Rekindling the dream of becoming a star

Chapter 386 Preventing History from Repeating Itself
On September 1st, all matches of the 8 groups and 32 teams in the World Championships concluded.

There were no dark horses, and the stars of each team performed as expected. Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 20 points and 10 rebounds against Montenegro.

In comparison, Chen Fang's data seemed ordinary, but everyone knew that it was data from 8 minutes.

FIBA's official website praised Chen Fang, calling him the biggest star of this World Championship.

The article highly praises Chen Fang for turning the tide in a single quarter, effortlessly helping the Chinese team gain a huge 22-point lead.

In addition, among the Asian teams in this tournament, China was the only team to achieve a victory. The Japanese team, which was highly anticipated and had two NBA-caliber players, Rui Hachimura and Yuta Watanabe, still lost to the Turkish team.

Although the Japanese team had already qualified for the Tokyo Olympics as the host country, this participation was only for the purpose of training the team and getting the players to gel.

Rui Hachimura's 15 points and Watanabe's 16 points can be considered excellent, especially Rui Hachimura, whose heroic act of scoring high points despite having a high fever has won unanimous praise.

However, their weak defense and inaccurate outside shooting made them appear very helpless against Turkey, a team with three current NBA players and two former NBA players.

Japan's over-reliance on star players' one-on-one scoring and their being dominated on offensive rebounds by Türkiye were the biggest reasons for their loss.

These became major news in Japan, but the performance of the Chinese team and the prowess of Chen Wang still topped the front page.

Japan has been lavish in its praise, calling China a model for Japan to learn from and stating that school basketball is the core driving force behind the development of basketball in Japan.

The Japanese have a wide variety of cool nicknames for Chen Fang.

Compared to the title of Prince Chen, it is clearly not enough.

There are three nicknames that Japanese fans love and use frequently, and these are also the nicknames that Japanese commentators often use when commentating on the NBA.

Chen Banzang

Hanzo holds a unique position in Japanese. Hattori Hanzo is known as the King of Ninjas. The Hattori family inherited the title of Hanzo, and in modern times, he became a paragon of Bushido spirit and honor.

The Great Demon King!
In Japanese mythology, the Demon King has always occupied the top position among absolute villains. It is a respectful title for his fighting power and cruelty. For example, Oda Nobunaga is called the Sixth Great Demon King, which is also the most mainstream title in Japan.

Yadi!

This title is quite interesting. The full name is Southeast Asian Emperor. It is most commonly used by basketball fans in the anime community. This group believes that Chen Fang represents the strongest person in the Southeast Asian race and is the undisputed emperor.

As a country that loves giving nicknames and is known for its quirky and sometimes childish behavior, Japan's attention on Chen Wang is no less than that of its own star players. In fact, Japanese television stations have even dispatched a special reporting team to cover China's World Championship journey.

His battles with Rui Hachimura in the NCAA were reported time and again. The most ironic thing was that when Rui Hachimura became the Wizards' 9th overall pick, the happiest thing in Japan was not that the country had another NBA player, but that there was another Japanese team that could face Chen Fang in the regular season.

Furthermore, a large number of Japanese fans, in surveys and interviews, expressed their greatest anticipation for seeing how the "Great Demon King" disciplines Rui Hachimura, who lacks manners and etiquette, and makes him realize that Asian genes are among the greatest genes in the world's human races.

The Japanese people's national tendency to admire strength has led to a surge in extreme emotional reactions after the emergence of Japanese players of African descent like Rui Hachimura. This is especially true 21 years later, when Hachimura has been frequently accused of disrespecting the Basketball Association and behaving in ways that contradict traditional Japanese values. His continued self-destructive behavior after being criticized has further fueled this mentality among Japanese fans.

Japanese media, which initially hyped up the competition between Rui Hachimura and Chen Fang, gradually shifted to a humble attitude, always saying they wanted to learn from Chen Fang, learning his perseverance and great spirit of national self-confidence.

This further solidified their determination and goal of cultivating pure-blooded Japanese players for the NBA. In fact, compared to naturalization, Japan has been the most successful.

