Rekindling the dream of becoming a star

Chapter 223 The curtain opens
April 4th.

At 5:30 in the morning, everyone had gathered in the hotel conference room.

The NCAA finals game time is always 9:20 a.m.

There are many considerations for this time. The first is the time span between the eastern and western regions. 9:20 a.m. is within an acceptable range for both parties.

Second, games held in the morning are conducive to the continuity of reporting, while games held in the afternoon and evening help with post-game fermentation.

Third, this time is also beneficial to the competitive state of athletes, as the morning is the best mental state for people.

But now, everyone is still in a state of depression. Although no one is yawning, their eyes are still rather unfocused.

Head coach Andy did not sleep well. The situation has been tense for almost half a month, and now it has come to the final moment.

"Did anyone sleep well last night? Be honest!" Andy asked.

No one said anything. Chen Fang really slept well, but he would not lower his EQ and raise his hand. Instead, he yawned at the right time, which livened up the atmosphere in the meeting room.

"Ha ha!"

Everyone laughed, and Andy nodded: "I didn't sleep well either, but no matter what happens today, I will definitely sleep well."

"Success and failure are bound to happen, but many people don't know who will be the winner." Andy said as he walked in front of the players, "But we must know who the winner is."

"Who is it?" he asked.

"We!" Chen Fang was the first to raise his hand.

"Yes, us!" Ilya shouted, and then the whole team raised their hands excitedly.

The lethargy disappeared in an instant, and everyone became more energetic.

Seeing that his goal had been achieved, Andy nodded and said solemnly: "Yes, we must have such confidence."

"North Carolina is very strong, but so what? We have eliminated so many teams to get to where we are today. Aren't there a few teams we defeated that can't beat North Carolina?"

"There is no absolutely strong team in the world. In the NCAA, confidence and persistence are more important factors for victory."

“Please promise me that no matter what happens today in the game, don’t give up!” Andy pleaded with the team.

Everyone was touched, and when Chen Fang stood up, they all stood up.

"Coach, I promise you, even until the last second, I will, man, commit and fulfill every word he says!"

This sentence seemed to be the voice of everyone's heart. No one spoke, but used the Trojans' unique oath-taking ceremony of placing fists on the heart to express this commitment.

The mobilization before the finals reached its peak at this moment.

"From now on, I won't say anything about it. Everything depends on you."

After saying that, without waiting for the team members to respond, Andy strode out of the meeting room.

"Let's go, let's face this big scene."

Chen Fang shouted to the whole team.

“Open dry!”

"GOGOGO!"

Chen Fang led the entire team and rushed out of the meeting room.

On the other side of the city, Jordan was instilling a strong mentality into the entire North Carolina team.

"I can accept failure, everyone has encountered setbacks, but I can't accept not trying. I'm glad to see you try again and come back here, to the NCAA finals." Jordan pointed to his feet.

"You are amazing. Your excellent skills, strong will, unyielding character and outstanding persistence will help you to have the last laugh."

"As you all know, whether it's practice or a real game, I play to win. And, I won't let anything get in the way of me and my fierce competitiveness to win."

"This is how I won six championships," Jordan said to the team, making the number six. "I learned all of this at North Carolina."

"There are only a few who can win the NCAA and NBA championships. When I, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and Magic Johnson tasted the championship, we had a desire for the championship. This taste is addictive, urging us to go all out to pursue it."

"I firmly believe that this process has reached the final step. Now, it is time to let it be instilled into you."

“In the word Team, there is no i, but in the word Win, there is i.”

"Remember, victory is everything." After saying this, Jordan stood up and clapped his hands first, waving them as if to shoo away flies: "Get out of here, go to the court, and take back North Carolina's sixth championship!"

"Yes sir!" Joel Berry shouted loudly as the captain.

The buses of the two teams drove out of the hotel almost at the same time, and the spectators who had been waiting on both sides of the street also shouted loudly.

"Victory!" "Champion!" "Go!"

Similar words continued to echo from the crowd, while the players, through the glass, waved in greeting.

It was already 7:10 when they arrived at the Felix Sports Center, and they didn't have much time left.

When Chen Fang saw the stadium through the glass, his heart was touched.

Two days ago, two teams missed the chance to see it again. This is the cruel competition.

We can understand and imagine the pain and regret in their hearts, and today, there will be a team that will experience even greater pain than them.

It's a truly daunting yet endlessly desirable game.

Entering the stadium, Chen Fang asked the coach for leave.

"Go, but don't stay outside. It's better to disguise yourself." Andy was very generous. He knew that Chen Fang only wanted a ticket to the finals, so it would be beneficial for him to go and see his old friend.

After getting permission, Chen Fang put on his hat and mask, and with the help of Busen, he quickly came to the outside of the stadium, passed the agreed address, and finally saw a group of people.

Yue Gang's back was easy to recognize, as was the fat guy Liu Feng. Chen Fang approached him quietly, and suddenly like a monkey, he rode on Yue Gang's back.

