Champions Creed

Chapter 401 400: God will not forgive those who give up their chances (ask for monthly tickets!)

Although Mobley is a bit of a ruffian, he is a person with a strong sense of teamwork.

Since joining the Warriors, he has always played the role of the sixth man. Even though this has caused his data to drop significantly, even if he occasionally cannot get too much playing time in some games, he has never had any complaints.

He'll step up for you in the game and pass you the ball when you're hot.

He will lend you a helping hand when you are in trouble and warn you not to squander all your family wealth like a stupid, low-class black man.

He's the kind of player that everyone loves in the locker room.

So when he woke up, the entire Warriors team was around him.

Cuttino Mobley probably knew what had happened and that he had probably had a near-death experience.

Before everything happened, he felt a little chest tightness and shortness of breath. But he thought that he was just playing a commercial baseball game and there shouldn't be any problems.

"What happened?" the old cat asked weakly.

"To put it simply, you almost met Reggie Lewis." Roger made Cuttino Mobley understand everything with just one sentence. The name Reggie Lewis and what happened to him were well known in the basketball world.

The name means heart disease, tragedy and death.

"Damn."

Mobley first thanked God for letting him survive, but he soon realized another thing - his career might be over.

Reggie Lewis should have saved his life because he fainted more than once during training and games.

But in that era when people were not very aware of the dangers, Reggie Lewis would continue to fight as soon as he woke up, and no one thought that he might have heart problems.

This ultimately led to his young life in 1993.

If Cuttino Mobley doesn't want to repeat his old mistakes, he'd better not play anymore, or at least not play at the NBA level anymore.

As a player, Mobley has nothing to regret.

He has two rings, he has played alongside the best players in the world, and he has made tens of millions of dollars in his career, which is enough for him to live a comfortable life given his personality.

But as a Warriors player, he still has regrets, he failed to persist until the day when the dynasty was established.

But he wouldn't say any bullshit like, "Leave me alone, I can still play basketball."

Compared to the dynasty, Cuttino Mobley certainly cares more about his own life. His life does not only belong to himself, but also to his family, wife and children.

So, the look in his eyes as he stared at Roger became complicated.

He wanted to continue to contribute, but there was nothing he could do next.

Roger responded to the old cat's gaze with a smile: "Take good care of yourself and stay with your family. As for the rest, you don't have to worry about it. You just need to know that you will always be a part of the dynasty, a part of us."

In the afternoon, Bob Bass and Mikhail Prokhorov visited Mobley at the hospital in Philadelphia.

Although Cuttino Mobley is no longer in danger of death, letting him play again is tantamount to murder.

Roger and Bob Bass must consider a very realistic question - who will take up the playing time and ball possession left by the old cat?
The Warriors have always had few ball-handling points. This shortcoming was compensated to a certain extent after the addition of Boris Diaw last season, but now a gap has appeared again.

Let Boris Diaw lead the transition period? The Frenchman's biggest role is to join the starting lineup at certain moments to lubricate the offense. If you really let him be the ball-holding core in the transition period, he probably won't perform too well.

The Frenchman can indeed play five positions, but at the end of the day, he is not a true point guard.

Monta Ellis? He may have potential and can handle the ball, but his potential is not immediately redeemable.

Roger hadn't met Monta Ellis on the practice field yet, but he was sure the guy needed some time to grow.

In the playoffs, with his skinny body facing a defensive intensity he had never seen before, his mind would definitely go blank - even the powerful Chosen One had a blank mind when facing Roger's high-intensity defense in the past two seasons, so blank that he couldn't even distinguish between basketball and football.

Bob Bass knew that his time was running out because quality role players were always the first to be snatched up on the free agent market.

"I will bring back a qualified backup ball-handler."

"It doesn't have to be a guard, just someone who can hold the ball and defend. One more thing, Bob."

"what?"

"Don't stay up late."

"what?"

"You can see that none of us knows when an accident will happen. God favors the old cat, but that doesn't mean he will favor all of us."

In the days that followed, the Golden State Warriors found nothing in the market.

Raja Bell signed with the Spurs early, and Earl Watson reached an agreement with the Denver Nuggets.

Damon Stoudemire is too inefficient, Bobby Simmons has excellent scoring ability but the word "team spirit" is not in his mind at all, and Doug Christie, the only sword-wielding guard in the once gorgeous Kings lineup, has long lost his fuel tank.

Free agents who are suitable for the Warriors have basically found their next home, and those who remain in the free agent market are not very compatible with the Warriors.

While the Warriors were busy, several reporters were waiting outside a drug rehabilitation facility in the suburbs of Seattle.

At this time, a Mercedes-Benz sedan appeared at the door of the drug rehabilitation center, and a man wearing sunglasses came out from the back seat.

Reporters immediately swarmed over. The man had a blank expression on his face, except for his signature crooked mouth.

