The Golden Age of Basketball

Chapter 872, fourth position

David Stern's information was accurate. In fact, if it weren't for his efforts to leverage his connections, Gan Guoyang might have faced a full FBI investigation before Game 5 of the Finals and been taken away by the New York Police Department during the Finals.

This will be disastrous news for the Trail Blazers and the entire NBA, and a huge blow to viewership.

Of course, the impact of something like this happening after the finals is still significant, though it only slightly mitigates the impact on viewership.

The day after the Finals ended, as the other Trail Blazers players were leaving New York to return to Portland for championship celebrations, the New York Police Department sealed off the hotel where the Trail Blazers were staying and summoned Gan Guoyang to the police station for questioning.

Local media had been notified in advance, and the entire hotel was packed with reporters that day.

This is even more shocking news than the Portland Trail Blazers' back-to-back championships and Gan Guoyang's ninth NBA title.

Without handcuffs or hoods, two burly New York police officers, dressed in impeccably tailored suits and with slicked-back hair, escorted Gan Guoyang out of the hotel lobby, one on each side.

A series of camera clicks made it seem like we were at a Milan Fashion Week show. It was clear that the two policemen's clothes were carefully selected, probably the best outfits in their wardrobes.

And it was meticulously groomed, adorned with a brooch and napkin on its chest, and its leather shoes were polished to a shine, gleaming like obsidian under the flashlight.

In the United States, a media powerhouse, everyone aspires to fame. After all, their presidents ascended to the throne based on their fame, so public officials are equally eager to showcase themselves in the media.

In big cities like Los Angeles, New York, and Miami, there are often so-called "star cops," like Jack, the police star played by Kevin Spacey in the movie "L.A. Confidential." Fame can bring them opportunities to appear on television, give lectures and speeches, bring in more income, and even some advertising endorsements or other job opportunities. After all, being a police officer is not a lifelong career, and everyone will strive to secure more security for their future.

Arresting the first person in NBA history the day after the Finals, possibly on charges of espionage, is a bombshell news story.

In the NBA, perhaps only news of Barkley and Michael Jordan's secret marriage for ten years could surpass this.

Therefore, the NYPD officers were much more eager for this opportunity than for arresting other criminals or responding to other police missions.

They were very polite to Gan Guoyang, calling in advance to inform the Trail Blazers and Gan Guoyang himself, asking him to wait in his hotel room.

Gan Guoyang remained calm and composed. He had made preparations long ago, and that evening, upon returning to the hotel, he discussed various matters with his wife and made thorough preparations.

Of course, when the moment came, Wang Fuxi still lost control of her emotions as she watched her husband being taken away. She was only able to stop him because of the bodyguards' intervention. She could only return to her room, covering her face and crying while making phone calls to start contacting and taking action in various ways.

The two children were sent back to San Francisco overnight to be with their grandfather and uncle, where they are receiving the best protection.

Yesterday, Gan Guoyang was crowned with his ninth NBA championship at Madison Square Garden.

Today, Gan Guoyang was taken away in a police car in New York, under the watchful eyes of many.

In fact, if the Trail Blazers lose this game and the series is extended to Portland, the FBI and police have already taken action to detain Gan Guoyang for investigation.

Once he returns to Portland, it will be much more difficult to arrest Gan Guoyang. The citizens of Portland and some extreme fans will actually confront the FBI and demand his release. The Portland Police Department will also likely refuse to comply and take action.

It has to be in New York. The NYPD will help, the New York media will exaggerate, and the citizens and fans of New York will be very happy to see the Trail Blazers' basketball hero arrested.

As it turns out, the first two points are correct, but the third point is not necessarily true.

As the police car left the hotel, many New York City residents and fans nearby expressed their bewilderment.

Some people even tried to block the police cars from leaving, shouting, "This is a miscarriage of justice! A miscarriage of justice!"

Two weeks have passed since the Cox Report was released on May 26, and Gan Guoyang has made a clear response and a convincing rebuttal, but Congress has not taken any action.

The surprise attack, which occurred only after the finals, led to the arrest of Gan Guoyang for investigation, and it's perfectly normal for some people to have doubts.

Moreover, since 1981, Gan Guoyang has become famous throughout the United States, and he is no longer just a "foreign player".

