NBA: Miracle Workers

Chapter 266 The Secret to Winning: Superstar (Daily Chapter)

In mid-August 2002, the national team began to prepare for the subsequent Basketball World Championships, and the American sports media began to consume Michael Jordan again without a big fish in the offseason.

Although McQueen rarely appeared in the offseason and kept a low profile at odds with the Wizards management, the sports media has not forgotten him!

What’s even more interesting is that people started to compare Li You and Mike:
  Among the two teams, the Wizards have the No. [-] pick Kwame Brown, and the Knicks have the No. [-] pick Pau Gasol;
  Both teams have superstars, Li You has Grant Hill, and Michael Jordan has Hamilton.

Using this situation for comparison, everyone finally came to the conclusion that it turned out that McDunner wasted his teammates!
  The Wizards failed to reach the playoffs in the end, and the sports media automatically ignored Michael Dun's age. There was really no news, and they began to mock Michael Jordan for choosing to come back.
  I don’t blame the media for the hype, it’s really because there are too few stars at present, and everyone has seen enough of the gossip about the Lakers reported every day. Other players are not famous enough, and fans don’t buy it.

The Oriental big man who is about to land in the NBA has also attracted a lot of attention. A large number of media reporters from across the ocean have been dispatched, and the Chinese sports circle has become excited!

It was just that at this time, Wang Zhizhi was absent from the Asian Games training camp in order to get his next contract. The head coach Faye Wong did not give him face, and the Dallas reporters reported indiscriminately, which raised this matter to another level.

It is not easy to get a contract in the NBA. Wang Zhizhi played well in the summer league and was eventually signed by the Clippers.

For low-level players, summer leagues and preseason games are ways to gain the trust of the head coach. If they choose to return to the national team to participate in training at this time, the contract issue will most likely be lost.
  This incident also caused an uproar in the Chinese sports media circle. Su Qun actively campaigned for this, but things within the system are never simple, and the results were not optimistic.

When Yao Ming came to play in the NBA, his salary had to be given back to his home team. This matter was also a systemic issue. In this era, there is no way to talk about right and wrong.

Fortunately, Houston's fans have good spending power, and with the city's backing, Yao Ming's arrival is destined to boost the market, and team owner Alexander is ready to make a lot of money.

The enthusiasm of fans across the ocean exceeds the imagination of some American sports media!

The American sports media broke the news that head coach Rudy Tomjanovich is in poor physical condition, and the Rockets may change their head coach later.

After this news was reported again, Jeff Van Gundy became a popular candidate.

As a coach who has won four consecutive championships, it seems reasonable to coach the No. [-] pick. The most important thing is that Yao Ming is a big man and the favorite of the bald young coach!
  However, Jeff Van Gundy, who frequently hangs out on TNT and ESPN, denied the news at the first opportunity and answered simply:

"I have not considered returning to the league. Currently I am focusing on my family. I hope I can spend more time with my family!"

"Yao has excellent conditions and I believe he will succeed with the Rockets."

After the TNT reporter broke the news, the sports media were a little disappointed, and the big melon was gone again.

The bald young coach currently lives in Manhattan. It is true that he spends time with his family, but it is naturally false that he does not want to coach!
  The reason for rejecting the Rockets is also very simple. Jeff Van Gundy knows that the boss is a stingy guy, and he needs more power to coach again!
  For the bald young coach, his ultimate goal is to become a legend like "Cardinal" Auerbach.

No matter how bad it is, he has to be like Pat Riley. The head coach and general manager have the power in his hands, and he alone has the final say on the team!
  In Jeff Van Gundy's heart, he always hopes that he can become a romantic figure like Pat Riley. He has achieved four consecutive championships. Now he needs a platform that is more suitable for him.

On Saturday, August 8, Tom Thibodeau came to the new house Van Gundy bought in Midtown.

Although it cannot be compared with Li You's "New York-style" townhouse near the Metropolitan Museum, this high-rise apartment is enough for many people to work for half a lifetime.

After getting the new house, his family has not yet moved in. Jeff Van Gundy has been busy taking care of the house recently. When he saw his friend arriving, he immediately welcomed him home with a smile.

"Tom, I know why you're here, but don't worry, we'll have a new job soon!"

Wearing a gray home suit, Jeff Van Gundy has gained some weight recently, and his whole body looks white and fat.
  From the high-rise apartment, you can see the bustling streets of Manhattan. Thibodeau looked at the bald young man who was about to go to heaven, and asked curiously:
  "Why not go to Houston? Even Tomjanovich wants you to coach the Rockets."

