Chapter 731: Chapter 83 The Golden Time
On the flight back from Detroit to Portland, Gan Guoyang sat in his own seat devouring food, swallowing twelve hamburgers, three bowls of noodles, and a whole roast chicken.
The energy depletion from scoring 50 points in a single Finals game was tremendous, although his efficiency was already high, he still had to take a large number of shots and give his all on defense.
Mentally, he had slaughtered and devoured the Detroit Pistons, and physically, he was truly starving and needed to replenish his energy.
Bobby Beelman sat next to Gan Guoyang, watching his proud disciple wolf down food with caring eyes.
"Slow down, Sonny, don’t choke."
Gan Guoyang slightly slowed down, drank a large glass of water, and took a long breath.
"Don’t worry, Bobby, even if I eat myself sick, I will still help you win your first championship as a head coach."
"What are you thinking, Sonny? That’s not what I mean, I care about you."
"No, you care more about your first NBA championship as a head coach."
"Oh, what kind of person do you think I am? Am I that mercenary?"
"Of course, otherwise why would you always betray?"
"Nonsense, I have never betrayed, I’ve always been loyal to you."
Gan Guoyang smiled, picked up another hamburger, still feeling hungry.
Beelman looked through the window at the pitch-black sky outside, feeling as if his heart was floating in the clouds, it was unbelievable.
He had never thought that as a head coach, he would be so close to an NBA Championship, just one victory away.
The last two games were in Portland, the Pistons had a slim chance to overturn the situation, and the Trail Blazers were highly likely to win at home.
In 1981, he was a disheartened basketball worker who had been fired from a school due to gambling issues, and had to work as an assistant coach at a youth basketball camp in San Francisco.
Back then, his marriage had failed, his career was hindered, and his future looked bleak. He could imagine himself working hard in the basketball grassroots forever, teaching kids to dribble, pass, and shoot.
Work there for three to five years, maybe getting a chance to be a PE teacher at some local elementary or middle school, and due to his dark past, he probably wouldn’t be a basketball team coach.
If lucky, he might get to coach in the training camp, develop one or two future NBA players, and when they grow up and become famous, they might spare some time to visit their obscure grassroots coach, make local news, and give some publicity to the youth basketball camp he started.
He had envisioned all this, a monotonous and uninteresting basketball life, until that phone call came.
That reckless, imposing 15-year-old boy asking about the Excel training camp.
From then on, Beelman’s fate changed, and in just nine short years, he had become the California basketball championship coach, NCAA championship coach, NBA championship assistant coach, and the upcoming NBA championship head coach.
This season, with a record of 69 victories, he earned the title of Coach of the Year, becoming one of the youngest and fastest coaches to receive this honor in NBA history.
He was determined to make his mark in American basketball coaching history, a thought he couldn’t have conceived ten years ago.
Beelman knew that his own efforts played a role, he had given his all for basketball, his life entirely revolving around it.
Family, marriage, love, entertainment, were all abandoned, basketball was the center of his life.
But Beelman understood, while his personal effort was important, the emergence of Ah Gan was the key to changing everything.
He shone like the sun, illuminating his path in basketball.
Gan Guoyang seemed to see through Beelman’s thoughts, patted the coach’s shoulder, and said, "Relax, Bobby, it’s not like we haven’t won a championship before. It’s no big deal. You know you’ll win championships with me, you should have been mentally prepared."
Beelman gently shook his head, "Sonny, a one-in-a-million talent like you can’t understand the emotional journey an ordinary person has taken to get here."
Gan Guoyang replied, "No, Bobby, I do understand, no one understands better than I do, that’s why I cherish every opportunity, every minute, every second..."
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June 17, 1990, the morning of the sixth game of the Finals, Gan Guoyang woke up from sleep.
He looked at the clock, it was eight in the morning, several hours later than his usual waking time, he had slept too deeply last night.
Breakfast was ready on the dining table, Gan Youwei came out from the kitchen and pointed at the table, "Eat some, it’s getting cold, you said you would wake up early, why so late today?"
"Slept in, I didn’t sleep well previously in Detroit."
"Eat, I’ve reheated it several times."
Ever since the first fight between the Trail Blazers and Pistons, Gan Youwei had rushed to Portland to support his son.
During this time, he had stayed here taking care of his daughter-in-law and grandson.
"Dad, where’s Fuxi?"
"Fuxi went to the supermarket by car, I’m going to make lunch for you, I gave him a list."
"Just let Feng and the others go, where’s the child?"
"She went with him, it’s good for her to get out of the house, nobody can stand staying in all the time."
Wang Fuxi returned soon, and Gan Guoyang was about to leave for the practice gym to keep his shooting in shape.
"Ah Gan, don’t forget what day it is today," Wang Fuxi reminded Ah Gan.
Gan Guoyang was startled, then remembered, today was the third Sunday of June, Father’s Day.
