After walking a few steps, I saw an old man with white hair sitting in a wheelchair and being slowly pushed out.
Tang Qian knew this man, he was the famous father of the Lakers, Dr. Jerry Buss.
A genius who dropped out of high school and got a PhD in chemistry at the age of 24.
Because of this title, he was respected as "Dr. Bass" throughout his life.
This man's experience is extremely legendary. He once made more than a million dollars with only 1,000 US dollars, and then he went smoothly. From a poor boy from a poor family, he became a millionaire in Los Angeles. At the age of 46, he
He became associated with the Los Angeles Lakers and bought the Los Angeles Kings, the Los Angeles Forum Arena, and the Los Angeles Lakers for US$67.5 million. After that, the Purple and Gold Army was in his hands, shining brightly.
Even though Tang Qian had never witnessed that period of history with his own eyes, he was still fascinated by these words, these names, and these stories.
Show.Time.
O.K.
The first $25 million contract in NBA history.
The first seven-year, $136 million contract in NBA history.
16 NBA Finals in the dominant era.
10 times NBA championship.
…
In short, the old man in front of me is the real ruler of the Los Angeles Lakers since 1979.
Unfortunately, Tang Qian knew that he was about to pass away. Next month, the leader of the Lakers would pass away and leave the Purple and Gold Army, where he had fought for half his life. He was 80 years old.
He is a true fan among the BOSS of the 30 NBA teams. Everything about the Buss family also puts pressure on the Staples Purple and Gold Army.
Therefore, he is different from most NBA owners. He is a professional sports owner. Sports is his main business, not a side business. Therefore, his investment and emotion for the Lakers cannot be compared with those oligarchs who are just playing for tickets.
.
Moreover, this person has a characteristic, that is, his eyes are very sharp and accurate, and he can often seize the opportunities for the rise of the next generation of the Lakers.
Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, James Worthy, Shaquille O'Neal, and Kobe Bryant are all his masterpieces. Because of Los Angeles and the Lakers, they made history.
Leave your name and shine. Don't say that these are the masterpieces of the general manager. It is true that the general manager's contribution cannot be ignored, but whether to sign or not to pay in the end is the boss's business. So everything about the Lakers after 1979
, are closely related to him and inseparable.
Although Tang Qian didn't know why Kobe brought him here, as long as he could see Jerry Buss in person, it was a worthwhile trip. But soon, he discovered another familiar face.
She was the one standing behind Jerry Buss pushing the cart...Bonnie Laughlin.
"Hi~China Perm~Long time no see~You are much stronger than before~" After seeing Tang Qian, Bonnie Laughlin took the initiative to say hello with a smile. Tang Qian was stunned and quickly echoed: "Yes
Ms. Laughlin, I didn’t expect you to be here, it’s been a long time~” Speaking of this woman, she can be regarded as Tang Qian’s NBA “guide”. If it weren’t for her, Tang Qian might not be with the Los Angeles Lakers at all now.
She didn't even enter the NBA. So Tang Qian looked at her with gratitude and respect.
"How's it going, Jerry? Isn't this little Oriental guy very polite?" Bonnie Laughlin turned to look at Jerry Bass and asked, and judging from the names, the relationship between the two of them seemed to be somewhat abnormal.
, at least on a very intimate level. But these have nothing to do with Tang Qian, because he only cares about how the other person treats him, and if he treats him well, he will treat him equally.
He didn't even bother to think about the gossip and gossip from the outside world.
This is his way of doing things, simple, pure and direct.
"Well, yes, yes, this kid is indeed different from those little guys before." Jerry Bass smiled and said, but it could be seen that his smile was weak, and it was not that he was dissatisfied with Tang Qian.
But his physical condition is really not good. It seems that saying a few words will consume a lot of energy in his body.
Even if Tang Qian was not a doctor, he could probably tell that the old man in a wheelchair in front of him was already in the sunset and his life was short. This was a destined trend in a person's life, and nothing could change it.
"Mr. Bass, this is hot. I want him to become a member of the team." Kobe looked at this old man with respect and attitude, not at all like a black Mamba. "Become a member of the team.
A member? Kobe, isn't he now?" Jerry Buss asked with a mocking smile.
"No, Mr. Buss, I mean." Kobe said, looking at Tang Qian, and then continued: "Let him become a real part of the Lakers, just like James Worthy." James Worthy.
West, real Lakers fans, should have heard of this name. He was one of the representatives of the Purple and Gold Army in Show.Time in the 1980s, "Magic" Johnson's right-hand man, a former No. 1 pick, an NBA 50 superstar, and a Naismith basketball celebrity.
