“Dear Fosse:
Before I knew it, it had been almost a year since I came to Gonzaga University. I didn’t expect that we were still corresponding and we still had so much to say to each other.
I saw in my last letter that you got an offer from the University of Portland. I’m really happy for you. We are closer now. It’s only an hour’s flight from Portland to Spokane.
I am not going back to San Francisco this summer. I will stay in Spokane most of the time to participate in the school’s basketball training camp and prepare for the new season.
Now it seems that I made the right decision a year ago by following the advice of Fitzgerald and my father, not participating in competitions in the first year, but focusing on my studies and trying to get my degree early.
I passed Professor Slatich's marketing course exam last week and got enough credits. So I only need to get 12 more credits next school year to get all the credits required for the degree certificate and be eligible for A bachelor's degree.
This means that I don’t need to study for 4 years to get a degree certificate. If possible, I can enter the NBA earlier.
Obtaining a college degree is what my father expected of me. I think I can do it soon and then fulfill my own expectations and play on the court.
It's really hard not to participate in a formal competition for a whole year. Fortunately, you are here. At the same time, I also set up an imaginary enemy for myself.
Coach Fitzgerald said a year ago that there was a University of Houston player named Akeem Olajuwon who also didn't play in the first year and started to shine in the second year.
They reached the NCAA Finals in March this year, and I told Fitz that I would definitely be better than this guy.
By the way, I measured my height yesterday. At Coach Steve DeLong's place, I grew to 6 feet 10. If expressed in centimeters, I am 209, which is one centimeter more than 208.
Coach Deron said that if I participate in the NBA draft at my height, I can claim that I am 6 feet 11 inches. Anyway, standing on the court, you usually can’t tell.
I also attended Father Bagan's lecture class last week. I gave a lecture and demonstration on how to make a table of delicious Chinese food. Father Bagan said he really wanted to try it.
In addition to studying academic knowledge this year, I also memorized at least 300 basketball tactics and routines. But a few days ago, Coach Bellman came to me and said that I had better forget all these tactics. If I forget these routines, we can Become stronger.
Coach Behrman has been a bit nagging lately, especially after the 1983 Finals, when the Philadelphia 76ers won the championship without any suspense.
It is said that Mr. Bellman has a friend named Gus who works as an economic analyst in New York, but he likes basketball very much. He made accurate predictions about this year's championship.
However, I read several newspapers and magazines and saw no news about Behrman's friend. None of them seemed interested in computer analysis.
I think it is very good that you chose a computer major in college. This is a field with a bright future and a promising future. I hope you can also make great achievements.
In more than half a month's time, Spokane will usher in the so-called 'Sonny Gan Day', and they are preparing to hold a warm-up match in the stadium.
To be honest, this anniversary makes me very scared. The mayor also said that the event will be held in the Civic Square. I really feel a lot of pressure. After all, I have not played a formal game.
Fortunately, I am very confident in my condition. Not only have I grown taller, but my muscle mass has also increased. The last time I trained in the gym, I accidentally smashed the backboard.
Not only did Coach Fitzgerald not scold me, he happily cleaned up the broken glass himself and then asked Coach DeLong to install a new backboard.
Another thing I discovered recently is that my teammate, John Stockton, and his girlfriend Nada actually have a twin sister, and they look exactly the same.
One time I saw Stockton's girlfriend with another man at school. I was surprised and ran to tell Stockton. He told me calmly that it was Nada's sister Laura. .
Later I found out that John met Laura first. Laura had a boyfriend, and he was with Nada.
That guy actually hid this secret from me for so long. He is as sultry as he looks.
Let me write the letter here for now. There is one more thing I want to tell you. We are going to Los Angeles to play a warm-up match in July. I hope to meet you then.
Gan Guoyang, June 1983. "
Gan Guoyang stuffed the finished letter into the mailbox next to the dormitory, and then went to the school gym to train with his sports bag on his back.
At Fitzgerald's suggestion, Gan Guoyang did not participate in official games in his first year. This allowed him to break away from the busy away journey and game preparations, devote more energy to his studies, complete his credits early, and let his opponents Future planning has more flexible operating space.
Although Gan Guoyang was reluctant at the time, he was eager to appear in the NCAA competition. Gonzaga University also respected Gan Guoyang's wishes. It would be best if he wanted to participate in the competition as a freshman.
But in the end, Gan Guoyang respected his father Gan Youwei's idea of taking a one-year truce for his studies. The NCAA has many such precedents. Gan Guoyang felt that concentrating on training for a year would be more helpful to his condition.
A lot happened in this year. In September 1982, Moses Malone was traded to the Philadelphia 76ers, which strengthened the 76ers' final shortcomings.
In October 1982, Bernard King signed a contract with the New York Knicks. King was very angry when Warriors owner Mioli let him go.
In November 1982, Michael Jackson's album "Thriller" was released, and the groundbreaking MTV became popular across the United States, announcing that the pop music world had officially entered the Michael Jackson era.
In March 1983, the University of Houston unexpectedly lost to North Carolina State in the NCAA Finals. Olajuwon was selected to the All-NBA Team, and MOP Ralph Sampson decided to participate.
In April 1983, the NBA league and the players union reached an agreement to set a cap on player salaries and implement a salary cap system starting in the 1984-1985 season.
