Rekindling the dream of becoming a star

Chapter 231: Small League, Easily Controlled

The 2018 draft is known as a big year for the draft. Ayton and Bagley are seen as superstar embryos with unlimited potential. Real Madrid's Doncic has long been famous. Jalen and Trae Young are well-known throughout the United States. Among them is the future MVP player SGA.

In comparison, 2017 seems to be slightly inferior. The 17 draft has not yet faded away, and the 18 draft has been put on the agenda by the media. However, the entire discussion came to an abrupt end after the first game of the summer league.

Chen Fang, the second pick who had been ridiculed, discussed, and looked down upon since before the draft, appeared in front of the world with an unprecedented arrogant attitude.

Overnight, the entire league was exclaiming, and Clippers fans were ecstatic. Countless NBA stars liked the post and attached belated greetings, and all of this had already been anticipated by Chen Fang.

In Chen Fang's mind, he has long understood that in the world of competition, the ball always speaks and data is used to cover up the truth.

Let’s go back to 7:8 am on July th.

Thomas and Mack Arena.

Clippers vs. Lakers.

In this game, the Clippers' lineup consists of veteran Wesley Johnson and 15 rookie Bryce Johnson, who are considered to have stable jobs, while the rest are newcomers and second-round picks.

What was very surprising was that Thornwell from the University of South Carolina, who had competed with Chen in the championship, was also selected by the Clippers in the second round. The two of them actually started playing on the same team. It was really a wonderful fate.

In this summer league, there is only one thing to watch for the Clippers, and that is whether the No. 2 pick Chen Fang can adapt to the basic intensity of the NBA.

Assistant coach Brian Shaw served as the head coach of this summer league. Without any hesitation, he pushed Chen Fang into the starting lineup.

Clippers starting lineup:

Point guard Chen Fang, shooting guard Thornwell, small forward Kuzma, power forward Nance Jr., and center Zubac.

This lineup is completely new. None of the Clippers' own players are there. Brian put the undrafted players and veterans on the bench. He implemented the management's intention, which was to think about and see Chen Fang's background.

And their opponent is the Lakers.

Starting lineup: point guard Tyler Ennis, shooting guard Josh Hart, small forward Brandon Ingram, power forward Julius Randle, center Thomas Bryant.

There are also rotation players such as Pope, Jordan Clarkson, Corey Brewer and a group of undrafted players sitting at the bottom.

The Clippers' tactics are based on unlimited switching and perimeter blocking on the defensive end, and on the offensive end they create scoring opportunities through star singles and pick-and-roll cooperation.

In fact, like many NBA teams, the general direction is always the same, but some changes will be made in the details based on the characteristics of the core players.

Brian had already emphasized the strategy for this game before the game.

To sum up, allowing Chen Fang and other newcomers to play freely and show their own characteristics and shortcomings on both offense and defense is the original intention of the summer league.

This game attracted more than 4,000 people to watch, most of whom were Asians who came for Chen Fang. At that time, Rockets' Zhou Qi was playing, and because of Chen Fang's appearance, he was ignored by both fans and the media.

This is the gap, one is the second pick, the other is the second round pick overnight, there is absolutely no comparison.

On the other side of the city, at Cox Arena, the Rockets will face the Nuggets at 10:. For Chinese sports media, today feels like eating dumplings during the Chinese New Year.

Many Chinese media outlets were divided into two groups, one at the Mark Arena and the other at Cox.

When Chen Fang appeared on the court and started warming up, he began to murder the camera. Countless cameras were aimed at him. Based on his eccentricity in the past month, many people were curious and wanted to laugh at him.

Nance Jr. and Zubac greeted their former teammates from the Lakers, and Chen Fang put his hands on his hips and took a look.

He practiced with his teammates twice, but there was no further communication. Firstly, he felt that he did not perform well and there was no need to say more. Secondly, as the second pick, it should be others who take the initiative, not him.

Looking around, there was no one familiar, but Sangweier was an old acquaintance.

But at this moment, their status is very different. Chen Fang's four-year contract worth more than 30 million US dollars was firmly offered to him by the Clippers, while Sanwell is still working hard for a contract with an annual salary of 500,000 US dollars.

