Min Congda turned the door handle and opened the door, and saw a woman dressed in white-collar clothing standing at the door.
She has chestnut-brown hair, neatly combed and ironed, and she looks very capable and fresh at first glance.
The eyes are beautiful emerald green, and the high bridge of the nose and thin lips exude a shrewd air.
Her facial features and skin color indicate that she and Min Congda are of different races.
When Min Congda saw her, he immediately reacted, "Sure enough, he traveled abroad! Los Angeles, it should be the United States. The system's reward is also US dollars."
"Since this is the United States, I have to speak English, but my English... is just so-so, but if you want me to be a manager... hey, it doesn't matter, it's just bad anyway. Isn't it my advantage to not understand anything?"
"A layman commanding an expert is the most direct and effective way to destroy a unit. I don't know basketball, and my English is average. When the time comes, I and those professional basketball management talents can do the opposite~"
Min Congda had a lot of thoughts, and he was thinking very far.
When Ada looked at the plain-looking Asian man with black hair and black eyes in front of her, she felt very speechless.
Just yesterday, June 24, there was one day left before the 2009 NBA Draft.
Clippers owner Sterling suddenly announced that he would terminate the team's head coach Mike Dunley from his position as general manager.
Appointed a Chinese man named Smart Min as the Clippers' general manager of basketball affairs and president of administrative affairs.
The Clippers team was in an uproar.
What is the origin of this Smart Min?
There is no relevant information, not even a photo.
As an intern for the Los Angeles Clippers, Ada was assigned as the work and life assistant to the new general manager.
She only received this task on the afternoon of June 25, only a few hours before the start of the draft.
After the boss Sterling made relevant personnel arrangements, he left Los Angeles for a vacation in Hawaii.
He said he would not return until the start of the season, and that all affairs of the team would be under the full responsibility of the new general manager.
"Everything depends on Smart's arrangement. He is the team owner when I am not here, and his decision is my decision."
Sterling gave the new general manager unparalleled power, making people wonder if Smart Min is Sterling's illegitimate son?
Let alone an illegitimate child, even a biological son would not have such great power.
Next door, he has the final say over the Los Angeles Lakers and the Buss family. As long as Buss is alive and well, he has the final say. He will not let his son or daughter have the power.
Now the Clippers can be said to be leaderless, waiting for the mysterious airborne Chinese general manager.
Ada didn't even know where the new general manager was when she was assigned the job.
After some inquiries, I found out that he was staying at a motel in Inglewood.
So he drove over in a hurry and knocked on the door. As soon as he opened the door, he saw Min Congda in a daze.
This guy was not only in a daze in the void, but also slightly raised the corners of his mouth, muttering to himself.
The dull eyes exuded the light of wisdom.
Looking at his attire, he saw a pair of wrinkled trousers and a gray blue shirt - the collar was balled up.
Especially the leather shoes on his feet, which looked like inferior goods at first glance. They were dull and dull. There was dust on the toes. There was no trace of the general manager of the team.
Ada suspected that she had found the wrong person, but she took out her mobile phone and looked at the photos and information sent by Sterling's boss.
After frowning and looking at it for a few times, it was indeed true, this was the person.
Seeing that Min Congda was still in a daze, Ada coughed, "Ahem! Is this Mr. Smart Min?"
Min Congda came back to his senses from his random thoughts. He understood this sentence. His English name is Smart. After holding it in for a long time, he replied: "Yes! (Yes.)"
It's really hard to switch to speaking in English.
Fortunately, Min Congda has always been involved in international business in the industry.
When dealing with people in the foreign trade industry, English is often used.
So his English level is okay, but it just takes time to get used to it.
Ada said: "Mr. Smart, you are now the general manager of the Los Angeles Clippers. Today is the draft, a very important day. Please come back to the headquarters with me quickly."
Sure enough, the system helped Min Congda get the general manager position.
As for how it was done, Min Congda didn't care.
He actually wanted to ask what the "draft" was, but then he thought it must be some important event. As a team manager, wouldn't it be too unprofessional for me as a team manager to not even know this?
So he suppressed the doubts in his heart, Min Congda gathered his thoughts and said: "OK, let's go."
The words were concise and concise, and Min Congda didn't even want to say one more word because he didn't know how to do it.
Ada, who thought she was going to be verbose, didn't expect Min Congda to be so calm.
She was stunned for a moment. Min Congda had already walked out several meters. She turned around and said, "What's the problem? Let's go!"
Ada asked hurriedly: "You don't have anything left in the room, do you need to get it?"
Min Congda thought about it and said: "Take that alarm clock, it is very important to me."
This alarm clock is a prop used by the system to communicate with Min Congda, so it cannot be lost.
Ada entered the room, picked up the alarm clock on the cabinet and stuffed it into her bag.
