Rekindling the dream of becoming a star

Chapter 227 Tianhu’s Beginning
Chen Fang had never participated in a tryout. He thought that the tryout was just going to the team's gym, doing a personal test, and then dribbling and shooting like he had done in high school and college.

But only when you get involved, Chen Fang realizes that tryout is a very scientific and systematic job.

First of all, the tryout time will be determined and you will not be late because there will be at least thirty people present and it is impossible to let everyone wait for you.

Do a physical examination first to check your basic physical fitness and physical indicators to rule out hidden medical history risks.

Then go straight into actual combat.

The actual combat content is divided into three parts.

1. Demonstration of personal ability, including spot shooting, dribbling shooting, moving shooting (catching and shooting), rebounding, and free throws.

Each item has a standard to meet, but we won’t tell you. You will just be asked to do your best. Each item will be performed in three sets and will take within one hour.

2. Demonstration of dribbling skills, including double ball, gravity ball, moving and staying in place, as well as intensity dribbling (pulling rope + interference from strong and weak side hands + pressure from body confrontation), and finally passing the ball. Baskets will be placed randomly on the court, requiring you to dribble and move and hit the ball into the basket at a fixed point.

3. During the competition, there will be some rookies and some substitute players to practice together. (They will keep changing positions, sometimes playing as a guard, sometimes as a forward.) This will take a long time, within an hour and a half, including rest and tactical arrangements, to test your understanding and acceptance of techniques and tactics.

Some actual combat matches include physical fitness tests, which are two-in-one. Basically, fine-tuning is done based on the characteristics of the rookies.

Once these are completed, you will enter the psychological testing phase.

The questions were all inexplicable. It was more like a test to see if you had the potential to be a psychopath than a personality test. Chen Fang answered casually without thinking at all.

Finally, there is the interview phase.

The person who interviewed him was James Jones, the Suns' director of operations. This player, who had just retired and turned from a Heat player into the Suns' vice president of operations, had a very capable resume no matter how you looked at it.

"Are you satisfied with the tryout just now?" Jones asked.

Chen Fang nodded: "Satisfied."

In fact, he didn't play well today. After all, he hadn't had systematic training for a while. In the second half, especially during the game, he missed some shots, and in the end he lost.

The rookies in his group were too eager to show themselves, and their offense and defense were disorganized. Even though he had been very patient in guiding them, they were not united and nothing went smoothly.

Jones had a blank expression on his face. He looked through the documents on his desk and asked, "Do you think you'll drop to fourth?"

"No. 6 is not surprising." Chen Fang's answer made Jones look up at him, obviously waiting for an explanation.

"Things are unpredictable." Chen Fang said a proverb, and then said: "The needs of each team are different, just like the characteristics and value contributed by each player are also different."

"What do you think the sun needs right now?"

"What do you mean?"

"You can say anything you want, whatever you want."

"Sorry, I haven't watched the NBA recently." Chen Fang's answer surprised Jones again. He stared at Chen Fang for a long time and asked, "Is it because you are not worried about the draft position at all that you answered without caring at all?"

"You misunderstood." Chen Fang shook his head seriously: "I really haven't watched much NBA in the past year. I've watched more game videos of my college opponents."

"If I have to say, I think a team needs a coach who understands defense, especially on the perimeter. The Suns' record last season was directly related to their poor defense."

Jones asked, "When do you think the Suns will make the playoffs?"

"When Booker really understands how to be a leader."

"What is your understanding of leadership?" Jones asked.

“Awaken the fighting spirit, point the way to victory, influence the bad apples, and set an example before, after and during the game.”

"He should be the strongest player on the team, the most tolerant player on the team, and the most demanding player on the team."

"He has to protect his teammates, help his teammates and push his teammates."

"Finally, he should dare to express his opinions, whether in victory or defeat, to unify the pace and let the outside world feel that the entire team has only one voice."

Jones was really stunned. He blinked and didn't say anything for a long time.

“Don’t you think this is a bit dictatorial?” he asked.

"How can a league with 30 teams win the championship? This is not dictatorship, this is what the team leader must do." After being serious, Chen Fang suddenly smiled: "Of course, this is just my immature idea. Maybe with more experience, it will change."

