Where the noise did not reach

Chapter 120 The Paranoid Doctor
When Xu Ling sprained his ankle due to overwork, it not only led to the four-way trade that shook the league, but also prompted the Grizzlies and Xu Ling's team to start looking for top sports rehabilitation and physiotherapy experts.

However, most authorities in this field are already under contract during the season. Hiring a top-tier full-time physical therapist is even more difficult – industry leaders often hold multiple positions and are rarely willing to commit to a single team mid-season.

After searching in vain, Xu Ling's team had almost given up and planned to make a decision during the off-season.

But the Grizzlies' management never gave up. The person in charge of this work was none other than the team's vice president, Dick Vissach.

Visach was waiting in his office for the person he had been looking forward to.

He heard that Jerry West had been in the office for hours; the old man was always more diligent than anyone else, and you couldn't tell he was almost seventy.

Why? He has so much energy at an age when he should be retired. What does he want?
What else could bring success to the Grizzlies?
A cold smile flashed across Vesacci's face.

But to make the Grizzlies successful? First, you need to define what success is. Is it winning a game in the playoffs, or making it to the second round? Or, by the standards of the great Logo Man's past achievements, winning that ultimate Larry O'Brien Trophy?

is it possible?

Thinking of this, a name naturally came to mind: Eli Xu.

No matter what you call him—the Lord, the Terminator, the Kingslayer, the Judge, Mr. Headlines, Littlefinger—it doesn't change the fact that he's the rookie who has had the biggest impact on the team since Tim Duncan. He's also the most watched rookie since LeBron James.

Unlike LeBron James, the former's popularity stems from the hype surrounding him as the "chosen one," and from the professional assessment that "this kid has unlimited potential." He's like the protagonist in a story, burdened with the expectation of surpassing Michael Jordan even before playing a single game.

What about Xu Ling? This time last year, he was just a first-round pick in the eyes of scouts. After March Madness, he was on par with Oden and Durant. Before the first month of the regular season was even over, he had already made it impossible for Rudy Gay to play for the Grizzlies. Then came the "Judgment Dunk," the finger wag at the fallen Kings, and the All-Star MVP award.
Most people don't believe it's a coincidence, but whether it's a coincidence or not, Xu Ling became one of the most watched players in the entire league within half a season, and at the same time made the Grizzlies—a team that is always forgotten by television broadcasters—one of the most watched teams in the country.

He proved his ability, potential, market appeal, and commercial value.

Isn't that ironic?
The man who seems most likely to become the next Kobe Bryant is playing in the smallest market in the entire league.

Thinking of all this, Vesacc felt a bitter feeling welling up inside him.

He found it hard to accept that a yellow-skinned boy from the East, with his amazing basketball talent and troublemaking nature, had become a hero of the city and the most dazzling jewel in Jerry West's crown.

And his brother, his figure forever frozen in the 70s, seemed to appear in his mind at that moment. He died in the humid, sweltering jungles of Southeast Asia, tortured by the Vietnamese. He couldn't understand why America would need to embrace countries and peoples that they could never truly trust deep down.

"Don't you like it?" Visach asked himself. "Of course I don't like it." But whether you like it or not has never been a rule of this game.

The rules of this game are value and power. Xu Ling now possesses unparalleled value, making him an excellent lever to wield power. West sees Xu Ling as the cornerstone of revival, while Visach sees him as a handy stepping stone.

Vesacci needs to win over Xu Ling, or rather, he needs to make Xu Ling feel that he is being won over. For a promising young star, what better gift would be to find him a professional and authoritative physiotherapist?

He used all his connections to bypass West's circle and set his sights on the more cutting-edge and elite private services sector.

Ultimately, he settled on Dr. Deckard Ross—a fanatical genius with an astonishingly impressive resume who was eager for a top-tier platform to validate his theories.

More importantly, Vesach promised unconditional support and a stage to showcase his abilities. With Xu Ling at the core, Ross agreed almost without hesitation. It was a deal where everyone got what they wanted.

That afternoon, just as the Grizzlies' practice session was ending, Dick Vesach appeared in the physiotherapy area with Dr. Daike Ross.

Visach greeted Xu Ling, who had just finished strength training and was icing his ankle, with a warm and concerned smile on his face, along with Marc Jafaroni who was accompanying him.

“Eli! How are you feeling?” Visach’s tone was perfectly caring. He gently patted Xu Ling’s shoulder, his gesture as affectionate as that of a kind elder. “Mark, this is the Dr. Deckard Ross I mentioned to you.”

