The longest river

Chapter 191 Yao Ming at age 17
With the first round of the Eastern and Western Conferences concluded, the matchups for the second round have been determined.

Bulls vs. Knicks, Heat vs. Pacers;
Rockets vs. Spurs, Trail Blazers vs. Lakers.

Trail Blazers trail the Lakers 1-3 in their regular season matchups, but the Lakers are still a level above the Trail Blazers in overall strength.

This was also demonstrated in the first two matches.

Carlisle's defensive strategy was the same as in the regular season: double-team O'Neal and then foul him whenever possible.

However, O'Neal's mindset at this time was clearly different from when they first faced off in the regular season.

At that time, he wanted to make peace with Yang Shuai, but Yang Shuai scolded him harshly, leaving him completely bewildered.

However, in the following regular season games, including the playoffs, his mental state was noticeably more stable, which made his passes more timely.

The Lakers' shooters also played to their strengths, with Horry, Fox, Van Exel, and even Kobe coming off the bench frequently firing from beyond the arc.

The Lakers are the highest-scoring team in the league this season, and they are also very strong in scoring from the outside, averaging 17.3 three-point attempts per game with a 35.1% success rate.

On the defensive end, Eddie Jones, Kobe, and Fox took turns wearing down Yang.

Harris and Sloan employed the opposite defensive strategy, focusing their efforts on limiting Young's scoring, much like the Pistons did with Jordan.

Horry's defensive flexibility was perfectly demonstrated under this strategy; his help defense and recovery defense were the pinnacle of power forwards.

Moreover, his flexible power forward position greatly hampered Wallace's performance.

His status as the GOAT in the nomadic champions world is not solely due to luck.

After the first two games, the Trail Blazers were down 0-2.

After returning to his home court, Carlisle adjusted his game strategy, abandoning the double-teaming of O'Neal and instead having Sabonis defend him one-on-one.

The match became a contest between two giants.

Sabonis did a great job, making O'Neal expend a lot of energy on every offensive play.

Yang Shuai also increased his offensive efforts to target O'Neal, frequently exploiting his opponent's defensive fatigue.

The Trail Blazers won Game 3.

In Game 4, the Lakers began to capitalize on their roster depth advantage, with Kobe's outstanding performance off the bench helping the Lakers establish a lead.

The Trail Blazers' weakness in perimeter shooting was glaringly exposed.

They have Yang Shuai, but they only have Yang Shuai.

Billups is still inexperienced, struggling between scoring and playmaking, and frequently out of position defensively against Van Exel.

Williams and Dee Brown also struggle to provide any real support in this level of competition.

This forced Yang Shuai to come on as a substitute during transition periods.

While that helped the Trail Blazers stabilize the situation, it also accelerated his physical exhaustion.

Yang Shuai's stamina became a clear problem in the second half after being worn down by Sloan in the first round and by Harris in a different way in the second round. Now, with his playing time being extended, Yang Shuai's stamina has become a clear issue.

The Trail Blazers ultimately failed to hold onto their second home game, falling behind 1-3 in the series.

Furthermore, Sabonis's old knee also developed problems after Game 4.

Going head-to-head with O'Neal always comes at a price.

The team doctor advised Sabonis against continuing to play, but Sabonis insisted.

Ultimately, it was Carlisle who made the decision not to let Sabonis play.

If Sabonis' career is truly over, it would be a huge loss for the Trail Blazers.

Trailing 1-3 and with Sabonis unable to play, the Trail Blazers' elimination seems inevitable.

However, just when everyone thought so, Yang Shuai delivered a thrilling and heroic performance in G5.

他全场比赛出场了46分钟，41投16中，罚球19罚16中，轰下51分7板8助攻4抢断，带领开拓者队以102比95击败湖人队！
Yang Shuai scored 50+ points, nearly achieving a triple-double!
This is very different from the 61 points in the first round, because the Lakers' defensive strategy is not to let Yang Shuai play one-on-one indefinitely.

This can be seen from Yang Shuai's high number of shot attempts and free throws; many of his shots are driven to the basket for a strong clearance.

