Coach, I don't want to retire yet

Chapter 608 This is a true rebirth!

It's mid-June and all the focus in the NBA is on the finals between the Bobcats and the Lakers.

Even though James has already arrived in South Sudan, Africa, he is closely following the development of the NBA Finals.

This time, James came to South Sudan at the invitation of Luol Deng, chairman of the South Sudan Basketball Association, to inspect and train here.

South Sudan is a new country, established only in 2011. It is still facing many challenges such as internal conflicts, poverty, and backward infrastructure. It is a country that is extremely poor even in Africa.

Luol Deng, chairman of the South Sudan Basketball Association, is a former Bulls player and an old friend of James. After the NBA ended in May this year and he bought out his contract with the Bulls, Luol Deng returned to his homeland to develop his country's basketball career.

After learning that James was in Africa, he immediately contacted James and told him that South Sudan lacks resources and has no indoor basketball courts. Most of the players on the team left the country as children or were born as refugees. South Sudan is now poor in terms of basketball and is in urgent need of investment, not only financial investment, but also investment in advanced basketball concepts. In fact, what is more important is advanced basketball concepts.

Isn't James looking for the essence of basketball now?

There is no better opportunity than to be in South Sudan and grow with these South Sudanese players.

James is now in the NBA and can't go back. At least, he won't be able to go back in the short term.

Since James did not stay in one place but traveled around the world, he obviously had not yet found a place where he could completely calm his mind.

Although South Sudan is certainly poor in terms of material conditions, the poorer it is, the more simple its people are and the purer their basketball is.

Therefore, Luol Deng invited James to be the head coach of the South Sudan men's basketball team. All the matters of the South Sudan men's basketball team, from player selection to training, were handed over to James. James could pass on all his basketball skills to them and grow with them. At the same time, James could also practice his basketball philosophy here.

As for the financial side, James can rest assured that he doesn't have to pay a penny, and he doesn't even need to worry about the complicated relationships in the team. Luol Deng is ready to rely on his status in South Sudan and his personal charm to solve all the problems. At the same time, he will personally fund the construction of basketball courts across the country, creating an absolutely safe, secure, and perfect environment for James where no one will disturb him.

To be honest, James was still tempted by Luol Deng's invitation.

When Paul Fu unexpectedly met Luol Deng and let him know that he was in Africa, James was initially helpless and unhappy. Unexpectedly, a bad thing turned into a good thing in the end.

"LeBron, you should be watching the finals right now, right?"

The first time James met Luol Deng, Luol Deng mentioned this year's NBA Finals.

Of course James paid attention to it, but he was not quite sure why Luol Deng brought up this matter.

Luol Deng did not let James guess his thoughts, but said with a smile.

"LeBron, which of the Goats in this year's finals can be replicated?"

This question stumped James.

James didn't even know how to answer for a moment.

"Yao, his height and skills are unique and can't be copied. TMC and Kobe, their basketball IQs are almost perfect and are also hard to copy. Michael Jordan, Beasley, Shaquille O'Neal, they are similar to Kobe and McGrady. They have top-notch talent and basketball IQs. It's hard to imagine that there will be a second player like this. But, there is one person who I think can be copied!"

James widened his eyes at the agitated Luol Deng and blurted out, "Thabit?!!!"

It was hard for James to imagine that Luol Deng actually thought Thabeet was replicable.

Luol Deng looked at the extremely shocked James and continued with a smile: "A center that tall, that fast, and that skilled looks really amazing, but LeBron Thabeet doesn't have his own unique characteristics. He doesn't have the incredible running ability of Beasley, nor does he have the strongest basketball IQ and skills that can be seen with the naked eye like TMC, Kobe, and Yao. Thabeet is very strong now, but he doesn't have anything unique. No, in the current NBA, Thabeet is unique. He is 2 meters tall and plays like a guard. There is only one of him in the NBA now, but in the future, there will definitely be more and more, because there is no shortage of tall, thin, and athletic players in the world. I think players like Thabeet and Durant can be copied. Even if they can't be copied 21%, they can be replicated to a certain extent. Moreover, players like Durant and Thabeet, as long as they are replicated % to %, they will already have combat effectiveness."

Luol Deng spoke very excitedly, and some of his words even sounded a little difficult to understand, but James understood them.

Why do we say that players like Durant and Thabeet will be very effective if they can replicate 70% to 80% of their performance?

Because such a player must first have the athletic ability of Durant and Thabeet, and then have 70% to 80% of their skills and basketball IQ. How can such a player not be strong?
If we replace them with players like Kobe and Jordan, to be honest, there are quite a few players who have the athletic ability of Jordan and Kobe, such as James White. There are even many such players in the United States. However, if they only have 70% or 80% of the skills or basketball IQ of Kobe or Jordan, then they may not be able to form combat effectiveness in the NBA.

At the very least, he cannot compare with Tabit or Beasley clone in terms of combat effectiveness.

This is also very normal. It is relatively easy to find clones of Jordan and Kobe, but it is not so easy to find clones of Thabeet and Durant.

After all, one is 2 meters tall and the other is 21 meters tall, and they have such strong athletic abilities, which are rare in the entire United States.

"Luol, you don't really think the world is full of KD and Thabeet, do you?"

Luol Deng smiled slightly and looked at James mysteriously and said.

"LeBron, come with me."

James didn't know what Luol Deng was doing, but he still followed Luol Deng to a training hall.

"It's very simple. It was just completed. However, although the facilities are a bit simple, there are many treasures I found inside!"

James still doesn't know what the treasure that Luol Deng mentioned means.

Soon, James, who followed Luol Deng into the training ground, understood what Luol Deng meant by the treasure.

