Y13 [EN]: Chapter 180

00180 2011 Off-Season

“Hello?”

Just as Youngjae was starting to feel awkward, a man arrived on set and began greeting everyone politely, as if coming to his rescue. Youngjae wondered who it was and cautiously approached him. The man was a familiar face, someone you could see on TV just by turning it on anywhere in Korea.

“Ah! Player Yoon Youngjae! It’s a pleasure to meet you!”

With a height of around 5’7″ (170cm), the man in his 30s had a warm and inviting smile. He was as jovial as he appeared on TV, but definitely not frivolous.

“I’m Yoo Seokjae. It’s really great to see you in person!”

Yoo Seokjae was practically a legend in Korean entertainment, known for his work on variety shows like ‘Infinite Challenge,’ ‘Happy Together,’ and ‘Running Man,’ making him one of the biggest names in the industry.

“Wow~ you’ve still got the physique, I see? I even wore one of these suits, but I think I’d be easily overshadowed if I stood next to you… Haha! Director, please take good care of me!”

Yoo Seokjae, being playful, smiled at Youngjae, who still seemed a bit uncomfortable.

“Please take good care of us during the shoot! Let’s have fun filming.”

Youngjae felt a strange sense of comfort from Yoo Seokjae’s natural ability to set the atmosphere. He created an environment where Youngjae could relax and talk by bringing up basketball and sharing personal stories. Before he knew it, Yoo Seokjae seemed to have found his rhythm and was leading the shoot as if he were the host, but no one found it uncomfortable or disliked his presence.

“Cut! Great!”

The sight of Yoo Seokjae and Youngjae leaning against a classic car, side by side, staring at the camera, looked so natural that it could have been mistaken for a high-end fashion magazine shoot.

Thinking that the shoot was finally over, Youngjae let out a small sigh and took off his suit jacket, hanging it over his arm. The director, however, called out, ‘Just a moment!’ and had Youngjae sit on a chair with his legs crossed, asking him to look down for a moment.

“Youngjae-ssi!”

Click!

Youngjae involuntarily looked up at the sound of the director calling his name, and the director, who snapped the shutter at that exact moment, gave a satisfied smile as if he had finally gotten the perfect shot, and gave a thumbs up.

“Best! Great job!”

As the commercial shoot for the famous brand ‘Gia Gio’ came to an end, Youngjae rotated his stiff neck, feeling a different kind of fatigue than after playing a basketball game.

“Awkward, right?”

Yoo Seokjae, who had approached him unnoticed, handed him a cup of Americano with a smile. Youngjae thanked him.

“The shoot was a bit difficult, but I think it went well thanks to you. Thank you.”

“Ah, no. What did I do? Just seeing Yoon Youngjae-ssi was an amazing experience for me.”

Youngjae smiled at Yoo Seokjae’s playful words, saying it was an amazing day for him too.

“There hasn’t been a Korean who’s been as successful as Player Youngjae in the NBA, right? That’s why I think Youngjae-ssi is really great. I’d love to talk more with Youngjae-ssi, but both you and I have other commitments.”

Yoo Seokjae had another filming schedule right away, and Youngjae had to head to another meeting for a different commercial film (CF) shoot.

“Next time, if you have the time to return to Korea, please contact me. Let’s grab a meal together. I want to chat more and have some fun then.”

Youngjae also appreciated Yoo Seokjae’s consideration and cheerfulness, so he nodded as if it were the most natural thing in the world and shook hands with him. Before parting, Youngjae exchanged contact information with Yoo Seokjae and watched him leave with polite greetings until he was out of sight, once again realizing what the attitude of a truly successful person is like.

[ESPN Player Rankings 50~31 Revealed]

……

#NBArank: No. 37 Tyson Chandler (Dallas Mavericks)

A satisfying ranking. It accurately reflects my value. And you’re still below me, huh? Haha, you’ve still got a long way to go.

Wed Oct 10 04:26:45 via Vwitter for iPhone

Tyson Chandler

#NBArank: No. 38 Youngjae Yoon (Dallas Mavericks)

Slightly disappointing, but it motivates me. I’ll aim for higher next year.

Wed Oct 10 08:27:25 via Vwitter for iPhone

Youngjae Yoon

……

Youngjae couldn’t help but chuckle as he read the article. Chandler didn’t specifically name the ‘you’ he was referring to, but Youngjae knew. They were right next to each other in the rankings, and Chandler wouldn’t have such a conversation with Stephen Curry (39th) or Eric Gordon (40th), who were ranked below him.

