The Athens sun is more aggressive than that of Milan, carrying an unbridled, scorching heat.
The person I was about to meet was far more difficult to deal with than those Spain businessmen eager to cash out.
Pavlos Giannakopoulos is the head of the Greece pharmaceutical giant Vianex and the owner of the Panathinaikos Basketball Club.
The meeting was arranged at a private estate owned by the Giannakopoulos family at the foot of the Acropolis of Athens in Athens.
Pavlos sat under a huge parasol, and even though he was over sixty, the Greece tycoon still exuded an imposing patriarchal aura.
"Mr. Lin Qi." Seeing Lin Qi approach, Pavlos did not stand up, his gaze filled with scrutiny and a hint of undisguised mockery.
" Boston sports reporters practically turned the Charles River upside down looking for you, while you were just Suns in my Athens estate."
Pavlos paused, his tone suddenly turning cold and hard. "You flew all the way across the Atlantic Ocean... what, have you set your sights on one of my star players and are planning to offer to poach him to the NBA?"
Faced with this blatant and hostile probing, Lin Qi calmly pulled out a chair and sat down opposite Pavlos.
"You misunderstand, Mr. Giannakopoulos." Lin Qi placed his hands on the table, his tone calm and respectful. "I'm simply here to discuss cooperation. Panathinaikos boasts the oldest and most prestigious football tradition in Europe, and possesses the best players in all of Europe. You are the ' Boston Celtics ' of the Europe continent."
This perfectly timed compliment eased Pavlos's tense shoulders slightly.
"I understand your vision; you want much more than just a Greece championship." Lin Qi looked directly into the Greece tycoon's eyes. "You want to unite Europe's top clubs to create a Super League that, in terms of commercial value and competitive level, can rival or even compete with the NBA."
A sharp glint flashed in Pavlos's eyes.
"Since we share similar backgrounds, we should become allies," Lin Qi said bluntly. "I'd like to collaborate deeply with Panathinaikos under the name of the Boston Celtics. For example, we could host a super exhibition game in Athens, featuring the top Europe players, similar to an NBA All-Star game. Or, we could establish a joint training camp during the offseason, bringing together the best Europe players."
Pavlos frowned, seemingly assessing the proposal's validity. "The idea is good. But that stubborn old Jewish man David Stern won't agree. They absolutely won't allow an NBA team to bypass the league and engage in such a large-scale official collaboration with a Europe club."
That's why I'm sitting here today.
Lin Qi's lips curled into a sly smile, " David Stern is indeed rigid, but he's not without flaws. To bypass the NBA's lengthy approval process and conduct in-depth cross-border exchanges legally and compliantly, we need a legally recognized 'internal channel'."
What passage?
"I'd like to invest in and buy a 10% stake in Panathinaikos Club," Lin Qi said, leaning slightly forward as he offered his real bargaining chip.
Pavlos's face instantly darkened, thinking the fox had finally shown its tail. Just as he was about to lash out, Lin Qi immediately raised his hand to interrupt him.
"A symbolic shareholding, Mr. Giannakopoulos, purely a symbolic shareholding." Lin Qi's speech quickened, becoming firm and resolute. "I will not have any voting rights, will not interfere in any day-to-day operations, and I will not even want a seat as a board observer."
Pavlos was stunned.
"This is just a way to bypass David Stern," Lin Qi leaned back in his chair, explaining the logic. "With this 10% stake, we're a legally affiliated team. The NBA won't have the right to interfere with our internal 'joint training camps' and 'internal exhibition games.'"
"I can legitimately send the NBA's most cutting-edge training systems and tactical resources to Athens. We can also bypass league approval and host a super exhibition game that will attract nationwide attention in Europe. Not only that, the Boston Celtics ' tactics and advanced data will be completely open to you."
Lin Qi looked at Pavlos and threw out the final bait. "If you want to build a EuroLeague that rivals the NBA, you need top-notch tactical vision and data support, and even more so, a groundbreaking battle that can shake the world. And I can clear all the obstacles across the Atlantic Ocean for you."
A brief silence fell over the manor's terrace.
Only the warm wind blowing from the Aegean Sea rustled through the tablecloth.
Pavlos never expected that the other party could come up with such an ingenious and audacious "loophole exploitation" plan.
They used a mere 10% stake to acquire the Boston Celtics ' core tactics and data resources, and used this as a springboard to raise a banner that would disrupt the old order in Europe.
This is the Celtics just won the NBA championship.
This was an offer that Pavlos simply couldn't refuse.
A deep, unfathomable glint flashed in Pavlos's eyes, followed by unreserved admiration.
Pavlos slowly stood up and extended his weathered hand to Lin Qi.
Lin Qi stood up with a smile, his two hands clasped tightly together.
"Well then, it's a pleasure doing business with you, Mr. Giannakopoulos."