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不要急著找答案，先建立你的思考框架

我想先說清楚一件事。

我每週寫電子報，並不是為了給你一份清單，教你怎麼做或者做什麼。因為說真的，我沒有所有的答案。也從來沒打算假裝自己有。

我分享的，都是我從過去的訪談中學到的東西，或者是我讀過的書、以及那些有過成功經歷的人教我的事。

這裡不是教你一步步照抄的 playbook。而是一個 lens。

一種看事情的方法。一種重新思考的方式。一種幫助你自己找出路的框架。

因為真正能決定行為的，是背後的信念（Belief）。

如果我們看事情的方式是窄化的、僵化的、淺層的，那麼再多的步驟說明也幫不了我們。

這也是為什麼我一直在強調：

思考框架或思維模式，永遠比公式重要。

因為當第一套計劃失敗時（而它通常一定會失敗），你需要的是一個能適應、能堅持、能繼續打造的心態。

那句讓我震撼的話

「我很愛豐田（Toyota），但殺死巨人更有趣。」

這句話，讓我很有共鳴。

不是憤怒。不是嫉妒。而是小市場才會懂的那種渴望。

不是因為討厭強者。而是因為拒絕被世界無視。

這是琉球黃金國王（Ryukyu Golden Kings）創辦人之一兼總經理安永淳一（Junichi Yasunaga） 在 EASL 峰會上跟我說的話。

他沒有在炫耀些什麼。

他只是很平靜地，解釋什麼叫做用「根」而不是「錢」來打造一支球隊。

當我聽他這麼說時，我立刻想到我之前寫過的：

琉球沒有模仿東京，他們忠於自己獨特的文化特點

沖繩不是東京。它沒有大財團，沒有百億預算，職業體育資源有限。

但他們從來沒有想過要假裝自己是別人。他們選擇把自己的「不一樣」做到極致。

曾經在美國求學、擔任過新澤西籃網隊（當時還沒遷移到布魯克林）運營總監的安永淳一，帶進了 NBA 式的娛樂與行銷想法，但不是照抄，是轉化。

比賽現場不只是比賽，而是整個社區的節慶。在地音樂、在地食物、在地故事，全部串在一起。

球迷不是只為了贏球才來。他們是因為這裡像「家」，才出現在球場。

然後，我想到了馬來西亞

當我聽安永淳一說著沖繩被忽略的故事時，腦袋裡浮現的，都是馬來西亞。

一樣的問題。資源少、被低估，但內心卻很渴望向外界證明自己。

我們不需要追著別人的東西跑。我們要做的，是在瞭解了別人成功的模式後，打造出屬於自己的：

• 文化。
• 身份。
• 價值觀。

這才是最強的競爭優勢。

球賽只是起點，能量才是留下來的東西

黃金國王沒有因為奪冠而停下來。

他們繼續問自己：下一步是什麼？

因為冠軍很快會被忘記，但「故事」會留下來。「文化」會留下來。「能量」會留下來。

這就是為什麼他們加入了東超聯賽（EASL），不只是為了贏球，而是為了讓全世界看見沖繩。

秉持著「讓沖繩更有活力」（沖繩を元気に）的理念，黃金國王希望「讓沖繩朝向世界」（沖縄を世界へ）

安永淳一說了一句話我超喜歡：

因為真正打動人的，不是勝敗。

而是你代表了什麼。

我們可以做什麼？

這不僅僅是日本的故事。這可以是馬來西亞的故事。

只要我們願意換一種思考方式。

（一）找到你的身份認同，不必模仿強者

別學東京，做出屬於自己的沖繩。

擁抱你的文化，你的語言，你的價值。

讓它們變成你的競爭優勢。

（二）把比賽日變成社區的盛會

戰績會消失，但體驗會留下。

找社區的攤販來進場賣吃的，讓在地藝術家設計球衣，讓每場比賽都像是一場慶典。

（三）用限制來創新

沒預算？沒關係。那代表你沒有包袱。沒有人會管你要怎麼玩。

試試別人不敢試的東西，因為那些最不可能的點子，往往才是最強的翻盤武器。

（四）玩長線，不求速成

冠軍只是結果，不是目的。

真正的長線贏家，永遠是那些先種下根，再慢慢長出果實的人。

給最後的你

黃金國王不但只是殺死巨人。他們留下了一套藍圖。

給所有像我們這樣的小市場。告訴我們：

我們不需要跟著別人玩。我們可以自己定義規則。

真正的問題不是「我們做不做得到」。而是：

再扎根，再逐冠。

因為當你的根夠深，連巨人也會倒下。

感謝你花時間閱讀。如果你喜歡這樣的電子報，請記得訂閱。

— Jordan

📝 ENGLISH VERSION

Kill the Giant – How Okinawa Built a Basketball Culture From the Ground Up

Don't Look for Answers. Build Your Lens.

