Chapter 75

(Sweat, the one I just uploaded was reviewed, I'll re-upload it. After the review is complete, I'll delete the previous chapter. Apologies.)

Xiaoming stood at the classroom door, took a deep breath, and firmly held the letter containing secrets that his mother had given him.

"Really didn't expect Lin Han to be such a good person, not at all putting on airs. It seems our life in the U.S. won't be too difficult."

"Indeed, as the league's scoring champion and a candidate for Rookie of the Year, such a superstar can treat us like this. Compared to those so-called national players back home, it's really embarrassing. They act like they're the kings of the world."

"Since we're in the U.S., the environment is different from back home. By the way, should we visit the University of Utah? Ma Jian isn't on good terms with the Basketball Association, but I really hope more Chinese can enter the NBA. After Lin Han, Ma Jian should be the most promising, right? I heard he's already the starting big man at the University of Utah."

"If Lin Han can represent the Chinese team in the Olympics and Ma Jian's conflict with the Basketball Association is resolved, maybe the next Atlanta Games will see us achieve our best results ever. At that time, Wang Zhizhi should also be able to represent the national team, even though he's only 16, there are already few people in China who can match him. In three years, it's hard to imagine."

"Didn't they say that the Beijing team and the 81st team are in a legal battle over his ownership? If there were fewer such nonsense in China, it would be better. But for Wang Zhizhi to come to the U.S. and play in the NBA, it won't be easy after joining the 81st team."

When Lin Han met this group of reporters from China, he felt truly guilty and uneasy. Since childhood, Lin Han had received American education, but due to his background and his parents' family education, he never felt a strong sense of belonging to the U.S. He wasn't a complete second-generation immigrant. His parents, after coming to the U.S., still harbored class hatred towards this "evil capitalist country." If they hadn't been unable to survive on the other side, they wouldn't have come here. This environment made Lin Han's thoughts and values very complex.

If you call him a "banana person," Lin Han didn't have the characteristics of forgetting his roots. If you say he still considers himself Chinese, his special identity is that of a traitor, especially in the period just after the Cold War ended. Although Sino-U.S. relations had thawed, they weren't that good, especially after the incident in the capital four years ago, China almost became the enemy of the world. The reform and opening-up that had been going well were interrupted. After that, the U.S. almost isolated China, and six years ago, a member of a major family in China was assassinated in South America while trying to escape to the U.S. This incident caused a sensation worldwide.

Moreover, in American TV shows, movies, or official news materials, Chinese and Soviet journalists or foreign affairs personnel were often equated with special workers. As for the embassies of the Soviet Union and China, they were seen as the headquarters of these "special workers" and needed to be constantly guarded against.

However, if Lin Han knew that these reporters from China were not the special workers he imagined, he would be speechless. Although China had indeed done many things that could be considered black history in the past, it had already reformed and opened up again. Many of the old methods were no longer used, and the domestic environment had changed significantly since 1992. However, because Lin Han was in the Western world, the information he received was mostly negative.

Moreover, whether it was Su Qin, Sun Zhengping, or other staff members, they were really there to interview the NBA, and they were all invited by the NBA Commissioner, David Stern.

It was 1993, and China, apart from having a slightly larger population, really had no money. After the reform and opening-up, the incident in the capital four years ago caused China's GDP growth rate to be below 4% for the past four and three years. In the 1960s and 1970s, China's annual GDP growth rate was 8%. Although things had improved slightly in the past two years, it hadn't yet entered a high-speed development phase. In this situation, apart from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Xinhua News Agency, few units in China could afford to send a large number of staff overseas. The official media, CCTV, was still struggling to collect advertising fees. How could they afford to send a team for Lin Han?

These people were able to come here almost entirely because of David Stern. Although China had never broadcast live NBA games, it had indeed broadcast NBA games. As early as six years ago, CCTV had broadcast the NBA All-Star Game. In 1989, David Stern even personally brought videotapes to China to find CCTV, hoping to cooperate. Although he knew China had no money and CCTV couldn't afford the NBA broadcast rights, to open the Chinese market, David Stern almost gave the NBA broadcast rights away for free. After Lin Han scored 62 points in his debut in the first regular-season game, David Stern flew to China, hoping China would broadcast the NBA and even send a team of reporters. Apart from the extremely low broadcast fees, David Stern even guaranteed that all expenses for CCTV's team and reporters like Su Qin would be covered by the NBA for the next two years. He even gave each of them an official NBA identity and a salary from the NBA.

This treatment truly shocked the leaders of CCTV, China Sports News, and Xinhua News Agency. They had no reason to refuse this crazy American. This crazy American had been trying to get into China since 1989, and CCTV had kept him waiting for five years. Now, they couldn't refuse him anymore. He was so sincere, almost like a communist international warrior, a modern-day Norman Bethune.

