The longest river

Chapter 24 Yang Shuai's Choice
Yang Shuai returned to his room, and Pierce and Garnett both breathed a sigh of relief after learning that Thaddeus had left and pretended not to have seen them drinking.

"The coach really needs this championship," Pierce remarked after regaining his composure.

Yang Shuai and Garnett both looked at him curiously.

Pierce then told them some things about Thaddeus.

Thaddeus was once a basketball prodigy, considered a potential NBA first-round pick while playing at UCLA.

Unfortunately, he suffered a serious back injury during his junior year of college, which brought his NBA career to an abrupt end.

After graduating, he worked as a video editor for the Lakers, and later became a coach in Inglewood.

However, he has consistently failed to lead Inglewood High School to any significant achievements and has faced considerable criticism.

Listening to Pierce's explanation, Yang Shuai's doubts about many things were resolved.

Why was Thaddeus able to get into the Western Forum, why was he invited to join Inglewood High School, and why were they introduced to so many new things?

Those suppressed dreams will not disappear; they will simply be placed in a new place.

The day after returning to Cleveland, Paul visited Yang Shuai and brought him good news: Adidas had officially invited him to the ABCD training camp.

The training camp will begin in early July, which means he now has to choose between the two camps.

“Vaccaro hadn’t seen the videotape before, but he spoke highly of you after watching the tournament final.” Paul’s advice was the same as Thaddeus’s, recommending that Yang Shuai go to the ABCD training camp.

“I want to go to Chicago,” Yang Shuai said, giving his choice after careful consideration over the past two days.

“I want to compete against players of a higher level.” The final against Patterson was quite impactful for Yang Shuai, especially the talent of Carter and Garnett, which made him want to know the level of other five-star high school students in his year.

Of course, there's one more thing Yang Shuai couldn't say: during this trip to AAU, he discovered another rule for how the system awards points: the points are not only related to the intensity of the object's emotions, but also to the object's fame.

This is where his doubts arose during his one-on-one match against Pierce, and were subsequently confirmed in the AAU tournament.

“Hansen, this isn’t just about choosing a training camp; it’s about your future network,” Paul reminded him.

The shoe factory isn't some kind of philanthropist; they're running these training camps to recruit high school students and pave the way for future collaborations.

The reason Garnett is still going to Nike this year is because he went last year, and he will most likely continue to work with Nike after he enters the NBA.

"Compared to that, I care more about my own strength." Yang Shuai did not change his mind.

As a Chinese person, even if he is just a high school student, how could he not know about interpersonal relationships and social etiquette? However, he also knows the principle that "one must be strong to succeed."

If he is strong enough, wouldn't Adidas, or other brands, try to collaborate with him in the future?

Paul's gaze towards Yang Shuai was touched.

Yang Shuai's choice meant that he had been working for nothing all this time, but Yang Shuai's attitude made him feel that Yang Shuai was different from others.

That might be the condition for success, regardless of whether the player is Asian.

Before heading to the Nike training camp, Yang Shuai spent points to redeem another batch of C-level jumping talent enhancement packages.

After the exchange, his dunking and rebounding attributes both reached 60, which is also the first ability in his level 1 interface to reach NBA level except for three-pointers.

In early July, Yang Shuai set off for Chicago.

He went alone again this time, and Paul was going to the ABCD training camp to scout players, so he wouldn't be joining him later.

However, with his experience in the AAU Championship, Yang Shuai has adapted to this lifestyle.

After he arrived, he met up with Garnett first, having contacted him immediately after making the decision.

On the way to the training venue by taxi, both of them were in high spirits.

Having just won the AAU championship together and then attending a training camp together, this experience will greatly enhance their relationship.

"Did Thaddeus invite you to join the team?" Garnett also brought up the topic of next season.

“I declined.” Yang Shuai nodded, then looked at Garnett. Garnett’s question meant that Thaddeus must have also invited him.

“I also turned it down,” Garnett said with a touch of emotion. “Actually, I wanted to go, but my mother wouldn’t let me. She said that gang conflicts in Los Angeles are completely public.”

Yang Shuai could understand what Garnett was saying, because he and Pierce had already met that day on Shaw Street.

"So you're going back to Greenville too?" If that's the case, then the Geswell trio will be "going their separate ways" next season.

"I'll stay here." Garnett's answer caught Yang Shuai off guard.