Jeff Van Gundy shook his head, looked at his most trusted assistant, and suddenly asked:
  “What do you think makes us successful in New York?”

Upon hearing this question, the honest man Thibodeau opened his mouth and answered without even thinking:
  "Of course Lee! Without him and just relying on Ewing, we wouldn't have been able to beat the Bulls in 98."

"Although Li's efficiency at that time was not as good as it is now, he performed very well in responding to the ball."

Jeff Van Gundy didn’t deny it, he nodded with a smile, and then added:
  "Success is naturally inseparable from a superstar, but New York's salary is the highest in the league. A stingy owner cannot help the team win the championship."

"Even if you are lucky enough to win a championship, you cannot dominate an era and create a dynasty team."

"We need to coach superstars, we need the boss to be willing to spend money, and most importantly, the management also needs to show respect!"

Upon hearing such conditions, Thibodeau was stunned. Even New York didn't receive such treatment:

"There is currently no such team in the league. Do you want to go to Los Angeles? But the Lakers just won the championship!"

Hearing Thibodeau's rhetorical question, Jeff Van Gundy put on a confident look again:

"After the new season starts, I will pay more attention to Cleveland. You should also see that a talented high school student has appeared in Akron."

"LeBron James, his peers at ESPN and TNT speak highly of him."

"The most important thing is that Cleveland sports need a savior. This is our opportunity. The management will fully support me, and this rookie will naturally not refuse to play for me."

"We can build the team the way we want and ultimately save sports in Cleveland, where we can create our own legendary record!"

"Just like Pat Riley, we will be the real masters of a team. This is definitely a great opportunity!"

It seems that the more he thinks about it, the more beautiful it becomes. Jeff Van Gundy's smile can no longer be stretched. Although Cleveland is only a small ball market, the title of "Savior" is too loud!
  Tom Thibodeau didn't expect the bald young coach to have such a plan.

Although it sounds a bit unreliable, but thinking about the Cavaliers' poor record and affiliation to the Eastern Conference, Thibodeau still reminded him tactfully:
  "Maybe LeBron James is very talented, but he is just a high school student and is far different from Lee."

"In his rookie season, Li outperformed his peers in tactical execution and game control. This is inseparable from the training in Connecticut."

"I always feel that it is difficult for most teams to break the Knicks' dominance. As long as Lee stays healthy, he can continue to win in the Eastern Conference."

Jeff Van Gundy seemed to have thought of this, and finally stopped smiling, walked over, hugged his good partner, and gave him reassurance:

"We can also build a star lineup in Cleveland. After all, basketball belongs to five people. There will be times when Lee's condition declines."

"Time is on our side, Tom, all you have to do now is get ready, we're going to be in Cleveland for a long time!"

Thibodeau nodded. For the Cavaliers, they will select LeBron James, a talented player from his hometown, in next year's draft. If the championship coach offers an olive branch, the other party will definitely accept it.

Just looking at the complacent bald young marshal, Thibodeau was still a little worried:
  "Will it really go so well?"

Entering August, Li You's life has become more regular. He attends some sponsor activities and dinners from Monday to Friday, reads books when he has time, and strives to complete his studies as soon as possible.

You don't have to go to work and watch the girls busy every day. The workplace is not easy to deal with, not to mention the life of an 18th-tier actor.

On the contrary, Ivana, who is "interning for her father", spends the most time. She says she is at work, but who would really embarrass this person.

"Inspecting hotels" is Ivana's job this summer.
  The family square and building are still under construction, and since Ivana cannot participate in these core projects, her work will naturally be easy.

Early on Sunday morning, downstairs of the family landmark building, Ivana was wearing slim-fitting jeans and a white T-shirt, looking like a girl.

Under the watchful eye of the security personnel, he smiled and boarded Li You's latest black Dodge Viper sports car.

As the first car dealer to send cars to Li You, Dodge would introduce them to Li You whenever it had outstanding new products in recent years.

As long as he agrees to sneak around on the street occasionally, Li You can get a new car.

This Dodge Viper is an improved model, and Li You doesn't know what's extra there, but compared to the white commemorative model at home, the black one is more low-key, and it has recently become his car.

When Li You turned his head, he saw that the seat belt on Ivana was gone. Apparently the white rabbit had grown twice as big in the past two years.
  Ivana straightened her chest, threw her bag aside, kissed Li You and asked with a smile:

"Where are we going today? Toward Long Island or to South Hampton?"

“I’ll never go to the Hamptons again, it’s a two-hour drive, and although the house is nice, I’d rather be closer to Manhattan.”

