Chapter 64: The Busiest Person of the All-Star Weekend

This year's All-Star Weekend was held in Los Angeles, co-hosted by the Los Angeles Clippers and the Los Angeles Lakers.

The All-Star Weekend is the grandest festival of every NBA season, with a total of three days of schedule, the most eye-catching of which is the All-Star Game on Sunday night. Fans will use ballots to select the ten most popular starting players in the East and West, and then the head coaches of the 30 teams in the league will select fourteen All-Star substitute players.

A total of 24 All-Star players will be produced each season.

However, there are at least 50 All-Star level stars in the NBA league, and stars who can enter the All-Star Game for many consecutive years are usually superstars, superstars, or even historical superstar levels.

In addition to the All-Star Game on Sunday night, the All-Star Weekend also has the All-Star Rookie Game on Friday night, and the Skills Challenge, Three-Point Contest, and Slam Dunk Contest on Saturday night, as well as some challenge games composed of legendary players, female basketball players, and active players.

At the same time, during these three days, the NBA official will also organize stars to participate in many community activities and care activities.

Although Fan Xi was a fledgling, he was the busiest person in this year's All-Star Weekend.

He not only entered the All-Star Game, becoming the youngest All-Star starter in NBA history, but also entered the Rookie Game. In addition, he also signed up for the Three-Point Contest, because he was very short of money before, and winning the Three-Point Contest championship would have a cash prize in US dollars.

Now, when he returned to the temporarily rented apartment and learned about Nike's offer from his mother's mouth, his whole scalp was numb.

Nike offered 200 million US dollars in cash to invest in Fan Xi's new company, occupying 35% of the shares. At the same time, they also formed an operation team, a sales team, and provided Nike's supply chain and sales channels.

Equivalent to Fan Xi's parents providing the production line, obtaining 30% of the shares.

Fan Xi provides the persona, obtaining 35% of the shares.

In addition, Nike also agreed to Wu Su's request, and the new company still hired Fan Xi as a spokesperson, with an endorsement fee of 10 million US dollars per year.

Equivalent to a drought-and-flood-guaranteed clause.

This is an unprecedented cooperation agreement; even Michael Jordan's contract was not so "outrageous."

Of course, the fledgling Jordan back then and the current Fan Xi also have big differences. Jordan didn't have the ability to produce shoes himself at that time, while Fan Xi has this ability and has a vast Asian market.

When Fan Xi showed the style of "Asian Flying Man" on the court, Nike had to compromise.

Fan Xi said: "I think this contract guarantees our maximum interests. However, regarding operating costs, design costs, sales costs, these things must be locked."

"Of course." Wu Su said: "I have hired the best lawyers, and we will refer to Nike's current operating costs to calculate and set an upper limit. And, we are the major shareholders, and we have a veto power."

Fan Xi was very relieved.

He trusted his mother very much; he believed that his mother would definitely win a big victory.

Afterward, Wu Su said that she would contact other brands again. If there were no better conditions, she would choose to cooperate with Nike. After all, they are the number one enterprise. With their blessing and promotion, it will help their own brand quickly seize the market, and even be able to step on their shoulders to become the world's number one brand. It is not impossible to acquire them in turn.

Wu Su has always been a business genius; she just didn't find an opportunity. Now that the platform appeared in front of her, she couldn't wait to show her skills.

"By the way, Little Xi, next we will look for an agency team for you, and they will handle your commercial endorsements in China and the United States. Now many brands hope to reach cooperation with you."

Wu Su said to Fan Xi.

Fan Xi nodded and said okay.

As Fan Xi's fame gets higher and higher and his influence gets bigger and bigger, forming an agency team has become a necessary thing.

NBA stars all have their own agency teams, not only to handle salary negotiations, commercial endorsements, commercial activities, investment matters, media relations, but also to help them handle trivial matters in life, buy air tickets, move, contact doctors... etc.

On the Lakers team, currently only Fan Xi has no agent; even the substitute players sitting in the last row of the bench often have agents appearing in the training camp to communicate with the Lakers player director, help him fight for playing time, and pull relationships for him.

