Rekindling the dream of becoming a star

Chapter 271 Change of Dynasty
After sending Tatum away, Chen Fang wanted to think carefully, but he received an unexpected call.

Half an hour later, Chen Fang arrived at the wealthy beach area in Southern California, where celebrities and wealthy people live, and West's home is here.

The two of them sat on the observation deck on the second floor. The fireplace was burning, and through the glass they could see the vast waves tirelessly beating against the beach.

"A few days ago, Wenger was sitting right here in your seat." West said slowly, pointing to the steaming tea on the coffee table. "I don't know if you like it. I don't know much about oriental tea. I hope you like it."

Chen Fang behaved very respectfully. He hadn't seen the old man for several months since the last interview.

But he was well aware that he had never been out of West's sight and influence.

He is the godfather of NBA and American basketball. I believe that as long as he opens his mouth, it will be difficult for anyone in the league to refuse.

Chen Fang stared at the tea in front of him and suddenly said, "This is a cup of black tea, not green."

West smiled and asked, "What do you know about me?"

"Just a little bit, I'm sorry, I only know that you are a big shot." Chen Fang lowered his head.

"Many people should know my story. Although it is one-sided, it is all true." The old man said slowly: "I received offers from 30 universities at that time, and I chose West Virginia University, which had never made it to the first round of the tournament."

“It’s just because it’s close to home.”

"The rest of the story is similar to yours in Southern California, the only difference is that you beat North Carolina and I lost to Cal."

Chen Fang listened quietly. He wasn't quite sure why the old man told him stories, but that didn't stop him from being curious and respectful.

"In my 14 seasons as a professional, I never missed the All-Star team and was selected to the All-NBA First Team 12 times, but these are not what I care about. I have been to the Finals 7 times. Before the seventh time, Baylor couldn't bear it anymore. He said to me, 'Man, I can't take it anymore. I'm sorry.'"

"Everyone thought I had no hope of fulfilling my long-cherished dream and winning the championship, but they were wrong. Baylor's departure made me more determined to fight."

"For the seventh time, I finally lifted the damn Walter A. Brown Trophy!" The old man was a little excited. After all, he was old and had to gasp for breath when he spoke quickly.

The old man took a deep breath and continued, "I'm a typical example of someone who keeps fighting despite repeated failures. Perhaps it's because of this attitude that I've earned the respect of many people, but they're actually mistaken."

"I just love basketball, enjoy the challenge and the refusal to accept fate."

"Later, I became a scout, a coach, and a general manager. I rebuilt the Lakers dynasty in the 1980s. Others say I was a pioneer in building a team with stars, and I don't deny it. Because throughout my career, I always believed in myself. As long as I was there, I could win."

"I bet on Johnson, Shaq, Kobe, and Curry, and luckily, I won all of them."

The old man smiled and looked at Chen Fang for a long time: "Now, I'm going to bet on you again."

Flattered, really, Chen Fang stood up subconsciously.

"Sit down. I've been wanting to say this to you for a while. It's a little late to say it now because you've already gained fame and confidence in the NBA." The old man gestured for Chen Fang to sit down.

"I've watched some of your games. Forgive my limited energy. I can only pick a few to watch. I'm happy. I see shadows of many people in you, but you're still very different."

"Your understanding of winning is beyond your age. That's my judgment."

Chen Fang nodded in fear but dared not say a word.

"But what surprised me even more was your attitude towards winning. You were even more paranoid than Kobe, but once the game was over, you were able to quickly accept the reality and calm down."

"This is important enough. Kobe will keep his anger on his face until the next time he faces it and vents it. This is actually wrong."

"Accepting failure, in a sense, prepares you to face challenges better next time. It separates the on-field and off-field aspects, helping you to defeat your opponents more intelligently." The old man gazed out to sea and sighed, "If I had understood this earlier, I would have won more trophies."

“Don’t be overly paranoid. Extreme self-confidence will only lead you to failure, not success.”

