The Golden Age of Basketball

Chapter 750 I'm Back
Jimmy: "Forrest Gump's story is truly moving. Some people's passing is still hard to let go of, but..."

(Jimmy pulls out a display board with barometers of Portland and Miami in June 1993.)
Jimmy (shaking his head): "However, according to our research on the weather in the two cities in 1993, it rained in Miami for several days during the finals, while Portland only had a little rain on the 16th and 17th. So, it is not true that Miami was sunny while Portland was rainy."

(Laughter erupted from the scene, and Gan Guoyang smiled as he rubbed his nose.)
Jimmy (squinting): "Sonny, I know a lot of NBA players, and the most common thing they say about you is... 'This guy is the biggest fraudster in history, don't believe a word he says!' I don't know how much of what you're saying is believable! Are you deceiving us again, setting a trap for us? Sonny, what's the biggest lie you've ever told?"

Gan Guoyang (gazing at the ceiling in thought): "Hmm... the future is yours."

(The audience burst into laughter, applause, and cheers.)
Jimmy (after the applause ends): "1993 was a really tough and painful year. That Trail Blazers team fell apart right after that. You guys couldn't keep playing together anymore, right?"

Gan Guoyang (nods): "Yes, we've reached the end. In the last few games against the Heat, we gave it our all. The Heat were stronger than us, but they were completely stunned. They played very... clumsy. When we won the championship in Miami, we all cried. We cried uncontrollably in the locker room. It wasn't tears of joy after victory, but pure grief. Then we went to Maryland to visit Reggie, and to Croatia to see Pete. We placed the championship trophy at their graves and poured champagne on it. Finally, we flew back to Portland together and said goodbye at the international airport. At that moment, I had a feeling that this Portland Trail Blazers team had reached the end, and we were going to... go our separate ways."

(The scene fell silent.)
Jimmy (with a serious expression): "At the time, everyone thought you would choose to retire. Your father was suffering from early-stage Alzheimer's disease. You had won so many honors, you were the undisputed greatest of all time, you could have left, many people left. But in the end, you didn't leave, you stayed, you continued playing in the 1993-1994 season, and part of the 1994-1995 season, and then you left. Why? What supported you to keep fighting?"

Gan Guoyang (squinting): "In Game 4 of the 1993 Finals, before I returned to the court, the President said something to me. He told me that the more difficult and challenging the moment, the more we should pursue victory and keep fighting when facing death and desperate situations. So, when the Trail Blazers were about to collapse, others could leave, but I couldn't leave. I had to stay."

Jimmy: "After that, what made you come back so quickly?"

Gan Guoyang: "There are many reasons, not just one or two, but a combination of factors. However, the direct reason is... the President made a phone call to me."

Jimmy (with a curious expression): "It's the President again. Which president is it? President Clinton?"

Gan Guoyang (shaking his head): "Of course not, it's your President Donald."

(Applause and boos erupted simultaneously, but cheers quickly drowned out everything, making it extremely noisy.)

— An excerpt from Gan Guoyang's interview on "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon" in 2016.

"Dingling bell~"

"Dingling bell~"

A series of urgent, shrill phone calls shattered the silence of the courtyard. They echoed and wandered anxiously through the empty house, trying to pull the owner of the house to the phone and end the noise.

"Ding~"

Gan Guoyang picked up the cordless phone on the bedside table, pressed the answer button, and the noisy phone ringing downstairs finally stopped.

Just woken from his afternoon nap by the noise, he thought to himself that he absolutely had to change the phone ringtone to an electronic "beep beep beep," it was so noisy.

Whether it's due to his age or the aftereffects of the repeated setbacks during the finals, Gan Guoyang has started to take a nap.

He used to be able to fall asleep anytime, anywhere, but recently he has found it difficult. As soon as he closes his eyes, his mind is filled with chaotic thoughts and emotions.

Therefore, he reserved his daytime rest and energy replenishment time for noon, taking a nap after lunch, whether it was a long or short nap, to give himself a short rest.

This time he seemed to have slept a little longer and deeper. After hanging up the phone, he turned over, still with his eyes closed, and thought for two seconds about who he was, where he was, why he was here, and what time it was...

"This is Sonny Gan, a player for the Portland Trail Blazers. You disturbed my afternoon nap. If you don't have a very good reason, I'll consider beating you up. Please leave a message after the 'beep' sound. Good luck..."

The sound of the voicemail reminded Gan Guoyang who he was and that he was at home, taking a nap in his small room.

"Hey Sonny, it's Bobby. Are you home? I want to see you. I'll be waiting for you at the community college gym at 2 PM. If you're okay with that, call or page me, or just come to the gym! See you at the usual place!"

Gan Guoyang opened his eyes. It was a call from Behrman. He seemed to have a premonition that Behrman was calling him for something.

I got up and glanced at the card calendar on the bedside table. It was August 13, 1993, almost two months after the finals.

The impact and aftermath of the finals are greater and more profound than any previous one.

In just two months, the ripples haven't even subsided, so Bellman's visit this time must be related to this.

After putting on her shoes and going downstairs, she found the house empty. Wang Fuxi had taken her children and three elderly relatives back to China for a vacation and to visit relatives.

Gan Guoyang didn't go because if he did, the situation would change, and his family wouldn't have the time or space to relax properly.

So it's better for everyone if he stays in Portland as a "left-behind child" and enjoys some peace and quiet.

After going through so much, he needs a long, relaxing vacation to heal himself.

Quentin was watering the flowers in the yard. He liked tending to things in the flowerbed, which meant Gan Guoyang didn't have to hire a gardener.

"Quentin! Community College Gymnasium!"

"Are we training today?"

"No, I might need to say goodbye to someone."

August is the driest month in Portland, and sometimes it doesn't rain for an entire month.

The average temperature is around 21 degrees Celsius, making it comfortable and pleasant. It's similar to Los Angeles, with a typical Mediterranean climate.

The main difference is that Los Angeles is at a lower latitude, with summer temperatures around 23 degrees Celsius, making it more suitable for sunbathing on the beach in shirts and T-shirts, and swimming in the sea in bikinis.

Bobby Bellman, dressed in a pink and white Hawaiian shirt and wearing a straw hat with a large, colorful African macaw feather stuck in it, stood on the basketball court of the community college, dribbling the ball repeatedly.

Seeing that Gan Guoyang was late, Berman put down the ball in his hand, opened his arms and spun around.

"Sunny! How's my outfit? Can you guess where I'm going on my trip?"

"Los Angeles."

"Oh no, why Los Angeles? Although Los Angeles has nice sunny beaches, how can it compare to Hawaii!"

Bellman's appearance and voice were deliberately exaggerated. He had been like this since the finals, as if he had become a different person.

He had been trying to cover up the void in his heart with something, but it didn't seem very clever.

"Los Angeles, you're going to Los Angeles."

"Hey Sonny, I told you, I want to go to Hawaii..."

"It's not a trip, you're going to Los Angeles for work."

The two stared at each other in silence for a while, then Behrman took off his exaggerated straw hat.

The two found a place to sit down, and Behrman said with a wry smile, "I was still struggling with how to tell you, and you already knew. You're so all-knowing and all-powerful, Sonny."

“I was just guessing, but I called Jerry on the way here and he confirmed it. I knew you would be there someday when he was getting ready to go back to Los Angeles.”

In the 1990 season, Jerry West signed a four-year general manager contract with the Portland Trail Blazers. In the 1993 season, with four NBA championships under his belt, he decided to end his partnership with the Blazers and return to the Los Angeles Lakers.

Before the Finals ended, West was still unsure whether he wanted to stay in Portland.