Youngjae called Chandler, who had playfully provoked him, after a long time. The difference in their rankings was truly subtle. ESPN’s player rankings are determined by the average score of a 210-person judging panel. Such a small decimal difference was practically meaningless.

– Yo~ who is this? Isn’t it the player ranked below me? –

Youngjae couldn’t help but laugh at Chandler’s playful jab, directly calling him the player below him. It was good to hear from him after so long.

– Tsk tsk, you must be upset since you’re under me. But cheer up? If you work a little harder, maybe you can almost catch up to me? –

“Chandler. Are you teasing me right now? Seriously, it’s just one spot difference. Don’t be so smug. The score difference is only 0.02 points. Actually, I could have put in more effort, but I was being considerate of Chandler’s age. You should be thankful.”

Chandler made a ‘huh’ sound at Youngjae’s arrogant tone, sounding disgusted. However, Chandler seemed quite pleased with Youngjae’s call after a long time, and hearty laughter leaked out from time to time.

– Hahaha, even if it’s just one spot, below is below, right? Huh? Next year is next year, and this year is this year, of course. You’ve still got a long way to go, kid. –

Chandler was still cheerful. Even though it was only a one-spot difference, he could joke around with Youngjae like this. He even used the word ‘kid,’ which he hadn’t used since Youngjae was struggling with trauma. It was the start of a conversation typical of them, always bickering and joking around.

“… Okay, what’s the point of talking?”

-Haha, are you sulking over just that? Where did all your magnanimity during the season go? –

“Magnanimity? I’m petty. Because I’m petty, I’m going to work hard to surpass Chandler.”

Youngjae was already planning to train hard, but Chandler’s provocation made him even more determined. Michael Jordan, the one and only legend of the NBA, was jokingly called the ‘King of Pettiness’ in Korea. When Jordan was considering a comeback after his first retirement, his son Jeffrey said, ‘Shaquille O’Neal is the best.’ As soon as he heard that, Jordan came back and showed amazing performance, and then said in an interview, ‘I wanted to let him know that his father wasn’t a worse player than Shaq.’

Youngjae also thought it was funny that Michael Jordan was called the ‘King of Pettiness,’ but he also thought he needed to learn that kind of pettiness.

– Don’t overdo it. It’s not even sure if the season will open. –

“What if it suddenly opens and Chandler isn’t even in the top 50? Let’s keep training.”

While Youngjae was talking to Chandler, he suddenly remembered that Chandler was a free agent. He hadn’t dared to ask before, but this time he decided to test the waters a bit. According to his memories, Dallas doesn’t hold onto Chandler. And the price for that is that the Dallas Mavericks’ center position, until Chandler returns from New York in a trade four years later, becomes a black mark on their history that they want to erase. As a prime example, for three years after this season, Dallas will not even reach the league average in the center position.

Their streak of consecutive playoff appearances with San Antonio will eventually stop, and they will only reign as one of the mediocre strong teams in the Western Conference, far from winning the championship.

“By the way, Chandler. Let’s talk about something serious.”

– What is it? Why are you suddenly getting serious? –

Chandler was flustered when Youngjae suddenly became serious while he was joking around. It wasn’t really a situation to talk seriously.

“If the next season opens, are you thinking of staying? I think you’ve hinted in interviews that you want a lot of money, so you’ve postponed the contract extension.”

Chandler seemed flustered at Youngjae’s straightforward question, but he coolly replied that there was no point in hiding it.

– I don’t know what will happen either. It’s true that I want a lot of money. I think I definitely performed much better than my salary last season. And professionals prove their worth with money, right? I like this team, but I’m not going to give a discount. The club seemed to want a discount, citing Nowitzki’s example, but Nowitzki gets over $20 million even after the discount. He’s in the top five in the entire league. So it’s difficult if they put me on the same line as Nowitzki and ask for a discount. –

Youngjae knew that Chandler had rejected Dallas’s contract extension offer. Chandler had said that Dallas’s contract extension amount was too low compared to his demands. Even after winning the championship, he had revealed in a conversation with Cuban that he wanted a high salary.

Youngjae couldn’t help but understand Chandler’s feelings. Dallas wasn’t Chandler’s hometown, nor was it his debut team. He wasn’t a veteran thirsty for a championship either. Moreover, it was the best time to get the best contract when his value was at its peak. No player would give a discount at this time. In a way, it may have been because Dallas won the championship that Chandler decided to choose salary over more championships.

“You’re not wrong. Frankly, the club benefits from a discount, not the player. Chandler isn’t a hometown boy, and he’s only played for this team for a year.”

