Chapter 8 [No. 21 Rookie First Battle]
Bob Weiss is a responsible coach. He took care of Yang Jian during training, instructing him on dribbling and defense, and also taught him a practical breakthrough technique called "jumping".
Weiss was severely bald and looked unremarkable with glasses. Who would have thought that he was a famous "iron man" on the outside of the NBA back then. He played 12 seasons as a point guard in teams such as the 76ers and the SuperSonics, with a high attendance rate. In five seasons with the Bulls, he only missed three games.
The jump step is simply an upgraded version of the three-step layup. It combines the second and third steps of the layup into one, so that the defender can't keep up with this big step.
When jumping, you need to speed up properly. When you use jumping, you are close to the defense, so you need to protect the ball and hold it steady. When jumping starts, you must use force on the ground, collect the ball quickly, and do not hesitate to pass or shoot after your feet land.
Both feet land at the same time, both feet are pivot feet, and the player can no longer move either foot. Take off, shoot or pass, which is actually a variation of the three-step layup.
After watching Yang Jian's training, Weiss suggested that he practice this trick often. Ordinary people may not use it to be effective, but Yang Jian's use is infinitely powerful. Because his first step is too fast, after the jump, his feet take off and fly high and far, and he can dunk directly or pull the bar for a layup, which is difficult for opponents to block.
This trick does not require high dribbling skills. After receiving the ball, Yang Jian only needs to dribble to pull the ball. He can attack the rim when he's up, and pass the ball when he's blocked.
Kemp's face frame is good at this trick, and many dunks come this way. The power accumulated by the player's feet landing will be stronger, and the final jump will be higher. If you land on one foot, the player needs to have strong coordination, and it is easy to be blown away by taking another step.
In addition to practicing shooting, Yang Jian practiced jumping and breaking through. In three days, his basketball skill attribute rose from 43 to 45. Although the system still evaluates him as "rough brother", he has enriched his arsenal.
On July 6, head coach George Karl went to the arena to watch training and told Weiss again. "Arrange Yang to play without the ball as much as possible, let him adapt to the tactics to be played in the new season in advance, and give Sherer unlimited shot rights."
"I have already arranged the tactics. In addition to the fast break, he waits for opportunities to catch the ball and cut from the three-point line. He is very suitable for our tactical system and does not need a lot of possession."
Karl asked, "How's his stamina? How long do you estimate he can play while maintaining efficiency?"
"I think he can play the whole game. He must have undergone systematic physical training for many years, his endurance is stronger than that of Payton, and his speed is the fastest in the team." Weiss sighed.
"I can't believe that such a young man was defeated. If Sean worked so hard... ah." Carl sighed.
"Impossible, Sean is thankful for not being late for training."
The Sonics' coaches have a love-hate relationship with Kemp, loving his talent and hating him for not working hard enough.
Kemp didn't like training when he was in high school, and was often dragged to the training gym by coaches. His academic performance was also a mess, he never attended college, and was expelled for stealing as soon as he enrolled. Kemp thus became the first high school player in NBA history to be drafted by the Sonics with the 17th overall pick in 1989.
If Kemp trains hard, he will be better. It's a pity that Kemp only worked hard for a few years when he first entered the league, and then he had a lot of fun and created a group of bastards. He is fully capable of becoming a superstar averaging 25+10 per game, but he will not improve if he is satisfied with the status quo.
The summer league gave Sherrell unlimited shots because George Karl had already agreed with the manager that the team did not have his place. The Supersonics plan to use Sherrell as a bargaining chip, and replace him with a cheap and experienced immediate combat force.
Geniuses are treated differently, and developing Yang Jian's potential as soon as possible is the top priority of the Supersonics coaching staff. Weiss gave him a lot of requirements, and he told him what he wanted him to do on the court in the new season. The most important one was to catch the ball and shoot the three-pointer.
Yang Jian is very serious, knowing that it is a good thing that the coach is strict with him. The other three newcomers wanted this kind of treatment, but Weiss didn't bother to pay attention to them.
