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Chapter 300 - 147. A new look for the new season_2

Chapter 300: 147. A new look for the new season_2

Tatum originally preferred to join UCLA, but after the 137th-ranked high school player in the nation, Russell Westbrook, joined UCLA, he didn’t want to go anymore. With Darren Collison already there, and now Westbrook, who was close to being top 100, he knew he would definitely have no chance if he went.

Over at North Carolina, with the era of the ’North Carolina Four’ coming to an end, there were more opportunities for new recruits. Although North Carolina managed to snatch up Ty Lawson, the fifth-ranked high school player in the nation, other point guards were still not ranked higher than Tatum at over 280.

Zhang Yang hoped that Tatum would make it to the NBA in the future; a ranking of over 280 didn’t mean he had no chance at all.

While looking at the rankings for the high school class of ’06, he spotted a familiar name after the 250th spot—Stephen Curry, who had joined Davidson College.

When he had the time in the future, he could go watch some games. Davidson wasn’t very far from Charlotte; just over an hour’s drive away. Now that he had his official driver’s license, he could go out and have fun by himself!

Zhang Yang also saw his own name on the list; he was ranked second by the Associated Press, right behind Greg Oden and ahead of Kevin Durant.

He wasn’t happy about this, not because he wasn’t ranked first.

Oden had been as sensational as LeBron James in his 12th grade, and the media claimed that if the NBA draft still allowed high schoolers to declare, Oden would unquestionably be the top pick of the ’06 class.

Fighting over this with a player who had been hyped up by the media before even entering college was pointless; not to mention, he was a center whose talent was visibly apparent.

The reason Zhang Yang was dissatisfied was because of Kevin Durant—how could he not be ranked second?

He, Zhang San, could accept being third on this list.

...

As September 26 rolled around, the Bobcats gathered, entering the training camp phase. For the players, the 2006-2007 season had already started from this day!

On the first day of training camp, Zhang Yang felt a completely different atmosphere compared to the previous year’s training camp phase.

Back then, an air of laxness permeated the team, with more than half of the players just going through the motions under the lead of Brevin Knight.

The rookie group and the striving group totaled only six people, yet split into two small teams, appearing weak and underwhelming. And then, there was the out-of-place Okafor.

But this year was different—the team was thriving!

Of course, within a team, there would always be cliques.

Felton, Zhang Yang, Okafor, Alan Anderson, and Matt Carroll tended to stick together.

Gerald Wallace, Jumaine Jones, and Perkins remained in their little group, with rookie Millsap hitting it off with Gerald Wallace quickly and joining them.

The new veterans Muhammad, Derek Anderson, and Othella Harrington got along well together. As seasoned players, they didn’t immediately side with either Felton or Gerald Wallace, preferring to see who would come out on top in the competition this season.

Rondo followed his college senior Muhammad and didn’t care much about getting along with teammates.

He actually wanted to interact more with Zhang Yang and join the ’Big Brother Group,’ but he was wary of Zhang Yang’s ’secondary personality,’ deciding to wait and see—Zhang Yang off the court and during one-on-one was very different. Was there a difference between the off-season Zhang Yang and the in-season Zhang Yang?

As for the striving group... those guys looked even less friendly than the rest, and although Rondo wasn’t afraid of trouble, that small team was not in his consideration.

This year, the Bobcats still had a loner—Walter Herrmann.

Coming from a good background, wealthy family, and well-educated, Walter Herrmann spoke elegantly and acted with decorum... but conversations with him always felt distant.

Even Zhang Yang found it hard to keep the conversation going, not only because of Herrmann’s aloof personality but also because speaking with him always carried a tinge of sadness, affecting the mood.

However, Zhang Yang noticed that Okafor really enjoyed talking to Herrmann; he guessed it was because Herrmann’s father was a famed author, and Herrmann himself had a good command of literature... it was just so Okafor.

The day after the assembly, on the 27th, the Bobcats officially began the training camp work, conducting various tests with the players.

Zhang Yang was the earliest to arrive at the gym and the first to complete the tests.

