[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-the-golden-age-of-basketball":3,"chapter-the-golden-age-of-basketball-the-golden-age-of-basketball-chapter-1140":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"english","The Golden Age of Basketball",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},1444557,1896,"Chapter 1140 - 16: Evil Dragon 2","the-golden-age-of-basketball-chapter-1140",1140,"\u003Cp>Basketball has been deeply rooted in this city for more than a decade, and the Jazz team almost had to leave, unable to survive here.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Larry Miller kept the Jazz here, and under the leadership of players like Stockton and Karl Malone, they kept getting better and better.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Their foundation throughout Utah grew ever deeper.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>During the All-Star weekend, a snowstorm hit Salt Lake City.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It’s said to be the largest snowfall in the Salt Lake area this year.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When the players arrived at the airport, the wind and snow bit painfully against their faces.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No wonder so many NBA officials and players didn’t want the All-Star game to be held in Utah.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The weather for games here is terrible, and you can’t enjoy good food or entertainment like in sunny cities.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even though Chicago and New York are also snow-laden, at least they have better conditions for eating, drinking, and having fun.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Moreover, it was previously agreed that the 1992 All-Star game would be held in Orlando, but Portland took it instead.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Orlando should have its turn for an All-Star game this year.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But to expand the NBA market and enhance the influence of these small-town teams, Stern still decided to hold the All-Star game in Salt Lake City.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, it was decided in 1991 that Salt Lake City would host the All-Star.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As for Orlando, they could only wait for the next opportunity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After arriving at the hotel, Gan Guoyang called Stockton, hoping to hang out for a meal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Stockton told him he had many fan activities to attend during the All-Star weekend.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"With such heavy snow outside, what activities do you have? We can’t even go out. Are you helping to shovel snow?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You can rest at the hotel and avoid the wind and snow, but I can’t. This was scheduled a long time ago.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Elsewhere, Stockton is always the low-key, unrecognizable one.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>During the Barcelona Olympics, when he rode the subway with his family, no one recognized him as a Dream Team star.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But in Salt Lake City, Stockton is truly a superstar.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Numerous community and fan events require Stockton’s participation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For a team to survive and operate in a city is not simple.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To get fan support and recognition, wearing a jersey with the city name isn’t enough.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before television broadcast became widespread and advanced, NBA teams were essentially no different from circuses or comedy clubs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To sell tickets and attract fans to watch games, you had to engage deeply with the community to promote yourself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Getting close with those who love basketball encourages them to support the team by attending games.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then, use excellent performance on the court to captivate fans and turn them into long-term supporters.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>All NBA teams, especially those founded before the 1980s, have come through hard times and operated with little success.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Portland Trail Blazers had such tough startup years.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The business environment for the Utah Jazz was even harsher.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Salt Lake City has a small population, with a significant conservative Mormon community.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With few media outlets and little national attention, its commercial value is very low.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The only benefit here is the lack of competitors.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Jazz team is the only one here, with no branches.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Do you want to come with us to Sonny’s?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I’m not a Jazz player... Can I get paid more?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"This is a charity event, there’s no money. But you can have a free lunch, it’s a welfare campaign.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Alright, alright, a free lunch! I’ll go.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Really? Oh my God, I’ll have them get ready...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gan Guoyang said it was because of the free lunch, but in reality, he went because he heard it was at a welfare center.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whenever there’s an event at a welfare center, Gan Guoyang tries to attend.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He enjoys spending time with those lonely kids, bringing them a brief moment of happiness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So he braved the wind and snow to go to the address Stockton told him about.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As expected, Gan Guoyang’s arrival caused a sensation in the community.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>People from around the welfare center, including the local councilors, all came by.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The usually lonely kids were very happy to see the lively scene.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gan Guoyang patiently signed autographs and took photos with every child.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the many days to come, his photos would hang in the welfare center.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Each time different people came to visit, they’d be introduced to him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That evening, Stockton’s family invited Gan Guoyang’s family to a very nice local restaurant in Salt Lake City.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gan Guoyang looked at the prices on the menu and asked, \"John, it’s quite expensive here. Are you paying?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Stockton whispered back, \"I have coupons for this place, 50% off. Plus, they have a buy-one-get-one-free promotion during the All-Star game. And because you came here to eat, the owner decided to give a free bottle of wine.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gan Guoyang knew that when Stockton treated for a meal, he would save wherever possible.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even though Stockton was already an NBA All-Star player earning millions of US Dollars annually, frugality was in his bones.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He took joy in it; it was his way of survival.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On February 20th, the League held the three-point and slam dunk contest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>By now, these competitions had a bit of history.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Truly big stars started to refuse participating in such shows.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The slam dunk contest became a stage for marginal players to showcase their physical talents.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In official games, they could only be supporting roles.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The slam dunk contest gave them a chance to shine.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With good luck and strength, it was enough to let them make a name in front of the fans.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Leaving a significant mark in the history books of the NBA.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>More importantly, it was for the prize money and to gain some endorsement opportunities.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As for the three-point contest, it became the crown for which shooters competed.\u003C\u002Fp>",978,"2026-06-06T01:41:50.199Z",1,"novelbin.me","e23b23a266a0b575f3e4547cc0ad96fb0bcef7144546a7c8c4b14e77e2d0f449","the-golden-age-of-basketball-chapter-1141","the-golden-age-of-basketball-chapter-1139",2033,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-golden-age-of-basketball-cover.jpg"]