Basketball trainer, I created a super giant

Chapter 110 The Giant from the East

Brown opened his eyes.

Sunlight filled the entire room.

He stared at the ceiling, recalling the dream he had the night before.

It's all very blurry, I can't remember clearly, but one thing is certain: I haven't dreamed about Jordan since.

The next moment, Brown thought of something, suddenly sat up, and went to the whiteboard hanging above the bed.

Several small goals have already been crossed out above.

For example, becoming the starting center.

For example, helping the team win a game.

There are also goals like getting two doubles, 20 points, or 30 points.

Everything is done.

At the very bottom, a goal is prominently displayed: win the game against the Wizards and thank Jordan in person.

Brown grinned and crossed out the small goal with a smile.

In an instant, I felt much lighter.

I glanced at the clock on the wall; it was already past ten in the morning.

He hurried downstairs.

When he returned to Orlando yesterday, he told Tang Sen to get up early and continue training.

After beating the Wizards, I thanked Jordan and finally put my mind at ease.

But for Brown, this doesn't mean stagnation; rather, it's about shedding burdens and starting afresh with full energy.

Jordan and the Wizards are a thing of the past. What Brown needs to do now is play well, become a star, work hard to get a big contract, and make his family's life better.

Fortunately, Tang Sen had only just gotten up.

"Good morning, sir."

Brown greeted him.

Tang Sen thought to himself that it was getting late, nodded slightly in response, and went back to reading the newspaper.

I said I didn't care, since I was thanking the bureau anyway, but I still couldn't help but read the newspapers to see what the media would say.

There's no need to read the sentry report.

Although he always tries to backstab people, Brown is playing like this, with 45 points and 11 rebounds. Even if he wanted to backstab, he wouldn't have a reason to do so.

There's no need to read the likes of The New York Times.

Either praise or mock.

The New York Times, for example, really went all out, seizing the opportunity to thoroughly ridicule Jordan.

The title alone was quite sarcastic.

It's called "Kwame Brown's Gratitude".

The title itself isn't anything special, but you have to look at the huge image below it.

The photo shows Brown leaping into the air, stretching his body, extending his arms to dunk, and then Jordan looking down in disarray beneath him.

It can only be said that the sarcasm is off the charts.

The main text was full of harsh criticism, as if Jordan had only scored 3 points instead of 33.

It looks exciting, but it's completely devoid of any nutritional value.

So if you want to read something, you should read The Washington Post!

Tang Sen was eager to know how the Washington Post would salvage Jordan and the Wizards' reputation.

Unfortunately, The Washington Post isn't distributed nationwide; it's located far away in Orlando, so you can't find anything fresh there.

But that's okay, we can still watch USA Today.

Their headquarters are located next to Washington, D.C., and they focus on sports reporting, making them an important media outlet for reporting on the Wizards.

Unfold the newspaper.

Sure enough, they're one of us; there are no more photos of Jordan being dunked on.

However, Tang Sen was surprised to find that they had chosen a reporting angle that he had never expected.

Kwame Brown's Success: Talent or Trainer?

What the hell?

Tang Sen watched silently.

The report made no mention of any thank-you event, nor of the feud between Brown and Jordan, the draft, or the trades.

The report simply stated the course of the game, mentioning that Brown scored an astonishing 45 points and grabbed 11 rebounds.

He became the youngest player in NBA history to score 40 points.

He is also the youngest player to record 40 points and 10 rebounds.

The report then smoothly transitioned to the topic of why Brown performed so well.

That's the real topic of their report: Is Brown's strength due to talent or his trainer?

"Brown's talent is undoubtedly good, but not good enough. There is a huge gap between him and O'Neal, Olajuwon, and even Ewing and Duncan."

“His wingspan isn’t outstanding, and his hands are relatively small. In terms of physical talent, he’s not top-tier.”

The report devoted considerable space to comparing Brown to a talent monster like Shaquille O'Neal, arguing that Brown's physical gifts were not outstanding.

Then the problem is coming.

Brown, whose talent isn't top-tier, has performed even more dramatically than Shaquille O'Neal back in the day since the season started.

He started with 20 points and 10 rebounds, was nominated for the Eastern Conference Player of the Year, and even broke the record with 40 points and 10 rebounds.

They provided the answer, because of the trainer, because of Tang Sen!

Tang Sen picked up his coffee, took a sip, and then sat up straight.

Tang Sen never expected to use this angle to salvage Jordan and the Wizards' reputation.

