NBA, Yao Ming is back!

The Shanghai Stadium was packed with people at night.

Many well-known basketball figures came to the scene.

I want to see this clash between the new elite and the old king.

In addition, Nelson Jr. was also present, accompanied by a new face.

This man's name is Don Casey.

A former college coach, former NBA coach, and veteran freelance scout, known for his defensive systems and scouting of international players.

Having finished his assistant coaching stint with the Celtics and unable to take on the head coaching position, he has chosen to terminate his contract.

They are currently preparing to contact the Nets.

He will continue to perform his work as an NBA free agent scout.

Since he is a freelance scout.

That means he's playing more for the NBA league.

Of course, it is also possible to establish cooperative relationships with multiple teams.

He was sent by the NBA because he is currently free.

David Stern sent him to come and see.

After all, no matter how cleverly you explain it, even with video recordings, it's not as good as having a professional scout come and see for themselves.

"Donnie, is this the kid you were talking about? He looks really tall."

"Hmph, he's registered to be 2.26 meters tall, but judging from the current situation, I feel he's taller than that."

"He's only 16, it's perfectly normal, he still has room to grow."

"There are very few players that tall, even in the NBA."

"That's for sure. Players that tall are usually only used as big, defensive players. We're all professional basketball players, and we know very well that before him, there was no player of that height who could also be offensively capable."

"If I had to name one, among athletes over seven feet four inches tall, the only one with offensive capabilities might be Ralph Sampson, whose career was hampered by injuries."

The Sampson they're talking about averaged 21.0 points, 11.1 rebounds, and 2.4 blocks in his rookie season.

Nicknamed "Walking Stick," he is 2.24 meters tall.

He once formed a twin towers partnership with Hakeem Olajuwon, reaching the NBA Finals.

Unfortunately, just four or five years later, when he was about to enter his peak period, he was plagued by a knee injury that he could not recover from, and his career declined sharply, quickly fading out of the league's top center position.

Before him, the only truly tall and scoring big man was Ralph Sampson.

Therefore, they bring up Sampson for comparison because the league report on Nelson and David Stern states...

He possesses the offensive capabilities of Ralf Sampson.

There have been tall players in NBA history, but almost all of them were defensive and rebounding types.

Sampson is probably the only one with real offensive talent.

Therefore, it is most appropriate to make an analogy here.

After all, Sampson scored between 24 and 25 points during his peak.

He's already considered very good among big men in the NBA.

However, he was cut short by a knee injury, which meant he lost the opportunity to showcase his full potential before he could realize his full potential.

"However, Sampson's scoring ability was demonstrated in the NBA. He was already a strong scorer in college. If a player in the CBA doesn't have an extremely strong scoring ability, he might end up like those European scoring champions in the NBA."

"A sharp drop is likely."

Don Casey was telling the truth.

Let alone in the Asian Basketball Federation, even if you put those so-called scoring experts in Europe there, many of them wouldn't be able to perform at their best.

Their scores even plummeted.

From this perspective, Don Casey's concerns were not unfounded.

Otherwise, why would the NBA favor domestic players?

Even if an international player performs exceptionally well and shines brightly, there are times when their stats suddenly drop significantly in the NBA. They've experienced this before.

Therefore, they are now more cautious in selecting international players.

"Sampson was a three-time Naismith Award winner, the only person in history to win three times in a row, and a two-time John Wooden Award winner, the only person in history to win two times in a row."

"He graced the cover of Sports Illustrated six times in four years, and was America's number one internet celebrity prodigy before the draft. If it weren't for injuries, he should have become a true superstar. Do you really think... this tall guy from the East has that potential?"

Although he said whether it was possible, he was actually asking whether they were comparable.

After all, even in the United States, a basketball superpower.

They consider themselves to be a place where local geniuses are superior to others.

A center over 2.20 meters tall who can score inside.

There is only one Sampson.

Therefore, the low probability of this made him somewhat suspicious of this tall Eastern center, which is understandable, given that it has only happened once in American history.

"You'll see when you see it. I think he'll be selected in the first round without any problem."

"First round pick? You really have high hopes for him. If he can't put up amazing numbers here, he'll be worth a fortune in the NBA."

"You'll know once you see it, won't you? Watch it carefully, watch it carefully. After watching it, I believe you'll definitely have the same judgment as me."

Don Casey shrugged.

Clearly, he remained noncommittal.

After all, in his memory, the United States, a country with such a strong basketball tradition, had only produced Sampson once.

Tell me, can a place like the East, with its poor basketball tradition, produce basketball stars?

