The Golden Age of Basketball-Chapter 94 - 1: Not Easy

Two weeks after the finals between Gonzaga and Houston, everything gradually returned to calm.

On April 8, the City of Spokane held a grand parade, with all members of the Gonzaga Bulldogs on board a boat, departing from Gonzaga University and circling around the city along the Spokane River.

April 8 was also designated as Championship Memorial Day, with the city taking a half-day off to celebrate this hard-won, magical undefeated championship.

Gan Guoyang spent a week in a daze, and although he did not drink alcohol, he felt almost drunk every day.

Countless blessings, letters, and phone calls, ceaselessly arrived from groups, advertisers, and individuals offering congratulations and invitations; he had become a hero of Gonzaga and Spokane.

The mayor and university president said they wanted to erect a statue in front of the gymnasium to commemorate his great contributions to Gonzaga basketball.

Gan Guoyang found it difficult to refuse people’s kindness. Anywhere in Spokane he would be recognized. He began to constantly sign autographs, take photos with people, wave and smile. After a whole day, he felt like he was turning into a clown, his smile hanging on his face, unable to fade away.

By mid-April, the situation gradually improved. Everything began to settle down, and Gan Guoyang could finally attend classes and practice normally, with time to consider what his next move would be.

Both Dan FitzGerald and Beelman offered Gan Guoyang advice, and their ideas were largely in agreement; they hoped that Gan Guoyang would leave university to enter the 1984 NBA Draft.

Beelman was a bit more adamant about it, saying that Guoyang had no more challenges in the NCAA, and he must go to the NBA to strive for higher goals.

Dan FitzGerald left Gan Guoyang with an alternative. If he was willing, Ah Gan could stay and play NCAA for another year. Although Stockton had graduated, the school would recruit a talented player to help Gan Guoyang.

Gan Guoyang asked Beelman, "Bobby, you’re so adamant about me leaving; you’re not planning to defect again, are you?"

Beelman hurriedly explained that he had signed a multi-year contract with the school and would not be leaving anytime soon.

"You deserve a bigger, more magnificent stage, Ah Gan."

Beelman’s words persuaded Gan Guoyang, and after discussing it and getting approval from his father, Gan Youwei, he decided to enter the 1984 NBA Draft.

Before that, he would finish the credits needed for graduation and obtain his degree certificate. Joining the NBA with a college diploma, he wanted to be an educated player.

At the same time, he began looking for a reliable agent to handle everything from the draft to signing and future matters.

Gan Guoyang was very cautious about choosing an agent. Some recommended themselves, while others were introduced by Fitz and Beelman, but Gan Guoyang did not make any hasty decisions.

To some extent, an agent is a player’s other half of the brain, an important advisor. A good agent can fight for the most benefits for the player and choose the best path.

The career path of a professional athlete is short and precarious. The NBA world is much more complex than college basketball, and Gan Guoyang didn’t know enough about it yet. He needed a powerful guide, not a vampire looking to profit from his fame.

Therefore, Gan Guoyang politely declined the two Chinese-American lawyers recommended by Huang Shaohua of the Chinese Progressive Association. Although they had some renown in the legal field, the NBA was not their area of expertise.

Gan Guoyang made it clear to Huang Shaohua that once he was securely established in the NBA, he would certainly support and help the Chinese community, but now was not the time.

Huang Shaohua understood and agreed with Gan Guoyang’s decision, stating he would continue to support all his activities with funds and start actively connecting him with more prestigious and capable professionals in the League.

Gan Guoyang was patient. Before officially announcing whether he would declare for the draft, he peacefully carried on as a Gonzaga University student, enjoying the dwindling number of days on campus.

By late April, the cold of Spokane had given way to warmth, with traces of spring visible throughout the campus.

Gan Guoyang got up early in the morning, drove his blue Ford to Spokane International Airport.

Today was the weekend, and Wang Fuxi was flying in from Portland to spend a couple of days at Gonzaga University.

Their photograph of a heartfelt embrace at the end of the NCAA championship game made the cover of mid-April’s Sports Illustrated issue, becoming a classic moment in American basketball and media history.

However, the photograph was focused on Gan Guoyang, with only half of Wang Fuxi’s face showing, the rest covered by her thick black hair, which left her unsatisfied with the photo.

What made her even more unsatisfied was that after the championship game, the two still hadn’t established a boyfriend-girlfriend relationship.

