Chapter 27: Lao Zhang Visits
The next day, which was also the last day of 1992, a large number of media began to mock his performance. At the same time, a large number of media also mocked Colangelo, saying that he used an All-Star contract to sign a waste.
Will Houston, a well-known basketball commentator and contracted basketball commentator for ABC TV, publicly criticized Colangelo's signing in an interview with New York TV media. He said:
"I know the Suns lack a strong center, but this signing by Mr. Colangelo is an absolute folly.
That Chinese coolie was just a fool with a little strength. He was only fit to carry bags. He didn't deserve to step onto the NBA court. Any center with a little skill could beat him on both offense and defense.
Yes, I even think that Chinese people can't play basketball well, they are only good at playing table tennis."
That afternoon, the Suns returned to Phoenix, ending their road trip.
"Sir, here are several trade applications, all about Old K."
As soon as Colangelo returned to the team headquarters, the staff handed him a stack of documents. He flipped through them briefly. There were seven documents in total, including those from the Bulls, the Lakers, and even the Spurs.
"Jerry Krause is still eyeing Old K?"
He specifically looked at the Bulls' chips. The Bulls wanted to use next year's first-round pick and main center Cartwright to exchange for K.
How is this possible? The Bulls are a championship-level team, having won two consecutive championships. Jordan is at his peak, and their first-round pick is worthless.
What's more, the Suns are also striving for the championship this season. If they make it to the finals, there is a high chance that they will face the Bulls. How could he trade K to the Bulls?
He looked at the trade requests from other teams and didn't see any chips that he was interested in. It was obvious that these deals were made with the intention of getting a bargain from him.
He handed it back and ordered, "Reject them all. Old K is not for sale to us."
Then he began to look through a stack of newspapers prepared by the staff, most of which were sports media, but also some influential media such as the New York Times.
Soon, he saw a lot of news attacking him and Wang Tiejun in these newspapers.
These news reports were filled with undisguised racial discrimination and prejudice. He shook his head and threw the newspapers into the trash can on the corner of the table.
“Not enough chips.”
After receiving the rejection call from the Suns, Jerry Krause shook his head helplessly.
He can't offer any more chips. As it concerns the dynasty's cause, the Bulls' lineup cannot be changed drastically. It seems that they can't get the Chinese man.
The other rejected teams did not reapply to the Suns, which shows that they thought the same as Colangelo, just wanted to get a bargain and did not value Wang Tiejun very much.
After returning to Phoenix , Wang Tiejun began to arrange to move out of the training base.
The team's training base generally does not provide accommodation for players and staff. Many NBA players move between multiple teams and do not buy houses. Most of them rent. Those who are in particularly difficult financial situations stay at their teammates' homes.
He used to live here because Colangelo took care of his financial situation, but now that he has signed a big contract, he naturally can't live here anymore.
In addition, the team has helped him pick out several houses. He needs to find time to take a look and rent one if it is suitable. The rent will be paid by the team.
If an NBA team is very optimistic about a player, they will give him preferential treatment in some aspects, such as renting a house. This does not cost much and can also make the player more loyal to the team, which is very cost-effective.
He wanted to rent a house with a yard and a training room to facilitate martial arts and other training.
In addition, he had to buy various Chinese medicinal materials and boil some Tieshankao medicinal oil. There was no Chinatown in Phoenix, so he had to go to New York or Los Angeles to buy them.
Renting a house is arranged by the team, but buying medicine is more troublesome. If he could spend money, he would have wanted to find an agent.
It was 1993. On New Year's Day, the Suns had no game, but the team arranged a training session.
At 6 o'clock in the morning, Wang Tiejun got up at the Suns training base and began training on the system function card.
We practiced until 8 o'clock, rested for half an hour, and then went to the restaurant at the base for breakfast.
At this time, some marginal players had arrived and everyone had breakfast together.
When NBA teams have training days at home, training meals are provided. Of course, many players with good financial conditions will not eat breakfast at the base. Only players with poor financial conditions will arrive at the base early to eat free breakfast.