In the NBA, physical fitness of young players is definitely more important than skill.
Players' basketball skills are software and added value. The player's body is the hardware, the foundation. A good technique can make up for the shortcomings of a player's body, but a good body can allow the player to perform better techniques.
Players who are not physically fit, no matter how good their skills are, can't play in the NBA. Of course there will be some exceptions, which are rare.
Sherrell and Yang's simple pick is an example. Sherrell's body is not as good as Yang Jian's, the technique basically doesn't work, and all kinds of fake movements in situ, and finally shot under interference.
On the same day, Yang Jian successfully signed a contract with the SuperSonics, and took the first step in his career by choosing No. 21, who was not used by the team. He thinks this number is very auspicious, and he can maintain a competitive state when he is older and become the permanent No. 21 rookie.
The Sonics, who have not announced his signing, plan to have him hold a press conference with other new players after the summer league is over.
On July 7, Yang Jian and other players and coaching staff flew to Salt Lake City, Utah.
In the 1995 NBA Summer League, no matter the accommodation level or the training venue, it was very good. Teams practice in the high school arena, and games are in the Jazz's practice facility. There will be spectators at the scene, and there will be no television broadcasts.
Even so, the Salt Lake City League is currently the largest summer league in the NBA, attracting many teams and suitable for rookies and contract-hungry players to showcase their abilities.
The Salt Lake City Summer League was first known as the Rocky Mountain Summer League, which began in 1984. The original purpose of the competition was to promote the Jazz in the Utah area, and the participating teams were also formed by alumni of various universities. Since 1990, the Jazz have invited the Blazers, Suns and Kings to participate in the event, which has grown in scale.
This year, a total of 12 teams participated in the game, which attracted many local fans to watch the game. The level of the game is of course incomparable to the NBA, and the ticket is cheaper.
Players participating in the summer league have no salary, only to win and prove their strength. In the process, the players have "meal supplements", accommodation, travel expenses and jerseys are borne by the team, and the players prepare their own shoes.
Twelve players representing the Sonics stayed in a hotel not far from the arena, two in a room. Yang Jian and Eric Snow became roommates, and the coach deliberately arranged it to facilitate the two of them to communicate more.
The players practiced together the next morning, and it was over in an hour and a half. Players need to conserve energy, and the summer league schedule is very tight, with a maximum of one day off.
At four o'clock in the afternoon, the Sonics ushered in the first opponent, the Minnesota Timberwolves.
The Timberwolves have a number of rookies coming to the competition, the biggest one being No. 5 rookie forward Kevin Garnett. Garnett entered the draft after graduating from high school, on the same day as Jane Yang's birthday, May 19, 1976. Plus, they both chose the No. 21 jersey.
In the parallel world, Garnett is a recognized superstar.
He played a total of 22 years in his career, won one regular season MVP, one Defensive Player of the Year, and one NBA championship. He was also selected to the All-Defensive Team 12 times, including 9 first defense and 3 second defense. His defensive lineup selections are second only to Tim Duncan's 15 and tied with Kobe Bryant for second all-time.
Yang Jian is very excited, defeating Garnett will be the first battle of his career to remember!
The Sonics stayed in the locker room for a while, changing into their traditional green jerseys and getting some applause. Thousands of spectators have sat in the stands, and the atmosphere is very lively.
The Jazz's training arena is also good, with facilities comparable to those of many elite NCAA schools. There were no ceremonies, no winning slogans, and everything was as simple as a college basketball game.
In this environment, Yang Jian was both nervous and excited.
What he was nervous about was that he had never played in an audience before. When he was in college, he could only play in the class team, and he didn't even think about entering the school team. Excited that he has the strength of an NBA player, no doubt!
Even the worst NBA players can be successful in professional leagues abroad. If they go to China's CBA league, they can almost become the core of the team.
Yang Jian believes that being an NBA player is a great career, because this is the best basketball league in the world. Before crossing the threshold, he never made a dime and still likes to play. He has a salary in the future, so how can he not go all out?