The Golden Age of Basketball

Chapter 525 Threesome

Both Sabonis and Petrovic have health problems, and they are significant ones.

Sabonis suffered a serious ankle injury while preparing for the World Championships in Spain in 1986. After a period of recovery, he strained his right Achilles tendon in a club match.

Then, in the final of the domestic league, he forced himself to return to the game without being fully recovered, helping the team win the championship, which aggravated his Achilles tendon injury.

Many injuries are caused by accumulated fatigue. In 1987, while the Soviet team was preparing for the European Championship, Sabonis completely tore his Achilles tendon, which was a very serious injury.

Then, during his rehabilitation, he fell down the stairs again, resulting in a second tear of his Achilles tendon, which made his injury even worse.

He then entered a long recovery period, during which he traveled to Portland for surgery and received the most advanced medical care in the United States.

The Trail Blazers' team doctor originally wanted him to rest for a year and a half, which would have made him miss the 1988 Seoul Olympics.

As a result, before the Olympics, Sabonis announced that he would participate in the Olympics, but only as a spectator watching the games from the sidelines.

However, once he was back on the team, and given that he was ready to compete, the national team did not hesitate to send him onto the field. With the help of his unsteady steps, the Soviet Union finally won the highest honor.

In response, American coach John Thompson vehemently criticized the Portland Trail Blazers, saying that their actions in assisting Sabonis with surgery were tantamount to aiding the enemy.

You already have a super center from China, and now you're bringing in a super center from the Soviet Union and even helping him defeat the American team? Are you still an American team?
Because of the US team's defeat in Seoul in 1988, the US pushed FIBA ​​to allow professional players to participate in the Olympics and World Championships in 1989.

This move objectively encouraged a large number of European players, such as Sabonis and Divac, to come to the NBA to make money, because they no longer had to worry about being unable to play for their country if they joined an NBA team.

However, Sabonis' health is not optimistic due to a series of injuries and forced comebacks.

During the 1988-1989 season, he suffered another injury in the league. In addition to his Achilles tendon, he also suffered from chronic knee pain, habitual ankle sprains, and groin problems, which made his legs vulnerable and affected his jumping and movement.

He wore two specially made knee braces, and he could rarely dunk like he did before 1986.

Upon arriving in Portland, doctors conducted a routine health check on him and found that his legs were covered in scars, only slightly better than Bill Walton's back then, and incomparable to someone like Gan Guoyang who had never suffered a major injury.

Therefore, Sabonis's concerns are not simply a lack of confidence. He is very aware of his physical condition and is very worried about the NBA's packed schedule.

Fortunately, the Trail Blazers have established a fairly comprehensive and cautious player health assessment mechanism. They will give the most reliable advice on whether a player is fit to play, putting player health first.

The NBA season is indeed long, but the Trail Blazers' ample roster allows players time to rest and recuperate.

Besides, the Trail Blazers also have the NBA's number one workhorse, the ironman Forrest Gump, who averages 40 points per game, so they don't have to worry about having no one to play in the paint.

Compared to Sabonis, Divac is in good health and is a good replacement for Sabonis. Divac's problem is that he has not yet completed his year of military service in Yugoslavia, which will cause some trouble for his playing.

Petrovich had already served in the military, but his health deteriorated during the summer.

Unlike Sabonis, Petrovic, who is the same age as him, was healthy before and had no major injuries.

After arriving in Portland, he couldn't stay idle at all. He had no interest in sightseeing and just wanted to find a place to play basketball.

As a result, while training at the Portland Community College gym, I suddenly felt back pain, the kind of pain that made it impossible to move.

The trainer who was training with him took him back to his apartment and then notified the team doctor to conduct a full examination to find out the source of the pain.

Initially, the medical team thought Petrovic had sciatica and that he could recover with minimally invasive surgery.

However, after a more detailed and comprehensive examination, Calvin Tanabe, a renowned Japanese-American neurosurgeon in the Portland area, concluded that Petrovich had a problem with her intervertebral disc, with some fragments compressing her nerves and causing pain in her back and legs.

