Rekindling the dream of becoming a star

Chapter 230 Wish me good luck!

The biggest news about the 2017 draft is, of course, that the old rivals between the Clippers and the Lakers in Los Angeles have gained some goodwill with each other.

The Lakers sent the second pick + Zubac + 27th pick rookie Kuzma + Nance Jr. to get the NBA's top point guard Paul.

Both the unknown players Zubac and Kuzma were completely ignored by the media. Only the 15th pick in 27, Nance Jr., was considered a potential stock for the Clippers. After all, Nance Jr. averaged 16 points and 17 rebounds per game in the 7-6 season, and was a qualified fighter.

The biggest discussion is about the Chinese player Chen Fang who was transformed from the second pick. Anyone with a little bit of common sense knows that the Clippers have lost confidence in Paul and turned to invest in the future. As the NCAA's Most Valuable Player, Chen Fang seems to fit in with their plan.

Many media outlets gave trade ratings for this 4-for- deal.

The Lakers are S and the Clippers are C.

This also represents the attitude of the North American media towards this transaction. Jacob Rudd, a well-known Los Angeles reporter and a Lakers columnist, made a scathing comment: This is a new contribution that West has made to the Lakers.

In the post, he said: I know that Chen Fang is good and full of potential, but this deal is still too stupid. It is crazy to trade a person who has never realized his talent and has never played an NBA game for the best point guard in the NBA.

I can only believe that this is Jerry West's way of helping his old club which is in a rebuilding slump.

I wish our No. 2 pick can have a happy start with the Clippers.

Jacob Ruud's views almost represent the media's views on this crazy trade. Luo Murray, a well-known editor of the sports news subscription website The Athletic and a reporter specializing in reporting on the Clippers, angrily expressed his dissatisfaction on Twitter to his 12 fans.

He said: This is the stupidest deal in the history of the Clippers. Even if Paul wants to leave, why should he strengthen his city rivals? Is it just because the Lakers have a second pick?
That Chinese man is not even qualified to carry Paul's shoes. West, I used to admire you very much, both on the court and in the management, but this transaction is very disappointing to the Clippers.

Clippers team reporter Tomer Azali was a little more rational. He expressed his views on the trade on ClutchPoints (similar to a live broadcast bar, which pushes real-time scores, post-match data analysis and team news to fans who do not have the energy to watch the game).

Tomer: Paul has been with the Clippers for six years, and every year we repeat the same process - excitement-expectation-longing-uneasiness-disappointment-frustration. I can't say arbitrarily that Paul can't help the Clippers win the championship, but six years is enough to prove everything. After all, Paul has been in the league for 12 years, which is not a small number.

I am surprised by the Clippers' management's actions, but I can understand that Ballmer will not be willing to see the Clippers continue to be neither up nor down. The Clippers need to change, and in my opinion, this trade is just the beginning for the Clippers.

Matthew Morrissey, a writer for Clipperholics, a Clippers news website, even represents the Clippers' attitude.

Matthew said: This is a very good start. Chinese people have all the potential needed for modern basketball. His success at USC is not accidental. We believe that he will be the cornerstone of the Clippers. In the next few years, you will give endless praise for this transaction.

The Chinese has successfully passed the physical examination. His body is healthy and complete, and his quality is so good that he looks like an alien. Let us look forward to his summer league together.

But not many fans bought it. Many Clippers fans vented their anger on the forum, criticizing the management's stupidity and also blamed Chen Fang.

A fan nicknamed Annie the Bear mocked: If college success can be used as a template, then I think there will not be only 450 people in the NBA. I really doubt the talent of Asians. Please forgive my racism. Even if my account is blocked, I will say it here loudly: Chinese, get out!

There were hundreds of replies under his message, one of which was the most vicious: Chinese people are only worthy of washing dishes for us and making us pay to watch them play. I'm sorry, I have to be responsible for my eyes and brain.

This message received more than 500 likes in one day.

Judging from the limited experience, the Clippers' operation of trading Paul for Chen Fang caused public pressure, and even the Clippers management was shocked. So at West's request, Lawrence came to the training ground. He wanted to relieve the pressure on Chen Fang.

But when he walked into the stadium for the first time, he saw Chen Fang talking and laughing with the veteran Wesley Johnson assigned to him, so he did not go forward immediately, but watched silently from a distance.

Wesley Johnson is 201cm tall, the same height as Chen Fang. Both are slim and tall players. This year is Wesley's seventh year in the NBA. As the No. 10 pick in 4, letting him help Chen Fang adapt to the environment reflects the Clippers' painstaking efforts.

Wesley wandered around many teams and could be considered a wandering immortal. First, the Timberwolves lost their trust in him, then he went to the Suns, and then he was traded to the Lakers. The Lakers once wanted him to become a 3D, but unfortunately they failed and he eventually came to the Clippers.

In terms of body shape, the two are very similar, but the essential differences are very large. Chen Fang's dribbling and shooting skills are what Wesley does not have. In just the first week, Wesley felt the gap.

The two were discussing how to use techniques to avoid confrontation and cause damage during offense-defense transitions.

