Rekindling the dream of becoming a star

Chapter 134: Retraining Month
If you ask Chen Fang what it feels like to play one-on-one with an NBA star, Chen Fang will definitely answer with two words.

despair!

Chen Fang himself didn't expect that he would be beaten so badly in the sparring with Bill.

The two players attack each other, and the serve is exchanged regardless of whether the ball is successful or not.

Bill is 191cm tall and has a wingspan of 203cm. The wingspans of the two players are almost the same. Before the one-on-one duel, Chen Fang would not have thought that he would lose miserably.

But once on the court, Chen Fang suffered enough.

Bill was very accurate in predicting Chen Fang's next move, and he made good use of his body, exerting tremendous pressure in every confrontation.

Cutting the ball, forcing a dead ball, blocking shots, every game has it.

Seeing that Chen Fang had no more energy left, Bill stopped the sparring.

Drew stepped forward and threw a towel to both of them. While Chen Fang was wiping his sweat, he said, "Do you know your problem now?"

Chen Fang took a deep breath and shook his head helplessly.

"Brad, you go ahead and tell me."

Bill threw the towel aside and said, "Chen is not from an orthodox family."

"You do a poor job on many details. Often a subtle movement allows others to predict your next move."

Bill brought the ball and demonstrated it.

“Take dribbling, for example.”

"Your toes reveal the direction of your breakthrough."

"Also, your dribbling change of direction was too large. It was correct to dribble the ball outside of your feet, but it was wrong to change direction with this dribbling distance."

“Even if you’re dribbling backwards, if you want to get through, try to shorten the distance you change direction.”

"Wait, I don't quite understand this." Chen Fang interrupted Bill.

Bill threw the ball to Drew, who, as a trainer, would be more thorough.

So Drew patted the ball with his right hand and asked, "Do you think I can break through faster to the right or the left?"

"The right side." Chen Fang said without hesitation.

"So...!" Drew spread his hands and looked at Chen Fang with a smile.

Chen Fang suddenly understood.

"Try to use less front-body changes of direction, which is a risky behavior. The correct breakthrough should be in the direction of the ball handler." (If you often watch the NBA, you will find that there are actually very few exquisite breakthroughs. The vast majority of breakthroughs are downward cuts in the direction of the ball handler, and then they score by turning around. Crossover dribbling, front-body changes of direction are rare.)
"If you want to play at the NBA level, your first priority is to reduce turnovers."

"Perhaps your life will be completely put on the bench because of a mistake."

"If you are in the NBA, your dribbling flaws will be infinitely magnified. This place is full of talented people. Once your dribble is cut off, as a point guard, are you still a good match?"

"Chen, you have to remember that speed and rhythm are more important than fancy dribbling skills when it comes to dribbling past opponents."

Drew dribbled the ball in front of Chen Fang. He just took a step to the left, dribbled the ball inside and outside with his right hand, and then suddenly burst out and broke through from the right side of Chen Fang.

"Another problem with you is that your footwork is too poor. This causes you to waste a lot of the physical qualities you should have on offense."

"All your offensive skills and abilities now rely on explosiveness and crude passing moves, but these may not help you in D1."

"Brad, Chen is a great sparring partner. His height and shooting speed can help you imitate many strong players in the league, which will help your one-on-one defense ability."

"Yes, I think so too. I already have some experience in dealing with players like Chen."

"That's all for today's training. See you tomorrow!" Bill shook hands with Chen Fang.

Drew led Chen Fang out, and said after they left the door: "This is also good for you, and it is mutually beneficial, but Bill insisted on paying you, and I don't want you to refuse, it would be an offense."

"So, I'll explain it to you in advance."

"I accept." Chen Fang didn't think there was a problem, and it wasn't embarrassing to be a sparring partner.

"OK, I'm already deploying your team. The exact amount will be known after confirmation, but I believe it will be done soon."

"Okay, the amount is fine with me." Chen Fang knew very well that this was business.

