Basketball miracles

Chapter 56 [The Real Boss]

Xiao Tu opened four bronze treasure chests in succession, and the rewards were Intermediate Physical Fitness Training Aura, Intermediate Basketball Training Aura, Superior Lychee, and Superior Cherry.

Cherries are a great food; they nourish blood and improve complexion, protect eyesight, improve sleep, reduce inflammation and pain, and protect the heart.

Xiao Tu's only regret is that this fruit does not have the effect of relieving fatigue.

The treasure chest contained quite a lot of fruit, so Xiao Tu decided to try something different first and skip the lychees.

Xiao Tu took out the special-effect shower gel and gave it to Madonna, explaining its effects, but she hadn't used it yet. She only uses designer brands; she doesn't care for ordinary brands.

Xiao Tu's shower gel doesn't have a brand name; it just comes in a copper-colored metal bottle that looks very high-tech.

He didn't tell Madonna directly that it was cutting-edge technology, wanting her to discover it for herself. He knew she might not believe him if he told her directly, and he also couldn't easily explain where it came from.

There was nothing he could do but say, "I have a friend."

On December 3, the Lakers will face the Knicks on the road.

The Knicks have had a poor season, barely making the playoffs. The outcome of the game was naturally a foregone conclusion, but Xiao Tu still made the news before the game.

Because he flew to New York with Madonna, who, for convenience, even boarded the Lakers' private jet.

Madonna also owns property in New York, and she wants to take Xiao Tu to see it. She frequently travels between New York and Los Angeles for work, and used to spend more time in New York.

Los Angeles media reported that Xiao Tu's situation reveals his privileged status within the Lakers, suggesting he enjoys certain special privileges. He is a star player the Lakers will have to re-sign with at a high salary, and the management will try their best to accommodate him in small matters, ensuring his comfort.

Xiao Tu isn't just acting like a big shot; he's a real big shot.

Xiao Tu's standing in the eyes of the management is no less than, and perhaps even higher than, that of Magic Johnson. As long as he's willing to re-sign with the Lakers, any special privileges he wants are negotiable.

Xiao Tu is the core of the team's frontcourt and still has potential to be developed. His future with the Lakers will determine their performance for the next decade or so. If he leaves, the Lakers will have no chance to sign a young frontcourt star of comparable ability, no matter how much money they have.

In NBA history, no player under 20 years old has ever been as strong as Xiao Tu; he is unique.

Major American media outlets have been following Xiao Tu's story closely, discussing his potential to dominate the NBA in the future. "Praise to death" is a common media tactic; they might even follow up on talentless second-generation stars like Bronny in the future.

Such attention has both advantages and disadvantages for players. Those with weak willpower often become obsessed with it and forget what they should be doing. Others, however, constantly remind themselves not to become addicted to these empty titles.

Unlike other star players, Xiao Tu only feels he doesn't have enough exposure. News is far less abundant in this era compared to the internet age, and he can't even see comments from netizens.

This is like how people in the future would lose half the enjoyment of reading online novels if there were no paragraph or chapter comments.

Before Xiao Tu set off, he received a call from David Stern in the president's office, inviting him to lunch in New York.

Xiao Tu readily agreed. "No problem, but I have one condition: I must pay for the meal. It would be my honor to treat the CEO to dinner."

Xiao Tu had been waiting for the CEO's call for a long time, which meant he was one step closer to becoming a superstar. This kind of opportunity to "discuss important matters" wasn't something everyone got; how could he possibly let the CEO pay for a meal?
The next day at noon, Xiao Tu took a taxi and arrived at a Western restaurant in Manhattan a little earlier than the agreed time.

Stern arrived a little earlier as well, almost at the same time. The two met at their reserved seats, shook hands, and exchanged pleasantries.

Xiao Tu sized up Stern, who was similar to his memory, except he was still young and had a mustache. Stern always wore a suit, tie, and glasses, with a smile on his face, and was not particularly handsome.

Stern also looked Xiao Tu up and down, becoming more and more satisfied. He was truly a handsome man.

In Stern's view, if Xiao Tu's physical talent is 100 points, his ball skills are 60 points, and his image is simply 120 points, which is beyond the standard.

Xiao Tu can make even ordinary sportswear look stylish, unlike other NBA players. His smile exudes confidence, and his demeanor is poised and confident, making him seem nothing like an 18-year-old rookie.

Xiao Tu ordered the tomahawk steak, while Stern ordered a regular steak. The restaurant also offers a variety of appetizers and is quite famous.

While eating their appetizers, the two started chatting.

