Capítulo 100: Memphis.
After two and a half days of traveling, with stops along the way, Han Sen and his crew finally arrived in Memphis.
Before even entering the city, they could see Memphis' iconic landmark from afar.
The 'Memphis Pyramid', standing at 98 meters tall with a glass-pyramid design, had briefly served as the Grizzlies' home court from 2001 to 2004.
Reflecting on his rookie season over the past year, Han Sen found one of the most exciting aspects was visiting different cities, staying in various hotels, and enjoying new sights, which made every day feel like an adventure.
This Pyramid arena had left a strong impression on him.
After all, it's not every day you see an arena shaped like that, even on a global scale—it's one of a kind.
The arena's design ties back to the city's historical roots. Many American city names are derived from colonial history—eastern cities often have names related to England, like Cleveland, which is named after a county in England, while western cities usually have connections to Spain.
The name 'Memphis' comes from an ancient and significant Egyptian city.
Even today, ruins of the original Memphis Pyramid still stand near modern-day Cairo.
The United States has a short history, so it often borrows from others.
However, the Pyramid arena isn't the only thing that grabs attention.
Much like Cleveland, Memphis is also a port city, but it's built along the Mississippi River and the mouth of the Wolf River, rather than by a lake.
And unlike Cleveland's industrial wasteland, Memphis boasts many skyscrapers and feels more like a bustling modern city.
Though it's no Miami, its economy seems to be thriving much more.
Upon entering the city, Han Sen noticed a lot of references to rock 'n' roll and blues music. He even saw some road signs featuring old photos of 'The King', Elvis Presley.
"Memphis, the hometown of Elvis, the birthplace of rock 'n' roll!" Cunningham couldn't help but exclaim after seeing the photos.
In his previous life, Han Sen also enjoyed rock music, with classics like 'Glorious Years' being a staple in his playlist.
Arriving in Memphis, he figured he'd at least get to enjoy the city's musical atmosphere.
Han Sen drove straight to a villa in the suburbs.
Before leaving Cleveland, he'd already had Chris arrange a place for him to stay in Memphis.
The villa was spacious, featuring an outdoor pool, a backyard basketball court, and, most importantly, high fences and a built-in security system—ensuring a high level of safety.
If there was one area where Memphis lagged behind Cleveland, it was public safety.
Nearly 48% of the city's population was African American.
"Boss, I really recommend you get a gun," Cunningham suggested, mimicking a gun with his hands as soon as they arrived.
This time, Han Sen took the advice. He planned to get a gun license in the next few days and then buy a gun for self-defense.
As long as he didn't go around flaunting it like Ja Morant, there wouldn't be a problem.
The day after Han Sen arrived in Memphis, someone came knocking on his door.
It was none other than Grizzlies GM Chris Wallace.
He wasn't alone; alongside him was Reggie Theus, the team's assistant coach and Han Sen's former coach at Barry University.
Traveling to a new city made Han Sen feel a bit out of place, but seeing Theus helped melt away some of that discomfort.
"Coach!" Han Sen greeted Theus with a big hug.
Theus patted Han Sen on the shoulder, his face glowing with pride.
The NBA had provided Theus with a second chance, and a year later, they found themselves reunited in the same city—a divine coincidence.
After catching up briefly, they sat down, and Chris brewed them coffee.
"With you on board, I feel confident about making the playoffs this season," Wallace said, sipping his coffee with a look of certainty.
The Grizzlies hadn't performed poorly last season. Their lineup included the perimeter duo of Mike Conley and O.J. Mayo, and the frontcourt duo of Marc Gasol and Zach Randolph, supported by versatile small forward Rudy Gay. Yet, they still missed the playoffs.
Both management and fans found this unacceptable, and changes were inevitable.
As a defense-oriented team, the Grizzlies' rebuild would naturally focus on improving defense.
They traded Mayo and acquired Han Sen to bolster perimeter defense while adding David West, a solid defender, to strengthen their bench. These moves were all part of their roster improvement strategy.
