Rekindling the dream of becoming a star

Chapter 194 An unexpected visitor, a peaceful first meeting

Time passed quickly and it was already late September, and the one-month special training finally ended.

Chen Fang hugged and said goodbye to the three trainers.

"Next, I look forward to your NCAA journey." Carl wished.

"I won't let you down." Chen Fang answered confidently.

"On defense, you need more game experience. Even with more individual training, it's hard to see significant improvement." Hannon looked rather dejected, which meant that his connection with Chen Fang was declining.

"No, sir, we still have many opportunities to cooperate, please believe me." Chen Fang comforted.

Finally, it was Wick, who had been with Chen Fang the longest. He reminded him seriously: "Don't use your strength. Don't trust that Russian. They only know how to play with drugs."

Chen Fang smiled bitterly. In fact, the situation in the United States is more serious, and everyone knows it.

Steroids and PEDs, drugs that can cross the threshold and enhance athletic performance, are almost ubiquitous in the entire American sports circle.

MFL, NFL, NBA, no exceptions.

(Among the 23 years of drug use detected, there were 6 people in the NBA, 43 in the NFL, and an unknown number in the MFL.)
Wick had secretly discussed this topic with Chen Fang before. In his words, Chen Fang's problem could be completely solved with PED, which could maintain muscle activity, increase red blood cell count, and improve cardiopulmonary function.

But the cost is extremely high, especially for leading-edge testing of banned drugs, which can cost millions.

(I'm not being negative, the existence of NBA superstars has been proven. If you're interested, you can search for it on Bilibili. They have their reasons and evidence.)
So Chen Fang asked in surprise: "Is self-discipline not possible?"

"Self-discipline? Why do you think most sports stars become superstars? Is it because of their absolute talent? No, everyone is very self-disciplined, but when all the self-disciplined people compete together, does the winner depend on who is more self-disciplined?"

"No, in sprinting, even if you improve by 0.1 seconds, you will be ahead of the times. The same is true for swimming."

"In all the major leagues, drug inspections are not frequent. As long as you have inside information, you can avoid spot checks by traveling during off-peak hours. With nearly a hundred games in a season, even the most steely of warriors can't maintain consistent performance."

"PED will help you stay ahead of everyone in the long-term competition and keep your performance stable. At least the data will be very good."

"Sir, what do you mean?"

"I don't mean anything. I'm just telling you the current situation in advance. Of course, this is just a choice. I also know that many people in the league won't use it. This involves many aspects. This is not only a personal choice, but also a decision made under the overall environment."

The conversation was so secret that Wick even asked Chen Fang to turn off his phone in front of him.

Finally, Chen Fang ended the topic with a sentence.

"For me, I have already received the best gifts from God. The only thing left is my own will and hard work. I hope we will never bring this up again."

Back to reality, Chen Fang hugged Wick: "Let's keep in touch. I need you, sir."

"Of course, I'm at your service!" Wick also had a deep affection for this Chinese boy, and he responded without hesitation.

After watching the three people go away, Chen Fang drove to the school. A special person would visit today and asked to see him by name.

DeMar DeRozan.

In fact, when he knew that Chen Fang chose USC, he had plans to visit him, but due to personal reasons, he was unable to make the trip. Finally, he had the opportunity one week before the start of the NBA training camp.

When he arrived at the university, he found that the entire stadium had been renovated and many damaged parts had been replaced. Busen had been waiting for a long time. He was the steward of the entire team, responsible for coordinating the work within the coaching staff, and Chen Fang was the only player he needed to take care of.

Of course, Chen Fang wasn’t quite sure, but since both of them were smart people, they got along well.

"It makes me feel like I'm waiting for an audience with the leader."

"Today is a big day in a way, and Kobe is coming."

Chen Fang stopped in his tracks, looking incredulous, and even felt like he had misheard.

Seeing Chen Fang's surprised expression, Busen finally laughed. He had been waiting for this moment to see if the Chinese, who had always been very introverted, would be shocked.

"Why is he here?" Chen Fang was puzzled. He knew that Kobe had a deep connection with USC, not only because he trained and received guidance at USC before the draft, but also because USC is a top film school, and sports and entertainment are linked together.