"Being emotional only makes you look more vulnerable."

Chen Fang felt as if his heart was hit hard, and he suddenly understood what West wanted to tell him.

"People always reflect on their past actions. My father was just a rough worker. He disciplined me with his fists and feet. But when I grew up, everyone thought I was going to run away, but I chose the one closest to home."

"I became famous in high school. The whole country knew there was a great player in West Virginia. Every day, scouts and college coaches were hanging around my door. One day, I was going to play on tour for two months. I left home with a big suitcase."

"My father was watching me from the window, and when I was about to get in the car, he couldn't help but run to the front door. He was so excited that the sound of the door hitting the wall startled me."

"I looked back and suddenly saw my father's hesitation and helplessness. I immediately realized that he was very afraid that I would leave and never come back. Yes, he had realized his mistake and knew that his son hated him and wanted to leave him and this family at any time."

"I sat on the bus and thought about it all day."

"That day, there was a violent storm and heavy rain. At dusk, the rain stopped and the sky cleared up. The sunset was the most beautiful scene I have ever seen in my life."

"I made peace with my past and with my father."

“That’s why I chose West Virginia University.”

Chen Fang didn't know what to say for a moment. He looked at the old man, and the old man looked at him kindly.

"After the storm, there will definitely be a rainbow." Chen Fang replied after a while.

The old man laughed, really laughed out loud.

"It seems that I don't need to say anything more. You should go back to the team."

"Thank you, sir." Chen Fang stood up respectfully and bowed slightly to the old man to express his inner gratitude.

"Today is the day to play against the Celtics. Steve will come and I will come too. Let's do well."

"clear."

West personally escorted Chen Fang to the door. Standing at the door, he suddenly asked Chen Fang, "What should you call me? What's more appropriate?"

Chen Fang was stunned. His mind worked quickly, but he couldn't find a suitable answer for a while.

"This is a small question I leave for you. Remember to tell me next time."

Chen Fang did not go home, but drove directly to the training center.

On the way, Chen Fang had a lot of thoughts in his mind.

The old man didn't scold him for his willfulness in engaging in a cold war with the management, and he didn't even say anything related to it, but he told Chen Fang from the story he told himself.

How to live the right life.

Tolerance, reconciliation, wisdom, control, and all negativity related to emotions and personality are the biggest enemies to success.

To sum it up in one sentence, only by defeating yourself can you succeed.

And this success is not just honor, it is more of respect, respect in a broad sense.

Everyone was a little surprised to see Chen Fang appear on the court, and Brian came forward.

Before he could speak, Chen Fang asked, "Can I still play this afternoon?"

"If you want." Brian was surprised, but quickly gave an answer.

"Then I'll go to training." Chen Fang immediately returned to the locker room and began to change his equipment.

Rivers knocked on the locker room door and asked, "How can I help you?"

"Just don't let me fall out of the starting lineup." Chen Fang replied with a smile.

"Okay, this is difficult, I will try my best." Rivers frowned at first, then laughed, walked forward and bumped fists with Chen Fang.

"Welcome back."

"Thank you." Chen Fang was sincerely grateful. He was as willful as a child and would get angry when something happened that was not to his liking.

It’s a waste that I have lived two lives together. No wonder I was mediocre in my previous life and still claimed to be smart. I am really ashamed.

"The team has changed a lot. The players who were just traded are all adapting. Except for Lou Williams and Beverley, the others still need more adaptation and preparation."

"We are shorthanded for today's game."

"Understood. I'll see how it goes."

The coach means to do your best and not force it.

In the past, Chen Fang would say no problem and he would definitely get it. But now he knows that there is still a long way to go and he shouldn’t worry about the short term.

Rivers was surprised by Chen Fang's answer. He looked at Chen Fang, who said, "I should go say hello to the new players. Coach, what should I pay attention to?"

