Basketball trainer, I created a super giant

Chapter 370 Handcheck Rule Adjustment
7 month 1 number.

Tang Sen got up and, with Harmon's help, put on a suit and tie.

The custom-made high-end suit fits perfectly.

But looking at himself in the mirror, Tang Sen still felt awkward.

I'm so used to wearing sportswear that I feel like I can't even move my legs properly.

But Harmon thought it was great. He came up to Tang Sen and carefully adjusted his tie, then jokingly said that from now on, Tang Sen would be his boss.

The WNBA is part of the NBA, and now that Townsend is going to become the NBA's vice president, Hammon's statement makes sense.

After getting ready, Tang Sen drove straight to the NBA headquarters.

It's really just a formality.

The media had already reported that everyone knew Townsend would leave the Knicks after this season.

Then I joined the league.

The media has not received any confirmation regarding the specific position.

But they will analyze it, and generally believe that the position will not be low.

With a lower position and nothing to do, Tang Sen gave up his current high salary to go to the NBA and collect a meager fixed salary.

Therefore, the lowest rank is the head of a business unit, and the highest rank is the vice president.

How many vice presidents there are is entirely up to Stern.

The media were very accommodating; a lot of them came.

No one was surprised by the final result, but many people were curious about what exactly the so-called Vice President of Alliance Development was responsible for.

Stern turned to Tang Sen, letting Tang Sen answer the question.

Tang Sen looked up at the group of reporters who were staring at him expectantly.

Tang Sen had actually prepared a draft, but he preferred to be straightforward. He cleared his throat and said, "It's very simple, it's about making the league more exciting."

Ultimately, it's about telling a good story and making the competition more exciting.

There's absolutely no problem with saying that.

Although it was just one sentence, judging from the media reaction, I feel quite satisfied.

Compared to Tang Sen, who used to be very sparing with his words, it's already quite good that he can answer questions at all.

After the press conference, Tang Sen officially became one of only four NBA vice presidents, second only to David Stern.

He only has one office and a few employees.

That's not a problem; Tang Sen's main job is still with the company.

His annual salary is 300 million, the same as the other three vice presidents.

It was nothing to mention, and Tang Sen didn't ask for more.

Stern's salary is only ten million; how much more could he possibly ask for?

To Tang Sen's surprise, he got a job that very day.

After the press conference, Stern organized a small welcome celebration to introduce Tangsen to the staff of the league office.

The office reserved for Tang Sen is quite large.

There were signs of use, and Tang Sen asked his special assistant, Jalen Moore, before he learned that the office originally belonged to Adam Silva, the president of NBA Entertainment.

He entered the NBA in 92, first as Stern's special assistant, and later joined NBA Entertainment, where he rose from vice president to his current position as president.

Simply put, it's a film shoot.

He was the one who spearheaded the production of that documentary about Yao Ming.

His position is that of a person in charge of a specific business area, a mid-to-senior level manager, but he is still one level below Tang Sen and the other three.

The NBA headquarters is quite crowded.

Although Tang Sen doesn't come here often, Stern still has to give him face, so he can only ask Silva to vacate his office.

During the welcoming ceremony just now, Tang Sen saw this bald man with glasses.

He was tall and thin, and his smile was very formulaic.

Work consists of meetings.

Only four people were present: Stern, Stu Jackson, and Ras Granick.

Others are not qualified.

The four of them didn't even bring assistants, clearly indicating this wasn't a low-level meeting. Today was the first day of his training camp, and Tang Sen hadn't expected a meeting; he was caught off guard.

The key point is that I wasn't prepared, so I didn't rush to say anything and just listened.

After listening for a few sentences, Tang Sen frowned.

This is actually a discussion about rule changes for the next season.

When I first got involved with the NBA, the year they made changes, they implemented the three-second rule for defense, revised the rules on illegal defense, and effectively loosened the restrictions on zone defense.

It's only been three seasons, and they're already changing it again?

Moreover, the change was made to the handcheck.

Tang Sen was naturally familiar with this rule, after all, he had personally trained Sasser, a Kobe Bryant killer.

Every one of the Knicks' perimeter players learned defense from me and became a defensive elite.

The NBA's official rule explanation is quite complicated.

But in Tang Sen's view, it all boils down to reaching out and touching.

Use your hands to sense your opponent's movement direction, and then use your hands and forearms to disrupt their back-to-the-basket moves and drives.

It is actually a defensive technique.

Moreover, if the opponent starts moving before you do, and then there is physical contact, that's pulling someone, blocking, and it's a different matter altogether.

Meanwhile, if Tang Sen remembers correctly, the NBA has changed the handcheck rule many times.

In 94, the rule was changed from allowing the entire field to allowing only half the field.

In 99, the rule was further tightened, allowing shots only below the free-throw line.

In 01, the rules were tightened a bit more, and halftime was allowed again, as long as you didn't interfere with the opponent's ball possession and advance.

But this really depends entirely on the referee.

Because it's a hand movement, a quick touch with the hand, a push with the forearm, the movements are very fast. In the ever-changing arena, even the most discerning referee can't see everything.

Playing dirty tricks behind the referee's back is an art.

Moreover, simply touching or bumping the ball with your hand doesn't actually have that much impact on the person holding the ball.

Most importantly, if you make too many hand gestures, the other team isn't stupid; they'll take the opportunity to draw fouls on you.

If someone dribbles the ball and bumps it into your arm, that's a blocking foul.

If you jump and shoot directly, and the ball hits your arm, that's a shooting foul.

And now...

After listening for a while, Tang Sen gradually understood.

Stern and his team were considering banning handchecks altogether.

Or, to put it another way, make this matter clearly in accordance with the existing rules.

Previously, the wording might have been vague, and it could have been confused with fouls such as pulling or pushing someone.

Now, let me tell you plainly, above the free throw line, don't even think about reaching out to touch it. If you get close, you'll be blocked with one forearm and the other arm.

In the past, under this defensive situation, the ball handler couldn't drive and was forced to switch to a back-to-the-basket position.

Most perimeter players don't have good back-to-the-basket skills.

Then we have no choice but to pass the ball and reorganize the attack.

Under the same circumstances, Tang Sen felt that if the rules were set according to the conditions discussed by Stern and the others, the defenders would not dare to come close or reach out to block, and the ball handler would be able to break through and start easily.
Players like Iverson and Wade, whose main style of play is driving to the basket, would be incredibly successful.

Just then, Stern suddenly spoke up, looking at Tang Sen and asking him what he thought.

Being suddenly called out interrupted Tang Sen's thoughts.

Looking up at the three of them, Tang Sen's first thought was, what if there was a tie if there was a vote later?

wrong.

Tang Sen looked at Stern.

Voting was useless; Stern held absolute power and was the final decision-maker.

In other words, whether or not this rule is changed ultimately depends on Stern's attitude.

So what was Stern's attitude?
Staring at the old man, Tang Sen fell into deep thought.

(End of this chapter)