After receiving the relevant information, West requested that Petrovic undergo immediate surgery to ensure he could properly recover during the offseason.

Calvin Tanabe then performed the surgery on Petrovic to remove some bone fragments from his intervertebral disc.

During the surgery, Dr. Tanabe discovered a cyst on his intervertebral disc that was compressing a nerve in Petrovic's back, which was the culprit behind his persistent back pain.

After the debris and cysts were removed, Petrovich's back pain and leg discomfort disappeared.

Like Sabonis, his next task is to rest and recuperate to prepare for the new season.

Due to surgery, he missed the Trail Blazers' summer league training camp in July and could only watch his teammates train and play from the sidelines.

Sabonis received the same treatment; they could only watch from the sidelines, and the doctors advised them to rest.

Only Divac can participate in the games and adapt to the competitive environment of the NBA alongside the newcomers.

This scene is strange, as in Europe, the men's basketball teams of Yugoslavia and the Soviet Union were sworn enemies.

At the 1988 Seoul Olympics, the Soviet Union and Yugoslavia were the strongest opponents.

Petrovic was Yugoslavia's top scorer, while Sabonis was the top rebounder in the entire Olympics.

The two sides met in their first group stage match, in which the Soviet Union suffered a heavy defeat, losing 76-92 by 16 points.

This point difference is quite significant in a FIBA ​​match with two halves of 40 minutes, especially considering the close strength of both sides.

Sabonis only scored 11 points in this game. He has not yet recovered from his Achilles tendon injury, and the Trail Blazers doctors advised him not to play.

He still took to the field in hopes of winning the gold medal and victory, but struggled in his first match and lost to his arch-rival Yugoslavia, leaving Sabonis very frustrated.

But Sabonis and the Soviet Union team played better and better, and in the crucial semi-final, they defeated the United States team. Sabonis had 13 points and 13 rebounds. His defense in the paint played a crucial role, making it difficult for American perimeter players to penetrate the paint and score. Superstar Danny Manning did not score a single point throughout the game.

Then, the Soviet team faced Yugoslavia again in the final. This time, Sabonis showed no mercy. He destroyed Divac and Yugoslavia's interior defense, scoring 20 points and grabbing 15 rebounds, avenging his previous defeat and leading his team to the championship.

Petrovic scored a game-high 24 points, but it was to no avail, as his drives to the basket were repeatedly thwarted by Sabonis.

Divac was in a rather awkward position against Sabonis, getting dunked on and having his shot blocked by Sabonis during an offensive play.

This defeat greatly disappointed the two, and they also remembered Sabonis, the Soviet giant, very well.

Unexpectedly, the three of them have now become teammates, with one playing and training on the field, and the other two sitting on the sidelines daydreaming.

Sabonis and Petrovich looked slightly embarrassed; they didn't speak the same language and were both taciturn.

Occasionally, when someone wants to say something, one person starts the conversation, but the other doesn't know what to say, and then there's silence again.

The two didn't have much in common with the American players around them, and most of the newcomers who signed short contracts didn't stay with the team for long.

Although they didn't talk much, the two had a good relationship. They even met off the field as opponents during the 88 Olympics.

After the Olympic finals, the organizing committee arranged drug tests, and the two were assigned to the same room. Buckwalt and Gan Guoyang went to watch the game together.

Buckwalt was very worried that a conflict might occur between them after the game, which could affect their future cooperation with the Trail Blazers.

But after the drug test, they walked out of the room side by side, their expressions normal and relaxed. Sabonis even treated Petrovic to a pitcher of beer.

Among the trio, the youngest, Divac, is the best glue that holds the two taciturn duo together. Despite his cheerful and lively personality, he is the worst at English among the three, but he talks the most and loves to joke the most.

Divac wasn't hostile towards his old rival Sabonis; on the contrary, the two giants got along very well.

Sabonis can participate in some simple contact drills, and Rick Adelman allows him to participate in tactical drills.

The two Slavic giants would fight one-on-one in the training hall, exchanging experiences with each other.