Seeing Chen Fang's sincerity, Rivers was a little uncomfortable, but he still replied: "They were all the best in the league. It's okay to be humble."

"understood."

After Chen Fang left, Rivers seemed to be thinking about something. He always felt that the honest Chen Fang made him feel uneasy.

If he knew that he had just come out from the old man's place, perhaps he would understand Chen Fang's transformation.

Back on the court, many people looked over. In fact, ever since Chen Fang appeared, everyone had more or less lost interest in training.

After all, this boss is now the real boss of the Clippers.

Griffin took the initiative to greet him. The two men bumped shoulders and exchanged a few words. Then Griffin led Chen Fang towards the group of new people.

"Channing, the league's top shooting power forward, a man with a championship ring!" Griffin joked.

"The last time we played the Cavaliers, you were recovering from an injury. Otherwise, our victory wouldn't have been so easy." Chen Fang's opening remarks satisfied Qian Ning. He smiled and said, "Thank you for the compliment. I hope we can have a pleasant cooperation."

"Of course, the Clippers won't let you down, and neither will I." Chen Fang's second sentence still showed strong confidence.

He walked towards Rose without waiting for Griffin to introduce him.

"I'm so glad you're here. I finally don't have to worry about position 1 anymore."

Rose has been through a lot, from the Bulls to the Knicks, and then traded from the Knicks to the Cavaliers. Both physically and mentally, Rose has been devastated. He seems to have accepted the arrangement of fate, and his big eyes are full of melancholy and confusion.

Facing the sharp Chinese, Ross thought of a lot of things at once, but at least this sentence comforted him.

"I will do my best to help the team," he promised.

"Let's work together, believe me, the Clippers will make you happy."

Although he didn't agree, Ross still felt a glimmer of hope.

Chen Fang said to Griffin, "I'll handle the rest myself. Brother, you should go to training. Our opponent tonight will be tough."

Walking towards Tony Allen, Chen Fang trotted over.

"For me, my brother's arrival has made me happy until now." Chen Fang extended his hand enthusiastically and said to Tony Allen who was sitting on a chair to rest.

Before Tony could say anything, Chen Fang gushed on, "You've faced off against almost every superstar in the league, the old ones, the middle-aged ones, and the powerful ones in recent years. I think I shouldn't call you brother, but teacher."

Tony was really surprised. He didn't expect the Chinese's opening remarks to be like this?

Become a disciple right from the start?
"I wish I could excel in both offense and defense. Perhaps I should have visited you a long time ago. Thank fate, and please forgive my enthusiasm, I am so happy."

"Okay, if you want to learn, I won't hold back." What else could Tony Allen say? He had to bear such a heavy idol burden, and people were calling him teacher. It would be too much for him to pretend anymore.

"Really? That's great, Mr. Tony. I just have a question." Chen Fang sat down and lowered his voice: "Do you see those three guys over there?"

"Who are you referring to?"

"Mad dog."

"Oh, that's really a problem, what's the matter?" Tony Allen asked.

"I'm going to fight him when I get close. Don't stare. This is a one-on-one duel, not a fistfight."

"I just want to know, how can I kill him quickly?"

"It's simple. While keeping distance, a lateral breakthrough is the best option. If he bites you, you have to keep your lower body stable and shoot him." Tony Allen said without hesitation.

"My strength may not be enough."

"If he tries to give you strength, you should retreat and dribble behind your back. If he is within the shooting range, you can shoot. If not, then move sideways in a large range. He has a low chassis, but his arm span is not enough."

"He is a team player and one-on-one is not his strong point," Tony Allen analyzed.

"I understand. I'll go over first." Chen Fang was actually looking for an excuse to get in touch with Tony Allen, who was selected to the All-Defensive First Team twice and the All-Defensive Second Team three times. He was the only top defensive guard left in the league. He was just old, but he had rich theoretical and experience.

