Basketball Terminal

Chapter 20 Confidence
Li Wei went out again under the pretense of an interview. On the way, he called Scott Mitchell and told him that he had received a call about signing a contract.

“That’s great, Victor. Now you’re a member of the Long Island Nets. If things go smoothly, practice should start tomorrow. How about an interview? You’re the only Chinese player now.”

"Is an interview a bit too early? I think I need to stick with the training camp first."

"You're right, good luck. By the way, I have a ticket to the Brooklyn Nets game on the 16th, wanna come along?"

"James Harden's debut? Sure, I'd love to be there in person."

"No problem, we'll contact you on the 16th. Good luck in the training camp, we'll see how you perform."

Scott Mitchell was willing to invest ample resources in Levi before his story was even over, and Levi was well aware of this. He knew his story had only just begun, and the end was far off.

Arriving at Nassau Stadium again by subway, his mood was completely different after just one day. Although the weather wasn't great, being gloomy, Levi felt relaxed and cheerful. In the stadium lobby, he saw Carlos again, his attitude vastly different from yesterday.

"Oh~ Victor! I heard, I heard you successfully signed with the Long Island Nets, that's amazing. I knew you would succeed, I knew you were no ordinary person when you received the cup that day!" Upon learning that Levi had become a member of the Long Island Nets, Carlos showed the enthusiasm of a Latino and immediately hugged him.

Li Wei didn't mind hugging and cuddling with Carlos. Joining a new team requires building good relationships with the field support and administrative staff, which will bring advantages in daily training. Because you're not a star player or a key player, everyone won't revolve around you; you'll have to rely on yourself for many things. Having an acquaintance to guide you can avoid a lot of trouble.

Levi invited Carlos to lunch, and Carlos laughed and agreed. Then he lowered his voice and asked Levi, "You live in New York, right?"

"Yes, I live in Flushing."

"Oh, great, you have a place to live. So when you sign the contract, don't choose the housing allowance; choose the transportation and training allowance instead, as these are the biggest expenses. Also, since the contract amount is standard, don't negotiate the price, but the shorter the payment period, the better—ideally, three months in advance. You know, the Development League is very unstable; you could lose your job at any time. Taking your money is the most important thing. And..."

Before signing the contract, Carlos gave Levi some advice, which Levi already knew in his heart, but he understood Carlos's meaning: to make friends. He nodded to indicate that he had taken it all to heart, and followed Carlos to the manager's office. General Manager Matt Ricardi and his assistant Matt Tellem were waiting for him.

The signing went very smoothly. As Carlos said, G League players sign standard contracts with no room for negotiation or flexibility on the main terms and amount. They can sign if they want, or find another job if they don't.

As an affiliate league of the NBA, the G League is incredibly prestigious; its reputation speaks for itself. If you sign a contract in the G League and perform well enough to be drafted into the NBA by a team, you can be called up. Entering the NBA typically involves a 10-day contract, and with this year's salary cap, a 10-day contract can earn you at least $4.5.

"If you are drafted by an NBA team and sign a 10-day contract, and you fail to stay with the NBA team after 10 days, you can choose to return to the G League, and the team will give you a bonus of up to $7.5."

Matt Ricardi explained the details of the contract, draft, bonuses, and other benefits to Levi. Of course, it wasn't that Ricardi particularly valued Levi; rather, he did this with every player he signed to motivate them to play well.

The reason why G League players are willing to stay here for lower salaries is the allure of the NBA. It's a carrot dangling in front of everyone, attracting fringe players to strive for advancement.

Levi carefully read through the contract, filled in his personal information, and Tellem asked him, "Didn't you sign with a talent agency?"

"Not yet. There are some things I can handle on my own for now. I'd like to exchange my housing allowance for transportation and training expenses. I live in Flushing."

“No problem~ But you’d better find a reliable agent. Call this number if needed.” Tellum handed Levi a business card.

As professional leagues become more standardized, the amounts involved increase, and the contract details become more complex, many Black players with limited education need agents to help them handle contract and financial matters. Some of them simply cannot read long texts and have no sensitivity to money and numbers.

Unlike Li Wei, whose contract was neither large nor complicated, he didn't need an agent for the time being. Although he had promised Luo Ping a commission after signing the contract, Li Wei wasn't prepared to have Luo Ping as his agent; he still lacked sufficient trust in Black people. Right now, the only person he could truly trust was himself.

He took Tellum's business card in one hand and signed his name on the contract with the other, and at that moment, he became a member of the Long Island Nets.

There were no reporters taking photos, no special ceremony, just a simple signature in a makeshift office. Afterwards, a short news item appeared on NetDaily: "Long Island Nets sign free agent Victor Lee." Not a word more, not a word less, and almost no one clicked to read it.