"Thank you for coming to the tryout today." Jones didn't want to continue chatting. He felt that this Chinese man had some magical power that made him feel scared.

Duffy was waiting outside. When he saw Chen Fang coming out, he didn't ask much, but just nodded to Jones. The two walked out without saying a word all the way until they got into the car. He asked, "How do you feel?"

"I don't know either. It's hard for me to judge the result of the Suns' tryout today."

"Did the Clippers see it?" Chen Fang asked.

Duffy nodded: "Yes, now I will take you to see someone."

"Okay." Chen Fang didn't ask, but he had a guess.

Soon, the car drove into a building and they took the elevator directly from the garage. The elevator did not have many buttons and was an exclusive elevator.

When they arrived, Duffy pointed down the corridor and said, "It's the last room, the one with the door open."

Why is it so mysterious? With doubt, Chen Fang strode over. After he figured it out, Chen Fang didn't care where he went. He felt that he could still rely on his performance on the court to get what he wanted.

When the door opened, I saw an old man sitting there in a neat suit and yellow tie.

When their eyes met, Chen Fang secretly exclaimed, "As expected."

Jerry West.

The NBA's LOGO man, the Lakers' veteran, Kobe's mentor, the founder of the Lakers dynasty, and one of the most powerful men in the NBA.

Even though he was very old, the sense of oppression he exuded was still strong. Just a glance at Chen Fang made the latter feel his heart tighten.

Pointing to the chair opposite him, West said, "Sit down, kid."

Chen Fang sat down obediently, then looked at the old man and said, "Sir, I am very surprised. I didn't expect that I could meet the legendary figure."

West smiled and said, "I haven't been out for a long time, but I think you still have many opportunities to run into me."

"Is this an interview with the Clippers?" Chen Fang looked around the room, looking for a camera.

"Yes, I want to talk to you on behalf of the Clippers." West looked at the Chinese people in front of him and felt the same emotion in his heart. In the eyes of the Chinese, there was no Kobe's rebelliousness and arrogance. On the contrary, they seemed very lively.

He watched the entire tryout and read all the detailed information, including the final conversation with Jones, which he also heard through the camera.

I don’t know how to describe this feeling. Chen Fang exudes a strong sense of self-confidence. Even though he himself thinks that the tryout is not perfect, he is not discouraged. This is not optimism, but a manifestation of self-confidence.

Especially regarding the leader's answer, West never thought that a boy who was almost 19 years old would understand it in this way.

"Do you think you can be the cornerstone of the Clippers?" he began.

Chen Fang nodded: "Correction, I can be the cornerstone of any team."

"Is the reason you are optimistic about the Clippers because of the owner?" West continued to ask the next question without commenting.

“No, just because it’s in Los Angeles.”

Each of Chen Fang's answers went beyond the scope, and this kind of answer aroused the old man's interest, just like when he saw Chen Fang and Jones' answers, he felt it was so fresh.

"What does Los Angeles mean to you?"

"It means more competition, more exposure, and I can play a lot of games against strong teams in a season."

(The NBA is divided into the East and West, each of which is divided into three divisions. Each division plays each other twice. For example, the Pacific Division: Golden State Warriors, Los Angeles Clippers, Los Angeles Lakers, Phoenix Suns, Sacramento Kings. If you are in one of these teams, you will have to play 4 games with the four teams in the regular season.)
"Do you like playing against strong teams?"

“Yes, this is the fastest way for me to improve.”

"What does failure mean to you?"

"It means thank you. Thank you to our opponents for helping us find our weaknesses and loopholes. This is the meaning of the regular season."

West raised an eyebrow at the answer, and although he had no expression, there was more color in his eyes.

"If you were on the Clippers, who would you want to be there and who wouldn't be there?"

"I am not picky about my teammates, and I don't mind competition in any aspect. The vitality of the league comes from constant competition and elimination, which is also the root of my desire to enter the league."

“What do you think of the maximum salary?”

"A double-edged sword, the most contradictory existence."

"Players need this contract, whether it is to support their families and realize their desires, and it is also a reflection of status and dignity. Sometimes, maybe just one or two million can cause big trouble."

"At the same time, the maximum salary will hurt the team. Most dynasties collapse because of this reason."

"Of course, this is not what I considered. There will be more professional people. It's a headache."