Memorial Hall, 7-time NBA All-Star, 3-time NBA championship, and even a career resume of FMVP. However, the meaning of Kobe’s words is obviously not that point. Tang Qian did not understand his core, but Old Buss has listened
Understood.
James Worthy is also one of the best assistants. He is somewhat similar to Pippen. Because his personal singles ability is not outstanding, he quickly declined after leaving the Magic. He and Amare Stade in the early stage
Similar to Meyer, he needs a good defender to pass the ball to him in order to stimulate all the energy. But the most important thing about Kobe is James Worthy, who eventually retired his jersey with the Lakers. So the sentence on the 24th "Let him
Becoming a true part of the Lakers" is the key.
What does it mean to be a "real member"? For most NBA players, the teams they belong to are part-time companies, and they are just part-time employees. Only a very small group of people can truly integrate into this company.
At their core, they are "jersey retirees". Yes, those who have retired their jerseys are the real family members and the real members of the team.
Kobe understands, and so does Bass. Is it worth just doing this?
You don’t have the right to retire your jersey. At least in the Lakers, if you don’t have a dazzling contribution, then don’t think about hanging it high on the ceiling of Staples Center. Look at these famous names, Wilt
. Chamberlain, Elgin Baylor, Jerry West, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Earvin Johnson, James Worthy, Gale Goodrich, Jamal Wilkes, and more
There is Shaquille O'Neal, who is about to hold his jersey retirement ceremony in April this year. If you don't have any capital, do you have the nerve to keep pace with them and enjoy the gaze and admiration of 20,000 spectators at Staples Center at the same time?
"A real member?" When Old Buss talked about the work of the Lakers, he changed his previous gentle image and immediately became shrewd and capable, as if the twilight aura in his body had been reduced a lot. "Bryant
, are you sure?" Old Buss called Kobe by his last name. This is one of his work habits, used to express seriousness and seriousness, and to distinguish between life status and work status. Kobe's answer was surprising, just listen to him say
: "I'm not sure, so I want you to take a look, Mr. Bass, and decide."
"Let me see? Aren't you afraid that I'm old and stupid?" Jerry Bass asked.
Kobe still said with a serious face: "I believe in you, just like you unconditionally believed in me back then."
Old Buss's encouragement and influence on Kobe's life are hard to estimate. Without his strong intervention and protection, it is hard to say whether Kobe, who was deeply involved in the "Eagle County Incident", could continue to stand up. After all, in
In that case, the outside world was full of accusations, advertisers gave up, and fans rejected them in large numbers. No matter how strong Kobe was, he was probably a little lost. After all, he was still just a young man in his 20s. He could not have a stronger will than Superman.
. But Bass gave him the biggest boost, that is, he chose him, sent away O'Neal, and offered him a seven-year contract with the highest price in the NBA at the time.
What did this mean to Kobe, who was betrayed and separated from his family at that time? It meant providing help in times of need, support in the quagmire, and the grace of reinvention. Don't think it's an exaggeration. Old Buss kept him and made him the boss, just to give him a chance to come back to the top.
Opportunities to reach the top, you must know that countless capable NBA players actually lack such opportunities. Moreover, the stage in Los Angeles is big enough and broad enough for Kobe Bryant to avenge his shame and return to the spotlight.
Especially the transatlantic phone call that Buss made to him personally at that time hit Kobe's strong and soft spot.
"My child, I'm sorry. According to the rules of the alliance, I can only give you so much, but I hope you can understand that I really want to give you more."
This seemingly innocuous paragraph directly penetrated the steel-like heart of No. 24 Shell.
It was from that moment on that his attitude towards the leader of the Lakers changed from boss to elder to mentor.
Believe me, there are very few people like Kobe in this world, very few.
Even the great football god Michael Jordan is not included in this list.
"Okay." Old Bass only said one simple word, then looked up at Tang Qian and said, "Dongfang kid, come over and push me for a walk. Let's have a little chat." Tang Qian nodded after hearing this, and then walked over
Behind old Bass, Bonnie Laughlin took over: "Mr. Bass, where are we going?"
"Go over there. There are a lot of things I like over there. When people get old, they like to look at old things and feel nostalgic." Old Bass said.
"Well, I understand." After saying that, Tang Qian followed Old Bass's instructions and slowly left the room.
After the two of them left, Bonnie Laughlin said, "Bryant, what do you think? Are you sincere?" Kobe looked up at Bonnie Laughlin and nodded.
: "Of course, otherwise why would I bring him here?"