But this did not prevent Chen Fang from maintaining a calm attitude and communicating with him.

"Build up our defense. The opponent's inside line won't be too strong, and they will probably shoot from the outside very frequently. We can do something about the transition," he said to Sanwell.

Thornwell nodded. He became a second-round pick because of his defense. His offense is naturally not good enough in the NBA. His college coach Mark's advice to him is to become a defensive stalwart at the top of the arc, otherwise it will be difficult for him to survive in the NBA.

After Chen Fang finished his instructions, he went to look for Zubac who had just returned from reminiscing about the past. Sangweier looked at his back dimly.

To be honest, Thornwell was very impressed with the team's success in winning the NCAA championship single-handedly. The Chinese player's offense was too sharp, but he didn't know if he could still do the same in the NBA.

Chen Fang didn't know what Sangweier was thinking, but he knew that many people present were skeptical about whether they could play in the NBA.

So this week, he has been trying to accumulate strength and adjust his condition to the best state. His meticulous attitude is comparable to the eve of the NCAA finals.

"Can you eat my cake?" Chen Fang asked Zubac bluntly.

"As long as you pass it to me, I have no problem." Zubac was stunned at first, but quickly responded.

"Okay, pick-and-roll, go in a straight line, and keep your eyes on me." Chen Fang nodded.

He walked over to Nance: "I need your wing ability, wing running to the corner and short corner, I need space in the ribs."

Nance Jr. nodded: "This is what I am good at."

"Okay, be ready for mid-range shots and baseline drives to the basket at any time."

Finally, he came to Kuzma. Facing this man whose appearance was in line with European and American aesthetics, Chen Fang said: "I need someone to restrain Ingram. You are the most suitable. If you can't, I will do this job!"

"I won't let him score easily." Kuzma said immediately.

As long as you are not blind, you know who the management wants to promote. We are all just passing supporting roles, but if you can successfully become a piece of the puzzle, it will be a great joy.

In the NBA, the first rule of survival is to follow the right big brother.

At least, Chen Fang is from a position of power.

Chen Fang naturally knew that he needed to hold everyone in his hands and make them his shield and blade, and he would decide the attack and defense.

Summer league head coach Brian silently watched Chen Fang talk to each of them. He didn't say much, but he appreciated this way of communication very much. It was the right defense to have the starting five have the same ideas before the game.

But everything needs to be proven by facts.

Ten minutes later, the referee came on stage. With the arrival of the staff, the lights and cameras were all started. A game that had been anticipated for almost a month was about to begin.

Chen Fang stood relaxed in his own half. He could see the curious look from Ingram. This man who was called McGrady's successor was the closest to him in terms of looks and outside shooting.

It's just that he seems to have average fighting spirit and is lacking in technique.

His shooting is not very stable, but considering the intensity of the summer league, Chen Fang still regards him as the biggest opponent in this game.

I looked at Taylor, the starting point guard of the Lakers, again. This 191cm tall guard is also a wandering show. This kind of guard has fighting spirit, but his level is limited. When he has a good touch, he is more powerful. When he doesn't, he is no different from a passerby.

To put it bluntly, it has a single function.

This is also a common problem for any Development League player and undrafted player. Don't doubt the vision of NBA scouts. They may miss a few duds, but real talent is hard for them to ignore.

The whistle pulled Chen Fang out of his distraction. He looked up and saw that the ball had been hooked back by Zubac. Nance Jr. grabbed the ball and looked at him.

Chen Fang took a deep breath. His first NBA game was coming.

Even though it is not a regular season, Chen Fang still regards it this way.

After receiving the ball and crossing half court, Chen Fang started.

He first came to the wing. Zubac had already run to the top of the arc, ready to screen him, but Chen Fang changed direction, passed Taylor half a body length, brushed past Zubac's left side, and went to the inside.

Zubac felt a gust of wind passing by and was startled. How could it be so fast? But his legs did not slow down and he walked in quickly.

Randle had already made up for it, but saw Chen Fang brake. When Zubac passed him, he pushed the ball and changed direction, passing by Zubac's right side. This kill two birds with one stone operation immediately disrupted the Lakers' inside defense. Before center Thomas could react, Chen Fang scored the Clippers' first point with a high rebound.

