The Golden Age of Basketball

Chapter 946 37-Year-Old Rookie
After hearing his coach's words, Porter thought to himself, "I'm not hardworking, I'm just unlucky."

His fate was sealed the moment he was drafted by the Portland Trail Blazers in the 1985 NBA draft and settled in Willamette Lake Hill Park.

At that time, Gan Guoyang lived in a townhouse in Hushan Park, along with veterans such as Vandeweghe and Mitchell Thompson.

He was the second overall pick in the first round and has enough money to buy his own house in Portland.

Not far from the townhouses are the apartments where the Trail Blazers' second-round and late-first-round rookies live.

Porter, Colter, Cox, and others lived there at the time, very close to the training facility.

When Portland first arrived, Porter was filled with uncertainty about the future, and the best way to break through that uncertainty was to train with Forrest Gump.

Back then, the young Gan Guoyang would get up every morning to run in Hushan Park. He would often run to Xinxiu Apartment and call everyone to get up and warm up together.

Porter always got up very early, running with Colter, Korsey and others, and went to the training facility early to train, hoping to survive in the NBA.

This continued during his first three-peat, but after 1988, as Forrest Gump's fame grew and he moved to a bigger house, he went out for runs less and less in the mornings.

By this time, Porter was wearing three rings and had become one of the league's best point guards. He no longer needed to get up early to go for a run, nor did he feel lost about the future.

Time flies. He never imagined that he would have played in the league for more than a decade and have worn championship rings on both hands.

When he returned to Las Vegas to work with Forrest Gump again, he didn't expect that Forrest would drag him out of bed early in the morning to run and come to the training facility early to train.

Porter thought that people might be more likely to reminisce about their youthful struggles as they get older.

Although it was tough and he felt a bit lost back then, anything was possible in the future. The feeling of running towards the rising sun until it turned yellow is forever etched in his memory.

The problem is, good memories aside, getting up early to train at this age is really exhausting!

It would be fine if it were just a morning workout, but the key is that the whole team has to train together later.

If Forrest Gump insists on increasing the intensity for everyone, just thinking about it is terrifying, it makes me want to vomit.

"Rudy, promise me one thing, don't let me start anymore..." Porter said to Tomjanovich with a bitter face.

Tomjanovich looked troubled, thinking to himself that with the current roster, the guards are either too old or too young, so you're the only one who can start.

Around 10 o'clock, all the members of the Glorious Team's training camp arrived.

In addition to the coaching staff and players, the team's board of directors, operations department, media department, and numerous reporters and photographers gathered at Cox Center.

This was not a simple training session, but the first collective appearance of the Glorious Team to the outside world.

As the main character making this appearance, Gan Guoyang had been training on the field for two hours.

As Porter said, he felt as if he had returned to his youth, seeking that vibrant and energetic spirit.

However, I am getting on in years, and after two hours of training, I was covered in sweat and a little tired.

After taking a shower and changing clothes in the locker room, he came to the stadium to meet reporters and fans, take photos, and show off the Glory team's new jerseys.

The new jerseys are predominantly gold and white, with red lettering adding a fresh touch. The shimmering gold resembles both dazzling gold and a desert under the blazing sun.

There are three jerseys in total: a white home jersey, a gold away jersey, and a red striped away jersey.

To be honest, the jersey design is a bit simple and rough because the design team had too little time. They rushed to finish it overnight and then contacted the jersey manufacturer Adidas overnight to ask for the jersey to be finalized as quickly as possible.

Therefore, the design cannot be too complicated, otherwise it will not be able to keep up with the release of the new season.

Therefore, everything was kept simple, abandoning the exaggerated cartoon designs of the 90s and opting for a minimalist design.

The team's neon logo printed on the jerseys has been omitted; the home jerseys have "Las Vages" printed on the chest, while the away jerseys have "Light" printed on the chest.

Even so, the jersey sold out immediately in major shopping malls as soon as it was released.

The reason is simple: Gan Guoyang's return to the team and his wearing of the number 11 jersey gave it value.

If it's just these small fry in the current training camp, it'll probably be hard to sell them anywhere other than to local Vegas fans.

