Basketball trainer, I created a super giant

Chapter 194 Tang Sen's Value
In Tang Sen's view, Yao Ming was a player with a relatively high level of achievement.

What he lacks is a strong physique that can maximize his skills.

When he has a strong enough physique, he can show his power even when facing a championship-caliber center like Kwame Brown.

Wang Fei passed the ball from the side.

On the low left side of the basket, as Yao Ming prepared to receive the ball with his back to the basket, he had already engaged in contact with the ball, showing a tendency to turn towards the baseline.

As Brown shifted his weight to follow, the ball bounced back and he turned, taking a sharp step towards the top of the court with his left foot.

This step also includes detailed movements of Cabron's movement path, followed by a flip upwards.

As the ball is about to rise from the turn, the right foot is already sliding outward in preparation.

Brown was shaken up.

Yao Ming instantly exerted force with his right foot, dodged Brown, and completed the layup with a single step.

The movements are fluid and detailed, and the feints are highly deceptive.

Most importantly, while Yao Ming couldn't match the speed of Hakeem Olajuwon's guards and small forwards when performing this series of moves, he didn't appear clumsy or slow; he was quite agile.

"cool!"

Brown raised an eyebrow slightly and gave Yao Ming a thumbs up.

He was invited by Yao Ming to be a sparring partner, but he only played defense, not offense.

Otherwise, Brown would like to retaliate with the same tactic.

But he felt it was unlikely to work out.

My footwork in the low post is not complicated, it's more basic, and I rely more on physical confrontation to create space for my shot.

So Brown felt he relied on his physicality to play basketball, while Yao Ming was more of a technical player.

"Good, good, good!"

Wang Fei, who was passing the ball to the side, exclaimed "Good!" three times, his excitement evident.

It wasn't Yao Ming's skill that amazed him, but rather the physical condition he displayed.

It also involves the ability to combine physical and technical skills.

Having a good physique alone isn't enough; it also needs to be combined with good technique.

He somewhat understood why Yao Ming had said that after training with Tang Sen for three months, he felt like he had wasted more than a decade of basketball experience.

He probably meant that the three months of hard training had transformed him, unleashing all the skills he had accumulated over his more than ten years of basketball career.

On the court, in order to showcase his abilities in multiple ways, Yao Ming even took the initiative to step out and shoot a three-pointer while facing Brown's defense.

He missed, but he didn't care. He turned around and shot another one, which went in.

Wang Fei immediately applauded.

He knew Yao Ming could shoot three-pointers, and he could sense it, so he was more confident in his shots, especially when he lifted the ball; his movements were very quick, clearly indicating that he had made targeted adjustments and practiced.

"enough!"

Wang Fei stopped Yao Ming from continuing.

He looked at Yao Ming with satisfaction, his inner excitement erupting like a volcano, impossible to suppress.

"Yao Ming, hello there, really hello there."

Wang Fei patted Yao Ming's arm, too excited to say anything.

He felt he had made the right decision to come. Seeing Yao Ming's training results gave him a much better sense of confidence for the upcoming World Championships.

Because Liu Yudong is injured and may have to play while injured, and Wang Zhizhi still has some unresolved issues with the Basketball Association, it's unlikely he'll make the national team.

Looking at the entire national team, who can we rely on?

Yao Ming has made such great progress, and I feel that he can improve his performance in this year's World Championships.

Wang Fei came in a hurry and left in a hurry.

He couldn't leave the national team, so after seeing Yao Ming here, he prepared to say goodbye and leave.

"Yao Ming, you've met a great trainer. I heard from Xiao Zhu that Tang Sen is now the Knicks' head trainer. So you've made the right choice going to the Knicks this time."

Such great progress in just three months; with continued training with Tang Sen, the progress will only be even greater.

"Practice hard, see you in Denver."

Wang Fei gave Yao Ming a final hug, holding him for several seconds before letting go, and then waved goodbye.

After watching the car drive away, Brown came over and asked, "Yao, are you sure you want to play for the national team? You should really stay and train until the new season starts."

Brown wasn't interested in the World Championships.

There's no salary for going, and it won't increase your exposure or get you more endorsements.

USA Basketball did extend an invitation to him, but he declined it outright.

Instead of wasting time competing in the World Championships, it would be better to train properly with Tang Sen to improve your skills.

“It’s different,” Yao Ming said with a smile.

He knew that not only Brown, but also McGrady, Kobe, and the others hadn't made it to the national team.

But for Yao Ming himself, he wanted to play for his country.

He still remembers the first time he was selected for the national team in 98. When he arrived at the dormitory, he was given the national team jersey. He put on the jersey and looked at himself in the mirror again and again.

He spun around seven times.

That sense of honor is something he will never forget.

Time passed day by day amidst the sweat and toil.

On the 13th, the Chinese men's basketball team departed for Canada, and on the 16th, they played a warm-up game against the Canadian team led by Nash.

The result was a crushing 37-point defeat.

Nash scored 29 points in three quarters, finally experiencing what it's like to be the offensive focal point.

