The Golden Age of Basketball

Chapter 523 This is what a man should do
Gan Guoyang is currently being suppressed by his son.

Although the family only had one more member, the huge villa quickly transformed from a quiet and cozy world for two into a chaotic and chaotic place.

Gan Guoyang is staying in China and refusing to return to Portland, partly because he wants some peace and quiet outside.

Although the arrival of a new life brings wonderful feelings and experiences, when they get lively, there's really no time to rest. Your life now has an extra little sun that you have to revolve around.

Wang Fuxi had hired childcare workers before, but she wasn't satisfied with any of them after trying them out, so she finally decided to take care of the children herself.

After the baby was born, Gan Youwei was no longer able to help much. In addition, the people in San Francisco were pressuring him, saying that the restaurant kitchen would collapse without him. So, after his postpartum period, Gan Youwei returned to San Francisco.

Gan Guoyang wanted his father to stay in Portland and open a hotel there, but Gan Youwei said he was used to life in San Francisco and didn't want to leave.

For him, Portland had too much rain and was too cold in the fall and winter, making it uncomfortable to stay there.

California's warm, dry climate suited him better, and besides, he couldn't give up his restaurant business in Chinatown; he had become friends with many people there.

My mother-in-law, Wan Ling, stayed behind. As a nurse, she had nursing experience and kept the huge villa spotless, though it always smelled of disinfectant.

Gan Guoyang is very busy playing basketball, with training, competitions, and traveling, so he is not at home most of the time.

Whenever he gets home, he has to give his child a big hug. It feels strange; for the first time, he, a man of such great strength, feels like he has energy but nowhere to use it.

Taking care of a child is very hard work. Jaundice, projectile vomiting, fever, and other problems occur one after another, keeping the whole family busy and unable to get a full night's sleep.

As a mother, Wang Fuxi demonstrated remarkable calmness and resilience. She took on most of the responsibility of caring for the child. On the nights when Gan Guoyang was away playing ball or competing, she took good care of the child and helped with many household chores.

When Larry Fleischer passed away unexpectedly, Gan Guoyang was playing in the playoffs and her child had just been born. She was taking care of the child, helping to coordinate some agent-related matters, comforting her husband, and helping him plan and deal with many issues.

After the playoffs, when Gan Guoyang said he wanted to go to China for a while, Wang Fuxi agreed and told him not to worry about home.

She knew that Fleischer's death and the season's failure had been a huge blow to her husband, and that he needed some time alone rather than letting the琐碎家事 (trivial family matters) overwhelm him.

Now that he's back, when the two reunited, Wang Fuxi knew that Gan Guoyang had not only returned physically, but had also regained his spirits.

On June 27th, the day of the talent show, Gan Guoyang held his son Gan Wenshan in front of the TV to watch the live broadcast.

Because he hadn't been held by his father for a long time, Gan Wenshan felt very uncomfortable and kicked his legs desperately, stomping on Gan Guoyang's face and deforming it, trying to get back into his mother's arms.

Gan Guoyang wouldn't let go either, thinking to himself, "Your old man can't even hold off those strong men in the NBA, and you little brat, you think you can just kick me away by kicking my face?"

The two stubborn father and son were locked in a standoff in the living room, while the TV was showing a talent show.

The television cameras kept focusing on the selected young people; they were all very inexperienced and looked quite immature.

For Gan Guoyang, not being able to attend the 1984 NBA Draft was a small regret in his basketball career.

Of course, many years later, this was no longer his regret, but the NBA's regret, as there was no record of Gan Guoyang shaking hands with Stern.

When it came to the 24th pick, the Trail Blazers made their selection, and Gan Guoyang's attention shifted from his son's feet to the television.

Gan Wenshan seemed to notice the change in his father's attention. He put less pressure on his legs and turned his head away to look at the television.

As expected, the Trail Blazers selected Vlade Divac from Yugoslavia with the 24th pick. Divac arrived at the venue, hugged his family, and prepared to go on stage.

He had a smile on his face, wearing an ill-fitting borrowed suit, and a somewhat confused look in his eyes, because the Trail Blazers had not contacted him before; it was the Los Angeles Lakers who had.

Divac went on stage, wearing a Portland Trail Blazers red, white, and black baseball cap, and shook hands with David Stern for a photo.

After the handshake and photo session, Buckwalt didn't come over to talk to Divac for a long time because the Trail Blazers were negotiating a trade with the Lakers.

It wasn't until Buckwalt and Jerry West reported back and confirmed that they should prioritize acquiring Divac that he approached Divac and spoke frankly with him: "We were originally planning to acquire you and then trade with the Lakers, but the Lakers don't seem interested in a trade. Would you like to come play in Portland?"