His performance in the tests pleased the coaching staff!

Taller, faster, and stronger than he was at the same time last year!

centimeters in barefoot height + 210 centimeters wingspan, impeccable as a shooting guard.

Like the new FMVP from Miami, who only dares to claim a height of 193 centimeters with shoes on, and stands next to Nash, who claims to be 191 with shoes, yet it’s hard to tell who is taller.

At 91 kilograms, a bit thin but only 18 years old, no rush.

Significant improvements in shooting and technique too!

Bickerstaff was very excited, he felt the joy of cultivating a future superstar, as if he were back to the wonderful days coaching Kemp and Payton.

But after the excitement, he also felt regret, he was too old, not as energetic as before.

He had already discussed stepping down from the head coach position with Jordan, but the successor had not yet been decided.

Jordan intended to invite an old classmate, but Jack seemed not to like the old classmate.

Since someone had already mentioned this, Bickerstaff expressed that he also thought that championship coach was not suitable for their young team.

If it were only Zhang Yang or Bickerstaff alone who thought it wasn’t good, Jordan might have made a unilateral decision, but with both thinking it wasn’t good, he told Bickerstaff he would consider it carefully and asked Bickerstaff to pay attention to any suitable candidates.

Even if Bickerstaff were to step down, he would still continue as the GM, so who the head coach successor would be was very important.

But it wasn’t so urgent, he could hold on for another two or three years, and even if there weren’t any suitable candidates for now, a good coach might suddenly get fired, like Philip Saunders of the Pistons.

Who would have thought that such a well-rounded and competent head coach would suddenly be fired?

On Zhang Yang’s side, after he finished the test, he went to watch his teammates’ tests, wanting to know how much the old teammates had improved and the abilities of the new teammates.

Little Fatty Big Brother’s progress was pleasing, his three-pointers and close-range floaters got more accurate.

Moreover, the step-back shots, breaking through with the help of screens, and catching the ball close to the basket to attack, these technical moves visibly became more succinct!

Playing more cleanly and sharply, not only was it more aesthetically pleasing, but it was also harder to defend against.

Gerald Wallace’s playing movements also became cleaner and more decisive, it’s just that his technique itself... his breakthroughs are still the straightforward, tank-style approach.

However, in terms of shooting, the Crown Prince’s test performance surprised Zhang Yang with evident improvement, roughly... from zero to one?

In the three-point shooting drills of ten shots each, he could make a few now, no longer like before when he couldn’t shoot at all.

His free-throw mechanics were adjusted over the summer, leading to a noticeable improvement in accuracy.

The simplification of Gerald Wallace’s technical moves was credited to Tim Grove.

The adjustment in shooting form was thanks to Ingles.

If Gerald Wallace had returned to the team earlier last summer, the adjustments would have been made then.

But at the end of the previous season, Ingles hadn’t joined yet, and only after Gerald Wallace returned to the team did he discover that the team had recruited that top shooting coach from the Nuggets.

By that time, training camp was already about to start, and there was no time to adjust Gerald Wallace’s shooting mechanics.

Okafor’s transformation was also quite noticeable, his demeanor became sharper, and when he stepped onto the court, his gaze turned fiercer!

While Zhang Yang watched, it was as if he was seeing a taller version of Ben Wallace... it seems Ben Wallace was also Oakley’s little brother?

Although Okafor was ribbed by Jordan for training so hard he ended up on the boxing ring, it wasn’t just a few boxing moves he had learned.

His mid-range shots had improved somewhat, and his close-range jump shots were significantly better, his cuts after setting screens were sharper, and his posture more aggressive.

Other aspects, such as the defensive improvements for Okafor and Gerald Wallace, were hard to tell from the tests.

Zhang Yang wasn’t in a rush, he would know once the internal training games and preseason matches started.

Having observed the tests of three core teammates, Zhang Yang couldn’t wait for the new season to start!

...

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Excluding the Chapter late at night, there’s also 12,000 words today, or 15,000 if you count that one, so I’m asking for monthly votes! Seeking recommendation votes!