After the finals, he knew he couldn't stay because everyone wanted to escape.

West wasn't a Trail Blazers legend after all; he came to Portland to prove himself.

He did it, and he did it so well: four championships in four seasons.

After returning to Portland from Croatia, he said goodbye to everyone and decided to end his partnership with the Trail Blazers.

No one blamed him. After the Trail Blazers officially announced the news in the media, Portland fans sent him their blessings and thanked West for his tremendous contributions over the past four years.

Jerry Buss immediately extended an olive branch to West, and West returned to Los Angeles, back to the familiar Lakers.

The Lakers need West to help them get back on track and prove he's an excellent general manager in Portland.

The only person who was unhappy with Jerry West was Jack Nicholson, who angrily criticized West for not bringing Forrest Gump to Los Angeles.

"This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!"

"Even Forrest Gump might not stay in the NBA, let alone come to Los Angeles, but I'll still give it a try."

Gan Guoyang signed a five-year, $25 million super contract with the Trail Blazers in the summer of 1988, which just expired.

After the 92-93 season, the league salary cap had risen to $1500 million, and teams were waving blank checks, willing to let Forrest fill in any price.

However, as of mid-August, Gan Guoyang still showed no intention of signing with any team.

Including the Portland Trail Blazers, he has never engaged in contract renewal negotiations with the team.

People are speculating whether Forrest Gump still wants to stay in the league and continue playing, and whether he will choose to retire this year.

Behrman lowered his head and remained silent for a long while before saying, "Sonny, I am a traitor."

Gan Guoyang shook his head and said, "No, it's just a job. I know Amy has always wanted to go to Los Angeles; it's warmer, more comfortable, and more livable there. You also need a change of scenery to start over. California is a good fit for you, isn't it?"

Behrman's face looked as if it were glued shut, and he responded to Gan Guoyang's understanding and tolerance with an unnatural smile.

“I thought you would yell at me, calling me a traitor, saying, ‘Bobby, you’re betraying us again!’ Then I would be surprised to tell you, ‘You’re being rude! What do you mean by betraying us? This is career planning!’”

Bellman, like an actor, played two roles, recreating their amusing conversations.

Gan Guoyang didn't laugh. He patted Berman's shoulder and said, "Bobby, we promised Pete and Reggie at their graves that we would stay on the court and play well. That's definitely your career plan, a great plan. You should go. Take Amy and Cindy with you to Los Angeles, settle down, become a better coach, and build a new championship team, right?"

Behrman hid his face with his straw hat, his shoulders heaving and trembling. This was the second time he had cried since the incident involving Lewis and Petrovich.

This was a good thing for him. Gan Guoyang put his arm around his shoulder, and the two of them sat there for a long time until some students came in to play ball.

When the two parted, Berman seemed much more normal. He took off his straw hat and said, "Sonny, I often wonder, can I still win the championship without you? This time, I want to prove whether I can or not."

Gan Guoyang laughed and said, "Good luck, Bobby. You're going to the Lakers. If you run into me in the playoffs, you're doomed."

The two laughed as they said goodbye. After 12 years of working together, the mentor and student parted ways and went their separate ways on their own basketball paths.

Bellman wasn't the first to leave, nor was West.

When they went to Croatia to see Petrović, one person simply didn't come back.

Sabonis stayed in Europe. His contract also expired this year, but he decided not to renew it with the Trail Blazers. He didn't want to switch to another NBA team, but decided to return to Europe to play.

His reasoning was simple: "Pete said he wanted to go back to Europe to play, but he can't do it now, and I want to help him do it."

Sabonis is also finding it difficult to recover from Petrovic's sudden passing, especially since they came to the Trail Blazers together as the original Eastern European trio.

After Divac was traded, the two became very close. Sabonis kept thinking about their conversation on the plane, and he couldn't stay with the Trail Blazers.

Of course, there are other reasons as well. For example, Sabonis has already won four championships and played second fiddle to Gan Guoyang for four years with the Trail Blazers. He wants to go back to Europe and experience being the boss.

The life of playing over 100 high-intensity games each season for four consecutive seasons was not kind enough for his increasingly fragile and aging body. He wanted to go back to Europe to recuperate his ankles and pelvis.

Sabonis had a weak and conservative side to his personality; he was not as sharp and fierce as Petrovich.

However, his decision is understandable. He returned to Lithuania from Croatia and then joined Real Madrid, the team Petrovic had previously played for.

He signed a three-year contract with Madrid, playing a maximum of 40 games per season in Europe, less than half of what he plays in the NBA.

Furthermore, the intensity and fatigue level will be much lower, and Sabonis will receive superstar and core status treatment in Madrid.

Although Petrovic had a very unpleasant falling out with Real Madrid, Real Madrid fans still commemorated him after his unexpected death and cheered enthusiastically for Sabonis' arrival.

Sabonis signed with Real Madrid yesterday and made a transoceanic call back to Portland to Gan Guoyang last night, saying, "I miss Pete so much."

In the increasingly commercialized and entertainment-star-driven NBA of the 90s, the Portland Trail Blazers were one of the few traditional teams that still felt like a family.

And this family is slowly falling apart.

Back home, Gan Guoyang chose to train himself to focus and stop his mind from wandering.

He sweated profusely on the Pyramid Stadium, completing the most basic tasks one after another.

They trained until dark, and by dinner time, Gan Guoyang was completely absorbed in the training.

Quentin arrived at the stadium and told him it was time to eat, only then did Gan Guoyang put down the ball and prepare to leave.

Quentin, with a stern face, told Gan Guoyang some bad news: "Sonny, uh... Michael Jordan's father is dead."

Gan Guoyang, who was organizing his sneakers, suddenly looked up. He now has a stress response to the word "death," and his hair stands on end.

"Who? Michael Jordan? James Jordan has been found?"

In July, Jordan's father lost contact with his family after playing golf in North Carolina.

His original plan was to go to Chicago to attend his son's All-Star baseball game, but James Jordan did not show up.

It wasn't until August, two weeks after they lost contact, that his family realized something was wrong, as James Jordan's company was also in a state of neglect.

No one was paying wages, no one was settling accounts, and employees were leaving or changing jobs one after another. Instead of going out alone or relaxing as usual, James Jordan disappeared.

Michael Jordan only arrived in North Carolina at this time. Gan Guoyang learned of the news through the media and asked his friend at the U.S. Department of Justice to assist in the investigation.

Gan Guoyang turned on the TV, and when the evening news came on, the media reported the news that James Jordan had been confirmed dead.

Police discovered a severely decomposed body in a swamp in McCormick, South Carolina on August 3, and were unable to identify it.

After the autopsy, the police kept basic records, including the fingerprints on the palm and the teeth on the jawbone. The remaining parts were cremated on August 7.

Because the police station did not have enough refrigeration equipment to store the body, they had no choice but to put it into the incinerator.

Fortunately, the remaining teeth were able to be used for DNA testing. After Jordan arrived, he underwent a blood test, which confirmed that the body was indeed that of his father, James Jordan.

"While confirming the body as that of James Jordan, police have identified two suspects who likely robbed Jordan's red Lexus and shot him dead. Police will be pursuing both suspects, and we will be closely monitoring this case..."

After reading the news, Gan Guoyang wondered if he should call Michael, but given the current situation, he felt he couldn't offer any comfort.

After more than a month of such incidents, Gan Guoyang was almost numb to it.

Wang Fuxi quickly made a transoceanic call to inquire about the situation and reported back to Gan Guoyang that he was safe.

“Dad is doing well. He’s very happy here. Our security is handled by the local government and it’s very well done, so you can rest assured.”

