Basketball trainer, I created a super giant

Chapter 224 The New York Grand Stage: Hard Work Pays Off
Tang Sen was able to understand Thibodeau's thoughts.

The top teams in the East all have very strong forward lines.

Magic has McGrady.

The Pistons have Stackhouse.

The Celtics have Pierce, and the Wizards have Hill.

If the Knicks want to make a mark in the East, they need strong talent on the wing.

Wallace has excellent physical abilities, the kind that's explosive.

If Sather could be developed into a Kobe killer, Tang Sen is confident that Wallace can also become a defensive anchor on the wing in a few months.

As for the attack, take it slow.

If Layden is willing to give these young guys a season to grow, then they have plenty of time to develop.

Tang Sen is currently focusing his energy on Yao Ming.

He is the core of the team and the key factor in determining whether the Knicks can contend for the championship.

He needs to become stronger.

Therefore, during training, Tang Sen used individual badges like the "Lead Sheep" badge on him.

He's been practicing his fadeaway jumper, and then there was that brilliant three-pointer he had in the game against the Magic, which Tang Sen is also planning to have him practice.

Let's see how it goes first.

As for everyone else.

Tang Sen turned his head and found Desean Stevenson in the back row of seats.

This guy really exploded today.

Hopefully, this won't be just a flash in the pan.

Tangsen didn't expect him to become the next Jordan.

The talent gap is too large.

But being a role player with defense and shooting ability is already quite good.

Houston still has the shooting guard position, and Stevenson can't replace him in the short term.

Moreover, even excluding Houston, if we're really predicting future achievements, Tangsen thinks Fred Jones might be a better candidate than him.

Like Prince, Jones is also a relatively mature player.

He is even more mature than Prince.

His high school grades weren't good enough to get into a top-tier university, so he had to attend a vocational college for two years.

He performed exceptionally well in the JUCO junior league, which caught the attention of NCAA universities. He played for DePaul University for three years and became a superstar in the Big East Conference.

One of his key characteristics is that he is well-rounded.

He can provide assists and facilitate play, making him a core player for the team.

However, these talents were not recognized in the NBA.

All the teams were more interested in his amazing maximum vertical jump of 110 centimeters.

But Tang Sen prefers players who are intelligent and team-oriented.

He's 1.93 meters tall with shoes on. We need to develop some of his organizational potential and see if he can be developed into Billups' backup.

DeMar Johnson's dream of becoming the next Magic Johnson is, as Townsend says, a pipe dream.

After two months of observation, Tang Sen still felt that the only similarity between him and Magic Johnson was that their names contained the name Johnson.

He has some passing ability, but passing and playmaking are completely different things from the overall vision required by a point guard.

He may not become Magic Johnson, but Pippen Hill has a slight chance.

Rear row of the cabin.

Stevenson was oblivious to Tang Sen's gaze. He kept his head down, wearing headphones with the volume turned up high, letting Beethoven's Symphony No. 5 wash over his eardrums.

At that moment, Jones nudged him with his elbow.

He took off his headphones and turned to look.

“DeShawn, you seem unhappy,” Jones asked in a low voice.

Within the team, they are both position 2.

In Tangsen's training program, they are direct competitors.

The competition they faced while spending every day together actually turned them into friends.

Jones could tell that Stevenson was unhappy from the moment the game ended.

They were even more silent than before.

Stevenson pursed his lips and remained silent.

Jones said, "Cheer up! You hit two three-pointers right in front of Michael Jordan today, and you even defended him. Believe me, your name will be all over the newspapers tomorrow."

As he spoke, an expression of envy inevitably appeared on Jones's face.

In an official NBA game, what an honor it would be to be able to compete against Jordan.

Stevens scoffed and muttered, "I can't be him, and I don't want to have anything to do with him."

As he spoke, he silently put on his headphones and closed his eyes.

Jones looked away and sighed inwardly.

It's truly a case of some people drowning in floods and others dying of drought.

They seized the opportunity and soared to great heights, but they didn't take it seriously at all, and their hearts were full of resistance.

What about myself?

To this day, it can only remain on the inactive list, desperately guarding the water dispenser.

Jones trained diligently and tirelessly, yearning for success.

Bender succeeded, and Stevenson also had his moment of glory.

