Rekindling the dream of becoming a star

Chapter 385 Reshaping Team Culture
Don't rely on a single event!

Chen Wang clocks out of get off work in one go.

The Chinese Men's Basketball Team Returns to its 08 Peak

News headlines like these appeared on the front pages of major media outlets within ten minutes of the game, and the news of China's 95-70 victory over Ivory Coast by 25 points spread rapidly across China.

Excited media, delighted fans, and laughing basketball association leaders made this last night of August feel like the Spring Festival.

I thought the national team with Chen Wang would be strong, but I didn't expect it to be this strong. Chen Wang crushed the strong African team Ivory Coast in a single quarter. In the eyes of the media and fans, this was an undeniable crushing defeat.

If the game had been played in all four quarters, it's hard to imagine how many points we would have won. Chen Fang's leadership on the court completely eliminated any suspense about China's qualification.

Any fan who watched the second quarter would have all their worries gone, because the Chinese team was just too strong in the second quarter.

The team scored points, with sharp offense, suffocating defense, and superb skills and tactics. Even people who don't understand basketball can see that the second quarter was played perfectly.

An hour after the match, at 11:30 p.m., a post-match seminar was held in the TX Sports studio and broadcast live across the entire network.

Duan Ran, Du Feng, Yang Yi, and Ma Jian, four well-known figures in Chinese basketball, discussed the game.

The topic we'll be discussing is the second section.

"When we were overtaken and trailed by 4 points, Chen Wang tied his shoelaces and went on the court. Two minutes later, we took the lead and were up by 8 points. What does that mean?" Yang Yi started by praising Chen Wang.

"What does it mean to be of a high standard? Chen Wang will give you a concrete example in two minutes."

"Coach Du, you're watching the game live, what's your opinion?" Yang Yi asked Du Feng after praising him.

"The role of an excellent player on the court depends first on what the coach wants him to do, second on whether he can achieve the desired effect quickly, and third on whether he can turn the tide of the game," Du Feng began, speaking in the tone of a coach.

"For example, if we are losing points badly, I will immediately substitute the player who is making defensive mistakes and replace him with one who is more focused."

"During a stalemate, I need to score, so I need to bring on a player who can score."

"If all five of them are in disarray, I have to call a timeout, make adjustments, replace those who are not working, and keep those who are working."

“This is a basic thing a coach should do, but if there is a player like Chen Wang on the team, I won’t consider these things.”

"Let him solve all the problems; I'll take care of getting him better helpers."

"This is how Rivers of the Clippers often operates, because what he can think of, Chen Wang can also think of, and does even better than the coach can."

"I was in the commentary booth, and when I saw Chen Wang come on the field, the expressions of the other players on the field immediately relaxed. Yi even smiled. That's what makes Chen Wang so amazing. It's no exaggeration to say that he's a pillar of strength."

Du Feng's words drew nods of agreement from everyone. Duan Ran, the host of the event, then asked Ma Jian, "Coach Ma, from a player's perspective, what's your view?"

"First of all, Coach Du has already explained Chen Wang's role very comprehensively, and that's absolutely right. If I were to add anything, I would elaborate on Coach Du's last sentence." Ma Jian pointed to the large screen behind him.

At that moment, the director quickly switched the large screen to the scene of Chen Fang entering the stage, and then the image froze.

"It wasn't just Yi Jianlian who smiled; everyone else smiled too. If you paid attention, you could see that even the bench players, including Coach Li Nan, looked relaxed."

"It goes without saying. I remember when I played in the Summer League for the Felix Suns in '95, we were behind, but we were all playing pretty well and relaxed a little. Back then, the Summer League was just like it is now, full of undrafted players and rookies."

"However, there were many players at the game. Finley, Manning, Posen, and Perry were all sitting behind the bench. I was sitting on the bench when I suddenly realized that no one was talking behind me." Ma Jian recounted the secret he experienced at the time.

"So I looked up to see what was going on." Ma Jian said, simulating his actions at the time. He turned his head to look at the ceiling and said, "Oh, there was a particularly strong bald man. I recognized him immediately and remembered who he was."

"Charles Barkley!"

"No one spoke, everyone's expressions were tense. I heard Barkley cursing, and then the head coach of the Summer League couldn't sit still anymore. He got up and walked to the sidelines to manually direct the game."

"That's the impact of a superstar player. If Barkley thinks someone is soft or lazy, he'll drag you out and give you a piece of his mind."

“Chen Wang was like this when he was with the Clippers, Duan Ran is probably more familiar with him.” Ma Jianyi pointed to Duan Ran.

Duan Ran then chimed in, "NBA players used to be very aggressive, but now the team atmosphere isn't as stressful."

"However, with the arrival of Prince Chen, the atmosphere will definitely change."

"I remember once when I went to the Clippers for an interview, I was waiting for Chen Wang in the parking lot. We talked as we walked to the training ground. When we first went in, we could hear a lot of voices, but when Chen Wang walked to the side of the court, the voices stopped."

