Rekindling the dream of becoming a star

Chapter 238 Summer Plan
The NBA training camp is actually officially in late September or early October. But before that, there will still be a short training camp for rookies and newcomers, mainly to get familiar with each other and team tactics.

The team's main players will also make an appearance, and some interactive activities will be held to deepen mutual understanding.

Chen Fang and Griffin's first meeting was quite strange. After a game, Chen Fang was sitting on a chair and looking for a towel. A big hand handed it to him. When he looked up, Griffin's silly face came into view.

"Blake?" Chen Fang asked in surprise.

"You must be the Falcon." Griffin sat down.

Chen Fang wiped his sweat and said, "It's me. I thought I could only meet you at the end of September."

"I came over to see you playing well in the summer league!"

"My name, Griffin, means griffin, which is similar to your nickname, Falcon, and both are flying animals!" Griffin's opening remarks surprised Chen Fang. His behavior and conversation did not seem like a representative of the violent aesthetics of the court at all.

Off the court, he seemed very gentle.

The smile on his face was also a bit silly, with a hint of luck.

Well, no wonder he was locked up in the playoffs and ruined his career. Chen Fang felt Griffin's kindness and said, "Maybe, this is God's arrangement."

"Yes, I think so too. I just saw your performance on the court. You are faster than I thought!" Griffin smiled, his eyes full of expectation.

"I still have some business activities. I'm sorry that I can't practice with you right away, but I won't miss the training camp at the end of September." Griffin assured Chen Fang.

"I look forward to practicing with you. I think it will be exciting!"

"Of course, I'm the best power forward in the league!" Griffin made a powerful biceps movement.

Lawrence saw this scene and said to Rivers, "Should we look forward to the combination of Chen Fang and Griffin?"

"Of course we have expectations, but who can guarantee that the results will be better than those of Paul and Griffin?" Rivers' words represent his opinion. In his view, Chen Fang represents rapid offensive and defensive advancement, and Griffin, who has entered the middle and late stages of his career, may not be able to keep up with the pace.

In positional warfare, Griffin will not play a big role. His shooting and understanding of space are unlikely to benefit Chen Fang.

He has already expressed this view, but the management still signed a long-term contract with Griffin not long ago.

He went from being confused at first to vaguely guessing the truth, but he would not say it, let alone offer any opinions.

He knew very well what the boss wanted to do by hiring West, but he had no idea how to do it. Rivers' principle in life was not to harm the interests of others and not to make enemies with anyone.

He knew very well that things can change over time. They might just get a little happy, but they would meet again sooner or later. So why bother doing this today?

"I heard that Chen Fang gave gifts to everyone?" Lawrence asked.

"Yes, they are all small gifts, not expensive, but they are made with care." Rivers smiled. What Chen Fang gave him was a very expensive ticket to a musical. It seemed that this guy knew that he liked movies, TV, and operas. With his background in USC, he did have such resources.

"Are all the others here?"

"He came. He has a high emotional intelligence and everyone gives him enough respect. DeAndre was the most dissatisfied with him, but after Chen Fang chatted with him for a few sentences, he actually smiled." Rivers said.

"It's normal for DeAndre to be dissatisfied. Most of his statistics depend on Paul. If Paul leaves, his statistics will decline. He is the one who suffers the most in this transaction." Lawrence sees it clearly.

"Find out what Chen Fang said to DeAndre when you have time."

While the two senior executives were muttering, Chen Fang had returned to the court. He was in Team B, playing with a group of substitutes. Some of the players in Team B were from the summer league. He was very comfortable with his game and frequently provided accurate assists to his teammates. Because it was a training match, it was mostly semi-conversion offense and defense with a very fast pace. Both sides dunked the basket and made everyone scream.

"Have you seen Chen Fang's application?" Lawrence asked.

"Well, are you asking him to form a team directly, including medical matters?"

"Well, what do you think?"

"I can only say that he is very ambitious. I have never seen a rookie so confident. I talked to him and he said that he used his salary to recruit him."

“So I asked again, what else did you do besides this?”

"He said he just rented a house near the training center."

"Didn't buy a car? Didn't buy luxury goods?" Lawrence raised his eyebrows.

"No, I still drove that Cherokee that I've used for several years to the center."

"Well, he's really a strange guy, usually weird people, not good at socializing, but he's not like that. The rookies and newcomers who came in with him all recognize him very much." Lawrence has many eyes and ears in the team. He is the team's steward, and he needs to be aware of any movement.

"He is willing to accept the team's management and hopes that the team will allow him to retain his own team." Rivers said. Although Chen Fang did not say it explicitly, as the head coach he had to speak for the players and his position was still to stand on the side of the players.

