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***

Every offseason, the movements of championship contenders are a focal point for fans.

The Dallas Mavericks, who made it to the Finals, not only re-signed their starters but also started making moves in the free agency, sending away veterans and atmosphere players, and signing Devin George, who has championship experience.

As for the San Antonio Spurs, from the same conference, they once again signed atmosphere players that left fans scratching their heads, and as the World Championship approached, the San Antonio Spurs were even bombarded by Luis Scola’s agent!

“In the land of the freedom, Luis is a prisoner!”

“The San Antonio Spurs don’t want to sign him, nor do they want to give him to another team. They are preventing Luis from playing in the NBA.”

After Claudio Villanueva, one of Scola’s three agents, complained to the Argentinian newspaper “La Nacion,” sports media in the United States, eager for a show, immediately reposted the news.

The new MVP, Tim Duncan, still seems unable to escape the predicament of lacking assistance next season, as the San Antonio Spurs, with their salary cap filled, have no plans for major moves.

The former MVP, Kevin Garnett, received similar treatment.

Since being labeled untradeable, this tough guy has stated more than once that he will stay in Minnesota.

However, Timberwolves Head Coach Casey and the management have not brought him the help he needs, as promised.

Regarding Randy Foye, the “next Clay Lee” acquired through trade this year, Kevin Garnett, who recently appeared on ESPN, did not promise to grow with the team again as he had before:

“We all know that to contend for a championship, we need to supplement our roster, and more importantly, in the Western Conference, the competition is especially fierce!”

“If the Timberwolves stand still, then I cannot lead the team to win a championship. Basketball is a five-person game. Look at the New York Knicks’ bench. That’s the gap between us and the defending champions.”

Kevin Garnett has good verbal expression skills.

On Sunday, the 30th, when he participated in the Sports Center morning show, he vividly described the competitive pressure he faced.

While admitting his technical flaws, this past MVP attributed the team’s loss of a playoff spot to roster issues, and subtly mocked Head Coach Casey’s coaching ability.

The news of their discord is no secret.

Last season, Kevin Garnett wanted Flip Saunders to continue coaching.

After the coaching change, he also missed a team dinner and was fined nearly ten thousand dollars.

Although trade rumors about the Lakers have never dissipated, Kevin Garnett himself has never admitted them.

He is an MVP, and it is impossible for him to play second fiddle to anyone.

At the end of the morning show, Kevin Garnett once again responded to the trade rumors, effectively rejecting Los Angeles:

“As I promised, I will stay in Minnesota. This is my team, and I am willing to grow with the team. This city has accepted me, and I will not let down the fans here!”

“…”

If Kevin Garnett were willing to push for a trade, then he would still have a chance to go to the Lakers, but if McHale were to lead the relevant trade, then the Lakers should forget about getting the former MVP.

Instead, the Celtics have a chance to acquire Kevin Garnett.

Trades also require personal connections, and in this regard, Kupchak cannot make up for the opponent’s network.

New York sports media, however, is not concerned with these matters.

There are no big fish in the free agency this year, and after Ray Allen became untradeable, the team’s roster remained largely unchanged.

As Lee’s training camp officially began, everyone’s attention shifted here.

Today, Michael Jordan also came to visit his son, and more and more onlookers participated in the activities.

South of Washington Square, inside New York University’s gymnasium, the training camp entered its final day, with young people giving their best performances.

The basic training of basketball is not complicated, but the intensity and difficulty vary.

Jeffrey Jordan felt the suppression of talent.

If Conley was still someone to chase, then Kevin Durant was simply a monster, with the height of a center but the skills of a guard.

He wanted to show off in front of his father, but unfortunately, nearly seven days could not change his playing habits.

He still lost the ball in one-on-one situations, and occasionally missed shots during offense.

At this moment, Jeffrey Jordan was utterly bewildered.

He understood the technical points but simply couldn’t perform the actions.

He could only stare blankly at Lee:

“Don’t let your dribbling become patterned. We all know that when dribbling, you need to observe the defender’s movements.”

“You are not a robot, blindly throwing the ball after completing a set of fixed movements. You need to be clear-headed and creative, making the basketball a part of your body.”

At this time, Lee was still instructing his grand-nephew.

The other party’s playing posture was not bad, but he had not inherited Michael Jordan’s true talent.

He hoped these skills and details could help the young man.

While speaking, Lee put the ball down with his right hand.

The moment Kevin Durant turned his body and propped up his right arm, Lee suddenly exploded with the ball, then quickly took a lateral step back.

Near the right elbow area, Lee drifted backward and to the right, completing a fadeaway jump shot.