Although Wesley is not a good player, at least at this moment, he is qualified to speak.

Usually, there will be no main players in the training before the summer league, and there will be very few rotations. The team is often made up of rookies and substitutes from the previous two years, plus some undrafted players.

Even so, to outsiders, this is unattainable. During this period, Chen Fang has been provided with one-on-one service by the Clippers, allowing Wesley to familiarize himself with the environment. The two of them also practiced together for a few days to get to know each other.

Chen Fang did not show the kind of aloofness he had during the draft. He was always the first to arrive at the stadium and the last to leave, and he stayed in the stadium for more than 12 hours a day.

Some staff members found it incredible as this was very different from rumors and reports. The Chinese could remember everyone's full name and would take the initiative to say hello when they met, then chat for a while. They would even bring up the content of the chat from the previous week and ask about the follow-up.

Many staff members have said that the Chinese seem very confident and gentle, which is contrary to the rumors.

Seeing Lawrence, Chen Fang interrupted the conversation and walked over.

"Hello, President! You look really good today. Are you surprised by something?" Chen Fang greeted with a smile.

Lawrence nodded: "Yes, there is a little surprise."

"The rookie contract is finalized, 3400 million for four years, and the last two years are team options. Congratulations, you are already a multi-millionaire." Lawrence laughed and gave Chen Fang a hug. (Team options are essential in regular contracts. The team can consider renewing the contract or making the player a free agent depending on the situation. This will make the player work harder in the contract year and strive for a contract extension.)
After Chen Fang accepted the hug, his expression remained unchanged and he smiled and said, "This is a big surprise."

Lawrence keenly noticed that Chen Fang was actually very calm, and he didn't seem to care about the salary of this contract.

"How was it, who did you meet?" Lawrence immediately changed the subject.

"The old people didn't come, so I just got to know a few big brothers." Chen Fang replied.

"They won't be here until August, they're both on vacation now, you'll see each other."

"Yes, it's a matter of time." Chen Fang said calmly.

After taking a few more glances, Lawrence began to explain his purpose.

"I hope you won't argue about the public opinion out there right now. This is only temporary and I believe it will calm down soon."

"What's outside?" Chen Fang asked.

"Didn't you see?" It was Lawrence's turn to be surprised.

"No, I don't have the energy. I'm trying to adapt to the new environment and rhythm."

"That's great. It's not a big deal. There are just a few flies trying to attract traffic and get attention." Lawrence didn't believe it, but since Chen Fang said so, there was no need for him to make trouble.

"Oh, that's common."

"If you are free, I need to take you to familiarize yourself with the coaching staff!" Lawrence suddenly came up with an idea and planned to get things done together!
"I just wanted to mention this to the gentleman. I'll talk to Wesley!"

Ten minutes later, the two drove to the Clippers work center not far away. On the top floor, Chen Fang saw Doug Rivers.

This is a big deal, and he has been an immovable figure in the modern NBA since Rivers began his rookie season with the Atlanta Hawks 40 years ago.

Reviewing Rivers' resume is a lighthearted look at decades of basketball history, in which he plays a Forrest Gump-like role, being involved in everything.

"He's a snakehead," said Kevin Willis, Rivers' former teammate.

Patrick Ewing, who has known Rivers since high school, said: "When one door closes, another one opens for him."

His connections in the NBA are so wide that you can't imagine it at all. You'd better not say bad things about him behind his back, because he always knows. - This is what Garnett warned Chen Fang. The reason why he can do this is because of his personality and how he deals with people.

Rivers is both funny and frustrating, smiley and pretentious, aggressive and insensitive. He is at his most charming when he can accept criticism or give it, and he can convince the other party or himself in either case.

Such a person will always get up again and again after repeated failures, and will continue to be given opportunities.

Chen Fang had read some reports about Rivers before his rebirth. He knew very well that this person was not a question of whether he was easy to mess with or not, but that he would always get in touch with you, making you involuntarily form a bond with him.

Sure enough, Rivers waved at Chen Fang with a smile: "I have been studying your game videos, and I think I have some ideas."

"Thank you for your hard work, coach." Chen Fang said immediately.

Lawrence made a "I have something else to do" gesture to Rivers, looked at Chen Fang again, turned around and left.

Chen Fang was still interpreting the meaning of this look when he heard Rivers ask, "How do you feel this week?"

In fact, Chen Fang has been hearing similar questions recently, as if everyone is worried about whether he can adapt to the NBA, so Chen Fang said: "Life and training, I think I am adapting, but I can't be blindly confident about things I haven't experienced yet."

Chen Fang's answer surprised Rivers. When West had communicated with Rivers before, he said that the Chinese was a very interesting person. Although he was only 18 years old, he seemed as mature as a 38-year-old.

Rivers didn't believe it before, but now he kind of understands what West means.

"Paul is gone, our entire lineup is not that good, and the playoffs have become a difficult hurdle. I think this season will be very difficult." Rivers plans to reveal some of his thoughts so that this Chinese man, who is caught up in controversy, can be mentally prepared.

"I watched your video. You can play from 1 to 3. Maybe when you get better at confrontation, you can play from 4."