Because he knows very well that the head coach relies on the players, not the management. Anyone who confuses this will be finished sooner or later.

"Let's observe first. We still need to summarize his game characteristics and playing style in the next few days. In the real training camp, I hope Chen Fang can integrate into the Clippers' system."

"The boss still hopes to make it to the playoffs this season," Lawrence said to Rivers.

"I'll try my best." Rivers didn't say enough. In the regular season, there are too many uncertainties, and injuries will destroy many established plans. As a head coach, he will not make empty promises.

At dinner time, Chen Fang hosted a banquet for the teammates and staff who participated in the training today at Baumé, a 2-Michelin-star restaurant in Silicon Valley, San Francisco.

The meal was very expensive, but Chen Fang remained calm, showing no sign of trying to show off. Regardless of his status, Chen Fang behaved very decently in the venue and during the meal. Even Lawrence praised him afterwards, saying, "He's a socialite."

It wasn't just them. Lindsay, who had been giving remote commands, felt that she wasn't helping at all. Chen Fang was humorous throughout the whole process, and the atmosphere was kept cheerful. He also held his status very high, and was very respectful to the veteran players. He didn't steal the show, and always acted as a listener.

After sending everyone away, Lindsay appeared. She smiled at Chen Fang and said, "Today's activities have refreshed my understanding of you."

"Actually, I was quite nervous too, but luckily, in the past two years since I came to the United States, the second most common thing I participated in was treating people to dinner," said Chen Fang.

"The first thing is, of course, training." Seeing that Lindsay pretended to want to ask even though she knew the answer, Chen Fang also said in response.

The two looked at each other and smiled, recognizing each other's level and being very satisfied.

All the gifts and today's meal selection are thanks to Lindsay. Chen Fang just needs to cooperate. He is really happy. When a person's social circle becomes bigger and the level of the people he contacts becomes higher, it will be difficult to rely on himself.

Recruiting reliable helpers is a pragmatic choice.

When they got home, it was already 9:30 in the evening. Wu Zi was watching TV on the sofa. She said she was watching, but in fact she was waiting for him.

Seeing him come back, Wu Zi went to greet him, and seeing that she looked worried, Chen Fang gave her a hug.

"Everything went well. Your husband is very capable."

"That's good. You lie down for a while. I'll bring you some soup."

For Chen Fang now, the most comfortable time of the day is to return home, drink a mouthful of soup cooked by Wu Zi, and then watch a good domestic variety show with him, chatting aimlessly while watching.

The next morning, Chen Fang got up at 5:30 as usual. He was going to the training center to start a day of training.

In fact, it doesn’t have to be so early, usually after eight o’clock, but Chen Fang still plans to maintain this schedule.

Many basketball stars like to get up at four or five in the morning to train. This is not unique to Kobe. Especially in big cities, because of the heavy traffic, players prefer to get up early to train and then replenish their energy through a nap.

In addition, Chen Fang needs to give the team a self-disciplined personality, which is very important and will allow the team management to see the value of training you. No matter what, professional attitude is a quality that the team values very much.

When he arrived at the training center, it was naturally empty. Chen Fang did not need to get a key like he did in high school or college. This is Silicon Valley, the place where technology is most widely used in the United States. The access control system is all based on facial recognition. After Chen Fang entered the gym, he began to warm up.

Lawrence left the banquet yesterday and returned to the base center because of a call from his boss. After being busy for half the night, he took a nap and found that it was almost dawn when he woke up, so he planned to go home to catch up on his sleep before coming back to work.

He suddenly noticed that the lights in the stadium opposite the building were on, so he subconsciously recalled that in his memory, the lights in the stadium were off last night.

There is only one truth, someone has come.

Who is it?
With doubts, Lawrence decided to go and take a look.

Five minutes later, he saw Chen Fang, who was doing dribbling training. The empty gym was echoing with the sound of basketballs hitting the floor.

It was difficult for Lawrence to describe his feelings at that time. He suddenly felt full of confidence in the future of the Clippers.

He didn't say anything and just watched quietly. Chen Fang, who was completely focused on training, didn't notice Lawrence in the corner. It was not until Chen Fang made a mistake in dribbling that he realized Lawrence was standing at the door, staring at him grimly.

"General Manager?" Chen Fang ran over, firstly to pick up the ball, and secondly to be polite.

“You come so early?” Lawrence asked.

“Isn’t it the same for the general manager?”

"No, I didn't go back. I'm leaving now."

Chen Fang was also surprised. He didn't expect that Lawrence, the general manager, would work all night long.

"Have a seat." Lawrence pointed to a row of chairs not far away.

The two sat down and Lawrence asked, "Do you do this every day?"

"Yes, I'm used to it. I wake up at this time." Chen Fang replied.