After he retired, he immediately became an NBA assistant coach, in charge of defense, which shows his level. Indeed, as Chen Fang said, Tony Allen's joining the Clippers is the most helpful for his development.

In fact, if we calm down and look at these four transactions, the Clippers have taken into account the needs of team building while also taking into account the current lineup strength, and each signing has a bit of the flavor of finding a mentor for the core players.

Channing is a space-shooting power forward, which is in line with Griffin's appetite for transformation. Tony Allen is needless to say, and Rose is semi-functional. Although his speed is not there, his attitude and willpower are no problem. Chen Fang can still learn something from him as a role model.

In addition to the three Rockets players who are real combat power, they are here to make up for those who were traded away.

Chen Fang knew this very well, so his attitude towards the three Rockets players was completely different from the previous three.

When I approached them, none of the three of them said hello. They continued to shoot around in the half court and chat like a small group, as they practiced together.

"Hey, are you interested in playing?" Chen Fang spoke.

In other words, he was just pretending. How dare he show disrespect to the core player on the Clippers' territory? So the three of them stopped and turned to look at Chen Fang.

People in other venues also pricked up their ears and watched with wide eyes.

"In the Clippers' welcome ceremony, all newcomers under the age of 29 must play a round of one-on-one first." Chen Fang said with a grin.

Regardless of whether it is true or not, the 29-year-old limit made the three of them understand what it meant.

Discontinued?
They were all used to big scenes. Beverley grinned, showing his front teeth, and asked bluntly: "How do we play?"

"It's a round-robin match. Whoever loses gets 11 points first, and the remaining three will be considered losers. They will have to run back and forth 30 times between the two sidelines as punishment." Chen Fang smiled friendly. If they had seen Stephen Chow's Destroyer, they would feel that Chen Fang's expression now is exactly the same as that of the eldest brother.

"Okay." Beverly agreed immediately. The remaining two were dumbfounded, but they could only bite the bullet.

This is a typical case of being dragged into the water.

The sparring partner immediately switched modes and became the server, while Chen Fang also called the assistant coach to act as the referee.

So the other team members came over laughing, and the training ground, which had been deserted because of the transaction, suddenly became lively.

"I'm a veteran team member and can't take advantage of you. You three decide who will play first. I'll be waiting for a bye." Chen Fang's words were light, but they reminded the three of them who was the master here.

"No need to warm up?" Beverly asked provocatively.

"Probably not. I'll slowly warm up during the game." Chen Fang replied with a smile.

This confident smile made Beverly angry. He stared at the Chinese man and wondered how to deal with him later.

Brian acted as the referee and Rivers watched the fun. Of course, he would not stop it, but was just curious about Chen Fang's methods.

Lou Williams is arrogant. Although he appears to be very humble, he is really talented. Beverly is just like this character. He does not submit to anyone. With a height of 185cm, he would not be able to survive in the NBA without this character.

Harrell is just a rough guy, following two big brothers, with an aggressive personality and a thorn in the side.

If these three people come to the Clippers and are not controlled, they will be a disaster. If they are guided well, they will be a powerful weapon.

Originally, Rivers wanted DeAndre Jordan to do it, but Chen Fang wanted to do it himself, and he was happy to see it happen.

The three of them did not hesitate and quickly separated themselves.

Beverly and Lou Williams played first, Harrell played third, and Chen Fang played last.

Ross, Channing, and Tony stood together, making eye contact.

They are all veterans. Every team has its own set of rules, and they are changing at any time. It mainly depends on the attitude of the core players.

Chen Fang said there are rules for one-on-one duels, so there are, and no one will deny it.

Now it depends on whether he can do it.

Lou Williams was very serious about the three-threat situation with the ball. After all, this also represented a time to examine his ability. As the countdown reached three, he suddenly took two quick steps, followed by a drag step, created shooting space, and then made a jump shot.

The ball went from Beverly to Harrell.

