Rekindling the dream of becoming a star

Chapter 225 Who will win the flower?
"Supernova appears at Lakers home court, Lakers give grand reception"

"Tatum, Chen Fang, the Celtics want them all!"

"The 76ers are still deciding, Fultz or Chen Fang"

"Chen Fang remains mysterious by not participating in joint tryout"

Recently, not only domestic media, but even North America has been arguing about who will be the winner of Chen Fang. Given Chen Fang's superb performance in the tournament, he is already a sure bet in the top three.

It's just that it's unclear whether the Celtics, who hold the No. 1 pick, will prefer Chen Fang or Tatum. The Lakers have clearly shown great interest in Chen Fang, who is from California. Although Lonzo is very good, Chen Fang is more popular.

The 76ers got the third pick, so they can only wait patiently for the first two picks before making a judgment and choice.

On May 5, when the results of the 17 NBA lottery were released, discussions about Chen Fang became hot again. As the first person in school history to bring USC to unprecedented heights, Chen Fang was looking forward to which team he would join. Countless people were looking forward to it.

Chen Fang made almost no response to the uproar on the Internet. Apart from his appearance at the Champions Parade, he has been rarely seen since then.

Many people are very curious about this. Some people think that Chen Fang is very low-key, while others think more and believe that this is a talent show strategy.

But the reason is actually very simple. Chen Fang developed social phobia due to the scar on his forehead.

Because Dr. Edward, who was performing the surgery, was asked to stop the bleeding, the wound almost spread from between the eyebrows to the roots of the hair on the forehead. Edward used 21 stitches, which resulted in Chen Fang's forehead being disfigured in the strict sense.

A huge and long [eye]. At first Chen Fang thought it looked like Erlang Shen and was not too sad, but the sharp-tongued Lu Yun burst this beautiful bubble.

"What? This is the word Mao, stupid Mao!"

Chen Fang was immediately dumbfounded.

"In the Song Dynasty, prisoners would have words branded on their foreheads. Congratulations, Old Chen. You are now considered a Liangshan hero. How about giving you a nickname?"

Because of these two sentences, Chen Fang didn't leave the room for a whole day. Wu Zi was so angry that she kicked Lu Yun out. Now Lu Yun hasn't come to the house for almost a month.

He was just joking, but Chen Fang took it seriously and became scared.

Wu Zi contacted professional scar removal plastic surgeons everywhere. After two repairs, the scar is now much lighter. The "mao" is definitely not visible, but the "mu" still has that outline.

The only regret is that there is no problem at ordinary times, but once the blushing occurs, the "eye" on the forehead between the eyebrows becomes particularly obvious.

It looks very much like Erlang Shen’s open eye.

It was no use for Chen Fang to regret. He had never liked wearing a hat, but now he had to wear a baseball cap when he went out.

Wu Zi also blamed him for being so impulsive that day. They still had a long time to play basketball, and playing so hard really made her feel scared. She didn't want to lose another loved one.

Chen Fang explained with a wry smile, even though he explained it several times.

"This is my last game in college. I don't want to have any regrets. I worked so hard to get to the finals. If I give up just because of this injury, I can't do it. I don't deserve to play professionally."

"If it was a sprained ankle or other injury that would affect my career, I would not force myself to come out. I will definitely not fight in this life. I promised my wife."

After a few words, Wu Zi felt slightly relieved.

Yes, Chen Fang has fought for an extremely bright future. His position in USC is unshakable. His statue is already in production and his No. 21 jersey is destined to be retired. All of this was earned with his blood.

As Wu Zi was still in school, she was very clear about Chen Fang's historical status in USC. It was no exaggeration to say that if you put out any sports goods related to Chen Fang, they would be sold out in seconds. The whole California was crazy about Chen Fang, and many big stars in Hollywood loved Chen Fang.

After all, USC has close ties with Hollywood.

Because the United States has always had a heroic spirit, and Chen's performance in the final was very much in line with American character.

This final was like a Hollywood blockbuster, the best sports script from beginning to end.

The USC championship documentary was distributed through subscriptions, generating revenue of six million on the day. Part of this money belonged to the entire Trojan team, and at Chen Fang's suggestion, it was equally divided and transferred to the accounts of every member of the team.

In a way, many of Chen Fang's practices have captured the psychology of Americans. If this is about building a character, then Chen Fang's character is now perfect enough.

If his skin wasn't yellow, any color would be enough to make people believe that he would be fully qualified to run for California State Assembly.

Trojan Horse Network, under the name of Chen Fang, has been voted into the top five in history.

This is the charm of sports.