At the door, Lu Yun was already waiting. To Chen Fang's surprise, he was actually driving a car with Lu Jie sitting in the passenger seat.

When Drew saw Chen Fang’s friend coming, he said goodbye and went back to the gym.

Chen Fang got into the car and immediately asked, "What's going on? Why did you drive?"

"Hey, hey, don't make such a fuss." Lu Yun said lazily.

"The law in the United States is that you can take a driver's license test at the age of 16. As long as you pass the traffic rules and road driving tests, you can drive," Lu Jie explained.

"Okay, so that's what you were working on yesterday?"

"Yeah, I wasted the whole afternoon. I'm bored." Lu Yun started the car and asked, "Where do you want to go?"

"Rent a house." Chen Fang said.

"Before I came to pick you up, I asked the agent to find a place. Now it's up to you to make the final decision."

"Oh? Where?" Chen Fang asked in surprise.

“Across from the school, in the Claybrook neighborhood.”

"There are small villas here. I think they are freer than the boarding dormitories." Lu Yun said.

Chen Fang remembered that when he first came to the school, there was a residential area opposite.

"And there's a commercial street diagonally across the street, so life is relatively convenient."

"Then let's go and take a look." Chen Fang hesitated.

Lu Yun laughed out loud, and he showed a sly smile: "I know you are still worried about Wu Zi's schooling. Do you want to live with her?"

Chen Fang's old face turned red. This Lu Yun's eyes were like knives.

"Don't worry, I've already asked. There's actually a St. Joseph's High School 1.5 kilometers away from Chaminade College. It's a girls' school."

"Really?" Chen Fang was overjoyed.

"That's the truth. We'll be there just by turning the corner." Lu Yun whistled.

Chen Fang was filled with emotion: "Lu Yun, I feel like you are very much like Doraemon, you can do anything."

"Cough cough!" Lu Yun almost choked, and Lu Jie next to him tried hard to hold back his laughter.

"Fuck you, do you know how to describe it? Have you ever seen a Doraemon with fingers? My head is not round either." Lu Yun was furious.

"Okay, okay, I don't know how to make metaphors. I admit my mistake." Chen Fang didn't dare to provoke and apologized quickly.

"Don't describe it like that anymore. If you hear the word Doraemon again, I'll get angry!" Lu Yun was furious, and even the car speed increased.

"Did you just buy this car?" Chen Fang changed the subject.

Lu Jie responded smartly, "A second-hand Grand Cherokee. I wanted to buy a Saab class, but I thought it was too flashy, so I bought this."

"How can I pick up girls with this car? Oh!" Lu Yun sighed.

"When you have time, you can get a driver's license and I'll lend you this car." Lu Yun made it clear that he wanted to change the car, so Lu Jie didn't dare to say more.

As they were talking, they had already arrived at the school. Lu Yun drove about fifty meters and saw a fork in the road, but there was an electric gate at the entrance.

A black man wearing sunglasses walked out of the house next door, and Chen Fang clearly saw the holster on his waist.

He walked to the car door, and Lu Jie opened the window and said, "We are waiting for the real estate agent."

"Okay, please turn off the engine first." The black man was very alert. He leaned sideways and got a clear look at the three people in the car.

After making sure the car was off, he stepped back.

"This is how it is in America," Lu Jie explained.

"Middle-class communities will start hiring security guards. The public security in St. Louis is one of the worst in the United States, but it also depends on the location. Our area and the university town are both in the metropolitan area. The county police and the city police cross-patrol and defend, plus the community security, so it is actually very safe."

"But don't try to go anywhere else, brother. On the map I gave you, the places marked in red really can't be gone." Lu Jie said to Lu Yun.

"I got it, don't worry. The old man was very happy to hear that I have turned over a new leaf, and he has assigned me a security team. You can go back to Los Angeles with peace of mind tomorrow." Lu Yun said impatiently.

Security team? Chen Fang was secretly shocked.