When will such an opportunity fall into my lap?

Jones looked up at the seat that belonged to Tang Sen in the distance, and it took him a long time to look away.

Stevenson doesn't want to be associated with Jordan.

But the media won't let him off the hook.

He only dunked over Larry Hughes; if he had dunked over Jordan, the entire American media would have been in an uproar.

Even so, New York fans were as excited as if it were New Year's Day.

Bender is performing better and better, and he's starting to show signs of Garnett's talent.

Now, the "next Jordan" is starting to make his mark.

It was just a few shots, but MSG replayed them repeatedly, letting all the fans in New York know that Stevenson had won the scoring duel with Jordan.

Even if this is Jordan at 39 years old.

Most importantly, the Knicks have been playing better and better in these games.

The praise from our opponents is the best proof.

This excitement reached a new level after the Knicks' 97-84, 13-point victory over the SuperSonics at home.

So, we can even compete with Western Conference teams now?
In this game, the Knicks continued to focus on their inside game.

After two slumps, Yao Ming took a few days to rest and then rebounded strongly, dominating the SuperSonics' weak interior defense and scoring 37 points and 14 rebounds, along with a season-high 5 blocks.

They truly excelled in both offense and defense, effectively guarding the paint.

Bender continued his hot streak, contributing 11 points and 4 rebounds.

The data is so-so.

However, Rashard Lewis only scored 17 points under his defense, which was a major reason for the SuperSonics' loss.

Stevenson came off the bench and scored only 8 points on 2-of-4 shooting.

but it does not matter.

New York fans have become kind and forgiving again.

According to their thinking, even Jordan needed to develop.

Stevenson couldn't have become Jordan overnight.

Not to mention that Bender's gradual emergence has already excited all New York fans.

……

Bender's apartment.

Agent Calvin Wright knocked on the door.

"How did you come."

Bender, carrying his bag, was about to head out for training.

Wright was a small-time agent with little fame. He didn't answer the question, but stepped forward and hugged Bender tightly.

It took a long time before they let go.

Then he looked Bender up and down, punched Bender in the chest, and laughed and cursed, "You damn Kevin Garnett, my God, Jonathan, you really surprised me."

Bender said, "Calvin, if you just came here to tell me this, then I'm sorry, I have to go to training. Do as you please."

He put on his shoes and went out. Wright quickly closed the door and chased after him, teasing, "Not bad, I've never seen you train this hard when you were with the Pacers."

"Different."

Bender shook his head.

During his time with the Pacers, he was plagued by injuries, and the team's development of him was limited. No one has ever been as dedicated to developing himself as Tang Sen is now.

Most importantly, I am making progress little by little.

When they got downstairs, Wright stopped Bender, who was about to get into the car, and handed him a document from his bag, saying with a smile, "Silly boy, take a look at this."

"what is this?"

Bender opened it, glanced at it, and froze.

This is actually a commercial endorsement.

He had a surreal feeling: did a role player like himself even deserve commercial endorsements?

"Dude, you're in New York!"

Wright patted him on the shoulder.

Playing basketball in some remote corner of Indiana, and not even being a star player, nobody knows who you are.

But can Los Angeles and New York be the same?
This place feels like the center of the world; if you do even the slightest thing well, countless people will know about it.

That's where the commercial value comes in.

Not to mention that Bender also has enough to generate buzz.

Wright pointed to the contract and said, "This company makes candy. You know the candy that Garnett endorses? They have a competitor that's almost identical to it."

"So they approached you, and even came up with your lines for you."

He gestured with his hand in the air.

"New York has its own Garnett, just like we have our own Toffees."

Bender's eyes widened.

This kind of advertising slogan is clearly trying to ride on Garnett's popularity. Aren't they afraid of Garnett suing them?

However, the endorsement fee really tempted him.

$1.2 million per year.

Just shoot a few commercials and you can earn about half a year's salary.

Just like Wright said, this is New York.

"Sign it quickly."

Wright handed him a pen and said, "Jonathan, listen to me, work hard. This is your chance. If you can make it in the Knicks, you can earn back all the money you'll have for the rest of your life in just a few years."

Bender nodded.

As Wright said, strength is the most important thing.

As you improve and become stronger, you will be able to earn more money.