With Divac joining, Petrovic will talk more; they share a common topic: basketball.

After that, the situation became such that as long as Divac was there, the three of them could chat and laugh, which was great.

With Divac absent, the remaining two became silent and withdrawn, while Divac seemed to feel comfortable with either of them.

The Trail Blazers participated in the Summer League held in Salt Lake City. The Jazz's operations, spearheaded by Frank Lydon's son Scott Lydon, invited the Trail Blazers, Kings, and Suns to compete for the Rocky Mountain championship. The Trail Blazers ultimately won the Summer League title, with Divac performing reasonably well.

However, he exposed his weakness in physical strength during the game, as his tall stature often allowed him to be pushed aside by American players.

Clearly, the physical contact and competition are much more intense in the American basketball environment, and the first hurdle for European players going to the US is the physical challenge.

As the team left Salt Lake City, Rick Adelman reminded the three players at the training camp debriefing: "There will be a rookie training camp in early October, and... you will face some challenges. You need to work on improving your physical strength, especially Divac, you can't keep getting knocked around. Petrovic, you also need to get stronger, you're too skinny, you'll get crushed. As for Arvidas... take good care of your injury."

Adelman clearly trusts Sabonis's strength and ability to fight, but Sabonis himself doesn't quite believe in himself.

Privately, he told Divac and Petrovic, "I heard that the Trail Blazers have a tradition that Forrest Gump attends the annual rookie training camp and personally mentors the new players."

Petrovich said, "Manager West said I was very, very excited."

Divac patted Petrovic on the shoulder and said, "This guy's sick. He's always trying to challenge Forrest Gump."

Sabonis shook his head and said, "I've fought against Forrest Gump, one-on-one."

Both of them stared wide-eyed, clearly very curious, and wanted Sabonis to continue.

Sabonis coughed and said, "It was during the Seoul Olympics, you guys knew Forrest Gump was there watching the games. After the games, he found me, and we secretly had a little match, and then..."

"And then what? Tell me about Sabonis!" Petrovich was unusually excited; he was eager to know how Sabonis felt after his real confrontation with Forrest Gump.

All three of them are among the best players on the field in Europe, basically at their peak, especially Sabonis and Petrovic.

They share a common concern as they prepare to enter the NBA this year: whether they can adapt to the rules, intensity, and long schedule of the game.

Petrovich was forced to stay on the sidelines due to a sudden injury, which made him increasingly anxious. He hadn't seen Forrest Gump during this time.

Because Gan Guoyang was not in Portland, he returned to Spokane some time ago to attend the local "Gan Guoyang Day".

This tradition began in 1982 and continues to this day.

Gan Guoyang then stayed in Gonzaga to train with Stockton and exchange parenting tips.

Next, Rignan plans to spend his time in Los Angeles, where he can attend the Newell's Big Men's Training Camp while also spending time with his wife and children who are staying at her parents' home in Los Angeles.

Gan Guoyang will not return to Portland until the start of the season in October to officially begin team training for the new season.

Gan Guoyang is now the best player in the NBA, and Petrovic is eager to figure out how big the gap is between himself and the best player.

Sabonis thought for a moment and continued, "He's like a monster, incredibly strong, enough to easily knock me down."

"Stop! Sabo, don't talk nonsense. Someone could easily knock you down? I don't believe it."

Divac and Sabonis had fought many matches together, and he knew how terrifying the 7-foot-3 giant's strength was.

He was like a giant in the three-second zone; his upper body was as broad and strong as a bear's. Many Soviet wrestlers and track and field athletes could not match Sabonis in strength.

Divac had watched some of Forrest Gump's fight videos and knew that Forrest was incredibly strong, but his 6-foot-10 height and yellow skin would make people who had never fought against him somewhat underestimate him.

Even in terms of honors and performance, he is currently the best player in the NBA.

Sabonis said, "I'm not one to talk nonsense. Anyway, you should focus on improving your skills in the meantime, Vlad. Rick is right, you're going to get run over."