"All that was left was the sound of sneakers rubbing against the floor and shouts for the ball. Everyone became serious and their running speed increased."

"That's the role of the team leader; authority is essential."

"Of course, this is because in training, in official matches, especially important matches, the role of the team leader is more about inspiring people and boosting morale," Duan Ran continued to explain.

"Even though Chen Fang was crippled in the game that won the championship, the Clippers' fighting spirit remained high as long as he was on the court."

"That's right, that makes sense." Everyone nodded in agreement.

Soon, Duan Ran steered the conversation towards tactics and strategy, asking Du Feng, "Coach Du, what do you think the Chinese team's tactics and strategy were like in the second quarter, and how will that affect the upcoming match against Poland?"

Du Feng immediately said, "The first thing is that the passing and receiving are reasonable. Because Chen Fang is too threatening, even if he stands near the center circle, Ivory Coast has to have a dedicated person to cover him, and they also need to assign an extra person to help defend him."

"This way, the entire battlefield is half the court, not just around the three-point line. Space is created, and there are more wide-open shots."

"This is also due to the inherent aura of players like Chen Wang, which forces the opponent to expand their defensive area by using a one-on-four formation."

"Yi Jianlian and Guo Ailun have more room to perform, and players like Zhao Rui and Sun Minghui, who are already capable of one-on-one play, are even more comfortable playing under these circumstances."

"In many games, the two types of players are the most dangerous," Du Feng said, raising a finger.

“O’Neal, Yao Ming, players who can score in the paint as soon as they get the ball, and Curry, players who can hit three-pointers as long as there’s no one guarding them.”

"Coaches are afraid of these two types of players. Your defensive strategy is completely ineffective. They are like poison. You can die if you choose either one."

"Tighten the inside defense and clamp the rim, then leave the outside defense open."

"By extending the defense and sticking to man-to-man marking, the paint will often be wide open."

"Therefore, players like Chen Wang, who can unilaterally change the tactical system and achieve transformation, are exactly what every team needs most."

Du Feng vented all his pent-up feelings in one breath, without mentioning Li Nan in a single sentence, yet every word he spoke was about Li Nan.

The others smiled knowingly. Du Feng's words were correct: with Chen Fang on the court, their coach would have no worries, while the opposing coach would be anxious.

"As long as Chen Wang is on the court, Poland will be in a similar situation in the next game. Anyone who has watched Chen Wang play knows that Popovich needs to double-team him to stop him. The same applies to the Western Conference Finals and the NBA Finals. Iguodala and Leonard are always on half-court defense. Wherever Chen Wang goes, he will be double-teamed."

"So we shouldn't worry about Chen Fang, but rather focus more on the performance of other players and whether they can convert opportunities into points."

Du Feng's words were unanimously agreed upon. Duan Ran, seeing that time was running out and the event was nearing its end, said, "Actually, there's even more exciting news."

"Although Chen Wang only played one game, he performed very well, with 12 points, 6 assists, 2 steals and 4 rebounds. He got these stats in 8 minutes of playing time. Compared with the NBA, everyone can happily see that Chen Wang, who is known for his high efficiency, has not changed because of this injury. He is still the invincible Chen Wang."

“Yes, after reading the second section, my anxiety disappeared.” Yang Yi finally got a word in edgewise; he really couldn’t get a word in edgewise before. Unfortunately, Duan Ran didn’t give him many opportunities to speak, and then began to give her closing remarks.

"On September 2nd, TX Sports will continue to broadcast live the second match of Group A in the 2019 World Championships, China vs. Poland. This is a crucial match, as it will determine whether China advances from the group stage and in which group it finishes."

Many fans were still in a state of excitement, and they didn't feel satisfied with watching these people praising Chen Wang. They continued to browse information online, and on short video platforms, interpretations of the game sprang up like mushrooms after rain. Many fans still hadn't had enough even late into the night.

As for the national team, they have now returned to the Basketball Management Center. They were originally scheduled to stay in a luxury hotel to improve the players' comfort, but Chen Fang raised objections to this in person and rejected it.

Chen Fang gave a very good reason: after the game, the players should undergo post-game physical rehabilitation and physiotherapy in a well-equipped place. With a game every three days, the schedule is very tight, and the players' recovery progress must be taken into account. As for comfort, that's a secondary concern.

Clearly, the Basketball Management Center is the only suitable place. It has the equipment and a large number of support staff. Players also need to go to the court to maintain their form during the off-season. There is a big difference between traveling for several hours by car and walking for a few minutes.

No one dared to refute that the irregular, even outrageous, things that the national team did after matches in the past would never happen again.

The advantage of staying in a hotel is that it's convenient to come and go, but try running out of the Basketball Management Center?
Chen Fang knew very well that he didn't trust anyone. He was risking his injury to come back and play in the game, and he wouldn't allow anyone to cause trouble by going out all night to have fun in Sanlitun.

As a coach, I am even more gratified.