Unexpectedly, Lu Yun took the opportunity to bring the topic back to him: "Since you've made a profit, why don't you help me share some of it?"

"What?" Chen Fang was stunned.

"This security fee is deducted from my homeless fund. It hurts." Lu Yun began to complain: "If it were in China, how could I spend this money? Logically, should you compensate me?"

"Should I believe it or not?" Chen Fang looked at Lu Jie.

The latter was stunned, and suddenly he was overjoyed: "The agent is here."

As he shouted, the two looked forward and saw that there was indeed a Honda Civic driving over.

It is normal for a white person to come down. The sales success rate of white people as agents is much higher than that of black people.

This is not racial discrimination, but a common perception in the United States. For example, in telephone sales, if you are black, when you make a phone call, it is best to suppress your black accent and use words and tones commonly used by white people. Otherwise, what awaits you may be zero sales.

The funniest thing is that even if you call a black customer, using a white accent will have the highest success rate.

"Hi, sorry, I'm so sorry, my car has a flat tire and kept you waiting." The salesperson came over and apologized. His tone and expression were very sincere.

"No need, we're in a hurry, just take us there directly." Lu Jie said.

The agent came to the gate and after some negotiations, the fence opened and the three people followed him in.

The houses here are all located on lawns, and each house is separated by a low fence as a dividing line.

Typical American middle-class layout style.

At the end of the road, there were rows of villas surrounding the road. The white agent pointed to a small villa on the left and said, "That's it."

The house looks very new. There is a small staircase leading up to it, and the garage is next to it.

(Thanks to the almighty AI search, this is indeed a house in a middle-class community across from Chaminade College, and it is for rent.)
Chen Fang was wondering if Wu Zi liked it, but Lu Yun said, "Go in and take a look first."

The agent talked endlessly about the history of this community, which dates back to the 19th century and every building here was renovated in the 1960s to adapt to modern times.

“This is a very good middle-class community in St. Louis. It is safe, reliable and has convenient transportation.”

In fact, salespeople everywhere use the same sales pitch. After Chen Fang entered the small western-style building and looked around, the white salesperson continued to explain: "This house is based on your requirements. The house has a usable area of 188 square meters, 3 rooms, bathrooms, a garage, and a basement."

"We have an 80-square-meter lawn in the backyard, so we can hold parties without any problems."

The three of them entered the house, and Lu Yun asked Chen Fang: "How is it?"

"How much does this cost?" Chen Fang asked.

"It's about 1 RMB." Lu Jie said.

"Every month?" Chen Fang asked again.

"Correct."

Chen Fang looked at Lu Yun, who didn't care: "It's just so-so."

Chen Fang was actually very satisfied. First, the environment was good. Second, it was close to the school. Third, the layout of the room was a bit similar to Wu Zi's home. She believed she would like it.

"Then let's do it here." Chen Fang made the decision.

"It's agreed among the three of us." Chen Fang said seriously.

"OK!" Lu Yun didn't waste any words.

Seeing that it was okay, Lu Jie pulled the agent out and started to go through the rest of the procedures. After that, Lu Jie came in again, with a strange look on his face: "I forgot a few fees."

"What?"

"Security fees, lawn landscaping fees, and cleaning fees are charged quarterly, and the total is $500."

“How do I pay this fee?”

"All fees, including rent, will be deducted from the card number you provided. I want to remind you of this. There must be a balance on the card. If you default, the community administrator will bring the police to evict you."

“In the United States, owing rent is a hassle.”

"I understand." Chen Fang said that he understood.

They definitely couldn't check in today, so the three of them had to go back to the hotel. After arriving, Chen Fang quietly sneaked into Lu Yun's room.

"What are you going to do?" Lu Yun, who had just taken off half of his pants, looked alert.

"Hehe." Chen Fang rubbed his hands, feeling a little embarrassed.

"Hurry up and tell me, I want to take a shower." Lu Yun suddenly felt a little scared.