"And what about me?" Petrovich asked.

"Forrest Gump wouldn't bully children."

After saying that, Sabonis and Divac burst into laughter.

Petrovich rolled his eyes at Sabonis, and the three of them were getting to know each other better.
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In August, Sabonis and Divac stayed in Portland for special training, recovering from their injuries and improving their physical strength.

Petrovic returned to Spain to deal with his contract issues with Real Madrid – he still has three years left on his contract with Real Madrid.

Larry Fleischer had already resolved these issues in April, reaching an agreement through negotiation to facilitate a contract buyout, making Petrovic a free agent who could come to Portland.

However, Fleischer's sudden death introduced some changes to the situation, and Real Madrid filed a lawsuit, arguing that the previous buyout agreement was invalid.

Petrovic had to go back and re-communicate, and Jerry West also became involved in the dispute.

The good news is that the court ruling on this agreement will take place in Portland, Oregon, by the Portland District Court for the Northern District of Oregon.

The reason jurisdiction was given to Portland was that Petrovic's lawyers went to great lengths to find a representative of Real Madrid in the United States and, while this representative was in Portland on a business trip to negotiate, delivered the lawsuit letter to him at Portland Airport.

This move has led to the lawsuit being held in Portland, which is a major advantage for the Trail Blazers.

The bad news is that Petrovic is facing immense public pressure in Spain. The former prince of Madrid has become an object of hatred for local fans.

At the time, George Karl was already in charge of the training camp for the new season in Madrid. Petrovic would appear at the training camp every year before and receive a warm welcome from the media.

This time, however, he did not appear. Instead, he appeared in the cartoon section of a Madrid newspaper: the handsome man was depicted as extremely ugly, with protruding ears, an open mouth, and buck teeth.

These expressions conveyed the hatred that basketball fans in the Madrid region felt towards him, putting him under immense pressure.

During his time back in Madrid, Petrovic rarely went out, because if he encountered Real Madrid fans, he would definitely be stopped and questioned about why he betrayed Real Madrid.

During this anxious wait, Petrovich received a call from Forrest Gump in Los Angeles.

The call was to Trail Blazers HR manager Greenport, who was assigned to accompany Petrovic to relieve his stress.

Gan Guoyang spoke with Greenport for a few minutes, and Greenport explained the situation in Madrid.

He said Petrovic is very popular here, a true basketball star, and everyone knows him.

But precisely because of this, Petrovich was under immense pressure, as he was about to leave.

"Just like if you were to leave Portland, we would... we would stop you."

“I won’t leave Portland unless a stronger basketball league comes along, or I’ll probably have to go to Mars. Give the phone to Drazen, I’ll say a few words to him.”

Petrovich and Gan Guoyang were the same age, with Gan Guoyang being a month older. However, when Petrovich received a call from Gan Guoyang, his heart was pounding with nervousness.

They had a brief exchange on the phone. Gan Guoyang expressed his hope that Petrovic could recover well from his injury, and he was looking forward to the rookie training camp in October.

Gan Guoyang also said, "I heard you're good at three-pointers. I'm the NBA's three-point king. We can have a contest."

Petrovich readily agreed, saying he absolutely had to have a go at Forrest Gump.

The phone call with Gan Guoyang greatly encouraged Petrovich, giving him confidence to win the dispute.

Because his determination to challenge stronger players in higher leagues was unwavering. He wasn't after money or fame; he simply wanted to become the best basketball player in the world.

By mid-August, Petrovic's lumbar spine injury had improved significantly, and he returned to Portland to appear in court.

A Portland judge ruled that the buyout agreement between Petrovic and Real Madrid was valid, and Real Madrid's lawsuit was dismissed.

After all this, Petrovic finally officially became a member of the Portland Trail Blazers, beginning his NBA dream.

Of course, this dream wasn't entirely a pleasant one. In early October, he eagerly anticipated the first nightmare of his NBA journey.

Portland Trail Blazers' rookie training camp: The socialist trio is poised to become the worst rookie class in Portland history to date.

(End of this chapter)