"What do you like about him? I remember the last time you brought Pau Gasol here, right?"
"To be honest, I don't quite understand. Hard work? Skills? Strength? Potential? These things are all too illusory. At least that's not the reason why I brought him here."
"What is that? Although he is the person I signed, I don't think he has that kind of potential." Bonnie Laughlin said: "If you want to really join the Lakers, the threshold is high. You
Isn't it unclear? In recent decades, except for Shaquille O'Neal, no one has retired his jersey with the Lakers. Of course, your share is already confirmed, so you don't have to think about it."
Kobe knew what she meant. She was referring to the Lakers players after the 1990s. Only O'Neal was selected. The rest, such as Jamal Wilkes, who retired last year, although his jersey was retired in 2012, in fact he
He was a player in the 1974 class, and he quit the NBA as early as 1986. Going further up the list, the youngest retiree is James Worthy in the 1982 class. And except for O'Neal, the Lakers no longer have any players.
can receive this honor. Therefore, it is not surprising that Bonnie Laughlin would have this attitude.
"I'm telling you, this is my intuition, do you believe it?" Kobe suddenly said an unexpected answer.
Bonnie Laughlin was slightly startled when she heard this. After a while, she opened her mouth and said, "Are you serious? Bryant?"
"What do you think?" Kobe said.
"Haha~ Is it a man's intuition?" Bonnie Laughlin said with a noncommittal smile.
As for Tang Qian, he pushed Old Bas to a place similar to the collection corridor. He didn't know if he knew that he would die soon, so Old Bas was very relieved about Tang Qian, a "stranger".
There are no worries or concerns.
"These are private collections and cannot be seen by the outside world." Old Bass seemed to be watching attentively. While browsing, he opened his mouth and asked: "Child, what do you think?" Tang Qian was actually too surprised to say anything.
That’s right, because most of this collection corridor belongs to the glory days of the Lakers. Out-of-print photos, replica NBA championship trophies, NBA championship rings, the palm prints of every successful Lakers player, and old newspapers recording
, etc., coupled with the purple and gold laser lights belonging to the Lakers, everything seems to be in the midst of time and turbulence.
The years and turbulence that belong exclusively to the Los Angeles Lakers.
This is a feeling and feeling that cannot be explained clearly.
After a while, Tang Qian opened his mouth and said, "It's so great, so amazing, so beautiful."
These words are usually a bit pretentious when used, but they can be used here. When used at this time, they are just right and not slick or abrupt at all.
"Kid, do you like the Lakers?" Old Buss asked again.
"I like it," Tang Qian replied.
"How much do you like it?" Old Bass asked.
Tang Qian was stunned for a moment. After glancing around, he said firmly: "I like it very much."
"Are you willing to be a real Laker?" Buss continued.
"Real Lakers?" Tang Qian didn't quite understand, but he still vaguely felt something, so he nodded and said, "Of course, sir."
"Well." Old Buss also looked at these old things that belong to the Lakers, and then said: "Then, who do you think you want to be?"
"James Worthy? Or..." Old Bass paused and said, "Ervin Johnson."
Hearing this, Tang Qian was startled again. After thinking for a while, he replied seriously: "Erwin Johnson."
"Haha, honesty is a very good thing." Old Buss smiled slightly and said: "It seems that Kobe has underestimated your heart."
"I..." Before Tang Qian could speak, Old Bass interrupted: "No need to explain more, kid, just go for it if you like it. Didn't Kobe get there step by step like this? Bonaparte once said,
A soldier who doesn't want to be a general is not a good soldier. If you think so, it means you are also a good player."
"Haha~" Seeing the expression on Tang Qian's face, Bass smiled and said, "Don't worry, Kobe is different from Shaq. If you can really beat him, he won't have any emotions."
"Because he is also a part of the Lakers family."
"So, kid..." Old Bass asked in a calm tone: "Can you rule the entire league?"
"The Los Angeles Lakers ship only needs the best captain."
This was the first time Tang Qian saw Jerry Bass in his life, and it was also the last time he saw him. But everything about tonight made him unforgettable for a long time.
Even remember it for a lifetime.
Because the old man sitting in the wheelchair seemed to have seen something, seemed to have discovered something, seemed to have moved something.
This is not a material level, this is a spiritual level, something Tang Qian may have thought about before, but buried deep in his heart.
You can call it "desire".
You can also call it "wishful thinking".
The wish of the heart.
Believe what you want.
PS: Thank you for your support. Tang Qian’s growth continues, both in terms of his skills and his mind.