West listened silently, and he said, "What do you think of Paul?"

"As a classic guard, modern basketball still connects seamlessly, but he can't take on more game responsibilities. He needs more helpers, so he needs a strong team."

"Also, he couldn't play the key shots. Many times, he was powerless."

"If it were you, could you do it?" Chen Fang said, "Maybe not now, but within three years, I will definitely be able to do this."

"reason."

"I can compete with any scorer. My scoring skills and methods are enough to support me in any situation. I can make my teammates not only better, but also more confident."

"Because of your successful experience in college?" Although Chen Fang's words at this moment seemed quite arrogant, West had no expression and asked lightly.

"Partly, but more importantly, I met a lot of people, which made me realize that I am no worse than them."

"For example?"

"That's hard to say." Chen Fang didn't give a direct answer.

Are you kidding? Can't I reach Tatum's height? Apart from his durability, Chen Fang doesn't think there is a gap.

"Let's talk about Kobe." West moved on to the next topic.

This made Chen Fang stunned for a moment. He frowned and looked around. West couldn't help but said, "Don't worry, he's not here, and I won't convey your words. In short, you have to believe that no third person will know about our conversation today."

"In what aspect?" Chen Fang became bolder.

"Let's talk about the stadium first." West hasn't been so interested in chatting with others for a long time. He feels that there are many interesting ideas hidden in the minds of Chinese people.

"A cold-blooded killer, but he's missing something!" Chen Fang replied.

"Oh, what's missing?"

"In Chinese wars, the army is usually composed of generals, commanders, guards, military advisors and military governors."

"Kobe is a great general. He can usually handle some opponents without anyone else's help. But when facing opponents of equal strength, he can't handle it alone."

"Can I understand the head coach as the head coach?"

"You can understand it this way, but a dynasty still needs a head coach. It is difficult for the head coach to fully understand and control the players. If there is a head coach among the players, the team will have a chance to become a dynasty." Chen Fang felt that he could say that, anyway, he regarded West as an elder and was just making a fuss.

From the moment he didn't care where he went, he completely let go. It didn't matter whether he wanted to or not, I had the confidence that I could perform well wherever I was.

West nodded slightly and asked, "What is a military advisor?"

"In fact, the military advisor should be more suitable for the head coach. He gives advice and provides solutions to the situations encountered, but the ones who actually carry out the work are the commander, generals and guards."

“Is Wei a role player?”

"Well, you can understand it this way. The supervisors are the team management. They supervise the commander, generals, and military advisors, and provide control and support."

"This metaphor is very fresh." West was somewhat happy. This kind of thinking from the East gave him some more ideas.

"So you think you are handsome?"

"Xiao Shuai!" Chen Fang made a small gesture with his fingers: "But in the future, it will grow bigger!"

Looking at Chen Fang's confident smile, West returned to the previous topic.

"What do you think of Kobe off the court?"

"A combination of perfection and imperfection." Chen Fang made a self-contradictory statement, and then he explained: "Perfection refers to his help to everyone in their ball skills. He hopes to see more people become stronger. Even if anyone is very bad, as long as they are willing to learn and practice, he will be very kind and tolerant."

"Imperfection is the way to get along with others. He is too sharp and not good at handling conflicts and solving problems. He is a very good big brother, but at the same time he is an extremely demanding teacher."

"Everyone who gets along with him will feel pressure. People tend to be free and undisciplined. Oftentimes, Kobe needs to pick his teammates. If they are suitable, then they are very suitable. If they are not suitable, then they will ruin the team."

"If you were faced with these problems, what would you do? For example, he did it to Shaq, Howard, Bynum, and Parker."

Chen Fang thought for a while before saying, "Different people have different solutions. I will give them a way out and look for private face-to-face communication opportunities. I will satisfy and respect their self-esteem and bring our focus back to the same direction."

"For example, with Shaq, Shaq is actually very easy to satisfy, and Kobe's stubbornness hurt the dynasty."

"Even if Shaq has problems, I think since we are on the same team, our duty is to win, not to be right or wrong or up or down."

"If you have to choose between victory and being the second in command, which one would you choose?" West asked the question sharply.

It was Chen Fang's turn to hesitate. After a while, he said, "If he is stronger than me, I will be the second in command, but I will not be content to be the second in command forever. I will continue to improve myself, and sooner or later I will take back my position."