– It’s true that this team is the most I’ve liked among the teams I’ve played for. You, Nowitzki, Kidd, Terry… Honestly, I’ve never had such good relationships with my teammates on and off the court in my 10 years of playing. But if I had to choose between that ‘loyalty’ and salary, I would choose salary without hesitation. –

Chandler was 100% satisfied with his current team, even though the contract renewal was delayed due to salary issues. In interviews, he always called his teammates brothers and said he was satisfied with life in Dallas. If the salary was satisfactory, there was no reason to leave this place where the chances of winning were high, the city life was satisfactory, and the relationship with teammates and the club was good.

“I’m just a rookie who’s played his first season, so it’s funny for me to say this, but I hope Chandler continues to be with us. Your fighting spirit and passion have helped me a lot, and I’ve learned a lot. My performance this season would not have been as good as it was if Chandler hadn’t been there.”

Youngjae had no intention of persuading Chandler. He was close to Chandler, but it was greedy and selfish to ask him to give up some of what he was pursuing because of that friendship. And even if he left, he and I would still be friends. Of course, Youngjae would be more disappointed than anyone else if he left. Nowitzki, Kidd, Terry, and other teammates were also very helpful to him, but it was undeniable that Chandler was the most helpful player.

Chandler, true to his proactive personality, always took the lead on the court and acted as Youngjae’s bodyguard. Youngjae was still in his first year and also had the disadvantage of being Asian. There was almost no direct racism, but it wasn’t that he didn’t feel unfairness. For Youngjae, Chandler took the lead in referee decisions and conflicts with opposing team players, protesting on his behalf. In addition, his excellent screen ability doubled his breakthrough and shooting ability, and as a reliable rim protector in defense, he made it easier to defend.

Chandler was on the Defensive Second Team this year, and next year he will be considered the center NO.2 after Howard, who won the Defensive Player of the Year award. In fact, there was even talk of trading Chandler for Howard.

============================ Author’s Notes ============================

★Thank you to those who gave advance subscriptions, recommendations, comments, and coupons!!

＠Originally, we also planned the national team part to be 2-3 episodes. However, the recent series of Toto [illegal gambling] incidents completely turned us off. In addition, because there were even players from the national team involved, we were reluctant to include game scenes, interviews, or scenes of players talking to each other. As a result, it ended up being summarized so briefly. Originally, we were planning to include scenes of players talking and game highlights.

＠After much deliberation, Youngjae’s ranking was put at 38th. It is the ranking determined after finding and comparing the records and positions of players ranked 31st to 50th. There is also the playoff impact including the finals.

Heukgom12/// Rather than a big opportunity, I decided to write a basketball novel first because I didn’t see many basketball novels while reading Joara [Korean web novel platform]. However, I have a lot of basketball knowledge but little experience in writing novels, so I was worried. While talking to my younger brother, who is a classmate, we decided to write it together. We are classmates and have similar hobbies and games, so we became close and even wrote together.

Eunseolya, Laytime, Sarajiyeonghon, Omariyon, CountOfDark/// Thank you for your comments as always.

Miyalma/// Haha, that’s right.

FrogPower, Kimarie, ㅎ0ㅎ, Makerere, Mirror of Truth, Goimosp, Milk Boy/// That’s not what I originally planned. Looking at the news these days;;

Geurausera/// Your father is right. Basketball is a center game. Among the teams that built dynasties in history, Jordan’s Bulls are almost the only team that didn’t have a good center. Longley was definitely not a good center. As you said, Jordan showed that a swingman can be the center, even winning the scoring title and defensive title at the same time. And it’s true that physicality has the biggest impact. Relatively, baseball is the least important physically. In basketball, you can be nominated for a huge salary or a high draft pick just by looking at your physicality.

-DarkANGEL-/// As you said, the subsidy itself is too small. Most associations cannot operate without the support of companies. The Football Association is Hyundai’s errand boy ㅋㅋ. Fortunately, unpopular sports are used for image laundering, but there is less intervention.

Cowardly Loser Inferior Man/// Director Heo Jae had many problems with alcohol during his playing days, but in terms of skill, he was the closest to the world stage.

Ultra10/// Blatche is a backup, but the Philippines’ ranking jumped with just one Blatche. China also actually won the MVP at the 2011 Asian Cup with Yi Jianlian. But Yi Jianlian played for the Dallas the following year, but he was a loser of losers.

Coltes45, Anguqwhdk/// Thank you for pointing out. I was confused because the Philippines actually played against Korea in the 3rd and 4th place game ㅎㅎ. I have corrected it.