Basketball trainer, I created a super giant

Chapter 297 Welcome to the NBA
On the training ground.

Hakeem Olajuwon dragged Bender along to demonstrate.

"You need to use your brains to play. When you're in position, you need to think about how to attack next."

"By the time you receive the ball and start assessing the situation on the court and considering how to attack, it's already too late."

"Receive the ball, launch an attack immediately, like this."

He received the ball facing the basket, pretended to bend his knees to get up, and then made a small hook shot for a layup.

The movements were realistic; Bender instinctively straightened his body, as if to block the way.

Then Olajuwon pulled back, stepped past Bender, and made a layup.

"See? When I received the ball, I already had a plan for how to attack, so I gave Jonathan the first misdirection."

"However, some smart defenders are not so easily faked out."

"Then I can turn my feint into a real attack."

Hakeem Olajuwon signaled for the pass again, and upon receiving the ball, he made the same gesture.

Just a feint.

Bender already knew Olajuwon was going to use a hook shot, so as soon as he saw Olajuwon raise the ball, he immediately jumped to block it.

Unexpectedly, Olajuwon pulled back, dodged to the side, and then stepped in to attack.

Bender, who had just landed, felt somewhat helpless, thinking, "You're showing me off like this, it makes me look like an idiot."

Hakeem Olajuwon ignored it and pointed at Bender, saying, "See, this is the second misdirection. He was wrong on the first shot. So on the second shot, under the same circumstances, he might think, 'I will definitely take this shot.'"

"But I still chose to feint, so everyone, mastering the technique is fundamental, but you must have this strategic mindset."

"In other words, you need to use your brain to play ball."

Hakeem Olajuwon pointed to his head and said, "I hate guys who only use their bodies to play basketball. Believe me, to become a superstar, your body is just the foundation, this is the key."

He tapped his head again.
The players nodded thoughtfully.

Hakeem Olajuwon took this job seriously, pulling Bender along to continue showcasing his offensive and defensive skills.

His offense is unstoppable, and his defense is top-notch.

Among the players, Wade stared blankly at Olajuwon.

At that moment, he suddenly had a moment of enlightenment.

Wade seems to have found the answer to the problem that had been bothering him for half a month.

After countless exchanges with Townsend and watching the replays again and again, at this moment, with Olajuwon's clear and concise explanations, all the mysteries seemed to dissipate.

Get straight to the heart of the problem.

Wade suddenly understood why he couldn't defend against Tang Sen using the same moves.

After training ended, Wade didn't rush to leave; he called out to his sparring partner, Logan Bellman.

"Come and defend against me!"

Wade, eager to try, dribbled the ball and charged directly at Bellman.

Berman is 1.98 meters tall. His offensive skills are not very good, but he is very strong.

However, Wade's speed on the breakout is astonishing.

With a slight crossover dribble, he burst past Bellman.

But Bellman didn't lose his position and followed the basket.

Wade has already penetrated very deep into this position.

In the past, he might have chosen to force his way in, such as taking the last step to create space through contact, or leaping up and doing a reverse layup in mid-air.

This time, Wade opted for an emergency stop.

The sudden stop was so abrupt that Bellman almost overshot the target.

But the space has been created.

Wade pulled up and made the shot.

His eyes grew brighter and brighter, and he had only one thought in his mind: this was the feeling.

There needs to be change.

Moreover, the changes were not made for the sake of change, but rather based on anticipating the opponent's choices and making targeted changes.

"Come again!"

Wade excitedly called out, "Let's continue."

It still starts up extremely quickly.

But after taking the first step, which prompted Bellman to instinctively step back and follow, Wade pulled him back.

He made a move as if to pull out his weapon.

Bellman pulled himself back and jumped to block.

Wade, who had been feigning to collect the ball, suddenly changed his mind and chose to pass it, ducking down and breaking in from the right side of Bellman.

He made the layup.

Wade's eyes gleamed with excitement.

He knows all these moves, or rather, these techniques, and has used them occasionally before.

But now, the same usage is being done consciously.

Just like the second basket, Wade's mental process was that since he had scored on the first basket, Bellman would definitely be more aware of his own drives.

You can tell just by looking at their positions.

He faked a sudden attack but actually threw the ball.

This was the first option, but Wade thought about it a step further.

That is, if Bellman reacts quickly and can pull back, what should I do?

