The first punch that shocked the basketball world

The training content for the development alliance is not fixed.

However, the focus of the investigation remains the same despite the variations.

Physical fitness, tactical understanding, immediate combat capability, and teamwork.

It's different from the NBA draft combine.

The joint training program mainly focuses on talent and potential for development.

The Development League also considers talent, but it's not a high priority.

More importantly, it requires teamwork and tactical understanding.

NBA teams sign players from the G League mostly because they are facing a wave of injuries and don't have enough players for rotation.

The ten-day short-term contract was signed to cover up the shortfall.

If you play well, you can get a permanent position.

But the prerequisite for playing well is that the player has excellent immediate impact.

It's not about being particularly talented.

Truly talented players would have already entered the NBA through the draft.

Even if they can't make it in the NBA, they can still earn high salaries in overseas leagues.

They won't be drawing meager salaries while waiting for NBA teams to call them up in the Development League.

The trial training started with a simple physical test.

The resume already contains basic information such as height, weight, and wingspan, so there's no need to measure them again.

At least until it's confirmed that I'll stay on the team, it's not necessary.

There are only a few items in the physical fitness test.

Standing vertical jump, three-quarters shuttle run, full shuttle run.

Basic motor skills test.

The staff members held the forms and recorded the data item by item.

Head coach Harris didn't see it immediately.

With over thirty people, he couldn't possibly keep an eye on them all.

Once all the trials are over and you have a preferred candidate in mind, then check the physical test results.

The physical fitness test ended quickly.

Harris instructed his staff to divide the thirty people into six teams for a group competition.

The winning team has a chance to advance to the next round.

Those who lose the game basically only face elimination.

After the rules were announced, someone raised their hand to ask a question.

He was a white guard, not very tall, and looked quite shrewd.

"Coach, are we grouped freely, or are we randomly assigned?"

"The coaching staff is assigned randomly," Harris said.

The player who asked the question didn't look too happy.

"If we're randomly assigned, what if all five of us guards are grouped together? How are we supposed to play then?"

As soon as he said this, many people around him nodded in agreement.

Clearly, everyone shares the same concerns.

Harris remained expressionless.

"That just means you were unlucky."

"Luck is also part of the selection criteria."

This has happened before.

Randomly assigned lineups often result in bizarre combinations.

Three centers over 2.10 meters tall are assigned to one team, or three guards under 1.85 meters tall are assigned to one team.

With overlapping positions, it's difficult to play well, and even more difficult to win.

But as Harris said,

In competitive sports, luck is often considered a part of skill.

If you're unlucky enough to be assigned to a bad team, then you deserve it.

Professional basketball has never been a fair game.

The coaching staff quickly divided the teams.

Thirty people, six teams, five people per team.

The list was posted on the bulletin board at the entrance of the training hall.

The players swarmed around to watch.

Lin Fei squeezed into the crowd and glanced at his own line.

Then he paused for a moment.

Interestingly,

Lin Fei was assigned to the same team as the one-armed Carl Miller.

Miller also saw the list.

He walked towards Lin Fei with a smile.

"What a coincidence, buddy," he said. "I never expected that we'd become teammates during today's tryouts."

Lin Fei also smiled.

"Yeah," he said. "I was pretty confident I'd be your opponent, guarding against one of your arms."

Miller burst into laughter.

When he, who has only one arm, laughs, his empty left sleeve sways with it.

The scene was a bit comical, but no one could laugh.

"You're pretty funny, kid." Miller patted Lin Fei's arm. "Don't worry, I won't be a liability on offense. If I'm open, I can shoot."

"That's great," Lin Fei said. "I'll pass the ball to you then."

It's a deal.

The two gave each other a high five.

The two got along very well.

But the other three players on the same team didn't look so happy.

One of the young Black men had a buzz cut and seemed to have a good temper.

He just sighed softly and didn't say anything more.

Another Black man with dreadlocks wore his displeasure on his face.

He stared at the bulletin board for a long time, then spoke loudly towards Lin Fei and Miller.

Damn it.

The guy with the dreadlocks cursed, "What kind of gods are on our team? One's Chinese, the other's one-armed. What's the point of even fighting? We might as well just go home and sleep."

As he spoke, he deliberately glanced at Lin Fei.

The provocation is quite obvious.

The crew-cut black man who sighed first thought the same thing, but felt that what he said was too harsh.

They're all here for tryouts, why bother?

He frowned slightly.

"Don't say that," he said. "Anyone who comes for the tryouts must be pretty good; they might not necessarily lose."

The man with the dreadlocks scoffed and looked the crew-cut man up and down.

"Idiot."

He cursed, "Do you need to pretend to be a good guy? I think you're just a piece of trash struggling at the bottom of society."

Even the most good-tempered person can't stand being scolded like that.

The flat-headed black man's face darkened.

"Who the hell are you talking about?"

"I'm talking to you, so what?"

The two started arguing on the spot.

