Chapter 1 The Draft

At the draft, when Rondo excitedly stated in the center of the stage that he couldn't wait to receive patient instruction from Su Feng...

In front of the TV, even the Heat's own fans couldn't figure out why the Heat would waste their precious pick, obtained with multiple draft picks, on Rondo.

Compared to these fans who were still in a daze, the Lakers, who had originally planned to select Rondo with the 21st pick in the first round, were also dumbfounded...

The Lakers had deliberately released Rondo's poor shooting performance during workouts because their elite scouting team greatly valued Rondo's potential.

In the NBA, it is not uncommon to use smoke and mirrors before the draft to interfere with other teams' choices.

For example, back then, to trick the Celtics into choosing Antoine Walker...

Didn't Logo Man deliberately hype him up as the next "Magic"?

However, after Walker's workout with the Celtics, the Celtics' front office, who thought they had seen through Logo Man's plan, could never have imagined...

That the moment they labeled Wo Ke as "Black Bird," they had already fallen for Jerry West's trick.

Madison Square Garden, the draft continued.

With the 21st pick in the first round, after Rondo was snatched away by the Heat, the Lakers activated their backup plan and selected Kyle Lowry.

In Su Feng's original timeline, Lowry, known as "Little Steel Cannon" by Chinese fans, was selected to the NBA All-Star team for several consecutive years at his peak.

It must be said that although they missed Rondo, the Lakers also found a gem in this year's draft.

Because if Su Feng remembered correctly, the Lakers would have originally selected Jordan Farmar in this draft.

And originally, before the draft started, Su Feng had also considered Lowry.

But compared to Rondo, Su Feng still felt that the latter was more suitable for the current Heat.

Because in Su Feng's memory, Lowry was a player who needed time and patience to cultivate.

But now, with the Heat about to launch an assault on the dynasty...

Where would Su Feng find the time to wait for rookies to grow?

In Su Feng's previous life, after joining the league in '06, Lowry didn't complete his true transformation until he went to the Raptors in '12/'13.

In comparison, Rondo, who won a championship with the Big Three in his second year, not only didn't need such a long growth period, but his innate static talent also meant that he could quickly become a ready-made force for this Heat team.

At the time of registration, Rondo, who was 185 centimeters tall, had an exaggerated wingspan of 205 centimeters.

Moreover, he also had a pair of large hands that guards of the same height envied.

In Su Feng's original timeline, many fans liked to call Rondo "Center Rondo," because Rondo's protection of rebounds in games was even better than some interior players.

In addition, these big hands and long arms also allowed Rondo to complete some incredible steals in games without losing his position.

In the recently concluded '05/'06 season, Su Feng was very clear that Payton had regressed from being able to defend anyone to being unable to defend anyone.

Therefore, in Su Feng's view, Rondo was undoubtedly the correct answer for the Heat.

And coincidentally...

Despite the Lakers' front-line operation team at the draft site still regretting not being able to select Rondo...

But based on the Lakers' current roster structure...

Su Feng instead believed that Lowry was more suitable for this Lakers team than Rondo.

In Su Feng's previous life, due to his cooperation with Ka Huang (Dwight Howard), Lowry was questioned by many mindless Ka fans, leading to a stereotypical impression of Lowry among many fans as "having a solo play style, high usage rate, and constantly clanging the rim."

But in fact, contrary to what these fans believed...

For most of Lowry's career, he not only didn't have a solo play style, but also had a low usage rate, and the shots he missed in the game, much like Billups, didn't disrupt the team's original offensive rhythm and chemistry.

In Su Feng's previous life, until Su Feng's rebirth, Lowry's highest career average shot attempts was only 16 times...

And as an offensive point guard...

If an average of 16 shot attempts is considered a lot...

Then I'm afraid most of the league's offensive point guards would have to commit seppuku before taking the court.

In addition, except for individual seasons where Lowry had to step up due to injuries on the team, Lowry's usage rate was not considered high among a group of star guards.

In fact, when his teammates were able to score on their own, Lowry was very willing to be their dribbling tool.

Moreover, in the future, because nearly half of Lowry's shots per game would be from beyond the three-point line, his true shooting percentage would also be higher than what those fans who only saw him constantly clang, clang, clang on the court imagined.

It's a pity that because of his perennial poor performance in the playoffs when cooperating with DeRozan...

Lowry naturally became the scapegoat on the court for the Raptors in the future.

However...

This also proved from the side just how good Lowry's ability to withstand pressure was.

Therefore...

With the premise of possessing three excellent qualities: being able to play as a dribbling guard, being able to take the gun from the boss's hand at critical moments, and being able to take the blame, Su Feng was very optimistic about Lowry's future with the Lakers in this life.

After all, based on Kobe's character...

Su Feng didn't think he could continue to tolerate Smush Parker, nicknamed "Death," for much longer.

At the draft site, after the Heat and Lakers respectively picked the two bright pearls at the end of the first round that year, the next thing worth mentioning was the Knicks using their first pick in the second round to select James White.