"Good shot!" Duan Ran, who was already in the commentary booth, clapped his hands and cheered. He is already the chief planner and commentator of TX Sports' NBA in the United States, and his partner is Ke Fan.

"This ball embodies the agility of us Chinese. The continuous changes of direction don't give you any chance to react." Ke Fan was happy. He was lucky to get this job. Not only did he get overseas subsidies, but he could also be infinitely close to his new idol Chen Fang. He was happy from June to July.

The Lakers' offense doesn't have any special features, and the summer league doesn't have many tactical considerations. For Ingram, it's just a place to level up and maintain his competitive form.

Ingram got the ball on the left wing, in front of him was Kuzma, who used to be his younger brother, but now they are rivals.

The continuous crotch dribbling failed to get rid of Kuzma. After pulling back and dribbling, he called for Randle to set a pick-and-roll. Ingram stepped back and passed the ball, attempting a three-pointer.

A blue shadow came around from the top of the arc. Seeing Yingge passing the ball, Chen Fang accelerated and jumped up. Taking advantage of the blind spot, he jumped into the air in advance. When Yingge jumped up, Chen Fang was already above his head.

I will take the responsibility and send you back to the floor with one slap!
"OHHH!" The audience exclaimed, the commentator yelled, and thousands of eyes watched Chen Fang slap Yingge and the ball to the ground.

"The No. 17 second place defeated the No. 16 second place. In this competition for the second place, Chen Fang took the lead!" Ke Fan cheered loudly and almost stood up to shout.

Originally, this Clippers vs. Lakers matchup was a city derby and also a battle between the new and old No. 2 picks.

Who wouldn’t be excited to see such a hot scene at the beginning?
Chen Fang's blood cap immediately ignited the atmosphere of the stadium, and the audience's emotions were instantly raised to the highest level.

With the help of his teammates, Yingge got up. He was a little annoyed. He was careless on this ball and completely ignored the assist defense on the wing, and was actually blocked.

Not long ago, Yingge found out that he was almost treated as an accessory and sent to the Clippers to become an extra for Paul and Chen Fang.

Although he was rejected by the magician, he still felt disrespected. In today's game, he was full of anger and wanted to teach the Chinese a lesson. Unexpectedly, he was taught a lesson at the beginning.

How can I bear this!
"I'll come to help defend!" Yingge said to Taylor. But this statement was slapped in the face again.

Facing Taylor, who was 191cm tall, Chen Fang used his skillful dribbling and broad shoulders to rush forward with just a shuffling step and a step forward. Yingge had been watching him the whole time and immediately rushed up from the wing when he saw this.

But a scene that shocked him happened.

Chen Fang's acceleration was simply inhuman. After just one step, his speed turned him into an afterimage. Even Randle, who was guarding the inside, only blinked his eyes and saw Chen Fang pounce on his face.

Chen Fang took a step up from the side of the penalty area and took off into the air before Yingge could rush up.

His whole body was in the air, almost bent into a perfect inverted C. As he raised his right hand and slashed it hard at the basket, the orange basketball fell from the sky like a meteorite, completely penetrated the white net, and hit the floor directly. After bouncing back to the height and hitting the basket frame, it fell back again and crashed back into the court.

Chen Fang, who had landed on the ground, shrugged his shoulders lightly and glanced coldly at the camera under the basketball rack.

"It's incredible. Chen Fang is in great shape today. The impact is terrifying!" Ke Fan didn't care about anything. It was natural for him to praise his idol.

ESPN commentator David, Chen Fang's exclusive American fan, was even more excited. He shouted, "OMG, this slam dunk is enough to be selected as one of the top five today. It proves that Chen Fang is in great shape today."

“This may be another game worth remembering. Let us look forward to it together.”

"Can the Chinese adapt to the NBA?"

Chen Fang scored four points in a row, which immediately made the Lakers and Clippers players understand who is the protagonist today. This is a jungle, and the strong are the boss.

Chen Fang, who opened the situation, continued his performance.