"Captain, guess who I am!"

Everyone was stunned. They had been building up their emotions, but when they saw Chen Fang suddenly appear, they were still stunned.

You know, Chen Fang is no longer the 177cm tall sophomore boy who was the shortest on the team. He is now a household name in China and even in the United States.

Chen Fang simply took off his mask and pulled his hat down: "Don't be surprised, there are too many people here."

Then he greeted everyone one by one.

"Hey, center Liu, you weigh more than 300 pounds now, can you still play basketball?"

"Of course I can. I am now the starting main force in the department!" Liu Feng was very excited. He defended himself foolishly.

"Yang Shan, you are becoming more and more handsome now!"

"But I'm not as handsome as you. You're really tall now." Thinking back to the first time we met, I had to lower my head. Now two years have passed and now I have to look up.

"Captain Wen, it's OK. This hairstyle is very sexy."

"Haha, I made it on purpose."

"I did it with him. I originally wanted to get dreadlocks, but unfortunately we were too tight on time." Xue Chong shouted.

Then Chen Fang greeted Hu Fei, Xia Wen, He Lang, Huang Jian, and finally saw Kou Chong.

"Congratulations." Chen Fang gave him a hug.

"It can be considered lucky." Kou Feng was very excited, but he was still able to control his emotions. He still joined the professional team, although it was the NBL, but at least he realized his professional dream.

"Come on, there is a chance. If you improve a little bit every year, you will definitely get more playing time." Chen Fang said to him.

"Yeah, I think so too." Kou Feng nodded, looking at Chen Fang, who was full of vigor and even had a changed expression, and he felt more than a little bit of emotion in his heart.

But what can be said? This was all Chen Fang's hard work, and this is also the exemplary force that has kept Kou Feng going until today.

"Captain Chen." Upon hearing this familiar voice, Chen Fang knew who it was.

After seeing the most handsome Han Nuo, Chen Fang said to everyone, "Look at our Han Nuo, he is becoming more and more like a star. How tall is he now?"

"I'm 183cm tall." Han Nuo still looked very shy, and his fair face turned red.

"Tsk tsk." Chen Fang was actually most impressed by Han Nuo.

He was clearly the most talented player on the team, but he chose not to go down this path, and like everyone else, he was admitted to college and didn't even go to play CBUA. In China, there are many students like Han Nuo, but they have buried their talents for some reason or another.

"Are you still playing ball?" Chen Fang asked.

"I do, but not often, because my parents want me to study in the UK, and I don't have enough energy. But I watch every one of your games."

"You are thoughtful." Chen Fang also suppressed his regret.

"You got your tickets, right?"

"Got it. There's still an hour before we can enter. Let's wait here."

"I don't have enough time. I have to leave now. My friend will be here later. You guys can join us. After the game, we can have a good reunion."

"You go and do your thing, we're not in a hurry." Yue Gang said quickly, and everyone agreed.

Chen Fang could feel that everyone was a little reserved, but that was normal; it would be like this after a while.

"Brother, I'm going to make you work hard again." Chen Fang said to Wang Zhen, who had been standing beside him with a smile on his face.

"You go and do your thing, we're not leaving soon." In fact, Wang Zhen missed Chen Fang the most at the scene, but the more so at this time, the more he wanted to avoid letting others feel the difference.

Perhaps brothers’ hearts are connected, and the two of them glanced at each other and understood each other’s thoughts. Chen Fang nodded, and he finally said, “Sun Lexian will be here later, along with a few of my friends. See you at the stadium!”

After saying that, he waved goodbye, and Busen, who was waiting, quickly reminded him to put on his mask.

Seeing Chen Fang hurriedly leaving and disappearing in the crowd, everyone's mood was inevitably a little depressed.

"Why think so much? Just cheer for Chen Fang today. Do you remember our drill on the plane?" Yue Gang clapped his hands and showed the dignity of a captain.

"Of course, I didn't forget." Everyone said.

"That's good. We must let Chen Fang feel the power of Dongsheng!" Yue Gang said confidently.

Chen Fang went directly into the inner field through a special channel. At this moment, apart from the media and staff, there was no one else in the huge stadium. Andy felt relieved when he saw Chen Fang coming back.

"Warm up."

"Good."

But before long, some important figures had already arrived.

Chen Fang interrupted his warm-up and greeted the visitor enthusiastically.

Harden, Garnett, Rondo, Wade, DeRozan, Vucevic, Nick Young, etc. These are the popularity that Chen Fang has accumulated after coming to the United States.

"I bet on you to win, so don't let me lose." Wade said with a laugh.

Ever since he signed with Li Ning, he has consciously moved closer to the Eastern market. As the most promising Chen Fang in China at present, Wade needs to look up to Chen Fang both in terms of strength and business.

"It will only make you a lot of money." Chen Fang said with a smile.