Chen Fang's decisive 8-minute victory in the opening match, eliminating any suspense, was widely reported. In particular, the 8-minute highlight reel meticulously produced by the filming team became the most viewed and commented video in Japan on September 1st.

Its exquisite production, S-level commentary and editing with its jubilant and passionate style, and its reposting back to China have garnered unanimous praise from Chinese fans.

Especially the scene where Chen Fang bent down to tie his shoelaces when the Chinese team was down by 4 points, and the facial changes of the audience, commentators, players and coaches when he went on the court, were all shown in close-up shots in the video.

It can be said that Japan understands China best.

It was incredibly satisfying to watch; the savior-like aura was palpable, and anyone who watched it felt exhilarated.

Even Chen Fang himself laughed and cursed when he saw it: "Damn!"

The team did not train on September 1st, focusing on physical recovery, but Chen Fang still insisted on individual training to maintain his physical competitive condition.

This was also seen as setting an example, which forced the other team members to follow suit.

Chen Fang does more than he talks. He even likes to use this behavior to select players he approves of. In his heart, he actually regards the Chinese team as his own backyard. Only players he carefully selects and approves of deserve to stay.

On September 2nd, the entire team held a tactical training session, focusing on the Polish team's playing style.

Poland's first match against Venezuela showcased their excellent teamwork, a stark contrast to Ivory Coast's performance.

Five players on the team scored in double figures, their offensive firepower was spread out, their teamwork was excellent, they led in rebounds, and had a clear advantage in second-chance points.

After watching the game, the coaching staff realized that they had underestimated Poland. They had thought Venezuela would be the toughest opponent in the group, but now it seemed that Poland was the real challenge.

Poland limited Venezuela's offense and defense, and with a more balanced roster, stronger rebounding control, and higher shooting efficiency, they steadily secured a victory in the first game.

Andy also worked through the night to develop an updated game strategy. Although the coaching staff was full of confidence, their expressions inevitably became solemn.

During the morning's tactical practice, Li Nan's voice was unusually loud, which made the whole team realize that something was wrong.

In the afternoon, during the tactical video meeting, the entire team was on edge.

"This is a typical European team, with a slow pace, heavy screens, multiple players passing the ball, and a perimeter-first team basketball style." Andy's words echoed in the conference room as Sun Lexian translated.

"Poland's starting lineup is very stable. AJ Slaughter is the ball-handling core, very well-rounded, and can both drive and shoot. He is the core figure of the team."

"The shooting guard is Adam Wachowski, the number one outside shooter, with an unstoppable three-point shooting ability from the wing, top of the arc, and corner."

“Mateusz Ponitka is a swingman, a pivot in both offense and defense. Many attacks are initiated and finished by him. As a setter, he has the ability to be the axis of the offense.”

"Aaron Cher, a Polish power forward, a stretch four, is good at pick-and-roll and popping out. His three-point shooting is also very accurate, and he has a floater that can finish the game."

"Adam Hrikaniuk, a typical heavy European center, whose main tasks are screen setting and finishing at the rim, and his drives to the basket after a roll are very sharp."

"Below, we will list some tactics that the Polish team often uses."

"Offense: 45° and high pick-and-roll, Slaughter + Hrikaniuk or Cher high pick-and-roll is the starting point, followed by Ponitka and Wachinski on the wings using off-ball screens to circle out for three-pointers or cut to the basket."

"Defense: A combination of 2-3 zone defense and half-court double-teaming. After settling in, first defend with a 2-3 zone defense to protect Hrikaniuk in the pit. When the opponent breaks through on the flank, Ponitka or Cher quickly double-teams, forcing the ball out before returning to position."

"Head coach Mike Taylor has been coaching for 5 years. The players know each other well, and 10 of the 12 players on the roster play more than 10 minutes per game. There is no absolute strong point, but 3-5 players score in double figures every game. They have truly achieved the team tactical concept of the whole team suppressing the individual."

After Sun Lexian finished translating, Li Nan stood up and said seriously to the whole team: "Now let's summarize. The Polish team is probably the slowest team in this World Championship. The pace is controlled at 74 possessions/40 minutes, three-pointers account for about 45% of the game, and the average number of assists is 23 per game."