While controlling the speed of the car, Li You complained about his recent experience of viewing a house. Looking at the lip marks on his face, Ivana giggled, and then joked with a smile:
  "Didn't you say you want to stay away from the old money's territory? Although South Hampton and East Hampton are a little far away, the estates are both exquisite and large!"

"If you want to travel, you can choose a helicopter. How about I ask Daddy to give you the helipad? He won't use it anyway."

It is not until she talks about enjoying life that Ivana reveals the temperament of a wealthy lady.

Not long ago, the two viewed a "waterfront manor", which covers an area of ​​7.7 acres, has 18 bedrooms and 10 bathrooms, and is equipped with a seaside swimming pool, tennis court, yacht dock, garden fountain, etc.

At night, you can still see Manhattan across the sea. When the lighting is turned on in the evening, you can almost reach Gatsby's manor in Li You's memory.

It’s just that the location really makes Li You unable to complain. The house is surrounded by woods and the greening is too good.
  The same goes for the two "waterfront estates" we looked at later, covering an area of ​​15 acres (the size of 8.5 standard football fields) and an area of ​​25 acres. They are somewhat far from Manhattan.

Sensing the direction of Li You's driving, Ivana laughed again, stepped forward and kissed her again and joked again:
  "Old money still has good taste, so you still chose Greenwich."

"It's really good here. The taxes are cheaper than in Manhattan. The president of IBM also has a house here."

Li You was forced to say "it smells so good". When he saw the white rabbit who was smiling wildly, he simply stepped forward and grabbed a handful, and then complained twice:

"Although these guys look down on people, the house is innocent. At worst, I will redecorate and decorate it again. I am not interested in making any secrets. The facilities in those old houses have long been out of date!"

Ivana covered her mouth and nodded while suppressing a smile. Her father was ridiculed for living on the top floor. In the eyes of some old New Yorkers, only the entire townhouses on the Upper East Side were truly "authentic."

It's just that the living experience in those old houses is not good. Li You still likes big houses very tackily.

Connecticut, Greenwich Indian Field Road, Li You checked the time when he got off the car. 45 minutes was indeed within his acceptable range.

Since the end of the 19th century, this area has always been a farm. In the later years, the wealthy farmers accumulated enough resources and left this area.

As the largest seaside plot in Greenwich, the estates here are naturally popular with wealthy people.

The blond, blue-eyed, and good-looking housekeeper had been waiting for Li You to arrive early. She watched Ivana carrying Li You and looking around, and immediately stepped forward and introduced:

"Welcome to Peninsula Manor!"

This manor was introduced to Li You by the Qifu brothers. The previous owner lost a lot of money due to the Internet bubble, and the family fund almost lost everything.
  Coupled with the recent economic downturn, I had no choice but to sell my old house.

Ivana, who had already changed into flat shoes when she got off the car, noticed a huge tree on the other side, and her eyes suddenly lit up. When the two of them boarded the tour car, they whispered:

"It seems that the previous owners of this manor took great care of the house. Such big trees are not common!"

There are also several houses at the front of the gate. This is where housekeepers and security personnel live. Compared with the Hamptons, it also has a view of Long Island Sound.

The blond housekeeper in front noticed that the two people behind her liked the scenery here very much, and introduced in a low voice at the right time: "The house was built in 1898. Just like Miss Ivana said, generations of homeowners have taken good care of it. This estate.”

"The main body of the house still maintains the Victorian style"

Covering an area of ​​50 acres, the front and rear landscaped gardens of the main body of the house are very large.

Walled garden, spa pool, lawn tennis court, two private beaches, beautiful views of Long Island Sound from the main house, surrounded by towering trees, the previous owners have really maintained the house well.

Li You didn't bother to count the specific number of rooms. The main part of the old house would need to be renovated by then.

With rolling lawns, trees and gardens as far as the eye can see, this is truly one of the most beautiful houses on the Greenwich coastline.

Ivana was still listening carefully to the housekeeper's introduction. She really liked the environment here. Seeing all kinds of beautiful flowers in the greenhouse, she felt very good for a while.

The disadvantage of this manor is that the sea view is not the most beautiful. Just like the name, the peninsula is always incomplete. Fortunately, the surrounding environment makes up for this.

After looking around, Li You came to the beach. Ivana quickly came over and said happily:

"Although the decoration style is average, the materials are very good, and they should be those century-old oak trees in England. These can be retained, but the study, kitchen and dining room need to be renovated."

Li You already knew the specific information and was very satisfied after seeing the house. He hugged Ivana and asked in a low voice:
  "How much room for appreciation is there in the future? I don't want to lose money!"