The insults were quite offensive, and the voices were getting louder and louder.

People around them all turned to look.

The shouting attracted the attention of the coaching staff on the sidelines.

A staff member walked this way with a frown.

Seeing this, Lin Fei quickly stepped forward to break up the fight.

He stood between the two men and pushed them to either side.

"Alright, alright, stop arguing," Lin Fei said. "If you keep arguing, you two will both be kicked out of the gym."

Lin Fei didn't want to be a good person.

He was afraid that if those two were really kicked out, there would only be three people left in the team. What would be the point of fighting then?

Even if you're randomly assigned to another group, they've already started discussing tactics, so you'll most likely only be a substitute.

In order for his trial training to proceed smoothly, Lin Fei had no choice but to suppress his anger and pull the two apart.

The two immediately shut up when they saw the staff approaching.

They were all afraid of being kicked out.

The staff member walked up to them and gave them a serious look.

"What happened?"

The guy with the filthy braid who had been cursing the most just moments before quickly waved his hand.

"It's nothing, it's nothing."

He forced a smile: "We were just communicating tactics, and our voices were a little loud."

The staff clearly didn't believe it.

But there is no evidence.

He gave him a stern scolding.

"Keep it down," he said. "If I hear you causing trouble again, you're fired."

After saying that, he turned and left.

After the others left, the two Black men exchanged a glance.

They both snorted and turned their heads away from each other.

Lin Fei stood not far away, his hand on his forehead.

Tired.

If the trial is a one-on-one match, he will play very comfortably.

But five-on-five team basketball emphasizes teamwork.

The game hasn't even started yet, and two players on the team are already fighting like this.

It's obvious that once they're on the field, these two will definitely not pass the ball to each other.

In a sense, this is a good thing for Lin Fei.

They didn't like each other, so Lin Fei was more likely to receive the pass.

But the problem is,

Those two guys were both small in size, clearly guards.

Both were determined to outdo each other and neither passed the ball.

This match is going to be a complete mess.

Seeing Lin Fei's worried expression, the one-armed Carl Miller walked over with a smile.

"Don't be too pessimistic, lad," he said. "They're both idiots. Just play your usual game and play good defense."

"Don't worry about how many points you get; it's meaningless."

Lin Fei was stunned for a moment.

He didn't expect Miller to say these things to him.

After all, they only met today.

Miller continued, "If you trust me, play good defense. It's better if you have opportunities on offense, but don't force it if you don't."

"Trust me, this will help you."

Lin Fei looked at Miller.

The other person's expression was very serious; it didn't seem like they were joking.

Lin Fei nodded.

He immediately understood what Miller meant.

The Development League tryouts don't consider how strong a player's scoring ability is.

The NBA has never lacked players with strong scoring abilities.

Coach selection focuses more on tactical execution, defense, discipline, and fundamental skills.

The type of player that coaches prefer is one who works hard without complaint, does dirty and tiring work, and doesn't become a source of instability in the locker room.

Even without possession of the ball, they can still play seriously.

Even if he gets signed by an NBA team, he won't clash with key players over ball possession.

Miller comes every month; he's seen this kind of thing many times.

That's why he reminded Lin Fei.

Coaches prefer team-oriented players, not lone wolves with strong individual scoring abilities.

Therefore, there is no need to worry unnecessarily about the current situation.

In some ways, this is even a good thing.

Playing with emotions in your mind will definitely affect your performance.

On the contrary, those who can remain calm are more likely to grasp the head coach's preferences and prescribe the right medicine.

Having figured this out, Lin Fei nodded his thanks to Miller.

"Thanks, Carl," he said. "I know what to do."

Miller smiled and patted him on the shoulder.

"Focus on running plays and teamwork," he said. "Don't argue or complain on the court. Even if the opponent commits a foul but the referee doesn't call it, get back on defense immediately."

"Trust me, doing this will leave a good impression on the coaching staff."

After saying that, without waiting for Lin Fei's response, he muttered to himself.

"I'll never play in the NBA in my lifetime," Miller said calmly, without a hint of regret. "But I think you can. Don't let this little thing affect your mood."

Lin Fei took a deep breath and composed himself.

...

After a 15-minute group warm-up, the competition officially began.

Lin Fei's team changed into matching blue vests.

They were assigned to the third group to play.

Lin Fei sat on the bench on the sidelines, observing the first two matches.

The first two matches were quite chaotic.

After the competition started, most people were only thinking about showing off.

Once they get the ball, they can't pass it.

They attacked relentlessly, relentlessly driving towards the basket.

Many of the choices made were absolutely terrible.

Even though his teammates had run into open space, he ignored them and insisted on taking the shot himself.

While watching the game, Lin Fei secretly observed the expression on head coach Harris's face.

Whenever those players play recklessly, ignore teammates in better positions in their pursuit of points, or choose not to pass the ball...

Harris's brow would furrow.

