Combining the experience of previous training camps and preseason games, and after hard study and training over the past few days, Zhang Hao received a reminder just after the afternoon training on the last training session before the regular season!
"Special contract player Zhang Hao's ability rating has been raised from 69 to 70 due to improvements in his shooting, passing and other aspects of his catching the ball."
“Special signing player: Zhang Hao.
Age/Date of Birth: 18 years/January 7, 1977.
Height 206 cm, wingspan 216 cm
Weight: 96 kg.
Position: Forward
Team: New Jersey Nets.
Ability rating: 70
Physical fitness: speed 90, strength 90 (explosive power 82), jumping 94, flexibility 95, physical strength 92...
Shooting: Mid-range 90, Layup 89…
Skills: Catch and shoot 89…”
In recent days, thanks to the guidance of real professionals in passing, his passing has improved to the bottleneck of 54. Zhang Hao feels it will not be difficult to continue to improve.
Catch and shoot has improved by another point in the past few days, to 89, almost to the top.
Zhang Hao feels that it is difficult to continue improving this. He was stuck at 87 for a long time. It was only after he developed a new catching and shooting posture that he made a wave of improvement. It will probably be more difficult in the future.
There are three abilities that are top-notch or almost top-notch, but the others are just appalling!
After the ball control improved to 59, the progress really slowed down.
Thinking that Durant's average assists per game will only exceed his average turnovers in the sixth year of his career, Zhang Hao is not in a hurry about this.
Looking at the ability rating of 70, Zhang Hao was very excited - "Finally upgraded!"
Zhang Hao knew that his ability rating of 70, in the right environment, could potentially be put at a level of 75 or even higher.
He knows that the conditions need to be good enough. For example, his current style of play requires a point guard who is good at passing the ball, and the Nets happen to have one, so his ability can be demonstrated on the court.
If he had to take the ball and do it himself, he estimated that he would not be as good as Graham, the backup shooting guard, and even worse than Jason Williams, a rude rebounding maniac.
Knowing his own strengths and weaknesses, Zhang Hao never gets arrogant or belittles himself. He does what he should do, makes reasonable attempts, and never does things that he cannot do...
After working hard for half a year, you are about to officially start your career as a professional basketball player. In your first game, will you be the starter or the substitute? This is very important!
…
Tomorrow, November 1st, the regular season will begin. Since the end of the preseason, TV stations and newspapers have been predicting which team is the strongest and discussing who is the strongest player among Olajuwon, Jordan, David Robinson, Anfernee Hardaway and Grant Hill.
Some media originally ranked O'Neal third, only behind Olajuwon and Jordan, but some media in Orlando said that Anfernee Hardaway was stronger...
As for the rookies, they are also quite popular.
Thanks to his stunning performance in the first two preseason games and his stable performance of scoring in double digits in the following games, Zhang Hao has also become one of the candidates for the best rookie.
Other candidates include Antonio McDyess, Damon Stoudemire, Joe Smith, Garnett, Rasheed Wallace, and Jerry Stackhouse. These six are the original T1 and T2 rookies.
Later, Michael Finley emerged. The most surprising thing was not that Zhang Hao and Michael Finley became the candidates for the best rookie, but that Tyus Edney, who was selected by the Kings with the 18th pick in the second round and was only 178 cm tall and weighed 70 kg, became the candidate for the best rookie.
However, during this period, a star who had retired for several years occupied the most news sections - Magic Johnson's soap opera began.
Today, Zhang Hao got up early, stuffed his sneakers and spare underwear into the suitcase, and that was it.
When I finished washing up and was eating the breakfast sent by the team, the phone rang.
Before Zhang Hao could ask who it was, the person on the other end of the line said, "It's me, Aix. Are you still sleeping?"
This voice was so familiar. They had been together day and night in the summer. Zhang Hao knew it was April Clark as soon as he heard it.
It was a bit shocking. In a blink of an eye, the three most dazzling sports talents of Inglewood High School at that time have gone their separate ways.
Coming back to his senses from his high school memories, Zhang Hao replied, "Not yet. I'm going to Detroit soon. I just packed my things and was having breakfast. What made you think of calling me?"
"I told you that you would call me after you got established in the Nets. I'm calling you now."
"You haven't established yourself yet, and you haven't even played a single regular season game. You don't know how worried I am that you won't play well. I was so anxious. Fortunately, you called me and my anxiety went away. Wasn't I worried that it would affect your studies? You have classes and acting lessons every day. You can call me more often. I'll pay your phone bill, okay?"
April Clark on the other end of the phone couldn't help laughing and said, "That's good enough. Remember to pay the phone bill! By the way, didn't I see on the news that you're a candidate for the best rookie? Even Jordan praised your mid-range shot."