"Gary, I heard that Sean is almost bankrupt because of the high child support for his illegitimate child. Is this true?"

"How many illegitimate children does he have? Seven or 7?"

"There is news that Sean will be one of the 40 greatest superstars in the history of the SuperSonics during the 16th anniversary celebration. Is this news reliable?"

Gary Payton ignored the reporters, pretending they didn't exist.

At this time, the staff of the drug rehabilitation center sent out a tall but extremely thin guy.

He is Shawn Kemp, the most popular position tyrant in the 90s, who created countless classic shots.

Just a few months ago, Shawn Kemp had a chance to play again. His former teammate in the SuperSonics, current Dallas Mavericks coach Avery Johnson, invited Kemp to Dallas for a tryout and successfully signed a contract.

Sean Kemp was so excited about getting the contract that he decided to celebrate by taking some cocaine.

Everyone knows what happened afterwards. He was sent to a drug rehabilitation center by the league, and his hopes of returning to the Mavericks were completely shattered.

Gary Payton looked at the miserable Shawn Kemp and couldn't help but curse softly: "What the hell! Look at his appearance!"

It is really hard to associate the thin, listless and lifeless Shawn Kemp today with the flying Rain Man in the 90s.

Of course, he deserved it because he had come to this.

Since being abandoned by the Supersonics, Sean Kemp has become a complete waste.

He played with women like crazy in Cleveland, sowing seeds as diligently as a hardworking farmer.

Later, playing with women could not satisfy him anymore, so he started taking drugs. At first it was marijuana, and later he started taking cocaine. When he played in Orlando, he was as fat as a pig, but now he is as thin as a bamboo pole because of drugs. He thought he was having fun, but in fact it was drugs that were playing with him.

Shawn Kemp looked at Payton who came to pick him up and lowered his head in shame.

Payton walked up to him, and instead of comforting him, he yelled, "Your brain is fucking sucked!"

What many people don't know is that Shawn Kemp and Gary Payton have always maintained a good personal relationship.

In 2020, when Sean Kemp opened his own marijuana store in Seattle, where marijuana was legalized, Gary Payton went to support him despite the controversy and bought a box of marijuana cookies.

It was precisely because of their good relationship that Gary Payton criticized him bluntly.

The two got into the car and left under the flash lights of reporters.

Shawn Kemp remained silent. Finally, when the car drove into downtown Seattle and passed the KeyArena, which carried their beautiful memories, Shawn Kemp covered his head with his hands and said, "I'm a fucking idiot."

"Yes, this is the most correct thing you have said in all these years," Gary Payton complained, but he finally patted Rain Man on the shoulder, "So, what are you going to do next?"

"I want to end my career in the right way. I will continue to work hard and see if I can get a contract with an NBA team."

Well, "ending his career the right way" may only be part of Sean Kemp's wish. The more realistic part is that he needs money.

Otherwise, he would have no money to pay the high child support.

He can't rely on Gary Payton for relief all his life.

"Stop messing around, Sean. Think about the past, think about our glory days, and then look at what you've become now. Damn it!"

"Okay Gary, I won't screw it up this time. What about you? Have you found your next employer?"

When this was mentioned, Gary Payton frowned even deeper. He looked out the window and did not answer.

Just a week ago, the New York Knicks announced the signing of third-year white point guard Steve Blake, which meant that Gary Payton lost his position.

The Knicks did not renew his contract. They would rather sign a third-year rookie who has only started 15 games so far in his career than give themselves another chance.

This incident dealt a heavy blow to Gary Payton's self-esteem.

At present, almost no championship-contending team is willing to extend an olive branch to Gary Payton. His career with the Spurs and the Knicks has exhausted people's last expectations of him.

He currently only has an offer from the Miami Heat, and Pat Riley hopes Gary Payton can inject tough genes into the locker room.

The Miami Heat have good talent, and after getting out of the shadow of the gun scandal, they may be able to become a playoff team next season.

But a title? They can't do that.

So, Gary Payton was hesitant.

If he can't win the championship, what's the point of him choosing to persist?
Seeing that Gary Payton didn't say anything, Rain Man suddenly understood everything.

He sighed. Nine years ago, they broke out of the West and fought a bloody battle with Roger in the finals.

Nine years later, he and Gary Payton were sitting in the car, worrying about their next job.

The streets of Seattle are filled with posters of Ray Allen and Rashard Lewis, as if the Glove and Rain Man never existed.

This is the end of a period of time.

"No matter what, Gary," Kemp said without asking further questions, "No matter what, don't give up the opportunity you can still grasp. This is the most profound lesson I learned this time. If it weren't for my own fault, I would have a contract with the Dallas Mavericks now. God will not forgive those who give up opportunities, because he will not let the opportunity come again."

Gary Payton still didn't say anything, but he listened.

Don't give up the opportunity you can still seize?
For some reason, a sentence echoed in Glove's mind, like the whisper of a devil.

