Chapter 120: The Obsessive Doctor
Back then, Xu Ling’s ankle sprain due to overexertion not only led to that shocking four-way trade that shook the league, but also prompted the Grizzlies and Xu Ling’s team to fully seek out top sports rehabilitation and physical therapy experts.
However, during the season, most authorities in this field already had contracts. Hiring a full-time top physical therapist was even more difficult—industry leaders often juggled multiple roles and were rarely willing to tie themselves to one team mid-season.
After searching everywhere without success, Xu Ling’s team was almost ready to give up and plan for the offseason.
But the Grizzlies management never stopped their efforts. The person in charge of this task was the team’s vice president, Dick Vitale.
Vitale was waiting in his office for the person he had long anticipated.
He heard that Jerry West had been in the office working several hours earlier; that veteran was always more diligent than anyone, showing no sign that he was nearly seventy.
Why? At an age when he should have retired, he still had such energy—what did he want?
What else but to make the Grizzlies successful?
A cold smile flashed across Vitale’s face.
But making the Grizzlies successful? First, you have to define success. Is it winning one playoff game, or reaching the second round? Or, by the standard of the great Logo Man’s past resume, winning that supreme O’Brien Trophy?
Is that possible?
At this thought, a name naturally surfaced in Vitale’s mind: Eli Xu.
Protagonist, Finisher, Regicide, Judgment Dunk, Mr. Headlines, Little Finger—whatever you call him, it can’t change one fact: he is the rookie who has had the greatest impact on a team since Tim Duncan. He is also the most attention-grabbing rookie since LeBron James.
Unlike King James, whose attention came from the hype of the Chosen One, from experts’ judgments of “this kid’s future is limitless,” he was like the protagonist in a story, bearing expectations of surpassing Michael Jordan before even playing a game.
What about Xu Ling? A year ago today, he was just a first round pick in scouts’ eyes. After March Madness, he was neck-and-neck with Oden and Durant. Before the first month of the regular season ended, he made it so the Grizzlies had no place for Rudy Gay, then came Judgment Dunk, shaking finger at the fallen king, AMVP.
Most people didn’t believe it was a fluke, but whether it was chance or inevitability, Xu Ling became one of the most attention-grabbing players in the league in half a season, and also made the Grizzlies—this team always forgotten by television broadcasters—one of the most attention-grabbing teams nationwide.
He proved his ability, potential, market appeal, and commercial value.
Isn’t that ironic?
The person who seemed most likely to become Kobe Bryant’s second is actually playing in the league’s smallest market.
Thinking of this, a hard-to-describe bitterness stirred in Vitale’s heart.
He struggled to accept that a yellow-skinned kid from the East, with astonishing basketball talent and a penchant for stirring trouble, had become this city’s hero, the brightest gem in Jerry West’s crown.
And his brother, that figure forever frozen in the 1970s, seemed to appear in his mind at that moment. Died in the humid, hot jungles of Southeast Asia, died under Vietnamese torture. He couldn’t understand why America needed to embrace those countries and people they could never truly trust deep down.
Don’t like it? Vitale said to himself, of course not. But like or not has never been the rule of this game.
The rule of this game is value, is power. Xu Ling now has unparalleled value, the perfect lever to pry open power. West sees Xu Ling as the cornerstone of revival, while Vitale sees him as a handy stepping stone.
Vitale needed to win over Xu Ling, or rather, make Xu Ling feel won over. For a young star with unlimited potential, what better gift than finding him a professional authority physical therapist?
He mobilized all his networks, avoided West’s circle, and turned his gaze to more cutting-edge, elite private service fields.
Finally, he locked onto Dr. Dyke Ross—a genius with a resume so impressive it was jaw-dropping, and who was eager for a top platform to validate his theories.
More importantly, Vitale promised unconditional support and a stage to showcase his abilities. With Xu Ling as the core, Ross agreed with little hesitation—this was a mutually beneficial trade.
That afternoon, right after the Grizzlies’ training session ended, Dick Vitale brought Dr. Dyke Ross to the therapy area.
Vitale’s face lit up with an enthusiastic and concerned smile as he approached Xu Ling, who had just finished strength training and was icing his ankle, and Mark Iavaroni accompanying him.