"Were you surprised by the assets we traded for you?" Wallace asked Han Sen with a smile after setting down his coffee cup.
"They were enough to get an All-Star player," Han Sen admitted, slightly puzzled, knowing Wallace had no knowledge of his system.
In other words, Wallace could only see the same things as Cavs GM Danny Ferry.
"When Danny mentioned he wanted Hasheem Thabeet, I hesitated. The kid still had potential, so I sought advice from someone," Wallace said.
"Oh?" Han Sen was intrigued. Who could directly influence the decision of an NBA general manager?
It couldn't have been the Grizzlies' owner, since owners typically only care about results, not advice.
"It was West. He told me you were worth the gamble," Wallace revealed.
Jerry West, the iconic figure known as the NBA's logo, had served as the Grizzlies' GM from 2002 to 2007. Wallace had taken over his role.
"He knows me?" Han Sen was surprised that West, a figure of Pat Riley's stature in the league, was aware of him, especially since they had no prior interaction.
"When he predicted the Celtics would eliminate the Cavaliers, he watched your games after the Cavs pulled off that unexpected series win. That's when he noticed you," Wallace explained.
Han Sen looked in amazement—it seemed like Wallace had a close relationship with West.
Balancing an openly contentious relationship with Ferry while maintaining a close bond with his predecessor showed Wallace's exceptional people skills.
Wallace's words also validated the saying, 'Do good without expecting anything in return.' If Han Sen hadn't given his all in that playoff series, he wouldn't be here now.
"Not many can make West's predictions go wrong. He said your innate fearlessness is your most valuable trait."
Being praised like that made Han Sen feel a bit embarrassed.
It turned out that arriving in a new city required some time to rebuild that thick skin.
"Tomorrow, let Reggie take you to the locker room first. In two days, the team will hold a press conference for you, and after that, there won't be much else to worry about."
Unlike the last off-season, Han Sen's current ability no longer required him to participate in the summer league.
Han Sen nodded in agreement. After seeing off Wallace and Theus, he began reaching out to Thomas and Khalil.
Since he had arrived in Memphis, it was time to kickstart his new business and promotions.
It was time to officially begin his career with the Grizzlies!
The next day, Theus took Han Sen to the FedExForum, the Grizzlies' current home arena.
Compared to the Pyramid Arena, FedExForum's exterior appeared much more understated.
If viewed from above, it resembled a large disc.
This minimalist design seemed to match its name.
Like most NBA arenas, it had a corporate sponsor—FedEx, headquartered in Memphis.
This modern arena could hold 18,000 spectators and represented the largest construction investment in Memphis's history.
After its completion, the Grizzlies became its sole tenants.
After all, the Grizzlies had moved from Vancouver to Memphis, significantly boosting the local economy.
Naturally, the government provided strong support to such a 'golden goose.'
This wasn't Han Sen's first time at the arena, but it was the first time he observed it up close.
Once inside, he felt like a country boy arriving in the big city.
Compared to FedExForum, Quicken Loans Arena was truly outdated in every respect.
Upon entering the locker room, Han Sen no longer felt like he was entering a public bathhouse.
With its black-and-white color scheme, glass display cases, and a large TV placed at the front, it exuded a distinctly modern vibe.
Theus led Han Sen to his locker, which was located in an interior corner.
That locker had previously belonged to O.J. Mayo, and his nameplate was still inserted there.
Judging by the locker's location, it was clear Han Sen's status on the team was not low, even as a new acquisition.
Aside from Randolph and Gay, who had lockers near the entrance, it was him and Conley, placing him higher than Marc Gasol.
This was a much better starting point than in Cleveland.
"I've heard about some of the things you went through in Cleveland. Don't worry, things are different here. The team has a lot of young players who are eager to prove themselves," Theus reassured him.
His words made Han Sen feel like he'd been assigned a scout ahead of his arrival on the Grizzlies.
With Theus around, many things would be easier to navigate.