Fan Xi rushed to this position with a wild growth posture, which is already a miracle among miracles.

Now, he urgently needs a team to help him handle various matters.

Just like today, almost everything he saw in the media was reports of Kendall Jenner kissing him, and the details of his great power in the game were ignored.

If there was a professional team, they would contact the media and let the media report more on his great achievements, instead of letting lace news surround him.

Although the latter is also a favorable way to make Fan Xi's image richer and expand his influence.

When Fan Xi arrived at the Rookie Game training ground, he heard someone discussing himself.

"... That guy is simply a miracle. No undrafted player has ever been as successful as him. He not only sat firmly as a starter on the Lakers, but also was elected as an All-Star. Even Michael Jordan didn't have such brilliance as him..."

"Yes, having a handsome face is really popular. Actually, his level is not very strong, just because of his undrafted status, people's expectations for him are not high, and no team specifically studied him, so it gave him room to play..."

"If three female stars revolved around me every day, I could also make the headlines every day. Look at Blake Griffin and John Wall; the limelight of both top picks was snatched away."

"... Shh, that guy is coming..."

When Fan Xi walked into the court, the discussion over there gradually stopped.

The excellent rookie representatives of the same class cast envious, jealous, and some mixed with "twisted hatred" eyes.

Fan Xi is a phenomenal rookie. Although he only played a dozen games, his popularity and influence have surpassed any rookie of the same class.

The tree that stands out in the forest will be destroyed by the wind.

When you become the focus, naturally someone will hate you.

This year, the excellent rookies elected to the All-Star Rookie Game first-year team are: Kings center DeMarcus Cousins, New Jersey Nets forward Derrick Favors, New York Knicks guard Landry Fields, Los Angeles Clippers forward Blake Griffin, Minnesota Timberwolves guard Wesley Johnson, Detroit Pistons center Greg Monroe, San Antonio Spurs guard Gary Neal, Washington Wizards guard John Wall, and Fan Xi.

Except for Fan Xi, these elected rookies are all high-pick players in 2010, and even include the top pick Blake Griffin who stayed back in 2009.

But now, the undrafted Fan Xi, although his origin is the lowest. However, his popularity is the highest.

Fan Xi glanced at the three players who were discussing him, namely Knicks guard Landry Fields, Detroit Pistons Greg Monroe, and San Antonio Spurs Gary Neal.

These three are not particularly outstanding in their performance this season; they belong to those slightly behind in the rookie sequence.

The head rookies with eye-catching performance this season are John Wall, Blake Griffin, DeMarcus Cousins, and Timberwolves Wesley Johnson.

"Hey, Jack."

When Fan Xi was dribbling, a reckless giant walked over.

Fan Xi looked up and recognized this big guy with a full face of smiles. He is the cornerstone of the Timberwolves team, DeMarcus Cousins.

Because his name Cousins is similar to the English for cousin, Chinese fans affectionately call him Big Cousin.

This guy is a center with very good talent; his technique is very solid and comprehensive; not only does he have the ability to play back-to-back, but his face-to-face offense is also one-handed.

However, his temper is very big; he often gets technical fouls because of roaring on the court.

But this does not affect everyone's high expectations for him; many people even think he has the opportunity to become the top three super centers in the league in the future.

Fan Xi was a bit surprised to see him walk over so kindly, because he had no dealings with Cousins before.

"Hello." Fan Xi nodded to him.

"I am a fan of Taylor Swift. I like her songs very much. I bought her album. Can you let her sign for me? I know you are close to her."

Cousins even said a bit shyly.

Just like a star chaser.

Fan Xi was very surprised. In his impression, the tower-like Cousins should be a rude guy; he didn't expect to have a delicate side.

He quickly said: "Okay, if I meet her next time, I will help you tell her."

Cousins immediately became happy, and his expression was even a bit jumpy.

