Chapter 32: The gang boss prepares a presidential suite for Chen Hao, and Taylor is really going to sing now!
When Chen Hao met the boss behind the scenes, he was also a little surprised; it turned out to be a refined middle-aged white man.
Seeing Chen Hao, he was very enthusiastic and came forward to give Chen Hao a big hug.
But Chen Hao refused his hug and looked at the middle-aged white man with a half-smile, saying:
"I wonder what you want from me by asking me to meet you?"
"Hahahaha, let me introduce myself first. My name is Miller, and many casinos in Las Vegas are mine!
I really enjoy watching you play. Your explosive style of play is irresistible!
So, when I saw you playing here earlier, I paid attention to you!
I'm very curious, you clearly had such good luck, why didn't you keep playing?"
There was a lot of information in Miller's words, and Chen Hao's expression became serious.
It turned out that this guy had been watching him from the very beginning.
Indeed, after winning many times, people really do start to pay attention.
Moreover, this guy recognized him, which means he knows a lot about the NBA, and perhaps his industries are involved in these sports.
Also, this guy seems to have many businesses in Las Vegas, so he must be an important figure.
However, Chen Hao was not afraid because of this; he calmly retorted:
"What do you think was the reason I stopped playing?"
"Perhaps it's because my subordinates paid too much attention to you?"
Miller said with a half-smile.
"It seems you already know, so there's no point in asking me!"
Chen Hao said, spreading his hands and shrugging.
"Hahaha, but I really admire your character.
To be able to control your inner desires and decisively stop while on a winning streak is truly rare."
Chen Hao didn't speak, just shrugged.
After seeing Chen Hao's reaction, Miller continued:
"I believe you all know Michael Jordan, right? That guy is the God of Basketball in your eyes!"
Chen Hao nodded and then said:
"I know Michael Jordan, but I don't think he is the God of Basketball."
"Hahahaha, I appreciate your statement!
Actually, besides being good at basketball, Michael is a gambler!
Although we don't have an NBA team in Las Vegas, that guy comes here to play a few rounds from time to time!
And that guy's gambling luck is really bad; I've rarely seen him win money in the end!
And the more he lost, the more he wanted to play!
Later, he even borrowed millions from me because he didn't bring enough money!
So, besides being good at playing basketball, that guy really isn't a good person!
On the contrary, you, despite having very good luck, just didn't want to continue playing!
So I was very curious and wanted to meet you!"
Miller's words were full of information, and even Taylor, who was beside him, was very shocked.
Of course, she knew Jordan and his status in the NBA.
But in Miller's mouth, Jordan had become a worthless gambler.
But it sounded like Jordan really was a bit of a gambler!
Only Chen Hao remained very calm after hearing it; he even said with a bit of frustration:
"What does Michael Jordan's gambling have to do with me?
How much money can gambling make?"
After hearing Chen Hao's words, Miller laughed heartily again:
"Well said!
Your words are truly interesting!
Indeed, gambling really doesn't make much money; it can even lead to financial ruin!
I finally understand now why you didn't continue playing!
I like your character, and I like your playing style!
Here's my business card; whenever you come to Las Vegas in the future, all your expenses will be on me!
Consider it making a friend!"
Miller's generosity shocked the black man beside him; he had never seen his boss treat anyone so politely.
Even when Michael Jordan came, Miller would only exchange a few pleasantries with him and never offered to pay for him.
But facing Chen Hao, who won five hundred thousand dollars from their casino today, he even wanted to be friends and pay for him. Was the boss out of his mind today?
Chen Hao eventually accepted the business card Millerhanded over.
Although he wasn't afraid of this guy, Taylor was still by his side, and if he didn't give him some face, it might really provoke him.
Just by looking at this guy, he wasn't a good person; he likely even had a gang background.
"You don't need to pay for my expenses!
I can afford these!
If there's nothing else, we'll be leaving now!"
Seeing Chen Hao about to leave, Miller instantly became anxious:
"Don't go yet!
Can you sign an autograph for me?
I think you will definitely be an NBA superstar in the future, and you will definitely surpass stars like LeBronand Kobe!
So, getting your autograph in advance will definitely not be wrong!"
Hearing Miller's words, Taylor finally couldn't help but laugh out loud:
"I strongly agree with your view!"
After receiving Taylor's approval, Miller became even more excited:
"Hey, I've already prepared the jersey!
This is your number eight Boston Celtics jersey.
Please sign it on the jersey!
I believe it will be very worth collecting in the future!"
Miller looked like a little fanboy.
Seeing his expectant look, Chen Hao, out of helplessness, could only sign for him.
After Chen Hao finished signing for him, Miller's expression became even more excited:
"Great! When you win the Championship later, the value of this autographed jersey will definitely skyrocket!"
"Absolutely!"
Taylor, standing next to him, also said with certainty.
"If there's nothing else, we'll be leaving!"
Chen Hao wanted to leave again.
Miller said anxiously again:
"Where are you going?
Aren't you going to get a room?
The presidential suite here is for you to stay in!
Taylor's room will be upgraded to the presidential suite!"
Miller waved his hand directly, making the decision.
Chen Hao really wasn't very keen on accepting Miller's enthusiasm.
After all, it's hard to say what these guys with gang backgrounds are truly up to.
Just as Chen Hao was about to refuse, he felt Taylor's eager gaze, and she even pulled at Chen Hao's arm with both hands.
Actually, Taylor wasn't coveting the presidential suite Miller offered them; she was simply moved by Miller's enthusiasm.
Especially since Miller was very optimistic about Chen Hao, which coincided with her own thoughts, she didn't want Miller to be disappointed again.
Seeing Taylor's expression, Chen Hao finally chose to agree to Miller's request, but Chen Hao still insisted on his stance:
"We can stay in the presidential suite, but I will pay the cost!
Otherwise, we won't stay!"
Miller couldn't win against Chen Hao and readily agreed.
So, next, Chen Hao and Taylor, arranged by Miller, checked into the presidential suite of this hotel.
Finally, Miller also said to Chen Hao:
"If you encounter any difficulties in the United States, be sure to find me!
I still have some influence in the United States!
By the way, I'm very curious, in which season will you win the Championship?"
"You guess?"
"Two years at the fastest, three years at the slowest!"
Chapter 33 Taylor: I'm a bit hot. You don't mind if I only have three points left, do you?
Chen Hao smiled slightly at Miller's answer and didn't voice his thoughts.
After all, with predictions, often when you say them out loud, it lowers the mystique.
It's better to let others guess; Chen Hao will achieve it in the shortest time possible anyway.
Miller watched Chen Hao and Taylor's retreating figures, and the smile on his face gradually faded.
The reason he invited Chen Hao to meet was actually to see what kind of person Chen Hao truly was.
Miller was indeed an avid basketball fan, well-versed in all the news and information about US basketball.
Of course, this was closely related to his profession.
As the owner of several casinos, he naturally dealt with many issues concerning basketball betting.
Therefore, understanding the basketball industry became extremely important.
When Chen Hao rose to fame in the NCAA Tournamentfinals, Miller began to pay close attention to him.
After all, a player who usually performed very averagily suddenly exploding seemed quite abnormal.
If it were just one or two games, it would be understandable.
But Chen Hao's performance became stronger and stronger, and eventually, he was even able to easily notch big triple-doubles in the Summer League.
Although the Summer League is not a very formal competition, and the skill levels of the participating players vary.
But one thing is certain: Chen Hao's scoring explosiveness is indeed very strong, and he hasn't even unleashed his full potential.
This was Miller's initial assessment of Chen Hao; he believed Chen Hao only displayed sixty percent of his strength in the Summer League.
That's why he was even more excited about Chen Hao's future.
He never expected Chen Hao to appear in his casino, and with explosive luck, he never lost from start to finish.
Miller had seen people with such gambling luck before; after all, as a casino owner, he had seen all sorts of luck.
But he had never seen someone with such good luck, who kept winning, actually choose to stop on their own.
To voluntarily stop while on a continuous winning streak requires immense willpower and a clear mind.
It's like someone who loves playing games; after winning more than ten rounds in a row, would he voluntarily choose to stop playing?
That's impossible! He would only continue to play frantically!
He would only consider stopping when he started to lose, or even lose several rounds consecutively.
But it's more likely that he would stubbornly continue to play, believing that luck would favor him again.
The ultimate result might be that he loses more times than he wins.
Similarly, this applies to gambling as well.
It even gets crazier!
People who keep winning from the start often end up losing everything.
This is why Miller was so curious about Chen Hao's voluntary stop; it fully demonstrated Chen Hao's clear mind and long-term vision.