“So, I want to know, what is your positioning?”

Chen Fang didn't expect Rivers to ask this so soon. He thought for a moment and replied, "A player with unlimited backhands."

"Unlimited back-up plans?" Rivers was surprised. He was unfamiliar with this term.

"I have a lot of cards in my hand when facing the enemy. I hope to help every player on the field and win every victory with them."

"Do you hate losing?" Rivers asked.

"Everyone makes mistakes, but I see failure as a form of self-examination. I can accept failure, but I cannot accept constant failure."

"In the summer league, I will treat you as the No. 1. You need to have the ability to organize and score breakthroughs. If you show it, I will give you a starting position in the regular season and more than 20 minutes of playing time."

Chen Fang stood up: "Don't worry, I won't mess up the summer league."

"The competition in the summer league is no less than that in the NBA. Countless undrafted players and marginal draft picks from the past two years will fight hard. I will give you enough time, but you have to understand that the patience of the media, management, and fans will not be sufficient."

"Yes, if I can't even play well in the summer league, it will be difficult for me to gain a foothold. I know this very well."

Rivers felt that the Chinese were not nervous, but very confident, which made him very satisfied. His way of managing the team was to communicate with the players and try his best to meet their needs, but the premise of satisfaction was to make three rules and guarantee their attitude through agreement.

If you can't do it, you can't blame me for reducing my support for you. If you can do it, I will fulfill my promise.

Rivers has been using this method for many years as a coach, and now he has started it with Chen Fang.

"Very good, there is still a little time before the summer league. You need to meet two people. They will help you get into the league rhythm as soon as possible." Rivers made two calls first.

A bald white man walked in. He looked very young and energetic. The first thing he looked at when he pushed the door open was Chen Fang.

Their eyes met, and Chen Fang lowered his eyelids slightly.

Michael Wenger, the real brain of the Clippers, the anchor in Lawrence's heart, the management elite most admired by Ballmer, and the younger version of himself in West's eyes.

His resume is amazing. He entered the NBA at the age of 25.

The starting point was the Cavaliers. He experienced the entire James 1.0 version. All operations were led by him. Mo Williams, O'Neal, and Ben Wallace were all carefully crafted by him for James.

He possesses a natural talent for managing a championship-caliber team. In 2001, as an undergraduate at the University of Miami, he had never played a single day of basketball, but was madly in love with sports. His outstanding performance during a semi-public presentation led to a mentor-mentee relationship with Shapiro, the "King of Sports." (Shapiro is the founder of the largest sports consulting and management firm in the United States. His connections and expertise earned him the reputation of a business mentor for the four major North American leagues.)

Wenger stretched out his hand and shook hands with Chen Fang. His tone was gentle, giving people a very comfortable calmness.

"You are always busy with chores. I heard that you are always the first to arrive and the last to leave at the training center. I admire you very much."

Just one sentence made Chen Fang understand that he had been paying attention to him.

"I just feel that time is running out." Chen Fang replied with a serious attitude.

"You guys just chat here. My lumbar spine is uncomfortable and I need to go for physical therapy." Rivers left with an excuse. Before leaving, he secretly winked at Chen Fang.

Although it is not clear what it means, at least it is not an implied warning.

Wenger was frank and honest: "I need more game samples to take stock of your role, so in the summer league, you need to fully demonstrate your abilities, including your flaws and weaknesses. Don't hide them, because this will help me adjust your helpers for you."

"do you understand?"

"I think I can understand." Chen Fang replied solemnly.

"The entire Clippers are on the eve of rebuilding. Whether you are in our plan depends on your attitude towards hard work. This is the first lesson I teach you. The league has no warmth. Although we are human beings, cold data and records will prompt us to make ruthless decisions."

A gentle person saying cold words is very graphic in itself, but Chen Fang already knew it. He nodded: "Yes, I think I can face it all."

"Very good." Wenger showed appreciation in his eyes.

"Please don't blame me for putting pressure on you. I believe that truly superior players always see pressure as motivation. After your medical report came out, I verified it from various sources and I already know how to improve you."

"In the next two years, we will give you enough time to gradually catch up with the basic strength of the league. Jared Julian is an expert in this area and he is on his way. In the future, you will get along frequently."

Chen felt relieved. His biggest worry was that the team would ask him to gain weight to quickly meet the standards for adapting to the league's intensity.

"Sam Cassell and Brian Shaw both play as guards. They are also examples of players who lack strength but use their brains to play. As an assistant coach for the Clippers, you will absorb nutrients from them in the coming days."

"Understood." Chen Fang was satisfied with the Clippers' arrangement. He realized that all of this might be led by the 37-year-old man in front of him.

He also knew that Rivers did not hold all the power, but had delegated a lot of it, and the main reason behind this might be the person in front of him.

"The Las Vegas Summer League is coming on July 7th, and you still have ten days!" Wenger's words did not put pressure on Chen Fang. On the contrary, he smiled and said, "I think I will not disappoint the person who chose me."

Looking into the Chinese man's eyes, Wenger said: "Good luck to you."

"Yes, wish me good luck!" Chen Fang replied.

(End of this chapter)