"They rely on rhythm control, space utilization, seamless teamwork, and the team's strong defensive attitude and tenacious fighting spirit."

"Today's match will be a tough battle, but I have absolute confidence in everyone because we are superior to Poland in every aspect. We can fight tough battles and have the confidence to defeat any opponent."

After speaking, Li Nan looked at Chen Fang, but Chen Fang still shook his head.

Poland is a good whetstone; if the Chinese team can overcome it, it will be beneficial for the real tough battles later on.

In fact, Poland was ranked eighth in the previous World Championships and is the biggest dark horse of this tournament.

The schedule remained unchanged. At 5 p.m., the Chinese team had already arrived at Wukesong Stadium.

Today, the fans are dressed more uniformly, and many fan organizations have made appeals because the visual effect of the first game looked very loose. The stadium, which has a capacity of nearly 20,000 people, looked sparse because of the inconsistent colors.

A sea of ​​red stretched outside the Wukesong Arena, with fans holding up posters and banners, releasing their fervent emotions. At 7 p.m., the arena opened its entrances, and fans began to pour in.

This is also the moment when the players finish warming up and return to the locker room.

In the home locker room, Sun Lexian began explaining the characteristics and playing habits of each player, ensuring that every player could be utilized effectively.

Chen Fang continued to have his junior apprentice Zhang Siyu give him a massage in the corner. It has to be said that the technique and strength, combined with the foot bath with precious medicinal herbs, made Chen Fang feel that his left ankle was very comfortable, as if it were a new ankle.

This also made Chen Fang feel a little regretful. If his junior apprentice had been there after the surgery, his foot would have been completely healed.

After Sun Lexian finished speaking, Li Nan clapped his hands loudly: "Once we get past this hurdle, the group stage is a foregone conclusion. Good luck everyone!"

"Go! Go!" the others shouted.

When it comes to pre-match motivation, China still lags far behind; it lacks passion and enthusiasm.

But this is the nature of our country, and being reserved is a national characteristic. Chen Fang didn't think it was necessary to make any adjustments. Li Nan had repeatedly hoped that he would speak up, and that was exactly what he meant by refusing.

Before the right atmosphere is established, any impassioned speech would seem contrived.

When Chen Fang appeared, there was still a deafening roar of cheers. This time, Chen Fang was more composed. He didn't patrol the court today, but focused on warming up and shooting.

This game of twelve players shooting at one hoop is the only activity that fans can see during the final warm-up before the game. Fans often come during this segment and shout and yell. When a shot is missed, you can always hear a wave of sighs.

And when the ball hits the target, cheers naturally erupt.

Soon, fans noticed an interesting phenomenon: even though so many people were shooting, and many balls collided in the air or near the rim just before being hit, Chen Fang's ball never did.

"Chen Wang's shooting arc is too high, so many of his shots just fall in, just like the flight path in civil aviation, the height is different," Du Feng explained to Duan Ran.

"He doesn't usually shoot like this," Duan Ran asked.

Du Feng smiled and shook his head: "This is because the speed of finger flicking has been reduced, the speed of wrist flicking has been increased, and the force of elbow strike has also been increased, which is why the ball is like this."

"The advantage is that by increasing the friction of the basketball, you can find your shooting touch faster, which Curry will have before the game."

Duan Ran suddenly realized and nodded repeatedly.

"I wonder how long Chen Wang will fight today," Duan Ran asked.

Du Feng was also a little unsure. He thought for a while before answering: "Poland is actually very strong. If we want to play it safe, my personal opinion is that it's best to start them."

"This team is very European; once they establish a lead, it's very difficult for them to come back."

Duan Ran nodded. He naturally didn't see things as clearly as Du Feng, but from Du Feng's expression, he became inexplicably nervous. So he turned his gaze to the red number 21 figure on the court.

Chen Fang seemed unusually serious today.

On the VIP platform, Yao Ming appeared less composed, his brow furrowed as he intently watched the Chinese team warm up on the court, as if trying to find a harbinger of victory from some subtle clues.