Since they're all from this circle, sometimes some key players violate the rules and regulations by going out to play or socialize, and the coaches turn a blind eye, fearing that punishment will affect the quality of the game.

But now that a superstar like Chen Wang is living in a double dormitory and sleeping on a hard bed, who else would dare to step forward?

Nobody dares to say a word if you ask for leave. You try asking for leave and see how Chen Fang reacts. Do you dare to bet?
No one dares to, not even Yi himself.

Everyone thought it was just like being stuck in a brothel for ten days or so.

After finishing their physical therapy, it was already past midnight. Chen Fang and Zhao Rui returned to their dormitory, where the air conditioning had been turned on, and they felt refreshed and comfortable as soon as they entered.

"It's only at times like this that I can feel comfortable," Zhao Rui muttered.

Chen Fang ignored the yin and yang reference and went to the bathroom to wash up.

The two of them moved quickly, and once inside the house, they sat directly on the bed.

There's no other way; the space is only so big, and the bed is not only a place to sleep, but also a place to sit.

Zhao Rui was sending messages, and Chen Fang also checked his phone. He didn't reply to anyone. At this stage, he wanted to focus solely on the competition.

Originally, the plan was to review and preview the Polish match videos overnight, but seeing that everyone was very tired, Chen Fang didn't make too many demands, so the time was changed to tomorrow morning.

Chen Fang was about to go to sleep when he saw Zhao Rui still sending messages non-stop. So he remembered something and asked, "Old Zhao, can I ask you something?"

"Go ahead," Zhao Rui said without looking up. He was probably the most comfortable person with Chen Fang in the whole team. Regardless of whether it was true or not, Chen Fang felt it was more natural this way.

"How do you usually spend your time after a competition?"

Zhao Rui's hand, which was typing the message, stopped. Then he looked up and asked, "Why are you asking this?"

"I was bored before bed." Chen Fang's reason was straightforward.

Zhao Rui chuckled, put down his phone, and looked a little nervous.

"So I'd like to ask, what do you do after you finish playing in the NBA?"

"Ha, you can even turn the tables on me, that's impressive." Chen Fang chuckled. He guessed that Zhao Rui was being sensitive, so he said, "It depends on when the match ends. If it's early, I'll go out and have some fun. There are restaurants, bars, and nightclubs."

"But they're all home games. When it's away, we usually stay in the hotel. You know, away games are usually played back-to-back."

"Oh, I see." Zhao Rui's expression relaxed, and he answered the question: "We're about the same. We go home after the game, but not at home. We have more social obligations when we play away."

"I see." Chen Fang nodded.

"Is it like this even during national team matches?" Chen asked, instantly extinguishing Zhao Rui's smile.

"Uh, I don't know either."

"You didn't know? You joined the Red Team in 17."

Zhao Rui chuckled awkwardly, trying to change the subject: "I wonder how Lao Ding is doing now, and whether he watched today's game."

"Don't change the subject. You're making it sound like I'm capable of something. What, now that we're brothers, can't we even talk the truth?"

Helpless, Zhao Rui could only reply, "Yes."

"You've done this before?"

"We've all done it!" Zhao Rui then said innocently.

"Don't give me that. I don't mean anything by it. This time, no one is allowed to do it." Chen Fang was waiting for Zhao Rui to say this.

"No, no one can leave the Basketball Management Center." Zhao Rui sighed. He had already guessed why Chen Fang didn't want to change locations; he understood the situation long ago.

"The lives of NBA players may be chaotic, but when it comes to being serious, no one will act recklessly."

“We banned nightlife from the start of the playoffs. For two months, everyone followed the rules and focused their energy and concentration on winning.”

"To put it bluntly, relaxing is unprofessional. If you can't control your lower body, you don't deserve to win."

"I risked the end of my career, and I might lose hundreds of millions of dollars in income, to come back and play. I'm not going to be a workhorse and let some people slack off and win."

Chen Fang's words had laid bare his intentions, and Zhao Rui blushed slightly, but still nodded: "Don't worry, I'll let everyone else know."

Having achieved his goal, Chen Fang said no more.

To win, he has to set rules both on and off the field. No matter what happened before, from the moment he joined the national team, no one can change his mind.

I never compromise, nor do I act as a fixer. If you want me to carry the team forward, the premise is that everyone has to hide their flaws.

I made a vow three years ago.

My will, my attitude, are the rules.

He doesn't care about offending people. To put it bluntly, no one should try to act tough in front of me. If anyone dares to show their face, I'll kill them instantly.

Otherwise, he would be letting down the reputation he had worked so hard to build over the past four years. Just because Yao or Yi couldn't do something doesn't mean Chen Fang couldn't.

His status in the NBA, his age advantage, and his wealth will all become unshakeable forces.

This is also Chen Fang's biggest goal after achieving personal honor.

His return to the national team is not simply a matter of re-entering; it's about reshaping the team culture, establishing new rules, and rebuilding a completely new national team spirit.

To avoid repeating the irreversible fate of the national football team.

(End of this chapter)