Afterward, he solemnly said to Fan Xi: "Taylor is a good girl; she is very talented, very beautiful, and her height is very compatible with you. I think she is more suitable for you than Jenner and Selena. You must be a match made in heaven."

Hearing Cousins analyze like this, Fan Xi felt even more embarrassed.

I didn't expect Cousins to have such a gossipy side.

"Kevin Durant said he wanted to drink Scarlett's bathwater. To tell you the truth, if there was Taylor's bathwater, I would also drink it..."

Pfft!

Before Cousins finished speaking, Fan Xi lost control.

It seems that the nickname given to him by Chinese fans is not wrong; he is indeed a big cousin.

Don't look at some people like a glaring King Kong on the court, not to be messed with at all. Off the court, he is like a King Kong Barbie.

Fortunately, John Wall walked in at this time, Cousins quickly walked over to say hello, and Fan Xi breathed a sigh of relief.

Cousins and John Wall are college classmates; they helped the University of Kentucky reach the NCAA Elite Eight in their freshman season, and both were elected to the NCAA first team. Afterward, in the 2010 draft, they were selected by the Wizards and Kings with the first and fourth picks respectively.

It can be considered a good story in the NCAA.

Fan Xi envied them very much at the time.

Now competing on the same field with them, he couldn't help but feel a bit emotional; it was the feeling of dreams coming into reality.

Afterward, Blake Griffin also came. He was the last player to come.

Originally, he should be a second-year player; he was the top pick in 2009, but because he was reimbursed without playing a game in his rookie season, according to the rules, he is counted as a 2010 rookie.

Cousins seemed to have some opinions on Griffin. This guy was polite when he saw Fan Xi, and when he saw Griffin, he restored the personality of the irritable Heavenly Venerable. He bumped into Griffin repeatedly in training.

Afterward, in a chat with Wesley Johnson, Fan Xi understood that Griffin had dunked Cousins in the game and was on the top five of the day, so Cousins was exceptionally angry with him.

After Fan Xi heard it, he muttered in his heart; it seems that the big cousin is indeed a child's personality.

The head coach of this year's first-year rookie team is Spurs assistant coach Mike Budenholzer, and the two assistant coaches are New York Knicks active player Amar'e Stoudemire and Celtics general manager Kevin McHale.

Stoudemire is an old acquaintance of Fan Xi; he is still regretting why the Knicks didn't give Fan Xi a 10 million contract at the beginning; he thinks that if the Knicks got Fan Xi, then the Knicks would be the number one strong team in the East now.

He hugged Fan Xi very enthusiastically when he saw him. He showed a familiarity that opened the gap with other players.

However, head coach Mike Budenholzer seemed to dislike Fan Xi.

Although he is a temporary head coach, he still has absolute control over the player rotation. He arranged Fan Xi into the substitute lineup, and reduced Fan Xi's ball-handling when practicing tactics, letting Fan Xi run more.

He seemed to treat Fan Xi as a role player.

Kevin McHale showed some opposition, but after all, this was just a performance-oriented game, and he finally didn't say it.

However, when communicating with Fan Xi privately, he expressed his appreciation for him.

McHale is a super legendary player of the Celtics; his jersey was retired at the Boston North Shore Garden Arena. After retiring, he became the general manager of the Celtics. He personally built the Big Three; Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen were traded by him, and they defeated the Lakers to win the championship in 2008.

"I appreciate you very much; I think you will become a superstar." McHale encouraged Fan Xi. And also said to Fan Xi: "If there is a chance, you can come to the Celtics to play."

He never forgets his identity as a Green Army.

Long ago, the biggest rival team in the league was the Celtics representing the Green Army and the Lakers representing the Purple and Gold Legion.

Fan Xi certainly knew this history; he smiled and said to McHale: "I think the Lakers will never consider this trade."

McHale raised his eyebrows: "Future things, who can say for sure?"

He seems to have some confidence.

The two chatted for a while, and the second-year team came to the court to train.

Fan Xi soon saw a familiar figure.

Stephen Curry.

... ===== CHAPTER 65 =====