Rekindling the dream of becoming a star

Chapter 340 See you in June!
"Pick up the ball!"

On the training ground of Panshi, Chen Fang shouted to Wu Zhen.

USC ultimately failed to advance beyond the league stage, suffering a heartbreaking defeat to Stanford in the quarterfinals.

With this year's record, they didn't even qualify for the playoffs, which means March Madness is over and the team is entering the offseason to prepare for next season.

Wu Zhen was naturally fine. Given Chen Fang's current daily routine, he came to Panshi to train with him.

Chen Fang's life now is not exactly comfortable; on the contrary, he is busier than before.

On match days, he will train with the team to help his teammates get into better match condition, participate in the coaching staff's tactical discussions and formulation, and then, as a member of the team, sit on the bench to cheer for the team.

This refers to the so-called water dispenser manager.

On his days off, Chen Fang basically shuttles between the rehabilitation center and the Panshi training camp, allocating his time reasonably.

Wu Zi even complained that she sees Chen Fang even less now.

Fortunately, Wu Zhen often stayed at home due to training, which made her smile.

Chen Fang is also refining his mid-range shooting technique while helping Wu Zhen improve his weaknesses.

In fact, with a height of 193cm, a weight of 181kg, and a body fat percentage of 8%, Wu Zhen already has enough potential to play professionally.

Even in the NBA, there are so many players who are over 1.8 meters tall and become key rotation players, or even core players.

Take Brunson as an example.

Jalen Brunson, standing at 188cm and weighing 172kg, is still a contender for MVP, proving that height is not a barrier to playing professionally.

The biggest challenge in playing professionally is whether you can combine your technical skills with your tactical approach.

For example, if you have the physique of a guard but lack the skills and tactics of ball handling, three-point shooting, understanding of pick-and-roll tactics, drive-and-kick passing, rhythm control, and ability to lead, defend, and help defend, then even if you can fly and leap, you're just a basketball internet celebrity.

On the basketball court, show off your incredible jumping ability.

If you have these abilities but lack physical strength, you won't be eliminated; the team will give you ample time to improve.

This is also the dominant philosophy of youth training in Europe and America. Instead of deliberately training players' physical qualities, they focus on refining their skills over five to eight years.

Each of the above-mentioned skills can be a lifelong obstacle for a player, because these skills, like Go, are incredibly difficult to master if you don't learn them in childhood.

For example, the technology of control and movement.

Control and operation are often confused, which is a big misconception.

Ball control includes dribbling posture, the ability to protect the ball, and vision control before passing.

Dribbling refers to the ability to control the ball in terms of changing direction, rhythm, and speed.

It can be simply understood as the combined ability of dribbling in place and dribbling while moving.

This skill alone is enough to keep most basketball enthusiasts completely captivated. And when it's incorporated into a game, with added physical contact, double-teaming, zone defense, and tight marking, it becomes even more rare and valuable.

In modern basketball theory, ball handling has become increasingly important, evolving into a fundamental skill that every position must master.

Without these skills, even if other technical skills are excellent, it's difficult to become a key player.

At the height of his career, Curry first possessed ball control and dribbling skills that exceeded the league's top standards before he was qualified to stand in the league and gradually became a superstar by using his shooting.

Brunson's ball-handling skills exceeded the league's standard for guards, which is why he was eligible for the draft. Even as a second-round pick, his talent was limited by his height, and he was not highly regarded.

Wu Zhen's predicament is that he has the physique of a guard, but his ball handling skills are lacking.

His ball handling skills are not outstanding even at the NCAA level, making him completely unsuitable as a combo guard.

Otherwise, with his current shooting and physical abilities, he would be qualified to play 20 minutes at USC, but in reality, he only gets 10 minutes.

Domestic media outlets still cling to outdated ideas, viewing physical confrontation as a prerequisite for entering the NBA.

Chen Fang used to think the same way, but now he truly understands that the so-called confrontation is the smallest problem.

Simply put, it's about physical adaptation. Beyond that, adapting to speed and rhythm, adapting to the awareness of switching and helping defense, and understanding pick-and-roll all far exceed the intensity of physical confrontation.

If your ball control is good, even if you lose your balance in physical contact, you won't lose the ball.