Ivana chuckled again, looked at the towering trees, raised her head and said:
  "The environment is only suitable for a family to live in. If you want to renovate, you have to destroy the surrounding environment. This place is really good, at least the children will like it very much."

"The value will definitely increase in the future. Although the sea view is not as good as that of the houses in the Hamptons, it is also very convenient to dock the yacht, which can save a lot of money."

Li You whispered "7500 million", Ivana blinked and said the price was more suitable. The two stopped talking and continued to tour the manor.

The giant trees around it should be close to a hundred years old. As Ivana said, it is difficult to make a profit from this manor. It is only suitable for a large family to live here.

The New York media didn't notice that Li You wanted to buy a big house. There was no sales information about the manor introduced by the Ziff brothers. The original owner probably didn't want to lose face, so the news only spread among friends.

It took more than 40 minutes to drive, and Akers Capital was also in Greenwich, so Li You decided to buy it.

But if you want to live in a new house, you still have to wait for a while.

At the end of August, the Basketball World Championships were getting closer and closer. Most sports media were originally reporting on the news about the national team and loaning out gold medals every day. However, the Wizards' trade has attracted the attention of sports commentators.

The Pistons sent Brian Cardinal, Jerry Stackhouse, and Lacourt Varda;
  In the end, Hubert Davis, Richard Hamilton, and Bobby Simmons were exchanged from the Wizards.

Hamilton was definitely a big deal with the Wizards last season. According to the sports media, it must be Michael Jordan's opinion to give him away!
  Although he was very low-key during the offseason, when the Washington Post interviewed McQueen, he still expressed his stance confidently:
  "Maybe you think I'm old, but I just want to take this team to the playoffs."

"Richard is a nice young man who trains very hard and likes to polish his skills. I wish him all the best in the future."

"The Wizards will rise again in the new season. This offseason, I have been polishing my body."

"Compared to last season, I feel that my physical condition is much better!"

The failure of last season caused McNuck to throw himself in the training hall and spent the entire offseason trying to regain his physical condition.

During the interview, McNair was still in the training hall. For this superstar, he did not want to experience the feeling of losing weight again.

This deal reminded many commentators of Kwame Brown on the bench.

Everyone knows what McQueen's vision is. As long as the Wizards' record shows no improvement in the new season, there will be news to report.
  It was a rare interview with this superstar. The Washington Post did not forget to mention this year’s finals at the end. Michael Jordan was too lazy to say too much and just wished the Lakers:

"It's great to see Shaq win a championship, he is a very talented big man!"

"It reminds me of the time I played against him, and it takes a lot of practice to overcome the disadvantage on free throws, and Shaq did it."

"As for the new season, Lee may still reach the finals. If the Lakers want to defend their title, they have to be careful. They need to get nervous as soon as possible. Defending the title is never an easy task."

Michael Jordan didn't gossip. For a player his age, it was more about competing with himself.

On the contrary, a reporter from the Washington Post heard that McQueen was optimistic about Li You, and when he thought about the strength of the Knicks, he suddenly felt that the future of the Wizards was not bright.
  As September approaches, the Magic signed former star Sean Kemp and barely formed the Big Three.

However, apart from exciting Magic fans, most fans did not react much to this signing. Kemp is completely out of date!
  Entering September, most fans' attention is attracted by the Basketball World Championships, and Li You has already started training in advance.

At the Tarrytown Training Center, Matt Barnes was serving as the server honestly. Watching the one-on-one duel between the two in the half, he couldn't help but grin and complained wildly in his heart:

"It's so difficult to play in the NBA!?"

Li You, who received the ball at the top of the arc, faced Artest's defense. He took quick test steps with his right foot, then suddenly released the ball with his left hand and quickly took a large step back.

The moment he shook off the defense, his body was still drifting to the left and back. Li You faced the block and made a quick jump shot!
  "Shua!" The three-pointer hit the net hollowly.

"5:12! Ron, try harder!"

Stephen Jackson, who was wearing a headband on the sidelines, kept clapping and shouting.

Artest clapped his hands depressedly, lowered his center of gravity again, tried his best to assume a defensive posture, and stared at Li You who was catching the ball again at the top of the arc.

The moment he caught the ball, he feinted first. Taking advantage of Artest's defensive focus, Li You quickly swept the ball, then released the ball with his right hand and accelerated directly.

The size of the striker naturally has certain advantages. Artest reacted quickly and immediately slid to the left and rear while providing physical confrontation.

