44: 43.

The next demon blade?

44: 43.

The next demon blade?

At 9 a.m., Zhang Yang took a taxi to the ATT Stadium and was led by the security guard to the training court, where he saw someone was already there!

Tim Duncan!

Duncan had just played in the All-Star game the day before yesterday and had returned from Los Angeles only yesterday.

Though today’s training was scheduled for the afternoon, he had come early in the morning.

Having returned to his peak after multiple career-threatening injuries and still being the stabilizing force of the team at the age of 40, Duncan’s dedication was unmatched by anyone.

Duncan noticed someone had arrived, saw the newcomer was a handsome young man, nodded at him, and then continued with his training.

Zhang Yang stopped his greeting mid-action, afraid to disturb the other’s training.

It wasn’t about offending someone, but rather the fear of the evil overlord messing up his hair.

Soon, the security guard helped call over the trainer.

Zhang Yang gave the security guard a 5 US dollar tip.

It was Nash’s teaching, that debts between players could wait, but it was better to tip team security, cleaning staff, and others who offered help.

A tip of 5 US dollars was a suitable amount for such small favors.

With the trainer’s assistance, Zhang Yang loosened up his body and began his training, quickly becoming accustomed to his ‘grown’ physique.

His existing skills improved, and those he was less proficient in, like the stop-jump shot and step-back shots, he could perform during training.

However, neither muscle memory nor the feel of the shot were particularly good.

These skills could be used under pressure in a game, but were best avoided if possible.

After several sets of shooting drills, around 10 a.m., Popovich and several assistant coaches arrived at the training court.

Popovich said, “Jack, you’re already here training?

As hardworking as the rumors say.”

Zhang Yang replied, “Thank you, I want to adapt to the new competitive environment as soon as possible.”

Popovich said, “That’s the right mindset.

Since you’re here already, let Chip take over your training, he will design the most suitable training plan for you.”

Zhang Yang had heard of this assistant coach in his past life; Kawhi Leonard was personally trained by Ingles, who had a high level of expertise in shooting and related skills, earning him the nickname ‘Shooting Doctor.’

After exchanging greetings, Zhang Yang said to Popovich, “Greg, could you help me get a video compilation of Gary Neal?”

Popovich frowned and asked, “What do you need Gary’s video compilation for?”

Zhang Yang answered, “I want to understand how he plays and learn his style to better integrate into the team’s tactics.”

“No, don’t try to learn how Gary plays.

We didn’t trade for you to have a taller version of Gary.

What you need to improve are your one-on-one skills and defensive techniques,” Popovich corrected.

Improve one-on-one skills and defensive techniques?

Zhang Yang’s eyes widened as he thought of that one man.

Was the Spurs team that hopeful when they traded for him?

A draft reject carrying such expectations?

But, considering it’s the Spurs, it wasn’t all that surprising.

Amongst the three cores, one was picked almost last in the first round, and another was almost last in the second round.

This season’s tactical core for the Spurs was the guy who was the second-to-last pick in the second round.

They wanted to nurture a draft reject, so what!

Duncan and Bowen, weren’t they both undrafted?!

Sack of soybeans, why was he thinking of these two?

Suddenly, Zhang Yang felt someone staring at him and turned his head…

oh shoot!

Does Duncan walk without making a sound?

Zhang Yang, startled, placed his raised foot back down and asked, “Hello, Tim, is there something you need?”

Duncan sized up Zhang Yang and responded, “You can speak English?”

Zhang Yang: “?”

Duncan explained, “I heard from O’Neal that Yao didn’t speak English, so I assumed you didn’t either.”

Zhang Yang asked, “When did you hear that?”

Duncan thought for a moment and replied, “At the 2005 All-Star game, O’Neal said that Yao, who had just joined the NBA, didn’t speak English.

I thought you were the same.”

“…”

Zhang Yang didn’t know what to say.

Could he interpret that Duncan hadn’t spoken to O’Neal in six years?

At least during Yao’s first two years in the NBA, Duncan hadn’t spoken to Yao.

…

The chat with Duncan started off weirdly and ended abruptly.

Ten minutes later, Ingles returned from the office to the training court with a notebook in hand, ready to train Zhang Yang.

After demonstrating his shooting fundamentals, Ingles gave him high praise but noted that the details of his shooting form still needed adjustments.

Without much further talk, he started guiding Zhang Yang in dribbling followed by shooting.

Elsewhere, Popovich and Budenholzer watched and chatted idly.

Budenholzer said, “Jack is about to turn 23, isn’t it a bit late to start training him?”

Popovich flipped through a folder and pulled out two scouting reports to show Budenholzer.

Budenholzer, who was in charge of tactical aspects, only knew about Neal’s departure after the trade was completed.

He had been busy adjusting tactics for the past few days and was seeing Zhang Yang’s scouting report for the first time.

After comparing them, he exclaimed in surprise, “Jack has improved so rapidly!

So much progress in just a few months?”

Popovich responded, “His fundamentals are very solid.

With such fundamentals, he can learn anything quickly.”

Budenholzer said, “That’s true…

but why are his skills still so limited?”

Popovich replied, “I don’t know, look at his dribbling startup motion, who does it resemble?”

Budenholzer watched intently as Zhang Yang practiced dribbling and shooting under Ingles’ guidance, paying attention to the details of ball-protection during his startup…

“Steve Nash?”

Popovich said, “Yes, very similar to Nash.

I guess the reason Jack’s skills are limited might be because no one taught him.

Perhaps because he is a Chinese player, the environment is not friendly to him, and he does not actively learn new techniques.

He just knows to train hard alone.

Isn’t that big guy from New Jersey the same?

I think last year Nash took the initiative to teach him some techniques, and only then did he start practicing new things, which led to such improvement.”

