Basketball trainer, I created a super giant

Chapter 295 Side Shot
Tangsen and Tedsky stood at the entrance of the training center, waiting for McDyess.

"How is Becky recovering?" Tedsky asked, initiating a conversation.

Tang Sen casually said, "She's fine, she's very strong."

Tedsky nodded, then got down to business, asking Tang Sen if he was really prepared to take over McDyess's training.

He has missed two seasons.

Moreover, both legs were injured, and the knees were practically ruined, if not completely destroyed.

Tang Sen shrugged and said casually, "Give it a try. There's still time. We can buy it out whenever we want."

The new season is still a long way off; it's not too late to buy out the contract before the new season starts.

So Leiden wanted to give it a try, and Tang Sen thought it didn't matter.

It's just a matter of having one more person.

After a moment's thought, Tang Sen asked, "Do you think he has any hope of changing like Patrick did?"

Tang Sen had considered this matter.

If McDyess is kept, then the playing style will definitely have to be changed.

His situation is quite similar to Ewing's back then; his legs were almost useless when he entered the league.

But Ewing managed to become a superstar thanks to his mid-range shot and solid technique.

Tedeschi shook his head and said, "It's different. Patrick's athleticism was still top-notch after he entered the league."

He injured his knee in college, but in the years he entered the league, he still had top-notch athleticism, and could do all sorts of fast break dunks.

For example, his dunk over Mourning was a truly earth-shattering moment.

Tang Sen said, "I mean, let's give it a try."

There is at least one reference point.

McDyess is a relatively low-key player. He was already injured when Townsend entered the league.

Townsend's impression of him was that he could jump high; he was the most spring-like monster in the league at the time, besides Kemp.

A power forward with a maximum vertical jump of one meter—what else could he be but a monster?

Just then, someone arrived.

A car stopped, presumably having spotted Tang Sen. The tall McDyess immediately got out and came to greet him.

But someone was faster than him.

His agent, Andy Miller.

That is, Billups' agent.

Tang Sen believes that Andy Miller, McDyess's agent, must have played a significant role in Leiden's decision to give McDyess a chance to stay.

He must have been trying to convince Leiden that his knee had recovered.

McDyess had a kind face. He smiled and shook hands with Tang Sen, humbly expressing his gratitude.

He knew in his heart that he wanted to stay with the Knicks, and this was his last chance.

Tang Sen beckoned the two inside.

The afternoon training session hasn't started yet.

On the court, Andy Miller patted his chest and assured Townsend that McDyess had fully recovered, and then asked McDyess to show Townsend how he was doing.

For example, a dunk that flies through the air.

"Need not."

Tang Sen immediately called out to McDyess.

Sometimes, agents just spout nonsense.

Despite being injured, they lied and said they were fine.

Tang Sen could actually see very clearly whether there was any injury or not.

There is a system.

In the system, both of McDyess's knees are red.

This means it's not fully healed yet.

If he gets a few more dunks at this point, he might end up in the hospital again.

Townsend brought McDyess over today not to test his fighting ability.

It has been decided to keep him and evaluate him until the start of the new season, so there is no problem with him staying.

Tang Sen invited him over because he wanted to show him around the training center and have a chat.

If he still thinks about restoring his former glory and still flying and disappearing, then Tang Sen should give up as soon as possible.

With Tedsky accompanying Andy Miller, and Townsend showing McDyess around, they toured the equipment area, spa area, and so on.

The facilities here are absolutely top-notch in the league.

Then Tang Sen shared his thoughts.

Stop thinking about dunking and focus on learning the skills properly, and practice your mid-range shot diligently.

Forget about starting. Accept reality. Just be a substitute, take some shots, and contribute some points.

Given the physical condition, we have to accept reality.

"You need to practice low-post footwork."

Previously, McDyess was actually a bit short when playing the power forward position.

But he also has a decent mid-range shot, firstly because he has practiced it diligently, and secondly because he can jump.

He jumps high, and he's the longest-armed monster in the league.

Therefore, he can create space for his hands.

But not now, my knees are ruined, I can't jump anymore.

At this point, if you still want to establish yourself through CIC, you need to have technical expertise.

Tang Sen looked at him and said sincerely, "You have to play like Patrick. It will definitely require a lot of effort, but if you can do that, it might extend your career."

He's only 29 this year. If he develops his skills, he might be able to play for a few more years.

McDyess clearly understood, gave a bitter smile, and said somewhat forlornly, "Don, I've thought a lot these past two years in the hospital."

"I've figured it out. I used to be able to think from the heavens, and now I can prove myself on the ground just the same." At 29, I've already secured the biggest professional contract of my life.

McDyess's only pursuit now is the championship; he's unwilling to give up basketball now.

Tang Sen nodded slightly.

It's not easy for a player who once had 20 points and 10 rebounds and was the center of attention to have such a change in mentality.

