When pride still matters

Chapter 49 Are you testing young people like this?
Starting from June 2001, 6, Yu Fei will no longer accept trial training with NBA teams.

Also on this day, the NBA 2000-2001 season ended.

The Los Angeles Lakers, with their historic strength, swept everything during the playoffs and were undefeated on their way out of the Western Conference. Except for the defeat of Iverson in the Finals, they won all the remaining games steadily.

In the last game, even if Iverson scored 37 points, it was still of no avail against the OK combination who scored 55 points, 25 rebounds and 8 assists.

108 is better than 96
Compared to the Kings, whom O'Neal mocked as the princess team, the 76ers have earned the respect of No. 1 in the league.

"They played well and it was a tight series."

O'Neal, who averaged 33 points, 15 rebounds and 3.4 blocks in the series, said this.

For Kobe, as long as the results are good, he still can't compare to Iverson.

这轮系列赛，科比以41%的命中率场均砍下24分7篮板5助攻，而对面的艾弗森以40%的命中率场均砍下35分5篮板3助攻。

Therefore, it is impossible for him to win FMVP.

Anyway, the season is over.

The Lakers' season-ending game was also the only game Yu Fei watched recently.

Starting tomorrow, Yu Fei will go to Reebok headquarters in Canton, Massachusetts to discuss endorsement deals.

This time not only were the agents following, but also Yu Fei’s team and his mother Yu Fenglin.

Endorsement is a big deal, and currently the three main brands that are interested in Fei are Reebok, Adidas, and Lining.

Emotionally, Yu Fei is inclined to sign with Adidas because it is Sonny Vaccaro's company.

His ability to go from unknown to a guaranteed lottery pick was indispensable without the help of Vaccaro.

Even Yu Fei's agent was recommended by Vaccaro.

Trim's advice to Yu Fei is: "Personal love is one aspect, and the actual amount of money they are willing to give you is the real deal."

Speaking of this, Yu Fei became curious: "What kind of endorsement contract do you think they will give me?"

"You can guess."

Yu Fei prefers to sign a four-year endorsement contract, which happens to be the length of an NBA rookie contract. When the rookie contract ends, if he performs well, he can strive for a larger contract.

"$4 million over five years?"

Trim smiled at the number.

"Fry, your value is much more than this." Not only Yu Fei, but also Yu Fenglin was stunned by Trem's words.

100 million US dollars, she never thought she would have so much money in her life.

But what Trim actually said was much more than that?
Yu Fei said that this price is traceable. He checked the commercial endorsement of Darius Miles, last year's No. [-] pick.

Myers is no more of a prospect than Brown and others this year, but he is a forward and has a gorgeous style of play.

As long as this kind of person is good at playing, he is a shoe-selling machine.

As a result, he received a four-year, $4 million endorsement contract.

Yu Fei mentioned $4 million over four years mainly because his draft prospects were not as high as Miles.

But he missed one thing. His Asian identity is also a profit point in the eyes of sneaker merchants.

As a quasi-NBA player, Yu Fei has extensive influence in Washington state, and as an Asian American, the attention he has received is also national.

This is Yu Fei's biggest advantage in commercial value compared to others in his class.

Therefore, Trem said, Yu Fei's value goes far beyond "this."

On the afternoon of June 6, Yu Fei, accompanied by a group of people, walked into the conference room of Reebok’s head office building.

There was also a group of Reebok executives inside. They prepared fine desserts and drinks for Yu Fei and his family and friends, and greeted each other. Everyone was friendly and spoke nicely.

Especially Reebok CEO Paul Farman, he is one of the most approachable and successful people Yu Fei has ever seen.

The first words he said to Fei silenced Yu Fei.

"Frye, if you sign with us, we will make you the most important basketball player in Reebok history."

What kind of sweet talk is this? Are you just testing a young man who has not grown all his hair like this?Which boy can withstand such a test.

"Uh really?"

"I don't believe it" was not said out loud, but Yu Fei really didn't believe that a big company like Reebok would value so much a lottery pick with a draft prospect between seventh and tenth.

Then Reebok apparel and footwear executive Todd Krinsky outlined the company's desire to have a more diverse cast of star athletes and its new efforts to combine music and sports. , hoping to attract more fashionable and younger consumers.