At the same time as he was hit, Li You was also forced to slow down. He suddenly exploded the ball in the right block. He pulled the ball back with his right hand and shook it. Then he quickly turned around, facing the defense, and made a drifting fadeaway jumper!
  He just missed the shot. After landing, Artest slapped his thigh in annoyance, and then heard the sound of the basketball hitting the net.

"what!"

Li You threw 13 balls in a row and took them away in a wave. Artest yelled depressedly.

Stephen Jackson happily rushed to the court and made a gesture of counting money, indicating to Artest to pay.

Returning to the sidelines, he picked up the kettle and took a swig. Artest did not forget to throw out a roll of swords:

"Damn it! I can lose even if I do this, but I have been practicing for more than two months!"

Hearing Artest's complaint, Grant Hill also laughed:

"It still works! Li made very few breakthroughs, and you made correct predictions every time he defended!"

Small forwards and guards are one-on-one, and the former can usually beat the latter. This is determined by their size.

Artest's skills in his rookie season were too rough, but after three seasons, he also improved. When he met Li You, although he could score some points, as long as he made a mistake, he would most likely be taken away by a wave of streamers.
  Stephen Jackson looked at Li You who had taken off his black vest and began to flatter him again:
  "Li only suffers from height and wingspan, but his explosiveness and strength are not inferior to forward players!"

"God! Look at these muscles, it's unbelievable!"

Talent is indeed amazing. Li You passively increased the ball and did not deliberately increase his strength. However, as each talent was digested, his body became stronger and stronger.

Although the chest muscles are not thick, they are very stylish. The 6-pack abdominal muscles are particularly obvious, and the entire upper body muscle lines look particularly beautiful.

As he gets older and passively increases his goals, Li You has gained some new achievements recently:
  [Shaquille O'Neal's Extraordinary Power] has turned golden.

The corresponding strength attribute value has also reached 85.

Catherine, a blonde girl, likes Li You's muscles very much, and the two of them have also unlocked many special ways to play.
  Li You also picked up the water bottle and replenished the water. He noticed Artest's depressed look and joked with a smile:
  "If you can score 13 goals in a row, you should be able to beat me. Ron, you really have to work harder. You can't always be deceived into the center of gravity."

Matt Barnes couldn't get in the conversation, but he could see clearly that it wasn't that Artest was deceived, but that once the defense was slow, Li You could take a step away from face to face and score with a force shot.
  But when faced with a skinny guy like him, Li You could easily get to the basket with half his body. After a few hits, Matt Barnes knew that he was the weakest one in this group. .

"You have to sum up your defensive position and not just go by feel."

"Each player's playing habits are different, but they can still be summarized through big data. Remember to ask the coaching staff for advice, and they will help you collect information on opposing players."

Li You warned Artest again, and then said to Stephen Jackson who was counting money on the other side:
  "How does the hamstring feel? I remember the recovery period for injuries like this is extremely long."

Stephen Jackson immediately patted his right leg and said seriously:

"No problem. I played less than 30 games last season, and I almost recovered by the time of the finals. I'm completely fine now!"

"Let's teach the Lakers a lesson this year, Shet! O'Neal is such an annoying big mouth!"

During his concert, Shark didn't forget to mock the Knicks in a weird way, and he also wrote a song for his little brother.
  Taunting his opponents and teasing his teammates, O'Neal, who has been holding back for several years, has completely let himself go and has been practicing frequently recently.

Except for Gasol, most of the Knicks have no national team assignments.

The atmosphere team resumed training early, mainly because they wanted to give the new head coach a good impression.

Everyone doesn't know much about Coach D'Antoni's coaching style, so the impression score is very important at this time.

Grant Hill saw that the new boy Prince was silent and took the initiative to pull him to play two games to stretch his body.

Stoudemire didn't interrupt and took the initiative to serve. The new high school student was a little shy, and his technique was a bit rough, so he always felt a little embarrassed.

Matt Barnes realized that his job had been robbed. At this time, he took the initiative to approach Stephen Jackson and consulted in a low voice:
  "Bro, I want to stay in the team and receive a basic salary. What do I do now?"

Stephen Jackson understood what the other party meant. Barnes wanted to be the atmosphere team and be Li You's little brother. This was also the only way out for the second-round pick.

Touching his chin and looking at the thin body of the other party, Stephen Jackson made an experienced comment:

"Dude! You're going to have to get some tattoos, and you can't do it this way! Have you ever boxed?"

"No, no, but I'm not a softie!"

Matt Barnes was a little surprised. First he had a question mark on his face, then he looked at his body, and finally he showed a thoughtful expression:

"Maybe that's a good idea!"

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  (End of this chapter)