The Trail Blazers won, but the most excited person was Kobe, because he saw Yang Shuai win the game in the way he most wanted to.

In Game 6 of the series, both teams returned to Portland.

With Sabonis still unable to play and Yang Shuai's physical condition at its limit, the Trail Blazers ultimately failed to force a Game 7, losing 2-4 in the second round.

During the Lakers' post-game press conference, a reporter asked about Shaquille O'Neal and Kevin Young.

"Hansen played a fantastic series."

Even though Yang Shuai had criticized him so harshly before, and even though Yang Shuai had said she would never reconcile with him, O'Neal still chose to continue to make amends.

Shaquille O'Neal is still Shaquille O'Neal, just as Sabonis said, he has a "superiority complex".

If he could, he would want to replace Kobe with Yang Shuai right now.

When asked about the Lakers' next goals, O'Neal was full of confidence:
"We're going to compete for the championship!"

At the Trail Blazers' post-game press conference, Yang Shuai attended alongside Carlisle.

"is my problem."

When Portland reporters asked about the reasons for the team's loss, Yang Shuai's answer was straightforward.

Whatever the reason, the Trail Blazers just couldn't beat the Lakers, and the team's core player is undoubtedly to blame.

It makes no sense to blame Sabonis and Wallace, or the role players.

"We all know this is only your first season in Portland, and it's after a serious injury. You played 36.5 minutes in the regular season, and that number reached 41.5 minutes in the playoffs, Sabonis..."

Yang Shuai's direct approach made reporters want to defend him.

"No, failure is failure."

However, Yang Shuai interrupted the reporter.

If he wanted to, he could easily list a whole bunch of reasons why James is better than Jordan, just like his classmate listed a hundred reasons. But no matter how many reasons he had, they all paled in comparison to the result.

If you lose, you lose.

Just admit it openly.

"Is your goal still to bring a championship to this team?"

A reporter pressed Yang Shuai for answers.

"Yes, more than one."

Yang Shuai answered affirmatively, and did not diminish his goal because of this failure.

When Yang Shuai returned to the locker room after the press conference, she found that Billups had not yet returned to the hotel.

"Let's train together this summer."

Billups was obviously waiting for Yang Shuai here.

From being passive at the beginning to being proactive now, it's clear that Billups has changed a lot during this year's playoffs.

Failure, especially playoff failure, can accelerate a person's growth.

If that player has ambition.

Yang Shuai didn't say anything, he just nodded.

Regardless of whether the season stops or not this summer, he will spend a lot of time improving himself.

Talking about it is just empty talk; only real improvement can lead to a true comeback.

After finishing his conversation with Billups, Yang Shuai sent a text message to Garnett.

He wasn't the only one disappointed in this year's playoffs. The Timberwolves were eliminated by the Lakers in the first round, and Garnett also needs to prove himself.

The day after the season ended, Yang Shuai, Billups, and Garnett rented a arena in Portland to begin their offseason training.

Of course, it's not just them, because training alone can only improve so much. It's also necessary to test the success of the training in a pickup game afterward.

So Yang Shuai also asked Paul to find him some training partners.

Paul is already making arrangements for the offseason training camp, and he has a lot of player resources at his disposal.

Finding some high school and college students to practice with is quite easy.

Yang Shuai also spotted a familiar face among those people.

"Boxing Champion" Tyson Chandler.

Yang Shuai knows him simply because he is one of the players his deskmate hates the most.

If it weren't for his presence, James' performance that year wouldn't have been so bad, and the Heat wouldn't have lost to the Mavericks.

Chandler won't turn 16 until October this year. Although he's very tall, he looks really thin.

However, the fact that Paul was able to recruit him shows that he has already entered the scouts' field of vision.

"He will definitely play in the NBA in the future."

This is Paul's assessment of him.

Besides Chandler, there's another active player that Yang Shuai knows.

Terrell Brandon played for the Cavaliers when Yang Shuai was training with the team in high school.

Brandon was traded from the Cavaliers to the Bucks because of his excellent team performance.

The reason he's here is because he's from Portland and returned there after the season ended.

Hearing that Yang Shuai was training here, he contacted Paul and came over.

