Basketball Terminal

Chapter 91 Hero
Blake Griffin completed his contract buyout with the Pistons on March 5th, leaving him with $36.6 million remaining on his contract. On March 7th, renowned reporter Woj reported that after clearing waivers, Griffin had reached an agreement with the Brooklyn Nets to sign a minimum-salary contract.

Griffin's contract with the Nets is worth $77. He has worked in the league for a longer period and has a higher starting salary. Griffin's past status and strength make it impossible for him to accept a 10-day contract like Levi, Robertson, or Shumpert. Even at the minimum wage, he needs a guaranteed contract to ensure he can play the entire season.

After signing Griffin, the Nets' total salary exceeded the "tycoon" threshold, with their luxury tax bill approaching $100 million, second only to the Golden State Warriors, making them the second most expensive roster in the league. As the cheapest player on this second most expensive roster, Levi received the most attention.

After the All-Star Game, on his way back to Brooklyn from Atlanta, Li Wei received a barrage of business collaboration offers. Many were from domestic companies, including sports brands, car manufacturers, mobile phone companies, sports drink companies, and more. There were simply too many to keep up with.

The number of interactions on their social media accounts skyrocketed. Li Yue and Luo Ping kept receiving phone calls, some genuine and some fake. Eventually, they didn't know how to reply because there were just too many.

An ESPN interview further fueled the hype, and with no new games scheduled during the All-Star break, all attention was focused on Levi. Everything related to him spread widely online, and fans were astonished by his sudden rise to fame.

A large number of self-media anchors in China, especially Xu Dongyu, have seen their video clips go viral on short video platforms, and basketball-related chat groups are filled with discussions about Li Wei's performance. After a period of build-up and fermentation, Li Wei's fame has exploded exponentially.

Faced with a barrage of conflicting messages, Levi decided to first meet with David Levi and have a chat with this true professional.

All of Li Wei's previous decisions were based on his own experience, making relatively rational choices, and he had a solid foundation. However, his experience was almost exhausted by the time he became a professional player.

His greatest achievement in his past life was merely becoming a minor basketball influencer; his public profile and commercial value were incomparable to that of an NBA player. The commercial and public relations challenges he will face in the future will undoubtedly increase exponentially, at which point he will need professional services.

During the All-Star Game, other agents, public relations teams, and marketing companies contacted Li Wei. These included several domestic agencies with ties to the NBA, as well as sports media teams, all eager to collaborate with him.

Li Wei chose to downplay this, as he didn't trust the professionalism of domestic teams and preferred to collaborate with American teams. People like David Levy, former president of TNT and founder of Inside the NBA, possess industry resources far exceeding those of most practitioners.

Furthermore, Li Wei suspected that David Levy had been introduced to him by Boss Cai. But why Boss Cai didn't come forward directly was unclear to Li Wei, and he didn't want to find out; he'd deal with it when he met him.

On the afternoon of March 8th, Levy, along with Li Yue and Luo Ping, met with David Levy at a restaurant downstairs in the HSS training center building. Levy had short, gray-white hair, wore a dark blue suit, had a well-proportioned figure, and tanned skin—a typical white elite.

Upon meeting Levy, Levy's first words were: "You will have more commercial value than Jeremy Lin. I love your story; it's going to be unique in NBA history. We desperately need new stories, man."

David Levy remained calm in the face of praise, believing that compliments can be deceiving. In the ensuing conversation, Levy demonstrated his professionalism; his 33 years as president of TNT were truly impressive. His extensive network was astonishing; he knew executives from all 30 NBA teams.

The president, vice presidents, and staff of the NBA office are all in his contact list. He is well-versed in the history of the NBA and has in-depth knowledge of media, news, and public psychology. He also has profound insights into the future trends of the league and the development of the sports industry. He is a person deeply involved in decision-making within the industry and a true insider.

But Levy was not swayed by David Levy's flowery words. It wasn't that there was anything wrong with what he said, but rather that Levy always kept one question in mind: What does all this have to do with me? He used to be blinded by the talent and wealth of others, thinking that he had seen it and could benefit from it.

Little do they know, what you see is what you see, and it has nothing to do with you. Some young women are tempted by the wealth that rich people inadvertently display, and they rush to give it to them, but it's just for show. They can have it but can't eat it, let alone be full.

In response to Levy's long analysis, Levy only asked one question: "What can I do for you?"

Levi's smile faded, and he looked at Li Wei with a serious expression. The young man was not disturbed by his profound but flamboyant words, but focused on reality and grasped the core of the problem: why should they cooperate?

Levy's question was essentially asking "What can you do for me?", but out of politeness, he said, "I hope you can become my first client, and you, my friend, I want to make you the new icon and hero of the NBA."

Li Yue and Luo Ping, who had been unable to get a word in edgewise, stared wide-eyed. They glanced at Li Wei, who remained expressionless. After thinking for two seconds, Li Wei said, "That's impossible. I won't become an idol, nor will I be a hero. The NBA is a job. I'll get my contract, survive here, and strive to win a championship. That'll be enough for me."