The breakfast was a so-called nutritious meal, which tasted terrible, even worse than a hamburger. However, he had gotten used to it after eating it for more than a month.
It was almost 9 o'clock after breakfast. Several players slowly came to the locker room, chatting and digesting their food while changing their equipment.
At three o'clock in the afternoon, Wang Tiejun was about to ask for leave to go and look at houses, when the guard informed him that a Chinese man named wanted to see him.
"Zhang Heli?"
After recalling it, I seem to have no memory of this person, and I feel a little confused.
"Hello, I'm Wang Tiejun, who are you?"
A few minutes later, he met Zhang Heli at the gate of the base.
Zhang Heli looked at Wang Tiejun curiously and replied with a smile: "Hello, Xiao Wang, you don't recognize me? That's no wonder. When I retired from the national team in 1980, you were not that old."
"Were you a member of the national team before?" Wang Tiejun was surprised.
"Yes, my position is second center." Zhang Heli said with a smile.
Wang Tiejun nodded. Zhang Heli had a smile on his face, which made him feel very friendly. He smiled and asked, "Then you are the senior. Why are you looking for me today?"
"Nothing else. You are the first player from our country to enter the NBA. I'm curious and want to get to know you." Zhang Heli explained.
Wang Tiejun nodded, and seeing a small car next to Zhang Heli, he asked, "Is this your car?"
"This is the car I borrowed." Zhang Heli said with a smile.
"That's perfect. I have something to do. I'd like to borrow your car and we can chat on the way." Wang Tiejun said with a smile.
Zhang Heli was stunned. Oh my god, do you think I’m a driver who came to your door?
"Okay, let's go then."
He was a kind man and agreed immediately with joy.
By six o'clock in the evening, Wang Tiejun had chosen a house with a front and back yard, ready-made furniture, a landline telephone and a TV. He informed the team that the contract had been signed, and then with the help of Zhang Heli, he bought some daily necessities.
The two men could barely be considered fellow villagers. Zhang Heli was from Beijing, and Qing County was only 80 kilometers away from Tianjin and more than 170 kilometers away from Beijing, so it was not far. When fellow villagers met, their eyes were filled with tears. After chatting for several hours, the two men had become very familiar friends.
However, he did not talk much about his experiences in China, only about his experiences in the United States, especially his experience in prison, which he did not want anyone to know.
After that, he treated us to dinner.
"You're going to Los Angeles for an interview? That's perfect. Brother Zhang, can you help me buy some Chinese medicinal herbs in Chinatown? They'll be useful when I practice martial arts."
When he heard Zhang Heli say that he was going to Los Angeles, he shouted hurriedly.
Zhang Heli, who was squatting on the curb eating a hamburger with Wang Tiejun, rolled his eyes when he heard this. "I've been busy with you for several hours, and you just treated me to a hamburger and didn't even give me a bottle of Coke. How can you order people around like this? Do you think I'm your donkey pulling the mill?"
"Okay, give me the prescription. It won't take much effort anyway." He said helplessly.
"Bargain when you get the medicine, don't get ripped off. Also, don't buy fake medicine. My prescription has requirements for the brewing process, so ask carefully. Never buy medicine that is not brewed correctly." Wang Tiejun warned.
Zhang Li was troubled and asked, "Tiejun, I am not familiar with medicinal materials. What if I buy medicine that is too expensive or not to my liking?"
"Then I won't admit it." Wang Tiejun blurted out.
"You bastard!"
Zhang Heli endured it for a moment, otherwise the hamburger in his hand would have been pressed on Wang Tiejun's face.
After eating the hamburgers, Wang Tiejun used Zhang Heli's car to move out of the training base overnight, saving the money for taxi fare.
He didn't have much to carry, just a bag, which was very convenient.
The house he chose was a two-story stand-alone building five kilometers away from the training base, a few minutes' drive or a quick bike ride away.
At night, Zhang Heli stayed here and the two continued to chat.