Kevin Durant almost blocked it again, and after landing, he could only watch the basketball swish through the net.

Although he had experienced too many such moments, Kevin Durant still couldn’t help but clap his hands in frustration.

He just wanted to exert himself better, but in an instant, he exposed his defensive intentions again.

With a look of dejection on his face, Kevin Durant leaned on his knees, watching Lee wave to Jeffrey Jordan, then secretly cheered himself on.

In the next possession, he blocked the opponent’s shot with a volleyball-like swat.

“Ah!”

Looking at Kevin Durant shouting in front of him, Jeffrey Jordan was completely numb, staring straight at the hoop.

What kind of monster training camp was this?

He simply couldn’t meet Lee’s demands.

With the same move, Lee’s explosion with the ball had great force, his lateral step back was incredibly fast, and he didn’t lose his balance while leaning back.

Although Jeffrey Jordan received careful guidance, the range of his movements was far inferior.

The young people around him were already accustomed to this situation.

Talent is something God favors, and effort sometimes seems powerless.

Jeffrey Jordan wasn’t the only one feeling down.

The youngest, Kyrie Irving, enjoyed volleyball-like swats from Clay Lee and Kevin Durant every day.

Unlike the “mature” Greg Oden, neither of them showed any mercy to the young player.

Initially eager, Kyrie Irving was now doubting life.

If he couldn’t occasionally “steal” a basket, he really wanted to shout:

“Give me the ball, I want to go home!”

Taking turns, Kyrie Irving, barely 170cm tall, pursed his lips as he looked at Lee, whose stature could engulf him.

After receiving the ball in the left elbow area, he tightly protected the ball behind his left side.

Using his shoulder to bump the defender, Kyrie Irving tried his best to lower his center of gravity, no longer dribbling or spinning flashily.

He quickly swept the ball in front of him, and as his left foot took a probing step, his right hand quickly released the ball.

After only one large dribble, Kyrie Irving exploded with the ball and stepped back, but just as the basketball was raised above his head, it was swatted down by a big block from Lee, and the ball was also cleanly stripped away.

“Well done! Kyrie, your moves are beautiful!”

The young people around were all encouraging, but Kevin Durant watched with satisfaction, clapping repeatedly from the side.

When he runs a training camp in the future, he’ll also dominate the young players!

Tears welled up in his eyes.

Kyrie Irving wiped his eyes with his arm, feeling both exhausted and frustrated.

Instinctively, he looked towards his father, only to find his dad circling Jordan.

Kyrie Irving, with his strong competitive spirit, felt so wronged he wanted to cry.

He hadn’t lost like this in a long time, and the physical disparity almost made him feel despair.

Conley and the others were still practicing.

Lee looked at Kyrie Irving, who was on the verge of tears, patted his shoulder, and simply encouraged him:

“You are very talented, and your body will continue to grow. However, you really need to change your environment. MKA is good academically, but there’s no pressure there.”

“If you are interested in coming to St. Anthony High School in New York, I will help you contact Head Coach Bob Hurley. He is a Hall of Fame coach and even more demanding.”

“You should have heard of this high school. They have won many state championships. What you need are stronger opponents.”

Kyrie Irving nodded.

This was also why his father wanted him to attend the training camp.

There were too many guards in the United States, and he needed a recommendation to a bigger stage:

“You are even more formidable than my godfather described. He is also an NBA player, and I learned many of my skills from him.”

Irving, whose mood had improved somewhat, spoke of his godfather with a look of being swindled.

Lee knew someone must have privately disparaged him, but he didn’t care.

Instead, he asked curiously:

“Have I played against him?”

“Rod Strickland. He said you stole his assist title, but I secretly watched the footage, and you blew him out.”

Hearing the familiar name from Irving’s mouth, Lee finally remembered that there was indeed such a competitor, but he had long faded out of the NBA, and there had been no contact between them since.

Looking at Kevin Durant and the others, Lee felt a strange sense of emotion.

The old leeks had all disappeared, and new tender leeks were emerging one after another.

He didn’t want to be a stepping stone.

He just wanted to wield his scythe and keep harvesting.

Like the rest of the entourage, Michael Jordan also felt at this time:

“The neighbor’s kid is really good.”

He had coached his sons, but unfortunately, neither of them had top-tier talent.

Compared to the smallest kid in the training camp, Jeffrey Jordan was only physically stronger.

Seeing Lee teaching diligently, but his son still couldn’t grasp the essentials, Michael Jordan almost took off his jacket to go up and demonstrate himself.

Although he was older, he could still beat his eldest son.

When the training camp ended at noon, many sports reporters surrounded Jordan.