Wang Fuxi knew what Gan Guoyang was most worried about, so he would call back every day to report on the situation.

After the news broke, Gan Guoyang still stepped forward to comfort and support Jordan, and attended the funeral held in North Carolina on August 15.

Among all the guests at the funeral, Gan Guoyang was the most prominent, having spent the past month or so almost living with death.

In addition, there are Charles Barkley, as well as Jordan's teammate and agent, David Falk, among others.

Jordan took the stage to give a speech to the mourners, where he spoke of his father's qualities (selectively, of course), thanked his parents, and thanked them for their efforts in raising their children and encouraging him to set life goals.

"Don't dwell on his death, but bless the life he lived," Jordan said of his father.

On the same day that Jordan held his father's funeral, police arrested two suspects—Larry DeMori and Daniel Green—who shot and killed James Jordan while he was resting on the side of the road, moved and disposed of the body, and stole the red Lexus.

These two bumbling criminals not only flaunted their carjacking activities but also made several phone calls using the cell phones in the car, which ultimately led to their easy identification and arrest by the police.

The arrest of the suspects did not make Jordan feel any better, because no matter what, the dead cannot be brought back to life. Moreover, these two criminals were clearly the kind of robbers who acted on impulse and had no grudge against the victims. They just happened to run into them and decided to kill them for money.

It's like walking down the street and encountering a snake. You can pick up a rock and smash the snake to death, but in the end, you'll still die from the poison.

As for that snake, it's just a snake. It will bare its fangs when it encounters a living creature, and you can't even hold a grudge against it for long.

After the funeral, Gan Guoyang and Jordan said goodbye, and the two stood under a big tree in front of the Methodist Episcopal Church.

Jordan's eyes were red; the grief of his father's sudden death had left him dazed and confused, his eyes devoid of any sharpness or edge.

“I don’t know what’s been going on lately. Maybe I should sell my funeral company; my life is starting to revolve entirely around funerals,” Gan Guoyang said, trying to sound as relaxed as possible.

"Perhaps. You've sent too many people away on the field, and now it's finally affecting things off the field."

Both of them forced a smile. Gan Guoyang leaned against the tree trunk, noticing that many cameras were pointed at them.

"What are your plans? Are you really going to retire?" Jordan asked.

“I’m still considering it. A series of events have happened recently, and I’ve been wondering if God is giving me some guidance to make certain choices and changes. I still need to think about it.”

"You've won too many championships, it's time for you to take a break," Jordan joked.

"So, you want to win a championship without me?"

Jordan shook his head and said softly, "A championship won without beating you is meaningless..."

Gan Guoyang patted Jordan on the shoulder and said, "It still has meaning, great significance. I'm leaving, Michael, but life goes on. I'm leaving."

Gan Guoyang said goodbye to Jordan. As Jordan watched Gan Guoyang's departing figure, tears streamed down his face again, and he didn't know why.
-
In August, Bellman's departure from the Trail Blazers' coaching position triggered a series of chain reactions, with the entire team exploding one after another like firecrackers being lit.

Sabonis moved to Europe and signed with Real Madrid, followed by the resignation of the entire coaching staff including Adelman and Shalov, and the retirements of veterans Bernard King and Wayne Cooper. They no longer had the motivation or reason to stay in Portland.

Without a general manager and a coaching staff, the Trail Blazers have already lost half their brains.

Buckwolter had no choice but to return to his position as general manager and clean up the mess.

Buckwalt's top priority is to finalize a new contract with Forrest Gump to ensure their cornerstone doesn't retire.

But Buckwalt didn't have much to do besides wait. He called Gan Guoyang once a week to get a brief understanding and ask about the situation.

Dell Curry also faces contract renewal issues. Curry was originally the fourth option at guard for the Trail Blazers.

In the early years, there were Drexler, Porter, and Hornacek. After Drexler left, Petrovich came.

When Hornacek was traded, the Trail Blazers acquired Reggie Lewis, and Curry remained the backup option.

As a result, in the summer of '93, two guards were gone. Terry Porter suffered from injuries and his performance inevitably declined, while Curry had become the backbone of the team's backcourt.

Moreover, Dell Curry is Forrest Gump's good friend and loyal follower both on and off the court. Buckwalt offered him a $120 million annual contract in hopes of keeping Curry.

Keeping Curry is not only about preserving the existing strength, but also about hoping that this signing will inspire Forrest Gump to stay in the game.

As a result, Buckwalt, this old-school manager, misjudged the NBA free agency market in the 90s. He didn't realize that the NBA world was different now than it used to be.

A million-dollar annual salary is no longer a big deal for a contract, and teams are waving their checks around to sign talented players.

The Houston Rockets won the number one overall pick in the 1993 draft and acquired Chris Webber, the leader of the Michigan Fab Five. It is reported that they are prepared to offer Webber a super long and super big contract worth 15 years and $7500 million to retain this talented center.

The Rockets had a disastrous season after losing Hakeem Olajuwon, but they were rewarded in the draft.

This time, they decided to learn from their mistakes, prepare early, and secure the talent they had acquired.

Although Dell Curry is not a superstar with the same talent as Webber, he has been in the league for many years and won multiple championships with the Trail Blazers.

As the fourth point guard, he made crucial shots in many key games, but his talent was not fully realized in Portland.

The Charlotte Hornets, who were short of outside shooters, offered Dell Curry a five-year, $1000 million contract.

The price and duration of the contract were hard for Dell Curry to refuse, while the Trail Blazers' management was still in a state of chaos. Buckwalt couldn't understand how the Hornets could offer Curry a $1000 million contract.

By the time Buckwalt realized what was happening, Dell Curry had already signed the contract offered by the Hornets and released a statement thanking everyone for everything that happened in Portland.

On the day after signing the contract, Dell Curry took his son Stephen Curry to Gan Guoyang's home to say goodbye.

After learning that he was leaving Portland, Seth Curry was so angry that he cried and made a scene, refusing to leave Gan Guoyang's house.

Gan Wenshan has returned from China. He played with the Curry brothers in the children's room, patting little Curry on the shoulder and saying, "We will always be friends, no matter where you are."

Curry's mood improved slightly, and he stopped crying.

Dell Curry had a long talk with Gan Guoyang, hoping to gain Gan's understanding and permission.

Gan Guoyang remained magnanimous, saying, "I understand you. No one can refuse a $1000 million contract. Besides, Charlotte has a better education and a better environment for growth. Portland is not only rotting the Trail Blazers, but the entire city. This is a good choice."

As the 90s progressed, Portland's crime problem worsened, middle-class families were leaving the city, and gun ownership and homicide rates continued to rise.

As urban development sprawls out, abandoned slums begin to appear, and this once-shining pearl of the west is inevitably following the path of those old eastern cities.

“Thank you for your understanding, Sonny. The crime rate in Portland is getting higher and higher. My son has heard gunshots more than once. I…I’m really sorry.”

When they parted, Dell Curry hugged Gan Guoyang tightly and kept saying thank you.

Little Curry played all afternoon and fell asleep in his mother's arms, clutching the toy Gan Wenshan had given him tightly in his hand.

Two days later, Curry moved out of Portland to Charlotte to start a new basketball career—though he did not sell his property in Portland.

He promised Gan Guoyang that he would definitely come back if he had the chance.

After trading away Dell Curry, the Trail Blazers' championship roster is now missing another player.

Only Terry Porter and Jerome Cauchy remained by Gan Guoyang's side.

Porter isn't leaving, and Jerome Koch has nowhere to go even if he wanted to.