But I have to say, it felt good.

After all, he was praising himself.

It's clear that some of the information in the report is fabricated.

Before this, Tang Sen was somewhat famous, but he was a behind-the-scenes worker and his popularity was far less than that of Brown, who was in the spotlight.

However, Tang Sen discovered that there are indeed insightful people in America today whose analyses are quite reliable.

They said that Brown, despite being a top pick before the draft, had significant flaws.

He has the body, but no skills.

If he enters the league like this, although he will most likely still be selected as the number one pick, his performance will definitely not reach the level he is currently at.

Fortunately, he met Tang Sen.

They believe that Tangsen has charted a near-perfect path for Brown's advancement.

First, increase the weight to 115 kilograms to strengthen the physical presence in the penalty area.

Even more amazingly, his Brownian motion ability improved after gaining weight.

Then, Brown was instructed to practice his hook shot diligently, so that he could acquire a skill set that would allow him to score consistently under the basket.

Then, based on the hook shot, practice low-post footwork.

Then practice mid-range shots to prevent being pulled out of the paint and losing all offensive capabilities.

Even after the season started, he didn't stop improving. Now he has developed a low-post jump shot that connects with his footwork in the low post, increasing the diversity of his offense.

This is why Tang Sen said they had a master, because their analysis was completely correct.

Finally, the report concluded that Brown's current performance is at most 30% due to talent, with the majority of the credit going to top-notch trainer Tang Sen.

They even said that anyone with similar talent to Brown could be trained by Townsend to become another Kwame Brown.

Therefore, Brown's success is not his personal success, but Tang Sen's success!

Tang Sen couldn't help but want to applaud the author of this report.

Wow, they managed to find this angle to try and prove that Brown's success was insignificant and entirely due to his trainer, which would then prove that Jordan's trade choices were correct.

Brown was able to beat Jordan not because he was particularly talented, but simply because he had a top-notch trainer.

but……

Tang Sen looked up and glanced at Brown, who was wolfing down his food across the table.

While his own efforts are certainly important, this kid's success is also inseparable from his own hard work. But regardless, one game is over, and another awaits.

Tang Sen put down his newspaper, waited for Brown to finish eating, and asked with a smile, "Off to training?"

Brown wiped his mouth and nodded vigorously.

……

The training will continue as usual.

This game against the Wizards proved that practicing low-post shooting was the right choice.

Then keep at it. Brown has mastered the jab step, but he's not proficient yet, and his low-post shooting accuracy is still far from perfect, so there's still a lot of work to be done.

After an unexpected loss to the Grizzlies the following day, the team had a tactical training session scheduled for that day. Tang Sen didn't go; instead, he stayed at the villa and leisurely played some heart-shaped cards with Guo Yonglin.

"Really, how about I teach you something else, like Shaolin Long Fist, it's simple and easy to learn." Guo Yonglin couldn't bear to look at him.

Tang Sen resolutely refused, saying that if he was going to learn, he would learn the best.

"Moreover, when students don't learn well, it's not always the students' fault."

Guo Yonglin's eyes widened. So you mean I don't know how to teach?

Just then, the phone next to me rang.

I picked it up and saw it was a call from Connors.

"What's wrong, Ryan?"

It turned out that Connors wanted to introduce someone to him and asked if he was free at the moment.

Tang Sen glanced back at the dejected Guo Yonglin and agreed.

We arranged to meet at a nearby coffee shop.

When I arrived after changing my clothes, the other party was already there, clearly having been nearby from the beginning.

"Tang, over here."

Right by the lake, Connors, dressed in designer clothes and wearing sunglasses, stood up and waved to himself.

Next to him sat a middle-aged man, tall and sturdy, with a slightly high hairline. He stood up with a bright smile, shook hands with Tang Sen, and then handed him a business card.

BDA Sports Agency.

His name is Bill Duffy.

Tang Sen kept it safe; he actually knew about this agency.

Antonio Davis, Terrell Brandon, and Steve Nash are all players represented by this company.

They are also involved with other leagues, such as NFL star Ronnie Lott.

As an agent, dealing with people is a basic skill. Duffy pointed to himself and said with a smile, "Don, I actually think we're a lot alike."

"Oh, what do you say?"

Tang Sen asked in return, silently guessing Duffy's purpose.

Duffy said, "I read the report and know that you also regretted not being able to enter the NBA. As for me, I was probably better off than you. When I was drafted in '82, I was also full of joy and ready to enter the NBA. In the end, I was not selected by the Nuggets until the fifth round."