Xu Ling was taken aback, and then began to look at Dr. Ross.

Approaching fifty years old, he maintains the physique of a thirty-year-old athlete, with short silver-gray hair, frameless glasses, and a well-tailored dark tracksuit, looking very professional.

Then, Vesacc solemnly introduced, "Dr. Rose, this is our team's head coach, Marc Jaffaroni. And this is the person you're focusing on, and also the flag bearer of our Memphis professional basketball team, Eli Xu."

Although Xu Ling didn't know the expert's true capabilities, the team's actions undoubtedly provided him with an extra layer of protection.

So he nodded in response, just like Jafaroni, and said, "It's a pleasure to meet you, Dr. Ross."

Dr. Ross stepped forward and shook hands with Xu Ling and Jaffaroni respectively. He didn't exchange any pleasantries, and his gaze fell directly on Xu Ling.

"Mr. Xu."

Xu Ling rarely heard anyone address him as "sir" at FedExCentre Arena. "Hmm?"

He instinctively responded.

“Mr. Vesach gave me a detailed description of your situation and provided me with your recent game footage and physical test data,” Dr. Ross began. “Mr. Xu, your basketball talent is undeniable. But the way you use your body, in my technical terms, is a kind of ‘high-energy-consuming output’.”

He then pulled out a diagram of human anatomy and began spouting various medical terms to tell Xu Ling how little he had taken care of his body over the past half-season.

This is somewhat similar to a doctor explaining the risks of surgery to the family before the operation begins.

Every time it sounds like a certain death sentence.

"Look here, your left ankle has a slight tendency to invert when landing on your weight. Although the range is small, the pressure on the ligaments after hundreds or thousands of repetitions in a season is astonishing. Also, your power generation pattern is that you rely too much on your lower limbs to generate power, and your legs lack the necessary cushioning and coordination of muscle groups. This directly leads to your lower limbs being in a state of tension for a long time, which in turn further weakens the stability of your ankle."

"Wait a moment!"

Xu Ling couldn't help but ask, "If you don't use your lower body to exert force, how do you exert force?"

Mr. Xu

"Just call me Eli."

"The lower body is key to generating power, but it is not, and should not be, the only source of power," Dr. Ross said. "Fully engage your core strength and make full use of your hips as a cushion. That's the key to long-term success."

On the other side, Jaffaroni stood with his arms crossed, listening silently with a very serious expression.

The head coach of the Grizzlies found himself unable to contribute to discussions about basketball.

"What should I do?" Xu Ling began to take this doctor seriously.

Dr. Ross looked at Xu Ling and said solemnly, "My job is to help you readjust this body, reduce unnecessary wear and tear, improve your athletic performance, and, as much as possible, keep you away from those annoying injuries."

"Sounds good," Xu Ling said succinctly. "How do you need my cooperation?"

Vesacc stood to the side, a satisfied smile on his face.

“We need to conduct a more detailed physical assessment before we can determine the specific plan,” Dr. Ross responded. “If you have time tomorrow morning, we can begin.”

“No problem.” Xu Ling readily agreed.

Vesach interjected at the opportune moment, his tone full of support: "That's great! Eli, don't worry, the team and Dr. Rose will do everything they can to ensure your health! Doctor, we're counting on you from now on!"

Then, as Vesacc watched Xu Ling and Rose begin to discuss more specific physical sensations, he knew there was nothing more for him to do. He had successfully portrayed himself as a caring and efficient executive.

Before today, Xu Ling didn't have much of an impression of Vesacci.

Because Visach's superior was the only executive at FedEx Arena with higher authority than him, Jerry West never delegated his work to others; he always did everything meticulously.

Whether it's drafting, trade negotiations, or even attending games in person, he does everything personally.

This prevented Vesacci from getting involved in frontline affairs and instead put him in charge of publicity and sales. However, Xu Ling was not a fan of team publicity, so he had very little contact with Vesacci within the team.

But today, this vice president, whose presence he rarely sensed, brought Xu Ling the much-needed off-field support, much like Santa Claus.

“Dick,” Xu Ling addressed Visach by his first name, “thank you for bringing us the help we need most.”

"Where are you talking?"

Visach's smile was radiant, a professional, flawless fake smile.

"Everything is for the future of the Grizzlies!"

And my future.

(End of this chapter)