"And I will not hide this purpose. I hope he can always use me as motivation, so that victory will become an inevitable result."

These words surprised West for the first time, and Chen Fang's thinking moved him.

"I think we can end our conversation here." West stood up and extended his right hand.

Chen Fang held it with both hands and bowed slightly.

With an impeccable attitude, West said, "Bill has been waiting outside for a long time, you go."

"Okay, I respect you again, it's nice to meet you."

Watching Chen Fang go out, West flipped through the documents in his hand and made a decision in his heart.

If his body can adapt to the intensity of the NBA, he has a promising future.

West believes in his own judgment that Chen Fang, a Chinese man, will not be a weak player in any team.

The failure of the NBA's bottom-ranked teams has never been due to problems with the strength of their players. The most likely reason is that the team lacks cohesion and a leader.

A strong scorer with high emotional intelligence who can be a leader if he wants to.

As for Chen Fang, he judged that he had already evolved.

Good boy, he is more attractive than 19-year-old Kobe.

Well, let's see what surprises he will bring in this first year.

When Duffy, who had been waiting for a long time, saw Chen Fang, he showed no joy at all, but stood up calmly.

After getting off the elevator and back in the car, Duffy asked, "Do you still want to go to the King?"

"No, for a top draft pick, one tryout is enough. Any more will lower your reputation." Chen Fang replied with a smile.

The king's boss is an Indian, so it's best to avoid him if you can. Although his daughter is a good girl, Chen Fang would never think about her.

He feels very tired today. He won't be able to recover in a few days.

(Top draft picks will basically not go to multiple teams, but basically just one or two. The more tryouts they have, the less valuable they are. For example, the No. 18 pick in , Ayton, went to the Suns, and rejected all the others.)
"What to do next?" Chen Fang asked.

"Wait!" Duffy replied.

"Also, what is your attitude towards other businesses?"

"I don't run my own business, and I have no interest in being a brand spokesperson for others." Chen Fang took the opportunity to speak out.

"I know this will affect your income, but I will make up for it elsewhere."

"You won't accept any endorsements?" Duffy almost braked the car.

"Yes, I don't want to accept any offer for sneakers or anything like that. I can wear whatever brand of shoes I want. This freedom makes me happier than millions or tens of millions of dollars."

"Okay, so you're not interested in a maximum salary contract?" Duffy really couldn't believe it.

"Park the car." Chen Fang had just finished his recent investigation on Duffy. He was quite satisfied. Duffy was trustworthy in terms of how he treated people and his principles.

After parking the car as instructed, Chen Fang took out his cell phone and checked a message.

"This is mine, you can check it."

Based on this LOGO, Duffy started to log into the Internet using the laptop in the car. After searching on Google, he was very surprised.

He continued to search deeper and deeper, and finally he was really surprised.

"yours?"

"Yes, sole proprietorship." Chen Fang replied: "I started making money at the age of 14 and built a private team for myself. I own my own media company in China. The market value is okay, almost half a billion US dollars this year. This investment bank has been in operation for a year and a half, and it is efficient. Now it has a subsidiary in the United States. I'm very lucky this year. Whatever I invest in, I make money." Exaggerating one's investment capabilities helps to create a perfect financial personality.

"I just calculated it not long ago, and this is my personal assets!" Chen Fang raised two fingers.

"So, I'm not short of money. I like playing in the NBA. Please start the car. I want to go back to California." In the face of Duffy's shocked eyes, Chen Fang smiled proudly.

The coolest way is to show off invisibly.

I thought the No. 1 pick contract worth more than 30 million would make this guy very excited, but now think about it, no wonder he doesn't care about the draft position, it turns out he is an investment genius.

(The rookie contract of 2017 NBA No. 4 pick Markelle Fultz is 3741 years and $ million.)
Duffy's mind became active and he realized a possibility. Then he heard Chen Fang's voice.

"I hope we can be partners, happily pursue our dreams together, and become close partners."

"Of course!" Duffy answered loudly.

Lying down comfortably, Chen Fang looked at the white clouds outside the window and thought cozily: Although I didn't cheat, but having arrived at the door of NBA, this is a good start for me.

(End of this chapter)