His arrival also made their team's performance in pickup games more balanced.

However, the thing people fear most is comparison. Compared to Brandon, Billups seems much more immature.

Billups wasn't frustrated this time; instead, he had a lot of interaction with Brandon both on and off the court.

Just a week later, Yang Shuai noticed that Billups had suddenly changed.

He became less interested in scoring and more interested in passing.

This change surprised and delighted Yang Shuai.

In fact, it's impossible to score and pass simultaneously in basketball.

It's a very simple principle: you can't look at the basket and observe your teammates at the same time, because you only have one pair of eyes.

You can only favor one.

Even during the period when Yang Shuai played as a ball-dominant playmaker last season, he was still essentially a scorer.

Of course, if you insist on using data to prove that a player can do it, that's another area involving Excel.

Therefore, for a combo guard like Bilops, he can only choose one.

Last season's games proved that Billups is not suited to be a shooting guard.

It's not that he lacks comprehensive skills, but rather that he doesn't have a reliable way to score in the NBA.

Why was Yang Shuai able to lead his team to victory against the Knicks when Miller was absent? Because his three-point shooting ability was strong enough.

But Billups is now a jack of all trades, master of none.

Moreover, given his physical attributes, even if he develops a three-point shot in this era, it will be more of a spot-up shot, and he won't be able to attack with the ball like Yang Shuai.

In contrast, his excellent ball control and football intelligence are actually his advantages.

Or rather, he's a natural-born point guard.

Even at the point guard position, his height is an advantage, as long as the game isn't played in a fast-paced style like when facing the Jazz.

Of course, Yang Shuai couldn't help but wonder what exactly made Billups decide to find his niche.

At the end of training, Yang Shuai asked Billups a question.

Billups' answer was simple.

That stemmed from their streetball match yesterday.

Brandon was in excellent form in the first half of that game, scoring 16 points while playing alongside Yang Shuai.

However, Brandon did not seem happy during the break.

Billups found him and asked why, and Brandon's answer was as follows:

"As a key defender, it's your fault that your best teammate didn't receive the ball in the best position and couldn't find his rhythm in the first half. It's your fault, it's your dereliction of duty."

Billups, who had been the leader since college or even elementary school, had never looked at the game from this perspective before. Brandon's words were a wake-up call for him.

He also realized something he should have realized long ago: by Yang Shuai's side, he needed to be a "follower" rather than a "leader".

That same day, Yang Shuai took Brandon to a supermarket in Portland and bought him the big gold chain and big watch that black people love.

Sometimes, you really do find something unexpected and effortless, even after searching high and low.

Brandon did him a big favor.

While Yang Shuai's training was in full swing, the playoffs were still underway.

After the Bulls eliminated the Knicks 4-1, they will face the Pacers in the Eastern Conference Finals for the second consecutive year.

The Pacers' performance throughout the season was not much different from last season, including a gentlemanly 4-1 sweep of the Heat, winning even more decisively than last year.

However, once they actually faced the Bulls, the problems without Yang Shuai were immediately exposed.

Although Mullin and Ross have taken over some of Yang Shuai's responsibilities, two people are two people, and you can't treat them as one.

More importantly, without Yang Shuai, no one could contain Jordan.

After another Game 7 against the Pacers, the Bulls defeated the Pacers 4-3 to advance to the NBA Finals.

And their opponent, you guessed it, is the Rockets.

After their upset victory in the eighth round, the Rockets swept the Spurs' twin towers 4-1 in the second round, giving Duncan his first lesson in the NBA with Barkley and Olajuwon.

In the Western Conference Finals, their morale soared, and they swept the Lakers 4-0!

O'Neal had previously said he wanted to contend for the championship, but now he has been swept once again, and this time the opponent is Hakeem Olajuwon.

The Rockets became the lowest-seeded team in NBA history to reach the Finals.

"Never underestimate the heart of a champion" plus version.

The person laughing the most right now is definitely Stern.

Because of Jordan and Olajuwon, two people who were theoretically unlikely to meet again in the Finals, they met this year!

This is definitely going to be a final round that generates a lot of buzz.

