Martin paused, startled, and asked, "Mr. Lin, is there a problem with this direction?"
" David, you're treating Kevin like one of those celebrities who love fame."
Lin Qi leaned back in his chair, his tone calm but his attitude resolute.
"Throne, crown—it's all just a gimmick created by commercial companies. Putting these things on Kevin not only looks awkward to outsiders, but even Kevin himself wouldn't want to wear those shoes."
Lin Qi looked at David Martin and broke down Garnett's characteristics one by one.
" Kevin's core values are defense, hustle, and teamwork. On the court, he's always the one helping his teammates on defense, relentlessly grabbing defensive rebounds, and setting solid screens for the perimeter. Trying to label him as a ' Sacramento Kings ' is completely misguided."
David Martin frowned, somewhat troubled. "Mr. Lin, but in the sneaker market, shoes for big men have never sold well. If they're too bulky, fans think they're clumsy; if we emphasize defense and screens, people feel they're not eye-catching enough. That's why we wanted to use a crown as a packaging material."
"That's because you didn't figure out how to tell this story, nor how to design these shoes."
Lin Qi wrote a name on the piece of white paper beside him.
Hard-Earned.
Lin Qi put down his pen and looked at the two men. " Kevin has a very rare quality. He experienced the brutal physical battles of the old era, and at the same time, he pioneered a new style of play for the inside."
Avar and Martin both quieted down and listened attentively.
" Kevin only twenty-seven years old this year. In terms of age, he's in the prime of his career as an inside player. He's not old at all," Lin Qi said slowly. "But in terms of experience, there aren't many people in the league who have more experience than him."
"In 1995, he graduated from high school at the age of nineteen and entered the league right in the middle of the most intense half-court battles. In those years, the Chicago Bulls were a formidable force, and Kevin was battling Dennis Rodman for position in the paint. One year, he broke his nose in a collision with the Chicago Bulls, but he still went back on the court to grab rebounds in the next game, wearing a black mask."
"In the shortened 1999 season, he faced the Twin Towers of Tim Duncan and David Robinson in the NBA Finals, and through sheer physical battles in the paint, he helped Boston win their first championship. For the next three years, facing the OK Duo, and then the Lakers with Michael's return, Kevin led his team to three NBA Finals appearances against the Lakers, securing a four-peat through his defense. Until three months ago, the two teams battled to the very last second in a Game 7 double overtime before Kevin unfortunately lost, watching Michael retire with a championship."
Lin Qi looked at David Martin: "He has that old-school obsession with winning, defense and championships over all individual accolades. That's the old-school side of him."
Eric Avar nodded thoughtfully. "And the new side?"
"The new aspect lies in his playing style breaking the traditional definition of a center."
Lin Qi's voice was steady and powerful.
"Before Kevin, most big men in the league were low-post players who relied on backing down their opponents. Kevin is nearly seven feet tall, but he can dribble up the court, facilitate and pass from the high post, shoot from three-point range and mid-range, and defensively switch all the way from the perimeter to the paint."
" Boston needs to speed up their offense in the new season, and the whole team needs to play transition offense. After Kevin grabs a defensive rebound, he should immediately make a long pass to initiate a fast break. He is not only the core of the interior defense, but also an all-around hub who can run like a wing player. This duality is Kevin's greatest strength."
Eric Avar's eyes lit up. "Mr. Lin, you mean these shoes can't be made into traditional oversized sneakers?"
"Yes, traditional big man basketball shoes are bulky and heavy; the average fan simply can't wear them."
Lin Qi drew two simple shoe outlines on the paper with a pen.
"Splitting Garnett's new signature shoe into two versions and releasing them simultaneously."
"The first version is called the 'Defense Edition.' It features a classic high-top design with a rigid, supportive heel counter and a large carbon fiber anti-torsion plate in the midsole, emphasizing solid lower body support and lateral support. This version is designed for his low-post defense, rim protection, and physical play, making it suitable for interior players who play on concrete or in the paint and require strong protection."
"The second version is called the 'All-Round Edition'. The collar is lowered to a mid-top, and the upper uses lighter composite fabric and lightweight foam materials, with enhanced flexibility and responsiveness in the forefoot. This version is designed for his ability to play high post, drive to the basket, and sprint after grabbing a rebound. It has a more streamlined appearance and is suitable for forwards and even guards."
Eric Avar quickly sketched lines on the whiteboard, his expression excited. "A dual-version strategy! One for positional defense, one for quick mobility, perfectly matching Garnett's two playing styles on the court. This not only solves the problem of bulky, hard-to-sell big men's shoes, but also makes guards and forwards more willing to buy the mid-top version."
David Martin also clarified his thinking, "Comments can also be made around this duality."
"Yes, the camera should capture the most authentic details."
Lin Qi outlined the framework of the advertisement.
"No fancy special effects."
The first half of the video features old footage from the 1990s of him wearing a black mask, defending, and diving to save the ball under the basket. The second half features footage of him making long passes from the high post, assisting, and quickly following up with dunks.
"Let Kevin deliver his own lines."
"Nine years ago, they said a high school center like me couldn't make it in the league."
"Nine years later, I'm twenty-seven, and I have four championship rings."
"Some people only care about scoring. I score, rebound, assist, block, and even steal loose balls."
"Some people think a seven-foot tall guy should just stay in the paint. Defense, playmaking, running all over the court—I can do it all."
"Individual accolades are icing on the cake; only the championship trophy can prove everything."
"A true Sacramento Kings doesn't need anyone to crown him. I earn respect with my blood and sweat."
The final scene shows Kevin hanging his black mask on the locker and putting on his new shoes, tightening his shoelaces.
The meeting room fell silent for a moment. David Martin looked at the two preliminary sketches of sneakers on the drawing board and nodded.
"This plan perfectly captures Garnett's strengths. The dual-version approach addresses both his defensive role and the weight issue of the shoe for both on-court and everyday wear. Nike promotes LeBron James's talent, while we showcase Garnett's four championships earned over eight years and his all-around skills; fans will naturally see the significance."
"The color scheme of the shoes is also restrained," Lin Qi added, "Mainly pure black, white, and Boston Celtics green, avoiding any flashy bright colors."
The three proposals were neatly arranged on the table, each representing a different target audience and clearly segmenting the fan groups with varying needs.
Lin Qi closed the document in front of him, picked up his water glass, took a sip, and stood up.
"Finalize the draft based on this plan, have the design department produce samples as soon as possible, and have the legal department confirm the details with the player's team. On October 29th, during the regular season opener against the Cleveland Cavaliers, air Garnett's new ad during halftime, which is broadcast nationwide."