Champions Creed

Chapter 209 Chapter 208: The God Killers are coming! (Please give me a monthly ticket!)

After the All-Star Game, Roger took some time to visit Reebok's global headquarters in Oregon.

There, Roger attended the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new Reebok office building named after him.

That day, Reebok executives hosted a dinner for Roger.

Before the dinner began, in a private office, Roger was smoking cigars, drinking whiskey and chatting with a group of men who controlled the future destiny of the Reebok brand.

Those present included Roger's agent Eric Fleisher, Reebok basketball president Todd Klinsky, Reebok brand CEO Carl Jankowski and Reebok's real boss, the company's owner Paul Firman.

They are all top-tier among the top-tier.

Paul Firman personally lit a cigar for Roger, then mocked Nike in a joking tone: "I bet Nike is now eager to send Anfernee Hardaway to the comic world and get a shot of superhero serum. Or, they definitely want to develop a time machine and go back to the summer of 1993."

Paul Firman feels very, very lucky to have signed Roger five years ago.

Because it was a great signing that changed the fate of the entire brand.

In the 80s, Reebok gained both male and female users by relying on its success in the fitness and running shoe markets. For trendy women in the 80s, Reebok was their own Lululemon. In these two fields, Reebok once became the most profitable sports brand in the world.
With the sponsorship of the three major competitive events NBA, NFL and NHL, Reebok's global influence has reached its peak, crushing Adidas and Nike.

But Nike's desperate signing changed the entire ecological chain of the sports brand industry. In 1988, the gap between Reebok and Nike continued to widen year by year, and the star effect was fully demonstrated by Michael Jordan.

Since then, major sports brands have invested heavily in celebrity endorsements.

The technology and design of sneakers are important, but without a superstar spokesperson, you will be completely at a disadvantage in marketing.

So Paul Firman would be very proud every time he saw Roger, because Nike could have gotten Roger, but those idiots missed the opportunity to seize their destiny.

"Even after taking the superhero serum, a penny is still just a penny. It cannot change its value. Roger, you are different. We know your value." Karl Jankowski picked up his glass and prepared to get to the point.

For this meeting, the ribbon-cutting ceremony was secondary. Reebok's main purpose was to finalize a new contract with Roger in advance.

In another six months, Roger's five-year contract with Reebok will expire.

It would be no exaggeration to describe this period of time as fleeting.

In five years, the NBA has undergone tremendous changes.

Michael Jordan has become a thing of the past, but the 1998 All-Star Game has shown that Roger is now the biggest gold mine in the basketball world. Any brand that gets him has the potential to change the status quo.

Reebok must not let such a spokesperson go.

Roger took a sip of the whiskey in his glass and expressed his attitude: "I have no doubt about this. We will actively negotiate a contract extension with Reebok."

After saying that, Roger glanced at Fleischer, meaning that it was his turn to appear.

Eric Fleischer, who received the signal, immediately spoke up: "Roger's value is well known. Any brand that has the opportunity to acquire him will directly give him a lifetime contract."

Several Reebok executives looked at each other. Paul Firman smiled and nodded: "Of course, this is exactly what we want."

A lifetime contract means that an athlete is completely bound to the brand.

Such a contract can make the cooperation between the two parties closer.

It can provide the greatest protection for both brands and players.

But signing a star player to a lifetime contract comes at a price.

Paul Firman asked tentatively: "Eric, what do you think Roger's lifetime contract should be?"

Eric Fleischer smiled and leaned forward. "When we talk about Roger, we can't use ordinary standards. Most players his age are still called rising stars. But Roger? He is already dominating the league. For a player like this, ordinary contract numbers are meaningless."

Paul Firman understood that Roger wanted sales dividends!
Michael Jordan and Nike have this kind of cooperation model.

There is no doubt that this is a contract that no sports brand wants to sign.

The endorsement fee is very simple, just give the player a sum of money, just like a betrothal gift.

But dividends from sales are just like the salary you have to hand over every month.

This is a bottomless pit. You have to pour money into it every year, even after the player retires.

But Reebok had no choice.

Having no choice is the basis for almost all profit-sharing contracts.