He probably wanted to kowtow to Yang Shuai right then and there.

If it weren't for Yang Shuai pulling the Jazz down from the top of the Western Conference, the Rockets wouldn't have faced the SuperSonics in the first round. Without the upset, the Rockets would lack morale and wouldn't have made it to the Finals.

Now, the NBA is about to witness another NBA Finals series that has broken through the competition.

When the NBA Finals began, Yang Shuai temporarily left Portland.

He wasn't there to watch the NBA Finals, but to attend the "Yang Shuai Training Camp" in Boston, which is named after him.

Tyson Chandler, who had trained with him before, also left.

The young man from California seemed very excited because it was his first time having the opportunity to ride on a private jet, and with the youngest Finals MVP in NBA history.

Seeing Chandler's lively and curious nature, Yang Shuai decided to ask Paul to sign him as soon as possible.

The existence of HARK Company finally gave his Sky Eye a place to be used.

The training camp is located in a training facility in the suburbs of Boston, which is an hour's drive from the airport.

The temperature in Boston in June is pleasant; with the windows open and a natural breeze blowing, it feels very comfortable.

Of course, the training camp was chosen to be held at this time not because of the weather, but to avoid Nike and Adidas, whose training camps are usually held in July.

Since this is our first time doing this, insurance is the top priority.

Yang Shuai was full of anticipation on his way there because Paul had already told him that Yao Ming was on the roster for this training camp.

Even in his past life, Yang Shuai had never seen Yao Ming at 17 years old in the media.

The car arrived at the training hall quickly. When Yang Shuai stepped into the training camp, everyone on site turned to look at him.

That scene was exactly the same as when everyone looked at Barkley at the Nike training camp back then.

The only difference is that Yang Shuai has gone from being one of those people looked up to to being the one looked up to by everyone.

Yang Shuai's gaze was also somewhat surprised, because the scale of the training camp seemed to be much larger than he had expected.

There are at least two or three hundred players here.

Then, very quickly, without even looking for him, he spotted Yao Ming standing out from the crowd. Yang Shuai hadn't expected that 17-year-old Yao Ming would already be almost as tall as Schmitz.

He looks so thin, almost as thin as when he first transmigrated.

Yang Shuai turned his gaze away from Yao Ming and then walked towards the podium.

He is now the nominal head of the training camp and is required to give an opening speech to all members.

Paul had already prepared a draft for him, but when Yang Shuai stepped onto the stage and saw the expectant eyes below, he ultimately put it in his pants pocket.

“Seeing you all reminds me of four years ago, when I, like most of you, stood below, looking up at the legend on the stage—Charles Barkley—who said to me, ‘Kid, one day you’ll be the best in this camp.’”

“Now, I’m standing here. I’ve got the championship ring that Charles has always dreamed of, and I’ve also won the Finals MVP. Charles, you were right.”

Yang Shuai's opening remarks drew laughter and whistles from the audience.

Paul couldn't help but clap his hands at that moment.

He had known Yang Shuai for a long time, but Yang Shuai rarely gave such a public speech, or rather, this was probably the first time.

He hadn't expected Yang Shuai to have such a talent for public speaking.

"But just two weeks ago, I was wearing a Trail Blazers jersey and went home in the second round of the playoffs."

However, at that moment, Yang Shuai suddenly changed his tone, and the voices from the audience gradually subsided.

"You're all here so that one day you can stand on an NBA court, even the Finals stage. What can I tell you? How do you do it? Or how great am I?"

"No, what I can tell you is that failure is the only thing you're sure you'll get on this journey. You'll lose games, you'll miss crucial shots, you'll get blown out by your opponents, just like I just went through."

Just like Chandler, those who can stand in front of Yang Shuai are all successful people who have already crossed the narrow bridge.

Failure was something they had never experienced, and it was the only thing Yang Shuai could share with them.

"This training camp is not to teach you how to avoid failure, but to ensure that when failure is inevitable, you have enough strength and willpower to withstand it, so that every time you fall and get back up, you are harder to defeat than before."