Budenholzer compared Zhang Yang’s scout reports from two different periods.

Just by learning from Nash for a while and switching teams to train hard on his own, he improved so much within a few months…

His thoughts about Neal quickly faded.

Neal was an undrafted player who entered the NBA this season, but not from the 2010 draft, rather from the 2007 draft.

He was already 26 years old.

Although he was battle-ready with extensive tactical experience from overseas and was easy to utilize…

his potential for growth was almost non-existent; perhaps now was the strongest Neal would ever be.

Such a player was someone RC Buford could delve into, whereas Zhang Yang clearly had tremendous potential for improvement.

Not only that, the scout report rated Zhang Yang’s tactical awareness very highly.

Would they possess the next magic sword?

But, he already had a favorite prodigy…

Popovich guessed what Budenholzer was thinking and said, “Moreover, we don’t need to put all our bets on Jack alone.

The college player you’re interested in – I’ve discussed it with RC, and we plan to draft him.

By training them together, even if only one of them turns out great, we still win, and if both do, even better, their heights are very compatible.”

Hearing this, Budenholzer had no objections and began to look forward to that day.

…

In the morning, Zhang Yang practiced dribbling followed by shooting and adjusted shooting hand form details under Ingles’ guidance.

In the afternoon, Zhang Yang attended the Spurs team training.

The training itself was simple, and so was the tactical role given to him by the coaching staff: receive passes for medium-range shots from both wings’ baseline, provide cover for the three-point shooters from the wings, then pull to 45 degrees on both sides or drive to the basket, and counterattack.

That was it.

It meant that Popovich was serious about developing his one-on-one skills.

He quite liked such arrangements.

Compared to passing and organizing the offense, he preferred the feeling of personally throwing the ball into the basket.

Perhaps it was the atmosphere of the team…

somewhat strange.

When Zhang Yang greeted his new teammates, the responses were lukewarm.

Only Antonio McDyess and Richard Jefferson were a bit more enthusiastic, yet he could feel that his teammates were not that averse to him.

Was it because the team had many veterans who were accustomed to teammates coming and going?

During team training, there was very little conversation.

No one commanded the teammates to move positions like Nash did.

Instead, everyone first gathered around Budenholzer to listen to tactical plans, followed by a series of drills on positioning and passing.

If they did poorly, they continued to practice, with Budenholzer speaking more than the entire team combined.

Between training sessions, Duncan, Blair, Splitter, Ginobili, and George Hill sat in silence, as if engaged in a collective meditation practicing silence; Parker, Richard Jefferson, Antonio McDyess, and Matt Bonner, being somewhat more lively personalities, also spoke softly during their breaks.

The other five team members spoke even less, exercising extreme caution because they were all on the fringe.

This season, the Spurs primarily used a ten-man rotation.

Even after Zhang Yang replaced Neal, it stayed a ten-man rotation.

With many veterans on the team who had already played 52 regular season games, their tactical coordination was at its peak from the start of the season.

Budenholzer saw how effortlessly Zhang Yang integrated into his tactical role and ended the team training early.

Ingles took over and continued to work with Zhang Yang on his shooting skills.

On the first day of training, Zhang Yang started to miss school, finding practicing techniques more exhausting than basic drills, and the coaches had planned an intense training schedule for him!

He wished he could relax and study in class…

However, with one of the league’s top shooting coaches directing him, he briefly grumbled to himself before diving back into the training.

…

The next morning, Zhang Yang arrived at the ATT Stadium at 9 a.m.

sharp to continue with training.

The coaching staff was pleased to see Zhang Yang full of energy.

The day before, they had intentionally increased the training volume and continued until Zhang Yang was visibly tired; they did this to test his stamina recovery.

The results were pleasing; Zhang Yang’s physical fitness was at the top tier in the NBA.

Although there was a gap compared to the physical monsters, he was still two to three years from reaching his peak physical condition at twenty-five or twenty-six years old.

He had potential in this area, with strong recovery capabilities, and could be trained intensively.

Zhang Yang practiced hard all morning, and in the afternoon, he went with the team to Oklahoma City.

In the evening, as Zhang Yang was about to find a place for dinner with the 103 US dollars for meal allowance provided by the team, his phone suddenly rang.

Picking it up, it was Harden calling.

After connecting, Harden’s voice came through with a hint of reproach, “Jack, you come to Oklahoma City and don’t call me?

I’ve been waiting all afternoon!”

Zhang Yang responded naturally, “These past two days I’ve been so tired from training, I’ve been lying dead in my room.

I’m this tired and you didn’t come to see me, yet you blame me?”

“True, you just joined a new team, you must be exhausted.

Come on, dinner’s on me.

I’m about to reach your hotel, I’ll wait for you at the entrance… Beep beep beep beep…”

Just like in high school, the guy hung up so quickly…

Zhang Yang thought as he felt somewhat dazed, he went downstairs to the hotel lobby.

Outside the door, leaning against a sports car, was the big-beard Harden.

Compared to the ninth grade Harden, the current one was ‘thin yet strong’, which was a bit jarring to see.

But when he saw Harden dash towards him in a little trot after spotting him…

hmm, still the same Compton Giga!

After they hugged, they got into the car.

When Harden started the engine, he began chatting incessantly about his time on the team, while Zhang Yang verbally kept up, a thought crossed his mind.

Initially, he had treated his training as ‘instances’ to grind through, but now undergoing it a second time, he realized it might not just be simple ‘instances’ to ‘reset’ or ‘delete’.

Could this be another timeline version of himself?

After his last training, his playing style and personality here had distinctly changed because of him.

Unable to understand the principle, Zhang Yang stopped thinking about it, resolved to learn new techniques, enhance his abilities, accomplish missions… and enjoy this parallel timeline of his life!

…

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