Let me be clear about one thing.

I don’t send this newsletter every week to give you a checklist of tactics.

Because honestly — I don’t have all the answers. I never claimed to.

Most of what I share comes from the people I interview, the books I read, and the lessons I’m still learning.

What I hope to give you is not a playbook — but a lens.

A way to think clearer. To see deeper. To figure things out for yourself.

Belief comes before behavior.

If the way we see the world is narrow, fixed, or shallow — no tactic will save us.

That’s why I care more about frameworks than formulas.

Because when your first plan fails (and it will), you’ll need a mindset built to adapt, persist, and keep building.

Kill the Giant

That line hit me like a punch to the chest.

It wasn’t anger. It wasn’t jealousy.

It was hunger — the kind of hunger only small markets know.

The hunger to prove you belong. The hunger to kill the giant — not because you hate them. But because you refuse to be invisible.

I heard it from Junichi Yasunaga, co-founder and General Manager of the Ryukyu Golden Kings, during my interview with him at the EASL Summit.

He wasn’t bragging about budgets. He wasn’t chasing attention.

He was just explaining what it means to build something real — not with deep pockets, but with deep roots.

And in that moment, I realized:

This is the real-life version of what I wrote in a previous issue — Roots Before Rings.

It’s about choosing identity over imitation.

Community over clout.

Playing the long game — especially when you're starting from behind.

Okinawa Didn't Copy Tokyo. They Built Okinawa

Okinawa isn’t Tokyo. It’s not Osaka.

It doesn’t have major corporations. It’s often overlooked. Underdog territory.

So instead of pretending to be what they’re not, the Golden Kings leaned in.

Junichi, with his NBA background (Director of Operation, New Jersey Nets), brought in American-style entertainment, marketing, and team-building ideas. But he didn’t copy and paste. He adapted them.

They built a team that reflected Okinawa’s identity — not just their game strategy.

They turned game day into a community event, with music, lights, food, and an atmosphere that made you want to show up — whether they were winning or not.

They built Okinawa Arena, and when fans stepped inside, they said, “This feels like the NBA.”

Most had never even been to an NBA game. That’s how powerful the experience was.

What About Malaysia?

And when Junichi spoke about Okinawa being overlooked…I couldn’t help but think about Malaysia.

Same story. Limited funding. Overlooked talent. But a deep hunger to prove something to the world.

We don’t have to chase what others have.

We just have to build something real — on our terms.

• Culture.
• Identity.
• Roots.

Entertainment is Just the Start. Energy is What Lasts.

What impressed me most was how the Golden Kings didn’t stop at building a great local team.

They kept asking: What’s next?

If you win a championship, fans celebrate. Then what?

They didn’t want to get stuck in the endless loop of chasing trophies just to stay relevant.

So they went global — joining the East Asia Super League not just to win, but to make Okinawans proud on an international stage.

That’s what happens when you build deep roots.

People don’t love you for your record. They love you for what you represent.

What Can We Take From This?

Talking to Junichi reminded me why this conversation mattered to me personally.

The real trap isn’t having less money.

It’s believing you need what others have before you start building.

Here’s what we can do:

Claim Your Identity — Don’t Copy the Giants

Stop trying to be Tokyo. Be your version of Okinawa.

Celebrate what makes you different.

Own your local culture, language, values. Turn them into competitive advantages.

Turn Game Days Into Community Experiences

Results come and go. But experiences stick.

Bring in local music, street food, storytelling, art.

Make every game feel like a celebration.

Innovate With Constraints

No big budget? No problem. That means you’re free from expectations. Free from templates.

Free to do things no one else dares to try.

Some will flop. But the ones that work will change everything.

Play the Long Game

Rings are a byproduct. Not the purpose.

When you build with roots, the wins eventually come — without losing who you are.

Final Thought

The Golden Kings didn’t just kill the giant.

They built a blueprint for how teams in small markets can lead — not follow.

The real question isn’t whether we can do the same.

The real question is: Are we ready to think like they did?

Let’s build with roots. Let the rings come later.

Thank you for reading. If you enjoy this newsletter, please don't forget to subscribe.

— Jordan