Chapter 843: Chapter 38: Flames of War Ignite
When leaving Salt Lake City, Stockton asked Gan Guoyang a question: "Sonny, will you participate in the 1992 Olympics?"
Gan Guoyang gave a positive response: "Of course, I will definitely participate. Representing my country in the Olympics is more important than winning the NBA championship."
Stockton said, "Anyway, you already have championships... I don’t know if I’ll be able to participate..."
As he said this, Stockton seemed somewhat anxious. Not being selected for the 1984 Olympic Team tryout camp had always been a regret for him.
Even today, after so many years, Stockton has already proven himself in the NBA to be better than Alford.
He made it to the All-Star game and became the NBA’s assist leader since the 1987-1988 season—a title he would dominate for nine seasons.
And Alford, who was picked over him? Entering the NBA in 1988, he was selected by the Dallas Mavericks but always struggled on the fringe of the league.
After a stint with the Warriors and being cut, he returned to the Mavericks, where he was on the brink of having no more basketball to play, his departure from this fiercely competitive league was drawing near.
Yet, even so, Alford participated in the 1984 Olympics. You could say Bob Knight was biased, preferring familiarity over superiority, choosing his own students.
But the thing is, that USA men’s basketball Olympic Team won the championship without any suspense, which proves that Knight’s selections were beyond reproach.
Therefore, Stockton has always harbored a grudge, and now that FIBA has lifted restrictions on NBA players participating, Stockton naturally wanted to make up for past regrets.
Even though it’s now 1991, based on information leaked from various sources, this summer the USA Basketball Association will start assembling the 1992 Olympic men’s basketball team, and Stockton is anxiously inquiring about any news, yet without any means to promote himself.
After all, he is rather low-key among the plethora of stars in the league, with little clout.
If the Olympic Team only takes two point guards, that would definitely be Isiah Thomas and Magic Johnson, leaving no room for Stockton.
Now he’s asking Ah Gan for advice on this matter, considering that Ah Gan has extensive connections and might be able to help.
Gan Guoyang patted Stockton’s shoulder, saying, "Don’t worry, if I remember correctly, you’re on the big roster for the 1992 USA men’s basketball team."
"What? You’re not mistaken? You’ve seen the big roster?"
"Oh no, I misspoke, what I meant is... uh, I bet there’s a good chance you’ll be on the big roster."
"But Isiah Thomas..."
"Don’t worry, Isiah isn’t well-liked; he won’t be selected. I’ll find a way to help you and get you in."
"That doesn’t seem quite right..."
"Then don’t go. How about changing your nationality to Chinese? Join me and represent the China Team in the Olympics, with you here, I’m confident we can make it to the finals."
Gan Guoyang decisively started recruiting Stockton, who just laughed, "Stop joking, Sonny, I still plan to give you a good thrashing at the Olympics."
The smile disappeared from Gan Guoyang’s face as he pointed at Stockton, saying, "John, that’s not right, we’re good friends..."
Stockton smiled without a word, clearly not agreeing with Gan Guoyang’s statement: they were good friends, but there would be no mercy in the game.
Gan Guoyang had more good friends than just Stockton. Tonight, after playing an away game against the Indiana Pacers, Jordan made a phone call to Gan Guoyang.
Gan Guoyang thought Jordan had won the game, but to his surprise, upon asking, he found out the Bulls lost, and not by a little, but were badly defeated by the Pacers—an indicator of the Pacers’ true strength.
Jordan didn’t call to boast about the team’s defeat but to talk to Gan Guoyang about Bob Knight and the Olympics.
The American basketball community is currently focusing on the 1992 Olympics since the USA Basketball Association’s selection process has begun.
Jordan mentioned that when in Indiana, the locker room talk before the game was all about Knight and the 1984 Olympics. Players like Pippen, Armstrong, and Grant hadn’t had that experience.
At that moment, Jordan suddenly realized that he was one of the veterans on the Bulls, having participated in the 1984 Olympics when his current teammates were either freshmen in college or in high school.
In the locker room, Jordan was like an old man telling stories, with his teammates gathered around the campfire, listening to him recount the events of the 1984 Olympics.
Jordan recalled the difficulties he faced in the Olympic Team under Bobby Knight. Many years later, Jordan understood that Knight used him as an example to discipline others.
"To assert his authority, he would berate me for any mistake I made because this would show others that if Jordan can be criticized, what about the rest of you?"
"I don’t know if I would have joined the Olympic Team had I foreseen the situation with the national team. I had heard about Coach Knight while I was at North Carolina. I asked Coach Smith, and he suggested that I go; all coaches recommended it, saying that I would be grateful to have played under him in the future."
"Back then we played numerous games, and in most of them, we were up by 20, 30 points at halftime. But when we got back to the locker room, Coach Knight would tear into us, even explode in anger as if we were 30 points behind. He forbade us from being proud and continuously pointed out our flaws."