Take a look at the Vancouver Grizzlies' jerseys; their jerseys are very well-designed, and the colors are beautiful and trendy.

Unfortunately, the team's performance was too poor, and there were no star players to support them, resulting in poor sales of jerseys and other merchandise.

Back in 1999, the Grizzlies were sold to NHL team owner Bill Lowry, who wanted to move the Grizzlies to St. Louis, but the league refused.

This summer, the Vancouver Grizzlies clashed with the city of Vancouver again, with the team feeling it was no longer possible to continue operating in the city.

After receiving approval from the league office, the Grizzlies left Vancouver and moved to Memphis on July 3, 2001, becoming the Memphis Grizzlies.

The Vancouver Grizzlies existed for only six seasons before disappearing from NBA history.

However, since the Vancouver Grizzlies no longer exist, their jerseys from this period actually sold well, with many people buying them as souvenirs, making them a classic design.

This shows that their jersey design is fine; they just lack a gimmick to get fans to buy them.

Like another Canadian team, the Toronto Raptors, whose jerseys sold like hotcakes because of Vince Carter's presence.

The Raptors' number 15, in particular, with its white and purple striped T-shaped pattern, sold extremely well and has become a common street style item.

For many young fans, wearing Carter's jersey is more fashionable and trendy, cooler than Forrest Gump's number 11 and Jordan's number 23. Rappers also love to wear it.

This is the power of young superstars.

Of course, even an elderly superstar like Gan Guoyang still has a huge influence; after all, he is the first person to achieve this.

The Glorious team was barely able to organize a training session all morning; there were just too many people interviewing them.

To maintain the team's exposure and influence, and since they couldn't get rid of the players, they had no choice but to let everyone take as many photos as they wanted.

It wasn't until lunchtime that Gan Guoyang approached Tomjanovich and said, "Let's train this afternoon. Close the venue and prohibit any unauthorized personnel from entering." Tomjanovich agreed, and after lunch, the stadium security sealed off the entrances and exits, leaving only players, coaches, and some management personnel inside, finally bringing some peace and quiet.

Tomjanovich addressed the players for the first time, outlining the team's goals for the season and how difficult it can be for a new team to survive in the NBA.

"When I first started my career, I played for a new team, the San Diego Rockets. I was drafted in 1970, and the Rockets had only been around for three seasons and were doing terribly. When I joined the team, they were so poor that they even charged for the vending machines in the training facility, and we had to pay for water."

The crowd burst into laughter. Gan Guoyang said, "We probably won't. There are even free bed companions here."

The crowd burst into laughter again. Tomjanovich continued, "After one season, the team left San Diego for Houston, but things didn't get any better. Houstonians preferred football to basketball, our arenas were often not full, and there were fights every day. Calvin Murphy was a notorious fighter. And me, a pacifist, took the heaviest punch in league history. To this day, when I sneeze, I have to press my hand against the top of my head, otherwise I'm afraid my head will crack open if I exert too much force."

Everyone laughed again. It was clear that Tomjanovich was the kind of player-coach who was humorous, gentle, and created a relaxed atmosphere.

This has both advantages and disadvantages for a newly formed team. On the one hand, the team atmosphere will be good, and everyone can quickly unite.

The downside, of course, is that lax military discipline can easily lead to poor discipline, weak defense, and negatively impact combat performance.

However, with Gan Guoyang on the Glory team, there's no need to worry about the later issues, which is why Danny Ainge brought in Tomjanovich.

The team has many veteran players and many young players, and they are unfamiliar with each other, so a more relaxed atmosphere is beneficial.

"Everything was terrible—logistics, transportation, training, venues, and the infamous drugs and violence—but we persevered, made a name for ourselves, and became a cultural icon in a place. Now, the NBA is doing very well, the conditions are fantastic, just like Forrest Gump said, the teams are incredibly wealthy and can provide almost anything you need."

"However, if we don't achieve enough success and play exciting games, all the perks will become a heavy burden. This is a brand new team in a very young city that has sprung up in the desert. We have the opportunity to create something of our own and build a cultural symbol for the city."

