August 10, 2003, Boston, Brighton District.
The bus traveled smoothly under the warm late summer sun. Inside, the players, who had just finished their vacation, chatted in small groups. The biggest gossip of the offseason was undoubtedly the storm that had struck Chicago.
"Listen, Kobe's in deep trouble this time." Chris Paul Pierce leaned back in his chair, flipping through the day's newspaper, and complained to Tyronn Lue beside him, " The Eagle County case is all over the country now, and all the details of yesterday's hearing have been revealed. The Chicago Bulls ' locker room must be in complete chaos right now."
" The Chicago management probably wants to kill him," Tyronn Lue scoffed. "They finally got him as the cornerstone of the team, and now he not only has to deal with lawsuits, but also a bunch of sponsors dropping out. I think the Chicago Bulls will explode internally before the next season even starts."
"Mind your own business." Pierce changed the subject, tapping the back of the seat in front of him, "This new training facility..."
Before Pierce could finish speaking, the bus rounded a bend, and the view at the end of the tree-lined avenue came into everyone's view.
The discussion in the carriage stopped.
Pierce's mouth was half open, but he swallowed the rest of his sentence.
It was a magnificent building with an exterior made of huge one-way transparent glass and silver-gray alloy, full of modernist design. At the top of the building, its name was inlaid in dark gold lettering— Auerbach Training and Medical Center.
To persuade the stubborn " The Cardinal " to agree to the naming rights, Lin Qi personally visited him three times that summer, eventually winning over the elderly man who had dedicated his life to Boston with this top-of-the-line facility costing a staggering $95 million.
When the bus came to a stop and the players walked into the spacious and bright lobby carrying their training bags, Lin Qi and head coach Rick Carlisle had been waiting for a long time.
"Welcome to the new season, everyone. Follow me." Lin Qi smiled and turned around, leading everyone into the building.
The first thing that catches the eye is the independent solid wood flooring, laid entirely to the highest NBA standards.
"Watch out above, everyone," Rick Carlisle pointed to the rows of black cameras on the dome, "The most advanced multi-angle digital camera and motion capture system in the United States."
"What do you mean?" Wade, whose rookie season had just ended, couldn't help but ask.
"It means it can record your take-off angles, running trajectories, and defensive positioning in training from all angles," Rick Carlisle explained calmly. "The system will automatically capture your defensive lapses and mistakes and send them directly to the tactical analysis room. From now on, anyone who misses even half a step in a practice match will have no room for excuses."
After passing through the training ground, Lin Qi pushed open a heavy double door and led them into the living area.
Here, the $95 million cost finally reveals just the tip of the iceberg. What comes into view is not just a changing room, but a surprisingly large integrated leisure center.
In addition to the standard top-grade walnut wood wardrobe and independent antibacterial ventilation system, the center of the area features a huge circular leather sofa lounge area. Against the wall are four latest-model game consoles connected to an extra-large screen. In a corner, there is even a small barbershop equipped with a professional barber chair.
At the other end of the corridor is a restaurant with its own kitchen, where a full-time nutritionist and head chef provide continuous customized meals during business hours. Next to the restaurant is a tiered private cinema that can accommodate thirty people, which can be used for tactical video analysis meetings or for players to watch movies during breaks.
"In this league, the monotonous away games and high-intensity training can easily become tedious," Lin Qi said, pointing to the facilities. "So I had this turned into your private club. Even without training, you can bring your friends here to play games, get a haircut, have a big meal, and stay all day without any problem."
Mark Cuban's "locker room hardware revolution" with the Dallas Mavericks was pushed to another level here.
"This is just an appetizer."
Seeing the players still figuring out their new environment, Lin Qi led the group south and pushed open the automatic glass door of the medical and rehabilitation center.
In the NBA in 2003, most teams were still dealing with injuries with team doctors' physical therapy and ice baths. But here, there are many enormous machines that can only be seen in cutting-edge laboratories or top medical schools in Europe.
"Ladies and gentlemen, this is what I promised two years ago: the first professional sports science laboratory in the United States." Lin Qi pointed to those strangely shaped behemoths.
"Boss, what's that? A time machine?" Brian Scalabrine pointed at a huge metal vertical pod that was emitting white, cold air, his eyes wide.
"Liquid nitrogen cryotherapy chamber. Technology just brought back from a cutting-edge laboratory in Europe." Lin Qi patted the metal casing. "It can use liquid nitrogen at minus one hundred degrees Celsius to quickly eliminate your muscle inflammation within three minutes. From today onwards, no more ice tub soaks."
"And this, the HydroWorx underwater rehabilitation treadmill." Lin Qi walked to a huge, transparent water tank. "It uses buoyancy to reduce the weight-bearing capacity of the lower limb joints by 80%. After a sprained ankle or knee surgery, you don't have to wait for your muscles to atrophy; you can safely and rapidly regain your aerobic fitness in the water."
Upon hearing this, Gary Payton, who was standing at the back of the crowd with a cane, suddenly looked up.
Having just undergone surgery for a torn meniscus and groin, Gary Payton stared at the water tank, his Adam's apple bobbing. He suddenly realized that a timely return to play wasn't such a distant dream after all.
"Finally, the hyperbaric oxygen chamber," Lin Qi pointed to the equipment in the corner, "Accelerates blood oxygen circulation and greatly shortens fatigue recovery time. It will be the machine you need most during your back-to-back away games in the Western Conference."
"This is mine." Kevin Garnett strode over and patted the metal shell of the hyperbaric oxygen chamber. "I'll sleep in here every day after training."
Seeing the players' reactions, Lin Qi turned around, his tone becoming more serious.
"With this equipment, your careers could be extended by three or five years. I absolutely will not allow Boston players to retire in their early thirties because of wear and tear that could have been avoided." Lin Qi's voice echoed in the medical center.
"The second floor is the tactical conference room, and the top floor is the family lounge. While you're sweating it out downstairs, your wives and children can enjoy coffee upstairs with a view overlooking the Charles River."
Lin Qi clapped his hands, bringing everyone back to their senses.
"Medical, logistical, tactical support—the management has done everything they can to the best of their ability." Lin Qi pointed towards the door. "Now, go choose your wardrobes."
The players cheered loudly and excitedly rushed towards the luxurious locker room, afraid that if they arrived late they would miss out on good spots.