The scout report mentioned Chen Fang's self-discipline, and Lawrence also witnessed it with his own eyes. He agreed: "Self-discipline will be of great help to your career. I am very happy to see that the Clippers have such a player. You will lead more people to become better players."

"I haven't thought about it that way. I just feel that the regular season is getting closer and closer, so I dare not slack off."

"We haven't talked for a long time. Now is an opportunity. Do you have anything you want to ask?" Lawrence asked.

Chen Fang thought about it and felt that today was an opportunity. No matter what he said, people would always be more easily moved in such an environment and atmosphere.

"I'm a rookie and I'm curious about the league, but right now, I'm a little scared of the 82-game regular season."

Lawrence didn't expect Chen Fang's first question to be this. He thought for a moment and said, "Few people can play all 82 games. Intense games always make players tired, so the probability of injury will increase significantly. This will happen in the middle of the season. So, I want to remind you that training should not be too frequent. Don't let your body get tired. Sufficient rest is the best strategy."

"Thank you. I think I will make some adjustments. But if there are too many injured players, the results will be affected. How should the team deal with it?" "In fact, the plan has been changing all the time, changing with the ups and downs of the results. The management will judge the implementation of the established plan based on professionalism. Generally speaking, whether a team can make the playoffs depends on how the head coach uses the players, that is, the playing time, the logistical support, and the players' self-discipline."

"Finally it's the schedule. A good schedule will help us have more time to rest."

"These four points affect whether a team can make the playoffs."

"Of course, the most fundamental thing is to look at the overall strength of the team and whether the bench is strong enough. These are all of great importance."

Chen Fang nodded continuously. He asked, "If the team does not meet expectations, will there be a trade?"

Lawrence glanced at Chen Fang, and his intuition told him that this was what the Chinese actually wanted to ask.

So he said: "Yes, so the league will open a trading window in the middle of the season, which is in February, to provide teams that want to impact the playoffs with an opportunity to adjust."

"You're the No. 2 pick of the Clippers, you don't need to worry about being traded."

In response to Lawrence's comfort, Chen Fang just smiled. Even a dog would not believe such words.

"What do you think of the Clippers' current lineup?" It was Lawrence's turn to ask.

"They are all good. I have no opinion." Chen Fang blocked it with one sentence.

Are you kidding? He is a rookie and has no right or need to express his opinion. Not to mention whether anyone will respect him if he does, there is no need to give such an answer which is full of pitfalls.

There was no way he could give management a bad impression of being someone who liked to meddle in other people's affairs.

Lawrence was not surprised, he just nodded and stood up: "Then you continue, I have to go home and take a nap."

After watching Lawrence leave, Chen Fang continued his training.

The training camp schedule is still very humane, four hours in the morning and three hours in the afternoon. There are tactical training, strength training, and individual technical training. The assistant coaches will carry out the training in an orderly manner according to the established training outline.

The evening time is reserved for the players. At five o'clock in the afternoon, Chen Fang left the training center, but he could not go home yet. The trainer recommended to him by Drew had already arrived in Los Angeles and he needed to go and meet him.

Jack Smith, Mary Dolby.

Jack Smith is a master who focuses on flexible footwork and how to transform it into a highly aggressive offense. His clients include NBA stars such as Conley and Haywood. Mary Doby is an international female trainer whose ability to stand out is closely related to her background in dance.

She combines dance flexibility and basketball to create her unique training method. She is from Europe and has a PhD from Paris Sports University.

After reading the resume, Chen Fang felt it was quite mysterious, but Drew would not joke with him about such things.

When he arrived at the company, Smith and Mary were already there. Chen Fang exchanged a few brief greetings and then got down to business.

The two did not push each other away. Smith spoke first: "I have already summarized your videos. I am willing to join because you are indeed the most flexible player I have ever seen. I have no intention of offending my previous clients, but you do arouse my desire to teach."

"Looking forward to your first class!" Chen Fang responded politely.

He set his sights on Mary, who had just served as the exclusive coach of the French women's basketball team during the 2016 Rio Olympics and helped the team win the silver medal. Mary's training philosophy focused on improving the players' physical fitness and immediate reaction on the court, and Chen Fang was most interested in her teaching.

"I am shocked by your physical fitness, but I also understand why you chose me. Indeed, the better the physical fitness, the more likely you are to be injured."

"The flexibility of the human body can alleviate or even prevent injuries. My training plan will eliminate your concerns in this regard."

"I will give you a new set of confrontation rules based on the details of core strength and rise and fall."

Chen Fang was very satisfied. The two's specialized fields made up for his weaknesses and hidden dangers.

"Welcome to Panshi!" Chen Fang stood up and made an invitation without hesitation.

"What an honor!"