He is an iconic figure in American basketball history, a part of many people's childhood and youth, and a monument in basketball history.

It's not so easy to tear down a monument.

While New York fans are passionate, they differ from the equally passionate but narrow-minded Boston fans. New York fans, like the city itself, are more inclusive and have a broader perspective.

Near the hotel, a young citizen wearing a Knicks jersey, who was watching the commotion, was interviewed by a reporter. When asked about his opinion on the matter, the young man said, "On the court, we hate Forrest Gump. We want to beat him. I'll yell at him and hope he never wins again. But it has to be done through basketball, not through any other means, not through off-court tactics. I'll wait for the investigation results, but I absolutely oppose using other methods to suppress Forrest Gump. I want to see him fail on the court, and for new superstars to rise up, not for him to be tripped up off the court."

Of course, such rational voices are in the minority; most New Yorkers are just watching the show.

The New York media seized the opportunity to mock and ridicule, with some tabloids even using sensational headlines such as "The Century-Old Fraud in Basketball" and "A Sports Murderer Beyond OJ Simpson, He Murdered the Whole of America."

If Gan Guoyang could really murder the entire United States, he wouldn't have chosen to play basketball.

The outside world was noisy and chaotic, but Gan Guoyang had to face a challenge alone.

After being put into the police car, Gan Guoyang's head was about to touch the roof of the car, so he had to lower his head a little.

The overweight white police officer sitting next to him looked very nervous; fine beads of sweat were forming on his forehead, and he kept pursing his lips.

"It's a bit too hot to wear a suit in this weather," Gan Guoyang suddenly asked him.

The overweight white police officer realized that Gan Guoyang was talking to him and was somewhat flattered.

“Oh…yes…yes, are you alright? Mr. Forrest Gump.”

"I'm fine, I just need to bow my head for a while. This may be the first time in my life that I've bowed my head in June."

Laughter came from inside the police car. Gan Guoyang had always been the winner in June whenever he made it to the finals.

"What's your name?"

“Jackis Williamson, just call me Jackie.”

Afterwards, Gan Guoyang asked for the names of all the police officers in the car and quickly memorized them.

The short walk from the hotel to the police station had allowed Gan Guoyang to memorize the names of these people and their general temperaments.

Before getting off the bus, Gan Guoyang left an autograph and his phone number for everyone, saying they could contact him if anything important happened. After getting off, Jackie and his colleagues remarked, "If I could, I think I'd be willing to risk my life for Forrest Gump, no matter what it is."

"Really? Blow up the police station?"

"Oh, of course, I've wanted to do that for a long time."
-

Gan Guoyang did not stay at the police station for long. He was released on bail the next day, but he could not leave New York because he had to be questioned and investigated by the FBI.

Just as Gan Guoyang had predicted, the FBI and CIA had begun wiretapping him long before, even before the May 7 incident.

However, Gan Guoyang was confident that they would not have any evidence or leverage, since it was all baseless to begin with.

Therefore, Gan Guoyang remained unmoved by the various threats and inducements from the Investigation Bureau, as well as the psychological tactics employed during interrogation and investigation, and his statements were watertight.

The FBI also raided Gan Guoyang's residences in Portland and San Francisco in hopes of finding some evidence, but still found nothing.

The only two things that allowed the FBI to grasp the problem were:
First, from May 1st to 7th, Avia happened to be holding a basketball training camp in Belgrade—under the name of Gan Guoyang.
It is highly unreasonable to hold a basketball training camp at this time, during wartime.

Gan Guoyang explained, "I hope basketball can bring peace."

Second, communication records show that on May 6, a call was made to the Belgrade embassy, ​​but it was not answered.

The address was altered, but the FBI had reason to believe the call was related to Gan Guoyang, though they lacked concrete evidence.

Gan Guoyang stated that he usually does not manage his own phone, and that he was playing a match on May 6th, so why would he make a phone call?

Avia and Gan Guoyang's team were also investigated. Their statements were certainly inaccurate, but they seemed more like they were nervous when facing interrogation.

In short, after two weeks of investigation, the FBI did not make much progress, but they had a vague feeling that something was wrong, yet they could not find a breakthrough.

