When pride still matters

Chapter 45 The Last Happy Hour
The Verizon Center has been the training center for the Washington Wizards for some time. As one of the best training facilities in the NBA, every player and staff member who plays for the Wizards loves it.

Of course, this is one of the Wizards' few advantages.

Except for one person, 40-year-old Vice President Susan O'Malley hates this place. Even though this is where she works, it is also the place where she achieves the pinnacle of her life and realizes her personal value.

Because here is a dictator named Michael Jordan.

To this day, it is still unbelievable that Jordan came to DC, took away all the power from the original management elders without any resistance, and became the master of the Wizards.

But Omari understands it all too well.

They haven't come close to a championship since 1979, and the Wizards haven't made it deep into the playoffs since Jim Carter became president.The media ridiculed it, the ball market gradually withered, and batches of players continued to change. However, whether it was the Bullets or the Wizards, the poor performance was always the same.

Therefore, when Jordan was kicked out by the Bulls in 1999, the deeply humiliated Jumpman was eager to prove his ability. He chose the Wizards in financially troubled Charlotte and the pariah status in the professional basketball world. By.

Because Wizards owner Abe Pollin promised that he could control everything about the team.

Poulin desperately needs to reignite fan interest in his poor team.

However, Jordan firmly believed that he should have unprecedented privileges among NBA team executives.Jordan's demands include working only part-time in Washington to ensure he has enough time to devote to commercial endorsements, television ads, golf and gambling activities.He made it clear that he will not spend a lot of time involved in player drafting and will work primarily from his home in Chicago.He plans to attend only a handful of Wizards games and have only minimal marketing and publicity duties.It can be felt from his words that he does not feel like he is in a job interview, because he firmly believes that as a superstar, the team owner will and must surrender to him, because he believes that this team that is in desperate need of improvement cannot do without His magic.

Let's forget that Jordan once said something to Pauline during the lockout that made them almost fight on the spot. ([-]) The Flyers are coming to DC.

Jordan did have magic, and the Wizards sold 5000 season tickets the day the news leaked.Therefore, O'Mary is perfectly fine with Jordan's status as her boss's standard of conduct.Whoever can bring him profits will be the talker of the team.That's why after O'Malley sold the naming rights to the home court for $[-] million ten years ago, Pauline immediately promoted her to be the first female president in NBA history.This is why when Jordan came to the Wizards, she was instantly demoted from her full-time position to her deputy position.

Omari, who had climbed up by relying on the rules of the game, accepted that someone would kick her down in the same way. What she couldn't accept was, why did Jordan have such terrible privileges?

The main motivation for fans to buy season tickets is to watch Jordan in the luxury box in person.However, Jordan adopted a Howard Hughes-like image while serving as president of the Washington FC.He rarely appears at home, even when he's in Washington.He stayed alone in his office and followed the progress of the game closely through the flat-screen TV.

Facts have proved that even a god's appeal to fans is short-lived as long as he is not playing.The Wizards continued to lose, and there was no change from before. The mysterious Jordan vowed to bring a 50% winning rate through various channels, which seemed like a joke.

Well, the Wizards suck, that's a fact of life.Precisely because they are terrible, they require a lot of energy from the team's top leaders, but Jordan has already agreed with the boss that he is only part-time. In addition to his work with the Wizards, he still has a lot of business to worry about, such as a simple game like basketball. , it’s simply not worth investing all your energy into, right?If it were really that simple, His Majesty would never have allowed his entourage to humiliate the senior management and call Pauline a "getting in the way".

The ending in Chicago still did not make Jordan understand the truth. There will be a price to pay for blatantly offending the owner of the ownership!

Susan O'Mary believes Jordan will get his comeuppance one day.

Today is a big day for the Wizards organization. They will officially try out the legendary No. [-] pick Kwame Brown.

Moreover, they also invited Tyson Chandler, another top pick, to participate in a trial training for the second time.

Tyson performed well last time, but Jordan did not believe that his thin body could survive in the NBA. He wanted to see Brown's performance.