Moreover, he knows when to stop, and understands when to advance and retreat!
Combining this with his performance on the basketball court, it's evident that he is ruthless to opponents and even more so to himself.
Just as Miller said, Jordan was also a gambling addict.
That guy, once he sat down at the gambling table, would not leave unless he lost all the chips on the table.
Compared to him, Chen Hao's personality is truly worlds apart.
This is also why Miller thought more highly of Chen Hao.
Although the current Chen Hao cannot be compared to Jordan, the future is uncertain!
When Miller met Chen Hao and talked with him, he became even more convinced that his judgment was not wrong.
Chen Hao is definitely the most noteworthy and anticipated player in the NBA in recent years.
Even James, in Miller's opinion, doesn't have a character as resilient as Chen Hao's.
This is why he wanted to build a good relationship with Chen Hao.
Such a guy is bound to achieve great success on the basketball court, and his achievements will definitely not be limited to basketball.
In other fields, Chen Hao will definitely be a standout presence.
If it really is as he guessed, then Miller sending Chen Haoto the presidential suite is truly insignificant.
Although Chen Hao ultimately declined his kind offer, Miller still made his gesture, which is quite important.
"Let me see how much you will achieve in the NBA!"
Miller muttered to himself.
Chen Hao originally intended to send Taylor back to her hotel and then return to his own.
But now, it seems he can't do that.
Because after Chen Hao and Taylor bid farewell to Miller, he felt Taylor's fervent gaze directed at him.
That gaze carried infinite adoration and longing.
Simply put, Taylor was lusting after Chen Hao's body!
So, as Chen Hao and Taylor walked towards the top-floor presidential suite, Taylor stared at Chen Hao with a smoldering look and said:
"Have you heard the song I wrote for you?"
"Of course, the melody is moving, the lyrics are fitting, I really like this song!"
"Then, would you like to hear me perform it for you privately?"
Chen Hao could even hear a distinct tremor in Taylor's voice when she said that.
With such an obvious hint, how could Chen Hao, a man who had lived two lives, not understand?
"Why not?"
Chen Hao said with a smile, looking at Taylor.
"That's great!"
After receiving Chen Hao's affirmative reply, Taylor's mood instantly became incredibly joyful.
The elevator quickly reached the top floor.
You should know that this is the most luxurious hotel in the entire city of Las Vegas.
A regular room costs over three thousand usd per night.
Not to mention the presidential suite, which costs at least thirty thousand usd for one night.
Keep in mind, this was 2007 in the United States; thirty thousand usd was equivalent to half a year's income for a middle-class American family.
Therefore, the luxuriousness of this presidential suite is beyond what ordinary people can imagine.
Even Taylor, upon entering the presidential suite, was filled with shock.
The massive floor-to-ceiling windows offered a panoramic view of the entire Las Vegas nightlife.
There was also a huge bar in the living room, with the wine cabinet filled with various expensive liquors, and even a dedicated singing room.
As for the bathroom, the enormous bathtub equipped with an automatic massage machine almost made Taylor unable to resist wanting to soak in a comfortable hot bath.
Chen Hao, on the other hand, appeared very calm.
Although this presidential suite was extremely luxurious, as an NBA player earning several million usd a year, Chen Hao didn't really find it that extravagant.
Besides, this multi-million usd annual salary is just the beginning; after he proves his worth, his annual salary will be at least tens of millions.
The most important thing is endorsement contracts, whether for sneakers or apparel; these are the main sources of income for a star player.
So Chen Hao felt there was nothing particularly surprising about the current luxury; there are too many wealthy people in this world, and as for enjoyment, aren't there plenty of opportunities in the future?
So Chen Hao smiled and said to Taylor:
"Hey, why don't you sing the song you wrote for me, just for me, in front of the floor-to-ceiling window?
If you could add some dancing, that would be even better!"
"As you wish. I'm wearing a bit too much, and I'm a little hot. You don't mind if I only have three points left, do you?"
"Of course not, even one point is fine!"
Chapter 34: Taylor sang all night with Chen Hao's tungsten-titanium alloy microphone! This was charging!
Chen Hao's words made Taylor's expression even shyer:
"Okay, then wait for me!"
With that, she walked towards the bathroom.
Chen Hao was naturally very clear about Taylor's future path to fame.
As her musical talent awakened, in the future, she even became an idol worshipped by Fans worldwide, and directly embarked on global concert tours.
Her Fans could even outnumber Jordan's Fans, and her income soared, even surpassing the highest-paid players in the NBA.
Therefore, becoming Taylor's 'white moonlight' at this time, he believed she would be devoted to him.
After all, he was the man with the tungsten-titanium alloy microphone, so conquering Taylor would naturally be easy.
However, what made Chen Hao a little regretful was that although Taylor was one meter eighty tall and had a pair of long legs,
she lacked the curvaceous figure of American women; the places that should be plump were not very prominent, which was a minor flaw.
It seemed God was fair; in addition to giving her powerful musical talent and impressive legs, he also allowed her figure to have some imperfections.
But it didn't matter, Chen Hao could still reluctantly accept it.
At this moment, Chen Hao was standing in front of the floor-to-ceiling window, admiring the night view of the vast casino city, Las Vegas.
Taylor quietly appeared behind him:
"Can I start singing now?"
Her voice still trembled.
Taylor felt she had never been this nervous even on stage.
Chen Hao had already turned around, his gaze calmly fixed on her.
Under Chen Hao's gaze, her expression became even shyer.
"Okay, a perfect figure. You are the most dazzling pearl in the casino city tonight!"
Chen Hao's evaluation filled Taylor's heart with joy.
So, under Chen Hao's gaze, she walked to the floor-to-ceiling window and began her special performance for the day!
As her ethereal yet penetrating voice emerged, the song "My Superstar" that she wrote for Chen Hao slowly flowed from her throat.
It must be said that Taylor's musical talent was indeed top-notch!
Chen Hao quickly immersed himself in the song. As the song reached its climax, Taylor actually walked towards Chen Hao.
The two embraced tightly!
"Do you still have a microphone in your pocket?"
Taylor's singing this time was a cappella; she wasn't holding a microphone.
So when she embraced Chen Hao, she asked in surprise.
To Taylor's sincere question, Chen Hao's expression was a little playful:
"Yes, this microphone is specially prepared for you!"
"Then why didn't you say so earlier?"
Taylor complained in a coquettish tone, then reached for the microphone in Chen Hao's pocket.
"Hmm?"
"Hiss!"
The sounds they made were completely different.
Taylor's voice was full of confusion and bewilderment.
And Chen Hao's was an exclamation!
"You're so naughty!"
Taylor finally realized something, looking up at Chen Hao with a shocked face and complaining.
"So, this microphone, combined with the song you wrote, isn't it a perfect combination?"
"Mmm."
The night view of the casino city was as charming as ever, and beneath this charming night view, how many enchanting stories were unfolding.
And for Chen Hao and Taylor, this was destined to be a sleepless night.
As the sunlight penetrated through the huge floor-to-ceiling window, Chen Hao finally realized it was morning.
"Pop!"
With this sound, Chen Hao stood up tall.
Behind him, Taylor was still sound asleep.
After a comfortable hot shower, Chen Hao did not wake the sleeping Taylor, and quietly left!
There was still a game today, so Chen Hao needed to arrive at the Stadium at the appointed time.
And when Chen Hao emerged from the hotel entrance, the paparazzi who had been staking out all night finally captured his figure.
When they didn't see Taylor's figure, they immediately realized something, their expressions filled with envy and jealousy:
"Damn it, this guy is too cool!"
"Exactly, did they really go at it all night?"
"If that's true, then he'll definitely have weak legs today, and might not even score ten points!"
"Quickly send this report back to the boss, try to get the news out before the game!"
When Chen Hao arrived at the Stadium, there was still more than an hour before the game started.
Although he hadn't slept all night, because he possessed the Tungsten-Titanium Alloy Constitution, Chen Haodidn't feel tired at all. Instead, he felt refreshed and full of energy.
The opponent for this game was the Cleveland Cavaliers, but the players on the court were basically rookie players, not worth mentioning.
However, many people were still paying attention, especially Barkley and Kenny Smith.
Their bet was still on, so they were the most concerned.
After the first two games, Chen Hao's strength had already been proven.
So the only suspense was whether Chen Hao could maintain his explosive stats until the end of the Summer League.
Just before the game started, news about Chen Haospending a romantic night with Taylor at the hotel also appeared on major social media platforms.