"I just came here to say thank you." Chen Fang did feel that he owed Lu Yun something. He had made great efforts during this trip to the United States.

"That's it?" Lu Yun was speechless.

"Ok!"

"Okay, got it, get out of here."

Chen Fang returned to his room in shame, not knowing what to do, but received a call.

Chen Fang now has two mobile phones, one is a domestic number and the other is an American number.

It was Drew calling.

"Hi, Chen. Your trainer has been matched. Can you come over and meet him this afternoon?"

"No problem, I'll be leaving after lunch."

"Okay, take your friend Lu with you, his trainer is here too."

"Well, thank you very much."

"Don't be so polite. See you in the afternoon."

"See you in the afternoon."

I knocked on Lu Yun's door again. He must be taking a shower. He waited in the corridor for a while before opening the door.

"What's wrong again?" Lu Yun, wrapped in a bath towel, opened the door and asked.

Chen Fang walked in and asked, "Are you looking for a trainer here at Drew too?"

"Isn't this nonsense? Are there any other options in this place?" Lu Yun laughed.

"Thank you." Chen Fang didn't know what to say.

"Thanks, I have my own aspirations. Let's go, I'm hungry."

※※※

"Karen Carr, a defensive expert, holds the record for averaging 1 steals per game in a single season and the highest single defense success rate per 2.1 possessions at the University of Florida D."

"Nice to meet you, Mr. Carl." Chen Fang shook hands.

Carl is a white man, about 30 years old. He responded enthusiastically: "Nice to meet you. I believe we will have a pleasant cooperation."

"Valentino Wick, a sports expert, has trained four NFL starting quarterbacks for the college league. He is very experienced in how to train speed and strength."

"It's nice to meet you, Mr. Wick."

Wick was a very strong black man. Shaking hands with him made Chen Fang feel the power materialize, just like he was struggling with a pair of pliers.

"I hope you can stick with it." Wick grinned.

"Chloro Hannon is one of the top ten three-point shooters in NCAA history. His offensive skills and understanding are better than mine."

Hannon was also a white man. He laughed when he heard this and reached out to shake hands with Chen Fang. "Don't listen to his nonsense. I just came up with some new ideas. He was just surprised."

Chen Fang listened with a smile. He was very satisfied with the resumes of the three people.

This is a 30-day elite training package that includes nutritious meals, totaling US$21, which translates to a high training fee of 4 RMB per day.

Imagine that not many families in the country can afford this expense.

The cost Chen Fang spends on basketball every year is millions.

Behind every athlete's success is a huge amount of money. Compared to other expenses, basketball is actually relatively small.

For example, the father who is currently taking his son to the United States to play high school has a lot to say.

"These are your three trainers for the first phase of the one-month period." After Drew introduced them, he said to Chen Fang, "If possible, let's get started right away."

"I'm ready." Chen Fang said in a deep voice.

"OK, then I'll go take care of my next customer." Drew walked towards Lu Yun.

Karl clapped his hands, attracting Chen Fang's attention: "I am the leader of this team. The three of us will be responsible for your full-day training."

"Okay, what should I do now?" Chen Fang asked.

"First of all, we share our understanding of basketball, so that we can understand each other better and integrate faster."

"Next, I'm going to share with you the abstract word 'discipline'. Actually, if I say 'strategy', you'll understand it better, but if you want to master it thoroughly, then 'discipline' is more suitable." Carl took a basketball, posed, and then said to Chen Fang: "The other side of offense is defense."

"So offense and defense are one and the same. The reason why many players are strong in offense but weak in defense is that they have no discipline."

"Come on, try to defend me." said Carl.

Chen Fang took a defensive stance and tried to touch him with his hands, but Carl dribbled away.

"You shouldn't reach out because I can dribble away at any time. You should have an advance defensive plan in any situation."

“Even if the plan is wrong, it can be constantly repaired, rather than relying on instinct to defend.”

