NBA: This Center Is So Stable - Chapter 51
The first training match in Madison Square Garden
Howard Eisley Madison Garden.
Today is Wang Song’s first time to come to the New York Knicks’ training ground.
The NBA stadium is much more luxurious than he imagined!
Compared to the small venue of the North Carolina Wolfpack, the New York Knicks’ venue that can accommodate tens of thousands of people is extremely large.
Even the training hall is enough to attract attention.
The smoothness of the floor, lights, and basket lines all bring Wang Song a brand new experience.
Playing here is simply a kind of enjoyment!
Today is Wang Song’s introduction meeting + the first day of training for the new season. Many players came to the stadium in advance.
Just want to see the third pick that the team bought at a high price!
Wang Song was not late, and he kept his habit of arriving early.
As a rookie, it is necessary to arrive at the venue earlier than the agreed time.
On the one hand, it is to get familiar with the venue, and on the other hand, it is to get familiar with the faces.
It is like a new classmate who has changed classes.
Yesterday, Wang Song had met with Knicks coach Don Cheney, and the two were just acquainted.
Wang Song was not very familiar with Don Cheney’s training mode in the Knicks, so he completed the warm-up in advance.
After a brief introduction, Don Cheney divided the players on the scene into two teams and started the team competition.
For Don Cheney, nothing can enhance feelings faster than a game.
It is called a competition, but in fact, most of the faces are unfamiliar to Wang Song, a time traveler.
They are basically unfamiliar faces that are not very familiar. From this point, Wang Song can also see that the Knicks’ team configuration is really not good.
Team reorganization is imperative!
Wang Song and Alan Houston, Kurt Thomas and two role players are a group of blue team.
Opposite him are the two main players, Uncle Mu, Dikembe Mutombo and Keith Van Horn.
Mutombo began to decline in his twilight years this season, and injuries affected the end of the career of this legendary center.
The remaining warmth he can radiate in the Knicks is likely to guide newcomers and come off the bench to help the team transition.
As for other things, such as the matching degree of strength and salary.
He has already lost the qualification for the maximum salary!
So if the Knicks will put the team on the shelf, Mutombo will become one of the important chips.
But before the official transaction, they still need this legendary center to inject his energy into the future of the Knicks.
The game officially started.
The Knicks coaching team stood on the sidelines, recording the content of the game.
At the beginning, Dikembe Mutombo stole two points with an empty cut.
Among them, the chattering sound came from the coaching team about the game on the court.
“Dikembe Mutombo is still strong. This awareness alone is enough to give the other Knicks inside players a hard time.”
“Uncle Mu is just old. He still has the potential and experience of a top center. As long as he wants, any team can sign a veteran minimum salary contract until he retires.”
“Wang Song’s playing style is also very smart! He is worthy of being the third pick in the draft. He can compete with Dikembe Mutombo head-on.”
The assistant coaches’ sighs also made Don Cheney take Wang Song seriously.
The Knicks’ outside line is solid, and the Knicks’ inside line is changing.
After coaching the Knicks for so many years, Don Cheney has rarely seen inside players who can compete head-on with Dikembe Mutombo.
Even though this Congolese center is old and no longer the same as before.
But it is still difficult for anyone to do anything to him!
Moreover, even Mutombo himself on the court was a little surprised when he fought against Wang Song.
The talent of this Asian in the restricted area is one of the best among the opponents he has encountered in these years.
What impressed him most was the strength of this Asian boy…
Under this seemingly thin body, there is a more terrifying power than those devil muscle men.
All this is due to the 99 attribute value bonus under the basket, plus the extra training of Wang Song during the waiting period for the draft.
For Uncle Mu, who has not paid attention to the player market for a long time, the appearance of Wang Song has brought a second spring to his lifeless twilight career.
He has always wanted to find a direct disciple before retiring, and now he has finally found a destined person in the Knicks to inherit his mantle.
Of course.
It is not the privilege of biting fingers and not eating technical fouls.
That is a star exception, and theoretically it cannot be inherited.
Unless Wang Song can convince all the referees in the league with his strength.
···
The training match was over.
Dikembe Mutombo took the initiative to come to Wang Song, wanting to teach by example.
“Boy, my name is Dikembe Mutombo! You can call me uncle… or Uncle Mu.”
“I see that you have amazing bones and natural strength, and you are very suitable to learn my violent foundation inside. Are you interested?”
After a sincere and kind persuasion, Dikembe Mutombo showed his big white teeth.
It left a very deep impression on Wang Song.
With the introduction of the team’s spiritual totem, Wang Song’s adaptation speed in the Knicks has also increased exponentially.
Many teammates followed Dikembe Mutombo to say hello.
In this league where strength is supreme, when you are recognized by the strong, people around you will quickly approach you.
Seeing this, Don Cheney was also relieved.
Originally, he was worried that Wang Song would be excluded because he was Asian and the third pick had used a lot of team resources.
Now it seems that the Knicks management thought too much!
With strength and good looks, he is popular wherever he goes.
And this training match also solved the problem that the Knicks coaching staff asked Dikembe Mutombo to train Wang Song.
Kill two birds with one stone!
Don Cheney once again confirmed that the training match is the final answer to the team’s integration.
However, no matter how pleasing it is, the Knicks need to reorganize the team.
Many of the teammates that Wang Song got familiar with on the first day were put on the shelf as bargaining chips that night.
A transaction that would make the entire NBA sensation is secretly taking shape.
As for Wang Song.
He didn’t care too much about the Knicks management’s transaction.
Every day, he trained from two points to one line, gaining steady value while humbly learning from Dikembe Mutombo.
It must be said that this legendary inside player from ancient times still has a certain understanding of footwork defense and the like.
Wang Song grew up rapidly under such training, and the big chess game played by the Knicks gradually began to close the net.
Finally, the day before the preseason started.
This blockbuster trade news was released, which shocked the entire basketball world and the free market.
The New York Knicks, Dallas Mavericks and Phoenix Suns made a trade on the 2003 draft night.
The Mavericks sent two players, Nick Van Exel and Reeve LaFrentz, to the Phoenix Suns.
And Steve Nash was sent to the New York Knicks!
The Suns issued Leandro Barbosa and a first-round pick.
As for the Mavericks, they received Howard Eisley and Antonio McDyess from the Knicks.
(End of this chapter)