Li Wei was also quite calm; the initial excitement had long since passed. Now that the contract was signed and the mission was accomplished, it was time to consider what came next.

Tellem took Levi to the locker room to take his measurements, not to make him a new jersey, but to pick out a barely fitting one from the existing ones. The Long Island Nets' jerseys are predominantly blue and white with some red, a very common color scheme. Tellem picked out a relatively loose one and asked, "What number do you wear?"

"Um... I wear size 0, which means starting from zero."

"Sorry, size 0 has already been worn. Here's a size 26, take it and wear it. Your name will be printed on the back."

Unfortunately, some of the popular numbers already had owners, and the Long Island Nets didn't seem to want to make a new set of clothes just for Levi, so they just used the ones that were left unworn.

Li Wei accepted the unusual number 26 jersey. It probably belonged to a player who had previously signed with the team, but the deal fell through, and the player left, leaving the jersey behind. Li Wei didn't mind; he tried it on. It was a little big, but wearing a jersey a size larger would be more comfortable.

Then Dalem took Levi to have two simple official photos taken and gave him two pairs of sneakers. That concluded the morning's signing session.

"We'll be holding a press conference here at 10 a.m. the day after tomorrow. Be on time. Training officially starts on January 20th at 1 a.m. The training location is the 'Yes We Can' community center, about 5 miles from here. Bring all your things and don't be late. Remember that. We've signed you to a non-guaranteed contract. If the coaching staff is not satisfied with your training, we can fire you at any time. Understand?"

Unlike Ricardi, who was good at making empty promises, Dalem, as the assistant, was more serious; he needed to ensure the players were obedient. Seeing Levi nod in understanding, Dalem relaxed his tone and said, "Do your best, young man. You know Scott Mitchell, right?"

"Yes, he's a good person."

"Hmm, he seems like a nice guy. You'll meet him tomorrow. Talk to him a bit; he's very interested in you."

Matt Daham probably doesn't know that Levi and Mitchell have developed a good relationship and that they help each other as friends.

After expressing his gratitude, Li Wei left with the contract in his canvas bag, then treated Carlos to a big meal at a nearby Mexican restaurant. Once the two became acquainted, Carlos became incredibly talkative, spilling everything he knew about the Long Island Nets to Li Wei. For example, he mentioned that General Manager Ricardi was a sycophant skilled at making empty promises, Matt Tellum was more serious but a salary cap expert, the newly formed coaching staff had a lot of influence, Brett loved basketball but lacked authority, and the assistant coaches all had their own ideas.

"Which player is the best? Some of them are new additions, so I don't know them very well. But I think the core of the team is definitely Jamal Martin. He's very good, he's NBA-level."

Compared to the management and coaching staff, Li Wei cares more about his teammates, who are also his rivals. Unlike the NBA, in the G League, teammates not only cooperate but also compete.

They fight tooth and nail for playing time, hoping to impress NBA scouts and managers and earn a chance to make it into the NBA. Many of them were already playing in the NBA but were relegated to the Development League for various reasons. Even Stephen Curry was briefly relegated.

Carlos mentioned Jamal Martin, who played for the Brooklyn Nets last season. His best game was scoring 24 points. That's a very high score in the NBA, but players like him are a dime a dozen. This season, Jamal Martin has returned to the Long Island Nets to play in the G League and try to secure a new NBA job.

"What about the inside game? Who is the team's best inside player?"

"Uh... it should be Reggie Perry, but I'm not sure exactly. The team's roster changes a lot every year, and I don't really know the level of many of the young players. For example, you, I don't know your level. I heard you did very well in the tryout. What is your actual ability?"

Carlos's question left Levi somewhat confused. What exactly was his strength? He would probably have to wait until the training camp began to find out. He hoped that the training camp would help him build stronger confidence.

It's said that after Yao Ming participated in an American training camp and completely dominated the high school prodigy Tyson Chandler, he realized he was destined for the NBA. Previously, he thought the NBA was unattainable, but it's like crossing a river by feeling the stones; you have to test the waters yourself to know.

While Li Wei was eating, his phone received a push notification from NetDaily: The Brooklyn Nets have officially signed Novan Pelle to a 10-day contract.

Opening the news, there are many comments expressing their joy at the arrival of Novan Pelle and their hope that he can provide quality defense for the Big Three. Nets fans are currently quite excited; with Harden's arrival, a Big Three has been formed. With a shortage of interior players, even a 10-day contract like Novan Pelle's has become a dream come true.

Last season, Pelle did have several highlight performances for the 76ers, especially his shot-blocking. He averaged 1.3 blocks per game in just 9 minutes of playing time, which translates to 5.2 blocks in 36 minutes – that's an incredible shot-blocking efficiency.