In the original history, the only player who could get brand dividends after Nike and Jordan was Stephen Curry.

Because Under Armour has no choice, giving up Curry is almost equivalent to disappearing from the basketball market.

Reebok has no choice now. Although they still have popular stars such as AI, Reebok knows very well that if they let Roger go to Adidas or Nike, it would be tantamount to self-destruction.

Look at the current state of the league.

Hakeem Olajuwon is 35 years old. It is almost impossible for him to compete for the first team of the best team. That position has long belonged to Shaq. In the past February, this great center who could compete with Roger in the playoffs had four games with less than 2 points.

Drexler is 36 years old now. He is no longer the Houston youth who glides freely in the sky. In fact, many media have reported that Drexler is about to retire. Gliders may no longer be seen in the sky above Houston.

Another giant of the Rockets, Charles Barkley, was tortured by back injuries. He was no longer the magical fat man who brought out the best in Jordan. Time began to attack his most talented body in history.

Patrick Ewing can only be a spectator in Madison Square Garden, wearing a suit and holding his chin. Just a year ago, people were still discussing how many championships Ewing could win. He and Michael Jordan swept the United States in 1984, and everyone believed that they could do the same in 1997, including himself. But now, a year later, he has not played a single game since 1998.

In the spring of 1998, Michael Jordan no longer fought on the basketball court. A year earlier in the summer, he lost the most important series of his career, completely fell from the throne, and ruined his career.

You never know when you will witness history. Looking back now, Jordan's defeat to Roger in the Eastern Conference Finals last season seemed to be the beginning of the twilight of these old guys and the beginning of Roger taking over this era.

For this group of stars, the spring of 1998 was not full of vitality, but only the sadness of dusk.

The old guys are no longer useful, and newcomers such as AI, Grant Hill and Kobe are completely unable to compete with Roger in terms of commercial value.

Therefore, Roger is currently the greatest and most commercially valuable star of this era.

Moreover, Roger is doing something unprecedented in NBA history – winning four consecutive championships by changing teams.

Before Michael Jordan, three consecutive championships dated back to the 60s.

The Boston Celtics' eight consecutive championships are the longest in NBA history, but in the modern environment, people rarely use this as a standard to define greatness.

Because you can't deny the fact that the Celtics and Bill Russell are competing in a league with less than ten teams combined.

Especially in the Eastern Conference at that time, there were only four teams in total. In addition, there was a rule that the first place in the division would receive a bye in the first round of the playoffs.

what does this mean?
This means that the Celtics will start in the division finals and only need to play two rounds of series to win the championship.

You can look at how many teams in the 90s that couldn't win a championship ever won two series.

But they had nothing to do with the championship.

This is the gap in the competitive environment.

In the modern basketball environment, three consecutive championships are considered a miracle.

From 66 to 93, no one could do this for 27 years until Michael Jordan appeared.

This is also the reason why Jordan became a god.

He has to do things that others can't even dream of, so he can be called great. If Jordan only had four championships, would that still be called unattainable?
Later, Roger and Shaq created similar glories, but that could only be regarded as a replica of Jordan's miracle, not a surpassing of it.

Now, Roger has the opportunity to complete his four consecutive championships after changing teams, which has never happened in NBA history.

This is another unattainable thing.

If Roger succeeds in winning four consecutive championships after changing teams, he will create an unprecedented "personal dynasty".

And this time, no one can say that Roger can only succeed by teaming up with players in the top three MVP levels.

This was a key step for Roger to completely surpass Jordan.

It is also a key step for Reebok to completely surpass Nike.

Look at it now, Reebok has made a fortune just by marketing the concept of a "savior".

If Roger can win four consecutive titles, his popularity will only be more exaggerated.

The highest commercial value and a unique "personal dynasty", this is what Roger is about to create.

Therefore, Paul Firman nodded on the spot and agreed to the profit-sharing cooperation model. He did not want Roger to have any contact with other manufacturers:
"Of course, only this model is worthy of Roger's identity. We will discuss the specific dividend ratio again."

After saying this, Paul Firman raised his glass.