"He had an animated film that he was commissioning animation director Glen Keane to produce here, and when he heard that DeRozan was visiting, he came over to meet him," Busson explained.

"Well, this is unexpected." Chen Fang calmed down a little.

"Are you also a Kobe disciple?" Busen joked, because DeRozan is one of the people in the NBA who calls himself a Kobe disciple.

Chen Fang shook his head and said, "I have my own understanding of the Mamba Mentality."

"Oh?" It was Busen's turn to be surprised. He had hardly heard of any basketball player saying this. The whole team had gone completely crazy because of Kobe's arrival today, but apart from the initial surprise, Chen Fang was now very calm.

"Aren't all Chinese Kobe fans?" Busen asked curiously.

Chen Fang smiled and said, "Yes, there are many, but I am not one of them."

"Then who is your idol?" Busen rarely had the opportunity to have a deep conversation with Chen Fang, so he couldn't help but become interested.

"So anyone who loves basketball is my role model, but I don't have an idol. My idols are my parents," Chen Fang said calmly.

He was not talking empty words. Only after he experienced the lowest point in his life and realized that his parents were the only ones who did not abandon him, did Chen Fang abandon all his fantasies and innocence.

In his heart, only his parents are his idols.

When it comes to his parents, Busen naturally can't talk about it, but he agrees with Chen Fang's words and nods seriously: "May God be with you and your family, and bless you and your family."

Chen Fang felt quite embarrassed, but he also knew that this was the American way of expressing grammar.

In China, words that begin with "quanjia" are always a curse. If you really want to give a blessing, you always use the word "he".

When we arrived at the training ground, the atmosphere was indeed very different. DeRozan was already on the court. He was sitting on the sidelines and talking to Andy.

Although DeRozan's head coach was Tim Floyd when he was in college, it did not affect his friendship with Andy. The two were chatting about the NBA. When Andy saw Chen Fang come in, he waved to him.

"Your future opponent, future junior brother, is here." Andy said humorously.

Chen Fang walked over and extended his hand first to show respect.

"I have a deep impression of the ball you backed down against me. I just found out that you had agreed to come to USC before the Olympics!" DeRozan is an emo guy, but he was pretty normal in 16.

His suffering was a series of traumas from 18 to 20 years ago. Even though he suffered from depression, Chen Fang still admired him as a man. (His father passed away, as did his grandparents, his wife left him with two children, and Kobe also died. At this time, Harden was the one who took care of him.)
"Please forgive my ignorance. I didn't know at that time that you were also a member of USC, and the best one." Chen Fang naturally had to return the compliment.

"I'm so happy to hear that you chose USC. USC finally has a five-star high school student!"

"Isn't it the same for you, sir? I'm just following in your footsteps." Chen Fang was very humble.

It was hard for DeRozan to reconcile the Chinese people in front of him with his impression of them in previous games, but he thought it was a good thing. He said, "Go warm up. Let's have a good chat today."

"As you wish." Chen Fang answered calmly, walked aside and began to take off his clothes.

Elijah Stewart came over and asked, "What did you talk about?"

"Mr. Demar told me to respect the elderly and love the young, and be considerate of certain people." Chen Fang said casually.

Elijah's face suddenly turned dark. He knew that Chen Fang was teasing him, but he still felt that Deerma already knew about the embarrassing incident in which Chen Fang beat him three times a day.

That's right, in the past month, Chen Fang talked about the ball, without any emotional or condescending remarks. He challenged all 12 players in the team, including more than a dozen players from the second team, one by one. Ilya was especially challenged, with three challenges in one day.

So the rumor spread in USC that Big Falcon ate three meals a day, and Elijah was at every meal.

"Who are you betting on to win?" Chen Fang suddenly asked.

Elijah was surprised: "How do you know?"

"I can guess with half my ass that you must have made some small bets."

"Is it DeMar?" Chen Fang asked.

"Of course, this is respect!" Elijah admitted through gritted teeth.

It seems that I am not cruel enough to you. You didn't even bet on me. Chen Fang sneered in his heart and said while warming up: "Is there anyone who bets on me to win?"

"It seems not!" Elijah was a little happy.

"Then you guys are just betting on loneliness?" Chen Fang smiled.