“I will be attending Farragut High School in Chicago.”

A big question mark appeared on Yang Shuai's head. It's true that gang conflicts in Los Angeles are public, but what about Chicago?

When it comes to gang warfare, nothing compares to Chicago, the "Sin Capital."

However, Garnett didn't elaborate, and Yang Shuai didn't press him for details.

Nike's training camp is located at a sports training center outside Chicago. The first thing they do upon arrival is to collect their student badges and training camp schedules.

Next, they measured my height, wingspan, and foot size, and then I received my personal gear.

The jerseys will be distributed tomorrow. The equipment they received includes shoes, socks, and even a basic sports medical kit.

Compared to the Geely team they had previously played for, this place seemed much more professional.

The training camp accommodations were four people per room, and Yang Shuai and Garnett naturally chose the same room. When they arrived at the dormitory with their luggage, they found that someone was making the beds.

Upon hearing the sound, the person turned around.

A face that seemed familiar, but paired with that short hair, made Yang Shuai feel like a stranger.

However, the other person immediately smiled and extended his hand to introduce himself: "Chauncey Billups, from Denver, Colorado."

"I've heard of you, three-time Mr. Colorado Basketball. I'm Kevin Garnett." Garnett warmly shook hands with Billups.

Yang Shuai finally recognized him and shook hands with the FMVP.

Although they came from different places, just like their previous experience with the Geely team, they quickly became friends because they shared common interests in basketball.

Billups gave Yang Shuai a mature feeling. He spoke slowly and deliberately, which made people feel very comfortable. He was probably the most mature peer that Yang Shuai had met since he transmigrated.

They were having a great time chatting when someone else entered the dormitory.

Even though the other person had a buzz cut and naturally curly hair, Yang Shuai recognized him at a glance.

Not only him, but Garnett and Billups also showed a hint of admiration in their eyes.

Even as a twelfth-grade high school student, Iverson became famous throughout the United States because of "The Bowling Alley Incident"① and held a very high status among black people.

Of course, besides that, Iverson was also a big name in high school sports.

He is a second-generation dual star at Bethell High School in Virginia, leading the school team to a 3A state championship in football in his tenth grade, and averaging 31.6 points, 8.7 rebounds and 9.2 assists per game in basketball.
In eleventh grade, he went even further, leading both the school's football and basketball teams to a 3A state championship, becoming the Associated Press's National Football Player of the Year, and being selected to the All-American High School Basketball First Team.

Billups stood up and greeted Iverson with a smile, but Iverson only nodded somewhat coldly before returning to his bed.

Garnett was also about to get up, but after seeing this scene of "offering a warm face to a cold backside," he withdrew.

The only one who hasn't moved is Yang Shuai.

In his past life, his father really liked Iverson and would often say things like "Zhong Ai for life" and "Youth," but he wasn't particularly fond of Iverson.

Firstly, as a member of the post-00 generation, he had basically never watched Iverson play; secondly, he had seen in the news more than once that Iverson had a sour face when he came to China, as if Chinese fans owed him millions.

Yeah, it looks about 70-80% like that cold face you have now.

That might just be Iverson's personality, but Yang Shuai isn't interested in people with that kind of personality.

"Kevin, Chauncey, let's go check out the training facility," Yang Shuai said, getting up.

Garnett quickly got up, and Billups followed Iverson out of the dorm after seeing that Iverson had already gone to bed to rest.

When they arrived at the training ground, there were already quite a few people there.

Yang Shuai saw some familiar faces: Carter, Tim Thomas, and Shia Cotton, all of whom he had faced in the AAU Championship before.

There were some familiar faces, but he could only recognize Stephon Marbury.

Garnett quickly led them toward a guard who was about 1.9 meters tall but had a very beautiful physique. The two hugged each other as soon as they met.

During the subsequent introduction, Yang Shuai also learned the other person's name.

Ronnie Fields is the first player in Nike history to be selected to training camp twice, and now he is also the first to be selected three times.

He comes from Farragut High School in Chicago, the team Garnett will be joining next season.

-Dividing line-

①: On Valentine's Day in 1993, Allen Iverson and his friends got into an argument with several white youths at a bowling alley called "The Circle," which escalated into a violent brawl. Iverson was sentenced to 15 years in prison. The case became a sensational anti-discrimination movement that swept the state. Iverson was eventually released early after serving four months in prison.

(End of this chapter)