Taking advantage of him being faked out, I passed the ball directly and broke through his defense.

And it happened exactly as I had predicted.

Wade was thrilled.

When he used to play basketball, his mindset was very simple: he only focused on whether there was an opportunity, and if there was, he would take it.

Unlike now, where opportunities are created when none exist through misleading.

Looking back on his previous duels with Tang Sen, Wade felt that Tang Sen was just like that, using misjudgments and guidance to succeed in front of him time and time again.

"Dwayne, I feel like you've gotten even more amazing."

Bellman noticed Wade's change.

It's much harder to defend against than the straightforward attacks of the past.

Wade suppressed the urge to laugh triumphantly and took the ball, signaling to continue.

He kept thinking, and more and more things changed.

He can drive or shoot, and even if he misses, Wade doesn't care.

At that moment, it was as if he had found the thread in a tangled mess, and suddenly he understood how to play the ball smartly.

When Wade returned home, he dug out the videotapes of his previous offensive duels with Townsend.

He went to check again and then verified his findings.

Wade was thrilled. That's right, he understood everything he hadn't understood before, how Tang Sen had succeeded.

Looking at these videos again now, Wade feels like he's found a treasure.

The more I read, the deeper my understanding of offense and defense becomes.

With the video played in slow motion, he can now understand some details that he couldn't understand before.

That day, Wade watched the video countless times.

Tang Sen quickly noticed the changes in him.

It seems this kid understands.

It took me more than half a month to understand, which feels a bit slow.

But Tang Sen discovered that Wade improved rapidly after understanding the situation.

After three years of honing his skills at university, his technique was sufficiently mature.

However, due to the limited level of university basketball, he didn't get to meet top stars like Hakeem Olajuwon or learn the playing style of superstars.

In Tang Sen's view, the first step in developing Wade has been completed.

The second step is the body.

Then there's technology.

And then there's shooting, from mid-range shots to three-pointers. Understanding how to play like a pro requires sufficient skill and physical ability.

Hakeem Olajuwon made it very clear that physical condition and technique are fundamental.

In this process, Tang Sen not only needs to make Wade understand, but also the other players.

Leiden's idea has fallen through.

When he tried to trade for Garnett, Wolves general manager McHale spat in his face and told him to stop daydreaming.

Aside from Garnett, Renden looked down on everyone else.

So you still have to rely on yourself.

These players, who have been honing their skills for a season, may be able to transform themselves into something extraordinary.

The entire summer passed quietly amidst days of intensive training. October 1st marked the start of the new season.

The Asian Men's Basketball Championship didn't end until October 1st, so Yao Ming didn't return to New York until the 4th to rejoin the team.

The new season training camp has begun.

The Knicks' roster was finalized early on.

McDyess ultimately stayed, partly due to his own hard work, but also partly because he was spurred on by the Lakers.

After all, McDyess was once an All-Star caliber player.

When they make public announcements, at least the Knicks are no longer a single-star team, but a dual-star team.

On October 8th, the Knicks will play their first preseason game against the Cavaliers.

All I can say is that the league is constantly telling stories and looking for gimmicks.

This preseason game at the Knicks' home court was portrayed by the media as a battle for the number one draft pick.

Or rather, it was the first test of just how good James, this chosen one, really was.

However, for Carlisle, neither James nor the Cavaliers are worth mentioning.

The Knicks' only rivals are the Magic and the Lakers.

Originally, Tang Sen advised Yao Ming not to play.

It's just a preseason game, there's not much point in playing it.

This is also a good opportunity for Yao Ming to rest and recover.

This would actually allow Wade to play more and get used to the intensity of the NBA.

Tang Sen has witnessed the extent of this kid's progress after three months of hard training, and he is now looking forward to seeing if he can translate all that training into real strength after entering the league.

But Carlisle still wanted Yao Ming to play.

The main reason is that Carlisle intends to change Yao Ming's playing style this season.

Reduce some offensive plays and increase playmaking and passing to become a more well-rounded player.

This is not a lowering of the requirements; on the contrary, it is an increase.

Because Carlisle still needs Yao Ming to provide a safety net.

In normal times, you need to fly with your teammates, but in crucial moments, you also need to step up and be able to take over and dominate the game.

Carlisle really treated Yao Ming, who was in his second year of high school, like a superstar.

He devised some tactics.