James was really shocked!
Not one, not two, not three, not even four, five, six, seven!
James took a quick look and saw dozens of young children who were tall, thin, with long arms and legs, and looked childish, probably only in their teens!

"LeBron, they are a group of refugees. Look, there are some kids here who are seven feet tall, but because there is no basketball court, they don't even have a basketball. They don't even know what basketball is, so they can only herd cattle. They are seven feet tall, but they run faster than cattle. They look thin, but their strength is amazing. I don't know if they have enough basketball IQ or basketball talent, but it doesn't matter. There are so many people, people from one country, you can choose whatever you want. The whole of South Sudan will be your backing. As long as you can train even one KD or Thabeet among these people, it will be a success. No, even if you can't train a real KD and Thabeet, even if you only train a few players who reach 70% or 80% of their level, you will shock the whole world in the future. With glory, the king will come to the NBA!"

Luol Deng looked at James who was still in shock at this time, and continued: "LeBron, you must not know how to return to the NBA now, right? You must want to return to the NBA now. I can see from your eyes that your ambition, your ideal, your belief, and your aspiration have not disappeared. South Sudan and I can realize your ideal and lead them to defeat the US team in the 2020 Olympics, and even defeat Coach D and win the Olympic championship. Then, you will be a genius and hero sought after by the whole world. At that time, you will return to your NBA as a true king. Whether it is a player or a coach, the entire NBA will scramble for you. Even the Celtics, Knicks, Cavaliers, and Heat will kneel down and beg you, King James, to return to your loyal team!"

I have to say that Luol Deng's eloquence is really good, and he almost grasped James' pain points.

The biggest problem for James right now is that his reputation is completely ruined. He has no chance in the NBA, which is why he left the United States and wandered around the world. He is looking for a way to return to the NBA in the future.

But to his disappointment, he found nothing.

And now, there is no doubt that Luol Deng has found a point of entry for him.

Indeed, his heart was moved.

Not to mention James, even Rich Paul next to him was moved.

"Follow Coach D's path and leave Coach D with nowhere to go!!!"

To be honest, he is more eager for James to return to the NBA than James. He enjoys the feeling of being second to none when he depends on James.

James fell in the NBA, and he also fell in the NBA.

Rich Paul dreams of James finding his power in the NBA again!

South Sudan is such a poor place, but I didn’t expect that the people here are so talented!

James did not agree immediately, but frowned and said, "Isn't 2020 a little too rushed?"

Four years...

To be honest, James can wait. He feels that as long as he takes good care of his body, he can wait four years to return to the NBA.

The key point is, can four years be enough to make these kids who have never played basketball grow up?
Is this a bit difficult?

"LeBron, Tim Duncan, after only one year of playing basketball, they have grown to be equal to Alonso Mourning on the court. Tim Duncan's first coach was just his brother-in-law. Olajuwon started playing basketball at the age of 15. After two years, he was selected for the Nigerian national team and scored 60 points and 15 rebounds in a game at the All-Africa Games. Olajuwon's first coach was just the head coach of the basketball school team. LeBron, do you think you are worse than these people?"

James was silent.

To be honest, compared with Duncan, Olajuwon and others, LeBron James is indeed far behind in terms of basketball talent.

He has been playing for more than ten years but still hasn't figured out basketball. Duncan and Olajuwon figured it out in just one or two years. No one has ever said that Olajuwon and Duncan have poor basketball skills or a weak foundation in basketball.

"There is also Larry Bird, who first touched basketball at the age of 12 and became a nationally renowned teenage genius at the age of 13. Even though he was seriously injured in high school and dropped out of college twice, he returned to the basketball court and was still the most dominant player in the NCAA."

"LeBron, we have all played in the NBA, and you should know best that true talents actually grow faster than you can imagine. Do you think that among the people I have selected, is it possible for a Duncan, Olajuwon, or Larry Bird to emerge? If there is no such a candidate in this batch, it doesn't matter. I will find a second batch, a third batch, or even an unlimited batch right away. South Sudan has nothing, but it has a lot of people. The average age of the population in South Sudan is less than 18 years old, so there are plenty of young people here!"

James is one of the most versatile players in the NBA and one of the players with the highest basketball IQ. Maybe these are controversial now, but in Luol Deng's opinion, no one is more suitable than James to be the enlightenment coach of these children.

As long as James is willing to calm down and train these children, then James will be the best candidate.

These guys don't need Coach D because Coach D doesn't have that good basketball skills.

These people need a top player coach like James who has basketball skills, can serve as an enlightenment coach, and can provide them with basketball direction.

Apart from James, which top player would be willing to come to a remote place like South Sudan and stay there for three or four years?

"LeBron, don't think four years is a long time. In fact, if our plan goes well, maybe in 2018, you can reappear in the world's sight."

After Luol Deng finished speaking, this time, James did not remain silent.

"Lor, I have no problem being the head coach, but I hope that I will have the final say over the entire team. Even though you are the chairman of the Basketball Association, you cannot interfere in the affairs of the team."

James looked at Luol Deng seriously. Luol Deng was completely relieved, then smiled and nodded: "LeBron, I, the chairman of the Basketball Association, am here to serve you!"

After feeling Luol Deng's attitude, James also breathed a sigh of relief.

"Look who I got for you, kids?!"

Soon, the entire training ground was in an uproar!
"King-James!!!!"

James was stunned when he saw these excited children.

"LeBron, I stopped them in 2012."

It is certainly impossible to stop time in other places.

But, here, it is possible.

James clenched his hands tightly, and Luol Deng was very thoughtful.

It’s really thoughtful.

James hasn't felt this way in a long, long time.

"LeBron, you can rewrite your future, their future!"

“This is a true rebirth!”