In the league, the first thing to do is to maintain good connections. It is not easy to do so if you only rely on your basketball skills.

Those who lose their moral principles will have few supporters. Our ancestors have long said this truth.

"When will the draft be announced?" Rondo was concerned about this.

"Maybe in May, I want to see the draw." Chen Fang said.

"That's right." Rondo nodded. Considering Chen Fang's current popularity, this year is actually his best year, but looking at the lottery is also the right choice and a safe approach.

This fits his impression of this Chinese man: smart, mellow, yet principled.

Just looking at the friends he makes, it is very clear that they are all people who can meet each other, and they don’t have any major problems with each other, and there is no incompatibility.

Harden laughed and said, "Brother, if you want, I will take you to see the world tonight. I guarantee that you will be shocked. It will be an unprecedented wonderful experience in life."

"Um, I think I'd better wait until I join the league!" Chen Fang could only delay like this. He knew that Harden had no ill intentions, he just wanted to share happiness, but how could he say this? As a man, no one would refuse, but based on principle, Chen Fang let it go.

Next came the USC faction, including DeRozan, Nick Young, Vucevic and others. They all looked uneasy and were the most nervous.

"Empty your mind and focus on the game," DeRozan said.

"North Carolina is nothing special. We are stronger!" Nick Young encouraged Chen Fang in a relaxed tone.

"Play good defense and protect the rebounds." Vucevic's expression was serious. He knew that the Trojans' inside line was a level lower than that of North Carolina.

"Yes, I won't let you down. I trust my teammates." Chen Fang nodded.

Finally, it was the big boss Kobe's turn to appear on the stage. He must have not seen many old friends for a long time, and everyone came forward to have a cordial conversation with him.

In the end, Kobe didn't say anything to Chen Fang. He just glanced at him, and gave Chen Fang the feeling that he should handle it himself. There was no need to say more about this matter.

At this moment, admission was opened and a large number of waiting fans poured into the stadium from all directions through 16 entrances, and the entire team had to return to the locker room again to make final preparations.

After saying goodbye to all the brothers, Chen Fang calmed down.

He didn't want to lose, and he didn't want to hear words of comfort.

It doesn’t matter whether he is congratulated or not, he just wants to put an end to his D1 career without regrets.

After returning to the locker room, Andy announced the starting lineup and opening strategy.

"Nick, Benny, Elijah, McLaughlin, Chen Fang."

"In the first half, our strategy was to play conventionally and try to get everyone to score as much as possible. This would also deter North Carolina from double-teaming Chen Fang recklessly on defense."

"So, each of us must show the desire to attack, and no matter who gets the opportunity, we must shoot without hesitation and attack the basket."

"Ilya, you have to keep maneuvering on the flanks and elbows. I'll give you the right to fire."

"Nick, the opponent's Meeks is very heavy, but his offensive ability is not enough. He will be more likely to set screens, so you have to switch defense quickly."

"Benny, this is your return to the starting lineup. You have to rotate with Metu. My requirements for both of you are to protect the rim and rebound. Do these two things well."

"McLaughlin, go to the wing and the baseline and give the top of the arc to Chen Fang. Three-pointers, I need your three-pointers. As long as you hit one in the bottom corner, North Carolina won't dare to abandon you to double-team Chen Fang."

Finally, Andy looked at Chen Fang.

"Everything is up to you, the top of the key, the two wings, the elbows, go wherever you want to go, trust your nose."

"I see."

Andy gave Chen Fang unlimited freedom in the frontcourt, allowing him to judge everything on his own.

But this is the best way to unleash Chen Fang's lethality. After so many games, Andy and the coaching team were surprised to find that when Chen Fang played like crazy, his scoring points covered the entire half court.

For such a powerful super scorer, you can't put him in a box.

Chen Fang had no objection to this. Through yesterday's competition with Kobe, he had a deeper understanding of the rhythm of holding the ball.

If you need to rely on stimulation and excitement to win every time, it will obviously not be conducive to playing in the NBA in the future. 82 games is no joke. Even Old Black can't stand it.

He needs to use technology more rationally to gain advantages and value.

Soon, it was time to go on stage. The whole team came to the player tunnel, with familiar rituals and skilled movements. When Chen Fang clasped his fists, he spoke rarely.

"Jordan once said something. He said talent can win some games, but teamwork wins championships."

"Using his words to inspire us to win the championship, I think this is the most profound impact."

"When we walk out of this passage, let's not have any other distracting thoughts. Come, look into my eyes, just like I have only one thought in my mind now."

"champion!"

"How many chances do you have to fight in your life? If not now, when?"

After saying this, Chen Fang rushed out without hesitation, and with his appearance, the Phoenix Sports Center, which was already full, erupted with the first thunderous roar.

The highly anticipated final has begun.

Two hours later, the champions will celebrate and the losers will exit in disgrace.

This is the charm of competition, let your heart and soul tremble with it.

(End of this chapter)