"All we can do is play our best, keep the fans in the arena, keep the team in Las Vegas, and shine like a neon light in the desert night, a beacon for the lost, and the brightest light in the NBA."

Tomjanovich spoke at length, fully demonstrating his excellent oratory skills.

The illustrious players, the executives on the sidelines, including Gan Guoyang, all applauded enthusiastically, moved by his speech.

This is precisely Tomjanovich's strength; he is emotional, highly infectious, and charismatic, capable of igniting the passion of his players, which is exactly what the Glory team needs.

Of course, while it's nice to have inspirational quotes, real skills are still needed for training and competitions.

Tomjanovich is a relatively relaxed coach in terms of tactical system, and he encourages players to have more autonomy.

At the same time, he was one of the first coaches in the league to focus on spacing and long-range shooting, and on the defensive end, Tomjanovich has his own system.

As an experienced coach, the first lesson in Glory's training began with defense.

"Good defense is the cornerstone of a team's fighting power, because defense never lies to you every night."

The training lasted from 1 p.m. to 3:30 p.m., a total of two and a half hours.

Tomjanovich didn't want to tire everyone out on the first day of training camp, so he blew the whistle to end the day's work.

As for what the players do after training, that's their own business.

Some people clock out as usual, while Las Vegas offers plenty of glitz and glamour.

Some players stay behind to continue training until dark; the accumulation of experience behind these experiences determines the heights a player can reach in the future.

However, Tomjanovich went to the sidelines and chatted with a few executives about the team's plans.

Turning around, I found that not a single member of the team had left; they had all stayed behind for extra practice.

Veterans like Steve Kerr and Kevin Willis, as well as notorious scumbags like Riddell, didn't rush back to the locker room to shower and change.

The veterans stayed behind to practice shooting and chat, while the younger players worked out in the fitness area. Riddell even found a trainer to practice one-on-one games there.

Tomjanovich found it strange; actually, once training was over, it was time to go back, and there was nothing wrong with that.

Did I give them too much motivational talk, and everyone was so moved that they stayed to work overtime?

Tomjanovich asked Riddle, "Hey! Isaiah! Aren't you going back yet? How long are you planning to keep practicing?"

Tomjanovich knew that Riddell was a notorious troublemaker in the league, with a long history of bad behavior since leaving the Trail Blazers.

After learning that he had been selected for the team, Tomjanovich put him on his watchlist to prevent him from becoming a locker room cancer.

After arriving in Las Vegas, this guy was the one who was having the most fun and playing the hardest; he didn't look like he was there to play golf properly.

Unexpectedly, he not only wasn't late today, but he also arrived early, and instead of leaving early after training, he did extra practice.

It seems they keep playtime and work separate, keeping them very clear about their differences.

Riddell hit a pull-up mid-range jumper and said to Tomjanovich, "I don't want to get killed by Forrest Gump. I'll leave whenever he leaves."

Tomjanovich finally understood: it wasn't his motivational speeches that worked, but rather that Forrest Gump's presence kept the veterans from leaving and inspired the younger players to train harder.

At this moment, Gan Guoyang had already led the veterans in a 3v3 game in the half, while the younger players watched from the sidelines, ready to come on as substitutes at any time.

The competition was quite intense, and Gan Guoyang was thinner than at any previous stage in terms of physique.

He has reduced his weight to 245 pounds in order to minimize the burden on his knees and make his body lighter.

In terms of playing style, he is more inclined to play on the perimeter, like a pure small forward, with excellent dribbling and shooting skills.

You would find it hard to believe to someone who has never watched basketball that this is the greatest center in NBA history, and a powerful one at that, the kind who once swept everything.

During training, Tomjanovich thought to himself, "This guy is already 37 years old. Could he possibly change and become a newer player?"
Is he a rookie or a veteran nearing retirement?

At this moment, Gan Guoyang received the ball on the court and made a three-pointer, defeating the opposing team.

Porter, Gan Guoyang's teammate, quietly reminded the group that had just arrived, saying, "Don't win, don't win, so we can leave sooner."

(End of this chapter)