Yang Shuai finally glanced around the crowd:
"I saw many familiar faces, and I also saw many talents from all over the world, such as that ridiculously tall Chinese guy. I hope that in a few days, I will not only remember your faces, but also your fighting spirit on the court."

As soon as Yang Shuai finished speaking, the audience erupted in applause and cheers.

This was a very successful opening, because it was based on Yang Shuai's own real-life experiences.

"You seem to be quite interested in that tall Chinese guy?"

When Yang Shuai stepped down from the podium, Paul couldn't help but ask.

While theoretically, Yang Shuai is an Asian player and it's reasonable for him to pay attention to Yao Ming, Yang Shuai has gone beyond that scope.

However, what Yang Shuai said next was unexpected for Paul.

"Putting him at the top of the agency's list of signings means he can bring in immeasurable revenue for the company."

Paul understood; Yang Shuai meant that the big guy named Yao Ming could make a name for himself in the NBA and even become a superstar.

But... is it really possible?
Although Yao Ming is very tall, he looks too thin. It would be difficult for an international player like him to survive in the NBA because he wouldn't be able to match the physicality of the NBA.

Schmitz is probably the ceiling that Yao Ming can reach.

However, he still nodded, just like when he first saw Yang Shuai give a speech. This was also the first time he had seen Yang Shuai so certain about someone.

After delivering his opening speech, Yang Shuai left the training camp and went to the city.

He threw himself into the training hall before, and now that he's finally out, his schedule is packed with activities and events.

Especially since this is Boston, Massachusetts, Reebok's home base.

However, just as Yang Shuai finished his promotional activities in the city and was about to sit down and catch his breath, Paul called.

"Come quick, that big Chinese guy is going on a killing spree."

After hearing Paul's shocked words on the phone, Yang Shuai rushed back to the training camp.

When he arrived, Yao Ming was playing a scrimmage on the court.

Yao Ming's opponent was Chandler, who had come to Boston from Portland with him.

A group of people were watching from the sidelines.

When the object appeared, the onlookers automatically made way for it.

Yang Shuai looked up and saw Chandler receiving the ball in the low post, preparing to go one-on-one against Yao Ming.

In this era, even if you're Rodman, you still need to know how to post up before you can enter the NBA.

A cheer, or more accurately, a jeer, rang out from the crowd.

Clearly, this wasn't the first time Chandler had tried to take on Yao Ming one-on-one.

Chandler put in all his effort, but the skinny Yao Ming was much stronger than he looked.

Chandler attempted a final shot after turning around, but Yao Ming was already waiting for the right moment. He jumped up and swatted Chandler's shot out of bounds.

A commotion erupted at the scene.

"This is the sixth shot that California kid has been blocked."

Paul was filled with emotion.

As a former scout, he rarely misjudged Yao Ming. Although he didn't know where Yang Shuai got his information, he knew Yao Ming's future belonged to the NBA.

Although Yao Ming is two years older than Chandler, top American high school players often play across age groups.

Turning back, Chandler bared his teeth and brandished his arms, trash-talking Yao Ming, trying to regain face in the low post.

However, Yao Ming, perhaps unable to understand English, completely ignored him and went straight to the free throw line.

A teammate passed the ball to Yao Ming, who made a mid-range shot from the free-throw line.

Chandler was so angry that he slapped his thigh.

Yang Shuai couldn't help but laugh.

Using softness to overcome hardness, Yao Ming was already using his brain to play basketball at the age of 17.

Turning back, Chandler continued to post up against Yao Ming.

It was that familiar cheering sound again.

But Chandler just couldn't move Yao Ming.

"Why is his performance so much better than it looks?" Paul couldn't help but turn and ask.

He felt that Yang Shuai's close attention to Yao Ming must mean he had learned about Yao Ming through other channels.

Yang Shuai naturally didn't know, because he was completely unfamiliar with Yao Ming at that time.

However, he could more or less guess it.

"He should already be playing in the professional league."

Paul immediately understood upon hearing this.

If a 17-year-old wants to play against adults, he/she must first practice physical contact.

Then suddenly, you find yourself in the world of your peers, and realize that your strength in the competition has actually become an advantage.

This is dark humor.