Jordan's words are praise? That means he wants to bloody ravage the Nets team!
Fortunately, Zhang reacted quickly that time, otherwise the little fighting spirit they had accumulated with great difficulty would have been directly wiped out by the Bulls.
It turned out to be a blessing in disguise, as the players on the entire team became more shameless during that game.
"That was just the preseason game. Tomorrow's regular season will really test my level ."
"I believe you can do it. By the way, it seems that the school is going to retire your jersey!"
“I’ve only graduated for half a year and you’re going to retire my jersey?”
"That's as it should be. You went straight into the NBA after graduating from school, so of course I have to retire your jersey."
"That's true..."
"How are you doing with the Nets? I heard that the environment where the Nets are located is not very good."
"It's OK, but it's quite remote and there's not much entertainment. Every day I train, sleep, watch TV, and play games. There's nothing else to do."
"That's very good……"
"Um?"
"Nothing. Are your teammates easy to get along with? I heard that veteran NBA players love to bully rookies the most."
"My teammates are pretty good. They play better than my high school teammates and they talk nicely. I like it here a lot."
"The people in the team where a player like Coleman has been are good...If you encounter something unhappy, you can talk to me, don't hold it in."
Prejudice! Zhang Hao clearly felt April Clark's prejudice against their Nets team.
But this is normal. From the previous chat between Zhang Hao and Garnett, it can be heard that Garnett thinks the internal environment of their Nets team is bad.
When I chatted with Dell Curry before, Dell Curry expressed the same opinion.
The main reason is the bad influence left by Coleman.
It is true that Coleman's image in the public's mind is too bad. He has been the Nets' star player for the past five years and represents the Nets, making people feel that the Nets is a chaotic team.
Speaking of chaos, Zhang Hao felt that it was indeed chaotic when he first came to the Nets, but his teammates were not that bad. If everyone on the Nets was that bad, what would have been reported at the time would not have been Coleman's bad deeds, but news like the future Portland prison and New York nursing home.
Without explaining this, Zhang Hao asked, "I see. I'll call you more often when I'm free. How are you doing with your drama studies?"
"Remember to call me! Drama? I really like performing in dramas now..."
They no longer talked about team-related matters. Zhang Hao really felt that the current situation was pretty good. Maybe it was bad at the beginning, but a month later, the team was already much better than it was at the beginning. April Clark felt that Zhang Hao didn't want to make her worry, so she didn't continue to ask those questions.
It was as if they were back to the second half of the senior year and the summer vacation. The two chatted about random things, sometimes even laughing happily over a strange topic.
Very pure and simple feeling.
…
…
A host of buildings that look like they cost a lot of money are a reminder of the city's former glory.
Countless dilapidated skyscrapers ready for demolition vividly describe the current situation of this twilight city.
The Motor City, the Capital of Skyscrapers, the Most Densely Populated City in America…these are all things of the past.
Now, Detroit has gradually become a ghost town.
At 11 o'clock in the morning, Zhang Hao followed the team to Detroit.
The city's transportation and infrastructure are great, but there are not many people on the roads.
On the bus from the airport to the hotel, Kenny Anderson said to Zhang Hao, who was sitting by the window, "Aix, don't go out alone in Detroit, and don't go out at night."
"Huh?" Zhang Hao, who was looking at the street view outside the window, turned back in confusion, "Is it so dangerous here?"
After a moment of silence, Kenny Anderson lowered his voice and approached Zhang Hao and said, "Here, everyone is black. All of them."
After saying this, Kenny Anderson leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes.
This... Zhang Hao understood and looked out the window. There were not many people on the street. Upon closer inspection, he saw that they were all black. There were almost no white people on the street. Occasionally there were white people, but they were a group.
In other words, I dare not go out alone during the day.
Looking at Kenny Anderson who closed his eyes, Zhang Hao was tactful enough not to ask why. A sane black person would hate those who dream of getting something for nothing and actually do that.
But someone wants to meet me today, what should I do? This is a meeting arranged by the agency.
After arriving at the hotel and getting the room card, Randy Whitman did not go to a preseason away game where they could move around freely after getting the room card. Instead, he first took everyone to the rented conference room and closed the door.
Randy Whitman said in his usual cold tone: "There is no need, don't leave the hotel, if you want to go out, find me first, we will arrange someone to accompany you.
Meet here at 3pm, we have something to announce."
It was very simple and direct. The veteran players all understood what was going on and didn't ask why. Zhang Hao, with Kenny Anderson's reminder, also knew what was going on and naturally didn't ask.
