Chapter 316 1997 NCAA Division I Men“s Basketball Tournament 4
Jake had to admit that he was a little excited after hearing the great David Falk saying that he could become the future NBA lead character in the coming years, especially since he was someone who had always been close to Michael Jordan.
Since his past life, Jake had a dream of being a great basketball player, in this life he was having this opportunity and didn't want to waste it so he trained so much and even lost marathons to playing college basketball.
Jake was already in a situation where he had the money to live the rest of his life from the investments in Matthew's companies and the investments his investment company made that he would have a part beyond the investments in the company Amazon that would guarantee billions of dollars to Jake in the future.
He could also dominate a sport like athletics if he kept pushing himself the way he was and maybe even getting other gold medals in different sports, but Jake still struggled in basketball and wanted to become a star and leave his name on history.
Still, Jake knew how difficult it was to realize this dream even with all his talent and the help of the system, so hearing David Falk saying something like that after playing a great season on the Tar Heels team made Jake more confident.
"I'm glad to hear you say that David, to be honest, I really am very ambitious with my career as a basketball player, I say nothing to others not to sound arrogant, but I really want to become an NBA star."
"I don't really care much about money, but I want to get paid just as much for my skills and achievements playing basketball, so I really want someone to find several companies to sponsor me."
"Besides, I want to get good contracts where I win what really reflects my value and in the contract I find possibilities to compete in marathons and maybe do other things like acting."
"After all, I know that only if I can really make a lot of money and make my team make a lot of money can I really be considered a basketball star."
Jake decided to say everything he really thought to David Falk, he knew very often that being too modest can cause a negative result, what David Falk was looking for was a star who had confidence in his abilities and had high ambitions.
Jake said he didn't need any money, but he still wanted to have a lot of advertising deals and great contracts with NBA teams, so he would let David Falk know that he could do his best to get Jake better and get a good commission.
Just as Jake thought David Falk was very pleased that Jake was ambitious because Jake had the ability to be arrogant if he wanted to, so David hoped Jake still wanted to run marathons even playing in the NBA and he could get it for him on contracts.
A team plays over 80 games a year and wouldn't mind if Jake lost 3 games a year to run and still bring more publicity to the team, as Jake didn't care about money but still wanted several sponsorship deals and the best contracts in basketball.
David didn't believe it at all, but he agreed with Jake's view that only a player making a lot of money and making a lot of money for the club would really be recognized as a basketball star.
"I can make sure that in your contract with your future NBA teams you have permission to lose some games if you need to compete in marathons."
"I myself believe this is very good for your image as an athlete and as an American citizen winning multiple marathons and continuing to win gold medals in the Olympics."
"Companies may not want to pay a lot for an athlete who only knows how to run, but you will be an NBA star who is also an athlete, this is unique and maybe it will be unique forever, so we have to use it to value your brand."
"You Jake Smith, you have to make your name a brand, you will have to become a brand, I know it is not very easy to do that, but we will have to preserve as much as possible your reputation and both social and professional life."
Jake wondered why David was saying this, many basketball players have hectic people lives and have fights with their teammates and coaches, but sports agents can't rule the basketball stars.
So some sports agents have to rush around to clean up the mess players make and try to protect the public image of the players, Jake could guarantee it wouldn't be because it wasn't his personality.
But even he could not deny that in the future he could end up having problems with other players and even with coaches of the basketball teams he passes, after all, something like this has happened in the past.
"I can say that I don't like doing things like this and my personal life will be pretty quiet, but I can't guarantee that I don't have problems with other players or coaches, it will depend on a lot of things, but I will try not to cause too many problems for you."
"It will be great if you try not to cause me too much trouble, some minor problems I can solve for you myself, after all, it's part of my job."
"Just like I told you, Jake, I think you're very talented and have a unique basketball style, besides, you're a marathon runner and a great one at that."
"So I think you can start out in the NBA with star status, in the first year you won't be so recognized, but in a few seasons I think you can be a major player and an NBA symbol like Michael Jordan is now."
"Also, it's great that you decided to go to university instead of going straight to the NBA, you could go to the NBA directly last year and get a good salary."
"But even with your talent, it would take you a few years to become a respected player and even longer become one of the top players on your team."
"It's like Kobe Bryant, a great player who decided to join the NBA directly instead of going to college, missed a great opportunity to gain much more recognition at the university and create a legacy and decided to join the NBA directly."
"I'm sure that in the next few years he will be on the bench at the beginning and only after a few years he will be able to play like the other players, but if he had spent those next few years at university he would receive much more recognition and improve his skills."
"I think he has the talent and could be one of the best NBA basketball players in a few years, but even if that happens I'll still think he missed that opportunity."
Jake was surprised by what David Falk was saying, Kobe Bryant was starting in the NBA now, and David Falk was talking exactly what would happen to him in the NBA, of course, Kobe Bryant must not have regretted joining the NBA before.
And in a few years, LeBron James would do the same as Kobe Bryant did, and just the Nike contract he would make would be worth going straight to the NBA, and LeBron James started playing in most games of the season since the first year.
But in reality today Jake himself knew that it would be a better option to play college first before joining the NBA, and with the help of the Jake system he could play up to 45 years old if he wanted to.
"I'll tell you something, the next few years will be complicated in the NBA and a lot of things will change in that time, even a few years later the situation may take a while to get back to normal."
"Maybe in just a few years even Michael Jordan and some great players will decide to retire, so it will be the end of an NBA era and no player can replace Michael Jordan today."
"So I think the coming years are the best time for newcomers like you to join the NBA, so you could build a legendary career and even become the new NBA head player just as Michael Jordan is now."
"It will all depend on the end of your talent and how much you are able to make in your NBA seasons, but I'm sure you're unique and it will get you critics' attention in the coming years."
Jake knew that David Falk was talking about the NBA stoppage that would take place in the 1998-99 season where for the first time in history the season would have less than 60 games, David Falk would be indirectly involved in that and so warned Jake.
After a few seasons earning more than $ 30 million a season, Michael Jordan has decided to retire on high than earning less than half in the next few years.
And David Falk was suggesting to Jake that maybe this would be a great opportunity for Jake to become one of the best and top NBA players while the whole NBA had the lowest audience attention.
So Jake thought David Falk might be looking for a client like Michael Jordan to keep earning a lot and feel motivated to work for the next 20 years, and Jake could be maybe that player or at least Shaquille O'Neal's level of skill and ability to make money.
"After saying all this I think we're pretty much already working together, don't you, David?"
"I hope so, as soon as you decide to leave university and join the NBA Draft I sign a contract with you, meanwhile I will talk more superficially with some sponsors and when you decide to join the NBA you may already have some proposals. "