Many people cannot accept getting old, let alone someone like him, who went from being a soaring eagle in the sky to struggling in the mud.

"Then go back and prepare. Training will begin tomorrow."

He wanted to give it a try, and Tang Sen was willing to give him a chance.

Whether it works or not, let's try our best first.

McDyes's eyes flashed with delight, and he hurriedly said, "I saw in the newspaper that you still train three times a day. Let's start with the afternoon training session. I've rested for too long."

He couldn't wait.

The reason he was unwilling to buy out his contract and wanted to stay with the Knicks was because the Knicks were a championship contender.

Secondly, as the best trainer in the league, Tang Sen could help him.

Last summer, Hill returned to the league healthy with the help of Townsend.

Tang Sen was slightly taken aback, then nodded in agreement.

During the afternoon training session, Tang Sen introduced McDyess to everyone.

His arrival made most of the players on the team nervous.

Since the Knicks ultimately keep McDyess, their roster will be overcrowded, and someone will definitely have to leave.

Nobody wants to leave.

However, having experienced the competition for playing time last season, all they can do is not complain, but work harder.

It's all competition. Who's better or worse? I'm so young, how could I be afraid of losing to an old guy who's almost 30 and whose knees are ruined?
Tang Sen kept an eye on the training.

Players like Wade, James Jones, and McDyess are currently focused on physical conditioning.

Wade and McDyess, in particular, need to strengthen their leg muscles to reduce the burden on their knees.

For at least the first month, Tangsen wanted Wade to focus on physical training.

Sharpening your axe won't delay your woodcutting work; you need to build up your physical strength first.

However, Tang Sen made adjustments during the evening training session.

Tang Sen pulled Wade to the sidelines.

"Stand like this."

Tang Sen assumed a shooting stance.

During the offseason, with plenty of time, Tang Sen will definitely try to find a way to correct Wade's shooting form.

His posture is good now, quite standard, but there are still some minor issues.

"Your forearm is not fully vertical when you release the ball, which will cause some elbow flaring."

Tang Sen patted his forearm.

To become a superstar, you have to pay extremely close attention to every detail when it comes to shooting.

If you don't have the natural flair of Larry Bird, who can make even the most powerful shots with ease, you need to work harder on the details.

And even Bird's forearm was very straight, almost perpendicular to the rim.

Tang Sen gestured with a basketball: "Dwayne, you have this problem. When your forearm isn't vertical, you need to correct it with your wrist, which makes the basketball's trajectory unstable."

"Raise your arm and slowly feel it."

"When we raise our arms, our shoulder joints will rotate outward and abduct. When you straighten your forearm, you will feel an awkward feeling of your arm being turned inward."

"Therefore, requiring you to keep your forearm vertical is actually uncomfortable for your body. In high school and college, if no one specifically corrects your posture, you will simply throw whatever feels comfortable, which can easily lead to problems with your forearm not being vertical."

Following Tang Sen's instructions, Wade slowly raised his arm to feel it, and found that it was indeed true; his elbow twitched inward, which felt a bit awkward.

"The benefits of keeping your forearm upright are self-evident; if you want to throw a consistent mid-range shot, this is the best option."

"And your position."

Tang Sen stepped forward and pointed out the problem with his foot placement.

"Your toes are turned inward, a bit pigeon-toed. This is because you don't jump high enough and your core stability is insufficient. You can work on it gradually."

"Also, your ball's launch point is too low, which increases the travel distance, and it's also launching from the side, which is not good."

"Finally, there's the issue of your sideways position."

Tang Sen gestured to indicate the positions.

Wade had a sideways stance with his feet in front and behind, but not enough; he was still facing the basket more.

Because of this, his body is not stable enough when he jumps, so his right foot turns slightly inward to increase the stability of the jump.

Players like Jordan, McGrady, and Kobe all used side-step shooting.

Why turn to the side?

Tang Sen thought for a moment and gave him an analogy.

"Just like archery, you keep your forearm upright so that the bow and arrow are vertical with the target, making it more stable and easier to aim."

"Standing to the side is like drawing a bow, creating a combined force from front to back."

Tang Sen made a motion as if drawing a bowstring.

"Have you noticed Michael and Tracy's fadeaway jump shot? Their bodies tend to lean back in the air."

"When you throw the ball with your arm, that's a forward force, while when you sit back, that's a backward force."

"These two forces pull on each other and form a resistance. Only when they are stretched to the limit can your body posture be stable enough in the air."

"Standing sideways gives you enough space to generate this combined force and also keeps your forearm vertical."

When your body is upright, it feels awkward to have your arms straight. Only when you are sideways can you exert force smoothly from top to bottom.

Wade nodded thoughtfully, then asked what he should do next, whether he should just stand there.

Tang Sen nodded, revealing a devilish smile: "That's right, let's stand by him for a month first."

(End of this chapter)