The No.1 Anti-Fans in Basketball
Chapter 372 - 197 [God’s Afterglow]_2

Chapter 372: Chapter 197 [God’s Afterglow]_2

After ending his trip to Houston, Hansen returned to Memphis.

Last year’s training camp was such a sweet success that he decided to host another in Memphis this year.

This time, more people showed up, and they came even quicker.

You couldn’t see the championship halo, but it was reflected everywhere.

In addition to old faces like Harden, Curry, and Irving, there were new ones like Westbrook.

Westbrook and Harden seemed to get along better than expected, of course, this was also related to Harden being traded by the Thunders.

Even if you get along off the court, conflicts of interest can cause some friction, but if that conflict disappears, so do the problems.

Westbrook, on a personal level, seemed like a very straightforward and passionate guy.

Hansen, as his on-court rival, also found it easy to get along with him.

The only issue was that whenever they talked about Durant, Westbrook’s mood noticeably dropped.

It was obvious that his relationship with Durant might be even better than with Harden.

It was at that moment when Hansen noticed something interesting.

In the "history" he knew of, because Durant joined the Warriors who had defeated the Thunders, Westbrook and Durant became adversaries.

Now that Durant left the Thunders early, that Chapter would naturally not happen.

It’s like if Li Longji had died twenty years earlier, he’d be among the top five emperors in history; in that sense, it was actually a good thing for them both.

He couldn’t help but pat Westbrook on the shoulder and say with heartfelt sincerity, "With KD and Harden gone, the future of the Thunders is up to you now."

Westbrook was surprised and somewhat excited. He hadn’t expected Hansen to think so highly of him.

He was very angry when the team traded Durant for James; after all, he had just taken a pay cut to renew his contract.

Plus, James’s reputation had taken a hit over the past two years, and Westbrook was quite nervous about partnering with him.

You know, a starving camel is still bigger than a horse; James was still Nike’s lead, overshadowing him in every way.

But Hansen’s words gave him a lot of encouragement, reminding him that he was the future the Thunders had chosen.

To put it metaphorically, he was the driver of the Thunders’ bus, and James was just another passenger.

A week into the training camp, Wade finally showed up fashionably late.

When he saw Hansen, his face was all smiles.

He thought his career was over after being swept last season, but was pleasantly surprised with a turnaround after a summer.

When they were on the court together, they reverted to exchanges filled with trash talk.

"This time it’s my turn to beat you," Wade said confidently. He couldn’t help his confidence; the Heat’s lineup had no weaknesses, and he didn’t see how they could lose.

"I understand your confidence, but at least try to push me to my limits," Hansen said as he broke through with a turnaround fadeaway shot.

Wade’s eyes were filled with surprise; he hadn’t expected Hansen to evolve and develop the turnaround fadeaway, a killer move.

Hansen adding another weapon to his arsenal in a single summer was damn frightening.

"Basketball is not a one-on-one game," said Wade, who naturally wasn’t going to admit defeat that easily. He turned around for a pick-and-roll and assisted Curry for a three-pointer, demonstrating how the Heat would play next season.

"That’s because you don’t understand what kind of opponent you’re facing," Hansen said as he broke through and assisted Faried for an alley-oop score. Defending back, he spread his hands and looked at Wade, suggesting the challenge.

Neither was persuaded by the other’s trash talk, but it was reminiscent of their old training days at the American Airlines Arena.

Still, who was right and who was wrong between the two might only be settled in the new season.

Time flew by to September, and Hansen’s training camp came to an end. He began his second tour of East University, arranged by Under Armour.

Wherever he went, the crowds emptied the streets, and the level of enthusiasm was even more exaggerated than the last time.

Although there were still some moralists on the internet talking about him not participating in the Olympics, most people knew his real situation. After all, everyone had seen James step under him in the Finals, and the Grizzlies had updated his injury report.

The basketball association’s ulterior motives were easy to see through; they just wanted him to recover early and play, regardless of how well he would perform.

Basketball is a team sport, after all. You and a group of people who never played together can’t just hit the court and play in the Olympics without any coordination; the likelihood of doing well is close to zero.

It’s not like we’re going to play an exhibition match. Even the Dream Team holds training camps and warm-up matches.

As for this trip to East University, Hansen had never been to Chengdu before and was quite interested in seeing the national treasures there.

But unexpectedly, the crowd at the event exceeded UA’s expectations, and in the end, he could only check in at the airport and leave, which left him somewhat unable to help but mock the situation.

Fortunately, the subsequent stops went relatively smoothly.

At the Shanghai stop, fans asked about the Heat Team.

It was an unavoidable topic; after all, in terms of lineup, the Heat are the Grizzlies’ biggest obstacle to defending their championship, even stronger than the Grizzlies by a notch.

Hansen didn’t shy away from this topic, just like he did during the passionate exchange with Wade at the training camp.

However, in front of his own people, what he said was very characteristic of East University.

"The great ancestor made his stronghold in Xingyang, Emperor Guangwu in Kunyang north of the river, and Wei Wu at Guandu in Puyang. It’s only when facing an opponent who is much stronger, even seemingly unbeatable, that you can determine if you are fit to dominate the era. I am grateful for the emergence of this Heat team because it gives me the opportunity to prove myself."

Hansen’s speech stirred up the passion of the fans on-site and left them eagerly anticipating the Grizzlies’ new season.

How else can you say that East University’s culture is a five-thousand-year accumulation? American motivational speakers are simply no match for this.

After finishing the East University tour, Hansen returned to Memphis.

At this point, it was early September, and there was still some time before the team’s training camp officially started.

After a summer of training camp battles, Hansen’s "God’s Afterglow" was very close to its limit.

But as before, it was missing that final step.

He could only rely on extra practice to make that final push.

However, training with Grover alone wasn’t particularly effective; he needed a suitable training partner.

One day, when he arrived at the gym for training as usual, he suddenly found an extra person in the changing room.

The man looked surprised to see him too, but mixed with excitement.

Hansen’s impression of Livingston and his time with the Warriors reminded him a bit of Speights.

More precisely, Livingston left a deeper impression, particularly because he had a face that bears an uncanny resemblance to Karen Mok.

But as memories of Livingston resurfaced, Hansen recalled something crucial.

Livingston, in addition to his playmaking skills, was also adept at the turnaround fadeaway, a type of move that’s not widely recognized yet well known among those in the know for its effectiveness.

And there it is, as luck would have it.

He motioned for Livingston to come over and asked with a smile, "Are you here for extra practice too?"

Livingston nodded. He had signed a non-guaranteed contract with the Grizzlies and, although ostensibly brought in as the third point guard, he could be cut at any time.

Coming in for early training was partly about getting in shape and also to show his commitment to the coaching staff.

However, he did not expect to run into Hansen instead of someone from the coaching staff.

"Together?" Hansen extended the invitation.

Livingston nodded excitedly, knowing that since he had joined the Grizzlies, the current leader of the team was clear to him.

But afraid that Hansen might not recognize him, as they had not previously met, he began to introduce himself, "I’m Shaun..."

"I know you, Shaun Livingston, the next Magic. If it weren’t for injuries, you would likely be a star player by now," Hansen said, cutting him off and gesturing for him to follow outside.

Hansen’s words stunned Livingston; he didn’t expect Hansen to know him, as he was just a nobody in the NBA now.

Especially the words Hansen said; after so many years, he had almost forgotten them himself.

"Let’s go, Magic," Hansen said, already at the door. Seeing Livingston not following, he looked back and urged him.

Livingston collected himself, took a deep breath, and followed with a smile.