Stern asked, "What do you think of me?" Xiao Tu immediately replied, "I don't know since I haven't met you, but I expect you to become the best commissioner in NBA history and lead the NBA to become the top of the four major sports leagues."

Stern beamed. "Then I'm under a lot of pressure. This is so difficult. You're the first player I know to say something like this to the president."

“I’m not like those short-sighted people. I know who the real boss of the NBA is. You’re the commissioner, you have the authority to do anything,” Xiao Tu said with a smile.

Stern's heart pounded, and he could no longer treat Xiao Tu as a high school graduate. "My power is not as great as you think."

Stern said that, but that wasn't what he really thought. He was the boss of the NBA, and Xiao Tu had spoken the truth about the nature of a business league.

Xiao Tu knew that if the president wanted to suppress a certain player or team, it would be very easy for him.

Some fans feel their idols were suppressed by the league, which is why they didn't win a championship. But the truth is, no one who becomes a superstar is suppressed. The only players who are truly suppressed are like Jeremy Lin—it's blatant racial discrimination.

Jeremy Lin's physical test stats were comparable to those of number one draft pick point guard John Wall, yet he wasn't selected. He excelled at driving to the basket and had great explosiveness, but he couldn't get free throws unless he was fouled. Later, injuries severely hampered his physical condition, and even when he came to play in the CBA in China, he still faced discrimination and was constantly overlooked.

“You’re too modest. I’m absolutely certain you’re the key to the NBA’s resurgence.” Xiao Tu paused, looked Stern in the eye, and said, “I need you, and you need me. Barring any unforeseen circumstances, we can achieve a win-win situation in the future.”

Stern paused for a moment, then laughed and said, "What the media said is right, you are indeed more mature than your peers. Now I also suspect that you changed your age."

Immediately after the draft, Stern invited the number one pick, Hakeem Olajuwon, to dinner. He believed that whoever controlled the paint controlled the game, and Olajuwon was initially his top pick.

After the meal, Stern immediately changed his mind, thinking that Olajuwon wasn't very bright. Their conversation was like talking to a brick wall; He Jinshui and Amei were completely on different wavelengths.

Xiao Tu, on the other hand, was surprisingly quick-witted. Stern sensed that without being explicitly told, Xiao Tu had already realized that he was the league's chosen one.

Stern asked, "Why do you need me?"

"Because I want to become the greatest player in NBA history, there's a Chinese saying that goes, 'favorable timing, advantageous location, and harmonious relationships'—all three are indispensable. I need your strong support to become the most important part of your star-making plan. In crucial games, I don't need to gain a huge advantage in the calls, but at least I can't be at a disadvantage."

Let's not beat around the bush. Xiao Tu had no intention of pretending to be a clueless novice in front of Stern. This was a time to make a statement, and he had to speak up boldly.

Those with good tempers are always the ones who suffer, those who are understanding are always the ones who are considerate, those who are good at taking care of others are left uncared for, and only those who cry and make a fuss get the treats.

A star athlete who wants to succeed needs to be able to speak up, and Xiao Tu believes his demands are not excessive and are reasonable.

In the future, LeBron James will constantly proclaim himself the "GOAT," inspiring the entire team to "explode free throws." Even so, he'll still cause a scene if he suffers even the slightest injustice, and might even throw a Jing Tian wardrobe at the referee during a game.

Stern chuckled and asked, "A star-making plan? That's a great description. Did you come up with that?"

"Yes, this is something the NBA has been doing all along, but unfortunately they haven't done it well enough before," Xiao Tu said casually.

"What's wrong?"

"The people promoting him are not good. The league promoted Larry Bird and Magic Johnson to create the gimmick of a black-and-white duo, but on the other hand, they also promoted Bird as a floor-bound white player with average physical attributes. If Bird wins MVP and championships in a row, what do you think the audience will think? Are NBA players really that strong? Why can an ordinary person dominate the NBA?"

“…” Stern swallowed hard; Xiao Tu’s words had struck a chord with him.

The league has been promoting Bird for a long time and has never denied that he's a floor-bound player. Denying it is useless; anyone with eyes can see it. A few blind people might think Bird's talent is quite good, with top-tier strength.

What will the audience think? They will certainly think that the overall physical qualities of NBA players are not that great, and they can't compare to the superhuman strength of NFL players at all.

Therefore, there is a saying in the United States that only the players left over from the NFL will play basketball, while the players with the best physical qualities will play American football.

The reason is clear: no one else in the NBA can beat Bird, a skinny guy with no muscle definition.

People who don't watch basketball might even wonder if the NBA is just a bunch of useless players. Some people in the US even doubted that if Bird went to play football, he would have to be carried out before the game was over.

(End of this chapter)