Instead of losing the ball in every confrontation and then using the excuse of poor strength in the confrontation, that's simply turning black into white and spouting nonsense.

For Chinese basketball to improve, the core issue lies in raising the level of youth training and coaching. During the players' physical development stage, ball control should be integrated into their bodies to cultivate a natural sense of unity between the player and the ball.

In the past twenty years, the Chinese national basketball teams have never had a single player with adequate ball-handling skills in their 12-man roster. Facing an opponent whose entire roster has adequate ball-handling skills is like throwing an egg against a rock.
With just a few pressing tactics from the opponent, you can fall into a scoring drought and endless turnovers, leading to a desperate situation where you are caught off guard by fast breaks.

One more thing about Japan: Japan focuses on ball handling and requires its guards and forwards to have considerable ball handling skills, which, combined with a well-designed interior, leads to a significant improvement in performance.

"You must improve your ball control during this offseason!" Chen Fang said to Wu Zhen.

Wu Zhen could only nod, his heart filled with despair.

Thinking back to the time in Chaminard, even if the outcome of the confrontation was defeat, there was still a sliver of hope.

Unlike now, he can't even put the ball down properly; the phrase "his head pops out and he's gone in a flash" probably refers to him now.

Chen Fang called over a trainer to keep an eye on Wu Zhen, then went to the other half of the field and began his own training.

His understanding of shooting has gradually reached the threshold. Now he is constantly refining his skills, hoping that one day he will cross that threshold and enter that divine realm.

Chen Fang didn't know when it would be, but he firmly believed that day would come.

※※※

Without Chen Fang, the Clippers' daily life wasn't pleasant. Even playing at home, without their core player, unexpected things happened when the game reached crucial moments.

On March 11, the Clippers faced the Celtics at home, and this was the result.

After a close three and a half quarters, they couldn't hold on in the last five minutes and were overwhelmed by an eight-0 run from Brown and Tatum.

Despite losing this game, they remain the top team in the league, but are still four games behind the second-place Bucks.

The Clippers, with 54 wins, still dominate the league, but a crisis has emerged.

This is why Rivers spent an hour reviewing the game in the locker room afterward. Chen Fang listened in, and Rivers had a few things he was unhappy about.

The first one to be affected is Jaren. His performance this season has been inconsistent, with problems on both offense and defense. If it were during a rebuilding phase, there would be no problem, but now that we are in the championship-contending stage, it is indeed a cause for concern.

Secondly, there's Brunson. His ball-handling style is too ball-dominant, leading to 24-second situations on some offensive possessions. Mazura's expression clearly showed Chen Fang that he was very dissatisfied.

After the team disbanded, Rivers, Mazura, Brian, and Chen Fang stayed in the locker room.

The four of them are the core members of the coaching staff, responsible for planning all aspects of the team's operations.

"They are the biggest destabilizing factor in the championship race," Mazura said frankly.

Rivers looked at Chen Fang, who remained calm.

Jaren B.J. and Andrew Brunson came to the Clippers because of his decision; otherwise, it would have been impossible.

Chen Fang must take responsibility.

“Brunson is the core of the rotation, while Jalen is the core of the starting lineup,” Chen Fang said.

"But in the playoffs, they can only play a role in the rotation."

The three men immediately relaxed upon hearing this; this was exactly what they had hoped for, and Chen Fang's first words eased the tension.

Their fear was that Prince Chen would insist, which would make things difficult.

"They're not up to the task in terms of intensity and adaptability in the playoffs," Chen Fang said, hitting the nail on the head, which everyone agreed with.

"Therefore, I think it is necessary to make appropriate adjustments."

Having stated his position, the atmosphere completely eased, and Rivers wisely said, "I think the best starting lineup would be Zubac, Richon, Jrue Holiday, Dillon, plus you."

"During the rotation, Beverley, Lou Williams, Harrell, Rose, and Thornwell need to increase their playing time."

The approach is clear: focus on someone with extensive experience and a preference for stability.

“I agree,” Chen Fang said, then added, “In the upcoming games, we can let them continue to look for problems, so they won’t have anything to say in the playoffs.”

"Well, but the results are a bit uncertain."

