The next day, the 28th.
On that day, a large number of American sports media reported news about the "basketball collector", many of which were front-page headlines.
Wang Tiejun's reputation for brutality spread throughout the NBA and the American sports world, as he took down five opponents' baskets in a row and successfully collected four of them.
At noon, the plane that Zhang Heli was on also arrived in Los Angeles.
Meanwhile, the Spurs arrived in Phoenix and held media interviews at the hotel.
"Mr. Robinson, K believes that you defeated him because of the referee. Do you have any defense for this?"
a Phoenix Sports reporter asked.
Robinson said disdainfully: "That's the referee's penalty standard. What does it have to do with me? Only those who have no strength will find reasons and excuses for their failures."
"So how do you respond to his assessment of you as a 'softie'?" the reporter asked again.
Robinson's eyes flashed coldly, and he was extremely angry, but he still maintained his gentlemanly demeanor and said generously: "I will not make any positive response to a person obsessed with violence and a person who has not received advanced training.
According to media reports, the rookie only attended junior high school in China, which is the eighth grade of our elementary school. My upbringing tells me to keep a good attitude and not be influenced by those ignorant and inferior people. "
"I have a technical secondary school degree from Cangzhou Sports School. Who said I only went to junior high school? You idiot."
When Wang Tiejun saw this interview on television, he couldn't help but feel indignant. He thought Robinson was deliberately smearing him and belittling his academic qualifications.
He didn't know that the United States does not recognize Chinese school diplomas at all, so his only education in the United States is junior high school.
However, he also knew that he had not received enough education and was looked down upon by others, so he now supported his two sisters in going to college at all costs.
After his sisters graduate from college, he wants them to study abroad, but it depends on whether they are willing.
At five o'clock in the afternoon, Zhang Heli arrived.
Wang Tiejun called a taxi and rushed to the airport to pick up the plane. There was quite a lot of luggage, with two barrels of medicinal oil alone weighing 160 kilograms.
As soon as he entered the yard, before Zhang Heli got out of the car, he saw the huge wooden stake in the yard.
"Tiejun, is this the wooden stake you leaned on to practice Tieshan? It's so big, aren't you afraid of getting hurt?" he said in surprise.
"Don't be afraid. I'm familiar with banging wooden stakes. I haven't practiced other martial arts much. I'm just practicing this." Wang Tiejun said nonchalantly.
They first got the things off the car, then sent the driver away, and the two of them moved the things into the house.
Most of the things were miscellaneous items brought from home. No matter whether he needed them now or not, his family brought him a lot of them. Just like when he was in Cangzhou and the sports school, no matter how difficult his family was, everything he ate, drank, wore and used was always given to him.
"These are the cloth shoes your mother and your two sisters hurriedly made for you. I've seen them, they're quite thick."
Everything was brought in, and Zhang Heli helped to sort it out. He first took out a cloth bag, and when he opened it, there were more than ten pairs of cloth shoes inside.
"When I was in the SJZ provincial team, I could only wear this. Playing basketball also wore out my shoes, so my mom and sister made shoes for me at home every night," Wang Tiejun said with a smile.
"This is salted meat and salted fish for the New Year. You don't have much at home, and I couldn't bear to eat it, so I brought it all for you. You have to hang it up, or put it in the refrigerator, to prevent it from going bad."
Zhang Heli took another big bag.
"It was the same at this time of year at home before. They were reluctant to eat and always gave it to me," said Wang Tiejun with a smile.
Zhang Heli said: "When I saw your parents and two sisters, they were very thin."
Wang Tiejun smiled with red eyes: "They have always been like that. My two sisters grew up hungry. The family expenses are too high. Sometimes I don't want to play ball or practice martial arts, but they still don't agree.
I remember when I was a kid, my family was even worse off than in previous years, and I was the only one to be supported. When I saw my two sisters were very hungry, I secretly shared some of my food with them. My father found out and beat them several times. Later, when I left food for them again, they didn’t dare to eat it. ”
"Now it's good. You have made a name for yourself and can repay them." Zhang Heli nodded.
"To succeed?"
Wang Tiejun smiled. He knew in his heart that if it weren't for the system, he might still be working illegally in New York. One day he might even be dragged into the Fuqing Gang in Manhattan's Chinatown and become a gangster. That gang often harassed him.
He knew a little about the details of that gang, which specialized in helping people smuggle into the United States from Fujian, charging $20,000 to $30,000 per person. Most of the people on Manhattan's Chinatown were smuggled people from Fuzhou, and that street was also called Little Fuzhou because of this.
