The Golden Age of Basketball

"While confirming that the body is James Jordan, the police have identified two suspects who likely robbed the red Lexus driven by James Jordan and then shot him dead. The police will apprehend the two suspects, and we will closely follow this case..."

After watching the news, Gan Guoyang thought about whether to call Michael, but in this situation, he couldn't offer any comfort.

The series of incidents in more than a month had left Gan Guoyang feeling numb.

Wang Fuxi quickly called back from overseas to inquire about the situation and reported his safety to Gan Guoyang.

"Dad is doing great here. He's really happy, and the local government is responsible for our security, which is very thorough. You don't have to worry."

Wang Fuxi knew what Gan Guoyang was most worried about, so he would call back every day to report the situation.

After the news spread, Gan Guoyang still stepped forward to comfort and support Jordan and attended the funeral held in North Kadic on August 15.

Among all the guests who attended the funeral, Gan Guoyang was the most notable one, as he had been almost walking alongside death for the past month.

In addition, there were also Charles Barkley, Jordan's teammates from the Bulls, and his agent David Falk.

Jordan took the stage to deliver a speech to the mourners, talking about his father's qualities (selectively, of course), thanked his parents for their efforts in raising their children and encouraging him to set life goals.

"Don't dwell on his death, but bless the life he lived," Jordan said of his father.

On the same day Jordan held the funeral for his father, the police caught two suspects—Larry Demery and Daniel Green—who shot James Jordan when he pulled over to rest, disposed of the body, and stole the red Lexus.

These two foolish criminals flaunted the stolen car and made several calls using the car's phone, eventually leading the police to capture them easily.

The capture of the suspects did little to ease Jordan's heart, as no matter what, the dead cannot be resurrected. Besides, these two criminals were evidently opportunistic robbers who harbored no personal grudge against the victim but killed out of greed.

It's like walking on the road and getting bitten by a snake. You can use a stone to kill the snake, but in the end, you're still poisoned to death.

As for the snake, it's just a snake. It reveals its fangs whenever it encounters a living thing, and you even find it difficult to sustain hatred for it.

After the funeral, Gan Guoyang and Jordan bid farewell under a big tree at the Methodist Church.

Jordan's eyes were red; the sudden passing of his father left him bewildered, devoid of sharpness and spirit in his eyes.

"I don't know what's been happening recently. Maybe I should sell my funeral company. My life is almost revolving entirely around funerals," Gan Guoyang said in as light a tone as possible.

"Maybe. You've sent off so many people on the court, and now it's finally affecting off the court,"

Both managed a thin smile, with Gan Guoyang leaning against the tree trunk, noticing many cameras aimed their way.

"What are you planning? Are you really going to retire?" Jordan asked.

"I'm still considering. A series of things have happened recently, and I've been wondering if fate is giving me some guidance, urging me to make some choices and changes. I still need to think it over."

"You've won so many championships, you deserve to take a break," Jordan joked.

"So, do you want to win a championship without me being there?"

Jordan shook his head and softly said, "A championship won without beating you is meaningless..."

Gan Guoyang patted Jordan and said, "It still has significant meaning. I have to go, Michael. Life must go on. I'm leaving."

Gan Guoyang bid farewell to Jordan, who watched Gan Guoyang's retreating figure, tears flowing uncontrollably again, without knowing why.

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In August, Beelman's departure from the Trail Blazers' coaching position triggered a series of chain reactions, with the entire team exploding like firecrackers, one after another.

Sabonis signed with Real Madrid in Europe, followed by the resignation of Adelman, Shalov, and other coaching staff, with veterans Bernard King and Wayne Cooper choosing to retire in succession, having lost the motivation and reason to stay in Portland.

Without a general manager or a coaching staff, the Trail Blazers were left without a significant part of their head.

Bucky Bockwalter had to return to the general manager position to clean up the mess.

Buckwalter's immediate priority was to secure a new contract with Ah Gan, ensuring that their cornerstone wouldn't retire.

But aside from waiting, Buckwalter didn't have many options. He made a weekly call with Gan Guoyang to briefly understand and inquire about the situation.

Dell Curry was also facing contract renewal issues, having long been the fourth option in the Trail Blazers' backcourt.

In earlier years, they had Drexler, Porter, and Hornacek. After Drexler left, Petrović arrived.

When Hornacek was traded, the Trail Blazers acquired Reggie Lewis, with Curry remaining in reserve among reserves.

By the summer of 1993, with two of the backcourt players gone, Terry Porter suffered from injuries that inevitably caused a decline in form, and Curry had suddenly become the backbone of the team's backcourt.