Lin Han's appearance in the NBA really gave David Stern the capital to make a bold move to open the Chinese market. Otherwise, who knew what China would be like in a few years. The entire world of professional sports, not just the NBA, needed new markets. It was just that other professional sports leagues hadn't yet focused on the poor Chinese market. David Stern always believed in his instincts. He believed that the millions of dollars he lost each year to cultivate the Chinese NBA market would create hundreds of times more value for the NBA in the future, and every year.

Since being invited to the U.S. and stationed in Utah, whether it was Su Qin, Sun Zhengping, or other reporters and staff, they were truly excited and incredulous. Not only did the NBA rent a collective apartment for them in Utah and pay them monthly, but they were also taken care of meticulously. Even the Jazz team treated them exceptionally well, clearly following the NBA's instructions and due to Lin Han's influence.

After Lin Han's miraculous performance with the New York Knicks, this Chinese-American rookie almost immediately won over all the Jazz fans and the team's management. From then on, Lin Han was truly the third star of the Jazz. Even players like Humphries and Bonner, who were very unhappy with Lin Han, had nothing to say. There was no way they could compete with him.

"Is this what it feels like to watch an NBA game live? It's amazing!"

On November 23, 1993, the Jazz hosted the Dallas Mavericks. The Jazz's record was 8-0, ranking second in the league and the Western Conference, while the Mavericks' record was 1-8. Apart from beating the equally weak Timberwolves, this team was struggling to win. Although their two stars, Mashburn and Jim Jackson, were having a great time racking up stats, especially Mashburn, who, after being named one of the "Four Young Superstars" by USA Today along with Lin Han, Hardaway, and Rider, had seen his status in the team rise rapidly. Given his current strength, he could average nearly 20 points without even trying, and his popularity had risen quickly due to the league's promotion. The Mavericks' management didn't care much about their record. Even if they had the worst record this year, it didn't matter. They were last year's worst, and being last again this year wouldn't change much. Moreover, last year was a strong draft class, with stars like Grant Hill, Jason Kidd, Glenn Robinson, and Juwan Howard. If they could get one of these four, along with Mashburn and Jim Jackson, the Mavericks could rise.

So, at the start of the season, the Mavericks were somewhat resigned to their fate. In this situation, the outcome of this away game against the Jazz was predictable. The game was a disaster.

But even such a lackluster game was a feast for Su Qin and Sun Zhengping, as they had never experienced the madness of 10,000 fans cheering in a live basketball game.

Especially when the fans chanted one person's name, the impact was overwhelming.

"Teacher Sun, did I hear it wrong? After Lin Han got the ball, the entire crowd was chanting his name?!"

This game was destined to be unremarkable from the start. The teams were on different levels, and the home-court advantage and morale were not on the same level. However, there was one interesting point: whenever Lin Han got the ball, the entire Jazz crowd chanted his name.

The deafening cheers almost made the rookie reporter Su Qin stutter. He never imagined that Lin Han would have such popularity in Utah. After all, even Malone and Stockton didn't get this treatment. In Su Qin's mind, they were true superstars, Olympic champions, and members of the Dream Team. What was Lin Han now? Outshining the Dream Team members?!

But Su Qin hadn't considered the impact of Lin Han's performance against the New York Knicks. In that away game, the fans couldn't express their excitement, but in this home game, they unleashed all their pent-up emotions. So, in this game against the Mavericks, the Jazz fans put aside Malone and Stockton and cheered only for Lin Han. This might be the only time they did this, as in their hearts, Lin Han couldn't compare to Stockton and Malone.

"Yes, this, this must be what an NBA superstar is. I never thought I'd see a Chinese person achieve such success in the NBA."

At this moment, even the older Sun Zhengping was emotionally moved, with tears in his eyes. Growing up in that era, Chinese people had various pure sentiments, and Lin Han had touched a particular chord in him.

The group of reporters from China was very excited. Although they were watching the game and were also in a frenzy, they were even more invested than the Jazz fans. Even after the game ended, they felt it was not enough. The game's quality wasn't as important as their immersion in it.

126-110, the Jazz easily defeated the Mavericks, extending their winning streak to nine games. In this matchup with Mashburn, Mashburn didn't play the high-and-mighty game of fadeaway jump shots. He had no capital to act superior to Lin Han. So, in this game, Mashburn unleashed his full offensive arsenal, completely outplaying Lin Han. Lin Han learned for the first time in the NBA that there were players called "offensive all-around players." If not for Lin Han's poor mid-range defense, the Jazz would have won the game much earlier. This was another game where the entire Jazz team had to bail Lin Han out. Although Lin Han scored 38 points against the non-defensive Mashburn, the same as Mashburn, Mashburn shot 15 for 26, while Lin Han shot 14 for 31. Lin Han's mid-range shooting was still incredibly inconsistent, but he did hit 5 of 11 three-pointers, which was decent.

However, Lin Han's high shot attempts in every game, along with Malone, made them the two biggest black holes on the team's offense. Other players, except for the now-super-sub Jeff Malone, had few shot opportunities, and their status in the team was declining. There were even rumors that the Jazz might make a big move during the trade period.

With too many overlapping players in the team, the Jazz no longer needed so many mid-range shooters because of Lin Han's presence.