What offered Warriors fans a bit of comfort was that after a successful surgery, when their new GOAT appeared in public, he still had that radiant, sun-like smile on his face.
"His health means everything to us," a Warriors fan said in an interview. "Even though his absence will make the upcoming season feel less exciting, we've already won two championships with him leading the way. We believe that when he returns from his injury, we'll still be the most competitive team out there."
After the surgery, Zack's long vacation began.
To avoid being idle during his recovery, Zack specially registered a YouTube channel called "Zack's Sports Talk."
Compared to Jordan, who during his recovery could only kill time by watching North Carolina games, or secretly playing pick-up basketball behind the Bulls' management's back – almost leading to his complete downfall – Zack was undoubtedly lucky.
Thanks to the development and progress of the internet, the restless Zack quickly fell in love with interacting with fans by recording videos.
Barkley was invited as the first guest on "Zack's Sports Talk."
On the show, Barkley, representing the vast number of fans, asked Zack many questions that people were interested in at the time.
"Who do you think will be the MVP this season, with you out due to injury?"
"Emotionally speaking, I'd cast my vote for LeBron," Zack calmly analyzed. "But from what I know about Kobe, after losing in the Olympics, he'll have more motivation than anyone."
"Some fans want to know, if you had to pick between Larry Bird and Charles Barkley to be your teammate, who would you choose?"
"I'd choose Charles Barkley without hesitation."
"I knew you'd pick me!" Barkley said, looking delighted. "That's why I love you."
"No, the reason I'd pick you is because Larry Bird could win a championship even without me," Zack quipped. "But you're different, Charles. We all know you're a player without a championship ring."
After a pause, Zack didn't forget to add: "Winning you a championship would help improve my historical standing in the future."
Hearing this, Barkley said, "I think my love for you has dropped from loving you three thousand times a day to eight hundred times a day."
Then, Barkley asked, "ESPN reported that you might switch to a different number after you recover from your injury. Is that true?"
"It is indeed true," Zack nodded. "I've been thinking lately if I need to change my jersey number to get my good luck back."
Barkley asked curiously, "What number do you plan to switch to?"
"77. If I'm going to switch to another number, I'll definitely choose 77," Zack stated definitively. "Because in my opinion, God gave 23 to Michael Jordan, and the remaining 77 belongs to me."
Barkley laughed loudly, "If that's the case, I can't wait to see you play in a 77 jersey!"
The first episode of "Zack's Sports Talk" had an astounding number of views on YouTube.
Even Zack's sponsors later complained, asking why Zack didn't give them a heads-up.
You see, in the eyes of Zack's sponsors, this was a perfect opportunity to run advertisements.
Furthermore, after the first episode of "Zack's Sports Talk" aired, Zack's jersey sales even surged.
Because once Zack switched to the No. 77 jersey after his recovery, the Warriors' No. 30 jersey, which he had worn for three seasons, would undoubtedly become a collector's item.
Why did Zack want to switch to the No. 77 jersey?
Was it because he wanted to leave the Warriors' No. 30 jersey for that "big nephew" he had already set his sights on?
The answer, of course, was no.
Without a doubt, given Zack's accomplishments for the Warriors while wearing the No. 30 jersey, even if Zack didn't wear it, no one else would be worthy of wearing it in the future.
In fact, Zack's desire to change his jersey number was indeed related to his belief in superstitions.
In Zack's previous life, Stephen Curry, who wore the Warriors' No. 30 jersey, spent almost his entire career battling injuries.
Therefore, in Zack's view, this jersey might have been cursed.
As everyone knows, 100 minus 23 equals 77.
In Zack's opinion, by switching to the No. 77 jersey, he could not only further show the world his ambition to surpass Jordan.
And, once he achieved great success, this No. 77 jersey would undoubtedly become another legendary number in the NBA's future.
As for the later famous Slovenian "pork belly" Luka Dončić, known for wearing the No. 77 jersey?
Just asking, what does that have to do with Zack?
Since Luka was born later, he naturally had to live in Zack's shadow.
---
After the preseason, on October 30th, the Warriors hosted their regular season opener at Oracle Arena.
Zack watched the Warriors vs. Nuggets game from his luxury home in the East Bay.
Although Zack really wanted to go to the arena to cheer on his teammates, Grover, having been through it all before, advised him, "Right now, if you show up at Oracle Arena, it'll likely only add unnecessary psychological pressure to your teammates."
Grover clearly understood Zack's importance to the Warriors.
But precisely because of Zack's high standing in the hearts of Warriors fans...
What if, on the night he was there to cheer on the Warriors, the team happened to lose? Just imagine the invisible psychological burden other Warriors players would carry.
"But Tim, I can't just not go to any games, can I?" Zack asked, puzzled. "Wouldn't that make it seem like I don't care about the team at all?"
Grover smiled, "Go to the games in the second half of the season. By then, with everything settled, your presence won't affect your teammates' performance; instead, it'll only provide a positive signal to everyone."
After a pause, Grover added, "I think, in the second half of the season, Warriors fans and your teammates will need you at home more than ever."