Speaking of coming to the United States, he also had to thank the corrupt prisoner who taught him English in prison. If he hadn't arranged for someone to help him, how could he, a poor guy who had just been released from prison, get a visa to come to the United States? And he was given a maximum stay of six months. Otherwise, he couldn't even sneak into the United States because he couldn't afford the money.
After the things were sorted, Zhang Heli said, "Tiejun, come on, let's talk first."
"What is it?"
Wang Tiejun saw that Lao Zhang's face didn't look very good, and he began to worry.
Zhang Heli said, "Look, the contract you gave me is a trainer's contract. This is what we agreed on. But what did you say on the phone? Are you asking me to do odd jobs now?"
Comrade Lao Wang laughed and said, "Brother Zhang, I 'm just kidding . Don't worry, it must be a trainer. I still need you to teach me a lot of center techniques."
Zhang Heli nodded with satisfaction and said with a smile: "That's right. With your skills, you can't shoot the ball, you can't move your feet, and you only know how to fight hard. I can definitely teach you a lot."
"But Brother Zhang, you are the second center, do you also understand center techniques?" Wang Tiejun asked puzzledly.
Zhang Heli said excitedly: "The second center is also a center, how can I not understand? I'm not exaggerating, when I played basketball, there were few inside players in Asia who could match me. I'm also the coach of the national team, and the former head coach of the Beijing Youth Team. How can I be fake?"
"Okay, Brother Zhang, as long as you work with me for a year or two, and when I make it in the NBA, I'll make a name for yourself. Maybe you can also enter the NBA as a trainer." Wang Tiejun said with a smile.
These words made Zhang Heli excited. The Tiejun boy was indeed loyal and he could get along with him.
He is willing to work as a trainer for a team or as a personal trainer, as long as he can continue to work in this industry, he is not picky.
However, he still had another idea in his mind. It would be great if Tiejun's case could be overturned. Then, if Tiejun joined the national team, he might have a chance to return to the national team.
He went to the United States a few years ago because he failed in the competition for the head coach of the national team. Otherwise, who would come here when he is developing well in China?
Wang Tiejun then took out a few pages of paper with three training contents on them: strength, flexibility, and coordination. They were all systematic training contents. He handed them to Zhang Heli and said, "Brother Zhang, this is my current personal training content. Please supervise me and tell me how to arrange An An's training time.
Each of these three trainings has a requirement of at least one hour of training per day. "
"Did the Suns' trainer give you this thing?" Zhang Heli asked after taking it.
"Yeah, that's right." Wang Tiejun said evasively.
Zhang Heli took a closer look and found nothing wrong with it. He even felt that the level of this training content was much higher than his. He said with some shame:
"It seems I still need to learn. The training level in China is not as good as that in the United States. I have also worked at the University of Chicago for a few years and learned a lot. Now it seems that I am still far behind."
Wang Tiejun smiled and said, "That's okay. You just need to urge me to complete this content. In addition, I will add some training content in the future, such as speed, shooting, low-post footwork, defense, etc. You can make a corresponding training plan for me, and then I will ask the Suns' trainer to give me a copy so that we can compare and see whose is better."
After chatting for a while, he suddenly thought of something and asked, "Brother Zhang, you have been in the United States for several years. Have you applied for a green card?"
Zhang Heli shook his head and said, "It's not easy to apply for a green card. I don't have one. Are you asking this because you want to apply for a green card? That's right. With a green card, you don't need a passport and can enter and leave the United States freely."
“Is a green card an immigration card?”
Lao Wang doesn’t understand this either. He doesn’t want to immigrate, but without a green card, he has to apply for residence every few months, which is also very troublesome.
"Of course not. A green card is a permanent residence permit. Your nationality is still Chinese, so you are not considered an immigrant. But if you hold a green card, the U.S. government can legally tax your global assets. You have to be careful not to evade taxes. It will be very troublesome if you are targeted by the U.S. Internal Revenue Service."
"What does global asset taxation mean?" Lao Wang was a little confused.
"That's right. Your assets in the country must also be taxed in the United States," Lao Zhang explained.
"If I get in, then what do I need a green card for?" Lao Wang immediately gave up and immediately gave up the idea of ​​applying for a green card and stopped asking.
The two chatted for about half an hour. Wang Tiejun looked at the sky and saw that it was getting dark. He said with a smile, "Well, Brother Zhang, it's time for dinner. Let's save some money and make do at home. I can tell from the first sight that you are an expert in the kitchen."
"It seems that I, a handyman, have to work part-time as a nanny!" Zhang Heli smiled bitterly and got up to cook.