"It's alright. Let's focus on our home advantage in the West. I'm sure we won't lose that advantage."

"As for the East, I'm not worried." Chen Fang's words also represented everyone's opinion. The East is weak and the West is strong. Even if the East has home-court advantage, it may not be useful. Historically, the West has always been one less home-court team in the Finals.

After it was over, Chen Fang drove away, while Tatum was still waiting there expectantly.

Compared to entertaining others, Tatum naturally went home with Chen Fang. No food outside could compare to the deliciousness of the food cooked by King Chen himself.

As the two worked together in the kitchen, with Tatum assisting Chen Fang, old feelings resurfaced. "This matter can't be left unresolved!" Tatum was naturally referring to James.

"What, you want to avenge me?" Chen Fang said with a smile.

"I already got my revenge for you last year!" Tatum showed off his latissimus dorsi muscles.

He was referring to the dunk he made on LeBron James during last year's playoffs. Such a moment is indeed rare, since the footage of the dunk on James has been confiscated.

"But you still lost!" Chen Fang said sarcastically.

"Damn, if it weren't for the referees, it would have gone too far." Tatum said irritably. "They were targeting us too much. By the time it went to Game 7, we were already struggling to keep up. We had too many injuries, sigh."

"Injuries are part of the game," Chen Fang comforted him.

"But you have to admire that James was really good last year."

"To be honest, James performed flawlessly in Game 7 and deserves to be called a superstar."

The problem with LeBron James has never been his ability, but his values.

As a superstar, he failed to do what a superstar should do, and even used the media to cover up and promote himself.

That's the problem.

“I really don’t think he’s anything special.” Tatum’s tone was full of contempt. He continued, “He didn’t even dare to respond to the challenge you gave him the other day.”

"ridiculous!"

Chen Fang said, "He is very smart and knows how to play to his strengths and avoid his weaknesses. There is nothing to mock about that."

"I do hope that because of me, he can restrain himself. I've watched his recent games, and he's started to play defense."

"Does the Lakers even want to make the playoffs? They only have thirty-something wins and are ranked eleventh in the West." Tatum shook his head dismissively: "If even superstars can't make the playoffs, how can they be considered great?"

"The word 'great' is too cheap."

Chen continued to complain about Tatum, saying, "Respect is something you can have, but you have to earn it yourself. To be honest, I've been in the league for almost two years, and my respect for him is decreasing every day."

"I don't hide my ambition, but I won't create a fake persona."

"Fifteen seasons have passed, and I really don't know what he's thinking." Tatum shrugged. "What is he after in the league? Does he really dream of becoming the greatest of all time?"

Chen Fang laughed: "That's quite possible."

“Ridiculous!” Tatum shook his head again: “From now on, I will give it my all every time we play the Lakers.”

"You can defend against him even better than I can. You can do it." Chen Fang was satisfied; this was exactly what he wanted.

“If everyone were as ruthless towards him as we are, he would be really upset, wouldn’t he?” Tatum asked.

"Yes, but the league is ultimately a business league, and too many people are making money off James, so it's not that easy."

"Okay." Tatum was just joking. To be honest, he wasn't as brave as Chen Fang, who dared to tear James apart. He couldn't do it.

"This season..." Tatum asked hesitantly.

"If possible, I hope we can meet in the finals, so that our journey of getting to know each other and supporting each other will not have been in vain."

Chen Fang's words were quite poetic and picturesque, making Tatum lose himself in thought.

“There definitely will be!” Chen Fang patted Tatum on the shoulder.

"Wow, it's ready to serve! Let's go, let's drink until we drop!"

After losing to the Celtics, the Clippers' performance fluctuated, winning a few games and losing a few, throughout mid-to-late March.

They beat the Bulls, Nets, and Pacers, but lost to the Trail Blazers.

Then in the next four away games, they lost to the Bucks and the Cavaliers, and won against the Knicks and the Timberwolves.

Fans are starting to miss Chen Wang; with him around, they wouldn't lose many games.

The benefit of the suspension is that it made everyone on the Clippers clearly realize Chen Fang's value.

The battle for playoff qualification in the Western Conference is becoming increasingly fierce. A win can elevate a player's ranking by several places, while a loss can eliminate them from playoff contention.

