Basketball Terminal

Chapter 89 Troubled Times
"WTF, this is what you bought?"

"That's right... I bought it. I really didn't look at it carefully at the time."

"Can't you use your brain? You bought it without even trying it out?"

"I thought this was the best fit for you! At that time... you know? I was only thinking about you! So I didn't even look closely!"

"God, do you think I'm charging your agent too much? How about I lower the fee a bit?"

“Is there still room for decline?”

"If you had any intelligence, I think you'd have a higher commission rate too!"

"Maybe I can buy my other half?!"

On March 6th, in his suite at the Atlanta Hotel, Levi looked at the shoes that Paris Robin said he was going to give him and felt quite helpless.

To be fair, this guy was a really kind-hearted person. Li Wei decided to take him and Li Yue to Atlanta for the All-Star event. Luo Ping was very happy and insisted on giving Li Wei a gift: a pair of Air Jordans. All the way there, he kept bragging about how great his shoes were, how they were a limited edition, and how he got them through special channels.

He wouldn't show them to anyone on the way, insisting on going to Atlanta and checking into a hotel before finally making a grand appearance. Once they were revealed, it was discovered that the shoes were indeed good shoes, but damn it, both were for the left foot! Hence the conversation above.

"Where are you going to find a place that specializes in selling right-foot shoes? And even if they sell them, they won't just sell the right-foot shoe; they'll sell a whole pair."

"Then buy a pair, and take the right shoe as a match."

"Why don't I just wear the ones I already bought?!"

What you said seems to make a lot of sense…

"I think you're the one who's mentally challenged, not my brother!"

"York is certainly not mentally challenged; York is a genius."

Li Yue picked up the sneakers and looked at them, saying, "This should be the batch of goods that Su Lanji and I almost bought last time. They're all left-footed. They can't sell them, so they have to find ways to scam people. They might sell them as blind boxes, or at a low price, or claim that they're rare items obtained through some channel."

Luo Ping was furious. "Shit! That guy lied to me! I'll make him pay when I find him!"

"Forget it, Paris. Do you think they'll even recognize you when you go looking for someone? I appreciate your good intentions, but could you please use your brain next time? Using your brain! I really don't know if making you my manager was the biggest mistake of my life!"

"No, I will be the luckiest and best choice of your life."

Luo Ping possesses an absolute superstar level of self-confidence, a truly resilient spirit. Forever young, forever moved to tears. Unfortunately, as a manager, it seems he's only managed to be loyal in terms of playing musical instruments and singing; there's no sign of improvement in the other four areas.

As an agent, one should be able to promote the players. Luo Ping is quite good at boasting, but he doesn't have a channel to do so. He only boasts in private, so it doesn't have much influence.

Agents need to know how to build relationships. In fact, Luo Ping has a wide network of connections, so wide that Li Wei couldn't believe it. Unfortunately, most of them are miscellaneous resources, with very few legitimate basketball and commercial resources.

In negotiations, agents need to be proficient in the collective bargaining agreement (CBA) to help players, teams, and businesses negotiate. Under pressure from Li Wei, Luo Ping reluctantly read through about half of the CBA before giving up. So far, he hasn't secured any endorsements or contracts for Li Wei. Of course, it's still early in the process.

Singing, prostitution—a major role of many agents is to pimp for players and find them prostitutes. This is especially true for college students playing in the NCAA, who often lack money but have pent-up desires; they'll sign with whichever agent can provide a pretty girl. Li Wei didn't need this at all.

"Tomorrow, Turner TV is having an internal event, a small ceremony before the All-Star Game broadcast. It's very simple, not a formal social occasion. But you, and Yorke, dress formally, stick with me, and don't make a fool of yourselves. We'll be seeing stars like Charles Barkley, Kenny Smith, Shaquille O'Neal, and Isaiah Thomas. Photos are fine, but make sure you wear your masks properly and don't make any unnecessary requests, okay?"

"Are we just going to take a picture, to have a group photo?" Li Yue asked.

"Of course, it's more than that. Maybe I can make friends with the star players, but whether that works or not depends on each person's abilities."

Turner Television's headquarters are located in a building next to the Ori Atlanta Hotel, the CNN Television Center. Led by Truth, Levi, Robin, and Li Yue arrived inside the building before the live broadcast began. Huge red CNN logos were everywhere, and the interior was decorated like a large shopping mall.

A giant model of the globe sits atop the annex, while the American flag flies high above it. Li Wei had long heard of CNN's reputation, and upon seeing it, he was certain it lived up to its name.

Turner Sports, like CNN, is a WarnerMedia brand and they share a broadcasting building.

Everything looked more desolate than expected, perhaps due to the impact of the virus; there weren't many people in the building. Everyone was wearing masks and hurrying around. I heard from Zhenli that several television industry giants have had a tough two years, with revenues declining sharply. The impact of online media has been enormous, especially on the traditional television broadcasting industry.

