The No.1 Anti-Fans in Basketball-Chapter 458 - 233 Going to Play Ball with Anger_3

His personality was different from Jordan’s and Kobe’s, but now he found himself being forced to do similar things.

"It can make you a villain, like Hollins," Battier warned. It might be good in the short term, but not necessarily in the long run.

"Someone has to be the villain, right?" Hansen turned to look at Battier, but his expression was very calm.

Winning the championship no longer held the same allure for the players, unless something more enticing could be created. Otherwise, someone had to play the villain, driving everyone forward from behind.

He was the last to leave, and no one was more suited for that role than him.

Battier didn’t know that Hansen was planning to leave, but there didn’t seem to be a better way at the moment.

"I understand. I’ll do my best to persuade them."

Upon hearing this, Hansen patted Battier’s shoulder; being this season’s locker room leader wasn’t easy.

Hansen’s method was soon proved effective; after losing to the Heat Team, the Grizzlies had gone on to achieve a 5-1 record over the next half-month.

Although they didn’t start the season as perfectly as the last, they had managed to perform at their expected level.

However, the cost was clear—Hansen’s interaction with his teammates off the court visibly decreased.

Players often said that the relationship on and off the court needs to be well-managed, but people aren’t machines. If it were that simple, the ’OK’ duo wouldn’t have split up.

At this point, Hansen could sympathize with Kobe more as the retired Kobe seemed completely different from the player he was, a contrast so stark that it was baffling.

But perhaps that was Kobe forcing himself into that role because only by doing so could he become a winner.

Sometimes, it’s impossible to have it both ways.

Of course, doing something you don’t want to do is always unpleasant.

Hansen felt somewhat affected by this.

Especially now that he and Scarlett had split up, he didn’t even have a way to vent his emotions.

That day, the Grizzlies flew to Oakland to get ready for their game against the Warriors.

Rondo came along with Hansen, and once they arrived, he mysteriously suggested taking Hansen somewhere.

Hansen thought it might be some nightclub or similar place, but after following him, he realized it was a local pet market.

Rondo had seen him looking gloomy lately and thought getting a pet might help him unwind.

It was certainly a method. Many NBA players faced psychological stress, with some going to nightclubs to indulge or even using drugs to cope.

Of course, many, as Rondo suggested, kept a variety of unusual pets.

The pet market was large and offered a wide variety; cats, dogs, and fish were the basics, and there were even less common pets like snakes and monkeys.

But after looking around, Hansen hadn’t found a pet that he particularly wanted.

With pets, it’s all about the connection. Without that connection, any pet brought home would just end up being looked after by the housekeeper.

Just as he was about to signal Rondo to head back, his gaze was suddenly caught by a figure in the distance.

It wasn’t a pet but a person, a woman.

The cheerleader he had seen at the Oracle Arena.

"If the next time you meet the person you want to marry, remember to be proactive."

Hansen recalled Scarlett’s words before they parted and quickly walked over.