The Pope of Basketball Community

On July 6, the Lakers officially announced that Rasheed Wallace had joined with a four-year, 40 million contract, with the fourth year being a player option.

The conditions offered by the Lakers are not low. If Rasheed joins another team, his annual salary will be tens of millions, not more than a few million.

Rashid is 30 years old. If he gets a championship ring in three years and has good statistics, he can win the last big contract for himself if he breaks out. If his condition is average, staying with the Lakers until he is 34 is also a good choice.

On the 10th, the Lakers announced that Yang Rui had joined with a five-year, 50 million contract. He became the highest-paid head coach in NBA history, and is still the youngest head coach, just 30 years old this year.

On the same day, Yang Rui held a press conference. Owner Jerry Buss and the Lakers management attended the meeting one after another to welcome him and give him the highest courtesy.

The reporter asked: "Jerry, what do you think of joining the Lakers?"

Yang Rui said seriously: "After 2001, the Lakers finally welcomed their savior, Hallelujah!"

The reporter asked: "Did you decide to join the Lakers a year ago?"

"Yes, after leaving the Wizards, I considered joining a big city team. The Lakers were my first choice, but Phil Jackson had a one-year contract with the Lakers, so I took a year off. I like the city of Los Angeles and want to settle here. "

The reporter asked: "The Lakers had a poor record last season and only finished 11th in the Western Conference. What is your goal for leading the team next season?"

"Winning the championship is the only goal." Yang Rui answered confidently.

The reporters in the venue took a deep breath and took photos frantically.

Yang Rui is much more high-profile than when he first joined the Wizards. He has the confidence to join the Lakers.

Yang Rui continued: "I am confident that I will lead the Lakers to win the championship. I have won championships with three teams, and what I am best at is leading the rebuilding team. The Lakers' rebuilding work is very successful, and Yao Ming and Rashid are both outstanding Inside players, plus Kobe and Odom, we are already strong."

The reporter asked: "What do you think of Kobe Bryant's Eagle County incident?"

"It's a farce. I believe he will be found not guilty in the end. There is a saying in China: 'No one is a sage, no one can make mistakes. He knows his mistakes and can correct them, and there is nothing good he can do.' Kobe did make a big mistake. As long as he has the courage to face it Yes, everyone will forgive him in the future."

The reporter asked: "Kobe is now a completely free man and is still negotiating with the Lakers. If he does not renew his contract, will it affect your future plans with the Lakers?"

Yang Rui smiled and asked: "Where will he go if he doesn't renew his contract with the Lakers?"

He stopped all the reporters on the scene with just one sentence.

Kobe finally pushed O'Neal away and became the boss of the Lakers. There is really no reason to leave.

Yang Rui has long understood this. In the previous life in 2007, the Lakers wanted to trade Kobe, and the Pistons also sent the Lakers attractive chips, including draft rights for Richard Hamilton and Tayshaun Prince, but Kobe used his trade veto to deny it. Bryant gave management a list of teams he would be willing to be traded to, which did not include Detroit.

That summer, the Lakers also had in-depth negotiations with the Bulls, Kobe's favorite team. However, the other side was determined not to sell forward Luer Deng, and the Lakers insisted that the offer include the youngster who was at his peak offensively and defensively. Forward, the two sides just broke up.

Kobe didn't want to go to a team that offered the Lakers a satisfactory offer, and the team that Kobe wanted to go to couldn't meet the Lakers' needs. The end result was that Kobe had no choice but to stay. No one thought at the time that the Lakers completed a wonderful deal that season, acquiring Pau Gasol from Memphis. The latter partnered with Kobe and won two consecutive NBA championships in 2009 and 2010.

Now that the Lakers have a bright future, with stars and a good coach joining them, if Kobe insists on leaving, then he should go to the hospital for a checkup. After an examination, the result is guaranteed to be an imbecile.

Kobe was obviously not that imbecile. The next day, Kobe, who had just returned to Los Angeles from a court appearance in Eagle County, was interviewed.

Kobe sincerely expressed his welcome to Yang Rui: "We all know what we should do and are determined to complete our careers. He is an amazing coach. I believe the Lakers will reach the top of the league again."

The 26-year-old Kobe seems to have matured a lot. He said: "I have learned a lot, and there is still a lot to learn. Now I feel that I have learned how to be tolerant and how to look forward. I look forward to the communication with Jerry. I I always felt that I could get along well with him.”

Kobe also commented on his soon-to-be teammate Yao Ming. "He has great potential. I believe he can play at a high level with the Lakers. We will become good friends and partners."

The once unruly Kobe wanted to complete the process of reinventing himself as soon as possible. He was not stupid and saw that building a good relationship with Yao Ming was a shortcut to please the huge number of Chinese fans.

In Yang Rui's previous life, Kobe Bryant spoke highly of Yao Ming several times, even trying to please him.

Especially when Kobe participated in the Beijing Olympics in 2008, he said in an interview with Chinese reporters: "Yao has increased the popularity of the NBA in China. Sometimes the NBA is like a fraternity. When I met Yi Jianlian or Yao Ming, or other NBA players Players, you hug them because you know they feel the same as you, and even though we play for different national teams, we still have a brotherhood."

Now, Kobe has more reason to be brothers with Yao.

Stern was very happy after reading the news. Yao Ming joining the Lakers to partner with Kobe was the best choice, killing two birds with one stone.

Stern has designated the Lakers as the league's No. 1 favorite team in the new season. If Yang Rui makes the Lakers stronger and develops Yao Ming's commercial value, it can also change people's impression of Kobe.

Can Yang Rui create another miracle? Can Yao Ming become an All-Star? Can Kobe prove his ability to lead a team? When these three gimmicks come together, it's so attractive. This also coincides with Stern's recent globalization strategy. ?

The NBA has now found the best way to open up the Chinese market, which is to use Chinese sports stars to tie up local Chinese star companies to jointly promote the NBA and related manufacturers.

As long as these are done well, both Chinese companies and the NBA will be winners and there will be no losers.

Of course, Stern valued Kobe more than Yao Ming. After all, this was his biological son.

Kobe was selected as a starter in the All-Star Game when he was a substitute for the Lakers. In the second season of his career, he won the title of "Jordan's successor." The league went out of its way to praise him. The president spent countless efforts on him over the years.

Kobe finally became the scoring champion and won the all-star game votes. Stern certainly did not want his investment to go to waste because of the "Eagle County Incident". He needed someone to step up and save Kobe.

Not only did Phil Jackson not speak up for Kobe last year, but he also made his conflict with Kobe public. In an interview, he said that he had long wanted to trade him. This can no longer be described as "adding fuel to the fire". It was simply Jackson forming a seal with his hands and shooting a "Fire Release-Hao Fireball" towards Kobe's face. He wanted to spray Kobe to death.

Now, Jackson is out and Stern is at ease. As long as Yang Rui can help Kobe win two more scoring titles and win the championship as the core of the team, it will be of great importance to the improvement of the NBA, and the hard work over the years has not been in vain.

Playing offensive basketball, supporting the new flying star Carter, and allowing Jordan to retire with glory, Yang Rui won Stern's love every step of the way.

Stern thinks Yang Rui is a real genius, and siding with him every time is like a roundworm in his stomach.

Stern also has no objection to Yang Rui's "big mouth" personality. The most attractive people are always people with personality.