He had intentionally kept a low profile over the years, and his son’s appearance this time led everyone to speculate that he might be preparing for professional basketball:

“Michael, how do you think Jeffrey Jordan performed? Will he enter the NBA in the future?”

“I think he performed pretty well. In fact, I just hope he has a wonderful college life. Professional sports are not easy, but I will ask for his opinion.”

Michael Jordan, wearing a black short-sleeved T-shirt and dark gray sweatpants, was very frank.

He didn’t boast about his son’s talent or strength, and even directly stated that professional sports were not the best choice.

This answer was somewhat unexpected, but considering some scenes captured in the past few days, everyone felt it made perfect sense.

Jeffrey Jordan could not become the next Michael Jordan.

Some well-informed reporters didn’t care about his eldest son.

Recently, there had been rumors that Michael Jordan was divorcing Juanita, and the recent hush-money gossip made Michael Jordan out to be a scumbag again:

“Carla Naffel insists the child is yours, Michael. Is this the reason for your and Juanita’s relationship breakdown?”

The New York Post reporter was impolite, asking the biggest gossip of the past few days.

Carla Naffel sued Michael Jordan for breach of agreement, failing to pay a $5 million hush fee.

And after clear test results from the Cook County Circuit Court showed Jordan was not the child’s father, Carla Naffel revealed again:

“Michael told me that his marriage to Juanita Vanoy was just a business arrangement, and he considered his wife just a hired helper!”

“…”

This matter entertained the onlookers greatly.

The divorce was real, the child was fake, but no matter the final outcome, everyone once again recognized Michael Jordan’s true colors.

He was still the same as before, never changing, from a young scumbag to an older scumbag!

When the lawsuit was mentioned, Michael Jordan’s face involuntarily showed a pained expression.

The hush money matter had been settled, but the divorce cost him a large sum of money:

“I have never been a perfect person. Regarding my marriage, I am very regretful. I still deeply love my family.”

“As for the hush money, the court has already given the correct judgment!”

Accompanying his eldest son to the training camp, from another perspective, actually had a different meaning, but most sports media didn’t care about these things.

There was news only if there was entertainment.

Staff from Sports Illustrated were taking photos of Lee and the young training camp members.

The upcoming issue would feature personal and brand promotion.

Kyrie Irving was still the most prominent, as he was the shortest and youngest on site, while Greg Oden and Kevin Durant were the most eye-catching.

The two big men were very likely to become next year’s top draft picks.

“Clay, what are your expectations for these young players? Will they become your future opponents?”

The young people around all turned to look at Lee in his training uniform, then heard words of praise:

“They are extremely talented. I believe that after entering the NBA, everyone will achieve success. Besides refining their skills, what they need to do now is to stay healthy.”

“The future belongs to the young people. I am very much looking forward to seeing them on the Finals stage!”

After receiving “Lee’s praise,” several people smiled, and Greg Oden and Kevin Durant were also a little proud.

Both of them had the potential to be the first overall pick, and this was recognized by Clay Lee.

Conley was calm.

In fact, he mainly benefited from his teammates.

Otherwise, he wouldn’t have received such attention.

But this was his great opportunity.

The higher the draft pick, the more money he earned.

Who would refuse money?

Although Durant always blocked him, Irving somewhat admired this big man.

Height was the greatest talent, coupled with his astonishing coordination, his talent was visible to the naked eye.

Having played for Boston University, Dredrick Irving knew what his son was thinking.

Thinking of his son always being in a low mood after returning home these past few days, he pulled his son closer and encouraged him again:

“You will become the best high school player in the United States, and then be selected as the first overall pick in the first round!”

“Remember, you don’t need to fear anyone. What you need to do now is to work twice as hard.”

Looking at his father, who bent down and held his shoulders, and thinking of his experience of being “tormented” by Lee these past few days, Irving had tears in his eyes, nodded fiercely, and said loudly:

“I know, I will definitely do it!”

The father and son were still moving each other.

After Lee finished filming, he came to their side, briefly introduced his proposal, and finally said seriously:

“Kyrie Irving’s talent is excellent. He can get a scholarship at any famous basketball school. Coach Bob Hurley can tap into his potential.”

“You can consider it, or you can choose other high schools. Whether in New Jersey or New York, there are good schools.”

Dredrick’s face lit up with joy.

This was the result he wanted.

Without a recommendation, it would be difficult for his 170cm son to convince those famous coaches.

He had planned to transfer schools in two or three years, but now Lee gave them another opportunity.

Dredrick didn’t ask his son.