In his daily interactions with Grover, Zack discovered that besides being good at unearthing players' potential, Grover was also a business expert skilled in marketing and packaging.
No wonder Jordan relied so heavily on this legendary trainer back in the day.
However, even though he couldn't go to watch Warriors games live, Zack, who couldn't just spend all his time at home producing "Zack's Sports Talk," eventually found a way to alleviate his loneliness after the initial stages of his recovery.
In late November, at the invitation of big brother Dell, Zack's appearance at the Wildcats' home court instantly electrified the entire arena.
On the night of the game, Dell Curry excitedly embraced Zack, saying, "I just asked you for some advice on choosing an agent for Stephen, but I never expected you'd actually take the time to come watch Stephen play."
Seeing this, Zack, who had formed an unbreakable bond with the Curry family back at the God's Chosen Training Camp, smiled and said, "Dell, do you remember that bet we made back then?"
Hearing this, Old Man Curry nodded, "Of course I remember, it's just..."
"Just what?" Zack asked Old Man Curry. "Is my good friend Dell Curry trying to back out?"
"Of course not." Old Man Curry turned his gaze to Zack, looking troubled. "It's just that Stephen's growth trajectory has exceeded my expectations. You know, he might be selected as high as fifth overall in next year's draft."
Three years ago, at the God's Chosen Training Camp, Zack had unequivocally told Old Man Curry that his son, Stephen Curry, would definitely make a name for himself in the NBA.
He even made a bet with him: as long as Curry had a chance to play in the NBA in the future, he would only try out for the Warriors when he entered the draft.
Initially, Old Man Curry thought this bet was just Zack being polite.
But who would have thought that while playing for the Wildcats, the once unknown three-star high schooler would actually step by step become a nationally renowned player?
According to ESPN's draft projections, Curry had a very high chance of being selected between the fifth and tenth picks in the first round of the 2009 draft.
This draft position meant that not only did Curry have excellent draft prospects, but to some extent, Curry could also actively choose his preferred team by trying out for those with high draft picks.
In the NBA, all rookies certainly hope to have a mutual desire with the teams that might select them when they enter the draft.
So, when Zack brought up that old bet again, Old Man Curry immediately found himself in a difficult spot.
Because he knew very well that the Warriors were currently the team Curry least wanted to play for.
Why didn't Curry want to play for the Warriors?
Old Man Curry suspected it might be related to the various "bullying" Zack, his good friend, had subjected Curry to at the God's Chosen Training Camp back then.
Although three years ago, in Old Man Curry's eyes, Zack's "bullying" was just to help Curry grow better.
But over the past three years, whenever Curry recalled Zack "bullying" him late at night, he would curl up in his covers, trembling.
"He would constantly curse and even hit me," Curry said with a wronged expression. "I don't want to play for the Warriors, and I certainly don't want to be his teammate."
Moreover, compared to the Warriors, the New York Knicks, who were still tanking this season and were very likely to draft him next year, were clearly Curry's preferred destination.
The Knicks had officially hired Mike D'Antoni to coach this summer.
If he could, Curry would of course want to play for D'Antoni, who was better at developing guards, rather than going to the Warriors to sit on the bench.
After all, the Warriors' current core point guard was Steve Nash.
How could Curry be confident he'd get enough playing time to grow quickly from the old, still strong two-time MVP?
So, no matter what, Curry couldn't agree to only try out for the Warriors next year.
However, the more Curry wanted to resist at this moment, the more Zack wanted to personally mentor this future "God of Three-Pointers."
"Dell, Stephen can only try out for the Warriors next year," Zack told Old Man Curry in an undeniable tone. "That was your promise to me three years ago."
At that moment, looking at Zack's burning eyes, Old Man Curry felt like he was caught between a rock and a hard place.
It was true that Curry was no longer the same player he was.
But three years ago, besides Zack seeing potential in this three-star high schooler, even Old Man Curry himself probably didn't have high hopes for his own son.
And, over the past three years, no matter what advice Old Man Curry asked Zack about Curry, Zack would almost always give detailed and comprehensive answers.
Therefore, if he and Curry unilaterally broke the agreement, even if it was just a verbal promise, Old Man Curry would feel guilty.
"Don't worry, no matter which team Stephen wants to play for next year, I'll make sure the Warriors trade for a pick that guarantees they can draft him," Zack said with a mischievous smile akin to that of a certain Slam Dunk character. "It's just that if he dares to break the agreement, then don't blame me for making him watch the bench for an entire season during his rookie year."
After a pause, Zack didn't forget to add, "Dell, you should know that I always keep my word."
Hearing this, after a sharp intake of breath, Old Man Curry, already feeling guilty, quickly said, "Stephen will only try out for the Warriors next year."
Two hours later, Curry, who scored 30 points for the Wildcats that night, officially learned this shocking news from Old Man Curry.
"He's threatening me! I don't want to play for the Warriors," Curry said, extremely depressed. "The Warriors already have Steve Nash; they're a championship contender. There's no way I'll get much playing time with them."