He quickly signed his name.

Wright nodded in satisfaction, then sighed, "It's a pity Billy can't see this, otherwise he would be very gratified to see your success."

Wright and Hobley were old friends.

It was through Hoble's introduction that Wright signed Bender.

Bender, who was about to get on the bus, suddenly froze.

What do you mean Billy can't be seen anymore?

“Calvin, what do you mean by that? What happened to Uncle Billy?” Bender asked hurriedly.

Wright was taken aback and asked, "You didn't know, didn't Tony tell you?"

"Damn it, what's going on?"

Bender grabbed Wright's arm.

Wright realized his mistake, cursing himself for being too talkative, and said, "Jonathan, don't get agitated. You know Billy has always had a heart condition, and then at the end of last month, he had a heart attack. By the time they found out, it was too late."

Bender's eyes widened, as if struck by lightning.

In his heart, Hobley was like his own father.

It took Bender a while to accept the bad news.

"I want to go back."

Bender immediately said.

He called Thibodeau, asked for two days off, and then immediately bought a plane ticket back to New Orleans.

Tony, his brother, picked him up.

“Tony, you shouldn’t have lied to me,” Bender complained.

On the 22nd of last month, I went back to New Orleans for an away game and spoke to Hobley on the phone.

Unexpectedly, Hobley passed away just a few days later.

Tony looked embarrassed and said, "This was Aunt Taylor's idea. She knows you just went to the Knicks. They've been following you and reading your reports. They know you're not having an easy time in the Knicks."

After the new season began, the New York media launched a barrage of mockery against Bender, which the Hobleys were aware of.

"So she was afraid it would affect your match, so she told us not to notify you."

Bender's face was contorted with pain.

Soon, the car arrived at its destination.

The house he bought was near the Hobley family's house.

As the car came to a stop, looking at the small house in front of me, a myriad of thoughts flooded my mind.

When I was playing in the AAU league, Hobley often took me to his home and took care of my life.

Right there in the backyard basketball court, Hobley taught himself how to play.

By then he was too old to run, and even a little exercise would leave him breathless.

When I was a teenager, I always liked to imitate him and dunk in front of him.

Hobley always lectured himself, saying that basketball wasn't played like that, and that mastering the fundamentals was what he should be learning most.

Then he would rub his head and praise himself, saying that he had some of his former charm.

He used to play for the Harlem Globetrotters.

His specialty is all kinds of fancy dunks.

Taking a deep breath, Bender composed himself and knocked on the door.

The door opened quickly.

Aunt Taylor, with her graying temples, appeared before Bender.

Standing behind them were his mother, Willie, and his sister, Valerie.

“Jonathan, good boy.”

Taylor's eyes were red, and she immediately went forward and hugged Bender.

Bender, who had been suppressing his emotions all the way, could no longer control himself and broke down in tears.

Hobley had just died, and his traces were still everywhere in the house.

Bender stroked the single sofa in the living room.

Back then, Hobley would sit here, play game footage, and teach himself how to read the game and how to play.

After entering the NBA, he bought a house nearby and also specially bought a sofa for Hobley.

The original sofa had been used for many years and had long since collapsed.

Bender sat down in that spot, silently sensing as if Hobley were right beside him.

for a long time.

Taylor sat down beside Bender, took his hand warmly, and smiled, "Jonathan, go back. Go back tomorrow. Your team needs you."

"Billy taught you never to miss a game you can play, and never to miss any opportunity to work hard."

"Son, I watched TV. You're doing better and better. You have a chance to prove yourself."

"So go back. If Billy were here, I think he would say the same thing."

Bender didn't say anything, but tears were already streaming down his face uncontrollably.

"By the way, this is for you."

Taylor handed over a badge that had been rubbed until it shone.

It was a Harlem Globetrotters commemorative badge, Bender remembered it clearly; it was one of Hobley's most treasured possessions.

It represents his past glory.

"Take it and keep working hard. They all say you're the next Kevin Garnett, so work hard and surpass him."

Taylor closed Bender's fingers, his gaze firm and encouraging.

Bender clutched the badge tightly in his hand, silently making a vow in his heart.

Sooner or later, when everyone talks about him, he won't just be the next Garnett, but Jonathan Bender.

(End of this chapter)