Chandler's one-on-one attempt wasn't blocked by Yao Ming this time, but he still managed to get an airball.

Yao Ming defeated Chandler seven times.

"If they keep playing like this, that California kid's draft stock is going to plummet."

Paul couldn't help but shake his head with a wry smile.

Perhaps after hearing what Paul said, Yao Ming didn't ask for the ball again in the next offensive possession. When his teammates passed him the ball, he quickly passed it back to them.

It's like... he felt that if he kept hitting Chandler, he would really ruin Chandler's draft prospects.

Paul looked a little confused, but Yang Shuai couldn't help but laugh again.

At only 17 years old, she's already so adept at navigating social situations; she truly is a Chinese person.

“Alfred, take me with you when you meet with him. I’d like to learn more about him.”

As Yang Shuai spoke, he turned and walked out. There was no need to watch the rest of the match; he had to rush back to participate in the subsequent activities.

However, as he walked out, he couldn't help but start making plans.

If he remembers correctly, Yao Ming entered the NBA at the age of 22, which is too late for a center.

Keep in mind that Duncan was only 21 years old when he graduated from college and entered the NBA.

I wonder if he has any way to get Yao Ming into the NBA sooner.

Even if he doesn't get a partner in the league, HARK will be able to make money sooner.

However, that probably won't be easy; there are definitely many things he doesn't know.

The next day, Yang Shuai took some time to observe Yao Ming's training and then chatted with the coach of Yao Ming's team.

Just like the Nike training camp that Yang Shuai experienced, the coaches had already selected their players after the first day of training.

Yao Ming's current team is coached by a man named Taz Locke, who also has some connection with Yang Shuai. He has signed a contract with the Trail Blazers and will become a scout for the team in the new season.

"His basketball IQ is incredible. He knows how to play to his strengths and avoid his weaknesses. He just needs to get stronger and he will be able to play in the NBA in the future."

Locke had a very high opinion of Yao Ming.

"Also, I don't know why he never dunks."

"Not taking the blue card?"

This puzzled Yang Shuai as well, as he remembered watching those highlight reels and not a single one of Yao Ming's dunks.

He observed for a while, and you know what? It really was true.

It was something that could have been done with a simple gesture, but Yao Ming stubbornly refused to deduct the points.

Even though Locke was shouting for him to dunk, he just scratched his head awkwardly and still didn't dunk.

This made Yang Shuai even more curious.

Paul scheduled his meeting with Yao Ming for the third night.

Unfortunately, Paul originally wanted to meet with Yao Ming privately, but Shanghai team general manager Li Yaoming did not allow it, so the meeting ended up being between four people.

Compared to his confidence on the court, Yao Ming appeared quite reserved off the court, with Li Yaoming doing most of the answering.

Yang Shuai really wanted this guy to leave, but it was clear that he couldn't.

"Yao Ming, why didn't you dunk?"

So when the meeting was halfway through, Yang Shuai asked Yao Ming some personal questions.

Yao Ming was somewhat surprised by Yang Shuai's way of addressing him. He then turned to look at Li Yaoming, and seeing that the other party didn't seem inclined to speak, he scratched his head and began to explain:
"In our country, dunking is considered disrespectful to the opponent."

Yang Shuai was taken aback.

Really? How come he's never heard of that?

But then I thought about it again, and he and Yao Ming lived in different eras, so it's normal that he doesn't know many things.

In that instant, he even had the urge to go back to China for a visit.

Things that originally only existed in history textbooks are now real scenes that he can witness with his own eyes after just one trip.

Yang Shuai found a way to communicate with Yao Ming, and then he asked some personal questions related to basketball.

Yao Ming gradually opened up and began to talk about some things.

“Our team watched last season’s Game 7 between the Pacers and the Bulls. When you guarded Jordan until he fell down, we all jumped up from our seats. I got so excited that I bumped into the ceiling.”

Yang Shuai was amused by Yao Ming.

Yao Ming probably didn't mean it, but he does have a great sense of humor.

But at that moment, Yang Shuai remembered some things he had heard about.

"Are you free tonight? Shall we go play Street Fighter together?"

Yang Shuai made the suggestion.

