Chapter 31 [Waiting to see the joke]

Yang Jian had a pleasant first meeting with his teammates and did not feel any pressure.

Everyone has a good attitude towards Yang Jian because they know that he will be focused on training in the new season. In addition, he speaks English very well and has no problem communicating with his teammates.

This is a prerequisite for quickly integrating into the team. Foreign players who cannot speak English well are a big disadvantage.

Americans can often tell whether a Chinese person in the United States is of Chinese descent, because Chinese people speak English without rhythm. This rhythm not only refers to the speed of speaking, but also includes many small links that are not usually taken seriously, such as the rise and fall of intonation, the stress of words, and where sentences pause.

Many people either follow their thinking habits and "cut into pieces" a sentence as they please; or they practice lung capacity and connect a sentence from beginning to end without gasping. As a result, English sentences that sound clear to Chinese people become "incomprehensible" to foreign ears.

Yang Jian doesn't have this problem. He speaks in a good rhythm and his English is standard American English that he can learn automatically.

Other newcomers do not receive such good treatment, and the stars do not take Eric Snow seriously. He is a second-round pick with little potential, and at first glance he is meant to be a substitute.

Blue-collar center Ervin Johnson looked at PJ Brown with a hint of hostility in his eyes.

The two have similar heights and weights. Irvine has no shooting range and lacks tactical role. The addition of PJ Brown will reduce his playing time. Moreover, Erwin is in a contract year and cannot produce good data. Could he get the next contract by sharing the same name as "Magic"?

Irvine averaged 14.2 minutes per game last season, scored 3.1 points, 4.5 rebounds and 1 block, and shot only 44.3% from the field. Entering the playoffs, he played 13.5 minutes, scored 3.5 points, 5.3 rebounds and 1 block, and shot only 28.6% from the field.

It's obvious that this center has no offensive talent and can only block shots and grab rebounds. At first glance, Irvine's defensive efficiency is good, but in fact he is obsessed with statistics and can sometimes turn the opponent's blue-collar players into All-Stars.

After greeting everyone, Yang Jian stopped talking much and stayed aside to act like a transparent person.

Media Day is a day for celebrities to steal the limelight, and the key players pose for their makeup photos. The core three of the Sonics are naturally Payton, Kemp, and Schrempf.

Payton stood in the C position, with two big men on the left and right. Kemp is more popular than Payton and is loved by fans, but in the Sonics, Payton is the boss.

Payton, the gossip, has a stronger leadership temperament on the court, while Kemp's mentality is not to fight for the ball. He joined the Sonics earlier than Payton and became famous earlier. It can be said that he gave up his position as the boss and was satisfied with being called the "Gemini".

Kemp only averaged more than 13 shots per game in the 1992-93 season. He had a high shooting percentage but not many shots, a bit like Yao Ming.

Other players take photos for fun, and the media and magazines will not use their photos. Yang Jian stands out among the players. It is the first time in NBA history that an Asian has participated in such a group photo. His smile was bright and he was proud of his achievements today.

There are a lot of reporters here today, and the SuperSonics are a team that has attracted much attention.

The most watched team in the NBA is of course the Bulls who signed Rodman. The Bulls are full of talents, and there is also the superstar Jordan, who is the number one favorite to win the championship.

Next is the SuperSonics, which has three All-Star players like the Bulls.

However, the SuperSonics are a negative example of the league. In the first two seasons, they were upset in the first round despite being favored. Now no one is optimistic about them winning the championship, but they are waiting to see the joke.

The reporters' questions are no longer old-fashioned questions like "goals for the new season", but have transformed into content that worries SuperSonics fans.

"The team sent away Kendall Gill, who averaged 20+ points per game, and the players they traded back were not well-known but had injury risks. The new players they signed were all low-paid players, second-round picks and even undrafted players. The SuperSonics have been disappointed this season. Have you given up on competing for the championship?"

George Karl's answer was surprising and high-pitched. "Our goal for the new season is to win the championship. The new players are suitable for the team system. I believe they will soon integrate into the team and play a role. Especially Yang Jian, his performance will surprise everyone."