He first used a pick-and-roll to half-toss the ball to Zubac, and then in a breakthrough, he gave Nance Jr. a wonderful ground pass. Then, in the strong-side and weak-side transition, he accurately found Kuzma who ran out of the open space and came to the corner.

Three consecutive passes were converted into assists, which gave the Clippers a perfect 100% shooting rate in their first five attacks.

11: 2.

The Lakers only scored two points with a tip-in by Randle on the second attack at the basket.

Three minutes into the game, Chen Fang took control of the match.

4 points, 3 assists and 1 block, the stats are steaming high.

Ingram felt greatly provoked, and he began to challenge frequently, first calling out Kuzma, who made a fadeaway jump shot after a strong breakthrough.

Then he made a three-pointer without the ball on the wing.

After scoring five points in a row, the commentators were very excited.

"Yingge is clearly motivated. Chen Fang's performance has aroused his desire to perform." David is enjoying the fun.

"In terms of size and type, they are both promising forward-guard swingmen, and Ingram, who has an extra year of NBA experience, won't let rookie Chen Fang dominate."

Just when David was adding fuel to the fire, Chen Fang responded to Yingge with an even more passionate performance.

After dribbling the ball across half court, Taylor was already a little scared of the sudden attack. He kept a distance of more than three meters, defending and retreating, while Chen Fang approached step by step. When he reached the top of the arc, he waved to Zubac not to come up, then pretended to go to the wing, but changed direction and stepped back, taking a three-pointer.

The ball rolled at an extremely fast speed and hit the back edge of the basket. The speed was so fast that the nets didn't react. It didn't move at all, which made people feel that it really went in.

This was Chen Fang's first jump shot, and compared to Yingge's twisted shooting posture, it was much more elegant and natural.

Yingge glanced at Chen Fang's back as he retreated back to the field, and a very unpleasant feeling came over her.

This is the feeling of being outdone, so he no longer had any other thoughts and decided to confront Chen Fang today.

As the biggest star in the Lakers Summer League, Ingram has absolute firing rights. His intention to get the ball is too obvious, causing the Clippers' defense to completely target him, which makes it more difficult for him to score.

On the other hand, for Chen Fang, scoring was just a matter of thought. He kept recording the running positions of his teammates, frequently called for pick-and-rolls to reduce the intensity of his own confrontation, and mostly used his excellent footwork to dodge double-teaming and provide backup defense.

By the eighth minute of the first quarter, Chen Fang had already scored 10 points, 6 assists and 4 rebounds.

It’s amazing, he didn’t feel any discomfort at all!
Head coach Brian felt incredible. Chen Fang made almost no unnecessary movements. He just changed direction or passed the ball through screens. He always found teammates in the best shooting position. His shooting choices were very reasonable. He didn't force shots or go for it head-on.

On defense, he continued to assist on both sides and at the top of the arc, and was always ready to cover on the strong side. He has disrupted the Lakers' offense for three rounds.

Professionals are experts at what they do. In the first quarter, Brian felt that the Chinese were a bit too strong.

No wonder when he called Kobe specifically, he joked about giving Chen Fang more benefits. But Kobe laughed and said, "Don't worry, Chinese people don't need extra support. They will impress you with their performance."

In the tenth minute, Brian replaced Chen Fang. This was the agreement before the game that Chen Fang could only play for a maximum of 15 minutes in the first half.

After leaving the court, Chen Fang took a sip of water from the staff and said to head coach Brian, "The Lakers have a lot of flaws. Is this the intensity of the NBA?"

Facing Chen Fang's natural question, Brian smiled bitterly: "Yes, in fact, for most of the regular season, the intensity was about this."

"Okay." Chen Fang didn't ask any more questions. He lay on the chair. Although he was breathing slightly, it could be seen that his posture was very relaxed.

There was a feeling of being looked down upon. Even though the Clippers were the winners, Brian suddenly felt a sense of disappointment when he looked at the Lakers.

"Shame on you!" he cursed in his heart.

In the second half of the second quarter, Chen Fang came on the court again. At this time, the Clippers led by 45 points with 37 to 8.

