrication about the greasy-haired boss would definitely be leaked again.

Retired staff members also lamented that no one expected that the ignorant Artest would undergo such a transformation.

At 7:30, as the Hall of Fame members appeared on the stage, the audience immediately erupted in applause and cheers. Pat Riley on the stage pressed his hands down several times, and finally his eyes turned red with excitement.

Wearing white trousers and a black suit, the greasy-haired boss who has been very low-key recently began his speech.

When recalling his time with the Lakers, he seemed quite proud, but after his experiences with New York and the Heat, Pat Riley took the initiative to admit his "mistake" after expressing his gratitude.

"."

"The basketball world is constantly evolving. I want to thank Lee for making me believe that a team with five forwards is the future!"

"At least they limit super defenders!"

Everyone at the scene immediately laughed. Over the years, the Heat always lost to Li You and had difficulty winning in the playoffs. Even Pat Riley's reputation declined as a result.

"Thank you again to everyone on the Heat. I will not stop. Thank you for your efforts."

When the camera was turned to the kidney fighter Mourning, the tough guy was moved to tears when he heard his revered coach say these words. The Heat team culture has been integrated into his body.
Hakeem Olajuwon and Adrian Dantley's speeches were not long, and the latter even felt a little embarrassed, after all, he didn't have a championship.

When Ewing appeared on the stage, the introducer, head coach John Thompson, led the applause, and everyone stood up, and soon the applause resounded throughout the concert hall.

Ewing took out his speech and couldn't control his emotions. Tears kept flowing down his face. In the last years of his career, he never imagined that he would receive such recognition.

"Thank you!"

"First, I want to thank my fellow Hall of Famers from the Class of 08."

“It’s amazing that a kid from Kingston, Jamaica, could come to the United States and make it in a sport!”

Unlike Pat Riley's style, Ewing is more grateful, from the coaches who first contacted him with basketball to high school and college.

He talked about his success at Georgetown University, the help John Thompson brought him, recalled his good brothers Mutombo and Mourning, and praised his rivals, the Bulls.

"At the end of my career, the person I want to thank most is my little brother!"

"Lee's arrival changed New York and my career. He changed everything!"

"Although we all disliked this guy who was always meddling in the tactics at first, and he even made Coach Van Gundy listen to him, we soon realized that he was a genius and our savior!"

In the camera, the Knicks members were all laughing, and Van Gundy was wiping away tears. Ewing was right, Li You really changed the careers of all of them.

"Looking back now, the coach was right. Michael Dunk was a jerk on the court."

"When we really beat the Bulls, I went back to the hotel and locked myself in the room and cried for a long time! Until now, I can't forget that feeling. At that moment, I just wanted to thank Lee."

"I will always support my little brother. In my heart, he is already the best in history! I respect my predecessors, but I still think that Li is the real GOAT!"

"."

Facing the camera of NBA TV, Li You had a shy smile on his face, and seemed a little embarrassed by the praise from his old teammates.

There were cheers again at the scene, only Michael Dunk, who was sitting in the front row, had a forced smile. He didn't like this period of history, and the game in which he was defeated by the buzzer beater was simply a nightmare.

The attentive reporter discovered a problem. Half of the speakers thanked Li You. Even the two basketball contributors praised him when talking about the development of modern basketball.
When the six people took a group photo on the stage, applause broke out again. When the ceremony was over, a large number of reporters crowded towards the Knicks team.

Not only were there sports reporters, but there were also many people from Fox media outlets. When leaving the symphony hall, everyone crowded around Li You.

"Lee, after the Elephant Party convention last night, will you support John McCain as a presidential candidate?"

"The other side criticized Obama for his lack of ability to deal with complex situations. Do you agree with this view?"

"."

Ever since they discovered that Li You's "girlfriends" showed up at the conference in Minnesota, some reporters have been overjoyed. They began to look forward to taking sides and were eager to make accusations.

"Gentlemen, I must remind you that I am just an ordinary basketball player."

"I fight for the fans who support me. These things are not in my consideration."

Li You kept answering these pointed questions with a smile on his face. On the other side, Michael Jordan simply said, "It's a good thing for Obama to be president" and then slipped away.

Fortunately, the sports reporter soon squeezed in. The preseason hadn't started yet, and TNT couldn't keep up with ESPN. So he took the opportunity to suddenly ask:
"Lee, are the Knicks going to trade World Peace?"

Everyone was stunned when they heard the name, and then they realized that it was Artest. Li You also pretended to be enlightened, and then said in a relaxed tone:
"No, the team has retained its championship lineup. We will once again charge for the championship. We still have achievements to make, and we will not leave anyone behind at this time!"

"Man, everyone has the right to express their opinions freely, and for basketball players, just use basketball to speak!"

"The Knicks will start training camp early this year. You can come to New York to watch our training. Now, you should interview Pat and the others."

Seeing Li You leaving under the protection of the staff, everyone felt reluctant to let him go and hadn't asked about the party yet.

On the other hand, in addition to this year's Hall of Fame members, Van Gundy became the "most handsome guy" at the scene. Many reporters gathered around the former champion coach, wanting to hear his opinion:

"Gasol's injury will cause a chain reaction. I think it is caused by fatigue. This season, the Knicks are likely to experience a wave of injuries!"

"As for the championship? I believe it still belongs to New York. Lee is far from reaching his limit!"

"Among the current players, only Lee can influence the outcome of a match with his absolute personal ability"

Van Gundy was praising Li You, Ewing was also praising him, Olajuwon was also saying that Li You would definitely win, and even Pat Riley was praising him, saying that in the next two years, no team would be able to shake Li You's rule.

The Yahoo Sports reporters were confused. Why was everyone praising Li You? Where was Captain America? How did Kobe, who caused a sensation on the other side of the ocean, "disappear"?

On the other side, Charles Barkley was still outputting the same question. This guy said directly in front of Magic Johnson:
"I always think that Machiavelli is the best player in the history of the Lakers! Kobe should learn to respect, stop thinking about attracting attention, and improve his shooting percentage."

"If he learns to pass the ball to Duncan, maybe the Lakers still have a chance!"

"."

When reporters found out that none of the veterans were optimistic about Kobe, they couldn't help but secretly click their tongues. A few years ago, there were veterans praising Li You, but now there are only praises.

A young reporter from Yahoo Sports is a die-hard fan of Kobe. He heard too many thanks to Li You tonight and couldn't help but complain to his companions in a low voice:

"Are they all crazy? Why is Captain America being ignored by everyone?"

"Because he got blown out in the finals."

(End of this chapter)