Divac is hesitant; theoretically, he could choose not to sign with the Trail Blazers if he didn't want to.

If the game drags on, the Trail Blazers won't be able to hold out and will be sold to the Lakers at a low price. This is Don Nelson's plan.

Divac didn't hire an agent; he came to the United States with his parents and wife. He didn't speak much English and needed a translator.

He told the translator that he might need to think about it, because it wasn't quite what he had expected.

Buckwalt told him, "This is not quite what we expected, but you can play with your teammate Petrovic."

The translator relayed Buckwald's words to Divac, whose eyes immediately lit up.

Yes, Petrovic will also be coming to Portland; he was drafted by the Trail Blazers earlier than Petrovic.

Not only Petrovic, but also Sabonis, and even that man, the one who wields immense influence in the NBA.

After thinking for a while, Divac gave his answer, saying, "If you're sure you won't trade me again, I'm willing to play for Portland."

Buckwalt thought for a moment. Since the Lakers were unwilling to make a trade, he figured they might as well keep Divac.

So the two shook hands and reached a verbal agreement: Buckwalt would inform Divac that he would come to Portland to report in a while.

On the other side, in front of the television, Gan Guoyang waited for news of the trade. Actually, Gan Guoyang didn't care much about who would be his substitute.

He believes that after a period of rest, training, and rehabilitation, his physical condition and energy will be at their peak next season.

The 88-89 season was indeed too grueling. The mental blows and the calf strain during the playoffs made him out of form.

It would be best if Edwards could come. Gan Guoyang has played against him many times. He is a very tough player who can make key plays in crucial moments.

These players are typical seasoned veterans in the basketball world. They can survive well in the NBA and play for a long time simply by relying on their talent and a few special skills.

He will definitely be able to play a role in the playoffs, especially against the frontcourts of Detroit and Los Angeles, relieving the pressure on Gan Guoyang.

Sabonis and Divac come from a different system, and it remains to be seen how well they will perform in the NBA.

During the 1988 Olympics, Gan Guoyang challenged Sabonis to a one-on-one match, and Sabonis was no match for Gan Guoyang at all.

Of course, a one-on-one game doesn't represent a player's basketball ability; in fact, a player who is strong in one-on-one games might be very weak in actual matches.

Watching the games, Sabonis's basketball IQ and skills are definitely not a problem, but his health and whether he can keep up with the pace of the NBA are questionable.

Divac's situation is similar to Sabonis's, sharing the common strengths and weaknesses of European center forwards.

Not only do the two men have overlapping functions and positions, but their countries also don't get along very well. Add Petrovich and Gan Guoyang, and it's really complicated.

In the second round, the Trail Blazers successfully drafted Cliff Robinson, and their secrecy measures were quite effective.

If the Heat find out, they might try to steal the pick, as they have the first overall pick in the second round.

As the draft neared its end, a reporter on site broadcast the following report:

"We've received word from the Portland Trail Blazers that they're trading Kiki Vandeweghe. It's a three-team trade, with the Cleveland Cavaliers as the third party. The Knicks will send one of their draft picks to the Cavaliers, who will in turn send Mike Sanders to Portland and take over New York Knicks center Greg Butler. The Knicks will receive Kiki Vandeweghe."

The trade for Mike Sanders went smoothly.

Sanders graduated from the prestigious UCLA and is a relatively unknown role player for forwards and guards.

He is the kind of player that academic coaches like: quiet, humble, with excellent shooting skills and solid defense. He does a lot of defensive work, screening, and chasing on the field. He doesn't show off, but every strong team wants a player like him to anchor the team.

Gan Guoyang was deeply impressed by Sanders, who used to play for the Suns. Every season, the Trail Blazers would face the Suns very early in the game.

With Walter Davis plagued by injuries and drugs, Mike Sanders always stepped up to support the team's backcourt offense and defense.

Later, the Suns were almost wiped out due to a drug scandal. Mike Sanders was not involved, but he was eventually traded.

He was traded to the Cavaliers along with Larry Nance in exchange for Kevin Johnson.

As it turns out, the Cavaliers made a bad move. While Mark Price is certainly excellent, Kevin Johnson's talent is clearly superior and his potential is greater.

As for role players like Mike Sanders, he can choose to join another team as a free agent when his contract expires this summer.

The Pacers are very interested in Mike Sanders, but the Pacers are in the process of rebuilding, and with similar financial terms, Sanders wants to taste the championship.

Buckwalt contacted Sanders and the Cavaliers. The Cavaliers, who had lost Sanders for nothing, were very happy to get a draft pick in return.