29th, competition day.
In the morning, Wang Tiejun and Zhang Heli went to a car dealership and picked out a large-space Ford SUV. According to Barkley, this thing is cheaper than an off-road vehicle, less fuel-consuming, and suitable for his current needs.
"Brother Zhang, let's go practice driving."
At ten o'clock, the formalities were completed and Comrade Lao Wang happily sat in the co-pilot seat.
"Okay, let's just take a few turns." Zhang Heli laughed.
The two drove eastwards. As soon as they arrived at the city center, Comrade Lao Wang asked them to stop the car and let him take over.
"Hey Tiejun, do you know how to drive? I don't have a auxiliary brake here." Zhang Heli sat in the passenger seat nervously, holding the handbrake with his left hand.
"It's okay. Just watch me. I've done this before when I was in the provincial team." Wang Tiejun said confidently.
"That's good."
Zhang Heli breathed a sigh of relief, but he did not release the handbrake and still held it in his hand.
"Brother Zhang, do you know Ma Jian?" Wang Tiejun said while steering and stepping on the accelerator and releasing the clutch.
"Yes, he is from the Hebei Provincial Team. When I was coaching the Beijing Youth Team, he played for the Hebei Youth Team. Later, when he joined the national team, I had already come to the United States. Oh, by the way, you two were teammates." Zhang Heli said.
The car slowly moved forward. Wang Tiejun shook his head and said, "We were teammates, I guess. When I joined the provincial team at the end of 1989, he had already joined the national team and didn't stay in the provincial team for long. I didn't stay in the provincial team for long before something happened, so I never met him."
Zhang Heli said: "After he played in the Olympics last year, I heard that he also came to the United States. Did you know that?"
Wang Tiejun was startled and shook his head, "I don't know. After the accident two years ago, I didn't return to the provincial team and came directly to the United States."
"Then why did you mention him?" Zhang Heli asked a little puzzled.
"Oh, he joined the national team and had a scrapped jeep left in the provincial team. I used his car to practice. Speaking of his car, the space was small. I was two meters tall at that time and my physique was smaller than it is now. It was difficult for me to squeeze in. By the way, do you know where he is?" Wang Tiejun said.
"I don't know about this. If you want to know, can I contact Director Liu for you?" Zhang Heli asked.
"Which Director Liu?"
"It's Liu Yumin, formerly a member of the national women's basketball team. Now she's the deputy director of the Basketball Department of the Sports Commission. She may be promoted to director soon and be in charge of all domestic basketball affairs." Zhang Heli explained.
"Brother Zhang, you are awesome. You know all the high-ranking officials! Okay, then, you can ask around for me. I don't know anyone here. Ma Jian is here. Let's get in touch so we can take care of each other." Wang Tiejun said.
"Okay, this is easy." Zhang Heli said.
Wang Tiejun chuckled and said, "Brother Zhang, you already know Director Liu. Can you help me ask if I have the chance to join the national team with my current strength?"
Zhang Heli's heart skipped a beat, and he hesitated, "No, Tiejun, you are indeed not yet mature enough, and you are not too old, let's wait for another two years. Anyway, the Olympics just ended, and the next Olympics is still four years away."
"Okay then, you can help me talk about it when the time comes. I play basketball in the United States, and I'm afraid the basketball department doesn't know who I am."
Wang Tiejun nodded helplessly.
When he was born, the first generation of leaders was still in existence. When he was young, he received a collectivist education. A sense of collective honor was very important. As a Chinese, being able to play for the country under the five-star red flag was the highest honor for him, and he longed for it very much.
Zhang Heli sighed secretly, if he couldn't overturn the verdict, how could he possibly join the national team?
Unless, unless Wang Tiejun's strength can truly surpass those domestic centers by a large margin, and at the same time the men's basketball team's performance can be improved, then it will be possible to make special arrangements.
Speaking of rules, there is actually no rule that says people who have been in prison cannot join the national team. After all, the national team is not the army, it is just a sport, and the review is not that strict.
Simply put, if Wang Tiejun wants to join the national team, strength cannot determine everything. Instead, it will only be possible when the team becomes unable to do without him.
He didn't want to talk about this now, for fear of irritating Wang Tiejun, because the steering wheel was in Wang Tiejun's hands. What if the car overturned?
"squeak!"
At this moment, Wang Tiejun slammed on the brakes and the car stopped suddenly.
"Tiejun, why did you step on the brakes?"