With a height of 203cm and a wingspan of 221cm, Harrell has enough physical talent, but his weight and mobility prevent him from becoming a small forward. He can only rely on his strength and bounce to play as a short power forward.

It was easier for Lou Williams to deal with him. He shook his center of gravity with a triple threat, broke through immediately, and made a jump shot from the free throw line.

Chen Fang lazily stood up from the baseline, threw the still bouncing ball to Lou Williams, and walked in front of him.

Chen Fang's height and wingspan are not as big as Harrell's, but he immediately gave Lou Williams a sense of oppression.

It’s mainly the eyes, which are sharp and bloodthirsty.

Thinking of Chen Fang's performance in the past half season, Lou Williams couldn't help but feel a tightness in his heart.

It was still a triple threat, but Chen Fang didn't move. He was confident enough to strike back against Lou Williams. No matter what, it was not easy to shift his center of gravity.

When Chen Fang was thinking about his show of force, he had enough confidence to never fight a battle without confidence.

The five-second countdown was very quick. Lou Williams backed away and dribbled the ball behind his back, trying to create a space for a breakthrough, but Chen Fang did not stick to him. He just put his left foot in front, his right foot behind, and his arms spread out.

Chen Fang did not make any moves, which forced Lou Williams to shoot. Just when he passed the ball, Chen Fang leaped up and blocked it at a faster speed.

The ball was pressed firmly, and Lou Williams' body, which had jumped up, was pressed back to the floor.

"Oh!" The teammates watching exclaimed.

Since Chen Fang came to the Clippers, he has never challenged anyone one-on-one. The first reason is that there is no suitable opponent, either center or guard. The only target is Kuzma, but this guy refuses to challenge.

Just like now, he thanked Sangweier: "Thank you, brother, it's a good thing I didn't fight."

Thornwell had really been beaten up by Chen Fang, and he fully understood how terrifying Chen Fang was in a one-on-one fight. It was he who warned Kuzma not to fight with Chen Fang.

Chen Fang turned around and faced the frame, looking at Beverly who was walking towards him.

Lifting the ball up and kicking it to the opponent was considered a provocation, but Beverly became excited.

"Great!" is his catchphrase. He likes naked confrontation and will sneer at those who escape.

As soon as the ball was stuffed into Chen Fang's hands, he immediately went into mad dog mode, sticking closely to the opponent. This action was already a foul, but it didn't count in American one-on-one duels.

Chen Fang first turned his back to him, then quickly sank down and bumped Beverly with his shoulder. Taking advantage of this gap, he took a step forward with his back foot and put himself facing the basket.

He kept the ball above his head, avoiding Beverly's knife shot. When the countdown reached two, Chen Fang jumped on tiptoe and shot the ball.

This was half a meter outside the three-point line at the top of the arc, close to eight meters. The ball was not fast and the arc was very high. Beverly was very confident that this ball could not go in. He turned his head to look, ready to make a few sarcastic remarks, but saw the ball fall into the net.

"Next!" Chen Fang shouted.

Harrell came up and patted Beverley comfortingly. In his opinion, the older brother suffered from his height disadvantage.

He was very confident, but Chen Fang was more confident than him. From the moment he received the ball, Chen Fang released it horizontally, and at the moment Harrell moved, he changed direction and accelerated, passing him like a wooden stake.

A simple three-step layup.

"Brother, it's your turn." Chen Fang smiled at Lu Wei at the bottom line.

Lou Williams was very cautious this time, but as he was the same height as Beverly, he couldn't solve Chen Fang's pull-up problem at all.

It was just a three-step threat, and Chen Fang easily jumped up and hit it again.

Beverly came up again, this time standing sideways with one hand directly on Chen Fang's waist and abdomen. This is a very experienced defensive move, using strength to restrain your core strength. Most people would either insist on shaking off this hand, or dribble backwards to get rid of it.

But Chen Fang didn't care and let Beverly touch his eight-pack abs. He held the basketball high and shot it even though Beverly didn't think he dared to.