Carl returned to Chen Fang and began to dribble the ball low. At the same time, he asked Chen Fang: "How do you think you should defend me? Should I defend my breakthrough, shooting, or passing?"

Without waiting for Chen Fang to come back, Karl continued, "Or, do you want to defend them all?"

Chen Fang was a little confused. He asked, "What's the difference?"

"If you want to defend my breakthrough, then your stance should be sideways. If you don't want me to shoot, you only need to pay attention to my ball-handling movements, without considering anything else."

"As for passing the ball, you have to first understand the dynamics around you and make sure I can only pass to areas where there is no danger."

"If you want to completely defend me, you have to observe my movements and constantly adjust your rules to defend me."

"This is the discipline of defense. You have to have a plan for various situations in your mind, so you can switch and respond immediately."

"When you are fully familiar with it, you can then translate that into how you attack, more effectively and directly."

Chen Fang nodded: "I understand a little better now."

"This month, I will continue to fill you with various defensive disciplines and cultivate your reaction proficiency."

"Ok."

Seeing that Chen Fang had a general idea, Carl said to Wick, "It's your turn, buddy."

Wick stepped forward, holding two dumbbells in his hands, one large and one small, and he asked Chen Fang to see the weight of the dumbbells clearly.

2.5KG, 10KG.

"Let me ask you a question, which one can help you have a stronger body?"

Chen Fang hesitated and pointed to 10KG, even though he felt it might be wrong.

Sure enough, Wick said, "Wrong answer, it's this." He threw the 5-jin dumbbell to Chen Fang.

"First of all, strength comes from muscles. Do you understand?"

"understand!"

"So how do muscles drive it?"

"nerve."

"Exactly. If you knew you were going to lift something extremely heavy, would you do some muscle tightening in advance?"

"of course."

"OK, now I want you to touch my body as fast as possible. Will you react by carrying a heavy object?"

Chen Fang thought about it and shook his head.

"Yes, the greater the force, the slower the speed. Often, thin people are very fast, not because they are quick-witted, but because they are used to using very little force to react."

"The faster you go, the less force you have to drive your muscles to react."

"My job is to help you improve your reaction and strength with this minimal strength."

"Pick up this dumbbell."

Chen Fang did as he was told. Wick held the 20-pound dumbbell in his hand and suddenly punched out as if he was holding a piece of paper.

This sudden change made Chen Fang retreat immediately without realizing it.

Wick showed his surprise: "Your reaction is very quick. Usually when I perform this, the other party has no reaction at all."

"This is a good thing." Wick seemed very happy. He began to look at Chen Fang again and nodded continuously.

"Let's do something big this next month."

"Do my best!" What Chen Fang values most is physical fitness. The quarterback of the NFL is the strongest in all competitive sports in the world.

Their speed, reaction, and strength are all superhuman.

What Chen Fang was most pleased about with Drew’s match plan was seeing an athletic trainer who could develop quarterbacks.

Finally it was Hannon's turn.

He is also the oldest in the team and has a full beard.

His first sentence made Chen Fang's expression serious.

"Forget everything you have learned before, including the proud achievements you have made."

"Welcome to the world of legitimate basketball."

"I will start from your basic skills and crush everything about you bit by bit, including your weaknesses and strengths."

"To put it bluntly, you need to go back to the drawing board and be retrained and grow again. Are you ready?" He looked at Chen Fang with a stern gaze, like a wolf.

"I'm ready, Mr. Hannon." Chen Fang took a deep breath and replied.

If he had not had a one-on-one duel with Bill, Chen Fang would have been very unconvinced, but through this sparring session, he realized that many of his basic skills had flaws from the very beginning.

So, faced with Hannong's request, Chen Fang accepted it without reservation.

The following month, Chen gave up his resolve.

Peel off the skin and bones, and reshape a brand new self.

To this end, he will go all out.

　Thank you Qingshui Lizi for the 1 starting coins reward. I have no way to repay you! I can only promise to update!
　　
　
(End of this chapter)