If he gave up Roger because he was reluctant to give up the profit share, he would be even more stupid than Nike was back then.

After the All-Star Game, Roger has basically finalized his next endorsement contract. At the same time, some people are confused about the future.

Scott Pippen's contract year has entered the countdown stage.

The next 33 regular season games and playoffs were his last chance to show himself. But to make matters worse, after the All-Star Game, Pippen's back muscles were always very tense.

In the past in Chicago, Pippen had already worn himself out, and now the in-depth communication with Larsa at least four times a day doubled his workload.

But Pippen didn't want to miss the game, so he gritted his teeth and played the last 33 games of the regular season without missing any.

In the end, the Eagles won a team-record 62 games this season, an improvement of 23 games from last season.

斯科特.皮蓬82场全勤，场均拿下17.2分6.8个篮板4.3次助攻1.8次抢断1.0次盖帽。他不确定以这样数据够不够拿到大合同，但他知道，如果夺冠的话一定可以。

Steve Smith averaged 17.6 points, 4.2 rebounds and 3.3 assists per game. His scoring has declined compared to last season, but it does not affect his improving reputation.

罗杰在老鹰队的第一个赛季也打出了足够璀璨的个人数据，场均33.6分7.7次助攻4.3个篮板1.8次抢断1.3次盖帽。

All five basic statistics are career highs!

These three guys have carried this unconventional, big-man-less Atlanta Hawks team to the No. 1 spot in the Eastern Conference.

In the Eastern Conference, the Hawks feel like a dominant force.

Unlike the Western Conference, where the Jazz, Lakers and SuperSonics all won more than 60 games, the Spurs' twin towers have 56 wins.

The main reason the Spurs didn't get 60 wins was that the team's main player Sean Elliott hadn't played since January 1998 due to kidney disease.

Otherwise, there will be 4 60-win teams in the Western Conference this year!
The battle in the West will definitely be fierce, while the situation in the East is relatively gentle. There are only three teams with more than 55 wins in the regular season: the Hawks, Pacers and Heat.

Roger didn't have time to be happy about his regular season statistics. He understood that the playoffs were the stage for him to create greatness.

The day before the playoffs began, Roger and Steve Smith went to visit Andy.

He was now thinner than before, just skin and bones.

"He is in excruciating pain every day," Andy's parents told Roger and Steve Smith.

What keeps him going?

Watch the Eagles' championship aspirations.

The whole city is looking forward to the Eagles' performance in the playoffs.

Although the Hawks' opponents in the first and second rounds of the playoffs were not strong, the championship was not a foregone conclusion.

In the just-concluded regular season, the Indiana Pacers beat the Hawks twice.

In the last matchup between the two teams at the end of March, Reggie Miller scored 34 points. In the fourth quarter of that game, Miller scored 15 points alone. Even though Roger interfered with him many times, he was able to hit three-pointers steadily.

As it turns out, Reggie Miller and the Pacers will never bow to Roger easily.

Because of the presence of the Pacers, the Hawks' situation in the East is not so clear.

Many media outlets believe that the Pacers will cause a lot of trouble for the Hawks in the playoffs.

In the midst of all Roger's greatness, there was only one obstacle: Reggie Miller.

Who would have thought that the person Roger said he admired most during the team interview in 1993 is now standing completely against him.

Reggie Miller also made a bold statement before the start of the playoffs: "I officially announce that we will shock the entire league!"

The playoff journey for both teams begins.

The Hawks' first-round opponent is the Detroit Pistons again.

Grant Hill and Chris Webber have no idea how many times they have met Roger in the playoffs.

At first, Detroit people thought that the combination of Hill and Webber could make a difference in the East.

As a result, the Pistons have been unable to make a breakthrough in the playoffs for several seasons. And every time they lose in the playoffs, the Pistons have almost no ability to fight back.

This year, the Pistons management is already waiting and watching. If the Pistons still can't make it to the playoffs, they will send Chris Webber elsewhere and conduct a soft rebuild.

However, under such pressure, the Detroit Pistons still did not show any breakthrough performance.

In Series G1, Alan Henderson played the best game of his career.