In June 1983, the Philadelphia 76ers swept the Lakers and won the championship with unrivaled momentum, and Moses Malone won the Finals MVP.
Because of the one-year truce, Gan Guoyang disappeared from the media across the United States and seemed to be forgotten.
Over the course of a year, with the frequent and in-depth communication between Gan Guoyang and Wang Fuxi, the emotional bond became deeper and deeper. In the cold north far away from the familiar environment, letters after letters became solace for the soul.
However, so far the two have made no substantial progress.
At Gonzaga University, the handsome and tall Gan Guoyang is very popular with girls, but Gan Guoyang always keeps a distance from the opposite sex. He never has too many expectations or illusions about love and women.
This may be related to his experience growing up in an orphanage.
Arriving at the gym, coach Steve Deron is leading Stockton, Dave Claremont and others to conduct strength training.
Stockton was trying to push the barbell upwards. His face was ferocious and he was using all his strength.
Gan Guoyang watched Stockton's training with interest. When Stockton got off the equipment, Gan Guoyang stepped forward and did two sets of warm-ups with barbells of the same weight.
Stockton stood aside with his hands on his hips, breathing heavily, and said: "Gan, next time I will wait until you finish training before practicing again. Why do you want to play basketball? I think you should participate in a weightlifting competition, Gonza Canada’s NCAA competition also lacks a weightlifting gold medal.”
"Weightlifting will affect my growth. Fitz actually suggested that I try football. I performed well in the trials, but I still want to focus on basketball."
After spending a year together, Stockton and Gan Guoyang became very good friends.
Stockton is a typical "Gonzaga native". He was born in Spokane and attended Gonzaga Preparatory School in high school. He was destined to study at Gonzaga early on.
As a senior, Stockton helped Gan Guoyang become familiar with the environment and solve many academic and life problems.
In basketball training, Gan Guoyang, who had deficiencies in tactics, learned a lot from Stockton.
There are more than 300 tactics, at least 200, and Stockton has discussed them to understand the connotation of the tactics.
Stockton watched Gan Guoyang easily bench press 300 pounds and pull up pull-ups easily, and he was in awe of this beast.
I remember when he first started strength training with Coach DeLong, he couldn't even bench press 100 pounds and couldn't do a single pull-up.
Later, he only increased the bench press to 135 pounds for 10 times.
"What a monster," Stockton thought.
Gan Guoyang's talent in basketball has impressed the entire Gonzaga Bulldogs. They are all very much looking forward to what improvements and changes Gan Guoyang can bring to the Bulldogs this year when he officially joins the team and starts playing.
Last season, 1982-1983, Gonzaga University only achieved an average record of 11 wins and 12 losses in the regular season. It only had 6 wins and 6 losses in the West Coast Conference. It missed the NCAA national competition and was not eligible to play in the NIT. It had nothing to gain as usual.
With the addition of Gan Guoyang this year, the whole team is motivated to do something great.
But even so, everyone just thinks that it would be great to be in the top three in the West Coast Conference, to be in the NCAA wild card game, or to participate in the NIT.
After all, the West Coast Conference is so weak that it doesn't even have a spot in the NCAA national tournament and needs to play wild card games with other conferences.
A few weeks passed in the blink of an eye, and the school started to go on summer vacation, and just when it was officially on vacation, on the day when Gan Guoyang came to Gonzaga last year, "Sonny Gan Memorial Day", in the cement box-like Kennedy Stadium, Gan Guoyang Will represent Gonzaga University in the game and participate in the warm-up match against the University of California, Irvine.
The shape of Kennedy Stadium looks like a building in a 1960s science fiction movie. In addition to basketball games, many small rock performances were held here in the 1960s and 1970s. Many famous bands have performed here, including the famous Led Zeppelin and The Eagles.
On "Sonny Gump Day", the school gymnasium, which was already on vacation, was packed to the brim, even more lively than when Led Zeppelin came to perform.
Gan Guoyang, wearing the No. 11 jersey of the Gonzaga Bulldogs, stood in the center of the court, preparing for his first official game at Gonzaga University.
He is taller and stronger than when he was in Beiqiao Middle School. The shoes on his feet were replaced by a new pair of AVIAs. The previous pair became too big as his feet grew taller, so Gan Guoyang treasured them.
Bellman, Fitzgerald, Deron and others are all sitting on the bench, and their mood may be even more nervous than Gan Guoyang.
On the other side of the main stand, the local Spokane mayor, congressmen, and Gonzaga University leaders were all present.
"Bobby, is this guy Gan reliable? I'm so scared. If he screws up, I'll want to kill him."
"Don't worry, if he messed up that easily, I would have hanged myself long ago. Trust him, he will perform well today."
After the warm-up and player introductions, Gan Guoyang stood in the center circle, preparing to jump the ball with Anteaters center Bob Thornton.
Before Gan Guoyang jumped the ball, he said to Thornton: "Are you Bob? Nice to meet you. I would like to apologize to you and feel deep sympathy and regret for your experience."
Bob looked confused and asked: "Are you Gan? What are you talking about? I don't understand it at all."
Gan Guoyang said: "You will know later. I'm afraid I'm too involved and won't have time to talk to you."
At this time, the referee blew the whistle to signal preparation and threw the ball into the air.
