Basketball Legend: When Pride Still Matters

Chapter 868 868 537 I Will Always Like _2

?Chapter 868: Chapter 537 I Will Always Like _2 Chapter 868: Chapter 537 I Will Always Like _2 A year later, Curry was promoted to Vice President of the NBA, in charge of basketball operations.

Another year passed, and Curry joined Detroit, receiving a 3-year, 7.5 million US Dollar contract, which was soon bought out, and he received the full guaranteed sum of 7.5 million US Dollars.

Americans fond of conspiracy theories naturally believed that Curry must have made significant concessions to the League during his time as the head of the players’ union; otherwise, Stern would not have rehired him, and the Pistons would have no reason to give him 7.5 million US Dollars as if it were a bribe.

This article immediately caused a stir within the players’ camp.

It indicated one thing: the head of the players’ union, Derrick Fisher, and the second in command, Billy Hunter, did not share the same stance.

For some reason, Fisher tended toward compromising with the labor side, while Hunter’s stance was that the players’ camp needed at least a 52% share of the revenue to proceed with negotiations.

So, when news came out that Fisher had been bought by the League, true or false, his credibility as union president was seriously damaged.

Fisher quickly sent out a public letter to the players.

In the letter, he wrote, “Under normal circumstances, I wouldn’t respond to ridiculous media reports with comments. But before these reports spread further, I want to publicly declare to each of you that my loyalty has always been and will forever be with the players.”

However, some of the wording in the letter made the stars, including Yu Fei, feel that there indeed was a problem within the players’ union.

“Anyone questioning or doubting this does not understand me, my history, or my position. Frankly speaking, anyone questioning this is being disrespectful. The players’ union is united, any reports suggesting otherwise are false. There are no secret agreements, backroom negotiations, or anything of the sort. We are united in serving you, offering the best options, to get everyone back to work,” he added.

In the end, it accused the report from Fox Sports, “The recent comments published on the Fox Sports website are inexcusable,” Fisher said, “Among numerous unfounded allegations, the suggestion that I collaborated with the League for personal gain is utterly false. The insinuation that anything I’ve done is not in the players’ best interests is disgusting, slanderous, and completely fabricated.”

This was basically saying: Billy Hunter doesn’t know me. How dare he question my loyalty to the union?

For Yu Fei, what mattered most was whether Fisher and Hunter’s relationship was as cracked as rumors suggested, or even, as the external articles claimed, had they grown apart?

Yet, in this letter, Yu Fei could not find Billy Hunter’s name.

Wade told Yu Fei that Hunter indeed had questioned Fisher’s stance during a meeting.

This letter made Yu Fei certain that there were things happening within the union that he was unaware of.

A few days later, the two sides would negotiate again, and if no agreement was reached, the remainder of the 2010 games would be canceled.

Amidst this scandal within the union, it was impossible for them to have a unified consensus.

On the day of the negotiations, Hunter claimed to “Sports Business Journal”, “My relationship with Derrick is good, there has been no confrontation.”

But when asked if Fisher had any under-the-table agreement with Stern and Adam Silver, Hunter’s response was hard not to interpret deeply: “How would I know if he has reached an understanding without my knowledge?”

In any case, a split within the players’ camp was inevitable.

From the moment Fisher sent out that letter, he fell into a trap of self-justification.

And when Hunter questioned Fisher’s stance in an internal meeting, seeds of doubt were sown in the players’ minds.

Fisher was no longer credible.

The players’ union was no longer credible.

The owner who facilitated all this, the owner who aggressively demanded the players accept a 47% share of the revenue, was even less trustworthy.

Yu Fei, recalling the call he had received from Aern Trem earlier, suddenly thought that perhaps the “Fisher bought by Stern” scandal was a scheme orchestrated by the vampires of the sports world who held the major stars in their grip.

They didn’t need to substantiate Fisher’s betrayal; they just needed to create chaos.

When Stern threatened the players’ union during negotiations that if an agreement was not reached before the New Year, the entire season would be canceled.

Billy Hunter said, “Fuck you!”

And so, the last negotiation before the arrival of 2011 fell through.

Consequently, all the games in December were canceled.

This lockout was evolving into a conclusion with no winners.

On December 30, 2010, Billy Hunter proposed the dissolution of the players’ union, then formally sue the League under the name of a trade association.

Fisher expressed opposition, deeming it an irreversible overturning of the table.

But, unable to regain the players’ trust, Fisher had lost his function as the union president under the influence of other union executives.

Fisher threatened to resign.

Then, the players agreed to his resignation.

However, they ousted Fisher in a more radical manner.

To highlight the union’s “democracy,” Hunter proposed a general vote to decide Fisher’s fate. If the majority supported Fisher’s stay, he would continue to lead the union; otherwise, they would bid farewell to President Fisher.

Under the influence of the “collusion with the League” scandal, few were willing to support Fisher.

Thus, Fisher was impeached by an overwhelming number of votes, formally ending his five-year term as the union president.