I'm really sorry, but even historically, it was Yao Ming who replaced Sampson as the highest-scoring center over 2.20 meters tall.

Not to mention him now that he has been reborn.

To win back the honors we won last time would be a piece of cake.

The match started quickly.

The referee walked to the center circle with the ball, and Yao Ming and Wang Zhizhi stood side by side in the jump ball area. The noise in the arena instantly rose by a decibel, and everyone's eyes were fixed on these two top domestic centers.

Wang Zhizhi is agile and technically skilled. He is the core of the Bayi team's inside game and is also recognized as a top inside player by the national team. He has made a name for himself and gained prestige at this Olympics, attracting NBA scouts to watch.

Without Yao Ming, he would have been the top Asian center to rival Battier.

Yao Ming has become a hot topic in the CBA this year. With his overwhelming height, strength and dominance, he is a dominant force in the paint who has emerged this season and swept everything.

This is the first time the two have faced off in the Finals since the regular season began.

The whistle blew, the basketball was tossed high into the air, Yao Ming used his legs to propel himself into the air, and his long arms easily touched the basketball.

Although Yao Ming was a Tyrannosaurus Rex in history, he is not here.

Given his height, as long as his wingspan is normal, he would be an absolute monster.

With a gentle flick, he steadily passed the ball to his teammate behind him.

The Big Sharks have possession of the ball on their first attack.

The Bayi team's defensive rotation started instantly, with speed and discipline that was completely different from their regular season performance.

Without hesitation, Wang Zhizhi immediately closed in on Yao Ming, and Zhang Jinsong quickly moved closer to help defend. The entire defensive formation was airtight, leaving Yao Ming no easy space to receive the ball.

The intensity of the competition on the court instantly reached its peak, with physical contact far exceeding that of the playoffs. Every positioning and every movement was carried with ruthless ferocity.

Saulius received the ball on the wing and was about to break through when he was stopped by Liu Yudong's tough defense. Under the physical contact, he even staggered a bit.

The intensity of the CBA Finals was something even this foreign player found difficult to adapt to.

One side wanted to take over, while the other wanted to prevent the other from taking over; neither side had any backup plans.

Therefore, the fight was very intense from the start, with neither side giving an inch in physical confrontation and a constant stream of small tricks.

Every positioning and every pass was delivered with fierce determination.

The intensity is completely different from that of the regular season.

Saulius had barely begun his drive to the basket when he collided violently with Liu Yudong.

Liu Yudong forcefully headed the ball away.

Saulius thought it was a foul, but Liu Yudong ignored him and even pushed past him to prepare to inbound the ball from the backcourt.

Saulius was furious.

They rushed up and started greeting Liu Yudong, but Liu Yudong was not afraid of this situation and stubbornly stood his ground.

The two locked eyes and engaged in a physical struggle, neither willing to give in.

They almost started fighting on the spot.

The referee rushed over and separated the two, preventing a conflict from breaking out.

I never expected such a conflict to erupt on the very first ball.

The atmosphere in the entire stadium immediately turned into excitement.

If it weren't for the rule against throwing away mineral water bottles, it would probably be raining everywhere by now.

However, Yao Ming remained calm, standing under the basket with a composed expression, showing no signs of being swayed by the tension on the court.

Because he knew very well that this was the Bayi team deliberately putting pressure on him against the Shanghai Sharks.

It's a psychological tactic they often use.

The goal was to use a sudden, intense, and extreme confrontation, constantly provoking and challenging him, forcing this young newcomer, who was playing in the finals for the first time, to get angry and lose his temper.

Then the sudden increase in intensity disrupted the rhythm.

An unbalanced mindset can lead to a complete loss of self.

After all, in my previous timeline, the first time I faced the Bayi team in the finals, I was defeated by them.

Overwhelmed by the opponent's aggressive interference and rhythm suppression, they were at a loss and unable to unleash their full potential.

But this time, he will not fall for it.

The thought flashed through his mind, and he subconsciously tried to activate his own superstar imitation system, but he found that he was really unlucky... triggering a downgrade.

Since that's the case...

It's better to do it yourself.

This might be a hint from God to me.

In this match, he can't rely on any extra advantages; he can only rely on his purest strength to face this dynasty team head-on.

Alright, let's see who I am now, having complete NBA experience and having witnessed the world's highest level of competition.

Come and take a good look.

The person I am right now.

That's what we can do against the Bayi team in this finals.

Let's see how many points it scores.

Last time, I put up Finals stats that were close to Chamberlain's.

This is who I am now.

Surpassing this data.

That makes perfect sense.

Right?

P.S.: This is the second update. This is the third update today, everyone!