In contrast, the fans were singing and dancing, taking selfies and interacting enthusiastically.

Their only question was how long Chen Wang would fight today.

At 7:50, the players from both sides took to the field one by one at the DJ's call, and the national anthem began to be played, accompanied by caddies.

The caddie assigned to Chen Fang was even younger than the last one, probably around kindergarten age. He didn't understand anything, but he was holding Chen Fang's big hand, his little face rosy, and he was singing along in a very convincing way.

Chen Fang was pleased with what he saw, and after the national anthem was sung, he picked up the caddie with both hands.

"What is your name?"

"Zhao Zhanting!" the little boy answered in his childish voice.

"A good name." Chen Fang's eyes lit up, and he liked it more and more as he looked at it.

Although he was only 21 years old, his life journey had spanned nearly forty years. Chen Fang suddenly realized that he wanted to have children.

However, his distracting thoughts quickly passed, and amidst the clamor, Chen Fang returned to the bench.

"Today's starting lineup," Li Nan announced.

"Point guard Chen Fang, shooting guard Guo Ailun, forward Xiao Chuan, Yi Jianlian, center Zhou Qi."

Except for Chen Fang, who remained expressionless, everyone else instantly relaxed.

Chen Wang is finally going to start.

When the starting lineups of both teams returned to the field, the entire stadium erupted in cheers. Polish head coach Mike Taylor looked serious, as the coaching staff had done a lot of work for Chen Wang before the match.

Although I was prepared for Chen Wang to start, I still felt a chill in my heart when I saw it.

"Give it your all, our goal is to qualify!" Mike Taylor told the others, which was also a kind of psychological comfort.

"We witnessed the most anticipated moment: Chen Wang's first start! This is also Chen Wang's second start for the national team! We've been waiting for this moment for far too long!" Duan Ran exclaimed with great emotion. Chen Fang's success, which has spread far and wide, is not an isolated case, but rather a reflection of the national situation.

Many outstanding players, even those who have made a name for themselves abroad, are not valued domestically. It's as if there's an invisible moat separating the two sides.

Even under immense public pressure, despite receiving a very difficult call-up to the national team, he was still not well-received.

In essence, it's still a serious problem of nepotism, prioritizing personal relationships over achievements, and pretending to be completely businesslike while demanding both—it's nauseating.

Unless there is someone like King Chen, who is so powerful that he cannot be resisted, they would choose to accept him voluntarily.

This is just a dream example. Chen Wang has the NBA behind him and is not afraid of any so-called ban or survival considerations. But many athletes can only rely on domestic leagues to survive. Even if they suffer great injustice, they can only force a smile and obey the arrangements.

I sincerely hope that more people like Chen Wang will emerge, breaking this kind of privileged system and giving more outstanding and truly capable people the space and opportunity to showcase their talents.

As Duan Ran was lost in thought, Du Feng seemed to notice that he was distracted, so he took the initiative to speak: "The game is about to start. Chen Wang is starting today, so the first quarter will be very interesting."

“Yes, that’s right, Chen Wang’s first part is always something to chew on!” Duan Ran quickly recovered and echoed.

On the sidelines, Li Nan stood with his hands on his hips, his eyes fixed intently on the moment the game would begin, while Andy and Busen sat to the side, their expressions also slightly serious.

“I’m curious to know how Poland will restrain Chen Wang,” Andy whispered to his partner.

"It'll most likely be a double-team," Buson replied.

“Actually, I’m not worried at all,” Andy suddenly said. Seeing that Buson wasn’t surprised either, they exchanged a knowing smile.

Chen Fang is least afraid of positional warfare and can best unleash his full fighting power in positional warfare. For a team like Poland, whose positional warfare accounts for more than 75% of their game, facing Chen Fang is practically suicide.

Now, let's see how Poland dies!
At this moment, Chen Fang, who was standing intently on the field, was thinking about a scene that countless Chinese fans would never forget.

The origin of Polish Week!

This time, I will not let history repeat itself!

(End of this chapter)