Basketball Legend: When Pride Still Matters Chapter 1112 1112 620 Not That Regret

Chapter 1112: Chapter 620: Not That Regret Chapter 1112: Chapter 620: Not That Regret “Unless you promise another three years like this, I won’t hand this trophy over to you.”

After the 2016 Finals, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver made a joke to Yu Fei while holding the microphone.

“Three years like this” ans leading the Clippers, a team universally known as perennial underdogs, to the Western Conference Finals and then winning the championship two years in a row.

Such an impossible task could only be accomplished by the greatest player in history.

Sparse laughter erged from the crowd, for it was an away ga, and New Yorkers found it hard to accept their team being defeated by the Clippers in this manner.

Nevertheless, this mont was truly extraordinary.

Fifteen years, ten championships, tenth ti FMVP.

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Yu Fei just smiled and didn’t say anything.

Then, Bill Russell handed him the trophy.

“How many more tis do I need to do this for you?” Russell joked.

“At least one more ti,” said Yu Fei.

Russell might be the only person in the world who understood Yu Fei.

“From now on, it’s going to be the toughest part,” Russell said.

Afterward, the Clippers returned to the locker room and began their familiar celebration.

Most of the young players had experienced this once already.

The veterans exhibited more of a calm acceptance.

Yu Fei bathed in champagne, constantly wiping the liquor from his face.

For so, such a mont is dreamlike, a once-in-a-lifeti experience.

But for Yu Fei, it had beco routine.

He reflected on Russell’s words.

Is this the hardest part starting now?

He was right.

As a player, Yu Fei had no regrets left.

Chasing Russell’s championship tally was just lip service, but was it really necessary?

Jordan surpassed Bill Russell with only six championships, and Yu Fei had already won ten; he had no reason to aim to surpass Bill Russell as a driving force.

His motivation had been to lead the Clippers to success, to end the last part of his career beautifully.

Now, the Clippers had shaken off their “cursed” reputation, winning back-to-back championships and reigning supre in the league, even overshadowing the Lakers in their own city.

If possible, the Bass Family might hire so wizards to cast spells, hoping for the Clippers’ misfortune.

Because if things continued like this, the Clippers could indeed surpass the Lakers as the totem of the city.

But that wasn’t Yu Fei’s concern.

He faced deteriorating physical abilities, pressure from younger, strong competitors, and a waning motivation for the ga.

As a player, he had little drive left to move forward.

Back in the day, Jordan had exhausted himself with only three championships in a comrcialized league, while Russell retired after thirteen years in a less comrcialized era; Yu Fei had been going for fifteen years now.

Therefore, this was a real concern; Yu Fei didn’t have ti to celebrate his tenth championship, he needed to forcefully suppress his fatigue and think about where his journey would end.

The next day, the Clippers flew back to Los Angeles.

Los Angeles held a grand celebration for the Clippers’ championship victory.

However, Yu Fei inford the Clippers’ managent through Christian Laettner that he would be exercising his player option to opt out of his contract this sumr.

Arne Trem was shocked: “Opting out of the contract? Is Frye leaving?”

Laettner said, “No, Frye just needs so ti to think about the future.”

Then, Trem recalled Yu Fei once ntioning his plan to retire at 35.

Yet, Yu Fei’s performance this year had dispelled many doubts.

It looked like he could maintain his star player status for a prolonged period like Karl Malone.

Why would a superstar who could maintain his competitive edge choose to leave?

Jordan’s story had passed.

Malone wouldn’t tell them that he continued playing for so many years because he wanted to win a championship, sothing trivial for the GOAT who spent 2/3 of his career winning championships.

Trem was thrown into disarray by Yu Fei’s notice.

Just when the team had just won back-to-back championships and was looking forward to aiming for a three-peat dynasty.

The draft was imminent, which was supposed to be the busiest ti for managent, but Trem handed over his duties to his assistant and took it upon himself to visit Yu Fei’s ho.

On June 17, exactly one week before the draft, Trem arrived early at Yu Fei’s house.

He didn’t see Yu Fei in the living room nor on the golf course; he heard that Yu Fei was working out in the gym.

Yu Fei was surrounded by his training team.

“Frye, what you need most now is to lose weight,” the nutritionist said, “Excessive weight puts additional stress on your body. If you want to play for a few more seasons, you need to lose at least 10 pounds.”

“Losing 10 pounds and I can’t hold my position in the paint anymore!” Yu Fei said.

The nutritionist, knowing the GOAT would say this, responded, “As far as I know, even if you lose 10 pounds, you’d still have more physical advantages than most of the current big n.”

“Is there any other way?”

“No, this is the only way to stay healthy.”

Trem’s heart gradually eased.

If Yu Fei wanted to retire, he wouldn’t be pushing himself to train after the season ended, nor would he think about losing weight affecting his play in the paint.

After a while, Yu Fei finally noticed Trem and was puzzled, “As a general manager, you should be incredibly busy right now; how could you still have ti to co spy on ?”