For example, the inside-outside connection between Yao Ming and Billups created two offensive playmakers on the court.

Another example is adding pick-and-roll plays between Yao Ming and Dwyane Wade.

Previously, Houston's ability to penetrate was insufficient, and they didn't execute pick-and-rolls very well.

But Wade is different; his ability to penetrate is off the charts.

There's also the archer camping in the pit.

Ultimately, it's just the so-called balanced triangle system that Carlisle pulled out in the final few games of last season's Eastern Conference Finals.

Carlisle intends to stick with this approach.

Therefore, Carlisle needs Yao Ming to get used to the new playing style and tactics.

As for LeBron?

In the home team's locker room, Carlisle spent a long time explaining the tactics before finally remembering the main character of today's game.

That is, James.

He glanced at Yao Ming and said, "Let's just give him a simple welcome ceremony."

Carlisle felt inexplicably annoyed when he recalled a Cleveland reporter asking him to comment on James before the game.

He's just a rookie, how can he expect to be evaluated?

To say he's on par with Jordan?

The media had been hyping him up all summer, calling him a "little emperor" and "the chosen one," and Carlisle was getting tired of it.

So let Yao Ming give him a little "surprise".

Yao Ming nodded slightly.

He didn't care at all about the so-called competition for the top scorer.

His only goal this year is the championship.

Sitting next to Yao Ming, ready to "serve" his boss, Wade thought of something and whispered, "Yao, later you can give him a block, and then you can say to him, 'Welcome to the NBA, rookie.'"

This is a famous quote from Jordan.

Yao Ming glanced at Wade and nodded, both amused and exasperated.

The game started early.

Even during the preseason, Madison Square Garden was packed.

During the pre-game warm-up, Tang Sen was sitting on the sidelines waiting for the game to start when he heard someone call his name. He looked up and saw James.

"Sir, we meet again."

James looked respectful and then said it was a pity he didn't have the opportunity to train with Townsend in the summer.

Very polite.

He looks exactly the same as that little guy who waited for him all afternoon at the hotel.

Tang Sen liked polite people, so he got up and chatted with James for a few words, then offered him some encouragement.

"come on."

Watching James leave.

It has to be said that this kid is talented, and he should achieve great things in the future.

But for now, all we can say is that the future belongs to him.

Tang Sen withdrew his gaze, sat back down, and waited for the match to begin.

The preseason games start early.

Yao Ming, Bender, Prince, Wade, and Billups started.

The same balanced triangle, but the connecting point of the central axis is no longer Bender, but Wade.

He also has a mid-range shot and played point guard in college.

Yao Ming can also come up and set screens for him.

On the first play, Yao Ming and he executed a simple play.

When Wade received the ball, Yao Ming immediately moved up to the basket.

He stretched out his arms and used his broad body to firmly shield James behind him.

Wade cut to the basket at lightning speed and finished with a one-handed dunk.

Seeing Wade score, James waved, wanting to return the favor.

But Ricky Davis ignored him.

He dribbled the ball and charged forward.

Bender immediately moved to cover and blocked him.

At that moment, Davis saw James cutting to the basket and, with a bounce pass, sent the ball to him.

James has already taken off, and his momentum is astounding.

He leaped up, and it looked like he was about to make a powerful dunk when a large hand suddenly reached out from the side.

It was Yao Ming, who turned to help defend, who leaped up, aimed perfectly, and blocked the ball out of bounds.

The movement was a bit too big, and James stumbled upon landing, almost falling over.

As Yao Ming landed, he suddenly remembered what Wade had said to him in the locker room earlier.

After thinking about it, I still felt it was a bit too arrogant.

He called James a rookie, but he himself is only a sophomore.

So Yao Ming simply greeted James, who was passing by, with a "Welcome to the NBA."

It didn't say "newbie".

But that sentence is too famous.

James frowned immediately: Who are you calling a rookie?

But these words were said by Yao Ming.

Last summer, James and Yao Ming spent a lot of time together in training camp, and James got to know Yao Ming's personality.

He is not an arrogant person.

So those words weren't meant to mock me; they were simply a welcome.

"Thank you."

James gritted his teeth and replied with a thank you.

But after I finished speaking, I felt really awkward.

There's a frustrating feeling of knowing the other person is insulting you, but you can't find fault with them, and you still have to say thank you.

(End of this chapter)