A reporter asked Payton: "If the team still cannot make a breakthrough in the playoffs and you are a free agent next summer, will you consider leaving the team?"

Payton's answer was ambiguous. "Not necessarily, I'm quite satisfied with the current SuperSonics team."

It seems that Payton's idea of ​​staying with the Sonics seems to be wavering. Players' salaries have increased dramatically this year, with Patrick Ewing's annual salary reaching 18 million. Of course, Payton also wants an annual salary of tens of millions. If he uses this method to put pressure on the management, he may leave if he doesn't receive an annual salary of tens of millions.

When it comes to contract renewal, another key figure is naturally indispensable. The reporter asked SuperSonics owner Barry Acoli about Kemp.

Kemp's contract will expire in 1997. If the Sonics do not pay Kemp a high salary, it can be said that he will definitely leave. The SuperSonics boss naturally understood Kemp's thoughts and answered the reporter directly.

Akoli said: "We definitely want him to stay here longer and sign a long-term contract. We are also very happy to have him. He has always been our inside core. His salary has not been high in the past few years. , helped us make some other signings and I will never forget that."

Talking about whether the SuperSonics are willing to renew Kemp in 1997, Acoli said: "Of course we have to do it. He has the right to leave, he can go to any team he wants to go to, and I hope he can stay here. . I hope he will be on the same page as us. But you can never predict something like this, you can only let it happen."

Kemp's popularity in Seattle is too high. Acoli has actually been dissatisfied with him for a long time, but he can't say that he wants to trade Kemp. The Bulls once wanted to trade Pippen and Kemp, but the SuperSonics management was tempted, but ultimately rejected the deal due to pressure from fans.

Reporters also asked questions about the shooting guard. They all felt that the Sonics' shooting guard position was extremely weak.

Yang Jian is a newcomer, and playing well in the summer league cannot prove anything. Edwards only played 14 games last season and was unable to adapt to intense competition. Askew averaged 18.2 minutes per game in the playoffs last season, scoring only 3.7 points, 2.2 rebounds and 1.7 assists, while shooting 34.3% from the field.

None of these three seem to be qualified starting candidates. McMillan can play shooting guard, but his scoring ability is terrible. As for Snow, who is 191cm tall... reporters didn't even think of such a person.

George Karl said: "When the new season starts, everyone will know whether our shooting guard position is really weak. I don't want to say more now. The fact that the players are not famous does not mean they have no strength."

Many reporters immediately guessed that the Sonics planned to train Yang Jian and interviewed Yang Jian.

"The coach is very optimistic about you. What role do you think you will play in the team in the new season?"

Yang Jian said calmly: "Whatever role the coach needs me to play, I will do it seriously."

The reporter asked: "What do you think of the SuperSonics' weakness at the 2nd position? This is a good opportunity for you."

There is a trap in this question. If Yang Jian admits that it is an opportunity and says that he can get more playing time, he may be labeled as "disrespecting the veteran players in the team" and "arrogant".

And this also confirms the argument that the Sonics are weak at the No. 2 position. Even an undrafted player thinks he has a chance, but others really can't.

Yang Jian thought for a while and said seriously: "I think the SuperSonics are very strong at the No. 2 position. Everyone except me has rich game experience. I am very happy to be a member of the SuperSonics. There is a lot worth learning here. object."

The reporter who asked the question was immediately disappointed and secretly sighed that this young man was not simple.

Yang Jian left an impression on people with his dunks and bravery in the summer league. Reporters thought he would be a person with a fiery personality. When answering questions, he was very restrained.

The reporter asked: "What are your goals for the new season?"

"Integrate into the team as soon as possible and be a player who is helpful to the team. It's that simple. I don't expect to get much playing time. I will play as long as the coach needs me."

Yes, I have no problem letting me play the whole game, but I won't say that.

Yang Jian is nominally 19 years old, but mentally he is already an uncle.