noveldrama
Chapter 972 972 572 The Summer That Is About to End
Chapter 972 972 572 The Summer That Is About to End
?Chapter 972: Chapter 572: The Summer That Is About to End Chapter 972: Chapter 572: The Summer That Is About to End Doug Rivers had once dreamt of coaching the world’s best players.
No, he had indeed coached them.
Nowadays, people have forgotten just how outstanding Tracy McGrady was at the beginning of the century.
In Rivers’s view, if McGrady could have stayed healthy, he definitely had the potential to compete with Frye. Unfortunately, McGrady began to suffer injuries just as he was emerging, and then he witnessed the rise of Fei.
Over the years, Rivers’s teams were always defeated by Fei, the 2008 Finals being the most unforgettable.
At that time, the SuperSonics were not yet mature, while The Celtics’ Big Three were at the tail end of their prime, harboring no personal agendas, only the championship.
However, they still lost.
In hindsight, 2008 was their only chance since the SuperSonics began to dominate the courts thereafter. The Celtics’ window for championships closed, and over the years, the Eastern Conference competition intensified, with formidable opponents like Miami Heat and the Brooklyn Nets’ Big Three, teams that the aging Celtics could not contend with.
So, it was logical for Ainge to decide on a rebuild. Rivers not wanting to suffer through a team tanking like in the early years was only human.
What he didn’t expect was for Ainge to find him such a good next opportunity.
Coaching the GOAT was an opportunity beyond his wildest dreams.
At the end of July, Rivers arrived in Los Angeles and held a press conference together with Arne Trem.
In his interaction with the media, Rivers showed his usual grace.
“You know, when you are coaching the greatest player in the world, the only thing you have to think about is the championship,” Rivers said cautiously and respectfully, “In this regard, I am a rookie and I need to learn a lot from Frye.”
After the press conference, Rivers asked Trem how he could meet Fei.
Trem laughed and said, “You’ll meet him today.”
Although Rivers hadn’t asked anyone else, he already knew that Fei was the decision-maker of the team. Whether it was the scoop king WOJ or other sources, all told him the same fact: every Clippers operation needed Fei’s approval to proceed.
After signing with the Clippers, Fei’s main focus was on daily training and Hollywood. He had renewed his contract with Marvel. Meanwhile, his fiancée, Elizabeth Olsen, was chosen as the actress for the Scarlet Witch, officially joining Marvel.
When Rivers visited, Fei was in his home gym performing aerobic shooting drills. Rivers did not interrupt him, just silently stood by and watched the GOAT train.
There were two people helping Fei train. One was a burly black man with thick brows and a strong physique, mainly responsible for providing Fei with some real combat interference; the other was Asian, picking up balls under the basket.
Rivers remembered both of them. The fearsome black man was Anthony “Tony” Lawson, who had been Fei’s liaison during his years with the Bucks; the Asian was Kevin Lin, who had joined Fei’s team in recent years.
Although neither of them was related by blood to the GOAT, they were as close as brothers. Now, one was his personal assistant and the other had established the largest training group in the NBA.
Fei was clearly adjusting his shooting form, which was not the stance Rivers remembered. This new posture was more straightforward and efficient, somewhat similar to Stephen Curry’s rapid and smooth one-motion shot from the Miami Heat.
There were always rumors that Fei lacked discipline, but seeing is believing. Rivers saw with his own eyes that Fei still trained hard in the summer, and he couldn’t believe that anyone else as successful as the GOAT would engage in training so intensely during the off-season.
From that day on, Rivers gradually stopped comparing McGrady and Fei. Talent may be comparable, but the training attitude he saw in McGrady and the rare few like Fei maintaining high-intensity training during a vacation were truly unique in the league.
About 20 minutes later, a ball bounced towards the door. That’s when Fei noticed Rivers’s presence.
“Doug?” Fei said in surprise, “Why wasn’t I informed?”
Rivers smiled and said, “I asked them not to disturb you.”
Fei took a towel from Lawson, walked up to Rivers, and said, “When did you get to Los Angeles?”
“Just arrived today,” Rivers answered, “I just finished the press conference.”
Fei nodded, then led Rivers to the family bar near the gym. There were a few bartenders there, whom Fei paid tens of thousands of US dollars a month to employ.
“Ironically, I hardly drink,” Fei said self-mockingly.
Rivers saw through to the truth: “Elizabeth must need it.”
“Exactly,” Fei laughed and said, “those Hollywood folks need a place like this to talk.”
Rivers was unsure if Fei’s “folks” included his fiancée, but he didn’t delve deeper.
“Frye, what do you think is a realistic expectation for the Clippers this coming season?” Rivers cut to the chase.
First, he needed to understand Fei’s expectations.
If the results fell short in the end, he was definitely going to be scapegoated.
So, he needed to know Fei’s thoughts.
It wasn’t frightening to set goals, but what was terrifying was setting unrealistic ones.
“I guess you must have told the reporters that our goal is to win the championship.”
Fei looked at Rivers.
Rivers nodded, confirming it.
“If it were me, I wouldn’t say contend for the championship,” Fei said, “You should look at our lineup: no reliable point guard, no stable shooting guard, not even a qualified center. If it weren’t for me, Clippers fans might have already started discussing whether to pick Jabari Parker or Andrew Wiggins next year.”