Through a series of communications, the Trail Blazers, Knicks, and Cavaliers submitted their trade proposal to the league office. Once approved, Sanders will be able to report to Portland.

The Sanders trade is satisfactory, but Gan Guoyang is unsure whether the team should keep Divac.

Gan Guoyang waited until his son had soiled himself with a foul stench, but he still hadn't received any news about the Divac trade.

After changing Gan Wenshan's diaper and washing his bottom, and putting him to sleep in his room, Gan Guoyang received a call from Buckwalt.

"The trade's off. The Lakers didn't want to trade Duckworth or Edwards. West miscalculated. Don Nelson is letting us form a socialist army," Buckwalt said on the phone. Gan Guoyang laughed and said, "That's fine too. Divac is a player with potential."

"Potential! Good heavens, what we need more is immediate combat capability, we need an experienced veteran."

“I have a lot of experience with Buck, this is a good draw, I don’t think there will be any major problems.”

Gan Guoyang still remembered Divac; he was a seasoned veteran on the defensive end and a passing expert on the offensive end.

His role does overlap somewhat with Sabonis'; one heavy center like him is enough for a team.

Gan Guoyang's role is much more flexible. After gaining weight, he can fight in the low post and is the most powerful center in the league.

He could also lose weight and move to the power forward position; his shooting and face-up attacks are extremely lethal, unmatched in the entire league.

In terms of attack power alone, Gan Guoyang's face basket is stronger than his back basket. After all, Gan Guoyang's height of 6 feet 10 inches means that his field of vision and choices are inevitably limited when carrying the basket.

However, Gan Guoyang has a significant strength advantage, and the tactical role of carrying the basket on his back is stronger than that of carrying it in front.

From 1985 to 1989, Gan Guoyang's proportion of face-up attacks and mid-to-long-range shots increased over the five seasons.

With fewer offensive rebounds and less pure battles under the basket, Gan Guoyang's offense has become more three-dimensional, and his offensive methods have become more concise and clear.

In the 88-89 season, his face-up mid-range shot gradually became his primary scoring method, rather than a supplementary one.

His mid-range shooting is so accurate that it ignores defense. Whether he can make the shot from 14-20 feet depends mainly on his condition and has little to do with how you defend him.

Gan Guoyang is working to improve this range, hoping to achieve the same accuracy at 23 feet, which is the three-point line.

Therefore, during this offseason, Gan Guoyang no longer pursued heavy weight training, but instead focused on sculpting his muscle details, especially the parts related to shooting power.

Three-point shooting training is not just about quantity, but also about quality. It aims to identify problems and learn from experience and details with every shot.

Since Gan Guoyang said "no problem," Buckwalt was relieved.

When Forrest Gump said "no problem," it wasn't just to comfort him; it meant he was well-prepared and confident.

Buckwalt knew that Forrest Gump was just that reassuring.
-
The NBA draft on June 27th has ended, and the offseason has just begun.

Jerry West's plan wasn't fully realized, but by acquiring Divac and Robinson, trading away Vandeweghe, and acquiring Sanders, the strategic objectives were achieved, and the Trail Blazers got off to a good start for the new season.

If either Sabonis or Divac performs well, the Trail Blazers will have gained an advantage, as their interior defense problem will be solved.

Even if neither of them performs well, West has plans to trade for a suitable center to help Forrest Gump.

As for the outside players, Petrovic and Sanders represent hope and the ceiling, while Sanders represent stability and the floor.

If Petrovic can dominate like he did in European games, the Trail Blazers' perimeter game can be improved to another level, making up for the void left by Drexler's departure.

If not, the core of a strong team can be built around Terry Porter Jr., Hornacek, Sanders, and Curry, which is more than enough to complement Gan Guoyang.

However, whether they can establish a dynasty is another matter entirely.

Although many people always say that the NBA is a game for giants, and all teams want to find big men in the draft.

But the role of perimeter players and interior players has always been equal. There will always be one or more excellent perimeter players alongside a giant champion.

Moreover, with the development and popularization of three-pointers in recent years, the role of perimeter players has become increasingly prominent, and the Trail Blazers' strategy of building a backcourt is correct.

The day after the draft, Jerry West flew to Portland, where Tang Jianguo held a press conference to announce that West would become the new general manager of the Portland Trail Blazers.

The news shocked the entire league. Jerry West had actually gone to their arch-rival, the Portland Trail Blazers.
The reaction in Los Angeles was quite strong, with the Los Angeles Tribune immediately publishing an article calling it a conspiracy and betrayal.

Los Angeles media outlets have sensed a connection between West and the draft, suggesting that the Trail Blazers' decision to snatch Divac with the 24th pick was likely intentional.