Barkley and Kenny Smith both learned of this news immediately, which made Barkley even more jealous.
So he directly posted on social media:
"This guy hasn't even truly entered the NBA yet, and he's already messing around off the court!
Basically, it can be announced that this guy is done for before the new season even begins!"
Although Barkley's prediction was a bit excessive, it wasn't a curse.
Because there really were many young players who, after signing rookie contracts with teams, started to indulge themselves.
As a result, when the new season started, their performance plummeted, and some couldn't even last a season before being swept out by the team.
And Chen Hao had only participated in two Summer League games, and he was already exposed for spending the night at a hotel with a somewhat famous singer. This was not exactly positive news.
Even Angie, upon seeing this news, frowned deeply.
Although he was optimistic about Chen Hao's talent and potential, if he didn't control his private life, it really could lead to a decline in his performance.
Angie had decided to have a good talk with Chen Haoafter this game, to make him focus more of his energy on the court.
While Angie was thinking about these things, the game officially began!
Many people, including Angie, thought Chen Hao's performance in this game would be subpar.
But in reality, Chen Hao's performance once again shocked everyone!
From the very beginning of the game, Chen Hao directly entered 'berserk mode'.
On defense, he contributed various spectacular steals and blocks, and on offense, he performed various amazing dunks and difficult shots for points.
It was impossible to tell that he had been up all night; Chen Hao was more like he had been charging all night.
Angie's expression was incredibly surprised, and he even directly criticized the paparazzi's news:
"Damn paparazzi, always reporting some unrealistic news.
This Chen Hao, where does he look like someone who was messing around all night?"
Ultimately, the game ended, and Chen Hao once again exploded with 50 points, 12 rebounds, 14 assists, 8 steals, and 8 blocks, once again becoming the All-America focus.
"This guy is simply a beast, so fierce!"
At this moment, Taylor had just slowly woken up from her sleep.
Chapter 35: Chen Hao's brutal collision made it difficult for Taylor to even walk!
Taylor, her body aching all over, lay on the large bed in the presidential suite and took out her phone to open her social media account.
She knew Chen Hao had a game today, but she was simply too tired to get up.
She hadn't even realized Chen Hao had left, so now her main concern was his performance in today's game.
When she saw that Chen Hao had once again put up explosive stats, her mood instantly became incredibly pleasant.
"Sure enough, the man I fancy is different!
He's so capable both on and off the court!
This guy's physique is truly too strong!"
Taylor watched Chen Hao's game highlights, muttering to herself.
Just then, her phone rang.
It was her agent calling. In fact, Taylor had already noticed many missed calls on her phone.
But seeing it was her agent, she selectively ignored them, knowing she would definitely call back, so there was no need to return the calls.
Sure enough, she was really calling back now!
Taylor didn't need to guess; she knew it was probably about her and Chen Hao being photographed by paparazzi entering and exiting the hotel, and the news had likely already spread throughout the entire United States.
Taylor didn't care about such things at all, and it wasn't illegal for her to have a boyfriend, was it?
Taylor answered the phone, and her agent on the other end let out a long sigh:
"You finally answered! If you hadn't, I was about to call the police!"
"Alright, what do you need?"
"Don't you want to go online and see the news about you?"
"What's there to see? What do you want to know? I can tell you the details!"
Taylor's words left her agent silent for a long time, who finally said helplessly:
"Although I don't interfere with your private life, you actually got involved with a basketball player?
What's so good about him anyway?"
Hearing the tone of disappointment in her agent's voice, Taylor calmly said:
"Let me put it this way, I just woke up from sleep.
And after waking up, my whole body was sore, after all, we were at it all night!
We pulled an all-nighter!
And let me tell you another piece of news, he had a game today and put up a huge 50+ triple-double.
Oh, and he also has a rather special quality; he's a man with his own microphone.
Ponder my words carefully, and you'll know if he's worth it!"
After speaking, Taylor hung up the phone.
Before she started dating Chen Hao, she admitted she was indeed attracted by his looks.
But once she truly started dating Chen Hao, she was completely smitten!
It turned out Chen Hao possessed so many virtues; his high Appearance (good looks) were merely an ordinary one, while his other qualities were absolutely astounding.
The agent, whose call was cut off, now had an incredibly shocked expression.
She had heard everything Taylor said, but even now, she couldn't believe those words were describing a man.
"A man with his own microphone? Isn't that guy Asian? Does he have that kind of racial talent?"
The agent was now even starting to become curious about Chen Hao, after all, as Taylor's agent, her standards were also quite high.
Of course, to be Taylor's agent, her looks couldn't be too bad, and most importantly, her upper body measurements were quite a bit more impressive than Taylor's.
"She has such a high opinion of him? I'll have to see if it's true."
The agent's expression now also became playful.
After the game, Chen Hao accepted an interview with reporters.
When asked about his activities last night, Chen Haoopenly told reporters that he had gone to play in the casino.
Regarding Chen Hao's frankness, the reporter pressed further:
"The outside world is saying you dated Swift, is that true?"
"Since you all saw it, why are you still asking me?"
Chen Hao's noncommittal answer frustrated the reporters, and when they wanted to continue asking questions, Chen Hao had already walked directly towards the locker room.
Chen Hao didn't care about these reporters' opinions of him; he was here to play basketball, not to curry favor with reporters.
Moreover, these reporters just wanted to dig up more explosive news from him to make their stories more valuable.
So Chen Hao didn't need to satisfy their demands, nor did he need to be nice to them.
When Chen Hao returned to the locker room, his teammates all gave him a warm round of applause.
They had initially thought Chen Hao's performance today would be quite poor, but he was as consistent as ever, even better than before.
Only Rondo didn't applaud. He was feeling very frustrated at the moment because Chen Hao's appearance had completely overshadowed him.
Before Chen Hao arrived, he was the team's key prospect, and his basketball IQ and skills were also excellent, making him very worthy of the team's investment.
His only drawback was his lack of a stable shooting ability, which would greatly affect him if opponents targeted it.
Compared to Chen Hao, Chen Hao was superior in all aspects, so Rondo felt a huge crisis.
If he didn't do something, after the new season arrived, he might even be benched by the Head Coach, which was not what he wanted to see.
Thinking of this, Rondo had already begun to ponder how to trip up Chen Hao.
Although they were teammates now, in Rondo's view, the same position on the same team meant they weren't teammates, but rivals.
Besides, he was here to play basketball, not to make friends, and Chen Hao's appearance had already stolen all his thunder.
Of course he had to counterattack; if he didn't, he might very well have to be Chen Hao's backup.
The thought of being Chen Hao's backup made Rondo's mood exceptionally irritable, so he had to trip up Chen Hao and make him make mistakes during the game.
Thus, Rondo set his sights on the next game.
In the next game, their opponent was the Jazz. If Chen Hao made a major mistake or even performed poorly against the Jazz, General Manager Angie would surely be quite disappointed.
Moreover, this was equally crucial for Chen Hao.
Because the bet between Barkley and Kenny Smith was already closely related to Chen Hao's average stats.
If Chen Hao ultimately couldn't achieve an average of 25+5+5, his reputation would likely suffer significant damage.
The simplest way to make Chen Hao perform poorly in a game was to make him have physical problems.
Thinking of this, Rondo's lips already curved slightly upwards.
"Blame it on you being in the same position as me and stealing all my thunder!
Next time you want to show off, you'd better think carefully about whether you'll offend anyone!"
At this moment, a bold idea had already begun to form in Rondo's mind!
Chapter 36: Taylor only makes you weak? No, Taylor is my power bank, always ready to recharge!
Chen Hao didn't know Rondo's dark thoughts. After washing up, he left the Stadium alone again.
The Boston Celtics had booked a hotel specifically for the players, and almost all team members stayed in the same hotel.
But Chen Hao clearly wasn't planning to return to that hotel for the night; after all, he was very busy right now.
Moreover, the Summer League was like a game to Chen Hao; he didn't need to put too much thought into it.
Just as Chen Hao was about to leave, the team's General Manager, Angie, appeared at the locker room door.
Angie saw Chen Hao looking like he was about to leave and asked curiously:
"Hey, Chen, by the looks of it, are you planning to go out?"
"Yes, just to look around the area!"
Chen Hao replied calmly.
"Very good, that's a nice way to relax.
Hey, do you have time now?
I want to talk to you."
Angie's words made Chen Hao very puzzled. He hadn't expected Angie to seek him out alone.
Chen Hao couldn't fathom Angie's thoughts, but he didn't refuse his request:
"Of course, what do you want to talk about?"
"How about we go out and find a place to sit and chat!"