The score cannot explain a lot, but it at least represents that both sides have some elements of good faith in mutual brushing. As the protagonist, Chen Fang will naturally not show mercy.

The first time he caught the ball, he made a triple threat on the wing, then pulled up for a jump shot and put the ball into the basket cleanly.

This kind of break of almost ten minutes did not seem to affect his touch at all, which made many reporters on the sidelines sincerely admire him. This is a manifestation of strong self-confidence.

The Clippers' offense suddenly became chaotic, but then it became organized. Undrafted player Rogers received the ball twice and looked for a breakthrough opportunity, but the Lakers converted it into a fast break. Chen Fang immediately called him over.

Because he happened to be on the sidelines, he could clearly hear Chen Fang's voice through the radio.

"Hey, if you want to get a contract and show your ability, then stop doing this. Even if you score, it disrupts the entire rhythm. Believe me, I will give you a better chance to score."

Rogers nodded in shame: "Yes, I am a little bit drunk."

"It doesn't matter, we still have a lot of time, come on, trust your teammates."

Afterwards, Chen Fang made continuous breakthroughs and drew a double-team before switching sides. He passed the ball to Rogers, and when he saw Rogers hit a jump shot, Chen Fang ran over and high-fived him: "Yes, that's the rhythm. Follow me."

"Yes, yes!" This was Rogers' first NBA score. While he was excited, he also felt Chen Fang's sincerity towards him.

During the halftime break, Brian praised Chen for his outstanding performance at the No. 1 position in front of the whole team. He began to believe that the Chinese's potential was worthy of the second pick.

Everyone's expression was relaxed because they all had points and statistics. Zubac had already scored 8 points, and there was still the second half. He felt that he had the possibility of a double-double today. Kuzma was singled out for praise by Brian. His defense on Ingram only allowed the latter to score 7 points. This is the summer league, and Ingram's scoring ability should not be just like this.

Everyone felt that they were in good shape today, and they all looked at Chen Fang at the same time.

Even Wesley and Bryce, although they didn't play much, as Paul's former teammates, they could tell the difference.

Paul is the type of player who has complete control over the situation. You have to play within his framework. It can’t be said that you are uncomfortable, but you can’t help but feel nervous.

Chen Fang, on the other hand, adopts an open style. No matter how you play, I will send the ball to you when you are in the best position. In comparison, the players are extremely relaxed.

Moreover, as the team's top scorer, he can also ensure the bottom-line solution. Once you have no chance and no time, Chen Fang's ability is enough to clean up the mess for everyone.

This is what the modern super defender looked like.

As everyone expected, in the second half, Chen Fang came back on the court in the second half of the third quarter. His arrival immediately brought the Clippers' offense to a new level.

Yingge's condition gradually improved. He made consecutive hits and scored 6 points in a row, but Chen Fang used two unreasonable three-pointers to widen the score again. When the third quarter was over, everyone looked at the scoreboard in surprise.

27分11助攻10篮板2抢断2帽。

Why didn’t I feel it?

So silky?
After three quarters, the Chinese already have a triple-double?

What kind of performance is this? Duan Ran said to the fans watching the game live online: "What is the meaning of drizzling rain without sound? I have experienced it today."

But David pointedly told ESPN subscribers: "Before the game, we were all discussing whether the Chinese can adapt to the NBA. In my opinion, I think the NBA has to adapt to Chen Fang."

"Chen Fang's performance is even better than in the NCAA. Let me tell you why, because his teammates are even better."

“That’s why.”

"The terrifying thing about the Chinese is that as long as their teammates are infinitely stronger, they will become stronger. They are like a ship floating on the sea. When the water level rises, they will always rise!"

In the last five minutes of the fourth quarter, Chen Fang was substituted by Brian. He knew that he would not have a chance to play, so he high-fived his teammates on the court and then hugged the head coach.

Finally, he sat back in the chair and the camera continued to focus on him.

42 points, 16 assists and 14 rebound.

These are terrifying statistics, even in the summer league, they are surprising.

Looking at Chen Fang's dazzling statistics, Ke Fan's habit of not thinking came back. He kept talking on the microphone and said, "Small summer league, easy to win!"

(End of this chapter)