With a record of 59 wins and 17 losses, the Clippers still hold the best record in the league, three games ahead of the Bucks in the East.

As the suspension period draws closer, discussions about Chen Wang are reaching a consensus.

The Los Angeles media is the most conflicted. With only 6 regular season games left, the Lakers' fate is still uncertain, and a possibility has emerged.

That means if the Lakers can make it into the playoffs, with the eighth seed being the most likely, then the Lakers and Clippers city rivalry will undoubtedly happen.

This will be the biggest hype of the season, and the first time in history.

It's a huge pity that the two teams have never met in the playoffs for so long.

The game on April 5th, the Lakers' last matchup of the season against the Clippers, will most likely determine whether they can make up for this regret.

The entire city of Los Angeles is buzzing about this probability.

Major media outlets are assessing this possibility and speculating about Chen Wang's thoughts.

Ultimately, it all comes down to a single thought of Prince Chen.

If Chen Wang doesn't play this game, it means letting the Lakers into the playoffs, and then starting the first playoff matchup between the two teams in history.

Based on the feud between Chen Wang and James, and considering Chen Wang's personality, it's highly likely that Chen Wang will ruthlessly extinguish the Lakers' playoff hopes.

As a result, Chen Fang was questioned by reporters after almost every performance.

Chen Fang, however, wore a mysterious smile and never responded.

This is also one of the hot topics currently being discussed by the league, while what fans are more concerned about is who has the best chance of winning the championship in this year's playoffs.

Despite having the best record in the league, the Clippers are ranked sixth in recent championship odds.

First is the Warriors, followed by the Bucks, Rockets, Thunder, and Raptors.

The reasons given by the betting platform are reasonable: the Clippers' overall ability is poor, the entire team relies on Chen Wang, the team has very little playoff experience, and the main rotation players are too young.

Based on these factors, the Clippers' chances of winning the championship are far lower than expected; without Chen Wang, they wouldn't even make the top ten.

Besides the championship predictions, various awards for this season are about to be announced.

On the scoring leaderboard, Harden leads with 36 points, while Chen Fang, despite a few breakout performances, has dropped to fourth after a suspension, behind Paul George and Giannis Antetokounmpo.

In the assists rankings, Westbrook leads Lowry by 2 points, which is no surprise. Chen Fang's assists have plummeted this season, and he's not even in the top ten.

In the steals leaderboard, Paul George's 2.2 steals lead over Harden's 2.0 steals, which is almost a foregone conclusion.

Although Chen Fang has no chance on these three lists, he has an overwhelming advantage on the efficiency value list.

He already has an efficiency rating of 34.3, leading Giannis Antetokounmpo's 30.9 and James Harden's 30.6.

In the MVP voting, Chen Fang has completely lost his eligibility, even though he previously ranked first in votes, surpassing Giannis Antetokounmpo and James Harden.

However, the 10-game suspension disqualified him from the selection process because the strict requirement of an 87% appearance rate eliminated him from consideration.

This is also what angers many Chen Fang fans, who believe that the league is deliberately undermining Chen Fang's honors. They argue that if he only had five fewer games off the court, then Chen Fang's attendance this season would be fully justified.

Furthermore, Chen Wang's advanced PER values ​​are also far ahead.

So when the reporter asked about it, Chen Fang remained nonchalant.

"A standard is a standard, and a mistake is a mistake. There's nothing to lament about."

"I care more about the upcoming playoffs. That's what I mean to the Clippers. Everyone tolerates my little quirks and temper tantrums because they hope I can break the Clippers' historical record."

His blunt words caused an uproar among the reporters present.

Suddenly, everyone realized that Chen Fang was giving a speech about the playoffs.

"In the playoffs, we will be fully focused and give it our all."

"To provide extra, unimaginable, and unplanned joy for the fans, the owners, and the city of Los Angeles."

"That's what the Clippers are aiming for."

"This year, we are going to win the championship, and any force that stands in our way will be crushed."

The reporters gasped. Who said Chen Wang was cowardly? Wasn't he incredibly brave?

"I know no one will believe me, but that's okay, see you in June!" Chen Fang said, and strode away.

(End of this chapter)