Just as Han Sen was about to organize his locker, he suddenly remembered something.
He wasn't the only player traded to the Grizzlies—Delonte West should've reported for duty as well.
At that moment, Theus's phone rang, and he stepped outside to take the call.
When Han Sen finished organizing his locker, Theus led West into the locker room.
It appeared he had been late.
Han Sen hadn't seen Delonte West since the season ended, but now, seeing him again, he noticed thick dark circles under West's eyes and his hair disheveled like straw. He looked utterly worn out.
Right after the Cavaliers lost, the media quickly broke the story of 'MomGate.'
Although LeBron later issued a statement refuting the rumors, West still endured an unprecedented amount of online abuse.
It's safe to say that the latter had been the most tormented player in the league over the past few months.
Han Sen walked over with a warm smile and gave West a big hug.
"It's all behind you now," he said, gently patting West's back.
Even if the rumor were true, there was no rule in the world that said two single people couldn't date.
Even if the timing wasn't ideal, it shouldn't have been used as a diversionary tool for such severe online abuse.
After all, plenty of NBA players perform admirably despite facing personal tragedy. That's just the life of a professional athlete.
To Han Sen and Theus's surprise, West started crying on Han's shoulder.
The emotions he had been bottling up for months came pouring out all at once.
...
Two days later, the day before the official start of the 2010 free agency period, the Grizzlies held a press conference for Han Sen, Delonte West, and Daniel Orton, the 28th overall pick in the 2010 NBA Draft.
Han Sen received his Grizzlies #77 jersey, while West gave up his #13 and reverted to the #2 jersey he wore with the Sonics.
"Han, try to keep a low profile at the press conference later," Wallace warned as they headed to the event.
The last time Han Sen made his debut in Cleveland, his '77' comment had stirred up controversy, and its echoes still lingered a year later.
Even though Han Sen had played well in the playoffs, it wasn't nearly enough to justify that bold statement.
Wallace was genuinely concerned Han Sen might stir up something big again.
After all, the pressure Wallace faced from the trade was already immense.
Han Sen nodded, understanding.
As they walked into the press conference room, Han Sen noticed a large crowd—it seemed a lot of people had shown up.
This wasn't because the Grizzlies were particularly hot next season, nor was Han Sen a big enough star to draw All-Star-level attention.
Rather, the surprising nature of the trade had attracted so much interest.
What was supposed to be an introductory press conference for new players quickly turned into a grilling session for Wallace.
It was the first time Wallace had appeared in public since the Han Sen trade.
Why make such a trade?
Why give up on Hasheem Thabeet after just one season without giving him much of a chance?
If Han Sen was so highly valued, why didn't the team work harder to draft him last year?
Listening to the barrage of questions, Han couldn't help but furrow his brow.
These reporters, dressed in professional attire, weren't that different from online trolls spewing negativity on social media.
Anyone could be an armchair critic in hindsight.
But Han Sen quickly regained his composure.
Maybe he was too personally invested since the situation involved him, but weren't reporters always like this?
At least there wasn't anyone like Windhorst in Memphis.
Down in the crowd, Jamal Khalil, now with TNT, sat casually, waiting for Han Sen's signal.
Finally, Han cleared his throat, smiled politely at the reporters with his signature humility, and grabbed his water bottle for a tactical sip.
Seeing this, Khalil raised his hand to ask a question.
Soon, he was called on.
Working for big outlets like ESPN and TNT has its perks; they tend to stand out more to event staff.
"We know the Grizzlies have missed the playoffs for four consecutive seasons. Is your goal in coming here to help the team make the playoffs?" he asked.
Before Han Sen could answer, Wallace nodded approvingly.
It was a question with a built-in assumption—a friendly question, and one that aligned perfectly with the team's goals. This TNT reporter was quite adept.
Han Sen put down his water bottle, straightened his posture, and, with a serious expression, said:
"No, my goal is to bring a championship to the Grizzlies."
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