He just signed a big contract, but his performance has declined, and he can't even be traded.

In the 1993 NBA draft, the Trail Blazers selected a small guard, Nick Van Exel, from the University of Cincinnati.

This is the last legacy Jerry West left to the Trail Blazers before leaving Portland.

The Trail Blazers definitely need a smaller guard; their backcourt is going to be cleared out.

In the free agent market, the Trail Blazers signed Jaren Jackson Jr. and Chris Dudley to fill the gaps in the team's backcourt and the center position left by Sabonis' departure.

The Trail Blazers didn't have many options. Many well-known players were unwilling to come to Portland. They were either bullied too much in the past, or they knew in their hearts that they would be treated as substitutes and transitional products here, and that failing to win a championship would be a failure. Who would want to come?

The position of head coach is also undecided, and no one wants to take on this hot potato.

Some of the coaches who received invitations bluntly stated, "You haven't even finalized a contract with Forrest Gump, how can I be confident enough to coach in Portland?"

Whether Gan Guoyang will stay or not remains the top priority for the Trail Blazers.

In contrast, the Trail Blazers' former rivals were recruiting and making full preparations for the 1993-1994 season.

The Chicago Bulls made a major overhaul of their roster, letting go of Horace Grant and acquiring their former rival Dennis Rodman in free agency.

Bill Cartwright was waived, Australian center Luke Longley was traded to Chicago, Steve Kerr was signed for the backcourt, and Croatian prodigy Toni Kukoc finally agreed to play in the NBA, becoming a part of the Chicago Bulls.

After their Finals defeat, the Miami Heat continued to strengthen their roster. Pat Riley's flames of revenge were dampened by a series of cold rains, and he finally calmed down, taking a more peaceful approach to team building and the championship race.

The Heat signed John Salley, who did not re-sign with the Suns, to bolster their weak power forward position and provide more support for Hakeem Olajuwon.

Of course, more importantly, Drexler's form is crucial. With Hakeem Olajuwon as his partner, they remain strong contenders for the championship for the next three years.

The Phoenix Suns let John Salley go because they still wanted a true center, not a swingman at the four or five position.

They had someone who made their wish come true—Robert Parish.

After the 1992-1993 season, Kevin McHale officially retired, leaving only one of the former Boston frontcourt trio.

With the arrival of Divac, Parish's status on the Celtics team has gradually declined.

迪瓦茨在1992-1993赛季成长为场均12+10+3的优秀中锋。

Parish is already 39 years old, he is unlikely to be the future of the Celtics, and his final year contract is worth a whopping $400 million.

Therefore, the Celtics did not exercise his final year contract, allowing Parish to become a free agent.

Although Parish is 39 years old, he is still in good condition and his statistics are comparable to Divac's.

Moreover, his height will not shrink as he gets older. The Phoenix Suns, who have suffered from being "short," signed the 40-year-old veteran to a contract for the new season, hoping that he can bring height, defense, and championship experience to the Suns.

The Celtics' former frontcourt trio has completely disintegrated and disappeared, and the glory of the Boston Celtics in the 80s has vanished in the relentless passage of time.

The recruitment efforts of other strong teams have made the Trail Blazers look even more desperate, and citizens have begun to petition for Forrest Gump to stay.

September has arrived in the blink of an eye, and the rookie training camp and preseason training camp will soon begin, but Gan Guoyang's future remains unanswered.

At this point, the Trail Blazers finally decided on their head coach: PJ Carlesimo, a member of the 1992 Dream Team coaching staff and assistant to Bobby Bellman, took over the mess.

Prior to this, he had no experience coaching an NBA team, and only a newcomer like him could be so fearless and willing to take the blame.

Of course, PJ Carlesimo certainly has ambitions. At this moment, the Portland Trail Blazers are the focus of everyone's attention, and every move the new coach makes will be watched.

If Carlesimo can achieve some success in the new season, he could rise to prominence and become a well-known coach in the league.

By the end of September, the Trail Blazers made another important signing – they acquired former Oregon student, AC Green.

This is another assist from the Los Angeles Lakers. After Jerry West returned to the Lakers, he did not re-sign Green, whose contract had expired, making him a free agent.

After becoming a free agent, Green's first choice was naturally the Portland Trail Blazers. He is from Portland, Oregon, where he was born, grew up, and went to college.

After becoming an NBA player, the Lakers and the Trail Blazers were rivals for a long time, with both sides winning and losing. Green has always hoped to have the opportunity to return to Portland to play in the future.

The Trail Blazers are also very interested in him. First, Green is the power forward they need, and second, Green and Forrest Gump have a good relationship. Signing Green would increase the chances of Forrest Gump staying.

On September 28, 1993, the Trail Blazers officially signed AC Green. With Green's addition, the Trail Blazers' seemingly dilapidated roster became slightly more complete.

However, the signings of Carlesimo and Green have made American media pessimistic about Forrest Gump staying.

Because these two are not star coaches or star players; one is a complete rookie, and the other is most famous for his attitude towards sex.

From a championship perspective, neither of them is the type of player who can help the Trail Blazers maintain their championship competitiveness.

Especially Carlesimo, who has no NBA record, is ambitious, and is said to have a bad temper.

AC Green is a great piece of the championship puzzle, but the current Trail Blazers don't need puzzle pieces. Their skeleton and flesh have been stripped away, leaving only a spine.

Following the signing of this agreement, The Oregonian published an article expressing pessimism:
"The Trail Blazers did some things amidst the chaos, and we understand their difficulties; they suffered a devastating blow. But we must say, this series of moves only deserves a C grade. If Forrest Gump doesn't stay and chooses to retire, or simply goes to another team, this grade will only be a D. They can't even bring in an All-Star caliber supporting player, but thinking about it, who would want to come?"

Throughout the summer, Portland was immersed in a mood of sadness and helplessness; they didn't even hold a championship parade to celebrate their fourth consecutive title.

Sports Illustrated even speculated that when the Portland Trail Blazers couldn't assemble a championship-contending roster, Forrest Gump had no reason to continue, because for him, not winning a championship meant failure.

If he chooses to retire this summer, no one will blame him. It is fate that deprived them of the opportunity to continue competing for the championship, which is not something that can be controlled by human power.

In short, all sorts of speculations are rampant, and rumors are increasing. Some people have even said that the deaths of Petrovich and Lewis were a warning from some powerful force.

If Forrest Gump continues to stay with the Trail Blazers to pursue a championship, his fate will be the same as Petrovic and Lewis—he will be physically eliminated.

Or like Michael Jackson, who endured all sorts of attacks from the outside world throughout the summer.

After the summer of 1993, Michael Jackson was burdened with a lot of inexplicable labels, as if a cunning boxer was constantly throwing punches at him.

The only good news for Jackson was that none of those punches were solid, heavy blows; the bad news was that they were relentless and annoying.

Just as summer was slipping away and autumn was about to quietly arrive on October 1st, an exciting piece of news suddenly appeared in the media.

The Oregonian ran a short but eye-catching headline: "Forrest Gump decides to stay with the Trail Blazers for the 1993-1994 season."

The whole of Portland, and even the whole of Oregon, was in an uproar. The fans who had been holding their breath finally breathed a sigh of relief. Forrest Gump had not given up on them, had not given up on Portland!

Soon after, Gan Guoyang and the Trail Blazers management held a press conference at the Rose Garden to announce the relevant situation, contract details, and public questions.

The contract amount and duration were made public. Gan Guoyang signed a two-year contract worth $2000 million with the Trail Blazers—his annual salary reached a record-breaking ten million, making him the first player in NBA history to reach a ten million annual salary.

