Milan at the end of August, as night deepens.
The spectators in the Forum had already left, but the lights in the arena's dome remained on. The giant scoreboard hanging in mid-air displayed a glaring "35-point difference" like a huge exclamation mark, silently overlooking the empty court.
The atmosphere inside the luxurious VIP box on the top floor of the stadium was completely different from the deserted atmosphere outside.
The owners and executives of more than a dozen top Europe basketball clubs (including Panathinaikos, Bologna, Benetton Treviso ) gathered together. These people usually wield great influence in the Europe basketball world, but at this moment, facing the expensive red wine in their hands, their expressions were extremely somber.
In the center of the private room, Maurizio Gherardini, the CEO of EBA, which had just celebrated its first anniversary, was methodically pushing thick memos in front of the various bosses.
In the corner of the VIP box, Lin Qi sat quietly on a single sofa. As an invited guest, he didn't open the documents in front of him. He simply sipped his espresso slowly, his gaze calmly fixed on the stadium outside the window, remaining silent throughout and leaving the stage entirely to Gherardini.
"Ladies and gentlemen, I know tonight's game has left you feeling uneasy," Gherardini broke the silence in the box. "Some might make excuses, saying Boston's physicality was too superior. But gentlemen, we can no longer deceive ourselves. This isn't just a loss in one game; it's a comprehensive gap in skill between Europe basketball and a highly developed commercial league."
The owner of Panathinaikos frowned, seemingly wanting to object.
"Don't rush to deny it. Let's not talk about tonight, let's talk about objective historical data." Gherardini raised a finger, throwing out a set of comparisons that stung all Europe basketball fans.
"Drazen Petrovic, the pride of all Europe. He averaged 28.5 points per game in the Spain league, but when he first went to the NBA, his stats dropped to 15.4 points per game."
Gherardini's gaze swept over the crowd, his voice steady and powerful. "And there's Arvydas Sabonis, a core center averaging 20 points and 12 rebounds per game in Europe, but only averaging 12 points and 7 rebounds per game in the NBA. Tony Kukoč, averaging nearly 20 points per game in Italy, but only serving as a sixth man for the Chicago Bulls. Even Peja Stojaković, a former EuroLeague scoring champion, only averaged a paltry 8 points per game in his rookie season in the NBA!"
The box was deathly silent. Every name Gherardini called out was that of a superstar who had once dominated Europe basketball.
"Why is this happening?" Gherardini leaned on the conference table. "Is it because our brilliant technology is lacking? No. It's because they possess an extremely scientific physical combat training system."
"Our players are used to practicing tactics for only two hours a day, but lack systematic muscle training and rehabilitation support. When they cross the Pacific Ocean and face that extremely high-intensity game pace, a decline in their stats is inevitable. If we continue to cling to outdated practices and remain obsessed with the existing training model, the gap between Europe basketball and the NBA will only widen."
Gherardini slammed his hand on the memo on the table. "This is also the core reason why the EBA was established a year ago. We need to change not only the competition format, but also the infrastructure! Starting next month, all teams joining the EBA system must fully align themselves with the highest NBA standards in terms of both hardware and training!"
He opened the memo to the first page and laid out specific upgrade targets. "You must have an independent, modern training center. Your coaching staff must include a full-time strength and conditioning coach and a dedicated shooting coach. Your medical room must be equipped with hospital-grade rehabilitation equipment such as MRI machines and underwater treadmills!"
Upon hearing about the large-scale renovation of the arena and the expansion of the team, Bologna's owner swallowed hard, his face showing difficulty. " Maurizio, what you're saying... even an NBA team would need several million dollars to renovate a training facility like this. Renovating a dozen clubs together is an astronomical figure; our finances simply cannot afford it."
"You don't need to pay for this."
Gherardini smiled slightly, his eyes radiating confidence. "As the operating entity of the league, EBA will fully cover the infrastructure renovation costs for all clubs."
Seeing the shocked expressions on the owners' faces, Gherardini calmly spread his hands. "We've done the math. The initial investment for the first dozen or so clubs—renovating their training facilities, purchasing equipment, and building professional teams—will exceed one hundred million US dollars. In the next few years, the EBA League will incur losses of tens of millions of dollars annually."
"However, the capital behind the league is willing to bear the strategic losses of the past few years." Gherardini's tone became extremely firm, "Because what we're betting on is the immeasurable future of Europe basketball. As long as you complete the hardware upgrades and keep the talents in Europe to hone their competitiveness to rival that of the NBA, the league guarantees you a share of extremely lucrative broadcasting rights and commercial sponsorship profits in the future."
Gherardini placed his pen on the memo. "Sign it, use the money to build your new weight room, and work with the league to create a billion-dollar, established league. Or, you can stay in the old days and watch others carve up the basketball world."
Only rapid breathing filled the private room. Faced with this grand blueprint that was impossible to refuse, so-called tradition seemed utterly insignificant.
In the corner, Lin Qi gently put down his coffee cup. The clinking of the porcelain made a crisp "ding" sound, causing several shop owners to subconsciously turn their heads.
Lin Qi stood up and elegantly buttoned his suit jacket. He nodded slightly to Gherardini, then pushed open the door to the private room and calmly left under the watchful eyes of the Europe dignitaries.