But Chen Fang didn't seem to care about all this. With a sad face, he began to learn how to take care of his skin from Wu Zi. His scar now made him not want to look in the mirror.

Sometimes Wu Zi would get so angry that he would ask directly, "Do you have any bad intentions?"

"What?"

"As a man, why do you care so much about this? You already have a wife, so why do you think it's not enough?"

"Do you want to make a living by your face?"

Chen Fang was dumbfounded. After that day, Chen Fang never showed any emotion about the scar again and pretended as if nothing had happened.

Chen Fang refused to comment on any attempt to probe him.

On May 5, the arrival of an unexpected guest made an exception for Chen Fang's zero-contact policy.

Bill Duffy, founder of BDA Sports Management, Yao's American agent and a member of Team Yao.

With Yao's help, Chen Fang changed his mind, considering the importance of the draft. With Yao's guarantee, Chen Fang planned to have a face-to-face talk with Duffy.

BDA has always been associated with WME-IMG.

WME-IMG is not a small company. This company is strong not only in sports but also in entertainment. Not only in North America, but also in China, it has in-depth cooperation with Chinese sports.

In November 16, WME-IMG hired Ma Xiaofei, former vice president of global strategy of the NBA (and the son of former CCTV Sports Center Director Ma), as chairman of its Chinese branch, who will work with CCTV to promote the value of Chinese sports in the market.

IMG has contracted athletes represented by elite athletes such as Li Na, media copyrights such as the Chinese Super League, and the ability to manage and operate mass events such as sports and fashion.

We plan and lead the combination of tourism and sports, as well as event licensing.

Sports brokerage is the easiest link in the sports industry chain to make money, and compared with the money-burning model of investing in clubs, sports brokerage can also be considered a light asset. As long as the brokerage company can sign popular athletes with its credit and services, it does not have to worry about future income from all aspects.

With multiple domestic investors following suit, IMG is bound to make a big splash in China, and Chen Fang, as the direction with the most potential, is worthy of heavy investment.

(I think adults understand it, it’s pointless to explain it. The thread is very clear, right? There are Yao, Ma, Duffy, and North American capital. In 20 years, WME was acquired by BDA.)
Of course Chen Fang didn't know all this, but it didn't make him lose his sense in this area. He had a plan and needed a strong agent, and he did not reject Yao's recommendation again, so this meeting took place.

Duffy's personality is perfect. He is one of the few agents known as "honest agents". He does not suck blood or engage in parasitism. His main focus is on seeking benefits for his clients. The agreement that shocked the entire country last year that Mike Conley reached with the Grizzlies for a five-year, $5 million maximum contract was his.

His classic quote: Money is not everything. I am not in this profession for money. I have my own principles.

As a rare agent who started out as an athlete, Duffy does have the talent to be friends with players, be a mentor, and be a brother.

He also looks to the future. This year, he already has future superstar chips in Doncic, Ayton, and RJ Barrett, which shows his master-level vision.

Duffy was very tall, and the two of them were almost the same height, which made it very convenient for them to communicate.

After sitting down, Duffy first congratulated Chen Fang on his retired jersey and statue. This was only internal news and outsiders did not know.

This also represents his personal connections. Chen Fang didn't say much about Duffy's move, but just said thank you. With this as an excuse, the two talked about college basketball. Duffy was once an idol at Santa Clara University, and Nash started to take off from this university. Duffy was able to pry open the NBA agent market because he signed Nash.

The Rockets coach McHale, who was fired by the Rockets in 15, was Duffy's roommate. This shows Duffy's influence in the NBA.

But Duffy is still in an awkward situation, he has no rising stars, no big names. From 02 to now, in 15 years, Duffy has never been considered a top NBA agent, just because he has no superstars.

There are only a few super giants in the entire league, and not everyone is so lucky.

Therefore, Duffy hoped very much that this time would be successful, both in the North American market and the Chinese market. He did not bring any gifts and traveled light.

He talked about college basketball, his past with Team Yao, and the current salary situation in the NBA. Chen Fang listened to all of this with a smile and did not interrupt too much.

Chen just made a few frank remarks on the topic of Yao's team.

"With all due respect, Team Yao was not successful. It did not fulfill the original purpose of its establishment. Although it promoted Yao's fame widely, it did not maximize the benefits."

Duffy was stunned for a moment, then nodded: "You know about this too?"

"A little bit. I know a little bit about business promotion. I have my own company and team."

This surprised Duffy, but Chen Fang suddenly stopped talking.

Finally, Daffy couldn't hold on any longer and he had to bring out the theme.

