"The Bone Crusher" Wes Unseld!
A dominant interior force in the NBA's 1960s and 1970s, ranked among the league's 50 Greatest Players, and a Hall of Fame superstar!
Currently serving as the Washington Bullets' general manager, he is the franchise's true helmsman—a totem-like figure overseeing every aspect of the team's operations.
This was the perfect candidate Lin Yu had in mind!
The Old Bone Crusher maintained an extremely regimented daily routine, shuttling solely between home and the office. Lin Yu knew exactly where his office was located—he'd even passed by it yesterday while leaving the conference room.
Within the Washington Bullets organization, he held near-total authority over personnel decisions. To put it bluntly, while Jerse could haggle over hundreds of thousands in front of Lin Yu, the Old Bone Crusher could fire him with a single word.
He was undoubtedly a far more perfect target than Chris Webber!
It was still late at night, and Lin Yu simply couldn't fall back asleep. Lying awake, he fantasized about dominating the NBA, quietly waiting for dawn.
Tomorrow was Friday. Even though the Bullets were playing away, the Old Bone Crusher would surely be at the office. Lin Yu planned to arrive during working hours and confront him with the "Shocking Questions Manual."
By 7:30 AM, Lin Yu had freshened up and slipped into the best suit from his meager wardrobe, trying to look as sharp as possible.
He pedaled his creaky old bicycle for an hour to reach the Bullets' clubhouse building.
The security guards at the entrance recognized Lin Yu. Unaware he'd been fired yesterday, they waved him straight through the gate.
Lin Yu dreaded running into Jers, fearing complications, so he hurried upstairs toward the general manager's office after entering the building.
...
Inside the general manager's office, Anselde sipped his coffee while reading the day's newspaper. He never dreamed that the next few minutes would change his life forever.
"Who are you?"
Lin Yu pushed the door open abruptly. Anselde frowned at the unfamiliar young man who barged in and demanded.
"Good morning, Mr. Anselde."
Lin Yu entered as if he were at home, bypassing formalities entirely. He darted straight to the desk in a single bound.
Within a meter's range, Lin Yu silently invoked the "Brotherhood" ability in his mind.
"Confirming target selection: Wes Angseld?"
The system prompt sounded. Without hesitation, Lin Yu confirmed.
The next moment, Onseld's previously displeased expression softened. His gaze toward Lin Yu now held the warmth of a long-lost friend.
"Good morning, young man. Are you Chinese?"
Onseld rose from his seat, walked over to Lin Yu, and asked with a smile.
"That's right, a purebred Chinese with the right pedigree."
"Mr. Onseld, do you know anything about China?"
Lin Yu was testing the waters to see if they were on the same page.
"Of course. I dare say no one in the NBA knows China better than I do."
"Eighteen years ago, our Washington Bullets were the first NBA team to visit China. We played two games there. As our then-Vice President Jerry Sachs put it, every day was a fresh discovery."
"Iron Pillar! I think his name was Iron Pillar. That name stuck with me. He was a formidable player."
Eighteen years ago, in 1979, following the Ping Pong Diplomacy, the Americans sent the Washington Bullets to launch basketball diplomacy. Old Bone Crusher was part of that team.
Though Lin Yu worked as a scout for the Bullets, he spent most of the year on the road and rarely encountered bigwigs like Onseld. Consequently, Onseld didn't recognize Lin Yu.
Even so, fueled by their brotherly bond, Onseld felt an inexplicable fondness for Lin Yu. He pulled him into a lively conversation that spanned hours, covering everything from basketball to everyday life.
"What? Lin, Giles hired you?"
"What a bloody idiot. Firing such a talented youngster? Does this head scout think he's the team president?"
Lin, wait. I'll reinstate you right now.
With that, Old Grinder picked up the phone on his desk, ready to call Giles over for a thorough dressing-down.
Lin Yu was delighted with the impact of Brothers in Arms. Just hours ago, Onseld hadn't even known Bullets had someone like Lin Yu on their roster. Now the two were inseparable, becoming friends who shared everything.
"No, Mr. Onseld, I don't want to continue as a scout."
"Could I coach for the Bullets instead? How about head coach?"
