I really just want to strike

I.....too.....difficult...!

You know, for the NBA, which is caught between the other three major sports leagues in North America at this time, the situation of the NBA is more than difficult?

Because the players keep making bad moves and swearing constantly on the court, even many American parents have publicly stated that they want to boycott the NBA to prevent their children from learning badly.

At this time, Stern knew better than anyone that basketball could no longer compete with football or even baseball in the United States.

The NBA needs new audiences.

Need a huge overseas market.

Therefore, in 92, after professional players could play in the Olympics, Stern immediately called on the stars to play for the country.

It can be said that in Barcelona, ​​the demeanor of the Dream Team made countries around the world appreciate the charm of the NBA for the first time.

but......

Everything that happened next, Stern always felt that he took the wrong script.

Because it is agreed that the next step will be to push each line. Under his leadership, the NBA will live a simple and boring life?

No!

Not at all!

The 90s were nothing compared to the future. Except for a few players, most European basketball players were not interested in joining the NBA.

The most famous of these is the King of Europe, the "White Magician" - Bodi Loga.

Because in Bodi Loga's opinion, I can make a lot of money playing in Europe, so why do I have to go to the NBA?

As one of the representatives of basketball in Europe at this time, even Bodi Loga thinks this way. It is conceivable how limited the appeal of the NBA is to European players.

So Stern is too difficult.

But it doesn't matter, as an energetic president, even if the European market is temporarily closed, Stern will not give up.

Because Stern discovered a new continent in the NBA's overseas market——

China.

When studying the history of basketball in China, Stern found that the history of playing basketball in China is almost as long as that in North America. Even in the Berlin Olympics in 1936, the old China at that time sent a basketball team.

And these histories made Stern realize that China has a far better basketball foundation than Europe.

Because the center of world football is in Europe, even if the NBA can intervene in the European market, its influence is very limited.

But China is different.

So, in 1986, regardless of everyone's opposition, Stern, who insisted that China would become the largest basketball market outside the United States in the future, mailed several boxes of NBA videotapes to China's Datianchao TV station.

In Stern's view, although China was still in a state of ruin at that time, he firmly believed that China would rise and the NBA must enter the Chinese market as soon as possible.

In 1989, in order to further promote the NBA to China, Stern once again defied all opinions.

This time, the little Jewish old man once again took the NBA videotape, and then went to China alone.

Outside the old Datianchao TV station building at that time, Stern waited for two hours because he didn't have an appointment. The little Jewish old man finally met the leader of Datianchao TV station in charge of sports at that time.

In the end, Stern impressed Datianchao TV with his sincerity, and if Stern’s experience is described in a more modern way, it should roughly be like this:

Stern: Our NBA here is pretty good, with Jordan, big dreams, and Sharks...

Datianchao TV Station: But our programs are all arranged.

Stern: That's okay, it's really not good, you can broadcast it as an advertisement!

Datianchao TV Station: Advertisement?I won't be sleepy if you talk about this. By the way, speaking of advertisements, how much are you going to pay?

Stern: ORZ.

It can be said that Stern's process of opening up the entire Chinese market is very difficult, but at the same time, all this also proves Stern's vision.

In Su Feng's previous life, except for the fact that this little Jewish old man didn't count the various decisions made by my emperor, his judgments were basically correct.

Stern does not have the ability to predict the future, but he is full of sincerity.

In the early stage of cooperation with Datianchao TV Station, in Stern's own words: don't talk about money with me, talk about money, hurt feelings.

So, in this way, in the 93/94 season, the NBA officially invited Datianchao TV to broadcast and report on the NBA All-Star Weekend.

After that, Datianchao TV broadcasts the NBA All-Star Game every year.

until......

In the future, a mentally handicapped person who thinks all of this is insignificant appears...

"Well, although the cooperation with China has already taken shape, there is still a lack of a bridge between us and China."

Although Stern has never read Chinese online novels, the president knows better than anyone that if he wants to truly open up the Chinese market, the NBA must have Chinese players.

Because Stern, who has worked hard on Chinese culture, knows that this...is called a sense of substitution.

Just like a certain author named Shui Short Qiao always likes to write handsome protagonists, isn't that all to make readers feel more involved?

In Su Feng's previous life, in addition to the well-known Wang Zhizhi, Battelle, and Yao Ming, in fact, during this period, many NBA teams also sent invitations to Hu Weidong, who was nicknamed "China Jordan".

Because the Datianchao TV station felt that it should reciprocate with the NBA, so after the establishment of the CBA, the Datianchao TV station also mailed a CBA highlight video to the NBA.

Later, after the video was broadcast, Americans became interested in the tall and thin Chinese defender.

Because he has a gorgeous style of play and can fly and dunk.

Ahem...it seems to be getting far.

Let's talk business.

worry!

worry!

worry!

Who can know the sorrow in my heart?

And just as Stern was drinking bitter coffee and feeling the depression in his heart, suddenly...

There is a knock on the door.

"Come in." Stern sorted out his emotions. After all, as the president, he must look like a president. How could he be dejected?

"David... I have a newspaper here, do you want to read it?" A high-level executive in a gray suit who looks a bit Asian said to Stern holding a newspaper in his hand.