“Are there any special requirements for agents?”

Chen Fang nodded: "Indeed, there are some. Brother Yao guarantees that I have great confidence in your business ability and professional qualities. I just have some ideas and need your help to see if you can do it."

"Please tell me straight, even if I can't do it, I won't tell anyone, even to my wife." Duffy's answer was perfect.

"Thank you." Chen Fang thanked him first, then continued: "I want to join a team, but he doesn't have a draft pick. How do I do it?"

Duffy was stunned. He lowered his head and thought for a while before looking up and asking, "Can you tell me which one it is?"

"Clippers!"

It only took Duffy a few seconds to change from surprise to sudden realization. He lowered his voice and asked, "Is it related to your girlfriend still studying in California?"

"There is a certain relationship." Chen Fang admitted that he didn't want to be in different places. If he went somewhere else, the chances of them meeting would be greatly reduced.

"Besides that, what other reasons are there?"

Chen Fang hesitated for a moment and said, "I am optimistic about the Clippers. I think that in the next ten years, the NBA will be a time of capital burning, and the Big Three will become the standard for distinguishing between super teams and ordinary teams."

"This stratification will become more and more obvious. I don't want to go to a team that doesn't have the financial resources to prepare for the game."

Duffy understood, and he looked at Chen Fang with more scrutiny.

"Let's put aside the draft picks and just talk about the championship potential. How long do you think it will take for the Clippers to do it?"

"Theoretically it will take 4-5 years, but in reality it will take indefinitely longer because winning a championship involves so many factors, including the team, God, and the league, that no one can be sure."

"The current Clippers have Paul, Blake Griffin, and Jordan. They make the playoffs every year. If you were one of them, who would you be?" Duffy's question was direct.

Chen Fang smiled and said, "The Clippers will rebuild, and very quickly."

"Paul and Griffin have both proved that they cannot win the championship." Chen Fang said with certainty, because the memories of his previous life were there.

The confident tone surprised Duffy. He agreed with part of it, but still didn't think the Clippers had no chance.

"How can we tell?"

"Paul has no intention of renewing his contract. He wants to win the championship, so he wants to change teams." Chen Fang said to Duffy, "As an agent, I think you should know this."

Duffy was very serious. He nodded and said, "Yes, Paul has rejected the Clippers' contract extension. He is saying that he is open to any team that has the potential to win the championship."

"From 11 to now, he has proved a lot, but he has not proved that he is the cornerstone of the championship." Chen Fang said: "I recognize that he is the best guard in the league and I respect him very much, but from an operational perspective, the Clippers have no patience with him."

"Do you want to go to the Clippers and become the cornerstone of reconstruction?" Duffy asked tentatively.

"Yes, I have proved myself to be capable of this." Chen Fang smiled and continued, "Maybe in your eyes, I am young and frivolous, and winning the NCAA championship has made me feel proud, but I have always been clear-headed. In the past two years since I came to the United States, I have been working hard to become a cornerstone, not to enter the NBA."

Duffy agrees with this. From his choice of USC, we can see that what he wants is not as simple as entering the NBA.

"You want to go on the Clippers?"

"Yes, if you can help me achieve it, I am willing to sign a long-term contract with you." Chen Fang pronounced the word "long" very long.

"This is difficult to do, but I'm willing to give it a try." Duffy made up his mind. The brief exchange made him see the Chinese people's strong self-confidence and judgment.

He stood up and said to Chen Fang: "Before you leave, I have a small question. No matter what you answer, it will not hinder our cooperation."

"Please say."

"What do you think the highest-paid person in the NBA will be in ten years?" Duffy asked.

"One hundred million!" Chen Fang said without hesitation.

"That's the league's goal and that's the players' goal."

Duffy looked at Chen Fang deeply, then he walked out and Chen Fang walked him all the way to the car.

"What will you do during this time?"

“Go back to China.”

"No tryout?" Duffy asked.

“No, if you get the Clippers, I’ll only try out for the Clippers.”

"Ok."

The two men shook hands, and this photo was also taken by the ambushing paparazzi.

"Chen Fang joins hands with Duffy, where will his next stop be?"

Chen Fang, who had already boarded the plane, smiled slightly when he saw the report. Duffy's ability was indeed amazing. The Clippers responded in just a few days.

And a message from Kobe also made him completely relieved.

It’s different with the help of an elder brother. With a two-pronged approach, maybe I can really achieve my wish.

Looking at the white clouds outside the window, Chen Fang's thoughts began to fly higher.

It’s time to really start climbing the NBA mountain.

(End of this chapter)