At the Chicago Combined Training Camp before, this guy was the player who, together with Rudy Gay, reproduced the classic scene of Su Feng and Carter at the 2000 Slam Dunk Contest.

There was no way, because after selecting Aldridge, the fans at the New York site were denouncing the Knicks management for not choosing Gay, so in order to quell the Knicks fans' idiotic anger, the Knicks front office also spent cash to trade up for the first pick in the second round of '06 before the start of the second round of the draft.

And the most amazing thing was...

After the Knicks selected White, the little fan who had been crying before actually turned from sorrow to joy!

"That's great! James White will definitely lead us to a bright future!" At the draft site, when interviewed by reporters, this little fan with an excited expression said with joy.

And seeing this...

To be honest...

With such Knicks fans...

Su Feng really didn't know where the Knicks fans of the future got the courage to question James Dolan and the Knicks management.

Because compared to the Knicks management and James Dolan, the fans in this unlucky place in New York are the ones who truly interpret "arrogance and prejudice" to the fullest.

In Su Feng's previous life, because he performed double-handed dunks from the free throw line multiple times during workouts, James White surpassed a group of star players in the same draft in terms of reputation even before entering the league.

And in this life, White even became famous in the previous impromptu performance with Gay by recreating the reverse dunk from the free throw line that Feng Huang (Su Feng) did back then.

But facts proved that NBA scouts aren't blind every year.

Because if basketball was just about comparing who jumps higher and further...

Then why would this sport need to have two baskets set up on two halves of the court?

In Su Feng's view, apart from being kind and polite...

White had no other commendable advantages.

Therefore...

If the Knicks really expected James White to lead them to a bright future...

Then...

They'd probably have to see if Stern was willing to give them the first pick next year.

"No wonder James didn't choose the Knicks in the end.

Because if I were James, I wouldn't choose this dump either." In front of the TV, watching the Knicks fans who were frantically adding drama to themselves, Su Feng said with emotion.

Next, in the second round of the draft, because the Jazz in this life already had Boozer, Yi Jianlian, and Al Jefferson on the front line, Paul Millsap, one of the bright pearls of the second round this year, was also selected by the Cavaliers at a later position than Su Feng remembered.

Before, Su Feng had also considered having Riley buy another second-round draft pick to select Millsap.

However, because the Heat already had a bunch of short, stocky rebounding monsters, plus he would occasionally play power forward in games...

So after carefully observing the Heat's roster, Su Feng believed that forcibly selecting Millsap would only cause the Heat to waste a roster spot.

In the NBA, stacking too many excellent players at one position is by no means a good thing.

Because this will not only make your personnel reserves at other positions weaker than other teams, but also, how could there be enough playing time for so many people to share?

And without playing time...

No matter how good the player is, wouldn't they have to be placed on the bench?

However, after Millsap was selected by the Cavaliers, Su Feng vaguely felt that the Eastern Conference next season would become a "four-emperor battle."

Because in the game, at critical moments, Millsap, who had an outstanding physique even in his rookie season, could not only allow the Cavaliers to speed up their small lineup, but also, when necessary, his tougher playing style than Bosh could also allow this Cavaliers team to maintain its vitality on both the offensive and defensive ends.

Just looking at the lineup...

Next season, the Cavaliers, with Big Z, Bosh, James, Joe Johnson, Millsap, and Korver, would be a team with the strength to dominate a certain stage of the NBA, no matter which era Su Feng remembered.

But unfortunately...

In this timeline that Su Feng is now in...

Even if you let the Cavaliers front office foresee the future, they wouldn't dare say that they could break through from the Eastern Conference next season.

Because this era that has already gone wild...

Is just that outrageous.

……

As the draft ended, in the last few days of June in Las Vegas, the members of the Sino-American men's basketball training camp also witnessed what outrageous meant.

Because this Las Vegas training camp had a very high intensity and standard, even those players who had been playing in the NBA for many years only wanted to return to the hotel to sleep immediately after daily training.

But, there were a few freaks...

Who not only had to do extra training after training.

But they even had to play a few one-on-one matches against each other before they were willing to leave the basketball gym.

Su Feng.

Yao Ming.

Kobe.

James.

Wade.

Paul.

"Don't watch, these are just a bunch of monsters.

Let's wash up and go to bed early, I still have to teach you the hook shot tomorrow."

On the training ground, patting Howard on the shoulder, who had been hammered into a Hello Kitty by Little Yao in the five-on-five half-court drills these past two days, Ewing, who was Howard's personal coach, said helplessly.

And hearing this, although Howard wanted to retort...

But based on his one-on-one record of 0 to 24 against Little Yao these past two days...

What could Howard do?

Before, when Howard agreed to accept the call-up of the US men's basketball team, Coach K had been happy for a long time because of this.

Because in his view, in order to defeat the Chinese men's basketball team and rebuild the glory of the US men's basketball team, the primary task of the US men's basketball team was to curb the formation of a linkage between Yao Ming and Su Feng on the court.

