Champion Creed
Chapter 41 - 41 028 Are high school rookies already this arrogant

41: 028: Are high school rookies already this arrogant?

Can I still be the boss here?

41: 028: Are high school rookies already this arrogant?

Can I still be the boss here?

In the early ’90s, the summer league wasn’t an official NBA event, and it wasn’t very popular either.

This year, only the Jazz held the Rocky Mountain Summer League in Salt Lake City, and just six teams participated.

The Chicago Bulls were not among them.

Therefore, Chicago’s fans couldn’t catch a glimpse of Roger’s skills and were left wondering how much weight the highest Bulls draft pick since Michael Jordan could pull.

However, what the people of Chicago were more concerned about was whether Jordan would return to the team before the start of the new season.

Rumors about Jordan’s retirement had been swirling all summer, and now, with only one week left until training camp started, Jordan still hadn’t made a public appearance.

This had the whole of Chicago on edge.

Abunassar was also nervous, for the presence or absence of Jordan would greatly affect Roger.

It was about whether he’d have enough chances to showcase his abilities in the new season.

But to Abunassar’s surprise, Roger seemed indifferent.

He focused on his training every day, unfazed by external distractions.

He adhered to a strict schedule of training five days a week, with strength training in the morning, basketball in the afternoon, and studying tactics from game videos at night.

Moreover, during this period, Roger was particularly disciplined about his diet.

Deep-fried food, carbonated drinks, sweets—Roger gave them all up without hesitation.

It seemed he only cared about taking good care of himself.

Abunassar found it incredible that an 18-year-old high school student could be so steady and composed.

Such a person was destined to be a superstar!

Actually, for Roger, it had nothing to do with maturity or perseverance; he simply wasn’t interested in those foods.

Roger’s favorite foods were fruit platters and seafood.

If he had no interest in those foods and avoiding them was beneficial for his body, then why not do it?

As for the matter of getting playing time, Roger mainly knew that Jordan was definitely going to retire, so there was no need for him to worry.

Plus, the trainers, nutritionists, and chefs he employed cost money.

He had to pay them for a day of training, and also for a day he slacked off.

So, he definitely had to train hard to justify the expenses.

After finishing today’s training, Roger drove back to his newly purchased house in Chicago.

Tired, he turned on the TV and saw Pippen’s face, which lacked any trace of a leader’s dignity, on the news.

“Whether Michael comes back or not, our goal is the championship,”

“I’m really looking forward to the training camp starting in a week.

We’ll soon find out if Toni Kukoc and that high school kid can meet the team’s requirements.”

“Harsh?

We are a championship-contending team, and if they can’t meet the requirements, then why were they selected?”

Abunassar, who was currently staying with Roger to constantly monitor his physical condition, chuckled bitterly, “It seems someone doesn’t want you to have too nice of a time at the training camp.

Haven’t you noticed?

Penny hasn’t mentioned you all summer, but it’s Scottie, like a stray dog, who has been relentlessly biting at you.”

While eating cut fruit, Roger shrugged, “He’s basically a Scottish Terrier (scottie also means Scottish Terrier).

Let him be, I don’t need everyone to like me, and I don’t need to please them.

That’s enough, I’m off to train boxing.”

Abunassar was curious about one thing, “Roger, why have you insisted on learning and training in boxing these past months, even though the training is already so exhausting?”

Roger shrugged, “Oh, it’s just for my physical conditioning.

As an athlete, it’s reasonable for me to enjoy some small sports activities outside of basketball, right~”

Abunassar pursed his lips.

Roger had always been a very honest person, but…

He didn’t believe a word of that last answer!

He hoped the kid wouldn’t stir up any trouble.

One week before the Bulls training camp began.

All eyes in Chicago, actually, basketball fans all over the world, were focused on that small practice facility.

ABC and ESPN had both changed their broadcast plans at the last minute to cover this press conference live, where Michael Jordan, dressed in a gray suit, looked serious.

He didn’t talk about the possibility of a fourth consecutive championship, nor did he talk about the team’s new recruits, Roger and Kukoc.

He simply told everyone, “I have reached the pinnacle of the basketball world, and there’s nothing left here that I’m attached to, nothing that can inspire my passion.

Therefore, I’ve decided to retire.”

After speaking, a relaxed smile appeared on Jordan’s face, “You bunch of bastards can go find something else to entertain yourselves with now!”

But before he left, Jordan left a big cliffhanger, “I can now do anything I want, and likewise, if I want to come back, I’ll come back.

I will not close the window on basketball.”

This sudden farewell predictably sent shockwaves through the basketball world.

Nine years in the NBA, seven scoring titles, three MVPs, three championships, three Finals MVPs.

His accolades didn’t need time to accumulate.

No one dared to imagine what feats he would have achieved had he played uninterrupted for about twenty years.

Scottie Pippen had mixed feelings about Jordan’s retirement.