Yu Fei is the most influential Asian athlete among the young generation in the United States, and Reebok will package him with top specifications.

First the sweet words, then the pie.Yu Fei swallowed his saliva after hearing this, but he was not Nagato. Before Reebok made any actual statement, don't expect this Uzumaki Naruto-style "The world will get better in my hands. As for how to do it" I don’t know, in short, the master believes in me, and my father also believes in me, so Nagato, you must also believe in me." The words can have an effect.

After it felt like Reebok's speech was almost over, Traim got to the point: "Let's talk about the contract."

Then, Falman looked directly at Yu Fei, like a succubus who wanted to tightly trap the young man's heart.

He spoke: "$4 million over four years."

For a while, the conference room was silent.

Yu Fei didn't react, and Yu Fenglin was stunned.

Even a minute ago, someone said her son was worth $1 million, and she found it hard to believe it.

After being shocked, Yu Fenglin's eyes were moist, mixed with a lot of emotions, more than Yu Fei could imagine.

Arne Trim remained calm. He could foresee that Yu Fei's commercial value was higher than that of Kwame Brown and others, but he did not expect it to be so much higher.

Demeo was breathing heavily. Ever since he decided to be Yu Fei's follower, he knew that this young man would soar into the sky, but the height of this leap was a bit beyond imagination.

As Yu Fei's best friend, Anthony Lawson's big nostrils inhaled and exhaled heavily. He had to stand up and unbutton the top button of his shirt, and then found that it was covered with sweat.

Damn, is this true?Lawson thought.

Reebok's offer completely shocked Yu Fei and his team.

Falman knew he had a chance to win, so he decided to take a more aggressive stance.

Farman took out a pen, signed a check on a piece of paper, and handed it to Yu Fei.

Yu Fei took a look and it read: 100 million US dollars, paid to Fry Yu.

Yu Fei showed the check to the agent, and the agent showed it to Yu Fenglin.

Little pearls began to fall from the corners of Yu Fenglin's already moist eyes, and Trem knew exactly what Reebok meant.

As long as he signs the contract on the spot, Yu Fei can leave with an advance payment of 100 million.

Yu Fei thought about the zeros on the check, and he was no longer so shocked than when Farman said he would sign him for $0 million.

Even so, $2001 million in 100 was still a lot of money.

This was something Yu Fei in his previous life could not imagine.

"My family and I need a private space."

Yu Fei did not lose his mind, he calmly said to Farman.

This impressed Falman.

Falman expressed his understanding, so the Reebok people walked out of the conference room and closed the door so that Yu Fei and the others could discuss it carefully.

"I don't think there's anything to discuss." Lawson was the one who was bombarded and lost his mind. "Fry can become a millionaire today!"

Yu Fenglin had no objection, "You should think carefully and make your own decision."

Yu Fei turned to Demeo.

DeMeo also shrugged, "I don't know how you can turn down $1000 million."

Strictly speaking, they are not professionals and their opinions should not be swayed.

Therefore, Yu Fei looked at Trem.

Trem didn't know whether he should tell Yu Fei that 4 million for four years was the largest endorsement contract his high school students had ever signed before entering the NBA. It was bigger than Miles, bigger than McGrady, and bigger than Kobe.

Reebok has been involved in the basketball field since 1992, but its signing strategy has always tended to favor famous players. However, they have no advantage at all compared to iconic sneaker companies in the basketball shoe industry such as Nike and Adidas.

It took them almost ten years to turn their guns around.

Unexpectedly, Yu Fei would use a banknote attack on him.

Their offer was too tempting, but Traim hadn't lost his mind yet. "Our original plan was to make a decision after talking with the three companies."

But now that Reebok has given such a generous offer, Trem is not sure if there is any need to meet with the other two companies.

Can Yu Fei withstand it?

Can this 18-year-old refuse a $100 million check?

"Let's proceed as planned." Yu Fei was calmer than Tom expected, "I should give Uncle Sonny and Adidas a chance to make an offer."

In this way, Yu Fei rejected the opportunity to become a millionaire immediately, returned the check to Falman, and prepared to fly to New Jersey to start negotiations with Adidas.

(End of this chapter)