After Angie finished speaking, he turned and left first.
Chen Hao shrugged helplessly and followed him.
Angie and Chen Hao's conversation was all seen by Rondo.
Angie's attitude towards Chen Hao made Rondo even more furious.
Before Chen Hao arrived, Angie had thought highly of Rondo, always greeting him proactively and even lavishly praising his recent performance.
But now, he didn't even look at Rondo; his eyes were only on Chen Hao.
This feeling of being ignored was not pleasant, and Rondo blamed it all on Chen Hao.
He had already decided to make Chen Hao look utterly foolish before the next game!
Angie led Chen Hao to a quiet cafe. After they each ordered a cup of coffee, they both sat down.
Angie didn't speak first; he just quietly watched Chen Hao.
Chen Hao felt uncomfortable under Angie's gaze. He even suspected that Angie had some ulterior motive.
Chen Hao could only say helplessly:
"Hey, Danny, if there's something, just say it directly. You looking at me like this feels a bit strange!"
"Hahaha, do you think I have some designs on you?"
Angie burst out laughing after hearing Chen Hao's words.
Chen Hao shrugged helplessly, his expression already very clear.
"Alright, then I'll be direct.
You should know, I took a great risk to trade you to the Boston Celtics.
Actually, before you were drafted, our team was already brewing a monumental trade.
This trade involved as many as three All-Star players.
Once this trade was finalized, we would quickly become a hot favorite to contend for the Championship.
But in the end, the owner, at my strong suggestion, vetoed this major trade and allowed me to choose you!"
As Angie said these words, he stared intently into Chen Hao's eyes, wanting to see an expression of flattered shock from Chen Hao.
But Chen Hao's reaction disappointed him!
Chen Hao's gaze remained incredibly calm throughout, as if he had already known this explosive news.
This surprised Angie greatly, and he even asked with some uncertainty:
"You don't seem surprised at all?"
"Yes, I'm not surprised at all!"
Chen Hao nodded calmly and said.
"Why?"
Now it was Angie's turn to be very shocked.
"Because I know how great my value is!"
"Do you think you're comparable to three All-Starplayers? Or even three future Basketball Hall of Famers?"
Angie unconsciously raised his voice. Chen Hao's arrogance made him a bit annoyed.
What annoyed Angie even more was that Chen Haoactually nodded in affirmation.
At this, Angie completely lost his temper:
"Hey, young man, although your potential and talent are very good.
But I still need to remind you, you are still just a rookie player, and you haven't even officially played an NBA game yet.
So your current arrogant attitude is inappropriate and will harm you!
I hope you can properly address this issue of yours, otherwise, when the new season starts, you will suffer a loss!"
Angie finally couldn't help but lecture Chen Hao.
But when Chen Hao listened to Angie's lecture, his expression remained very calm, showing no sign of exasperation.
Only after Angie finished speaking did Chen Hao explain with a smile:
"Hey, Danny, I don't mean to look down on these All-Starplayers. I just have absolute confidence in myself.
These two are not contradictory!
Besides, the new season hasn't started yet. How I perform will only be known then!
Why are you so sure that I will suffer a loss?
Is there a possibility that it's those players who underestimate me who will suffer?"
Chen Hao's words made Angie freeze on the spot.
Because he found himself unable to refute. The strong confidence revealed in Chen Hao's words shook him.
Yes!
Being confident in oneself doesn't equate to arrogance. Chen Hao believes in his own strength, and there's nothing wrong with that!
Finally, Angie nodded helplessly and said:
"It seems I was too anxious. Actually, my pressure was too great, which is why I'm paying special attention to you.
But I still want to add one more thing: when it comes to making friends, you still need to be very careful.
Life off the court is very exciting, but don't forget, your main job is playing basketball.
Women will only make you weak; this is my experience as someone who has been through it."
Angie didn't explicitly tell Chen Hao to break off contact with Taylor, but the meaning in his words was quite clear.
However, after listening, Chen Hao showed a brilliant smile and gently shook his head.
Seeing Chen Hao's action, Angie looked puzzled again:
"You don't seem to agree with my point of view?"
"Yes, I think your view that women will only make me weak only applies to the vast majority of people!
But for me, it's the exact opposite. I believe women will only make me stronger!
I believe I can draw more energy from women!
You know Chamberlain, right? I think he would definitely agree with my point of view too!"
Angie was stunned!
His original intention was to persuade Chen Hao not to get too immersed in romance too early.
But he never expected that Chen Hao not only didn't listen to his persuasion but even came up with a completely opposite argument.
Where did this guy get so many twisted theories?
Angie's mouth twitched wildly. Chen Hao had successfully made him feel irritated.
Just then, Chen Hao said another sentence, which instantly left Angie, who was on the verge of exploding, dumbfounded.
"Actually, last night I really did stay up all night, maybe seven or eight times. Do you see me being affected in the game because of it?"
Chapter 37: A Monotonous Routine! Playing Games and Breaking Taylor's Defense.
Angie ultimately chose to remain silent. Chen Hao's words had too great an impact on him.
He even suspected that Chen Hao's body might have been modified. If he wasn't bragging, then he was truly comparable to "Wilt Chamberlain."
Of course, Chen Hao also guaranteed Angie that his performance on the court would not be affected by off-court matters.
If Chen Hao's stats declined or he performed poorly because of such things, then Angie could certainly deduct his salary.
Seeing Chen Hao's confident demeanor, Angie could only reluctantly accept.
Anyway, it was only the Summer League, and the outcome of the games had no impact on the team.
He just didn't want to see Chen Hao's bright future affected by off-court issues!
After his conversation with Angie, Chen Hao went straight to the hotel.
After all, Taylor might have already woken up, so they could continue their 'campaign'.
What Chen Hao said about Taylor being his power bank was truly not an empty boast; Chen Hao genuinely treated Taylor as a power bank.
After all, playing games was so boring. The opponents weren't even on the same level, so it wasn't very interesting—it was an easy blowout victory every time.
Battling Taylor one-on-one was much more interesting. Chen Hao's favorite was practicing post-up moves with Taylor because Chen Hao believed Taylor's defensive ability still needed improvement, so he wanted to intensify her training.
When Chen Hao returned to the presidential suite at the hotel, he found Taylor still sound asleep.
If he hadn't seen the leftover room service food, Chen Haowould have thought Taylor had fallen into an eternal sleep.
Since it was a presidential suite, there was, of course, room service, which was a nice amenity for Taylor.
After all, walking was quite difficult for her at the moment.
Chen Hao's stamina was truly terrifying. Even with Taylor's European-American physique, she couldn't withstand Chen Hao's relentless assault. Luckily, she usually exercised; otherwise, she might have completely collapsed by now.
Taylor, in her deep sleep, didn't notice Chen Haoentering the room. Chen Hao sat beside her, quietly admiring her delicate face.
It must be said that Taylor's features were indeed quite exquisite, possessing both the high bridge of the nose unique to Westerners and the distinct charm of Easterners.
As he watched, a certain thought began to grow in Chen Hao's mind.
Since she was already asleep, why not let Taylor have a good adult dream in her slumber!
Thinking it, Chen Hao acted decisively!
A cold glint arrived first, followed by the spear emerging like a dragon!
Taylor, in her deep sleep, subconsciously tried to resist, but immediately heard a familiar voice:
"Hey, your defense doesn't seem to be very effective!
Watch closely how I break your defense!"
It was him!
Taylor instantly gave up resisting. What Chen Hao said was indeed true; at this stage, Taylor's rim protection ability was still very lacking.
This kind of defensive ability isn't something that can be developed overnight; it requires continuous training and constant improvement to gradually get better.
Behind every strong defensive woman are countless sparring partners who have put in hard work for it.
Of course, most of them would be male.
Half an hour later, Taylor finally endured the storm. She was covered in sweat.
"You have great talent; you've already learned to observe my offensive posture and make corresponding defensive moves.
Very good. If you keep this up, I believe your defensive ability will see a qualitative improvement.
I have high hopes for you!"
After Chen Hao finished speaking, he heavily patted Taylor's perky behind. It was her fault for liking to sleep on her stomach!
"Your stamina is truly amazing. I feel like you didn't even sweat during the game!"
Taylor said, her eyes filled with awe and fear towards Chen Hao.
"Indeed, the intensity of the Summer League games is too low!
I haven't even exerted myself, and they've already fallen!
So I'm really looking forward to the new regular season; that might be more interesting!"
Taylor nodded with a look of affirmation, saying:
"Indeed, in the Summer League now, you're just easily dominating weaker opponents.