The US is doing relatively well, managing to survive thanks to its pay-TV channels and monopolistic distribution of high-quality programming. In China, however, many television stations are practically defunct; most households don't even turn on their TVs, preferring to watch videos on their phones and tablets. "Turner is facing internal restructuring, with a potential merger with CNN and an uncertain future with the NBA. Executives are restless, and there's a sense of unease among lower-level employees. However, it's still managing to stay afloat and retains considerable influence."

The situation Truth faces within Turner TV is similar to that of Levi with the Nets: external attacks and internal turmoil, a time of great upheaval where they are walking on thin ice, yet also full of opportunities.

Fame is a really useful thing. Li Wei's god-like performance against Doncic, along with a series of recent events, has prevented him from being overlooked. Instead, he has become a highlight of the studio today.

When Levi first met Charles Barkley and Shaquille O'Neal, these two enormous men, and took a photo between them, Levi felt incredibly small. He was considered very strong and tall for an average person, even taller than Barkley, but this guy was just too fat and wide.

"You know which of your shots I admire most? The one where you smashed LeBron! Seriously, I've been watching that video while eating for the past month, it's hilarious!" Barkley was humorous, talkative, and friendly towards Levi. He expressed his appreciation for Levi's aggressive rebounding style under the basket.

However, during the ritual, Levi could sense a heavy, somber aura emanating from Barkley. It was likely his Observation Haki at work; Levi possessed a strong ability to perceive the psychology of others. While he couldn't read minds, he could discern a person's emotions through micro-expressions and gestures.

Barkley is indeed very tired. Last year he repeatedly said that he wanted to retire. This year, he has worked at Turner Television for 20 seasons, which is longer than his NBA career.

He said, "I don't want to die on TV. I want to die on a golf course or on my way to fishing. I don't want to die sitting next to old fat Shaq." But for various reasons, he stayed.

In comparison, O'Neal seemed to be in much better spirits; he was younger and more energetic. He and Li Wei talked about China and their trip there, appearing quite close. However, Li Wei could sense that O'Neal's expression and tone carried more contempt. In his view, a center like Li Wei, just over 2 meters tall, simply couldn't survive in his era of dominance.

When discussing the content of the Inside program, host Ernie Johnson and Levi had a brief chat. Johnson stated that he wanted to focus on Levi's defense, especially his defense against Doncic, which deserves a dedicated episode for detailed analysis.

Levi agreed with Ernie Johnson's idea and said he would definitely participate in the show's recording if he had time. As for the secret to his defense, Levi said, "That's a secret, I can't reveal it completely." Ernie Johnson laughed and said, "It's great if it's a secret, everyone loves to watch a reveal show."

"However, it would be best to perform even better, if possible. The hype surrounding the game with Doncic will eventually die down, and people will forget about it. You need to have a new masterpiece. Good luck after the All-Star game, buddy."

Ernie Johnson encouraged Li Wei, saying that's how the NBA is—the hype comes and goes quickly. Even if you manage to lock down Doncic, and even if you win the championship, fans will forget about it in a few days and be looking forward to next season. Everything moves so fast in this era; before you can even savor it, something new is already there to experience.

The launch ceremony was short and simple, ending with everyone taking a group photo before dispersing. Levi reaped significant benefits. Unlike an interview with ESPN, Turner TV, which had missed the boat on the hot topic, decided to give Levi an in-depth program, analyzing and dissecting his defense in "Inside the NBA."

Levi needs to produce more match samples so he can appear on shows and chat with fans, further increasing his fame. Levi's starting point was low, but that has its advantages—it creates an air of mystery, making it easier to pique fans' curiosity after his rise. Turner Television would be happy to produce a program about him.

On the way back, Li Wei asked Luo Ping and Li Yue if they had gained anything. Li Yue said, "I added most people's social media contact information, including Barkley and O'Neal. I've decided to leave them comments and likes every day!"

Li Wei patted Li Yue's head, thinking, "What a clever but dim-witted little brother." After working with Li Wei for a while, Li Yue became increasingly resourceful, making him Li Wei's assistant was the wisest decision Li Wei ever made. For example, on this trip to Atlanta, Li Yue arranged everything—transportation, accommodation, and meals—without Li Wei having to worry about a thing.

"And you?" Li Wei turned to Luo Ping, the real idiot.

"Um... I think this event is great, very nice. It would be even better if there were some self-service fruit or cakes."

Seeing that Li Wei was about to explode, Luo Ping quickly said, "I've learned something! I've learned something! I... I met someone! He said he'd like to talk to you privately sometime!"

"Who?"

"Li Wei".

"..."

Are you kidding me? You've met me? I'm talking to myself? I'll show you what a Rhino howitzer is today. Just as he was about to explode, Li Wei realized something was wrong. Luo Ping didn't speak Chinese and always called himself Victor, not Li Wei.

Which Li Wei?

"David Levy! President of Turner Television."

"You met with the president of Turner Television?"

"Yes, but he's the former president. He resigned the year before last. He attended the ceremony and said he wanted to talk to you."

"Why didn't he just come to me?"

"That's the rule. I'm your agent; he should contact me first," Luo Ping said smugly. Luo Ping always seemed to know some unexpected people; his social network remained a mystery.

(End of this chapter)