I can only say that the more I communicate with Chen Fang, the more grammatical combinations I master. Ilya never thought that one could combine words like "half a butt" and "lonely" to express emotions. In short, everyone likes to listen to Chinese people speak.

"How about this, I'll bet on myself, 500 US dollars, and you guys can also get a share." Chen Fang had an idea.

"Wow! I must tell everyone about this surprise." Elijah jumped up immediately and ran to the other side quickly.

Chen Fang came to DeRozan and warmed up with him, and casually asked, "How is Canada?"

DeRozan glanced at him and replied, "A very quiet place."

"There are just not enough people." Chen Fang asked again, "Why didn't you come back when the Lakers called you?"

"Are you curious about this too?" DeRozan was very relaxed. After all, this was his alma mater and the environment made him feel less depressed. His voice was relatively low and his appearance did not look like most black people. He had more classical facial features.

In fact, a big nose is considered a blessing, but the eyebrows are badly grown, with the ends of the eyebrows drooping and pointed, which shows the face of a lonely and old man.

In short, it gives people a very melancholy feeling. As the Chinese saying goes, look how unlucky you are.

But Chen Fang would not say this. He continued to ask in the tone of a casual conversation with neighbors: "Kobe is retiring, and you just happened to be going to the Lakers to take over. Isn't this a good thing? California is your home?"

DeRozan was a little stunned by this. He didn't expect the Chinese to look at it from this perspective.

"Or, do you feel like going there would be too much pressure? Or are you unwilling to settle in the East and don't want to be criticized for being beaten by James?"

The next words made DeRozan stop warming up. He really couldn't imagine why a junior would suddenly ask such a sharp question.

Seeing DeRozan's expression, Chen Fang quickly apologized: "I'm sorry, I treat you as an elder brother, so I didn't hide it. If you feel offended, I apologize to you."

Seeing that he didn't react, Chen Fang said, "I just think that maybe I will encounter this kind of choice in the future, and I hope I can make the right choice."

DeRozan raised his left hand. On the edge of his little finger, the word "loyalty" was tattooed in English.

"This is my choice."

"I understand!" Chen Fang did not continue. DeRozan is a tragic NBA star. He mocked himself and Lowry on Twitter as trash brothers, which once became his label. After facing James' Heat and doubting his life, he persisted, but was kicked away by the Raptors and replaced by Kawhi Leonard, and then saw Kawhi Leonard help the Raptors win the championship.

He was probably the only one in the entire league who felt this way.

Since being traded by the Raptors, he seemed to have lost the treatment and dignity of a top star and started a wandering career in the league.

Of course, it now seems that there is no problem with his choice. He just signed a five-year, $5 million contract with the Raptors in July. He feels that his loyalty is respected. Even though this contract is not the largest, he is already very satisfied.

The reason why Chen Fang was willing to say more was not only because he was Harden's childhood friend, but also because he was one of the few strong-willed men in the league who would not go along with the crowd and was someone who could be trusted.

"Come on, let me see your personal strength." DeRozan was obviously unhappy with what Chen Fang said just now. He decided to teach this little brother a lesson.

I heard that Chen Fang abused the entire team. This kind of operation is definitely his style, very similar to Kobe. But if you want to be Kobe's disciple, you have to pass this level.

Chen Fang naturally didn't know the real reason why DeRozan challenged him to a one-on-one match, and thought it was because of the conversation just now, but this was also what he wanted.

He quickly took off his training suit and came to the court, while his teammates who had been waiting for a long time gathered around to watch.

Old rules, 5-second outside shot, 11 balls, no change of serve.

As the big brother, DeRozan let Chen Fang go first.

DeRozan's defense is not good in the league, it's just average, because he has a small frame, unlike Chen Fang and Tatum, who are born with big frames and double-shoulder doors.

But his perimeter defense is not bad, and he is also excellent in team defense.

Especially his excellent footwork substitution, he always finds ways to break through the opponent in one-on-one situations.

Chen Fang held the ball with his left leg as the axis and his right leg as the probe. He did not stand up very fast, the distance between his two feet was very short, and he stood completely straight.

DeRozan is 198cm tall, which is almost the same height as Chen Fang. Combined with his adult physique, visually, Chen Fang is thinner.

Chen Fang grabbed the ball with his left hand, placed it slightly behind his waist, and took light steps to the left and right. When the countdown reached the third second, he suddenly leaned over and took a step forward.