Lin Yu said this jokingly. Of course, he wanted to become head coach outright, but he knew that wasn't very realistic.
"I'm liking you more and more, Lin. You're a humorous young man."
"A 26-year-old head coach? That's a great joke."
"But with your talent and knowledge, being a scout is truly wasted. Join our coaching staff directly—become Jim's assistant coach."
"Gain some experience over a few years, and maybe you really could become a head coach before you turn thirty."
Onseld decided on the spot, granting Lin Yu the position of assistant coach.
Lin Yu was overjoyed. From now on, he had official status as a professional player. With the system's assistance, becoming head coach, reaching the pinnacle of his career, and marrying a beautiful, wealthy woman was only a matter of time.
"Thank you, Mr. Onseld. I won't let you down," Lin Yu declared, his eyes brimming with confidence.
"Of course. During our earlier discussion, I could clearly sense your unique insights into the game and the players."
"That's invaluable. Perhaps your distinctive perspective will help our Bullets team overcome our current challenges."
Onseld shook the newspaper in his hand. The headline screamed: Washington Bullets Suffer Fourth Straight Loss.
Basketball tactics and philosophies inevitably evolve with the times. In his previous life, Lin Yu had been a die-hard fan. Through constant exposure, he had absorbed concepts and strategies that transcended his era, making them second nature.
Ideas like the Suns' Seven-Second Offense from the future sounded remarkably fresh and exciting to the old-school "Bone Crusher."
The trio also dissected the strengths and weaknesses of the league's dominant teams' signature plays—the Bulls' triangle offense, the Jazz's pick-and-roll, and veteran coach Del Hey's Princeton system.
To Old Bone Crusher, many of Lin Yu's perspectives seemed immature, yet his thinking was refreshingly novel.
"Come with me, kid."
"We have a team meeting coming up. I'll introduce you to everyone, and we'll sign your assistant coach contract afterward."
With that, Old Grinder led Lin Yu toward yesterday's conference room.
Upon entering, Lin Yu immediately spotted Ben Giles. As the head scout, he naturally had the authority to attend this meeting.
Giles looked utterly bewildered when he saw Lin Yu, especially witnessing Onseld chatting and laughing with him. He began to doubt whether he was hallucinating.
After Lin Yu had worked his ass off for the team yesterday, Giles hadn't even felt the urge to mock him. In his eyes, there was no way he'd ever have anything to do with a lowly creature like Lin Yu again.
Yet, in just one day, Lin Yu somehow became the most powerful man in the Bullets!
How was that possible?! How the hell did he pull it off?!
"Hey, Mr. Giles. Never thought we'd meet again so soon."
"Sorry to disappoint you, but I can't stay out of your sight forever. From now on, you might see me every single day."
"Oh, and I'm the team's assistant coach now—with a contract and everything."
Lin Yu's piercing gaze fixed on Giles, making the latter's blood boil for no apparent reason.
Though he was a manager after all, his standing within the team might not even surpass that of an assistant coach.
This disparity was evident in their salaries: his annual pay as scouting director barely reached $150,000, while the lowest-paid assistant coach on the Bullets' coaching staff earned $200,000.
A greenhorn he'd fired himself had climbed above him in just one day—how could he not be furious?
"Lin Yu, stop whining! Don't get cocky here. You're just an assistant coach!"
"The NBA is all about skill and ability. I don't know how you landed this assistant job, but I'm certain you won't last the season."
Giles' face flushed crimson as he snarled at Lin Yu in a low voice.
His words weren't wrong. Forget assistant coaches—even head coaches in the NBA had an extremely high turnover rate. Nearly half the teams fired their head coach every year as a sacrificial offering for poor performance.
Lin Yu shook his head and laughed. "Mr. Giles, whether I survive this season isn't your problem."
"What you should be worried about is whether you can keep your job once I become the team's head coach."
"I might just fire you—literally—for squeezing me dry."
Just as Ben Giles prepared to retort, Old Bone Crusher beckoned Lin Yu over to introduce him to the team's executives.
After the meeting concluded, Lin Yu signed his first professional contract in the general manager's office.
Annual salary: $220,000!
Since the season was already nearly one-third complete, Lin Yu wouldn't receive the full annual salary—only about $70,000.