Guys there is already content on patreon, if anyone wants to become a chunin or jonnin.
patreon.com/Chuga320 (More 50 chapters)
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At 10 o'clock in the evening, Luis Zamora returned to the dormitory from the library, turned on his computer, and skillfully bypassed restrictions to check the latest NBA news.
Apart from buying every issue of Basketball Pioneer, he hardly ever reads reports on local portal websites. He didn't trust where they sourced their editors from, as they merely copied reports from U.S. media, and often the translations were inaccurate. Especially Sina, which was only interested in attention-grabbing headlines and had completely messed up Liam's popularity.
Luis Zamora waited for a while, finally managing to bypass the firewall, and opened ESPN's official website to read the latest news.
As he scrolled through, he muttered, "The Warriors have a new owner... Coach Liam secretly acquired the Warriors and became the youngest owner in NBA history... Oh, Coach Liam bought the Warriors... Wait, what?! Coach Liam bought the Warriors!"
Luis's right hand froze on the mouse. Rubbing his eyes in disbelief, he clicked on the headline and began to read it carefully.
"Mark Baum is just a figurehead, while Coach Liam is the true controller of Catherine Company... He will still be the head coach of the team next season? Well, of course, he's a championship-winning coach… Ah, I see now! No wonder Curry chose the Warriors over the Knicks, he must have known this all along…"
Luis was filled with astonishment and, at times, spoke to himself in understanding. He immediately opened a chat group and sent a screenshot of the article, typing:
"Big news! Must see! Coach Liam is going to the NBA!"
The chat group exploded:
"Oh shit, oh shit! No way!"
"Dude, calm down. Grass, a plant!!"
"Is this real? Why haven't any local media reported it?"
"Look at the time, genius. This news just dropped, they haven't had time to pick it up yet. This is from ESPN, it's legit!"
"Coach Liam is a legend! He's the first Colombian owner and head coach in the NBA! I hereby declare the Warriors as my new favorite team!"
"I thought it would take him another 10 years to become an NBA assistant coach. I never expected that in just three years, he'd become the owner of the Warriors..."
"You're thinking too small. He coached an NCAA team at 23, won a championship at 24, and now at 26, he's bought an NBA team. I'm betting he'll win an NBA championship before he turns 30!"
Luis smiled as he watched the chat explode with messages. All the stress from working on his paper vanished. From now on, the NBA would not only feature Colombian players but also a Colombian boss and head coach—all in one person!
"Hey, what do you guys think Coach Liam can achieve with the Warriors?" Luis asked.
"I already said, he's winning a championship before he's 30."
"Come on, the Warriors' recent record has been terrible. Let's aim for the Finals at least…"
The chat group continued buzzing with excitement well into the night.
That night, major news portals in Colombia scrambled to report the story.
Before, Liam had been well-known only among die-hard basketball fans, but with the NCAA not being as popular in Colombia, most fans focused on the NBA or even just the Lakers. Only a few hardcore fans like Luis Zamora kept tabs on him and his success with the Bulldogs.
But tonight, nearly all Colombian fans learned about Liam Gonzalez, a 26-year-old who had just acquired the Warriors and would serve as their head coach.
At first, people thought this was some prank by a wealthy, second-generation kid. But then they learned of Liam's real story.
He was born into an ordinary family in Medellin(Antioquia). He completed his college courses by his sophomore year, went to the U.S. to study on a scholarship, and became an assistant coach at Butler University. Later, unexpectedly, he became the interim head coach.
He then made a fortune during the subprime mortgage crisis, accumulating hundreds of millions of dollars in the financial market.
Some fans even posted an article from Basketball Pioneer that detailed Liam's achievements: in the past three years, he had won the American College Basketball League championship twice and become a prominent figure in the U.S., though not well-known in Colombia.
"Is this even possible? It sounds like a fantasy," someone marveled.
He started coaching at 23, won his first championship at 24, won another at 25, and acquired an NBA team at 26. Liam's story seemed too incredible to believe.