He pulled the little guy next to him, held him down, and loudly agreed while saying:

“Quickly thank Lee, and don’t forget his care for you in the future!”

Remembering Jeffrey Jordan’s address, Irving, who was bending over, immediately followed suit to get closer, expressing his gratitude loudly:

“Uncle Lee, thank you for your care…”

Lee nodded with a smile.

For him, this was just a small effort.

Fresh tender leeks needed to be cultivated, and this was also a win-win move for him.

Jeffrey Jordan’s face still showed a look of disappointment.

His self-confidence had been hit.

Compared to basketball monsters, the talent he inherited was simply not enough.

Not seeing any disappointment on his father’s face, Jeffrey Jordan breathed a sigh of relief.

He hadn’t learned anything these past few days, only “got beaten up”:

“I want to go back to Chicago…”

Michael Jordan put his arm around his son’s shoulder and patted him twice as encouragement.

He was so rich that his son no longer needed to struggle.

Not being able to play professional basketball was not a regrettable thing:

“Don’t be discouraged. As I said, just enjoy your college life in the future.”

Nodding along, Jeffrey Jordan felt that he was still better at “playing small ball.”

Perhaps this was his true talent.

Kevin Durant lagged behind.

He didn’t pay attention to Lee and Michael Jordan in front of him.

He looked around, seemingly searching for his target, until he was about to leave the stadium, when he finally saw that figure.

Seeing Scarlett, wearing a white oversized T-shirt, and a tall young woman, arm-in-arm with Lee on either side, Kevin Durant’s correct worldview shattered in an instant.

He had thought those gossip news were fake, but seeing the intimate trio, Kevin Durant’s young face showed an expression of disbelief:

“Why is this happening?!”

Delusional Chinese fans across the ocean were recently more concerned about Yao Ming’s injury.

Although the Basketball Association emphasized that his recovery was faster than expected, many people were still worried.

After the national team’s training camp began, the Chinese Men’s Basketball Team started its European tour.

On the 31st, after the schedule ended and he returned to China, Yao Ming also stepped forward to speak, accepting an interview and reassuring the fans:

“My injuries are nothing serious, everything is progressing very smoothly!”

Perhaps to reassure the fans, Yao Ming, wearing sneakers, even walked a few steps in front of the reporters, and then smiled and retorted:

“Do I look like someone with a foot injury?”

In August, there will be a warm-up game against the Team USA, and there were also American sports media present.

After confirming his physical condition, a Washington Post reporter told Yao Ming good news:

“Yao, the Houston Rockets have reached a three-year contract worth over $5 million with Vassilis Spanoulis!”

“This is the largest initial contract ever offered by the Houston Rockets for a second-round draft pick. What are your thoughts on this signing?”

As the World Championship approached, European players were deeply scouted, and among them, the most famous was Spanoulis, who had a very resounding nickname, “Greek Clay Lee.”

Yao Ming had only recently received the news.

The Houston Rockets’ reinforcements over the past few years had been frustrating.

Even Dikembe Mutombo’s championship experience hadn’t helped, and if injuries occurred, the team would just tank.

“I know him, and I welcome Spanoulis very much. I believe he can help the team, and we will return to the playoffs next season!”

The European training tour in July ended with multiple crushing defeats and poor results.

Head Coach Jonas was annoyed with everyone and wore a grim expression when attending the press conference.

When he heard the translation, the old man couldn’t hold back.

Instead of discussing Lee’s strength, he should think about why they lost.

Perhaps fueled by emotion, this press conference ended with “Jonas’s Nine Questions”:

“Why do they get tired so quickly?”

“Why are they always not fast enough, always hesitating? Always making mistakes and errors?”

“…”

“Why do the players constantly ask me about every play?”

In fact, in basketball games, the Head Coach is often in an “AFK” state, and it’s no joke that players decide the game.

Mike D’Antoni’s success led to a trend among basketball coaches.

Jonas, who wanted to become an AFK-style coach, was mentally exhausted, and his questions, even in the future, would have no answers.

On tuesday, August 1, 2006, the NBA announced this year’s Christmas War, which served as a warm-up for the new season:

Los Angeles Lakers VS New York Knicks.

There was only one game on Christmas Day.

For traffic, the league once again created a “rivalry showdown.”

Regardless of the Los Angeles Lakers’ overall strength, the individual strength of the 81-point scorer, Kobe Bryant, was unquestionable.

Winning or losing wasn’t important.

Kobe Bryant VS Clay Lee, enjoying a showdown between top perimeter stars on Christmas Day, was the most important thing.

ABC, the broadcaster, had a minor issue, but fans didn’t care.