Such games can't improve your abilities; they're meaningless."
"Yes, compared to the Summer League, I prefer our one-on-one battles on the 'street court'; that's much better for training my body's coordination!"
Taylor rolled her eyes at Chen Hao. She had realized that Chen Hao's recovery ability was extremely strong; he could even be described as 'charging for half an hour, lasting all day'.
Taylor's energy consumption over the past two days had been quite high, so she quickly started to feel hungry.
So, Chen Hao called for room service. After they both enjoyed a hearty meal, Taylor contentedly reclined on the sofa in front of the floor-to-ceiling window.
Looking at the charming night view of the casino city, Taylor's mood was incredibly peaceful at this moment. She even wished that such days would continue forever.
Meanwhile, Chen Hao turned his gaze towards Taylor in front of the floor-to-ceiling window. At this moment, another scene appeared in his mind.
There was no other way; with his Tungsten-Titanium Alloy Constitution, Chen Hao was a ruthless one-on-one machine.
Don't misunderstand; the 'one-on-one machine' Chen Hao referred to didn't just mean one-on-one on the basketball court, but also off the basketball court.
For example, his one-on-one battles with Taylor.
Chen Hao slowly walked behind Taylor, buried his head in her abundant hair, and whispered:
"Hey, I know a magic trick. Do you want to see it?"
"Really? What kind of magic? I want to see!"
At this moment, Taylor was like a little girl, looking at Chen Hao with expectant eyes.
"I can lift you into the air without using my hands. Do you believe me?"
"Ah? Are you serious? Is that your magic?"
After hearing Chen Hao's words, Taylor looked shocked, as if she thought Chen Hao was lying to her.
"If you don't believe me, I'll show you now!"
"Okay, if you can really do it, I'll consider rewarding you!"
"Then you have to cooperate with my requests, otherwise, this magic won't work. Can you do that?"
"Of course, whatever you say, I'll do!"
"Very good. First, you need to stand up from the sofa."
Taylor, at Chen Hao's instruction, slowly stood up from the sofa in front of the floor-to-ceiling window.
"And then?"
Taylor asked curiously, a smile on her face.
"Then, turn to face the floor-to-ceiling window and untie the belt of that bathrobe."
"Ah? But inside..."
Taylor looked at Chen Hao with a shy expression, her hand movements slightly hesitant.
"You said you'd cooperate with me, otherwise my magic won't work."
Taylor's eyes were already glazed over, her face flushed red as she turned around, holding the belt of her bathrobe, which slowly slipped down.
Chapter 38 Chen Hao said to Taylor, "I have a magic trick that can lift you up without using my hands!"
"Alright, now, lie your body against the French window.
The magic is about to begin!"
Chen Hao's voice approached Taylor's ear, coming from a distance.
This made Taylor's body instantly tense up, and she even began to tremble with nervousness.
Although she didn't know what kind of magic Chen Haowas going to perform, she vaguely guessed that his magic might be related to his tungsten-titanium alloy microphone.
Just as Taylor was lost in thought, she felt Chen Hao's body about 20 centimeters away from hers.
"Ah!"
Taylor gasped softly!
As she cried out, Chen Hao's magnetic voice sounded in her ear:
"Now, the magic begins!
Sit tight, hold on, and prepare for takeoff!"
At this, Taylor finally completely understood what magic Chen Hao was referring to!
"You, you were talking about *this* magic, you're really too naughty!"
Taylor's words were fragmented, interspersed with heavy respite.
"Do you feel it?
What do you think of this magic?"
Taylor was completely captivated at this moment.
She really wanted to say that Chen Hao's magic was absolutely wonderful.
But at this moment, she couldn't speak normally at all.
Chen Hao's magic was incredibly stimulating; Tayloreven wondered if she had truly gone to heaven.
Just like that, half an hour passed, and the magic Chen Hao performed finally wore off.
Chen Hao, having lost his magic, looked at Taylor, who had fallen in front of the French window, with a satisfied expression.
Indeed, this method of exercise was very helpful for his cardiopulmonary function.
He felt that after this magic performance, his physical fitness had improved once again.
As for Taylor, looking at her current state, she wouldn't be able to cooperate with him for exercise again anytime soon.
Chen Hao picked up Taylor by the waist and gently placed her on the bed.
At this moment, she had fallen into a deep sleep, her face full of happy and contented expressions.
Chen Hao, after a good night's sleep, woke up early in the morning, with Taylor still sound asleep beside him.
He had originally thought about letting Taylor off the hook, as her physical exertion had been considerable over the past two days.
And so, Taylor, still in her dreams, was once again fiercely and savagely impacted by Chen Hao.
Upon regaining consciousness, she quickly fell back into a deep sleep, as she had completely surrendered.
After completing his morning workout, Chen Hao left the hotel, feeling content.
The paparazzi, who had been staking out the hotel, immediately began photographing Chen Hao's movements again.
Since entering last night, Chen Hao had not left until now.
Even the paparazzi were incredibly impressed by Chen Hao's stamina:
"This guy is really a beast!
He seems to have a game today, but I wonder if he still has the energy to play!"
"You said the same thing last time, and then he exploded with a huge triple-double.
This time, I think he's very likely to have another big outburst.
I even suspect this guy is a player similar to Chamberlain; women are for charging.
The more women, the faster he charges, and the stronger he plays!"
Even he, after voicing this speculation, was filled with shock.
If that's the case, Chen Hao might truly be a person of extraordinary talent.
To confirm their conjecture, this game between the Boston Celtics and the Jazz was worth paying attention to.
Of course, as per usual, after staking out all night, they had to report some gossip news, otherwise, they couldn't complete their assignment.
Thus, the news of Chen Hao and Taylor spending another night at the hotel once again appeared in the gossip news.
Many people had become immune to this news, even thinking that these paparazzi were fabricating stories.
Perhaps Chen Hao was going for extra training, which is why he had such an explosive performance the next day.
But it had to be admitted that because of this gossip news, more Fans were paying attention to Chen Hao, even though it was just a Summer League game.
At the game venue, both teams' players were warming up.
On the Boston Celtics side, Chen Hao was warming up with shooting drills.
And Rondo stood behind Chen Hao, silently watching his ankle.
Rondo's idea was simple: during the warm-up phase, he would intentionally step on Chen Hao's foot, preventing him from playing, thus causing his performance to falter.
It's important to know that after being stepped on, players usually need a long period of rest, which would prevent Chen Hao from participating in the upcoming Summer League.
Then Chen Hao would naturally lose the attention of others, and Rondo would regain attention as a result.
Logically, with Rondo's high IQ, he shouldn't have such a thoughtless idea.
But Chen Hao's performance was simply too eye-catching, plus he had now even monopolized all the ball possessions.
The key was that he also had the deep trust of General Manager Angie, which meant Chen Hao's tactical position in the new season would definitely be a big step above Rondo's.
Furthermore, Rondo's position overlapped with Chen Hao's, and Chen Hao was superior to him in all aspects, so Rondo could only be Chen Hao's backup!
This was unacceptable to Rondo, so he had to make such a choice.
Moreover, situations where teammates were injured during warm-ups were not unheard of, and no one would suspect he did it on purpose.
After all, everyone was a teammate; who would intentionally injure their own teammate?
Thinking of this, Rondo began to dribble towards the basket.
Since it was a shooting warm-up, Chen Hao was only doing stationary shooting, which made it difficult for Rondo to find an opportunity to step on his foot.
So he directly shouted loudly to his teammates:
"Hey, next we'll do lay-up warm-ups!
Chen Hao, you go first!"
Rondo directly passed the ball to Chen Hao, signaling him to dribble and make a lay-up.
And Rondo stood under the basket, passing the ball to his teammates.
At this time, Chen Hao also had no suspicion of Rondo's actions; after receiving the ball, he quickly dribbled and rushed towards the basket.
Lay-up warm-up?
No such thing, of course, it was a dunk!
So Chen Hao dribbled to the basket, jumped high, and directly performed a powerful tomahawk dunk!
Rondo, standing under the basket, was instantly ecstatic; the opportunity had arrived!
The moment Chen Hao landed, Rondo extended his left foot and placed it where Chen Hao was about to land.
Even Chen Hao hadn't expected Rondo to try to step on his foot at this moment, so he had no defenses whatsoever.
It wasn't until Chen Hao's feet stepped on Rondo's foot that he realized he had been stepped on!
However, something unexpected by Rondo still happened!
Chen Hao didn't let out any cry of pain, nor did he fall to the ground because of it; he merely looked at him calmly!