Even a fictional novel wouldn't dare be this bold. Which writer would even attempt such a plot without fearing a backlash from readers?
But the facts were undeniable. After an initial mix of confusion, shock, and skepticism, Colombian fans finally accepted the truth. There are always some people in this world with truly unique talents.
After the shock wore off, excitement took over.
Liam Gonzalez was the first Colombian owner and head coach in the NBA.
Overnight, Liam's name was on everyone's lips.
All news related to him became highly sought after.
But because of Liam, the Warriors—a team that had briefly captured the spotlight with their 2007 upset—quickly came back into the public eye.
Online communities dedicated to the Warriors on Baidu and Hupu saw a surge in activity, and Warriors fan groups exploded overnight.
Many people stayed up all night because of Liam Gonzalez.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the Pacific, American fans were far less surprised.
There were already numerous young billionaires in the U.S.
Even recent examples like Mark Zuckerberg, who founded Facebook in college and quickly became a billionaire, came to mind.
The only backlash Liam faced in the U.S. came from those who criticized his fortune as a result of the subprime mortgage crisis. But in the grand scheme of things, his $1 billion in profit was small compared to the real culprits, the big banks.
On the other hand, the American basketball world was in shock.
People like Presti and Donnie Walsh finally understood the real reason why Curry had so much trust in the Warriors—it was because of Coach Liam. The media had reported countless times about how Liam discovered Curry and helped him succeed. Without Liam, Curry might never have had the chance to play in the NCAA.
End of this chapter
Note: Hi if you really like NBA novels, you can support me either in this pg with stones, reviews etc, or in patreon since the niche of sports and specially NBA is very small is Webnovel since people prefer to read Naruto, Pokemon, comics etc.
Hi guys this is Chuga. If you read this far and liked it you can leave comments, stones and reviews which is very important for a new translator / author.
Love you.
patreon.com/Chuga320
Guys there is already content on patreon, if anyone wants to become a chunin or jonnin.
patreon.com/Chuga320 (More 50 chapters)
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For Curry, the temptation to continue playing for Liam clearly outweighed the allure of joining the Knicks.
Donnie Walsh and D'Antoni exchanged glances, both smiling bitterly. They realized that they had lost the battle for Curry long before it even began.
D'Antoni stared at a photo of Liam in the news and thought,
"I wonder how far you'll take the Warriors."
Many renowned players also voiced their opinions. Most were skeptical about Liam's ability to succeed. Many veteran head coaches, while not speaking openly, implied the same sentiment: "It took me decades to get where I am now—how can a 26-year-old lead an NBA team?"
TNT even dedicated a segment to the topic, and Barkley wasted no time in saying:
"This is a joke. A rookie head coach and a rookie shooter who can only shoot three-pointers are a perfect match. Let's pray for the Warriors."
"Coach Liam is a championship coach. I'm optimistic the Warriors can turn things around under his guidance," O'Neal retorted.
"Shaq, have you gone soft from all those basketball hits? Look at Rick Pitino and John Calipari, both NCAA champion coaches, but after coming to the NBA, they were a joke and had to leave in disgrace. Facts have proven that NCAA champion coaches simply can't survive in the NBA—especially a young rookie who's even younger than some of his own players!" Barkley mocked mercilessly.
The fans of the University of Memphis and the University of Louisville watching the show were left puzzled:
"I'm just a spectator, why is my team being dragged into this?"
"Don't stop me! I'm going to take down that flying pig!"
Had they been able to rush into the TV screen, many would have tried to take on Barkley.
None of this, however, affected the Warriors' operations.
After the draft, the summer league was about to begin. Larry Riley needed to gather players for the Warriors, and Liam needed to face his coaching staff.
…
On July 1st, Liam arrived at the Oracle Center.
Today, he was finally going to meet Don Nelson, the legendary coach.