"Shit!" Beverly cursed. He went to see the result, but it was still hollow.

Damn it! Beverly's eyes widened.

The onlookers all gasped.

Although there were differences in height and mobility among the three, it was too easy for Chen Fang to beat them.

Tony said to Channing, "Ten years ago, I still had confidence, but five years ago I couldn't do it. God, how do young people learn to play basketball nowadays?"

Rose didn't say anything. He was not a good defender. Maybe when he was at his peak, he could compete with Chen Fang in terms of damage, but he might not win because shooting has always been his weakness.

While he was thinking, Chen Fanglei controlled the ball unshakably, knocking down three players in turn and calling them up again. The scene was cruel and bloody, making the onlookers exclaim and admire continuously.

With Chen Fang's back dribble and step back, he shot Harrell down. In this game, Chen Fang was the first to score 11 points.

"Come on, let's run together. After all, I haven't trained for several days." Chen Fang's invitation surprised the three frustrated people. Although the words sounded harsh, they gave him a chance.

"Come on." Beverly was still unconvinced.

Looking at his expression, Chen Fang came up with another idea.

"Let's make another bet, just the two of us."

"What's the bet?" Beverly asked.

"30-minute run, whoever finishes first wins."

"If you win, they don't have to do it. If I win, you have to run another 30% discount."

Everyone gasped when they heard this. It seemed that Chen Fang was going to shave his head bald today.

"Come on." Beverly felt guilty for dragging his brother into this. He had plenty of energy, and considering the well-known weaknesses of the Chinese in the league, he didn't think he had no chance.

So Bryant gave instructions to Harrell and Lou Williams.

"You guys count the laps."

"Hey, come on, man!" Jordan cheered.

"Don't worry, brother!" Chen Fang was not worried. His physical fitness was not good, but it did not mean that he could not handle it with a 30% discount. What's more, his speed and agility were enough to make Beverly suffer.

As the whistle sounded, teammates began to shout. Amid the cheers, Chen Fang took the lead. Not only was he fast, but he hardly slowed down when turning back, which stunned Rose.

For the first time, he discovered that there were people like him in this world.

Beverly was overtaken by Chen Fang half a lap at the start, but he was not worried because the second half of the 30 laps was the crucial one.

But when Lou Williams, who was responsible for counting laps for Chen Fang, called out 21, Beverly, who had only run 16, was horrified to find that Chen Fang's speed had not dropped much, and his expression was not ferocious.

"30!" Lou Williams shouted helplessly, and the other teammates all rushed up and surrounded Chen Fang. Griffin even picked up Chen Fang.

Beverly stopped panting heavily. He had only run 23 laps.

"Fuck, what a monster." Beverly cursed when he saw Harrell counting for him.

Suddenly he felt the cheers quiet down. Beverly looked up and found Chen Fang walking up to him.

"Welcome to my Clippers." Chen Fang extended his hand.

"It's my honor!" Beverly shook hands.

"Run laps, brother, but don't have diarrhea at night. I want to welcome all the new members with a victory." Chen Fang ordered.

"I won't let you down!" Beverly was speechless.

Harrell and Lou Williams also stood behind Beverly by default.

Looking at Chen Fang, Rivers knew it clearly.

After the big purge of the Clippers, except for Griffin and Jordan, the entire Clippers is now completely controlled by the Chinese.

Before, he only had half, but now, he is really close to 100%.

With Jordan's emotional intelligence, he would be the first to change roles, while Griffin only hopes that Chen Fang can help him realize his dream.

The rest of the people almost only followed Chen Fang's lead.

A classic team transformation took place quietly amid cheers.

Rivers' feeling became even clearer when he arrived at the Staples Center and saw Ballmer and West sitting together and standing up and applauding Chen Fang who was the last to appear.

On January 2018, 1, the Los Angeles Clippers changed dynasties and ushered in the Chen Fang era.

(End of this chapter)