"You know what Gary, the only way you can wear a ring in my time is if you surrender to me."

In the evening, Payton returned home and turned on the sports channel news. What was being said on TV was nothing more than the same repetitive content.

Cuttino Mobley has woken up, but his career may be over.

AK47 is looking forward to working with LeBron James.

LBJ vowed to break Roger's dominance in Cleveland.

But there is also something new, that is, Reggie Miller officially announced his retirement.

In the last game of this year's Eastern Conference semifinals, when the Pacers fans held up "Thank you Reggie" signs in the last minute of the game with the outcome decided, it was one of the most touching moments in NBA history.

Pistons coach Rick Carlisle even deliberately called a timeout on that possession to allow Reggie Miller to enjoy the moment.

Of course, since Reggie Miller's contract with the Pacers has not ended yet, he may also change his mind this summer.

But all the suspense ended today, Reggie Miller officially retired from this arena.

The guy who claimed, "I am never afraid to compete with God," ultimately couldn't hold on.

He has fought with Michael Jordan and Roger. He has never been a superstar, but he has written his own legend in the league with blood and tears.

But in the final analysis, Reggie Miller left with regret.

Just like Charles Barkley, Karl Malone, Patrick Ewing and others, he never got a ring of honor of his own in his entire life.

At the press conference announcing his retirement, a reporter asked Reggie Miller: "Do you regret not having won a championship?"

This is a stupid question because the answer is almost certainly yes.

Reggie Miller looked at the camera, tears seemed to be welling up in his eyes.

He answered nothing, yet he answered everything.

Gary Payton and Reggie Miller were not very familiar with each other. During their peak years, one was in the West and the other in the East. They only met a few times a year, and never played against each other in the playoffs. As for personal relationship, it was almost non-existent.

But looking at Reggie Miller's appearance, Gary Payton felt a little sad, because he could feel the pain behind the silence at that moment.

He accepted his fate, and so did Karl Malone. They both accepted the fact that after more than a decade of hard climbing, they still couldn't see the scenery from the top.

Those familiar names are becoming less and less common in the league, and there are very few people left who are still persisting.

But Gary Payton still didn't want to accept it. He just wanted a ring. He didn't want to play basketball all his life but not even know what the top of a mountain looked like.

The devil's whispers rang in his ears again. He held the cup of water, struggling internally.

Do you really want to make a deal with the devil?

At this time, there was new news on TV.

It is reported that coffee magnate Howard Schultz has sold the WNBA team Seattle Storm to an Oklahoma City investor group led by Clay Bennett.

The latter's real purpose was to acquire the Seattle SuperSonics and was eager to move the SuperSonics to his hometown of Oklahoma City.

Seattle fans strongly protested this action, and the Seattle city government also stated that even if the team moved, they would not give up the name "Supersonics".

But Gary Payton knows that the power of capital does not obey names.

This means that if the team really moves, the Seattle SuperSonics will disappear completely.

Gary Payton was scared.

Reggie Miller never won a championship in his life, but he is the eternal hero of Indianapolis.

What about me? Maybe in a few years, the Seattle SuperSonics will no longer be a team.

What will he have left by then? He will be completely rootless!

He must win a championship ring to prove that he has been here, seen it all, and conquered it.

The devil's whispers repeated in his mind again and again, and Gary Payton felt as if his head was about to explode.

"Get the hell out of my head!" Payton picked up the water cup and smashed it to the ground, and the voice in his head disappeared.

He just wants to win, he just wants to win once!
He doesn't want to be a transparent waste!
He still wants to continue fighting and not leave regrets for the rest of his life like Reggie Miller and others.

Suddenly, the voice in his head sounded again.

But it was not the devil's whisper, but the voice of his good brother Sean Kemp: "No matter what, don't give up the opportunity you can still catch. God will not forgive those who give up opportunities, because he will not let the opportunity come again."
-
Outside Cuttino Mobley's hospital room, Roger was texting with Bob Bass.

"Reinforcement has not been going smoothly. Now there is a candidate who is not a good candidate. See if you can accept it."

"name?"

Just as the text message was sent here, a call came in from an unfamiliar number.

Roger answered the phone impatiently: "Hello?"

"Roger?"

The voice on the other end made Roger stunned.

"Where did you get my number?"

"It's not hard. I can go to the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show and see ten women you've fucked. They all have your number."

"Go away, I don't have time to chat with losers."

"You're right Roger, I want to join you on your dynastic journey."

"what?"

"I'm still useful, and I'll prove it! Whether it's a trial or something else, just give me a chance!"

After the two chatted for a few words and hung up the phone, Roger saw the text message from Bob Bass. The name Roger needed was Gary Payton.

On the other side, Payton put down his phone, looked at the ceiling, and sighed.

Maybe it's true, joining Roger is the only chance.

He couldn't be the one to waste the opportunity.

(End of this chapter)