Don Nelson was furious, and in an interview he directly accused West of betrayal, saying that he hurt the Lakers and that West went to the Lakers' biggest rival, the Trail Blazers, to help them strengthen their roster.

On the contrary, Lakers owner Jerry Buss did not make any negative comments in public, but instead spoke with Jerry West privately by phone.

In the phone call, Bass apologized to West, saying he shouldn't have claimed in Sports Illustrated that anyone could be a general manager, and he knew that must have hurt West. He wished West all the best in Portland.

Bass is such a complex and strange person. Unlike many bosses, he is very emotional, sometimes indecisive, and sometimes ruthless.

He is full of contradictions, just like West, but quite different from Don Nelson, who is a single-celled organism.

West felt a little guilty about Bass's actions, but he still firmly told Bass that he would play for Portland and bring a championship to the Trail Blazers.

In Portland, The Oregonian didn't hesitate to fight back, defending West and saying that Los Angeles didn't want West first, not that Portland stole this excellent general manager.

Moreover, West's Lakers defeated the Trail Blazers in the 1989 playoffs, and he came to Portland as a victor, not a traitor.

It is foreseeable that the rivalry between the Trail Blazers and the Lakers will not end in the new season and will only deepen.

After officially joining the Trail Blazers, West's first task was to go to the airport to pick up Divac and Petrovic, who flew in directly from Croatia.

These two good friends from the Yugoslavian national team were so excited when they learned they would both be playing for the Trail Blazers that they talked on the phone all night and then agreed to arrive in Portland together and report for duty together.

Jerry West arrived at Portland Airport by car on the day the two had agreed upon, and to his surprise, a large number of Trail Blazers fans came to greet him.

It's obvious that Bill Shawnley, that big mouth, leaked the players' itinerary again, allowing fans to come and greet them at the airport.

This is an old tradition of the Trail Blazers; the city only has basketball, only the Trail Blazers, and people only pay attention to basketball stars.

The two men's flights landed at 9:30 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. respectively, where West met the two Croatian prodigies.

Their clothing and luggage were very simple; each person had a bag and a translator behind them, and that was it.

Divac's family returned to Yugoslavia, but his newlywed wife did not stay; they had married before Divac decided to come to the United States.

West warmly embraced the two men and said, "I'm also a newcomer to Portland, just a little bit earlier than you."

Divac understood West's words through the translator and said, "No wonder the Lakers didn't draft me; it turns out you've come to Portland."

The translation was a bit awkward; I wondered if it was even possible to translate.

Divac is so naive. Are you implying that West snatched the job from behind?

West, seeing the translator's expression, roughly understood what Divac meant.

He didn't mind at all; instead, he laughed and said, "It's okay. I'm with the Lakers, Divac goes to the Lakers, I'm in Portland, and he comes to Portland."

Divac smiled after hearing this, thinking to himself, "You sent me to Portland to trade for me, Buckwalt told me that."

However, Divac is naturally cheerful and optimistic, and he doesn't care about trades; he knows that they are very common in the NBA.

Although he couldn't speak English, Divac was very talkative and kept communicating with West through a translator.

In comparison, Petrovich spoke good English, but he was very quiet. The question he asked most often was, "When can I see Forrest Gump?"

West said, "Soon, when you go to the rookie training camp, Forrest will train with you. It's said to be a Portland tradition, and Forrest will motivate every rookie player."

Upon hearing West's words, Petrovich's eyes shone brightly.

He craves challenges, success, and playing ball.

Divac and Petrovic received a warm welcome from fans as they left the airport.

Petrovic is clearly more popular because he was drafted by the Trail Blazers early on, and in terms of looks, he is no less handsome than Gan Guoyang, so he is naturally loved by many female fans.

In terms of appearance and temperament, he and Gan Guoyang are two extremes. Gan Guoyang is full of masculinity, while Petrovich is like a moonlit boy.

When Glickman met Petrovich, he said, "It seems that Forrest Gump has a rival in popularity, which will relieve his pressure."

On their way into the city, Petrovich and Divac saw a large number of Gan Guoyang’s huge posters on the billboards along the elevated road, all of which were advertisements for the Avia skyscraper.

These billboards made it clear to the two that this was Forrest Gump's team and city, and that his presence was felt everywhere.

As Petrovich gazed at the enormous poster depicting Gan Guoyang as an emperor, he felt a surge of pride, thinking, "A true man should be like this."

He told Divac in Yugoslavian, "I think one day I can replace him and be on these billboards."

Divac asked in surprise, "What are you talking about?"

Petrovich chuckled and said, "I'm talking in my sleep, Vlad."

(End of this chapter)