On the second day of the competition, the men's basketball team departed for Denver.

This day was also Yao Ming's last day at the Tangsen training camp.

After the extra training session ended that evening, everyone returned to the hotel, panting heavily.

"Yao, keep it up!"

Allan Houston went to Yao Ming's side and offered him a word of encouragement.

New Yorkers are demanding, and they have long had extremely high expectations for Yao Ming, the number one draft pick.

Unfortunately, Yao Ming didn't play in the Summer League, so the World Championships were the only remaining opportunity to prove the worth of the number one draft pick.

Therefore, the New York Times had already reported on this early on, urging New Yorkers to pay attention to the performance of the Chinese men's basketball team and hoping that Yao Ming could dominate Jermaine O'Neal and LaFrentz in the game against the US team.

He even called out to Tang Sen from afar.

You mentioned training Brown last year, who was also the number one draft pick. Then, when you entered the league, you dominated Jermaine O'Neal in your first matchup against him.

This year it's Yao Ming, so making the same request isn't unreasonable, is it?

After a pause, Houston added, "But don't put too much pressure on yourself. FIBA ​​and the NBA are quite different. They play zone defense, which is particularly unfriendly to the inside, so it's okay if you don't play well. And don't worry about the New York fans. They may criticize, but they're actually quite forgiving."

New York fans are demanding and merciless when they criticize, but they still buy tickets to support their team.

Besides, the contract has already been signed, so what can the Knicks do if they really mess up?

Can I return it?
Just like myself, once I sign a contract worth hundreds of millions, who can do anything to me?

Yao Ming nodded slightly.

Brown, who was walking beside him, said, "Don't worry, Yao. Jermaine is easy to deal with. Just go head-to-head with him, and give him a skyhook to really shock him."

Brown punched Yao Ming in the back, thinking that Jermaine O'Neal would be easy to deal with anyway.

In daily training, Yao Ming's physical strength was not much worse than his own, and he also had the skills, so he felt there was no problem.

Over the course of a month, Kobe and Yao Ming became quite familiar with each other, and Kobe even offered some advice: "Yao, you can shoot three-pointers. FIBA ​​teams all like to shoot three-pointers. With your height, no one can defend your three-pointers."

He knew that although the training volume wasn't high, Yao Ming had been consistently practicing three-pointers.

"Give them another skyhook, and stun them," Kobe gestured again.

Yao Ming thought to himself that his three-pointers were okay, but he wasn't confident about the skyhook.

As everyone was talking, they all turned to look at Tang Sen.

Even Yao Ming looked over.

Tang Sen understood from their expressions: "So, I need to come up with an idea too, huh?"

Tang Sen thought for a moment and smiled, "Victory or defeat is up to you, just do your best."

After all, this is a national team competition. Suddenly putting a bunch of unfamiliar players together, while individual ability is useful, it's not the deciding factor. Not to mention, the Chinese men's basketball team isn't particularly strong to begin with.

"Also, don't just think about your teammates. Try your best to score 30 points per game and give the New Yorkers a little shock."

New Yorkers have been waiting for this for so long, we can't let them down.

"30 points?"

Yao Ming's eyes widened.

Hill couldn't help but say, "Don, averaging 30 points per game on the international stage is no easy feat."

A single, tight defense can give countless NBA stars a major headache.

Tang Sen shrugged and said, "I was just saying it offhand, just to encourage you."

Averaging 30 points per game is a bit of an exaggeration, but Tang Sen really hopes Yao Ming can be a bit more individualistic.

Just do your best.

He needs to have this desire to perform.

The next morning, Yao Ming officially left the training camp and boarded a plane to Denver.

Zhang Mingji was also with them.

The two arrived in Denver, where Wang Fei and Kuang Lubin picked them up.

In the car, Wang Fei asked with a smile, "Yao Ming, this must be your first time in Denver, right? How are you doing? Can you handle the high-altitude climate?"

Despite suffering a series of defeats in the warm-up matches, he gained confidence after his trip to Los Angeles to assess the situation.

Therefore, Yao Ming's condition is crucial.

Yao Ming looked out at the desolate landscape and nodded. He didn't feel any physical discomfort.

What Yao Ming is most looking forward to now is meeting his teammates on the national team, especially his old friend Liu Wei.

Wang Fei didn't say much, exchanged a glance with Kuang Lubin, and whispered, "I didn't lie to you, did I? This kid is really strong now."

Kuang Lubin nodded slightly. He was really startled when they met at the airport.

He recalled the last time he saw Yao Ming at the end of April, and Yao Ming was so thin that he looked unrecognizable.

Now, it's like he's a completely different person.

The national team is currently staying at the Ambassador Hotel in downtown Denver, which was booked by the Nuggets.

Moreover, during the three-day training camp in Denver, the Nuggets will not only provide the Pepsi Center as a training facility, but also send players.

Assistant coach Jerry O'Connor and the team's strength and conditioning coach Stephen Hess will help with the national team's training.