The Los Angeles Lakers lost, but Kobe Bryant didn’t.

This situation often happened last season.

For star fans, as long as the individual stats won, that was a victory!

New York fans reacted the most to this.

Christmas tickets were expensive, and if the game was over in three quarters, the tickets would be a huge loss.

As the news spread, more and more voices on the internet mocked the “rookie chickens”:

“Perhaps the San Antonio Spurs should have been on this stage. At least they could play until the 4th quarter.”

Since Lee had to fly to Manchester on the 3rd to participate in the 4-day 2006 Manchester United Youth Football Super Cup, the Sports Illustrated photoshoot could only be concentrated on these two days.

At his home on 82nd Street, photographers and staff circled the achievement room on the 4th floor.

Eight gleaming gold O’Brien Trophies were arranged in a row, and various crystal trophies on the surrounding cabinets were even more dazzling.

Compared to a few years ago, the number of trophies was still increasing, and the most conspicuous was the revamped FMVP trophy, which no one had photographed there before.

Clay Lee, dressed in a proper black suit, deliberately wore a “red scarf” today, leaning his hands on a long table, and took a photo with the eight O’Brien Trophies.

For today’s photoshoot, the house had been in disarray for half a month, and the achievement room had also undergone a major transformation.

Fortunately, the girls had all moved to Peninsula Manor, so their lives weren’t affected.

Terry McConnell, the editor-in-chief of Sports Illustrated, was also an old friend of Lee. His son was not only a New York Knicks fan but also a personal fan of Clay Lee.

After the two sat down face-to-face, McConnell first talked about his life during the offseason, and Lee smiled as he introduced his training camp and experience with taking care of children.

Soon, they talked about what fans cared about most, or more precisely, what New York fans cared about most:

“Lee, we’ve received news that Ron Artest seems to be undergoing surgery, and his heart problem is more serious than we imagined.”

Watching his old friend, with slicked-back hair and glasses, open his eyes and tell a blatant lie with a straight face, Lee merely chuckled and corrected the misinformation:

“Our medical team believes Ron’s body won’t have problems without surgery. I won’t lie about this. If you’re curious, you can even see him at my children’s training camp tomorrow.”

“His heart does have some issues, which only makes him tire more easily. Our shared agent, Mark Bartelstein, is still looking for a more stable solution.”

“In short, fans can rest assured, we will be responsible for his health.”

McConnell also laughed.

This was their exclusive news.

Looking around, the trophies made him dizzy, and then he asked again curiously:

“Lee, having gone through your professional career, you’ve almost won every honor. After winning your 8th championship, do you still have any regrets?”

Feigning a look of recalling the past, Lee sighed slightly in front of the camera, then said seriously:

“Of course, in my rookie season, I lost the Eastern Conference Finals, and after my first four-peat, I lost the Finals.”

“These are all regrets for me because I missed the process of chasing greatness.”

“Fortunately, I still have a chance to make up for it. I’m almost 29, which is the peak of a basketball player’s career. I want to keep winning until I surpass that historic Celtics team.”

He had expected answers like losing the scoring title, the assist title, or not winning DPOY, but the answer was championships.

McConnell was truly surprised this time, not following the script, and immediately asked:

“Why is that your answer, Lee? In modern basketball, completing two four-peats, in my opinion, you have already surpassed Bill Russell.”

“The NBA back then didn’t have the same competitiveness as it does now.”

Lee shook his head, interrupting him proactively, and then, looking around again, he pointed to the eight gleaming gold O’Brien Trophies and said seriously:

“A champion is a champion. Winners of any era deserve respect. They sacrificed a lot for victory, and we shouldn’t view the past through modern basketball.”

“Just like our pension now, that was fought for by the Players Union.”

“The success of modern basketball is also built on the past. We are just standing on the shoulders of giants.”

McConnell and the surrounding staff murmured in approval.

If they thought rationally, this was indeed the correct answer.

It was truly remarkable that Lee had won so much yet hadn’t become arrogant.

However, everyone applauded too soon.

Lee paused, a smile reappeared on his face, and he continued to add:

“I respect Bill Russell and that great Celtics team.”

“But if they can do it, why can’t we? I’m only 29, and I don’t even feel tired during games!”

“For victory, I can play all 48 minutes. At the peak of my basketball career, I don’t believe anyone can defeat me in a 7-game series!”

“…”

Watching Lee, eyes sparkling, sharing his championship experience, McConnell was momentarily speechless, unsure what to say.

After listening carefully, a thought also arose in his mind:

“It seems he has a point.”

….

By the way, don’t forget to throw power stones and leave a review to motivate me 🙂

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep