John Newell, Chief Consultant of the NBA League.

The white man, about 50 years old, has a bloated figure and a head full of silver hair, and looks like an official.

However, Newell is kind-hearted and has no airs at all. In his words, "Aren't we still a group of people working for the team? The team boss asks us to help manage the league. The team boss stops playing, and I'm just the chief consultant."

With just one joke, Newell successfully narrowed the distance with Link.

Link is actually not willing to have any contact with the league's senior management, because after all, the league's senior management is all businessmen, not just basketball practitioners.

Basketball is inseparable from business, but if business goes too far, it will definitely become disgusting. And some league leaders always regard themselves very high-profile and disgusting.

Therefore, Link has never had much contact with the league's senior executives. He will pay the fine when it is time to pay, and accept it when it is time to accept the praise. He will basically not meet at other times.

But Newell is an example. Because sitting with Newell, Link felt that he was just chatting with an uncle who likes basketball.

"Your performance this season is amazing. Link. 23 wins and 1 loss. God, it's 2014 soon, you only lost one game! LeBron will definitely not give up in the Christmas battle. How are you ready?" After Newell and Link chatted with him, they gradually turned to the topic.

"Good preparation, by the way, John, you said you want to ask me for something in the league. What's the matter?" Link heard that Newell was about to get into the topic, so he went downstairs and said.

"Oh," Newell waved his big palm, "It's a bit sad to say that. You know, the influence of the All-Star Weekend is getting worse every year."

When Link heard Newell say that All-Star Weekend, he probably felt good about it. It turned out that this is the case!

However, Link did not answer the questions quickly, and he was waiting for Newell to finish.

"In the past, the All-Star Weekend was a carnival for fans. But now, the All-Star Weekend has been labeled as uninnovative, boring, etc. In fact, we are also trying to save the situation. Last year, we changed the dunk contest, the Skills Challenge and the Three-Point Contest to the East-West Confrontation. A few years ago, we no longer used the rookie challenge as a first-year second-year team, but instead formed a mixed team. But all of what we did was futile and the fans didn't buy it at all."

Newell said, looking at Link. Link nodded slightly and signaling Newell to continue.

"Later we found out that this is not a matter of rules at all. People don't like to watch All-Star Weekends because they hate the current rules, but because they can't see stars on All-Star Weekends! Think about it, in the 1980s and 1990s, you can see MVP performing dunks in front of you. In the 3-point competition, you can see legendary superstars like Larry Bird! But now? Who still remembers who the 2012 slam dunk contest champion Jeremy Evans? After the list of several slam dunk contests was announced, fans even said that they didn't know who the participants were."

"So?" Link finally answered.

"So, we plan to change direction. We hope that some real stars can participate in the All-Star Weekend game, especially the most highly-anticipated slam dunk contest. People do not hate the slam dunk contest, but hate watching the shrimp soldiers and crab players participate in the slam dunk contest. When Dwight Howard participated in the slam dunk contest, the effect was amazing. But in the third year, he did not participate, and the game immediately became dim. When Griffin participated in the slam dunk contest, his movements were not very novel, but because he was a star player, everyone bought it. We need a real superstar to participate in the slam dunk contest, such as a great superstar like you!"

After waiting for a long time, Newell finally explained the purpose of the conversation. Link was not surprised, and the result was the same as he expected.

And this also explains why Link was treated so well these two days.

Do you think the league doesn’t want stars to participate in the dunk contest? They definitely want to do it too. But there is no doubt that big-name stars have rejected the invitation from the league. Only newcomers who have not yet become famous and hope to gain popularity through the dunk contest will be able to flow into this muddy water.

Therefore, the league will devote all its efforts to Link this time. The purpose is to increase his favorability to Link, and hope that he can accept the invitation to participate in the dunk contest.

Being licked by the league... Link believes that this kind of experience is not something that all superstars have.

"The dunk contest needs to be saved again, Link. And you are the only one who can save the dunk contest in the whole league! If you participate in the dunk contest, I believe that you will be as famous as Vince Carter in 2000! I believe that your fame will be further improved. I believe that you will become the most popular athlete in the whole league! Of course, I know that you no longer need to prove yourself by the dunk contest. I know that you are already the best athlete in the league. It is not harmful to further enhance your historical status, right?"

Link could hear that Newell was very careful in speaking. No wonder the alliance sent Newell, a kind old man, to talk to Link, because he was afraid that he would annoy Link if he didn't say anything.

If I send Adam Silva, that stupid man, it is probably "If you like to participate, you will participate, and if you don't participate, you will fall down."

It’s not because Link is slandering, Adam Silva’s negotiation level is really that bad.

"Link, please! Think carefully. The dunk contest needs you, and the fans need you."

Newell used the word "please", and even if Link understood this word as "please" in Chinese, it would be no exaggeration.

To be honest, Link is really not disgusted with participating in the slam dunk contest, and he always wants to play.

But in the face of Bill Simmons' provocation and the expectations of fans, Link has never made up his mind.

This time, the league actually invited Link to participate in the dunk contest, and with such a humble attitude.

I have to say that Link still has a good impression of this.

"I'll think about it carefully, Newell. Give me some time and I'll reply to you."

"Really?" Newell probably didn't expect Link to agree so readily. Although he just agreed to consider it, things were much smoother than he thought.

In the past, when the league invited other stars, others basically refused directly. The most tactful thing is to find some excuses at most.

The first one to just say that Link simply wants to consider is still the first one.

"Of course it's true, but I don't guarantee that I will attend in the end. The only thing I can guarantee is that you will get my answer by mid-January."

"Thank you so much, Link! I believe that the 2014 slam dunk contest will definitely be recorded in history!"

Link smiled and said goodbye to Newell, then immediately discussed with Jeff Austin. Of course, he did not forget to inform Pera and Joggle.

In the afternoon, Link, Durant, James, Harden, Ross and Curry participated in the shooting of the Christmas War promotional advertisement.

The advertisement was very creative, and the staff placed five basketball racks in the basketball court, each of which was placed horizontally on the bottom line.

Then, the nets were full of bells, and as long as the players could throw the ball in, the bells would make a sound.

The bells hung on the nets of each basketball stand are different, so the tones are also different. If the ball is thrown into the corresponding basket in sequence and rhythm, you can play a simple "Jinger Bell" based on the different silver colors emitted by the bells.

It's really great to play music by relying on basketball.

Several superstar players shot in short-sleeved jerseys for the Christmas game and hit it one after another. The advertisement was shot very smoothly and it ended after only three times. Among them, Ross and Harden lost one shot respectively, and no accidents occurred in the other people in the shooting.

After the commercial shooting, Linkben wanted to "talk about the past" with Durant.

However, James took the lead.

"Link, we are not very leisurely this Christmas."

James smiled. Unlike Kobe, he was not the kind of player who could ignore his teammates because of his anger.
Chapter completed!