"The idol I'm talking about isn't Michael Jordan, Shaquille O'Neal, or Kobe Bryant, but... Do you like watching superhero movies? Superheroes used to be Superman and Batman; they were omnipotent, they helped those in need, they were flawless. But now, audiences don't buy that anymore. They prefer flawed Iron Man, Deadpool who breaks the fourth wall, and Venom with his gaping mouth. It's the same in the NBA. There won't be another Superman or Batman, but that doesn't mean there aren't heroes."

Li Wei stroked his chin and said, "But The Green Hornet isn't a big hit."

"Warner Bros. is preparing to make 'Shang-Chi,' which will be more successful than 'The Green Hornet.'"

"I don't like Shang-Chi's stories."

American comic book artist Levi Strauss also dabbled in this area. While *Shang-Chi* features a Chinese-American superhero, its core story remains distinctly Western, revolving around patricide. He severs ties with his Chinese father and joins the Avengers. Perhaps because the United States is a nation of immigrants, many of their works depict the protagonist's estrangement from their homeland.

"So what kind of stories do you like?"

"A story that Chinese people like. A true man should be like this: He can be overthrown; are kings and generals born with a special destiny? Wealth and honor not returned home are like wearing brocade at night." The first negotiation with David Levy yielded no substantial results, and the two sides have not yet reached an agreement on further cooperation. However, David Levy said that his work is already in the planning stages and he will closely monitor Levy's performance.

He told Li Wei that performance on the field is the most important thing right now, and there's no need to rush to realize commercial value. Taking on small advertisements is fine, but large commercial collaborations should be approached with extreme caution.

Levy also suggested that Luo Ping and Li Yue both take a broker's license exam, as it would be helpful for their future work. "If you have the certificates, you're both welcome to work for my team. I'm in dire need of talent right now, if you're interested."

Li Wei was very concerned about this. He asked Luo Ping and Li Yue to find a way to get the certificates immediately, no matter what method they used. He discussed with Li Yue the idea of ​​sending him to a community college so that he could later go to a good university and get a law degree.

"Why would I need to go to university if I just follow you?"

"Can you follow me for the rest of your life? You need to have your own studies, career, and life! Studying doesn't affect your work. If you can't even put in this much effort and focus, don't expect to accomplish anything."

"Oh."

"By the way, how are things going with you and that Indian girl?"

"Su Lanqi? Nothing much. The last collaboration failed, so we haven't been in touch much."

"You good-for-nothing! I think this girl is quite pretty. Figure out a way yourself!"

"Oh."

After Levy and the others left the restaurant, David Levy got into his Maserati and made a phone call to Joseph Tsai.

“Cai, I’ve spoken with Victor.”

"How about it?"

“He has his own ideas. Moreover, he is unwilling to engage in a narrative that distances him from China.”

“Great, he’s the same as me. He’s going to Canada on the 11th, let’s talk again then.”

"I'll listen to you. But I still want to remind you, Cai, in the NBA, skill comes first. Also, the risks are really uncontrollable; there are just too many unexpected events."

“I understand, that’s how investing works. I have a longer-term vision for Victor.”

"However, if he continues to perform like this, I'm afraid you won't be able to keep him in the offseason. You should have used the injury exception or the mini mid-level exception."

"No, this is fine as it is. You'll understand later. See you on the 11th, David."

"I still want to remind you that the risks in the NBA are always uncontrollable."
-
On March 10th, the All-Star break ended, and Li Wei and his teammates returned to the team. The team held a practice session in the morning, and Blake Griffin made his first public appearance. The Nets held a special signing press conference and photoshoot for Griffin.

Griffin has not participated in team training due to a left knee injury. He has been missing games since February and his overall condition has not met the requirements for training and matches. Therefore, after signing the contract, he will need a considerable period of recovery and is expected to return to play in late March.

In this way, Li Wei no longer needs to worry about Griffin competing with him for playing time.

That evening, the team flew to Toronto, Canada, where their first game after the All-Star break was against the Raptors, followed by a matchup against the Celtics at TD Garden in Boston.

Li Wei sighed as his wonderful vacation came to an end, and the migratory life of an athlete, like a bird returning to its nest, began again. It was already past midnight when he arrived at the hotel. Li Wei was exhausted, but Irving pulled him into the room, where there were also DeAndre Jordan and Blake Griffin, making a total of four people.

Irving pulled out a bundle of incense, saying he bought it from Chinatown in Manhattan. He also brought a small incense burner and a statue of Guan Yu. Several people wanted to burn incense and then become sworn brothers. Li Wei was speechless, but there was nothing he could do. Who told you to start this? Go ahead and do it!
You have to admit Kyrie Irving is a genius; he must have crammed on the relevant knowledge after going back. The process was much more complicated and formal than last time, and he did it all so well that he completely fooled Li Wei. As for DeAndre Jordan and Blake Griffin, they practically offered incense and kowtowed to Guan Yu!

Griffin officially joined the group, adding another member to the united ranks.

(End of this chapter)