He was both happy and worried.

The reason for his happiness was simple: his real chance to make a name for himself had arrived.

The three championship rings now in Pippen’s hands bore Jordan’s mark too deeply.

He knew very well that he had never received the due respect from the management because he was just a damn sidekick, a second-in-command.

Because he was a sidekick, Krause had dared to put him on the trading block time and again.

Because he was a sidekick, Krause dared to repeatedly add to the roster players that he disliked.

Once he truly became the leader of this team, no one would dare ignore what he said.

But the place for concern was exactly this: last season the team had almost fallen apart, and it was Michael’s prestige that kept everyone going.

Last season the Suns were so strong, but it was Michael’s historic finals average of 40+ points per game that brought the Suns down.

Pippen wasn’t sure if he could stabilize the locker room as much.

The gap in personal abilities between him and Jordan was far too apparent.

Although Pippen even felt that before he arrived, Jordan was a terrible player.

But he never deluded himself into thinking he could be mentioned in the same breath as Jordan, never thought about emulating him.

He had that much self-awareness.

Yes, Pippen had always worked hard; during the three finals, he had never scored in single digits in any game.

But Pippen felt that even if he did play such a shameless game, Jordan could still lead the team to victory.

That was Jordan’s ability.

Intimidation, ability.

Can I catch up to him in these two aspects?

That was a significant source of worry for Pippen.

He had the opportunity to make a name for himself, but he wasn’t sure he could seize it.

But now was the time to brace himself, Pippen had to step up.

Let’s not talk about ability; to be a good leader, first and foremost, you have to establish prestige in the locker room!

Have you ever seen someone challenge Jordan’s authority on the Bulls?

No, that’s why he could dominate the locker room.

Pippen urgently needed to do the same!

The day after Jordan announced his retirement, the Bulls’ preseason training camp officially began.

The Bulls’ training facility, the Berto Center, is located in the Chicago suburb of Deerfield, a good 40 kilometers from their home court, the United Center.

Roger drove his Mercedes E60 AMG coupe, its V8 engine roaring, and appeared in the underground parking garage of the Berto Center.

This Mercedes coupe was the high-performance version of that generation’s E-Class, and most crucially, it was a worldwide limited edition of 150 units.

Many Bulls players’ eyes fell on the silver Mercedes AMG; even for these wealthy people, buying such a rare car was too extravagant.

After Roger parked his car, a Porsche sports car immediately entered the parking lot.

This sports car belonged to Pippen; when he first joined the NBA, he had an annual salary of $730,000 and had his eyes on a Porsche but did not dare to buy it, instead quickly depositing all the money into the bank.

This sense of insecurity stemmed from his poverty-stricken childhood.

It wasn’t until signing his second contract with the Bulls that Pippen dared to reward himself with his own hands.

What’s wrong with rewarding oneself with money earned through hard work?

This sense of insecurity followed Pippen all his life, and now, Krause had chosen Roger and Kukoc, and Pippen always feared being replaced.

Hence, he disliked Krause and the players Krause chose.

What Krause loved, Pippen hated.

The car suddenly braked hard in front of Roger, and Pippen rolled down the window, “Rookie, that’s my spot.”

Roger looked back at the parking spot; there was neither a ground lock nor any sign indicating it was reserved.

When he had parked, the Bulls players hadn’t hinted to Roger that the spot had an owner.

Moreover, there were two empty spots right next to it, Pippen could even park his car horizontally and still fit.

Considering Pippen’s clear disapproval of him over the past summer, Roger deduced that the parking spot did not really belong to anyone; Pippen was just picking a quarrel.

That’s how the NBA is; the veterans always seek to assert their presence to the rookies.

Considering Pippen had just become the team’s new leader, he needed this feeling of presence even more to establish authority.

Roger laughed, “Sorry Scottie, I didn’t know that was your spot.

I’ll pay attention next time.”

After saying that, Roger didn’t move his car; instead, he went straight to the training center.

Roger’s response was already very face-saving for Pippen, but by not moving his car, he also told Pippen, “I don’t want trouble, but don’t mess with me either.

Why don’t you go bully our beloved Euro-Magic?

Pick someone else, Scottie, I’m not a good choice for you to assert your dominance.”

Pippen watched Roger ignore him and walk into the training center, and he nearly crushed the steering wheel in his hands.

That wasn’t really his parking spot, but that wasn’t the point.

The important thing was, Roger didn’t pass his test of submission to the new team leader.

After this incident on their first encounter today, Pippen’s impression of Roger got even worse.

Is this what a high school rookie like?

So arrogant just being the fourth pick?

If everyone is like you, can this team be led?

Can I still be the leader?

Pippen parked the car and slammed the door shut angrily.

He was already searching his mind for those memories of how Jordan tamed rookies back in the day.

And he was ready to apply that same treatment to Roger.