He defended Webber to 18 of 6 shots and only scored 14 points.

Alan Henderson himself scored a nice stats of 21 points, 9 rebounds and 4 assists.

Chris Webber, an All-Star player, was beaten point-for-point by Alan Henderson, who was unknown before this season.

Chris Webber, a must-play item in the NBA playoffs.

The playoffs are a stage for players to show themselves, and Chris Webber is that stage.

After the game, Chris Webber defended himself in the press conference: "You know, we always need a game to find our form."

Then in the second game, Webber only scored 14 points with 4 of 10 shots.

If something doesn't exist, you won't be able to find it no matter how hard you try.

The performance in Game 2 of the series made Detroit fans completely disappointed in Webber.

In Game 3 at the Palace of Auburn Hills, Detroit fans even shouted "Trade Chris Webber".

Even the good-tempered Grant Hill reduced the number of times he passed the ball to Webber in G3.

But it was of no avail. In order to safely end the series, Roger entered the scoring state at the beginning of today's game, scoring 37 points and 12 assists. The Detroit Pistons once again gained nothing in the playoffs.

The No. 93, No. and No. picks in all became worthless in front of Roger, who was picked fourth.

After the first round of the series, Chris Webber burst into tears at the press conference: "Grant and I have not yet fully realized our potential!"

This sentence is as funny as "Roger and I scored 69 points together."

After defeating such an opponent, Roger was not even interested in giving a victory speech at the press conference.

He pointed his finger at Reggie Miller: "I officially declare that no one can shake up this league."

But the second-round opponent, the Charlotte Hornets, wasn't buying it.

In the second round, the Hawks won G1 as usual, but in G2, the Hawks lost their accuracy across the board due to the excellent defense of the Hornets.

皮蓬16中4，史蒂夫.史密斯12中4，阿兰.亨德森8中1。

Although Roger maintained his form and scored 36 points, he was unable to prevent the incredible score of 30 to 76 with 76 seconds left in the game.

In the final moments, former Bulls dynasty star BJ Armstrong broke through and scored a layup to end the game.

Afterwards, Armstrong, who was so excited that he couldn't control himself, yelled at the Hawks bench: "You bunch of soft bitches, you don't understand playoff basketball at all!"

Then the Hornets walked away peacefully.

In the next three games, the Hawks did not allow the Hornets to narrow the score gap to single digits in any one game.

Roger scored 37 points in one game, 35 points in another game, and 42 points in another game. The Hornets fully experienced what the iron fist of a superstar is.

After Game 5, a reporter asked Roger at the press conference: "How do you evaluate B.J. Armstrong's performance in this round of the series?"

"What do you expect me to say? Something insulting? No, he is a respectable opponent. He is less than 190 cm tall, but plays like a fighter. Moreover, he can also play good personal data. His 24+5+5 data today is quite outstanding."

"Roger, I'm afraid you're wrong. BJ Armstrong only scored 5 points and 1 assist today." The reporter reminded.

"Yeah, 24 minutes of playing time, 5 shots and 5 points, isn't that good enough for a loser like BJ?"

The reporters all laughed. Yes, this was the correct way for Roger to speak.

This marked the first time the Eagles had reached the conference finals since 1970.

In Roger's first year with the team, he accomplished what Dominique Wilkins had failed to accomplish throughout his prime.

Although they did not sweep into the conference finals like the Magic, the Hawks' performance in the first two rounds was also very dominant.

The next day, Reggie Miller led his team to eliminate the New York Knicks with a total score of 4-1, and met Roger in the Eastern Conference Finals as expected.

This is also the first time in nearly four years that the Eastern Conference Finals will not have Michael Jordan.

Miller became Jordan's replacement.

At the end of the series, Reggie Miller showed his evil smile: "We are not great enough, but we specialize in preventing greatness from happening! Personal dynasty? Savior? Haha, fight us first!"

The toughest man in the 90s wanted to become a key node in changing history.

The next day, Slam Dunk magazine featured the entire Pacers team on its cover, with a very eye-catching headline:
The God Killers are coming!

(End of this chapter)