Yao Ming's eyes lit up when he heard "Street Fighter," but he still turned to look at Li Yaoming.

"We have other things to do tonight, but going out for an hour is still fine."

Li Yaoming finally relented.

Yang Shuai is Reebok's top executive and also the person in charge of this training camp.

At an arcade in the city, Li Yaoming and Paul waited in the car, and the two of them went in and played Street Fighter.

Street Fighter, the originator of fighting games, wasn't a popular game before Yang Shuai's time travel. However, because he liked "kids," Yang Shuai had played Street Fighter 6 and also liked using Mai Shiranui.

Yao Ming clearly enjoys playing Street Fighter, but perhaps because he's a big guy, his controller skills aren't very smooth, and he didn't win a few rounds against Yang Shuai.

"It's a pity my roommate didn't come out with us; he's really good at this."

"Roommate? What's his name? Let's invite him out for a sparring match tomorrow." Yang Shuai was full of curiosity.

“His name is Liu Wei, he…” Yao Ming said with an awkward laugh.

It's obvious that Liu Wei shouldn't be allowed to leave the hotel at will.

"He will join the AAU team with me to play games later."

To ease the awkwardness, Yao Ming offered an explanation.

Yang Shuai had heard of Liu Wei before, because he was almost always mentioned when discussing the national team's point guards.

I never expected that he and Yao Ming had such a close relationship; they even traveled abroad together.

However, taking advantage of this topic, Yang Shuai asked the question he was most concerned about.

"Yao Ming, have you ever thought about playing in the NCAA?"

"Actually, you can just call me Xiao Yao. Based on age, I should call you Brother Yang."

"It's okay, let's talk about our own affairs."

Yao Ming didn't dwell on it after hearing this, but his answer greatly surprised Yang Shuai.

"No, I just want to play in the CBA and then make it into the national team."

"You don't want to play in the NBA?" Yang Shuai was surprised.

Yao Ming nodded.

This move completely baffled Yang Shuai.

He thought it was because Li Yaoming was there when they were chatting earlier, but he didn't expect that Yao Ming has no intention of playing in the NBA at all.

"But after this training camp, I didn't expect to play so well. I think one day I might make it to the NBA."

Yang Shuai now understands that everyone's dreams are phased. Yao Ming hasn't even figured out how to play in the CBA yet, so how could he want to play in the NBA?
However, Yang Shuai had a bold idea at this moment.

After finishing the Street Fighter match, he contacted Vaccaro.

He planned to have Vaccaro use his connections at Reebok to arrange a trainer for Yao Ming.

The purpose of assigning a trainer is, of course, to help Yao Ming improve his skills as soon as possible.

Since Yao Ming wants to play in the CBA and join the national team, if he achieves those goals sooner, wouldn't he want to come to the NBA sooner?
Moreover, now that he has a general understanding of the situation in China, he knows that only trainers with commercial partnerships with shoe factories have a chance to join the Shanghai team.

However, all of that had to wait until Yao Ming decided to sign with Reebok, because Yao Ming had previously attended Nike's Paris training camp and had a close relationship with Nike.

Vaccaro also discussed something with Yang Shuai on the phone: according to inside information he had received, a lockout of the NBA season next year was unavoidable.

He wanted Yang Shuai to take advantage of this time to go on a trip to Asia and Europe to promote the launch of the HY2.

Furthermore, Adidas has already started promoting the KB8II, and Kobe will also be involved in similar promotional activities.

Yang Shuai did not agree; he told Vaccaro to postpone all these plans until next summer.

This year, he only wants to focus on improving himself.

He doesn't want to experience the same failure as last season again.

A week later, Yang Shuai's training camp came to a successful conclusion.

On the last day, Yang Shuai competed alongside his teammates, blocking several high school and college students who tried to dunk in front of him, giving them a complete training camp experience.

Yao Ming was also selected for the All-Tournament Team for his outstanding performance.

The players selected for the All-Star team received some bonuses, as well as a brand-new Nokia 8810.

The bonus is standard procedure, and the mobile phone is to help HARK keep in touch with these outstanding high school prodigies.

(End of this chapter)