"At that time, I knew that I would never be able to play in the NBA in my lifetime."

"But I didn't give up. Like you, I chose another path to stay in the world of basketball, so I started a talent agency and began my business."

“At first, it was very difficult for me. Those players didn’t believe me at all. I tried my best to persuade them, but I couldn’t even get a chance to meet them.”

When he said this, even Connors across from him sighed in empathy.

Being an independent agent like him is much harder than being Duffy's.

Duffy continued, "It wasn't until 85 that my childhood friend Ronnie was about to change agents, and that's when he was willing to give me a chance, just like you are now. From then on, I slowly built up my company, returned to the NBA, and made many people know my name."

Tang Sen nodded silently.

You know what, you really do think the two are alike, according to Duffy's statement.

They all failed to make it into the NBA, then started their own businesses, which were a complete mess in the early stages, but later they were lucky enough to encounter an opportunity, which allowed them to return to the NBA in a different way.

"So Bill, what brings you to see me today?"

Tang Sen got straight to the point.

Duffy took out his laptop and played a video of the game.

"Tang, what do you think of number 15?" he asked with a smile, pointing at the screen.

Tang Sen's first glance fell on the advertisement by the field, and the words on it were in Chinese.

That was a match in China?

Then Tang Sen's gaze fell on the number 15 that Duffy had mentioned.

The video angle was obviously from above, but Tang Sen could tell at a glance that this guy was exceptionally tall.

How tall is he?

Tang Sen asked in surprise, feeling that this guy was frighteningly tall.

"7 feet 5 inches!"

Duffy said with a proud look on his face.

Hey!
Tang Sen raised an eyebrow slightly. 7 feet 5 inches, 2.26 meters. This height should be among the top in NBA history.

Honestly, Tang Sen sometimes really envies these people. What kind of genes do they have to grow so tall?

If I were just 10 centimeters taller, I would definitely have had a chance to make it into the NBA back then.

Tang Sen glanced at Duffy, then sat up straight and watched the video.

In the video, he receives the ball in the low post, pushes it to the basket, and scores with a hook shot.

This is not a complete match; it's a compilation of highlights.

In the next shot, he positioned himself outside the penalty area, and when he was out of position defensively, his teammate lobbed the ball in. He quickly turned around, caught the ball in one step, and then jumped up to complete a dunk.

Because it's a highlight reel, there are many dunking moments.

A teammate cuts inside and throws a high pass, which number 15 receives for a powerful alley-oop dunk.

There were only a few instances of him initiating attacks, such as sitting in the low post, then half-turning to the basket and scoring off the backboard.

He also has a mid-range shot, and his shots look quite steady.

Of course, with his height, he's bound to get plenty of blocks.

Tang Sen's intuitive feeling was that his jumping height was okay, because he was quite thin, not only his arms but also his body was slender.

His calves are alright, they look fairly thick.

"Tang, what do you think of him?" Duffy asked after the video finished playing.

"Very talented."

Tang Sen answered without hesitation.

There is no doubt that although he looks thin and has all the skills under the basket, they are still a bit rough, and his arms seem a bit short. But just one point is enough to prove his talent.

That is, this guy is 7 feet 5 inches tall and also has considerable agility.

With his height, it's already quite an achievement for him to be able to run.

Duffy smiled and took the initiative to introduce the situation of this number 15.

"His name is Yao Ming, he's from China. I noticed him back in '98, and he was supposed to run for the NBA draft this year."

At this point, he smiled and said to Connors, "Ryan, to be honest, if he runs for the draft this year, Kwame might not be the number one pick. The Wizards have scouted him and are very interested in him."

Connors curled his lips and said nothing.

Tang Sen nodded slightly in agreement.

As I said before, it's truly remarkable that someone so tall can have such athletic ability.

Therefore, if Yao Ming participates in the draft this year, there is a high probability that he will beat Brown to become the number one pick.

Basketball, at its core, is a sport for giants.

Of course, not necessarily.

During the tryouts, Brown's performance was already very strong after his own training.

"Then why didn't you sign up in the end? Was it because of your age?" Tang Sen asked another question.

Duffy sighed and said with a sullen look, "Don't even mention it."

"Don."

Duffy didn't say anything more and got straight to the point, saying sincerely, "Yao plans to enter the draft next year. I think there shouldn't be any major problems next year, so I would like to ask you to help train him and prepare him for the NBA."

(End of this chapter)