"I have already prepared accommodation for you. Once my short training camp is over, you can officially begin."

After seeing the two off, Chen Fang went to look for Wick, who was setting up training equipment at the venue. He was very happy to see Chen Fang coming: "You are so energetic. I thought you would choose to go back."

"Two new guys are here, I have to take care of them." Chen Fang explained and then went straight to the point.

“I have to gain muscle!”

Wick seemed to have expected this. He was not surprised but said calmly, "I have been preparing for this and the training plan is almost complete."

"How long will it take to make progress?" Chen Fang got to the point.

"It takes one year to see initial results, and two years to achieve full results. We have nutritionists now, but the progress depends on your dietary self-discipline."

"Don't worry about me. I'm ready for hardship."

"But now there are five trainers. I hope you can coordinate internally and come up with a big plan, and have someone in charge of the specific planning."

"Karl talked to me about this. Our initial idea is for Karl to take the lead. He is new here, and he plans to communicate well in the next few days."

"That's right. The plans of five people should not conflict with each other. I will improve my abilities in all aspects." Chen Fang thought clearly that five was the limit. It was like he had created a school by himself and hired five teachers to give him extra lessons.

As for what effect it will have and how to promote it into a business model in the future, it all depends on how he, the guinea pig, understands it.

After doing all this, Chen Fang left Panshi and rushed home.

When I got home, I unexpectedly found Lu Yun there.

"What wind brings Mr. Lu here?" Chen Fang joked.

"Don't laugh so happily, I'm here to say goodbye to you." Lu Yun's words stunned Chen Fang.

"It's true. Maybe my family thinks I've become a good boy now, so they decided to let me join the family business."

"So you're not going to college anymore?"

"Nian, but I have to go back, and we won't have much time to meet each other in the future." Lu Yun felt indescribably melancholy. He didn't expect that being a good boy would shorten his period of enjoyment.

"This is a good thing. We should celebrate it." Chen Fang suppressed his emotions and said with a smile.

Chen Fang prepared this meal with great care. Everyone came and although they seemed to be laughing on the surface, there was an inevitable hint of sadness in their eyes.

After dinner, Chen Fang and Lu Yun sat alone in the backyard to enjoy the cool air.

"You are walking a very solid path. I don't think I have any good suggestions." Chen Fang did not respond to Lu Yun's words without asking, but changed the subject.

"Is your family's business almost non-existent in the United States?"

"Yes, my family always thinks that China and the United States will do it sooner or later, and we don't want to invest too much overseas."

"Oh." Chen Fang nodded. Anyway, he hadn't done it before his rebirth, so Chen Fang was not very worried.

"So, you'll stay in the country from now on?"

"Asia, Asia is the base. This region has always been the Chinese circle. Don't be fooled by the fact that there are many lackeys now, but when we become stronger, they will definitely become our lapdogs one by one."

“I don’t understand these, but I really hope that day will come soon!”

The two clinked glasses and drank beer brought from Qingdao.

Men always like to talk about national affairs. After such a chat, the sadness of separation in their hearts will unconsciously fade a lot.

"When I get involved in the family business, you can let Wang Zhen contact me. Don't worry, we will talk business, but we won't engage in intrigue."

"I'm not worried. With me here, I won't be afraid for a while."

"Really?" Lu Yun sneered.

"Uh!" It was Chen Fang's turn to feel unconfident.

"I won't scare you, but you are a popular person now. There are many things that may happen to you, whether you want to or not. You have to be careful."

"I will." Chen Fang responded with great pressure.

Seeing that Chen Fang had listened carefully, Lu Yun did not go into details, but raised the bottle and said, "You are on the right track, and so am I. I wish us peace and a long-lasting friendship."

"it is good!"

Everyone drank a lot that day. Chen Fang was rarely drunk. When he woke up, he looked at the watch.

It was still half past five in the morning.

The invincible biological clock!

After getting up from the bed, quickly washing up, Chen Fang walked out the door.

The early morning in midsummer was much cooler than the night. A breeze was blowing, the sky was already bright, and the sun was about to rise. Chen Fang suddenly became interested. He did not move, but kept looking to the east.

Suddenly, a red light appeared abruptly, and in the blink of an eye, it illuminated the entire sky.

The green color immediately turned into azure blue, the clouds were all covered in gold, and the sunlight, with a slight warmth, shone on my forehead.

This is the sun, its appearance changes all colors.

This summer, I will become stronger!
Chen Fang's ambition was ignited, and he was inspired to fight by the truth manifested by the heaven and earth.

This is Chen Fang’s summer plan. He has no time to wait for the great changes in the NBA in the future. He wants to go to the shore instead of struggling in the whirlpool.

He wants to get that damn trade veto power!
(End of this chapter)