"Mark, I don't think I'm in the mood to read the newspaper right now." Stern said, looking at Mark.

"No, no, no, I think you have to read it." Regardless of Stern's objection, Mark put the newspaper in front of Stern.

"Huh?" Looking at the newspaper headline, Stern was stunned for a moment...

"China's first NBA player? "

Stern felt that his eyes seemed to be blurred, but... he obviously wore glasses and said.

"The Philadelphia Evening News?"

"Isn't it about the players of the Chinese Men's Basketball Team?"

"Su, Su Feng? Pennsylvania...Raul Merian?"

Looking at Stern who kept sending him various question mark emojis, Mark smiled and said, "This report is about a Chinese student studying at Lower Merion High School in Philadelphia."

"The newspaper mainly introduced some deeds of this Chinese student, as well as his playing characteristics and the statistics of the last few friendly matches."

Hearing what Mark said, Stern frowned, "Friendly match? What about his data in the first and second year of high school? Why is it not there?"

"David, this Chinese player named Su has never played in a high school league before." Mark said.

"If they didn't show up, they dared to..."

Originally, Stern wanted to say that this newspaper dared to write about a player who hadn't even made an official appearance?

"It's strange here, because according to my research, the "Philadelphia Evening News" is a fairly serious newspaper."

"But after they sent out this report, almost the entire industry laughed at them."

"Because in the eyes of industry peers, no matter how good this Chinese genius is, they should report after he has played a full season."

"And the writer of this article, Markson, used nine consecutive "I think" in the last paragraph at the end of the article to affirm the strength of this Chinese student."

"As a result, the industry feels that this report is unrealistic and just hype." Mark told Stern.

actually......

Not only these so-called industry insiders think...

Stern felt the same way after reading the entire report and listening to Markle's explanation...

"So, Mark, today is not April Fool's Day." Stern looked at Mark weakly and said.

"No, David, if it's just like this, I don't think it's strange. After all, this kind of hype is often seen." While speaking, Mark took out another newspaper.

"Penn State High School Basketball League Amazing Skills - Sam Gold"

"This is also a very popular report in the past two days, and ESPN already broadcast this video yesterday afternoon." While speaking, Mark took out another video tape. (Are you a Doraemon?)

Soon, in Stern's office, Stern watched such a scene on videotape:

In the picture, first a yellow guard used a dribbling skill that Stern had never seen to shake off his opponent and completed a three-point shot, and then a black guard completed the attack in the same way just now. .....

"I remember the kid with number 33. His name is Kobe, right? His father is Joe, a former NBA player." Stern said, looking at Mark.

"Yes, that's right, David, do you know who the player who appeared first in this video is?" Mark asked back.

Stern shook his head, then opened his eyes wide.

"He is Su, the talented Chinese high school student Su mentioned in the report written by Markson."

"Although I don't know if he can play in the NBA, after all, there is too little information that can be obtained just by watching this video."

"But David... I think this might be an opportunity," Mark said, looking at Stern.

Stern knew what Mark meant.

The NBA and the Chinese market have always lacked a bridge.

And now...

What if this talented high school student named Su Feng could build this bridge?

In Stern's view, it doesn't matter even if he can't play in the NBA in the future.

Finding a way to open a back door for him, let him come to the NBA for trial training, and find a team to let him play in the summer league is also a way!

Stern felt that his mood suddenly improved.

But at this moment, Su Feng, who is practicing one-on-one with Kobe in Philadelphia, never dreamed of...

The boss has already written down his name in his small notebook.

……

Chapter 28 The earliest recorded sumi

This article titled "China's First NBA Player" written by "Philadelphia Evening News" reporter Maxson is like a small stone hitting a calm lake, causing ripples at the same time...

Well, such a big lake, of course it quickly returned to calm.

Print media and TV cannot compare with the future social network in terms of transmission speed, so this is why it took five full days for NBA executive Mark to notice this report.

After all, the Philadelphia Evening News is nothing more than a local newspaper in Philadelphia.

If Maxson's report hadn't been full of ridicule in the eyes of the industry, it is estimated that Stern would not have noticed that there is such an interesting Chinese high school student in Philadelphia.

You know, even if ESPN broadcasts the clips of the game between Lauer Merian and Chester High School, Su Feng and Kobe using Sam Gold, the focus of everyone's attention is mainly on this new breakthrough technique.

In Su Feng's previous life, "Sam Gaud" had to wait another two years for it to become popular, but even if "Sam Gaud" became popular in the future, Sam Gaud himself would not be popular.

The reason is simple, because Sam Gold himself failed to make a name for himself in the NBA.

Therefore, this is also the reason why the industry generally believes that Maxson's report is not professional enough.

You want to say talented high school students who play basketball in the United States?

That's really not the bragging of these American media, that person can really pick one out for you every day, and he doesn't bring heavy samples.

Unless you are Kobe, Carter, Tracy McGrady, the hot guy in the future who frequently appeared in mainstream basketball magazines and newspapers in high school, otherwise, in the American basketball world, who the hell knows who you are?

A player who hasn't even played in an official high school basketball league game is not worth bragging about in the eyes of his peers in the industry.