DeRozan's pace was mobilized and he quickly retreated half a step, while Chen Fang jumped up with the ball and shot a three-pointer.

Watching the ball go in, DeRozan clapped his hands: "Great triple threat."

As everyone was concentrating, the door to the player's passage on one side opened, and a tall, bald black man in a sports jersey appeared there.

He saw this scene on the court, and the scene of Chen Fang jumping up and shooting just happened to come into his sight.

This made him stop immediately and make a booing gesture to the people behind him.

He also took half a step back, using the light and shadow to let the shadow cover him.

So, Chen continued his work without knowing it, as Kobe witnessed him in a one-on-one duel for the first time.

Recalling this scene, Chen Fang, who was already a close friend of Kobe, laughed during an interview: "Did I scare you at that time?"

"Impossible. I was just wondering whether I should take off my coat and teach the kid a lesson." Kobe Bryant put on his usual Mamba cool look and answered seriously.

On the second ball, Chen Fang tried to get rid of the ball as soon as he received it, but DeRozan's footsteps were quick and he immediately used his body to skillfully counter the interference. However, Chen Fang is different now. His muscle dimensions and core trunk strength are not bad. He just shook slightly, made a burst of ball and pulled sideways, easily took a step inside the three-point line on the left wing, and jumped up to shoot.

A long two-pointer went into the net.

Well, it’s really impressive!

DeRozan said to himself in his heart, he lowered his center of gravity, and skillfully spoke trash talk, trying to trick Chen Fang and change his offensive strategy.

But Chen Fang didn't react at all. He shook his head and said, "I won't be fooled. You know I'm very accurate in my shots. You'd better pray that I don't have a good shot today."

Then, on the third ball, DeRozan, who had clearly improved his blocking mentality, was blocked by Chen Fang and was defeated with an easy layup.

Kobe in the shadows was shaking his head and muttering, "Hey, DeMar, you should stick to him and use your strength to interfere."

The teammates watching the game on the sidelines were not too surprised, because these were all things they had experienced. There was no solution to Chen Fang's shooting and breakthrough. Unless there was someone of similar height to him, it would be very difficult to deal with.

Faced with this, DeRozan remained calm. He began to press, and before Chen Fang received the ball, he increased his intensity, disrupting his rhythm and posture to receive the ball.

This is very important, because often when the player receives the ball in a one-on-one duel, they have already used up too much energy and are unable to attack.

However, Chen Fang's main focus in this special training was on improving his skills in continuous force generation, maintaining sustained power, and significantly strengthening his skills and application of re-force generation after confrontation.

Therefore, Chen Fang not only withstood the pressure from DeRozan, but also confronted the opponent. Then he made a half-turn and connected with a back-to-back dribble, making a gorgeous turn from sideways to facing DeRozan.

While DeRozan was still adjusting his pace, Chen Fang used an up-and-down cross step to force him to retreat half a step, giving himself space to shoot. He directly received the ball and jumped up, shooting a three-pointer over the opponent's dreadlocked head.

Seeing the ball go in, even Kobe in the shadows was moved.

He couldn't help but take a half step forward and shook his head slightly: "Is this a USC player?"

"Yes, he is the five-star high school student we recruited this year, Chen Fang from China." The person accompanying him immediately introduced him in a low voice.

"This name sounds familiar."

"He scored 48 points against Australia in this year's Olympics and became famous in one battle!"

Kobe was reminded by this and remembered that it was him.

"It looks like DeMar is having a hard time today."

The situation was exactly as Kobe had judged. Chen Fang's touch was hot and he had made 7 shots in a row. DeRozan also became irritable from being calm, and his movements began to become bigger.

Finally, when Chen Fang was trying to break through, he was hit by the opponent's hidden force and staggered half a step. His advantage was gone in an instant, and he was forced to make a hasty move before the countdown.

Even so, the basketball still bounced around the rim before going out.

In response, Chen Fang didn't wait for DeRozan to speak, and said first: "It's my turn to guard the old man."

DeRozan didn't want to miss this opportunity, so he hesitated and picked up the basketball silently.