The Ambassador Hotel has 37 floors, with individual apartments starting from the 20th floor, where the entire men's basketball team lives.

The car arrived at the hotel.

As I got out of the car, a group of reporters quickly surrounded me.

"Yao Ming just arrived and is still tired. We'll talk later," Wang Fei greeted him, leading Yao Ming through the crowd.

The reporter watched Yao Ming enter the hotel.

One reporter remarked, "I haven't seen Yao Ming for the past few months, and he seems to have gotten so much stronger all of a sudden."

Many reporters who had just come from China nodded in agreement; they had noticed it too.

The most obvious sign is the coat.

Previously, Yao Ming's clothes were always loose and baggy, but now, he manages to fill them out perfectly.

“You just arrived and didn’t know,” explained Shen Zhiyu, a reporter from Sports Weekly. “He started gaining weight a long time ago. I took a picture of him shirtless on the beach, and his eight-pack abs were very obvious.”

He was transferred to the basketball department of Sports Weekly this year, where he is responsible for basketball coverage. He had previously spent a long time in Los Angeles.

"Is it so powerful?"

The reporters were surprised, as they remembered Yao Ming as always being very thin and not very fleshy.

In the hotel lobby.

Liu Wei and Du Feng, who have a good relationship with Yao Ming, both went downstairs early to wait.

There was also team leader Hu Weidong, and Batel, who did his best to be a good host.

Upon seeing Yao Ming, Liu Wei excitedly rushed over and jumped into Yao Ming's arms.

Yao Ming caught him and excitedly patted him on the back.

Liu Wei grimaced and exclaimed in surprise, "Yao Ming, how come you have such a strong grip? And are you on hormones, or is American food good for you? You look like you've gained a lot of weight."

"Not fat, but strong."

Yao Ming jokingly grabbed Liu Wei and lifted him high in the air.

90 kilograms, without any effort at all.

Battier came forward and gave Yao Ming a brief hug. He could feel Yao Ming's muscular build and exclaimed in surprise, "Yao Ming, you've been training hard these past three months!"

As he spoke, he grabbed Yao Ming's hand, wanting to test Yao Ming's strength by arm wrestling.

He is known for his strength, and the Nuggets signed him because of this, hoping to use him to counter O'Neal.

As a result, the two ended up locked in a stalemate in mid-air.

Du Feng pinched Yao Ming's biceps with an exaggerated expression.

But in the end, Battier came out on top.

"You're still the best." Yao Ming laughed and flicked his right hand.

Batel smiled, but inwardly he was filled with doubt.

He felt that Yao Ming hadn't gone all out.

Back in China, he was invincible in terms of strength, but after coming to the NBA, he realized he had underestimated everyone.

Take bench press for example; during the physical fitness test, he bench pressed 130 kilograms.

But in the NBA, this achievement is nothing to brag about; even Tracy McGrady could bench press 120 kilograms.

Not to mention a monster like Ben Affleck, who weighs 185 kilograms.

I went upstairs and met all my teammates.

Yao Ming's change surprised everyone.

Liu Yudong even pulled Yao Ming aside and asked curiously if Tang Sen was really that good.

He met Tang Sen once and thought he was just an ordinary person.

"Amazing, truly amazing." Yao Ming couldn't quite describe it; you had to experience it yourself to know the difference between Tang Sen and other trainers.

Having spent a long time in the United States, Yao Ming didn't need to make any adjustments. The next day, he went to the Pepsi Center with his teammates for training.

This was Yao Ming's first joint training session with the national team in several months.

Stephen Hess is in charge of training today.

Before the training began, Liu Wei kindly reminded Yao Ming that this guy was very serious and rarely smiled, and the intensity of the training was also very high, which even he found difficult to handle.

Unfortunately, due to the language barrier, there was no way to complain.

He started by leading everyone in a warm-up.

At this moment, Yao Ming raised his hand to interrupt Hess and said, "Mr. Hess, may I warm up in my own way?"

He spoke in English, so there was no need for a translator.

Wang Fei wondered what had happened and quickly looked at the translator.

Unexpectedly, Hess was not angry at all; instead, he smiled and said, "Of course, Yao, do you want to warm up using the method Tang taught you?"

Yao Ming nodded.

Hess then pulled Yao Ming aside and said, "The first half of today's training session will focus on physical training. If Tang has a training plan for you, you don't need to follow me. Just train according to his plan on your own, and I can assist you."

He knew that Yao Ming was training with Tang Sen.

This is Tang Sen, a top-tier player in the industry, and Hess would not question Tang Sen's training plan.

He even wanted to take this opportunity to learn something, which is why he proposed to train with Yao Ming.

Seeing his enthusiasm, Yao Ming couldn't help but glance at Liu Wei.

Didn't you say you were a very serious person?

After learning the details, Wang Fei couldn't help but sigh and said to Kuang Lubin, "See? This is the true value of Tang Sen's talent."

It's said that competitors are enemies, so someone who can earn the trust of their peers must be incredibly valuable.

(End of this chapter)