Seeing this, Old Man Curry, speaking from experience, comforted Curry, "Stephen, but think about it from another perspective. In this league, how many players want to play for the Warriors? They are indeed a championship team, but isn't it a good thing for you to have a chance to win a championship early in your career?"
A good thing?
If it were any other championship team, Curry definitely wouldn't resist.
But since this was a championship team led by Zack, how could Curry not resist?
In Curry's eyes, Zack was an absolute devil.
He always took pleasure in "bullying" and verbally abusing young players.
And he would justify it by saying it was to help young players grow better.
Curry wasn't like a certain Slam Dunk character who, after being "bullied" repeatedly, could still see his tormentor as an idol (referencing the dynamic between Sakuragi and Akagi, or even Sakuragi and Rukawa). This usually low-key "baby-faced assassin" had always possessed a proud self-esteem.
And, as he gradually built confidence in college basketball that he would make a name for himself in the NBA, Curry had always longed to go to an NBA team that would fully utilize his value.
But with this current Warriors team, once Zack returned from injury, not only would they not be able to provide him with the playing time he desired, but he would also be subjected to endless "bullying" from Zack.
And just thinking about this, knowing that if he dared to defy that devil Zack, the other party would certainly find a way to make the Warriors draft him and then torment him, Curry immediately felt his future career had turned bleak.
Undoubtedly, this was the day Stephen Curry's basketball dream was completely shattered.
---
And in December, Zack, who was about to turn twenty-five, finally understood why Jordan had secretly played pick-up basketball during his recovery back in the day.
"I want to play! I want to see if this damn foot can still move!" Jordan, during his recovery that season, had angrily told Bulls GM Krause more than once, "I don't want to watch my team plummet! I have to prove I can still play!"
However, among Krause and Jordan's many conflicts, this was definitely the time Grover supported Krause the most.
Because whenever Jordan was eager to return, Krause would say, "I don't want to be infamous for putting Michael Jordan back on the court too early."
However, as the vacation deepened, even though he knew beforehand that the Warriors would approach the regular season with a more relaxed mindset this season...
Zack, noticing that the Warriors were only eleventh in the Western Conference before the Christmas game, still inevitably became frustrated.
He hated that he couldn't fight alongside these championship-hungry teammates due to injury.
And, to prevent Zack from falling back into the same bad habit as Jordan by touching a basketball, Grover even confiscated everything basketball-related from Zack's house.
This made Zack, who loved basketball so deeply, almost collapse for a moment.
Fortunately, Grover, who had assisted the old GOAT, had considerable experience in this area.
"You know, Michael almost ruined his entire career because of that major injury, not because of how severe the injury was. But because during his recovery, he would always clash with the Bulls' team doctors."
Grover said earnestly, "Especially during the period when he was close to recovering, he almost drove Mark Friel (then the Bulls' trainer) absolutely crazy."
According to Friel's later revelations, Jordan was absolutely the most rebellious player he had ever seen in front of doctors. "Believe me, as long as you tell him he can play for the team, no matter if he still has other injuries like ankle sprains, groin strains, muscle cramps, he'll immediately run to the basketball court."
Under Grover's soothing, Zack, who could only temporarily relieve his boredom through special training arranged by Evans, quickly entered the new year, carrying that craving to play basketball.
In January, Zack, who could now move freely without crutches, wanted to ask Grover for permission to do some shooting drills.
But Grover remained unmoved, saying, "Don't even think about it!"
In February, the annual All-Star Weekend was held in Phoenix.
Zack, who could only watch the All-Star Weekend at home this year, felt the anger building up in his chest from not being able to play basketball quietly reach its peak.
Thankfully, the news that the Warriors were about to be sold this February successfully diverted Zack's attention.
In 1995, Chris Cohan, who acquired the Warriors for $190 million, officially transferred his ownership of the Warriors to Joe Lacob and his partners for a whopping $800 million shortly after the All-Star Weekend.
Compared to Zack's memory, the price Lacob paid for the Warriors almost doubled.
ESPN called Lacob's acquisition a "crazy gamble."
You see, the market value of NBA teams at this time was not like it would be in the future.
Before the NBA signed that sky-high broadcast deal, the Knicks' current market value was only a little over $600 million.
But to ensure he became the new owner of the Warriors... Lacob still showed Cohan full sincerity in the acquisition negotiations.
During the bidding process, Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer, who was only willing to offer Cohan a maximum of $600 million, said, "Joe Lacob must be crazy. The Warriors are a team you have to spend money on immediately after taking over. I think the happiest person right now must be Chris Cohan because he's made a fortune from this deal."
Actually, it was just that Microsoft's stock price hadn't soared yet, and Ballmer wasn't as rich as he would be in the future.
Otherwise, he would have immediately offered Cohan an even crazier bid.
Lacob successfully completed the acquisition of the Warriors.
And the first thing he did upon taking office was to meet with Zack.
"I am just the owner of this team; the Messiah is the true owner of this team," Lacob told reporters on the day the acquisition was finalized. "This is his team, and always will be."