Chapter 39: Chen Hao, who was tripped, was unharmed, while Rondo, who initiated the tripping, was seriously injured!
Rondo, being watched by Chen Hao's calm eyes, felt a storm raging in his heart. He couldn't understand why Chen Hao, with both feet clearly on his foot, wasn't hurt at all.
Just as Rondo was feeling incredibly horrified, a remark from Chen Hao pulled him back from his shock:
"Hey, Rajon, doesn't your foot hurt?"
After hearing Chen Hao's words, Rondo subconsciously looked down at his foot.
Then, a pained expression appeared on his face. Intense pain shot from his left foot; he felt as if his left foot's bones had been crushed by Chen Hao!
"Ah! It hurts so much! What did you do to me?!"
At this moment, Rondo cried out in pain, directly slumping to the ground.
Rondo's screams alerted many of his teammates, who gathered around in surprise.
And many reporters on the scene also noticed the abnormality on the Boston Celtics' side and curiously stepped forward to inquire about the situation.
Soon, they saw Rondo clutching his left foot with a pained expression, seemingly suffering a serious injury.
This left the surrounding reporters and the Boston Celticsplayers very confused. This was just a pre-game warm-up; how did Rondo get injured?
So, his teammates began to ask Rondo what had happened.
Rondo angrily pointed at Chen Hao and said:
"You ask him what he did!"
The moment Chen Hao stepped on Rondo's left foot, he had already figured out the whole story.
Rondo's request for him to practice layups and act as a passer was actually to better trip Chen Hao.
As for why Rondo would do this, Chen Hao naturally found it even easier to understand.
After all, his explosive performance in the past few Summer League games had stolen Rondo's spotlight, who was originally the center of attention, which would certainly create an imbalance in Rondo's mind.
Thus, he intentionally tried to trip Chen Hao.
As long as Chen Hao was injured, the Boston Celticswould have no choice but to rely on Rondo again. He was very sure of this.
However, Rondo never dreamed that the fundamental reason for his plan's ultimate failure was Chen Hao's tungsten-titanium alloy ankle.
That was a tungsten-titanium alloy ankle! Even if he were genuinely tripped, it wouldn't be him who got injured, but the person who tripped him.
Isn't that precisely the situation now?
Chen Hao stepped on Rondo's foot, and it wasn't Chen Hao who was injured, but Rondo.
This outcome was indeed quite outrageous, and probably not many people would believe it if told.
But it didn't matter, this game had full video recordings.
Even though it was a pre-game warm-up, many reporters had turned on their video cameras to record their warm-up activities.
So, figuring out the true reason behind all this was quite simple.
Thus, when Rondo accused him, Chen Hao calmly shrugged and said:
"Yes, when I landed from a layup, I stepped on his left foot.
Then, he fell to the ground in pain and screamed!
Even I am very puzzled as to why I was the one being tripped, yet he was the one who got injured?"
Chen Hao's words silenced everyone watching!
Yes, if everything Chen Hao said was true, then Rondocouldn't possibly be the one injured!
Because anyone who has played basketball knows that stepping on someone else's foot when landing has a high probability of causing serious injury, even completely ruining an ankle.
It's unheard of for the person whose foot was stepped on to be injured, unless that person has an elephant's foot.
So, when Chen Hao explained the specific situation, these onlookers turned their gaze back to Rondo, their faces filled with confusion.
Rondo shut down!
He had originally intended to trip Chen Hao, injure him, and then he would gain more attention and opportunities.
He never expected that Chen Hao would be completely fine, while he felt as if the bones in his left foot had been crushed by Chen Hao.
Are this guy's feet made of steel?
Otherwise, how could he have crushed his bones?
Just then, the Boston Celtics' team doctor had also squeezed in.
He gravely examined Rondo's left foot, then seriously said:
"There's a high probability of a hairline fracture in your left foot's bone, so you can't continue playing now!
We need to take you to a local hospital for a detailed examination!"
Upon hearing the team doctor's words, Rondo's face turned ashen, and he could only nod silently.
Just as everyone was feeling incredibly shocked, a reporter on the sidelines suddenly shouted loudly:
"Oh my God! I watched the video!
It's very clear that Rajon Rondo intentionally tripped Chen Hao!
His intention was quite obvious; he extended his left foot the moment Chen Hao landed.
Why would he do that?!"
Everyone heard the reporter's shout, and their faces all showed disbelief.
They never dreamed that the outcome would take such a turn.
It turned out that Rondo was the culprit all along; he intentionally tripped Chen Hao, but ended up injuring himself.
This ending was truly surreal, but it also made many people realize Rondo's true colors.
The Boston Celtics players' expressions were equally remarkable; they also hadn't expected such an outcome.
It turned out Rondo wanted to trip Chen Hao, to injure Chen Hao. How could this guy's heart be so dark?
Everyone wasn't stupid and quickly understood the crux of the matter. Rondo must have been jealous of Chen Hao's recent explosive performance, which is why he acted so crazily.
However, what they never expected was that it wasn't Chen Hao who was injured, but Rondo, the instigator.
Upon learning this news, the team doctor also had an incredibly shocked expression.
He stared blankly at Rondo, as if Rondo in front of him had become very unfamiliar.
"You would do such a thing?"
The team doctor ultimately just said this with some disappointment, then directly helped Rondo walk towards the locker room.
Boston Celtics General Manager Angie had also walked from the stands to the middle of the court by this time.
He had also figured out the whole story, and Angie's mood was extremely angry.
Rondo's actions were incomprehensible to him. How could this guy's mentality be so fragile?
Although Chen Hao had indeed stolen Rondo's thunder during this period, that was due to Chen Hao's strong ability. Why should Rondo be jealous of Chen Hao?
Moreover, Chen Hao hadn't had any arguments with Rondo because of this, and yet he was inexplicably tripped by Rondo.
Fortunately, Chen Hao was incredibly lucky; otherwise, it would be Chen Hao being helped off the court now, not Rondo.
But since the incident had already happened, Chen Haomust be given a satisfactory explanation.
So Angie, with an angry face, promised Chen Hao at this moment:
"The team will thoroughly investigate this matter and give you a satisfactory answer!
Are your feet really okay?"
"Yes, I'm lucky, I wasn't injured. Maybe even God thought Rajon's behavior was too much!"
Chen Hao said with a light tease.
After hearing Chen Hao's words, Angie nodded silently.
The game continued!
After being tripped, Chen Hao went on a rampage from the start, scoring points as easily as cutting vegetables.
So, the Boston Celtics ultimately easily defeated the Jazz, and Chen Hao once again exploded with a massive quadruple-double.
After this game, the news of Rondo and Chen Hao's infighting spread like wildfire, and Chen Hao's ankle successfully became the protagonist of this news cycle.
Chapter 40: Chen Hao's tungsten-titanium alloy microphone is too powerful, Taylor can't handle it: I have some sisters.
As the Summer League progressed, more and more Fanspaid attention to Chen Hao, including many famous sneaker brands.
And Chen Hao's performance got better and better after he received attention.
In the last three Summer League games, Chen Hao even continuously achieved triple-double statistics:
Against the Toronto Raptors, he scored 52 points, 18 rebounds, 20 assists, 10 steals, and 10 blocks, directly making the Toronto Raptors players doubt their lives;
Against the Charlotte Hornets, he scored 50 points, 20 rebounds, 20 assists, 10 steals, and 11 blocks. The Charlotte Hornets players were even worried that Chen Hao was following them to the restroom;
Against the Portland Trail Blazers, he scored 54 points, 22 rebounds, 22 assists, 1 steal, and 12 blocks, completely dominating Oden and even performing a poster dunk over Oden. After the game, Oden said that if he didn't get two meals, he would severely deal with Chen Hao.
Therefore, after the entire Summer League, Chen Hao's average statistics were even more alarming, averaging 52.2 points, 18.6 rebounds, 18.8 assists, 9.1 steals, and 9.8 blocks.
Although this was the Summer League, these statistics were still enough to be terrifying.
Especially Chen Hao's performance on the defensive end, whether it was defensive rebounds, steals, or blocks, far exceeded outside expectations for him.
When he saw Chen Hao's brilliant performance in the Summer League, the Hawks general manager completely shut down!
He never dreamed that Chen Hao, whom he had drafted, would be so strong, and he had personally traded Chen Hao to the Boston Celtics for only a first-round draft pick and Horford.
At that time, he thought he had made a huge profit, but now it seems that he was the big sucker.
Although Horford's strength is quite good, compared to Chen Hao, there is a world of difference. Horford couldn't even get a double-double in the Summer League, while Chen Hao was already racking up quintuple-doubles.
