Winnie knows how much Reebok wants to sign Chamberlain, and she also knows how much Chamberlain needs Reebok, don't underestimate these shoe merchants, their energy in the NBA is extremely terrifying, such as the owners of Nike and Adidas, which can not only affect the performance of stars in the All-Star Game, but also determine whether they can be selected for the Olympic Games, the World Basketball Championship and other golden events.

For example, there has always been speculation in the basketball world that in the 2003 All-Star Game, Carter ceded the starting power to Jordan, which was everything that Nike dominated behind the scenes; Another example is the upcoming 08 Olympic Games, Arenas, who is now in the limelight in the NBA, did not enter the 20-man squad option at all, which made the general extremely angry, he had already told the media, all because he endorsed Adidas and did not endorse Nike.

In fact, it is indeed for this reason that he not only cannot join the regular 12-man list of the Olympic Games, but also cannot even enter the 20-man list of the original audition.

Winnie is bound to Reebok, and wants to give Chamberlain a lifetime endorsement contract, she doesn't want Chamberlain to change the door at some stage, because in the NBA's sneaker industry, betrayal is a very harsh act, no matter which shoe agent sees a traitor, it is difficult to be reused.

For example, in a few years, Wade will become the owner of Li Ning with 10 million US dollars + equity, and next year's new champion Ross will take 10 years2. $500 million endorsement Nike, LeBron has an average of 15 million new contracts per year, Durant and Anthony are both 7 years and 60 million...... And in the midst of these big names, Kobe's sneaker contract is a little shabby, he "only" 3 years and 42 million.

However, in the United States and even internationally, Kobe's appeal is obviously above the little emperor, but in terms of endorsement, whether it is the amount of the contract offered by NIKE or the status in the advertising strategy, Kobe's treatment is far inferior to the little emperor. In part, it's all because Kobe Bryant was a traitor, and Winnie is avoiding it.

Winnie contacted Adidas first and then Reebok, it was her own consideration, she knew that her arrangement would definitely not be able to avoid the eyes of the media, and she wanted to tell Reebok that there were other options besides you and me, and I had already talked about it, if I was not happy with you, then I would be sorry, we would cooperate with Adidas.

But to Winnie's shock, all of this didn't work at all, and when she took Chamberlain and Reebok to sit together, Reebok promised to give Chamberlain a big contract, but it didn't meet Winnie's psychological expectations: what she wanted was a lifetime contract, the same as AI's.

Reebok categorically refused, they were willing to give Chamberlain a five-year contract of 32 million or a seven-year contract of 50 million, the latter was already equivalent to Yao Ming, but they absolutely refused to give Chamberlain a lifetime contract.

"You absolutely know Z's potential, the All-Star Game, the Defensive Player of the Year, the Team of the Season, the Defensive Team, he can definitely get it, and he got it in his rookie season, his potential is limitless, with him joining, you can even compete with Nike in the NBA." Winnie tried to convince the capitalists on the other side, but her efforts were in vain.

Reebok's negotiator replied to Winnie with a professional but haughty smile, saying, "We admit that Z is great, and with his help we can sell more sneakers, more clothes." But he's not Michael Jordan, he's not O'Neal, he's not even Yao Ming, he's a Chinese-American rookie born in the United States, so do you feel a little greedy? Our lifetime contract can't possibly give a rookie. ”

Chamberlain's brow furrowed when he saw the disdain on the smiles of the Reebok representatives, but Winnie patted the back of his hand in time and signaled him not to rush and leave everything to her.

Winnie and Reebok's representatives are at loggerheads, but it's all useless, Reebok is willing to give Chamberlain a big contract, but by no means a lifetime contract, and they are even willing to give Chamberlain an additional two million endorsement fees a year, but this is their limit.

For this contract, Winnie is also somewhat satisfied, at least this contract overpowers Yao Ming, as long as Chamberlain joins Reebok, then he is Reebok's second brother, and his status here is second only to Allen Iverson.

After both sides had shut up, Chamberlain stood up, looked down at the other party's negotiator, and asked, "Are you finished?" ”

Chamberlain is tall, and he inherited the body of Wilt Zhang, who has been fighting with the NBA's ruthless people all year round, and has developed a fierce atmosphere.

"What do you want to do, is there anything you would like to add?" The head of the negotiating team asked with a forced composure.

Chamberlain stared at him like a tiger staring at a little sheep, and when the head of the negotiating group couldn't sit still with sweat on his forehead, he said with contempt and contempt: "I only want to add one thing, that is, I will not endorse Reebok." ”

There was silence in the conference room, and everyone was staring at Chamberlain, including Winnie, who was a little dumbfounded for a moment, and it took them an hour and a half to discuss a temporary plan, but it was all ruined by Chamberlain's words.