Zhang Heli suddenly jumped forward. If he hadn't fastened his seat belt, he would have hit his head on the windshield. He was shocked, but when he looked in front of him, there was no car.
"Fuck, look, Brother Zhang, what is that?" Wang Tiejun shouted, pointing at the sand peak in the distance.
Zhang Heli took a closer look and found that it was a dog, no, it was a wolf, about 200 meters away from them.
"Drive over and take a look?" Wang Tiejun said excitedly.
"You want to feed the wolves? Come on, turn around and let's go back to the city. I tell you, these things come in packs, don't provoke them." Zhang Heli shouted.
“What a nest.”
Wang Tiejun wanted to hold on a little longer, but then he saw a few more wolves appearing behind that one, so he quickly gave up the idea.
"Brother Zhang, I plan to buy a gun and then organize a team with Barkley and the others to go hunting."
"You'd better be quiet. When the wolves chase you, they will only eat you, not them."
"Why?"
"Because you run the slowest."
"Oh my god, it turns out that Barkley and his gang wanted to use this method to eliminate me. How cruel!"
While chatting, they slowly drove back to the city. Wang Tiejun said, "Brother Zhang, we have a game tonight. Let's go to the training base first. Last time, David Robinson fouled him out. Watch me tonight. I'm going to give him some internal injuries."
"No, Tiejun, it's time for dinner, why don't you make some arrangements? The emperor doesn't need hungry soldiers!" Zhang Heli said hurriedly.
"Then there is nothing to arrange. Let's go to the training base to eat." Wang Tiejun said.
Zhang Heli was stunned for a moment, then laughed and scolded: "You are too stingy! You are a player, you can go there to eat, who am I?"
"No, I didn't say that you should eat at the training base. What I meant was to buy you a hamburger on the way." Wang Tiejun said with a smile.
"Snapped!"
Zhang Heli slapped Lao Wang on the back of his head and scolded him with a smile: "You eat the nutritious meal, and I eat hamburgers?"
"Look, I provide you with food and accommodation, and I also have to pay you such a high salary. Do you think it's easy for me?"
In the end, Lao Zhang still ate a hamburger. There are not many Chinese restaurants in Phoenix now, so this is the only Western fast food.
At one o'clock, Wang Tiejun drove his new car carefully to the outside of the training base, a few dozen meters away from the gate.
"Why the hell are you driving so slowly?"
Kevin Johnson drove his Ferrari to the back and saw that the SUV in front was too slow, so he simply stepped on the accelerator.
"boom!"
The Ferrari stepped on the accelerator to overtake, then braked and stopped outside the gate.
"Shit!"
Comrade Lao Wang was so scared that he stepped on the accelerator and mistook it for a brake, and with a bang, he crashed head-on into the Ferrari in front of him.
"Shit!"
Kevin Johnson was watching the car behind him through the rearview mirror. His eyes widened when he saw this and he was so scared that he wanted to abandon the car and run away.
"squeak!"
Zhang Heli reacted quickly. His hand was on the handbrake and he quickly pulled it up. The SUV screamed and stopped behind the Ferrari, only one foot away.
"Hey, kid, how do you drive that car? My car is worth three hundred thousand dollars. Who are you? Come down and let me see you."
Kevin Johnson got down angrily, walked quickly to the SUV, knocked on the window and shouted.
"Old K?"
The window rolled down, revealing a face that stunned him.
"Kevin, damn it, we were almost at the door, why did you pass me? You scared me and almost had a car accident, you know?"
Comrade Lao Wang was so excited that he grabbed Kevin Johnson's chest and pulled him over, spitting out words.
"Damn it, let me go. Lao K, I didn't know it was you. If I had known, I definitely wouldn't have overtaken. I would rather wait behind for a year than overtake. I won't risk my life to overtake your car. You almost hit me to death just now."
Kevin Johnson knocked Lao Wang's hand away and said unhappily.
"squeak!"
Another car came from behind, it was Barkley's SUV, and it stopped nearby.
"Old K, did you buy a car? Not bad, this car is very sturdy, suitable for beginners, and I won't feel bad if it crashes."
Barkley yelled, then asked curiously, "But why are you stopping here? There's another car coming from behind. It's Danny Ainge's car."
Lao Wang said unhappily, "Kevin wanted to swap cars with me. My car is new, so I'm a bit at a disadvantage, but he is my brother, so I finally agreed to it."
"Who said I'd trade cars with you? Besides, you can't fit in my car." Kevin Johnson ran away quickly. If he continued talking, his car would have to change owners.
"Ha ha……"
Buckley and Lao Wang burst into laughter.