However, it is clear that NBA statistics cannot be calculated in this way; the same player will perform differently in different team systems.

Li Wei recalled his one-on-one matchup with Novan Pelle on the street that day. He could clearly sense that the player wasn't very intelligent on the court, and his physical attributes were average. As a professional player, he couldn't even overpower him. The fact that a player like that could be drafted and signed by the Nets boosted Li Wei's confidence.

After dinner, Li Wei decided to go see Luo Ping to discuss the medicine and resolve the commission issue as well. Regardless, Luo Ping had provided him with a valuable opportunity, and Li Wei wanted to keep his promise.

Seeing that Levi didn't have a car, Carlos offered to drive him to the Bronx Sports Center. He told Levi that the first thing he should do after receiving his salary was to buy a car, otherwise it would be too inconvenient in New York, as Queens and Long Island were both too big.

On the way, Li Wei texted Luo Ping, who said he would arrive in half an hour. Li Wei first went to the locker room at the sports center to change his clothes, and then went to the strength training area for strength training.

For NBA players, strength training is absolutely essential. It improves physical strength, enhances stamina, and reduces injuries. While training and waiting for Luo Ping, Li Wei noticed a familiar figure on the treadmill not far away. He had seen her many times before; she always wore tight pants, and the curves from her waist to her legs were very attractive, making it easy to trigger the auto-aiming system.

However, Li Wei didn't have time to think too much about it. Luo Ping arrived quickly, and the two went to a quiet place. Li Wei took out the contract from his bag and handed it to Luo Ping, saying, "I've signed with the Long Island Nets for $37000. As agreed, after I receive my salary, I'll give you 10% commission, which is $3700."

Luo Ping's eyes were glued to the contract, his mouth agape, and he finally hugged Li Wei tightly and burst into tears.

Li Wei hadn't expected Luo Ping to react so strongly, so he quickly comforted him, "Hehehe! Paris! It's just a development alliance contract, don't get so worked up, what's there to cry about? It's nothing, don't be like this~ It'll attract attention, let's talk business, let's talk business, OK?"

Luo Ping finally stopped crying, wiped away his tears, and said, "Victor, I really didn't expect you to actually sign a contract! I'm so excited! You're the first player I've brought into the Development League. This is the first step in my great career. I've made it! Damn, I did it!"

Seeing Luo Ping like this, Li Wei felt even more favorably toward him. This showed that he still had dreams in his heart, and people with dreams are most likely to walk together.

After calming down, Luo Ping began to discuss the commission and the medicine with Li Wei. Li Wei took out $2000, saying that this was all he had for now, and he would make up the difference later.

Luo Ping readily agreed, saying, "I'll provide you with the latest growth hormone and peptide drugs that many NBA players are currently using. They can help you recover quickly from fatigue. But don't use them yet; wait until after training camp and game days. The effects will be absolutely fantastic. They're metabolized quickly, so drug tests won't detect them! This way, you can train even more, gain better physical fitness, and perform better. Maybe you really can make it to the NBA!"

As they talked, Luo Ping got excited again, while Li Wei already knew about these things; this stuff wasn't a stimulant, but more like a painkiller.

Professional athletes not only train gruelingly, but also face extremely frequent and intense schedules, with their physical exertion far exceeding normal healthy levels. Pain and fatigue are the biggest challenges every professional athlete faces, and high-quality medications can greatly alleviate pain and improve the quality of training and competition.

NBA contracts often cost tens or hundreds of millions of dollars, and people will do anything to match such a sum.

Li Wei handed the money to Luo Ping, who said he would find an opportunity to deliver the medicine to him in a couple of days and would guarantee after-sales service. He would pay the balance after the medicine was effective.

The transaction was complete, and Li Wei returned to the strength zone to continue training. By then, the girl in the tight pants had finished running and was doing squats to work her glutes. A pair of peaches flashed before Li Wei's eyes, causing him to do an extra few reps during his bench press.

After finishing a set of exercises, Li Wei was about to put the barbell down and stand up when he saw the girl standing next to it. She looked down at Li Wei and said coldly, "How was it? Pretty, right?"

Li Wei smiled and said, "It looks good, and it matches my length perfectly."

The girl pressed down hard on the barbell, and Li Wei's arms were already too weak; he almost dropped it and hit himself.

"Holy crap! You...I..." Li Wei's chest was pressed down by the barbell. At this moment, he used all his strength to do one last press and put the barbell back on the rack.

"Damn, that final push was really effective. It really does unleash maximum potential when you're at your limit." Li Wei gasped for breath. This ultimate push was very effective, even stimulating his Armament Haki. He felt incredibly hard in his chest and arms.

However, the girl had already disappeared. Li Wei thought to himself, "Next time I see her, I'll definitely show you just how hard I am."

(End of this chapter)