After all, as the current number one player in the league and the NBA's chief center, once these two form a linkage in the game, then even if the overall strength of the US men's basketball team is far above the Chinese men's basketball team, it will be difficult for the US men's basketball team to defeat this Chinese men's basketball team.

Because in a basketball game...

No matter how many stars you have, only five can be on the court at the same time.

And the one who completes the goal in the end...

Is only one person.

But, these past two days, after watching Little Yao and Howard's private practice...

Coach K had completely despaired.

Because not to mention being evenly matched with Little Yao...

Even if it was a nine-to-one advantage, Howard couldn't do it!

In the low post, comparing strength, apart from O'Neal, in today's league, even Little Yao, who hasn't gained weight to 140 kilograms, isn't an opponent that Howard can withstand.

And the most amazing thing is, because in this life, he had learned to retreat while fighting under Carlisle...

So conversely, no matter how good Howard's athletic ability is, he can only be shown up by Little Yao.

In Su Feng's previous life, Yao Ming and Howard had 9 encounters in the NBA.

And among these, Yao Ming not only won 9 of them, but also in terms of head-to-head data, he also completely exploded Howard's average of "12+9+1.5" with an average of "23+10+1+2".

Oh, you say that's because Howard was still leveling up in his early years, and Yao Ming was already at his peak, so such data comparison is unfair?

Then let's just take the '08/'09 season after Howard entered his peak period.

In the two games against the Rockets in that season, Yao Ming not only led the team to two victories, but also exploded Howard in head-to-head data twice.

Even the most exaggerated thing is that in these two games, Little Yao's shooting percentage reached an astonishing 60%.

Looking at the styles of Howard and Yao Ming, the former is more like a player of the "boxing champion" Tyson Chandler's type, protecting his teammates on the defensive end through rapid movement ability.

And the latter is an unsolvable interior scoring machine.

Even if you put him in any era of the NBA, he would be extremely troublesome.

And originally, even if he couldn't defend Little Yao, Howard should have his own advantages.

But these two days, in the half-court five-on-five drills of the Sino-American men's basketball team, Coach K discovered that Howard was completely a negative effect when facing this Chinese men's basketball team.

In the game, according to FIBA rules, Howard not only couldn't bring any threat to the Chinese men's basketball team on the offensive end, but also couldn't stop Su Feng and Yao Ming's joint attack on the defensive end.

Las Vegas.

Those laymen who were worried that the joint training between the Chinese men's basketball team and the US men's basketball team would lead to the Chinese men's basketball team leaking tactics to their opponents during training, and who were worried that some players of the Chinese men's basketball team would have their confidence damaged due to the large gap in level, didn't know...

That these past two days, the ones whose confidence was damaged during training weren't the Chinese players at all.

But it was this group of next-generation NBA superstars who were determined to rebuild the glory of the US men's basketball team.

In addition, leaking tactics?

Tsk...

What tactics will the Chinese men's basketball team use at the Japan World Championships? Do they even need to leak them?

Pick-and-roll, isolation.

Isolation, pick-and-roll.

When the Chinese men's basketball team possesses the strongest center and the strongest perimeter player on this planet.

Please, do they need to play any fancy tactics?

What is hard power?

Hard power is when you clearly know that peak Spain is going to play ti-ki-tA-tk, but you just can't steal the ball from their feet.

Hard power is when you clearly know that peak IG will beat you online, but you just can't win against them online.

Hard power is when you clearly know that the Chinese men's basketball team will focus on Su Feng and Yao Ming, but you just can't crack such tactics.

In Su Feng's original timeline, those reporters who talked about lagging behind in tactical skills were outrageous in Su Feng's view.

Because if your players' own basic skills aren't good...

Then even if you put the Warriors' tactics board on the Chinese men's basketball team, what's the use?

"Sigh, if I could be on a team with Feng ge (Brother Feng)...

Then I should have at least five championship rings by now, right?" This day, Little Yao, who once again maintained a perfect winning record in the post-match one-on-one segment with Su Feng, sighed silently at the end of training.

However, regrettably...

Based on the reputation of Little Yao and Su Feng today.

In this life, they are destined to only be able to dominate together in the national team.

……

Time flies.

Saying goodbye to June.

In July, as the NBA free agency market officially opened...

An earthquake also shook the entire NBA in an instant!

"Ding--!

'The Wolf King's Ambition' series of quests has now been activated!"

After guarding Chris Paul in Portland for two years...

This summer, Kevin Garnett finally revealed his ferocious fangs.

On July 1st, the Portland Trail Blazers officially announced that they had signed All-Star small forward Paul Pierce from the free agency market.

"Tsk!

Pierce plus Garnett and Paul...

Why is it that even though it's a roster that is so competitive...

I don't feel surprised at all, and I even find them a little too weak?" This day, when Su Feng saw the news of Pierce joining the Trail Blazers...

To be honest.

Su Feng really felt that...

This Trail Blazers team might not be able to live to the Finals.

So...

Asking if I don't understand.

Just how insane is this era?

……