That's what O'Mary will report to Abi Paulin.

When Omari walked into her boss's office, Pauline asked before she could say anything: "Is he still determined to choose a high school student?"

"Michael has worked out with just about every potential lottery pick, but no one has been able to make his mind up so far," O'Mary said.

"I attended China Dole's luncheon last week." Paulin said calmly, "Reed thinks the Spanish are the best choice."

O'Mary doesn't like the old man who has lunch at Dole in China every week. He likes to give pointers, but can't even figure out the salary cap. If he hadn't drafted a toxic player more than ten years ago, maybe the Celtics There won’t be that long of a trough.

Use the No. [-] pick to select a Spaniard who is not guaranteed to land in the NBA next season?Omari's face remained unchanged, "Michael said he would not choose a European player he had never seen in person." "He could obviously see it in person, couldn't he." Paulin said in a cold tone.

Omari wisely chose not to answer.

Pauline said no more.

The room fell silent.

After a while, Omari came out and met her old partner Wes Unseld outside.

"How is Mr. Pauline in a good mood today?" Unseld's tone and flattering expression when talking about Pauline were completely unmatched by his rough face.

Who would have thought that one of the toughest players in NBA history would become a servant of his boss after retiring?
"He is in a good mood. Do you want to go say hello to him?" Omari asked with a smile.

As soon as he heard that his boss was in a good mood, Unseld couldn't help but want to flatter him, "It should be, it should be, I haven't seen Mr. Pauline for a while."

Ever since Unseld entered the Wizards' front office in the early 80s, he has had a reputation for mediocrity and incompetence.

The reason why he still holds a high position to this day is entirely because he treats Pauline with respect, like a servant.

Omari has a good relationship with Unseld. He likes to tease this old man who is struggling in the professional basketball circle. If she doesn't do this, she is sure that one day she will be criticized at work by a boss and a man who thinks she is better than the boss. More importantly the pressure from the asshole is suffocating.

Today, the Wizards will try out four players, three of whom are high school students, namely Kwame Brown from Georgia, Tyson Chandler from Chicago and Frye Yu from Washington State, the only one The college player is Brandon Haywood from the University of North Carolina.

Needless to say, the North Carolina junior and Yu Fei are both people that Jordan likes, but even if the Wizards want it, they can only get one of them at most. Therefore, there will definitely be a showdown between Yu Fei and Haywood today.

The real highlight is Kwame Brown and Tyson Chandler. Whoever can stand out today will have a high probability of becoming the No. 2001 pick in the [-] draft.

Jordan was at the scene, as was new head coach Doug Collins, assistant coaches, scouts, and everyone on the Wizards coaching staff was watching every move of the four rookies.

Brown and Yu Fei worked in pairs, while Chandler and Haywood trained alone.

"Fry, pass me some alley-oops, I want to show off before I start!"

Yu Fei reluctantly sent three alley-oop passes to Brown, who unexpectedly caught them all without showing up and completed dunks.

"I have to say, your pass is the most comfortable I have ever received!" Brown exclaimed, "I really want to play with you."

Yu Feipi said hey twice with a smile.

Play ball together?As long as Yu Fei thinks of what is about to happen to Brown, he feels sorry for this fool who is full of big brother attitudes.

This is probably his last happy time before retirement, so enjoy it.

⑴ During the lockout in 1998, in order to support the players in the labor negotiations, Jordan faced Pauline who complained that "I am in trouble and can't make ends meet every year": "If you can't afford it, sell the team." Pauline responded: " Neither you, Michael, nor anyone else can tell me when to sell my team."

⑵Howard Hughes, a well-known American businessman, pilot, film producer and inventor in the 20th century.He was known for his eccentric personality, unique lifestyle, and reclusive tendencies.He is the inspiration for Tony Stark.

PS: DC is the last trial training that Dafei will describe in detail, which means that the content of the trial training is almost finished.I can guarantee that I will enter the NBA plot before it is put on the shelves, and I have prepared a climax before it is put on the shelves.

(End of this chapter)