After saying this, Chamberlain didn't give the other party a chance to ask questions, he took Winnie's hand and pulled her up, and said firmly: "Let's go, let's go eat, I'm hungry." ”

In order to help him negotiate a sneaker endorsement contract, Winnie has not eaten with him until now.

Being held by Chamberlain, Winnie was a little sluggish, and she didn't react until she was pulled out of the hotel, shook off her hand, and shouted with a straight face: "Hey, Z, you want to give me an explanation, why are you unwilling to endorse Reebok?" Do you know that I ......"

Chamberlain stopped and shouted to Winnie, "Do you know what those people think of you? They think you're an insatiable fool, they're laughing at you behind your back, they've never respected you! How can I cooperate with this kind of person?! Winnie, the contract doesn't matter, we can live a good life with one million a year, even if you help me find a small sneaker endorsement, as long as they are willing to respect you as my agent, that's enough. ”

Winnie looked at Chamberlain with a blank face, and when the latter finished yelling, she nodded silently.

Chamberlain didn't know what to say for a while, in short, he just couldn't get used to seeing the way Reebok looked at Winnie, who must have thought that Winnie was his mistress, a stupid woman who didn't know how to negotiate and didn't understand economics at all, so in the negotiation just now, they had been perfunctory to Winnie.

Winnie can see it too, but she doesn't care, business is business, why do you care so much? As long as you can get enough money to satisfy you, that's fine. Reebok's people also knew that she thought so, so she dared to look down on him like this.

But Chamberlain could not tolerate such a thing.

Winnie walked forward, and Chamberlain caught up with him, and asked with some trepidation, "Where are you going?" ”

"Aren't you going to eat?" Winnie glanced at him, her expression much softer than before, "Let's go, I'm actually hungry too." Originally, I wanted to blackmail Reebok for a big meal after negotiations, but it seems that there is no chance, so let's solve it ourselves. ”

Chamberlain was a little stunned, this was the first time he had heard Winnie joke, this grumpy girl used to always like to talk with a straight face.

When Winnie and Chamberlain sat down at the Cliff House Hotel - the latter thanked the former for his help tonight, and treated her to a big dinner anyway, although he didn't rob Reebok, he was more than willing to play such a role, and most importantly, he now had absolutely enough money in his bank card.

Soon after the two sat down, a kind white old man walked up to the two of them, this man, like most old American men, was very well-founded, but he was wearing a sportswear that only young people wear, which looked a little nondescript.

"May I sit next to you?" The old man asked Chamberlain.

Winnie has never been a person who likes to compromise, especially now that there are a lot of empty seats in the Cliff House Hotel, so she lowered her head and stirred the coffee, so she casually decisively said, "Sorry, we are a couple-only seat, so it is not appropriate for you to do it here." ”

Chamberlain was not surprised by this answer, after many days of communication, he already knew Winnie's rough nerves, as long as he could achieve his goal quickly, what to say was never what Winnie was willing to worry about.

Hearing this, the old man laughed loudly, and he patted Chamberlain on the shoulder with satisfaction, and said, "If Eddie's old fellow hears his daughter say this, then he will be happy." ”

Eddie is a common name in the United States, but it must be a specific person here, Eddie Gottlieb, Winnie's father.

Hearing the old man say this, Winnie, who had been careless, was taken aback, she raised her head to look at the old man, recognized it for a moment and then guessed and asked, "Are you ...... Ah no, you're Sonny Vacaro? God, it's really you, aren't you in Europe? How could it be here?! ”

Chamberlain was also surprised, he didn't actually know the old man, and he was not familiar with the name Sonny Vaccaro, and what surprised him was Winnie's name, this violent chick rarely called a person 'you', even old Nelson, in her mouth was just 'old man'.

The old man sat down uninvited, he sat down beside Chamberlain, smiled and said to Winnie: "It was originally in Europe, but my old friends at Adidas and Reebok sent me news that they were interested in recruiting Z, so I came back to see how they humiliated themselves." ”

Chamberlain was a little puzzled and asked in surprise: "What do you mean by humiliating yourself?" ”

Vacarro patted Chamberlain's broad thick back and laughed: "I know what the two bird companies are, they think they are gods, they think the players are puppets controlled by the sneaker contract in their hands, I fuck two stupid birds, they can use this means to play Jordan, Kobe Bryant, the sane cold-blooded people, and Carter, Maddy, James, Anthony and those soft eggs, but in the face of real fighters, their little tricks will only become shameful jokes!" ”

The old man's words aroused Chamberlain's favor at once, and he saw that Winnie immediately became a lady and low-key after Vacaro came, and felt incredible, so he knew that this old man should be a ruthless character, and pulled Winnie away, and asked her to tell the glorious history of this old man.