After acquiring the team, Liam hadn't reached out to Nelson. In fact, he specifically instructed Larry Riley not to tell Nelson that he was the new owner, leading Nelson to believe it was still Markbaum who had purchased the Warriors.
Liam knew that Nelson would be his first obstacle in fully controlling the Warriors.
Since 1988, Nelson had served as the Warriors' vice president and head coach. The "Run TMC" era, built around Mitch Richmond, Tim Hardaway, and Chris Mullin, made the Warriors one of the most offensively powerful teams in the 1990s, earning Nelson Coach of the Year in 1992.
Although Nelson's overall record with the Warriors wasn't stellar, he had left his mark on the team. He even led them to a historic upset in 2007, taking down the top-seeded Mavericks as the eighth seed. Nelson's influence on the Warriors was undeniable, making even the team's previous owner, Chris Cohan, wary of him.
Liam left Nelson in limbo for over a month to send a clear message—things had changed for the Warriors.
Liam went straight to the conference room, waiting for half an hour before Larry Riley arrived, followed by the gray-haired, imposing Nelson.
Liam stood up, shook Nelson's hand enthusiastically, and said,
"Mr. Nelson, I've always looked up to you. You're the tactical master I admire most!"
Liam wasn't just being polite; he had genuinely admired Nelson since his past life. Nelson, known as the "mad scientist," had turned every team he coached into a tactical laboratory, developing innovations like the run-and-gun offense and Hack-a-Shaq. His contributions to basketball were undeniable, even if he never won a championship. Nelson was a three-time NBA Coach of the Year and an undisputed legend.
Caught off guard by Liam's warmth, Nelson replied,
"Oh… hello."
He had expected a tense meeting, not this wave of admiration. What was supposed to be a formal meeting between an employer and employee now felt like a fan meet-and-greet.
Liam ushered Nelson to a seat and continued,
"Mr. Nelson, that series between the Warriors and Mavericks was incredible! I don't think anyone else could've taken down the Mavericks but you. You brought out the best in every Warriors player to create that historic upset. With all due respect, even the Knicks' upset in 1999 doesn't compare to what you did—the Warriors took out the MVP!"
The more Nelson listened, the more confused he became.
Wasn't this the same guy who had announced to the media he'd be taking over as head coach? Yet here he was, acting as if nothing had happened.
Finally, Nelson interrupted,
"I'm sorry, Mr. Gonzalez, I don't understand what you're trying to say."
Nelson looked at Liam, feeling a growing sense of absurdity. This young man, who was younger than Nelson's own son, was the new owner of the Warriors?
"Just call me Liam, Mr. Nelson. I've always appreciated your tactical insights, and I would like to invite you to be the Warriors' basketball development consultant," Liam said sincerely.
Nelson narrowed his eyes, and Liam added,
"Of course, this means stepping down from the head coach position. If you're willing, here's a new contract."
Larry Riley handed over a contract. Nelson glanced at it: the position of "basketball development consultant" was clear, but his salary was 30% higher than what he was currently making, and the contract would last four years.
Nelson's current salary was $3.1 million annually. With the new contract, he'd be earning $4 million a year—more than any head coach in the league—without the pressures of being a head coach.
Nelson studied Liam's smiling face and understood what was happening. Liam's decision not to contact him before now was deliberate—it was about asserting control. Publicly announcing that Liam would also serve as head coach had been part of that strategy too.
Now, offering him the position of consultant was a way to use Nelson's experience and connections without giving up authority.
Nelson had been in the league for 33 years since he became head coach of the Bucks in 1976, not to mention his playing career, during which he won five championships with the Celtics.
End of this chapter
Note: Hi if you really like NBA novels, you can support me either in this pg with stones, reviews etc, or in patreon since the niche of sports and specially NBA is very small is Webnovel since people prefer to read Naruto, Pokemon, comics etc.
Hi guys this is Chuga. If you read this far and liked it you can leave comments, stones and reviews which is very important for a new translator / author.
Love you.
patreon.com/Chuga320