Her impression of Min Congda has changed: "Judging from this alarm clock, he must be a person with a strict sense of time. He also has to bring an alarm clock with him when staying in a hotel. Maybe he calculated the time and waited for me to come..."
As an intern, Ada must serve the new general manager carefully.
Ada stepped on her high heels and trotted all the way to the parking lot with Min Congda and took him into the car.
When they got to the car, Ada gave the alarm clock to Min Congda.
Min Congda took the clock and thought: "You are really a filial son to give me a clock as soon as this system comes up. By the way, what year is it now?"
So he asked Ada: "What time is it now?"
Ada thought to herself, aren't you holding an alarm clock in your hand? Why are you still asking?
Is this a test for me? To test my rigor in doing things?
Ada swallowed her saliva and replied: "It is now, June 25, 2009, 2:32 pm Pacific time, and it will be 33 minutes soon. Eastern time is 5:32 pm. The draft starts at six o'clock."
Min Congda didn't quite understand what happened next.
In the past, the most annoying thing about English listening was the time problem.
But he got it, it's 2009.
Those were the days when he first entered college!
It turns out that I have traveled back in time to my college days.
He immediately looked at his face through the reflector.
Damn, the appearance has not changed, it is still the same as in 2022.
Even the clothes he was wearing were the same walking clothes that he had not changed for several years.
Min Congda can't remember what major events happened in the United States in 2009.
Forget about buying stocks or investing, think about how to be the general manager of this team first.
This hotel is very close to the Clippers' headquarters, a few minutes' drive away.
On the way, Min Congda admired the street scene of Los Angeles, well... that's all.
He wanted to ask Ada what the situation was like with the Clippers, but unfortunately, with his English speaking skills, he couldn't organize the language for a while.
By the time I had figured out what to ask, I had already arrived at my destination—Stamps Center.
This modern arena is so magnificent that Min Congda was not only impressed.
"A team with a valuation of US$300 million is indeed very wealthy and plays in such a big and beautiful stadium."
Min Congda has no idea that Staples Center is not the Clippers' property.
The Clippers only rent the office space and stadium here, and they also share a game venue with the Los Angeles Lakers.
And the team valuation of US$300 million is already the lowest in the league.
Ada took Min Congda to the Clippers' office area and went straight to the "Draft-room" (draft office) on the third floor.
At this moment, the directors and assistants of the Los Angeles Clippers Basketball Affairs Department and Administrative Affairs Department are gathered here.
Led by Neil Olshey, the team's deputy manager of basketball affairs, and Andy Rosser, president of the administrative department.
The Clippers' original general manager of basketball affairs was head coach Mike Dunleavy.
But because Dunleavy is responsible for coaching the team, most specific matters are handled by deputy manager Olshey.
Once Dunleavy dismisses get out of class or steps down as manager, Olshey will be the team's general manager of basketball affairs.
As a result, boss Sterling gave an order yesterday, and no one who had ever heard of it suddenly appeared.
Olshey was depressed all night after hearing the news, and he still hasn't calmed down until now.
He sat in the big armchair in the corner of the office, staring at the TV on the wall without saying a word.
The phone on the table kept ringing, but he never answered it.
There are still 10 minutes left before the 2009 NBA Draft officially begins.
The draft will be held in Madison Square Garden, New York.
The Clippers' staff was at the draft in New York.
They have to wait for instructions from the Los Angeles draft office to select their favorite new players.
The Clippers are the protagonists of the draft this year because they have the first overall pick.
It is also commonly known as the number one pick.
The person who gave this instruction should have been Olshey.
But because the new manager arrived by air, they had to wait until the new manager personally issued instructions.
Andy Rosser, the executive vice president on the side, said: "Olshe, answer the phone. You should give the direct instructions. Everyone knows who we are going to choose, so why should we care about this process?"
Rosser was originally the team's chief executive, responsible for the team's non-basketball affairs.
Such as publicity, business cooperation, business sponsorship, community activities, etc.
As a result, the new manager came in and he was demoted to vice president.
He threatened Sterling with resignation to no avail, with the boss insisting that the new manager wear two hats.
This made Rosser, the hero of the draft, very angry and hurt.
Because the Clippers' No. 1 pick was drawn by Rosser on behalf of the team in this year's lottery ceremony.
Hearing Rosser's angrily proposal, Olshey shook his head and said: "The boss said that everything must be listened to by this new manager, including this draft. Ada has already gone to pick him up, let us wait. .”
Just as he was talking, the office door was pushed open, and Ada and Min Congda walked in together.
Everyone's eyes were focused on the two of them. At first glance, it seemed that the tall and beautiful Ada was the general manager, while the gray Min Congda looked like a little follower.
Ada said: "The new general manager has arrived."
Everyone looked at Min Congda and thought, is he the new general manager?