We also had lunch in the hotel. The chef was very skilled. NBA teams have experience in playing away games in Detroit.
We are all decent people, and no one would be so idle as to go to a hotel where they can't stay comfortably and the food is bad.
The players also have experience. When Zhang Hao went to Vaughn Fleming's room, he heard Vaughn Fleming ordering takeout, and it was fast food...
Time makes people grow old!
Zhang Hao had heard Vaughn Fleming brag countless times about how brave he was in the past, but now he has fallen to the point where fast food can solve all his problems.
Kenny Anderson booked a room alone and ordered some gold medal takeout, which he plans to enjoy after the game tomorrow night.
Zhang Hao now has experience. Kenny Anderson has booked a room alone, so he went to the front desk to change him to a single room with a bigger bed.
He went back to his room to read, but he didn't read anything related to basketball... Well, sort of related, Zhang Hao was reading a book on sports medicine, one of his major subjects in college.
Just as Zhang Hao was waiting for Henry Thomas to call, the doorbell rang.
When Zhang Hao opened the door, he saw Henry Thomas, the only agent with big boss ability in the agency, and next to him was a young man dressed very fashionably - Alan Houston.
Henry Thomas introduced Alan Houston: "Alan, this is Axel, a talented rookie who has excellent shooting talent like you."
After getting to know each other, they entered the room together.
A slim-fitting suit, a beret, a black fur coat draped over his shoulders... a thin figure with an angular face...
Zhang Hao recalled the rough mid-range shooting king of the Knicks in his memory, and then looked at Alan Houston, who is now 24 years old and at the peak of his appearance.
Sure enough, time is a butcher's knife! Who could have thought that this elegant man would become like that after entering the new century?
Alan Houston had been sizing up Zhang Hao since he entered his room. Finally, he couldn't help but ask, "Aix, are you really 18 years old? You look too young!"
You are so young!
Don’t you see that my teammates don’t dare to take a shower with me, Zhang?
Didn’t you see Jason Williams, who thought he was so strong, covering his face and running away?
Zhang Hao expressed tolerance for Alan Houston's ignorance and said with a smile: "People have always said that I look younger than I actually am, but I'm actually quite old."
Black people seemed to be more proactive. Alan Houston patted Zhang Hao's chest, and pinched Zhang Hao's back, shoulders, and thighs...
Alan Houston said to Zhang Hao while making advances on him: "You are so skinny. You are almost 10 centimeters taller than me. Do you weigh as much as me? You need to practice more and be able to compete with him. Otherwise, your shot will be easily deformed."
Looking at Alan Houston who was trying hard to act like a senior, Zhang Hao sighed inwardly - ignorant mortals...
But he responded, "I know. I will try to gain weight during the off-season next year."
"Yes, yes, the new season has already begun. Gaining weight now will affect your current skills." Alan Houston said while nodding quickly... then he immediately realized that something was wrong and slowed down his nodding frequency.
After all, having played in the NBA for two years, Alan Houston tried very hard to create an image of "I am very experienced", and both Zhang Hao and Henry Thomas noticed it.
However, neither of them revealed the secret. Zhang Hao felt that he could learn something from Alan Houston and improve their relationship in the future. Henry Thomas understood Alan Houston's little thoughts. He had finally made it to the third season and successfully took the starting position after the end of this season's training camp. When he met a rookie from the same company, of course he had to show his seniority.
After a very brief acquaintance, Henry Thomas told them about tomorrow's work arrangements, and then Alan Houston and Henry Thomas left.
…
The conference room of the hotel where the Nets are staying.
At three o'clock in the afternoon, Randy Whitman arrived on time. Seeing that all the team members were already there, he was very satisfied with their spirit.
It is completely different from last season and full of vitality.
There was no such atmosphere at all when Coleman was there last season. If the boss was like that, how could the other players be any better?
Now, in terms of hard power, it is definitely not as strong as when they relied on Kenny Anderson, a talented point guard who averaged 20+10 per game, and Coleman, a top power forward who averaged 20+10 per game since entering the NBA, to lead the team to the playoffs for three consecutive years.
But the current atmosphere of the team makes Randy Whitman very satisfied.
The players were all in high spirits, knowing that the starting lineup was about to be announced.
Randy Whitman said the result directly without saying anything: "Kenny, Greg, Almon, Axel, PJ, you are the starters of tomorrow's game, you can discuss the cooperation at the beginning, and don't go out if you have nothing to do.
If we don’t play well enough or this combination is not suitable, we will make adjustments later.
The press conference will be held in the evening, and everyone should cooperate well with tomorrow's recording work."
Recording work... Thinking of this, Zhang Hao felt a little pain in his liver...