NBA player salaries have continued to rise over time, and in the 50s, Bill Russell and Wilt Chamberlain became the first players to earn $10 a year.

By the 1979-1980 season, after more than 20 years of development, Moses Malone and Bill Walton's annual salaries exceeded one million for the first time, marking a leap forward for the NBA market.

Gan Guoyang was the first player to break the 500 million mark in annual salary, and now he has become the first player to break the 1000 million mark in annual salary, which is entirely justified given his achievements.

However, people are more concerned about why the contract is only for two years, and why Forrest Gump only announced the signing in October, instead of earlier.

Gan Guoyang explained, “Before October, I was considering whether to stay or not. There were two reasons. First, as everyone knows, we fell apart. Death and separation are sad, and it takes courage to stay and continue playing. Second, it was related to my family situation. I had to consider my father's health. I spent the entire month of September dealing with my father's health, consulting many doctors, living with him every day, and understanding his feelings and condition. Once the season starts, I will have to travel back and forth between different cities for training and matches, which will definitely reduce the time I can spend with him. I have been weighing the pros and cons, hoping to find a balance that allows me to take care of both my family and career.”

"In the end, my family supported my decision to continue playing, and I really couldn't bear to leave the court and the fans in Portland. I couldn't just watch the team decline, watch us lose, and watch everyone get frustrated. So after careful consideration, I decided to stay in the NBA and play in Portland. The reason I signed a two-year contract was also because of my family situation. If my father needs me more, I might have to leave the court. So a short contract is more suitable for me, that's all."

After Gan Youwei returned from China, Gan Guoyang took him to see a doctor and receive interventional treatment as soon as possible, hoping to slow down the progression of the disease.

The United States has the most advanced medical technology, but there is still no cure for Alzheimer's disease. The most effective advice given by experts is to spend more time with patients, talk to them more, and keep their brains active.

Alzheimer's disease is a cruel disease that, while keeping your loved ones alive, can make them forget you.

It's often said that death isn't the real departure, but being forgotten. Watching yourself being forgotten is no easier than death itself. The passing of Jordan's father particularly affected Gan Guoyang; at least Jordan had his mother and siblings, while Gan Guoyang only had his father left.

He cannot accept being forgotten by his father, so he is doing his best to receive treatment and balance the relationship between the competition and life.

However, Gan Youwei's case is early-stage Alzheimer's disease. With active intervention and treatment, and effective companionship, the progression of the disease can be slowed down and his quality of life improved.

The two spent the longest period of time together in 12 years in September. Gan Youwei was getting annoyed with Gan Guoyang staying at home all day.

He kept urging Gan Guoyang to train and play, saying, "Only if you keep playing will I keep remembering you! Do you know that? I can only remember what you looked like when you played. I can't even remember what you were like before you started playing."

Gan Youwei's words became the final piece of the puzzle for Gan Guoyang to continue fighting, and he finally decided to stay.

Of course, making the decision to stay is easy; the real difficulty lies in how to deal with the challenges faced by the Trail Blazers after staying.
In particular, they went from a four-time champion super team to a completely overhauled team overnight, with their strength on paper greatly reduced and the management and coaching staff all replaced.

With other strong teams in the league eyeing them covetously and all of them increasing their strength, the Trail Blazers are facing both internal and external troubles, and there are quite a few people who want to see the Trail Blazers fall.

After deciding to stay, Gan Guoyang participated in the Trail Blazers' rookie training camp in mid-October.

Last season, Gan Guoyang only stayed for three days before quitting, but this time he has to participate, as do veterans Porter and Kexi.

The training camp was held at Willamette University's training facility, marking the first time the Trail Blazers players had reunited there for training since Game 3 of the Finals.

The past was still vivid in their minds, but by this time, Gan Guoyang and the remaining Potter and Cauchy were able to face this reality with equanimity.

These three players were the longest-staying players with the Trail Blazers, forming the team's last iron triangle and a massive legacy left by the seven-time champions.

At the rookie training camp, Gan Guoyang met PJ Carlesimo for the first time. Carlesimo even tried to take control of the situation and make Gan follow his orders during his first training session.

The following day, Carlesimo was warned by management not to interfere with any of Forrest Gump's ideas or training methods, or he would be immediately removed from the Trail Blazers.

Carlesimo had no choice but to put aside his ambitions, which were not commensurate with his abilities. He soon discovered that many of his ideas could not be implemented in the Pioneers.

He was trying to build a completely new offensive system around Forrest Gump to maximize his abilities, which was also a way of currying favor with Forrest Gump.

However, Gan Guoyang did not buy it. He believed that if you want to build an offensive system, the former Princeton was the best, and it has been deeply rooted in people's hearts.

The Trail Blazers could develop a suitable passing and cutting system based on the Princeton offense and bring in new players.

Furthermore, Gan Guoyang was dissatisfied with Carlesimo's lack of defensive prowess, especially compared to Bobby Berman's detailed defensive strategies, where Carlesimo lacked defensive talent.

Many times, Gan Guoyang has to act like a defensive assistant coach, integrating the whole team and directing the defense—the problem is, Gan Guoyang is destined not to be able to put all his energy into the game this season.

When the rookie training camp ended, Gan Guoyang was disappointed with the team's situation, but everything was as expected. This batch of rookies was also the "worst batch" he had anticipated.

What made him happiest was the arrival of AC Green. The two quickly became inseparable, training together and taking their families on trips around Portland.

Gan Guoyang began to spend more time with his family. In the past, he had devoted all his time to training. For the first time, he felt relaxed, but also a little empty.

When the preseason training camp began, some of the Trail Blazers' problems were resolved, and Carlesimo tried to understand the Princeton offense and develop tactical arrangements around it.

On the defensive end, Carlesimo can only offer strong support in terms of attitude; he can't really offer much in terms of skills and tactics. The Trail Blazers are relying on Forrest Gump to build up their defensive strength.

In November 1993, the new NBA season officially began, and Carlesimo did not finalize the starting lineup until the day before the regular season started.

And throughout the rest of the season, Carlesimo experimented with different lineups to find what he considered the most suitable starting lineup.

However, the veteran players don't approve of Carlesimo's frequent roster changes, which they see as completely unnecessary; the Trail Blazers need stability.

Before the season was even halfway through, Gan Guoyang complained to the management, "If you weren't so desperate for a coach, I would suggest sending this guy who's just here for practice back to high school as soon as possible."

"Also, if it weren't for the current rule that players can also be coaches, you might as well just hand over the coaching job to me! I should have been getting double pay long ago."

Buckwalt could only helplessly comfort Gan Guoyang: "I'm sorry, Sonny, our capabilities are really limited..."

Buckwalt wasn't just being polite; he was telling the truth. For the Trail Blazers, the player losses are obvious, but the losses to the coaching staff and management are intangible.

The obvious losses can be gradually made up for through signing new players, the draft, and the return of Agan.

The lack of coaching staff, especially in management and logistics, is difficult to make up for in a short period of time.

Not only did Bellman, Shalov, and others follow Jerry West to the Lakers, but a group of management and support staff also went to Los Angeles.

In addition, the Heat have been relentlessly poaching players from the Trail Blazers for years, with players like Calp, Spoelstra, and Inman all going to Miami, leaving the Trail Blazers truly depleted.

Not long after the start of the new season, Gan Guoyang felt out of place everywhere. The trainers lacked professionalism during training, and there were frequent problems with his luggage when playing away games.

All of these factors have increased the difficulty of the season.

Meanwhile, both Porter and Cauchy have experienced significant declines.

Porter degenerated from a near All-Star caliber guard to a regular starting point guard.

Cosimo's scoring average dropped to single digits, and he quickly fell out of Carlesimo's starting lineup.

Mario Elie has secured his starting small forward position.

In the first 10 games of the season, the Trail Blazers only managed a record of 4 wins and 6 losses.

This marked Gan Guoyang's worst start since joining the Trail Blazers in the 1984-1985 season.

The situation was even worse than when the team suddenly lost Drexler and Jack Ramsey in the 1988-1989 season.

Worst of all, Gan Guoyang found that his performance on the court was declining because he was unable to concentrate fully on the court.

After playing in the 1993 season and losing enough games, Gan Guoyang had to admit: "I've fucking degenerated into Jordan."

Jordan would definitely be very unhappy to hear this, because the Chicago Bulls were hitting an unprecedented peak.

Having acquired Dennis Rodman and Toni Kukoc, they achieved a record of 14 wins and 1 loss in their first 15 games of the season.

After entering 1994, they were even more unstoppable, and Jordan ushered in the best season of his career.

His father's death, the collapse of the Trail Blazers, the Game 7 loss in the 1993 Eastern Conference Finals, and the completely new team roster in 1994—all the good and bad things became the driving force for his rise.

At the end of the regular season, the Chicago Bulls finished first in the standings with a record of 67 wins and 15 losses.

In comparison, the once undisputed champions, the Trail Blazers, only managed a record of 51 wins and 31 losses, marking Gan Guoyang's worst regular season performance.

Even so, the Trail Blazers still made it into the playoffs as the fifth seed in the Western Conference, continuing to be the most feared team.

Gan Guoyang continues to carry the team in Portland with an average of 32.5 points, 14 rebounds, 3 blocks, and 9 assists per game.

However, the MVP of that year was destined to be Michael Jordan, and no one could compare to him. Jordan also won the two Gan-Jordan battles for the first time in history.

Entering the brutal playoffs, the Western Conference players were surprised to find that the playoffs still belonged to the Trail Blazers.

In the first round, the Seattle SuperSonics, who won 63 games in the regular season, unexpectedly lost 2-3 to the Denver Nuggets, suffering a shock defeat in the eighth round.

The Nuggets, who failed to pull off an eighth-seeded upset last year, succeeded this season, creating a miracle.

The photo of Mutombo lying on the ground holding a basketball and yelling after Game 5 has become a permanent source of pain for Seattle fans.

The SuperSonics suffered an unexpected defeat, while the Jazz were predictably upset by the Trail Blazers 3-1 in the first round.

Gan Guoyang remained as ruthless as ever in the playoffs, showing no mercy to his friends and old rivals, and crushing the Jazz.

Meanwhile, with the SuperSonics eliminated in the first round, the Trail Blazers will only face the Denver Nuggets, who are not as strong, in the second round.

Gan Guoyang once again displayed his prowess, leading his team to a 4-2 victory over the Nuggets, marking his tenth consecutive year reaching the Western Conference Finals!
The undisputed king of the Western Conference Finals, touching the Western Conference Finals floor year after year, is simply a nightmare for Western Conference fans.

In this Western Conference Finals, the Trail Blazers once again faced the Phoenix Suns, and Charles Barkley once again encountered his destined nemesis.

Having learned from the lessons of 1993, Barkley and Westphal were unwilling to make the same mistakes again. Coupled with the Trail Blazers' overall decline in strength, they had their best chance to win.

In the first two games, the Suns took a 2-0 lead at home. After losing the third game, they conquered the Rose Garden Arena in the fourth game.

The Suns attempted to secure a home victory in Game 5, but were ultimately defeated by a three-pointer from Mario Elie, forcing the game back to Portland.

The tension within the Suns reached its peak in Game 6. They didn't want a Game 7, because if it went to a seventh game, the outcome would be unpredictable.

However, the Trail Blazers couldn't hold on any longer. Terry Porter was injured again, and Gan Guoyang was exhausted. They lost to the Suns by 20 points in the Rose Garden.

Barkley finally overcame the formidable obstacles of Forrest Gump and the Trail Blazers to reach the NBA Finals. After winning the Western Conference championship, Barkley roared in triumph, releasing years of pent-up frustration.

After the game, Barkley said, "At this moment, I can die without regrets."

After shedding his identity as an opponent, Barkley expressed his gratitude to Gan Guoyang.

"Thank you, Forrest Gump. Because of him, I have become a better version of myself. I love him, really, I love him."

At the end of the series, Barkley also gave Gan Guoyang a gift—a white jade carving of Gan Guoyang's head.

According to Barkley himself, he commissioned a jade carving master in New York to make it from very fine white jade, and it is quite valuable.

When Gan Guoyang received this gift, he really wanted to tell Barkley, "You've been fucking scammed."

The pricing of jade is nowhere near as transparent as that of gold; there are far too many shady dealings involved.

And most importantly, the thing he sculpted doesn't look like it at all!

Gan Guoyang held the portrait and looked at it for a long time, but he couldn't feel that it looked much like himself.

But there was nothing he could do; it was Barkley's way of showing his affection, and he could only accept it with tears in his eyes, without revealing his true feelings.

After that, Barkley faced Jordan and the Chicago Bulls in the Finals, who avenged their loss to the Heat with a 4-1 victory, leading to a fierce battle between the two sides.

While the Suns are undoubtedly strong, having defeated the Trail Blazers and Forrest Gump in the Western Conference Finals, it's clear to everyone that this Trail Blazers team is incredibly weak, even weaker than the 1989 team.

The 1994 Chicago Bulls were arguably one of the strongest teams in NBA history, rivaled only by a prime Forrest Gump and a prime Portland Trail Blazers team.

Moreover, Jordan's desire for a championship had reached a fever pitch; he couldn't wait a second longer, not even a moment.

In a highly anticipated but ultimately predictable Finals series, the Chicago Bulls defeated the Phoenix Suns 4-1 to claim their long-awaited championship!
After winning the championship, Jordan held the Larry O'Brien Trophy and cried in the locker room.

He fought for 10 years to win this gold cup, but his father will never see it.

Gan Guoyang went to Phoenix to witness Jordan's championship win.

This time, Jordan could finally hold up his cigar and championship trophy and show off to Gan Guoyang.

However, when the opportunity actually came, Jordan didn't want to do the things he had imagined countless times.

He just wanted to share the joy of winning the championship with his best friend; they were rivals, but also friends.

Like Barkley, Jordan also believes that Gan Guoyang helped him become a better, better version of himself.

After the celebration in the locker room ended, he shouted "Sonny," only to find that Gan Guoyang had already quietly left and returned to the hotel.

The 1994 season thus came to an end.

Some people finally reach the peak, some are still just a hair's breadth away, and some are about to fade away completely.

This kind of thing happens every year in the NBA.

After the season ended, the Pistons' two core players, Isaiah Thomas and Bill Laimbeer, both announced their retirement.

Unlike other players whose retirements evoked sadness throughout the league, Thomas's retirement, especially Laimbeer's, was met with applause and cheers.

This villain, the Dark Prince, the Axe-wielder who has dominated the NBA schedule for 10 years, is finally leaving the court.

Some players even used this as an excuse to throw parties at home, inviting friends to celebrate the departure of this jinx.

The summer of 1994 was just as exciting, with the biggest deal coming from the Seattle SuperSonics, who had suffered a shocking eighth-round upset, as management finally lost patience.

The team's weakness in rebounding and its inability to cope with tall centers led the SuperSonics to make the painful decision to bring in a strong enough center.

On the other side, in the East, Patrick Ewing watched as Hakeem Olajuwon reached the Eastern Conference Finals again and Michael Jordan won the championship, while he himself had gone years in New York without a single title.

Coupled with his constant alienation from the city of New York, Ewing requested a trade from the team, hoping to be sent to a Western Conference team with championship potential.

So, in July 1994, shortly after the trade market opened, the SuperSonics traded Shawn Kemp and Glen Rice to the New York Knicks in exchange for Patrick Ewing.

The league landscape has been shaken once again by the movement of these dominant centers, and the SuperSonics have suddenly become strong contenders for the Western Conference championship.

Meanwhile, after tanking through the 1993-1994 season, the Los Angeles Lakers successfully acquired the second overall pick in 1994.

When the Bucks drafted Glenn Robinson, Jerry West didn't hesitate to acquire Jason Kidd, preparing to reignite the Lakers' Showtime era.

West has been eyeing Kidd for a long time. Los Angeles needs a second Magic Johnson, as for a second Kareem Abdul-Jabbar?

The Lakers continue their relentless pursuit of Gan Guoyang. This summer, Gan Guoyang holds a player option, which allows him to opt out of his contract and become a free agent, joining the Lakers.

This was Jerry West's perfect plan, so perfect that all that was missing was Forrest nodding in agreement on the phone, saying he was willing to leave the Trail Blazers.

He owes Portland nothing anymore; he can leave at any time.

But Gan Guoyang did not; he continued to serve the terms of his contract for the 1994-1995 season and played for the Trail Blazers.

Meanwhile, the Trail Blazers are still licking their wounds, reorganizing their coaching staff, management, and support departments.

Spoelstra's son left college and played professional basketball in Germany for a year before his father recruited him to work for the Heat.

But Spoelstra refused. He eventually joined the Trail Blazers as a video analyst and became a member of the coaching staff.

Meanwhile, PJ Carlesimo's assistant coaching staff has been expanded to include Rick Carlisle from Boston.

In the draft, the Trail Blazers acquired shooting guard Aaron McGee, a player with considerable potential.

In short, the Trail Blazers are gradually emerging from their past devastation.

However, on December 21, 1994, on the eve of Christmas, Portland fans still encountered something they didn't want to happen.

Gan Guoyang suddenly held a press conference, stating that he had to leave his beloved basketball court due to family reasons.

At this time, the Trail Blazers had a record of 16 wins and 5 losses, ranking first in the Western Conference, and were in very good form.

Just when people were expecting Forrest Gump to lead the Trail Blazers to a resurgence like in 1990, his retirement announcement came out of nowhere.

However, Gan Guoyang had warned people a year ago that he might leave at any time due to family reasons.

Gan Youwei suffered a stroke. At the time, Gan Guoyang was playing an away game and returned to Portland immediately after receiving the news.

The condition is not serious. The doctor said it was caused by a combination of factors, including overwork in his early years, poor living conditions, inhalation of large amounts of cooking fumes, and the damp and cold weather in Portland.

Gan Youwei was already in his thirties when he had Gan Guoyang. Now he is over 60. He suffered a lot when he was young, and as he got older, all sorts of health problems started to appear.

Although Gan Youwei kept saying he was fine, Gan Guoyang decided to retire after discussing it with his family and move to the dry, warm California.

Like a stone thrown into a still pond, Gan Guoyang's departure came later than expected, but it did come nonetheless.

His father's health was the main reason, but in private conversations with his wife, Gan Guoyang also mentioned that he felt he lacked motivation.

In the past, he would never have lost Game 6 of the 1994 Western Conference Finals; he would have scored 60 points and won to force a Game 7.

"But during the game that day, I thought, it's good to lose the series in Portland, so I can go home right after I shower and spend time with you, with Dad and the kids..."

He still often thinks of Petrovic and Reggie Lewis, wondering what the Trail Blazers would be like if they were still there.

I wonder if, if they were still around, the Trail Blazers could have made it to the Finals and defeated Jordan and the current Chicago Bulls.

The two eventually left, taking with them a part of Gan Guoyang's hope for the future and his passion for basketball.

After deciding to retire, Gan Guoyang and his family moved back to California, to the warm and pleasant city of San Francisco.

This time it was Gan Wenshan's turn to cry and make a scene. He didn't want to leave Portland, and he didn't want to leave his friends in Portland.

On the day he left, Thompson's son and Love's son came to see him off, and they promised to keep in touch and play basketball together.

Gan Guoyang did not live directly in downtown San Francisco, but instead settled in Palo Alto in the south, making it convenient for his children to attend school in the future.

The suitable climate and environment here are very beneficial to the health of the elderly, and Gan Guoyang's mind was temporarily at ease.

Forrest Gump's retirement naturally delighted the SuperSonics and Ewing, who finally had the chance to break out of the West.

In the East, Jordan, who had led his team for many years, fell ill not long after Forrest Gump retired.

He suffered another major injury since the 1986 season, with inflammation appearing in his knee.

Although he wasn't out for the rest of the season, the Bulls, out of caution, rested Jordan, causing him to miss half the season.

In the long run, the Bulls were right to let Jordan rest; his attendance was truly staggering.

However, at the time, the Bulls lost a lot of form and results as a result, which led to them being overtaken by the Miami Heat, who were in better form, in the subsequent competition.

At the end of the regular season, the Heat once again secured the top seed in the Eastern Conference, and in the playoffs, they faced off against the Bulls, who had just returned from injury, in the Eastern Conference Finals for the third consecutive year.

The Heat emerged victorious once again, defeating a struggling Jordan 4-2 – a year in which Hakeem Olajuwon and Clyde Drexler reached their final peaks.

Hakeem Olajuwon won two major awards: the regular season MVP and the Defensive Player of the Year. He also led his team to defeat the Bulls for the second time and advance to the NBA Finals. Their opponents were Patrick Ewing and the Seattle SuperSonics, who had eliminated the Suns to reach the Finals.

The match between Hakeem Olajuwon and Patrick Ewing, often referred to as a substitute for "Gan vs. Joe," saw the two teams battle it out in a seven-game series in the Finals.

In the end, Hakeem Olajuwon prevailed, blocking the SuperSonics' shots in the final moments of Game 7 and leading his team to a narrow victory at home, winning the 1995 championship.

The 1984 number one draft pick finally achieved his dream, and at the moment he won the championship, he and Drexler hugged each other tightly.

Pat Riley sat on the sidelines, covering his face. He tried his best to control his emotions, and finally touched his smooth hair before standing up and going back to the locker room alone.

His long road to revenge and victory has finally yielded a fairly good result.

Gan Guoyang retired, Jordan was plagued by injuries, and this was Hakeem Olajuwon's year. He became the second player after Gan Guoyang to win the MVP, Defensive Player of the Year, and Finals MVP awards in a single season.

By the 1995-1996 season, Gan Guoyang showed no signs of making a comeback.

At this time, he held two main positions:
First, he became the honorary abbot of a temple in the San Jose Asian community, where he would visit once a month, recite a few sutras, and strike the wooden fish a few times.

Back when Gan Guoyang was in high school, he came to San Jose to play a game and met the host there once because he was taking shelter from the rain.

As a result, after the old abbot passed away in 1985, he sent his disciples to Portland to invite Gan Guoyang to become the abbot of the temple, and it was determined that no one else would do.

Of course, Gan Guoyang couldn't agree, and after refusing, seven or eight years passed in the blink of an eye.

Upon returning to San Jose, Gan Guoyang suddenly remembered this incident and went to the temple to take a look.

It was discovered that the temple had never had an abbot, and his poster had been hanging in the abbot's room all along.

I only found out after following him that the temple had already made him its honorary abbot and was using him as part of its promotional project.

They also raised a considerable amount of money to repair the temple and surrounding public facilities.

While Gan Guoyang remained silent, he felt that this might be a consequence of his actions, and perhaps he should accept the position.

This is to help him pass on, or rather, to let go of the pain that death brought him, so that he can truly accept a new life.

So he agreed and actually became the abbot of the temple. Soon, people flocked to the temple to burn incense and worship, and the small temple became very popular.

Second, Tang Jianguo hired him as the team's top consultant, giving him a high salary and the ability to provide guidance to the management, coaching staff, and scouting team on any tasks.

At the 1995 NBA draft, the Portland Trail Blazers held the 9th pick, and Gan Guoyang personally attended the event.

He looked at the list of candidates and, without referring to any data analysis or scouting reports, called out Rasheed Wallace's name.

However, Wallace was picked fourth overall by the Washington Bullets.

Then, Gan Guoyang pointed to Kevin Garnett's name.

Unfortunately, Garnett was drafted fifth overall by the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Buckwalt then said to Gan Guoyang, "Sonny, none of these people will get a choice! They've already been chosen!"

"I know, I just feel that they will be very powerful in the future."

"How awesome?"

"Me when I was approaching university."

"That's pretty impressive."

As the Trail Blazers were nearing their draft pick, Gan Guoyang pointed to Michael Finley's name.

Buckwalt asked, "Are you sure? Him? A skinny defender? Another defender?"

Gan Guoyang said, "It's him. When choosing people, don't look at their position, look at their talent."

"We didn't even give him a trial."

"His name is Michael, isn't that talented enough? Are you even listening to me?"

With no other option, Buckwalt had to choose Michael Finley, knowing that Tang Jianguo was trying to appease Agan and keep him from losing contact with the team.

He can choose whomever he wants. Once he selects his favorite player, he might feel a surge of excitement and want to make a comeback. That's Tang's real goal.

However, one Michael Finley was not enough to bring Gan Guoyang back to the game. He was indeed longing to return, and watching his former defeated opponents dominate the game for a whole year had been incredibly painful for him.

But he couldn't find that spark within himself, that moment that would make him willing to return to the passionate life of basketball.

In the 1995-1996 season, Michael Jordan, having had ample rest and recovered from injury, and the Bulls once again dominated the court.

In a league without Forrest Gump, Jordan proved he was number one, the strongest, and they were better than in the 1993-1994 season.

They dominated the regular season with a record of 72 wins and 10 losses, staging a triumphant return.

Upon his return, neither the Heat nor Hakeem Olajuwon could stop Jordan, and the Bulls swept all the way to the Finals.

The SuperSonics made it to the NBA Finals for the second year in a row, with Gary Payton delivering the second-best defensive performance against Jordan in history, and Ewing giving the Bulls plenty of trouble.

But the Bulls still defeated the SuperSonics 4-2, returning to the top of the world, and Jordan won his second championship.

Compared to the 94 championship, the 1996 Bulls championship was pure joy, without much sadness or anything to vent.

Watching Jordan's arrogance after winning the championship on TV, Gan Guoyang felt an urge to go back, but it wasn't enough.

After the finals, Gan Guoyang once again became the team representative to participate in the draft in 1996.

However, they didn't have any draft picks that year, as they had already been traded in earlier player deals.

But as everyone knows, this year the league was full of rising stars, and was hailed as the most talented rookie class since 1984.

To that end, Buckwalt traded Antonio Davis and Mario Allie to the Indiana Pacers for the 10th pick.

The Pacers' current head coach is none other than Rick Adelman, who is leading the team step by step into the playoffs.

They need ready-to-play players, not rookies.

The Trail Blazers have their sights set on a high school player, Jermaine O'Neal from South Carolina.

“He’s a lot like you, very much like you. We want to acquire him and train him properly. Are you interested in mentoring him?” Buckwalt said.

Looking at Jermaine O'Neal's profile and watching his game videos, Gan Guoyang was somewhat tempted; he knew this was a promising talent.

But he still pointed to another name on the list: Kobe Bryant from Philadelphia.

"Another guard? We already have Finley! And you drafted Finley too! We need an inside player."

Finley had a good rookie season, averaging 15 points per game, and is expected to be a star player in the future.

"Then let's trade Finley and get a draft pick in return."

"..."

"Are you sure?"

You should give it a try.

Buckwalt consulted Tang Jianguo, who instructed Buckwalt to comply.

So Buckwalt had to call them one by one, and the Dallas Mavericks, who had the 9th pick, were willing to make a trade.

The Mavericks' general manager this season is Don Nelson, who has shown great interest in Finley.

Therefore, before the draft, the Trail Blazers and Mavericks reached a trade, with the Trail Blazers sending Finley to the Mavericks in exchange for the Mavericks' 9th pick.

In the 1996 NBA draft, the Trail Blazers suddenly had two consecutive picks, the 9th and 10th.

At that time, people did not realize what this really meant.

On draft day, the Trail Blazers used the 9th pick to select high school player Kobe Bryant.

The selection of high school player Jermaine O'Neal with the 10th pick caused an uproar.

The Trail Blazers surprisingly used two consecutive picks to select two high school players who were controversial at the time.

It's unbelievable. The Trail Blazers have gone crazy in their rebuilding efforts. Will Forrest Gump ever come back?

Sports Illustrated commented again, "The Trail Blazers' two unexpected choices mean they no longer have any hope for Forrest Gump's return."

Gan Guoyang, as the driving force behind the draft, made a special trip to Portland after the draft to treat Kobe and Jermaine O'Neal to a meal.

Kobe and Gan Guoyang are old acquaintances. They have met more than once. Kobe was present to watch the 1993 NBA Finals and cheered wildly when the Trail Blazers won the championship.

Jermaine O'Neal was relatively unknown until the draft, and he was quite nervous about being selected by the Trail Blazers. He was also flattered when Forrest invited him to dinner.

You can tell from their clothes: Kobe was dressed casually in sportswear, while Jermaine O'Neal specifically chose a formal suit.

At the dinner table, Kobe and Gan Guoyang chatted and laughed, and he was very happy to be in Portland.

O'Neal was mostly silent, answering only when asked a question.

When asked about their future plans, Kobe said, "I want to surpass you and become the greatest of all time!"

O'Neal said, "I...I'll focus on surviving in the league first..."

Looking at the two young men, the images of Petrovich and Lewis involuntarily popped into Gan Guoyang's mind.

So, will you eventually come back in this way?
His urge to make a comeback was growing stronger, but he was still just a little short of it.

One day in July, Gan Guoyang suddenly received a call from Tang Jianguo, who said, "Sonny! I need you to come back to Portland! I have something important to discuss with you!"

"What, you finally want to sell the team?"

"Oh no, no! I will never, ever sell the Trail Blazers! Nobody knows the Trail Blazers better than me. But we need a new coach for the new season! I've already fired PJ Carlesimo! Now I have a target, he's interested in being the head coach, but you'd better come back, that's one of the conditions!"

"Who?"

"Larry! Larry Bird!"

Gan Guoyang remained silent for a while. He closed his eyes and felt an irresistible impulse rising from the depths of his heart.

He wanted to go back, to return to the place he longed for, to be with elite players and coaches, and to enjoy the joy of basketball.

"Sonny? Are you still there, Sonny?"

"I'm here. Okay, go ahead and release the press release. I'm about to come back."

"How are you going to explain this? How are you going to say you're planning to come back?"

“There’s not much to say, just say, ‘I’m back.’”

(End of this chapter)