The Golden Age of Basketball

"Rings don't mean everything. Bill Russell has 11 rings, but his management talent is definitely not as good as Jerry West, who has only one ring! Can't you see that? I think your brain is just full of crap."

"7:2! 7:2! 7:2!"

Later, Gan Guoyang didn't want to argue much with Bird, because he knew he was right, and Bird was just in a bad mood.

Also, Gan Guoyang didn't want to say anything too harsh to hit Bird's sore spot, as they would be collaborating in the future.

Once some words are said, the relationship is hard to repair. The season hadn't even started yet, and besides, Gan Guoyang wasn't angry; he was just bored and wanted to have some fun with words.

For the proud Bird, coming to Portland to work with Ah Gan was already a bit of a blow to his self-esteem.

The Boston media ridiculed Bird's "defection," believing that Bird had not only betrayed Boston but also, like Jerry West, sought to glamorize himself by joining the evil Portland Empire.

"Look at Jerry West. Even winning four championships, in the end, he had to return to Los Angeles to find belonging. The championship earned by defection is never really a championship; everyone knows that in their hearts."

Seeing Gan Guoyang repeating "7:2" like a child and saying nothing else, Bird's anger gradually dissipated.

What's the point in bickering with this guy? I can't beat him anyway, so when I'm coaching later, I'll just never let Ah Gan leave the court and keep playing.

You think you're so great? You used to have more playing time than me, love basketball, do you? I'll let you play as much as you want.

Rick Carlisle and Dick Hart came over to stop the two from bickering like children, suggesting they should focus on guiding the players to finish the game.

So the two shook hands, made peace, and continued to officiate the remaining game until the whole game ended, marking the conclusion of this rookie training camp.

Bird called Ben Wallace into the office after the training camp dissolved and straightforwardly told him, "Ben, you're staying. The team is going to sign you to a... what do they call it now, a minimum salary contract? Get ready to stay in Portland, find a place to live, and be ready to join the team's preseason training camp."

Ben Wallace's rough face didn't show much expression; he was always low-key and indifferent.

Unlike Kobe and Little O'Neal, he was never the focus of the spotlight.

During the week-long rookie training camp, Kobe had been interviewed no less than 10 times, Little O'Neal 5 times, and Ben Wallace's number was zero.

The only time his name appeared in the news was in an article in the Oregonian about the rookie training camp roster, with "Ben Wallace" listed in it, and that's all.

Upon being informed that he could stay, he felt joy inside but couldn't express much emotion, finally saying a sincere "thank you."

However, Bird wasn't finished yet. He said, "I introduced you to the training camp, but honestly, you didn't quite meet my expectations. But you seized the opportunity, and someone appreciated you. Do you know who it is?"

Ben Wallace thought of what Gan Guoyang told him on the first day of training camp and realized, "Is it Ah Gan?"

"Smart, it's Ah Gan. Are you a fan of Ah Gan?"

Wallace shook his head honestly, saying, "No, I'm not."

Bird asked again, "Are you my fan?"

Wallace shook his head again, saying, "I like Magic."

Bird glanced at Wallace. This kid is really straightforward.

Ben Wallace was born in Alabama, one of 11 children, and he was the tenth.

So it was impossible for him to face the media like Kobe; Wallace also loved basketball, but he had a more accurate understanding of himself.

As a kid, his favorite star was Magic Johnson. He was fascinated by Johnson's fast breaks and imaginative passes.

After falling in love with basketball, he tried to become a player like Johnson, aspiring to be an excellent guard.

But as he grew older, he realized this was impossible. He didn't have that talent and found it challenging to become a backcourt player.

His coordination wasn't good enough; dribbling and shooting were not easy for him.

The only reason he could stay on the court was that his body was strong enough and he had a sensitivity to rebounds.

After discovering this characteristic, Ben Wallace decided to give up on the dream of being Magic Johnson and instead learn from hard-nosed players like Charles Oakley.

Oakley held a training camp in a city 100 miles from Ben Wallace's hometown, and Wallace decided to sign up, but he needed 50 US Dollars for the registration fee.

Wallace had no money. Having 11 children at home was already a problem for meals, let alone coming up with 50 US Dollars for him to attend a training camp.

So Wallace used his barber skills to earn money in the small town, saving enough for the registration fee after deducting living expenses and transportation costs. He then took a bus to the training camp.

In the training camp, he impressed Oakley. Oakley engaged in intense physical confrontations with him and was surprised to find that this 16-year-old had a very strong body.

Later, Oakley recommended him to a college to play NCAA Division II basketball, and Wallace finally embarked on a basketball path.

His talent and height made this a challenging path, and during the 1996 draft, no team mentioned his name.

Afterward, he played in Italy for over a month, then represented the Celtics in the summer league, and finally, Bird picked him up in Portland.