Even though Gan Guoyang had embraced her tightly, he was then caught up in a swarm of reporters and had no chance to say even a word more to Wang Fuxi before he left with the team for Spokane.

Before departing, Gan Guoyang told her to come find him in Spokane at the end of April.

Wang Fuxi waited until the end of April, she knew that Gan Guoyang must be incredibly busy, but she had the patience to wait.

The plane arrived on time, and Gan Guoyang picked up Wang Fuxi. After settling in at the hotel, he took her to the nearby Jack and Dan’s tavern around noon, which was opened by Stockton’s father, Jack Stockton.

Aside from serving drinks, they also offered barbecue and meals. Since winning the championship, Gan Guoyang had become a SVIP customer here; whatever he ate, drank, or whoever he brought with him, it was all free.

After greeting Jack, they found a seat and ordered some of their favorite dishes.

In the presence of Gan Guoyang, Wang Fuxi felt a bit shy, she just kept her head down, quietly eating, not sure what to say.

If a relationship reaches a certain point but doesn’t move forward, it can enter a difficult phase of embarrassment.

Gan Guoyang sensed this awkwardness, so he took the initiative to break the equilibrium, suddenly asking, "Hey, Fuxi, would you be willing to be my girlfriend?"

Wang Fuxi choked, coughing until her face turned red; she didn’t expect Gan Guoyang to be so direct, how was she supposed to answer?

Who confesses like this?

Gan Guoyang cut a piece of steak and said, "Don’t answer me just yet, I’ll give you time to think about it. Also, I want to tell you that being my girlfriend... might not be what you think, you really need to think it through."

The straightforwardness of Gan Guoyang actually calmed Wang Fuxi down. She controlled her pounding heart and asked, "Tell me what it is, I’ll think about it clearly."

"I’ve decided to enter the NBA draft in June, and afterwards, I’ll be a professional player. I believe that with my skills and performance, I’ll definitely get drafted. But I don’t know which city I’ll go to; it could be any city in America. You’re still studying, and if I end up playing in a different city, that means until you graduate, we will have a long-distance relationship, we won’t be able to see each other often, that’s the first thing."

"Secondly, even if we live together, the nature of my job will still mean I’m often traveling to other cities. I’ll be on the road for hundreds of days a year, so we still won’t be able to be together often. And I also don’t know in which city I’ll settle down, since if I leave one team, then I’ll have to move to another city. Therefore, I might become someone who is always drifting around."

"Thirdly, I’m someone who places basketball in a very lofty position, very, very high. My training will be grueling, I’ll be very serious and diligent about my work, basketball will take up a big part of my life. Consequently, I won’t be able to dedicate much to my other half or family. That is to say, being together with me, it will be hard to live like ordinary people."

"Fourth, I will earn a lot of money, you won’t have to worry about financial problems being with me. But correspondingly, I’ll face a lot of temptations, there will be many people around me, including beautiful women. Although I’m not particularly interested in women, the environment I’ll be in could make my other half feel insecure, which is an issue that needs to be confronted."

"Fifth, I will gradually accumulate wealth and fame, and I hope my other half can fight alongside me. Being together, we will face many challenges: race, injury, failure, public criticism, and various other things... I haven’t thought of them yet, nor have I experienced them, but I... I can anticipate that it won’t be an easy route. If your feelings towards me are just simple affection or admiration, and you just want to enjoy sweet moments together, I think I’m not a good choice, and that doesn’t fit with my vision for the future."

"So, please think it through carefully."

Gan Guoyang methodically laid out his requirements and thoughts to Wang Fuxi.

Most girls, upon hearing this, would probably be scared off. This wasn’t like dating; it was like signing a contract!

Wang Fuxi, however, was unphased, she finished her coffee and said, "Is that all?"

"Um... for now, that’s it. Why, it’s not enough for you?"

"Ah Gan, how long have we known each other?"

"Well... if we start counting from that time playing basketball at school, it’s been two years."

"Right, it’s been two years since I’ve known you. We’ve written so many letters, wouldn’t I know what kind of person you are? Don’t you also know why I would like you?"

"Because I’m handsome."

"That’s only a small part of it!"

"But I like you just because you’re beautiful."

"..."

"You can’t scare me off; I’ve already said I love you."

"Loving me is not easy."

"That’s why it’s called love, because it’s not easy. What do you know..."