“Eli! How are you feeling?” Vitale’s tone carried just the right amount of concern. He gently patted Xu Ling’s shoulder, the gesture affectionate like a kindly elder. “Mark, this is the Dr. Dyke Ross I mentioned to you.”
Xu Ling paused, then sized up Dr. Ross.
Nearly fifty years old, with the physique of a thirty-year-old athlete, silver-gray short hair, frameless glasses, and a well-tailored dark tracksuit—he looked very much the professional.
Then Vitale formally introduced: “Dr. Ross, this is our team’s head coach, Mark Iavaroni. And this is your main focus, the banner of Memphis professional basketball, Eli Xu.”
Though Xu Ling didn’t yet know the expert’s true caliber, the team’s move undoubtedly gave him an extra layer of security.
So he nodded in response like Iavaroni: “Nice to meet you, Dr. Ross.”
Dr. Ross stepped forward and shook hands with Xu Ling and Iavaroni respectively. He had no superfluous small talk; his gaze went straight to Xu Ling.
“Mr. Xu.”
Xu Ling rarely heard anyone call him “Mr.” at FedEx Forum.
“Mm-hmm?”
He instinctively responded.
“Mr. Vitale described your situation to me in detail and provided your recent game videos and physical measurements.” Dr. Ross began. “Mr. Xu, your basketball talent is beyond doubt. But the way you use your body—in my professional terms—is a kind of ‘high-wear energy output.'”
Then he pulled out a human tissue structure diagram and began spouting medical terms to explain to Xu Ling how much he had neglected his body over the past half season.
It was a bit like a doctor explaining surgical risks to family before an operation.
Every time, it sounded like certain death.
“Look here: your left ankle shows a slight inward roll when bearing body weight on landing. Though the degree is small, over hundreds or thousands of repetitions in a season, the pressure on the surrounding ligaments is astonishing. And your force generation pattern—you rely too much on lower body power, with your legs lacking necessary buffering and synergistic muscle group coordination. This directly keeps your lower body in constant tension, which in turn further weakens your ankle stability.”
“Hold on!”
Xu Ling couldn’t help asking: “If not using lower body power, then how should I generate force?”
“Mr. Xu.”
“Just call me Eli.”
“The lower body is key to force generation, but not, and should not be, the only point.” Dr. Ross said. “Fully mobilize your core strength, make full use of your glutes as buffers. That’s the way to lasting excellence.”
Beside them, Iavaroni stood with arms folded, listening silently, his expression very serious.
The Grizzlies head coach found there were times he couldn’t chime in on basketball matters.
“What should I do?” Xu Ling started taking the doctor seriously.
Dr. Ross looked at Xu Ling solemnly: “My job is to help you recalibrate this body. Reduce unnecessary wear, elevate your performance, and… keep you as far as possible from those nagging injuries.”
“Sounds good.” Xu Ling succinctly expressed approval. “How do I cooperate?”
Vitale stood by with a pleased smile on his face.
“For the specific plan, we need a more detailed physical assessment first.” Dr. Ross replied. “Tomorrow morning, if you have time, we can start.”
“No problem.” Xu Ling agreed straightforwardly.
Vitale chimed in at the right moment, his tone full of support: “Great! Eli, rest assured, the team and Dr. Ross will fully ensure your health! Doctor, she’s in your hands from here!”
Then Vitale watched Xu Ling and Ross discuss more specific body sensations, knowing he had no more role here. He had successfully played the image of a caring executive who got things done.
Before today, Xu Ling hadn’t had much impression of Vitale.
Because Vitale’s superior, the only executive at FedEx Forum with higher authority than him, Jerry West, never delegated his work to others—he always handled everything meticulously himself.
Whether draft, trade negotiations, or attending games in person, he did it all personally.
This left Vitale unable to touch frontline affairs, only overseeing promotions and sales. But the problem was, Xu Ling was a guy who didn’t like participating in team promotions, so he had very few interactions with Vitale in the team.
But today, this vice president who rarely registered on his radar brought him the off-court help he needed most, like Santa Claus.
“Dick,” Xu Ling addressed Vitale by name directly, “thanks for bringing us the help we needed most.”
“No problem at all!”
Vitale beamed with a professional, flawless fake smile.
“Everything is for the Grizzlies’ future!”
And my future.
