69novels Chapter 23 The Artistic Tycoon
Chapter 23 The Artistic Tycoon
"Hey Byron, long time no see. How's it going in the Bay Area?"
"Not bad, Cash, better than New Orleans. I've had enough of that idiot Byron Scott and that old guy George Shinn (owner of the New Orleans Hornets, who the Warriors traded for Baron Davis in February 2005 for just two role players). At least the Warriors have fewer idiots."
On October 1, 2005, Baron Davis arrived in Los Angeles to meet his good friend, his high school classmate Cash Warren.
Baron Davis, who grew up in Hollenbeck, Los Angeles, attended Crossroads School, a prestigious private school in Los Angeles, where he met Cash Warren, who loved basketball but had little talent for it.
Baron Davis, whose parents disappeared when he was young, was raised by his grandmother, Lyra. To prevent her grandson from having more contact with gang members in Hollenbeck, Lyra eventually sent the basketball-talented Baron Davis to Crossroads High School.
Although the school provided the same financial aid as Wang Kai, Baron Davis, who came from a poor family, simply could not afford the long-term commuting costs, so he often stayed overnight at Cash Warren's house.
The Warren family was also very friendly to Baron Davis, who, despite his seemingly fierce demeanor, was actually gentle and polite. It's fair to say that Baron Davis's successful completion of high school was largely due to the Warren family's support.
"Haha, it seems 'God's Left Hand' knows more about basketball than those Hornets guys. Remember to give me a ticket for the next game against the Lakers, front row only."
"Ha, I'll save you a Warriors home game, you bastard. I know Michael has season tickets to Staples Center. Go ask your movie star dad for front-row tickets."
Cash Warren's father is veteran Hollywood actor Michael Warren, making him a true "star kid," and Cash Warren is now also involved in film and television. He previously worked as an assistant director on the film *Fantastic Four*, which was released in July.
"Your preseason training camp is about to start, right? Why are you back in Los Angeles again? How's Layla's health?"
Cash Warren was curious about Baron Davis's return to Los Angeles before the start of preseason training camp, assuming that Davis's grandmother, Lyla, was having health problems.
"She's great, buddy, she just doesn't want to go to San Francisco. She says there are too many hills there and she doesn't want to climb mountains every day. I'm in Los Angeles to pick up my new 'little brother'."
"Who? Did the Warriors trade someone? Was it the Lakers?"
"Cash, haven't you heard? We picked a high school student in the draft, that Chinese kid."
"Wow, I know him, he's from Yao's hometown. He sounds good, but why does he need you, the team's 'leader,' to pick him up?"
"Haha, you might not believe it, but this Chinese kid is very sensible. He's more like an American than many Chinese Americans in San Francisco. He got my phone number from General Manager Mullin and called me directly."
"Oh, so it seems you think he's a trustworthy partner?"
"Yeah, Cash sent me some video footage of his games in the Asian Men's Basketball Championship. Wow, I feel like he's the 'Jordan' of Asia. Although I know that the level of basketball in Asia is generally average, I can see his ability."
"Ha, sounds like a very sensible little guy, and he respects you a lot, even sending you game videos."
"He's really good, and I feel like he understands me a lot. He knows I like music and movies, and he also knows I want to go back to Los Angeles. I even suspect he might be some kind of mysterious Eastern spy or something, otherwise how could he know me so well?"
"Haha, Byron, you're overthinking it. You're not that valuable. So you're planning to come to Los Angeles to pick him up yourself?"
"Yes, I think he would be a good helper. I need helpers. I want to prove that I am the best, especially that idiot Byron Scott."
"Hey buddy, you need to look ahead. The Hornets aren't worth your time. I believe you'll succeed in the Bay Area. But this Chinese kid you mentioned is quite interesting. I'll treat you guys to dinner when he arrives. I also want to see how this fellow countryman of Yao is doing. The market across the Pacific is huge. Many people in Hollywood are thinking about developing that market. You can build a good relationship with him; maybe you'll have a chance to try your luck in the East in the future."
Although Cash Warren is a second-generation star, he has been very shrewd since childhood and is very accurate in collecting and judging information.
After chatting with his good friend, Baron Davis arrived at Los Angeles International Airport and told Wang Kai that he would personally come to pick him up at the airport.
After being drafted by the Warriors, Wang Kai began preparing, following Kobe Bryant's advice.
Kobe explained to Wang Kai that many of his teammates looked down on him as a high school player, since many of them had played for free in college for several years. Therefore, most of the players were unhappy that Wang Kai entered the draft right after graduating high school and was selected with a high draft pick.
Having Wang Kai contact Baron Davis in advance was a decision Kobe made after careful consideration.
Firstly, Baron Davis is a great "leader." Kobe clearly remembers that his "fanboy" Monta Ellis, who was drafted by the Warriors in the second round, was able to perform well in his rookie season thanks to Baron Davis.
Secondly, Baron Davis is a very capable point guard. He can create mismatches against many current guards. Although he often goes crazy and his inexplicable shot selections are sometimes even more outrageous than Kobe's, Baron Davis is indeed capable.
Thirdly, Baron Davis has a deep longing for his hometown of Los Angeles. He has always wanted to return to Los Angeles to play, even if it means playing for the Clippers. It's worth noting that Baron has been a Lakers fan since he was a child.
Therefore, based on Kobe's analysis and judgment, it was essential for Wang Kai to pay his respects to Baron Davis immediately upon joining the team. This would allow Wang Kai to integrate smoothly into the team, and Baron Scott would also need a star rookie like Wang Kai to strengthen his position in the locker room. Furthermore, looking further ahead, after Baron Davis leaves the Warriors, Wang Kai could then smoothly become a locker room leader.
Baron Davis was traded from the Hornets to the Warriors in February 2005. He had a certain status in the locker room, but he had not yet fully gained the status of "boss".
"Hey Byron, I really didn't expect you to come pick me up in person. Thank you so much."
When Wang Kai actually met Baron Davis at the airport, he was indeed a little surprised. After all, he had lived in the United States for more than four years and knew that some black people's promises were very unreliable.