At the same time, the sneaker brands that were paying attention to Chen Hao also went crazy at this moment.
Because before the game against the Jazz, news broke out about an internal conflict within the Boston Celtics, which was Rondo tripping Chen Hao.
But the problem was, it wasn't Chen Hao who was injured, but Rondo, who intentionally tripped him.
And the detailed situation that happened at the time was recorded by the courtside reporters, clearly showing Chen Hao stepping on Rondo's left foot with both feet, and he was completely unharmed.
As a result, many Fans joked that Chen Hao's ankles were made of alloy and would not get injured at all.
What the sneaker brands saw was not only Chen Hao's incredibly strong ankles, but also the infinite business opportunities behind him.
If Chen Hao becoming the third pick in the draft was beyond everyone's expectations, then now, combined with his performance in the Summer League, there is absolutely no doubt about his talent!
Some Fans even believed that Chen Hao's strength fully deserved the title of the first overall pick.
After all, in the game against the Portland Trail Blazers, Chen Hao directly dominated Oden, leaving him no face at all.
In Chen Hao's original words, it was:
"I'm not doing this without regard for feelings; on the contrary, it's better encouragement for him.
The NBA is inherently a place where the strong prey on the weak. Only by constantly getting stronger can you avoid being eliminated and replaced.
Gregg has great talent, but I need to give him a little reminder.
Talented players are everywhere in the NBA. To truly establish yourself in the NBA, you must constantly get stronger and always remind yourself that there are even stronger players waiting for him to challenge!"
Many Fans strongly agreed with Chen Hao's words, and they all believed that Chen Hao's personality would bring a huge impact to the NBA in the new season.
With the end of the Summer League, another highlight was about to unfold!
That was the bet between Charles Barkley and Kenny Smith. Barkley initially believed that Chen Hao would not be able to achieve an average of 25+5+5 in the Summer League. Now it seems that his judgment was indeed quite poor.
And Kenny Smith won big!
This was the second time he had won a bet against Charles Barkley in the public eye. The first time was about Yao Ming's scoring record, and he also lost to Kenny Smith.
So, it can be said that Charles Barkley is now truly possessed by a crow, as black as he can be!
Since Kenny Smith had won the bet against Barkley, he naturally needed Barkley to fulfill his promise to kiss a pig's butt on All-America live television!
This was another time he was going to make a fool of himself in front of the All-America audience, after kissing a donkey's butt.
The news about Barkley kissing a pig's butt on All-America live television also successfully went viral, attracting the attention of the general public in the United States.
Once they understood the ins and outs of the matter, they naturally started paying attention to Chen Hao.
As a result, Chen Hao's attention skyrocketed again, and his Fans once again saw a surge.
For Barkley, he was truly deeply annoyed by the Dragon Country players.
He never thought that with his intelligence, he would fail twice in a row because of Dragon Country players. Are Dragon Country players his nemesis?
Although Barkley was very unwilling, since the whole country knew about his bet with Kenny Smith, he had to fulfill his promise, otherwise he might be blacklisted by TNT.
So, Barkley, on All-America live television, really kissed the butt of a pig brought by Kenny Smith, and the moment he kissed the pig's butt became the hottest picture of the day!
Barkley became famous again, and Chen Hao also became incredibly popular along with him.
However, Barkley's fame was due to his embarrassing incident, while Chen Hao's fame was about his explosive performance on the basketball court.
Coupled with Chen Hao's looks, comparable to Hollywood's number one handsome man, Leonardo DiCaprio, he instantly became the dream lover of countless American girls, and even many Hollywood actresses were full of curiosity and interest in Chen Hao.
After the Summer League, Chen Hao finally had a long vacation. When Taylor asked Chen Hao about his plans for the offseason, Chen Hao smiled and said to her:
"Of course, it's three meals a day with you!"
After Taylor heard Chen Hao's words, her expression instantly became incredibly terrified.
She was now truly scared by Chen Hao's stamina. This guy was simply a perpetual motion machine; no matter when there was a game, he would not be affected by it.
Before the game, he wanted to have a warm-up game with her, and after the game, he wanted to have several extra games with her.
In Chen Hao's words, he hadn't even broken a sweat on the basketball court and wasn't fully satisfied, so he needed to have additional games with Taylor.
As a result, Taylor didn't even leave the presidential suite door during her time in Las Vegas.
When Chen Hao went to play basketball, she needed to catch up on sleep and rest. When Chen Hao came back, she immediately had to engage in a one-on-one confrontation with Chen Hao to satisfy his needs.
So, during this time, Taylor was either playing games with Chen Hao or preparing to play games with Chen Hao, and her body was truly on the verge of collapsing.
Taylor looked at Chen Hao's incredibly handsome face and quickly came up with a bold idea. She asked tentatively:
"I have some sisters, and they also want to meet you. Are you interested in playing one-on-one with them?"
Chapter 41: Taylor, Daddario, Hathaway, and Miranda Kerr form a Dream Team to contend with Chen Hao!
Chen Hao hadn't expected Taylor to say such a thing; it truly caught him by surprise.
But then, Chen Hao quickly understood the key reason.
It seems he was simply too strong. This tungsten-titanium alloy microphone was too overpowered, and paired with his tungsten-titanium alloy kidney, he was practically unstoppable.
So, it was completely normal for Taylor, as an ordinary person, to not be able to handle it.
However, her having such an idea was actually to address Chen Hao's super strong combat power, and it was also for her own sake.
If she didn't proactively seek a change, Chen Hao might abandon her because her body couldn't keep up.
This was something Taylor absolutely did not want to see.
She had completely succumbed to Chen Hao's one-on-one play, and though she couldn't handle it, she couldn't extricate herself either.
So she could only come up with such a method, inviting her good girlfriends to join her team to resist Chen Hao's fierce offense together.
Moreover, the girlfriends Taylor knew were all of exceptionally high quality, and their standards for men were equally high.
They even found it inconceivable that Taylor was involved with a basketball player, because in the eyes of her girlfriends, athletes were a bunch of crude and unromantic guys who simply didn't understand charm.
Therefore, her girlfriends looked down on athletes and even discriminated against them.
They weren't even willing to glance at Chen Hao's photo and directly criticized Taylor's choice.
So Taylor wanted Chen Hao to appear before her girlfriends, to make them incredibly envious, and to make them actively seek her out, hoping to gain Chen Hao's favor.
This was Taylor's ultimate goal!
It would both allow Chen Hao's tungsten-titanium alloy microphone to be put to good use and greatly satisfy her vanity. It was the best of both worlds.
So, at this moment, Taylor was nervously watching Chen Hao's expression, afraid that he would be annoyed with her because of it.
But to Taylor's slight delight, after Chen Hao heard her words, he frowned and said,
"I don't seem to have complained about you, have I?
What do you mean by wanting to push me onto others?
Do you think I can't satisfy your needs?"
Chen Hao's questioning made Taylor feel his concern for her, which deeply moved her.
This way, she truly didn't regret being infatuated with Chen Hao; at least she held an important place in his heart.
"No, it's not that. I just feel regretful about my own body, that it can't meet your daily needs.
That's why I want to invite more girlfriends to come and play one-on-one with you!
This way, while our defensive capabilities can all improve, your offensive capabilities will also improve!
This is a win-win solution!"
Taylor's explanation finally made Chen Hao's brows relax:
"So that's what you were thinking. In that case, it really does make some sense.
Since you've already figured out what to do, then you can be responsible for organizing and arranging it.
I have other things to do recently. Let me know when you've made the arrangements!
Now, it's our one-on-one time again. I'll teach you another good defensive technique!
Have you studied Yoga?
Can you do the splits?"
Chen Hao's words immediately excited Taylor:
"Yes, I have indeed studied Yoga, and my flexibility is very good. I can even do the splits easily!"
"Very good, that means your talent is quite good. In that case, let's start today's lesson!
First, open up into the splits—"
Two hours later, Chen Hao looked at the unconscious Taylor, feeling pleased.
"Indeed, women with good flexibility are truly moist!"
Chen Hao believed that girls with athletic talent, especially good flexibility, would have a higher ceiling for their defensive abilities, so he decided to explore Taylor's flexibility!
Actually, Chen Hao really did have an important matter to attend to these past few days, which was meeting with various shoe manufacturers in the usd.
Because after the Summer League, Chen Hao's explosive performance had already attracted the attention of many shoe manufacturers.
Especially the largest shoe manufacturers in the usd, they all extended invitations to Chen Hao, hoping to negotiate a shoe endorsement contract with him face-to-face.