He quickly scribbled something on the notebook with his pen.

It goes without saying that it wasn't anything nice.

Clearly, their playing style didn't meet the head coach's approval.

in other words.

Even if their team wins the game and scores a lot of points, they will most likely still be eliminated.

The Development League doesn't care how strong a player's scoring ability is, nor how strong their one-on-one ability is when selecting players.

Otherwise, they could just go to a streetball court and find a few skilled one-on-one players, and they could all play in the NBA.

Seeing Harris's expression, Lin Fei became even more certain of what he should do next.

There are advantages to playing later in the game.

By learning from the experiences of others, we can reduce the cost of trial and error.

The first two groups finished quickly.

The scores were all low, and the game was chaotic.

Lin Fei saw Harris talking quietly with the assistant coach and making a few marks in his notebook.

It's highly likely that they've already noted down those who are destined to be eliminated.

It was Lin Fei's team's turn to play.

The opponent was wearing a red vest.

The five people were of relatively even size.

With both defenders and forwards, it looks much more reasonable than the Blue Team.

Sofia Green, a reporter on the sidelines, raised her camera.

Because Miller, the one-armed player, is going to play.

These are all materials; they will be written into news articles and posted online after the competition.

For Lin Fei, this is another good thing.

Being on Miller's team will give me more exposure and traffic.

The match has begun.

Jump ball in the center circle.

The blue team's center, a black man just over two meters tall, passed the racket to the guy with the dreadlocks.

The guy with the dreadlocks got the ball and charged forward without saying a word.

He charged straight to the frontcourt and forced a layup over the defender.

"Bang!"

Blacksmithing.

The Red Team grabbed the rebound and launched a fast break.

White guard Alex Dunn orchestrated the offense, setting a screen and passing to the center cutting to the basket for an easy layup.

2:0.

That's how they started the game with their first attack.

Lin Fei stood outside the three-point line, but didn't even touch the ball.

He shook his head and went back to defense.

The Blue Team's offense was atrocious.

Just as Lin Fei had predicted before the competition.

The black man with dreadlocks doesn't pass the ball.

Once you get the ball, you can hit it yourself.

He pushed the pace of the game so fast that there was absolutely no tactical coordination.

On the other hand, the opposing red team's white point guard, Dunn, played with great tactical discipline.

He controlled the pace very well, continuously using pick-and-rolls to get his teammates moving.

The red team quickly took the lead.

8:2.

10:2.

The score gap is widening.

During this period, Lin Fei followed him back and forth.

They barely get to touch the ball on offense.

But he remembered what Miller had said before the game.

Don't complain, and don't argue with your teammates.

Those are behaviors that the head coach doesn't like.

If he can't get the ball on offense, Lin Fei focuses on doing his job on defense.

In fact, his defense was very successful.

The black guy he was matched up against was about 1.96 meters tall and had good athletic ability.

But Lin Fei's defense prevented him from receiving the ball at all.

When there was no ball, Lin Fei always stayed close to his side, preventing him from having a comfortable angle to receive the ball.

When the opponent made a move, Lin Fei followed suit.

The enemy needed to provide cover, so Lin Fei squeezed through.

Stay close.

The young black man eventually became somewhat overwhelmed by the constant surveillance.

He was practically begging Lin Fei on his knees.

During a dead ball situation, he leaned close to Lin Fei's ear and whispered something.

"Dude, I'm begging you," he said, "can you please guard someone else instead of me? I haven't even caught the ball once."

Her tone carried a hint of grievance.

Although Lin Fei didn't have many highlights on the field, he did a lot of practical things.

Harris witnessed this scene from the sidelines.

Lin Fei hasn't made a single move yet.

The data statistics are almost entirely blank.

But Harris's expression clearly showed a hint of optimism.

Nod occasionally and jot down notes in your notebook.

Having coached for so many years, he can tell at a glance who is playing seriously and who is just messing around.

The game was halfway through.

The blue team is still behind.

The dreadlocks became increasingly unique and intoxicating.

His teammates' expressions grew increasingly grim.

Finally, during another attack, Derek Banks, the buzz-cut black man who had been arguing with the dreadlocks, was surrounded by two opponents.

He didn't want to pass the ball to the dreadlocks.

He also didn't think that Miller, who had only one arm, could help him.

Out of the corner of her eye, she caught sight of Lin Fei at a 45-degree angle to her left.

Empty seat.

Derek gritted his teeth and passed the ball.

Lin Fei received the ball at a 45-degree angle on the left side without hesitation.

Catch the ball, jump, and shoot.

The movements were completed in one smooth motion.

The speed of the attack is quite fast.

"Whoosh!"

He calmly sank this open three-pointer.

When they returned to defend, Lin Fei gave the crew-cut young man a high five.

"Good pass," Lin Fei said with a smile. "Congratulations, assist +1."

The young man with the buzz cut smiled.

Lin Fei scored, and he got the assist.

Win-win.