Next, Chen Fang had to feel the pressure from the top-level NBA shooting guard. DeRozan used his kaleidoscope skills to single-handedly score 10 goals in a row against Chen Fang. Even Kobe, who appeared in the shadows, saw the little brother's desire to win today.

"This is simply the concentration of the playoffs!" Andy, who witnessed it all, sighed.

But he was also very happy. Being able to force out the most serious DeRozan was also a victory for Chen Fang. After all, he was only 18 years old.

DeRozan couldn't help but do the same. When he thought of Chen Fang's touch and skills, he didn't dare to waste the ball at all and was determined to win.

It was the last ball. DeRozan used a triple threat to get rid of Chen Fang and ended the duel with a layup, but Chen Fang did not give up. He chased him and, with his faster bounce speed and wingspan, he nailed the ball on the backboard.

"Oh!" Everyone on the sidelines was shot in the head, and there was actually an accident.

Chen Fang, who was in desperate situation, actually blocked the ball.

After getting the ball, Chen Fang gasped for breath, but he didn't give you time to adjust. After the ball was thrown, Chen Fang went to catch it, then cut to the wing, suddenly pulled back, completely shook off DeRozan who was chasing him, and jumped up with the ball.

Although he was a little exhausted, he still managed to score the goal.

It was also this ball that made Kobe's eyes light up.

"What a great shot." He sighed.

But on the next ball, Chen Fang's fake breakthrough and real shot was hit by DeRozan, who almost touched the basketball with the tip of his finger. Seeing the basketball pass by the Nets, many people thought it was a miss.

Chen Fang understood that this time it was really over.

Although it was clear, Chen Fang tried harder on defense this time, but DeRozan couldn't fail twice in a row. He used his best trump card, a sideways back shot, a turnaround jump shot, and won the duel that he thought would be easy before the game.

"Haha!" Elijah cheered, but found that many of his teammates did not celebrate, even those who had placed bets.

Then he realized that his behavior was stupid and he stood there awkwardly with his face burning.

"Great one-on-one!" Kobe's appearance freed Elijah from his embarrassment. Everyone cheered in surprise and surrounded him. DeRozan even took the lead and shook hands with Kobe.

"Wow, don't wipe your sweat on my clothes, I still have to be interviewed." Kobe dodged and teased his younger brother.

DeRozan quickly went to find a towel to wipe his sweat, and the two walked to the bench. "Good brother, congratulations on getting a big contract!" Kobe hugged DeRozan this time.

Looking at Kobe not far away, Chen Fang sat on the other side, wiping his sweat. His lonely performance immediately attracted Busen's attention.

Then, Kobe also asked: "Where is the Chinese who challenged you?"

So, Chen Fang came to Kobe reluctantly.

Kobe, with his unshaven beard, looked very energetic. Chen Fang really had a hard time suppressing his fluctuating emotions. After calming himself down, Chen Fang extended his hand: "Hello, Mr. Bryant."

Seeing Chen Fang's serious expression, Kobe thought he was being restrained, so he waved his hand: "Don't be like that. Your one-on-one skills are excellent, and I hope your game ability will be the same."

"Please rest assured, it will only get better."

Chen Fang's confident answer made Kobe laugh.

He came this time just to see DeRozan. They haven't met for a long time and he doesn't know when they will meet again.

The others also knew what to do. They were already satisfied just seeing the real person. The whole team watched them leave. Just when the atmosphere was slightly low, they heard Chen Fang say, "I'll treat everyone to lunch. Just treat it as a bet."

"Wow!" Everyone screamed. It was a very good thing to see Da Falcon lose the game and lose money.

Andy did not disturb them. This kind of interaction within the team would enhance cohesion. Chen Fang integrated into the team quickly.

It is true that a smart person does not need to be taught, not to mention that he is a powerful person.

"There is still one month until the pre-season starts."

"I can't wait to see what this mature team can achieve." Andy is full of anticipation.

　Today I had a migraine, my old problem, and I couldn't hold on after finishing this chapter. My migraines are caused by sinusitis and there is no cure. My sinuses were caused by a medical accident when I was a child. The attacks are basically in winter. I am speechless and don't know how long this one will last.

　　As for the meeting with Kobe, I think that's about it. I know a lot of basketball novels write about Kobe, but I always feel something is wrong.

　　Maybe this is closer to reality.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)