Chen Hao entrusted these matters to Pelinka, as Pelinkawas a professional agent and very familiar with contract negotiations.
So, after several days of discussions between Pelinka and the shoe manufacturers, three shoe companies were finally selected.
They would choose the most sincere one among these three shoe companies to sign with.
The 'most sincere' would be determined by combining the amount of the endorsement contract and all the details of their endorsement of Chen Hao's basketball shoes.
The three shoe manufacturers were Nike, Under Armour, and Adidas.
The offers from these three shoe manufacturers were already considered the highest prices for shoe endorsement contracts in recent years, even exceeding the 7-year, 87 million usd contract James signed in his rookie year.
The lowest offer was from Adidas, for 90 million usd over 6 years.
Nike's offer was 95 million usd over 6 years.
As for Under Armour, they offered the highest price: a small target (100 million) over 6 years!
So, what Chen Hao needed to do now was to negotiate with them to see if he could further increase the contract amount.
As for the additional clauses, Chen Hao also needed to be more meticulous.
After all, Chen Hao was very confident in his rookie season; he knew he would definitely soar during his rookie season.
Therefore, securing a reasonable endorsement contract for himself was not at all excessive for Chen Hao.
If these businesses had no room at all to increase the price, Chen Hao could even choose not to sign with them and go 'barefoot' for a season. By then, the price they would need to offer might double!
This was the common opinion reached by Chen Hao and Pelinka after discussions, so the current goal was to drive up the price, to drive it up crazily!
While Chen Hao and his agent Pelinka were negotiating the shoe endorsement contract, Taylor also began to take action.
She contacted her good friend Hathaway and invited her to a private music party she was hosting.
Hathaway, of course, would not refuse Taylor's invitation and even showed great interest.
In addition to her, Taylor also invited the famous supermodel, Miranda Kerr, who likewise gladly accepted the invitation.
With two girlfriends already agreeing to the invitation, Taylor was very excited.
But she was not yet satisfied, so she invited a third good sister, who was Daddario.
The latter also gladly accepted the invitation. Taylorbelieved that such a defensive lineup was enough to contend with Chen Hao!
Chapter 42: Signing a Sky-High Endorsement Deal, Challenging the Luxury Defensive Lineup Led by Taylor!
Taylor's private concert primarily invited her close acquaintances from her circle, including supermodels and actresses.
Their common characteristics were high Appearance(beauty) and impressive achievements in their respective fields.
Although Taylor's current achievements in music aren't exceptionally high, her recently released single was incredibly popular, making her a hot topic recently.
Therefore, when she invited these friends to her private concert, they generally gave her some face.
Moreover, these close friends and sisters mostly knew she was dating an NBA player; even though they typically weren't fond of athletes, they wanted to see who this athlete was that managed to capture Taylor's heart.
After Taylor confirmed the guest list, she began preparing for her private concert.
So, during this period, she and Chen Hao were mostly busy with their own things, rarely having a chance to meet.
However, Taylor clearly couldn't detach herself from Chen Hao; whenever she finished work, she would actively seek out Chen Hao, demanding a thrilling one-on-one match with him.
Sometimes Chen Hao was training at the Stadium, so they would directly have their sparring session there.
Sometimes Chen Hao was lifting weights at the gym, so they would make do with the surroundings and have their match right there.
In short, the venues involved were countless; various high-end hotels and private restaurants became the battlegrounds for Chen Hao and Taylor's one-on-one matches.
It must be said that constantly changing the competition venue greatly helped maintain the excitement of their matches.
Although Taylor lost miserably every time, she consistently fought back and wasn't discouraged.
She also told Chen Hao to wait patiently for a while until her private concert, when more of her close friends and sisters would participate in this uneven match.
Chen Hao remained very calm about Taylor's promise and didn't even proactively ask who would be participating in this match.
Because Chen Hao trusted Taylor to arrange this matter properly, and his contract negotiations had reached a critical point.
From Nike's side, the contract amount couldn't be increased much, only by ten percent, and Chen Haowould only receive this bonus if he made it into the All-NBA team in the new season.
So Chen Hao and Pelinka unanimously agreed that Nikedidn't have much confidence in him, and they directly eliminated Nike.
As for Adidas, they were relatively more generous; they promised that if Chen Hao could average 25+5+5 and make it into the All-NBA team in the new season, he would receive a twenty percent bonus on the contract amount.
It's worth noting that Adidas offered a contract worth 90 million usd over 6 years, so a twenty percent bonus would be 18 million usd.
Looking at it this way, if Chen Hao truly met these conditions, he would receive a total of 108 million usd.
This total amount is truly significant; it could be said to be unmatched across the entire league.
Of course, this excludes players who have already signed lifetime contracts.
So Pelinka believed Adidas was more sincere and considered collaborating with them.
However, Chen Hao still felt they underestimated his potential, so he ultimately wanted to see what kind of boldness Under Armour, this newly emerging sports brand company, could offer.
Chen Hao actually knew about this company because of Curry, and that was already after 2013.
So before that, Under Armour could only survive in the cracks between these sports brand giants in All-America, and its market share was actually very small.
But the fact that they dared to offer Chen Hao a sky-high contract of 100 million usd over 6 years at this time showed that their boss had great courage and vision, so Chen Hao wanted to see how far they could go.
Pelinka could only agree to Chen Hao's request.
In fact, from Pelinka's perspective, Under Armour was too small of a company; even if their contract offer was substantial, what about their subsequent promotion?
These are all very important; if the promotion isn't adequate, Chen Hao's visibility might even be significantly discounted, which would be a counterproductive approach.
Therefore, Pelinka felt it was better to choose an international big brand like Adidas, as they had ample marketing and promotion experience, and there was no need to worry about Chen Hao's visibility declining.
All Chen Hao needed to do was play basketball well and conquer the Fans.
However, Pelinka was ultimately just Chen Hao's agent; he could only offer Chen Hao advice and couldn't make decisions for him.
Moreover, Chen Hao was an extremely opinionated player; his ideas were sometimes very unconventional, and his vision was quite unique, which left Pelinka feeling helpless.
He even felt that even if Chen Hao didn't hire him as an agent, he could completely negotiate a satisfactory contract with these companies on his own.
This guy's mind was incredibly clear; he even knew the sports brands and marketing strategies of various shoe manufacturers like the back of his hand, which astonished the negotiating managers.
So, since Chen Hao now wanted to see Under Armour's sincerity again, they could only follow his arrangements.
When Pelinka informed Under Armour's boss about Adidas's additional terms, he fell silent.
Under Armour was actually the most sincere because their negotiations were always personally led by the boss, and he praised Chen Hao endlessly.
He even predicted that Chen Hao would lead the Green Army into the playoffs in his first season, and even appear in the second round of the playoffs or even the Eastern Conference Finals.
So he was determined to sign Chen Hao.
But now, the conditions offered by Adidas were simply too generous, and even they felt immense pressure.
However, Chen Hao's talent and potential were evident; if they truly missed out on Chen Hao, their company might genuinely miss an opportunity to rise!
Chen Hao watched the struggling Under Armour boss calmly, knowing he was currently engaged in an intense internal struggle.
In fact, if he was truly willing to take a big gamble on Chen Hao, Chen Hao could guarantee that he would absolutely double his investment, and even make the Under Armour brand an instant hit.
This was Chen Hao's self-confidence.
Under Armour's boss stared intently at Chen Hao and asked his final question:
"Hey, Chen, tell me, what kind of performance do you expect from yourself in your rookie season?"
"The Eastern Conference Finals is my minimum requirement; you can be bolder!"
Chen Hao's words made Under Armour's boss's pupils contract instantly; at that moment, he saw powerful confidence in Chen Hao's eyes.
It was also at this moment that he made a decision that went against his ancestors:
Sign Chen Hao at all costs!
"A basic contract amount of 100 million usd, plus a forty percent bonus if you can make it into the All-NBA team and lead your team to the Eastern Conference Finals!
Additionally, we will give you an extra five percent of Under Armour's shares, making you our shareholder!"
Under Armour's boss's decision directly scared his general manager next to him!
Was the boss crazy?
And the smile on Chen Hao's face instantly became incredibly brilliant; this boss had great vision!
Thus, ultimately, Chen Hao and Under Armour sports brand company signed a sky-high endorsement deal, and its additional clauses directly shocked All-America!
At the same time, after Chen Hao signed the sky-high endorsement deal, Taylor's privately organized concert was finally about to begin!
This time, can Chen Hao break through the formidable defense set up by this luxurious lineup?