Meanwhile, the 1998-1999 NBA season had come to an end, and the 1999-2000 NBA draft had been successfully held in New York.

The Bulls, who were battling the Portland Trail Blazers in the Finals in 1998, plummeted to last place in the 1998-1999 season after Jordan's retirement, and successfully secured the number one draft pick in 1999.

Krause finally has the opportunity to prove himself, that he can put together a championship-contending roster again in a short period of time, instead of relying entirely on Jordan and Pippen.

He himself is a champion manager!
The Bulls selected Duke graduate Elton Brand with the first overall pick.

Krause's choice of an inside player, besides valuing Brand's talent, may also be because he wanted to prove that he didn't want to repeat Jordan's path to success, but rather to forge his own.

In addition, Krause also used the 16th pick in the first round, a pick acquired from the Suns, to select Ron Artest, a strong small forward. Krause is already building a new framework.

The Vancouver Grizzlies, who secured the second overall pick, selected Steve Francis. This remote Canadian team desperately needed a high-scoring rookie on the perimeter to boost attendance and viewership.

After acquiring Vince Carter, the Toronto Raptors' attendance jumped from 26th in the league in the 1997-1998 season to 10th, a rise of 16 places.

It can be said that thanks to Carter's imaginative dunks, the Raptors have established themselves in Toronto, while the Grizzlies have yet to produce such a talent.

Francis was their lifeline, Vancouver's Vince Carter.

However, although Francis, like Carter, possesses superb physical attributes and imaginative dunks, which attract fans to the stadium to watch the game.

But the two are completely different people off the field, with different upbringings, different personalities, and different behavioral patterns.

Carter was born into a middle-class family in Florida. His parents divorced when he was seven, and he lived with his mother, who later remarried.

The mother is a respected teacher whose main job is to help juvenile delinquents with rehabilitation, while the stepfather is a band conductor.

Therefore, Carter grew up in a strict educational environment and was taught to respect himself and others.

He loved sports and music, and later went to the prestigious University of North Carolina, where he became a student of Dean Smith.

Players like Carter, no matter which team they play for, will always work hard and perform their dunking skills for every fan.

Francis, on the other hand, lived in a Maryland slum. His father was imprisoned for robbery, and his mother died of cancer in 1995. He lived with his grandmother.

As early as age 10, Francis worked for drug dealers to make a living, trafficking drugs. In his teens, he sold cocaine on the streets and worked as a henchman for drug dealers.

After his mother passed away, he stopped playing basketball and going to school. However, his talent was not buried. He was discovered by his high school and the University of Maryland and became a national basketball star.

Francis's quadruple-double against Shawn Marion's Vincennes University shocked the entire American college basketball world.

Before the 1999 NBA Draft, Francis was considered a top pick for the number one draft pick. However, among the top three teams, he tried out for the Bulls and Charlotte Hornets, but showed no interest in the Vancouver Grizzlies.

He declined the Grizzlies' offer to try out, publicly stating that he did not want to play for the Grizzlies because Vancouver was too far from his home state of Maryland.

Moreover, the taxes were too high, the endorsements were too few, and God didn't want him to go to Canada.

This reasoning drew a lot of criticism to Francis, especially from the Vancouver media.

When it came to the draft, the Grizzlies still selected Francis. They felt that once you were selected, you had to play, and there was no choice in the matter.

After all, there are many instances in NBA history where players didn't want to play for a particular team but were still drafted, and in most cases, players would compromise.

When he was first drafted in 1999, Francis did make a commitment to play for Vancouver, but he needed some time to consider it and negotiate with the team.

At this time, the biggest news in the NBA was still not the draft, but the investigation into Gan Guoyang's espionage case, so not many people cared about Francis and the Grizzlies' fate.

People are more concerned about the fate of another Chinese player in the draft – Wang Zhizhi.

With Gan Guoyang, the "God of Chinese Basketball," still under investigation, which team would dare to sign this inexperienced Chinese center?

The answer came in the 20th pick of the first round – the Atlanta Hawks selected Wang Zhizhi with the 20th pick in the first round, making Wang Zhizhi the fourth Chinese player in NBA history to enter the NBA.

(End of this chapter)