lakers championship

Chapter 18 Best Time
Tianyang was dumbfounded when he heard Coach Johnny's words.

On the way back from school to the Kings Road neighborhood, snippets of the conversation kept flashing through his mind.

"When you get old, regret in front of the TV", "Life and dreams belong only to you", "Regret is more painful than hard work".

Trying to become an NBA player is not just a simple talk. There are so many people who sign up for the election every year, but only 60 people are elected in the end. Even with the special invitation of the Summer League, there are only about 100 people.

Few of the undrafted and second-round picks can play. Even the first-round picks are very easy to be ignored after a few years.

At that time, either change careers, go to overseas leagues, or wait for opportunities in the development league.

In general, if you are interested in playing in the NBA, the money and social status you can get are very different. You may enjoy the cheers of the tsunami like LeBron, or you may leave sadly like an unknown NBDL player.

With a sullen head, he kept weighing the pros and cons, and in a daze, he had already reached the gate of the community.

"Tianyang, how are you doing today?"

Following the source of the sound, Tianyang raised his head and saw Kareem Abdul-Jabbar sitting in front of his bookstore, greeting him.

Tianyang walked over, sat down casually, and said, "Very good, I met a new teammate today, and there is a game tomorrow!" "

"Great opportunity, you must catch you, the first image is very important, as long as you perform well tomorrow, the coach will definitely improve your status in the Sequoia team, and the fans will fall in love with you!"

The two chatted for a while, and Kareem kept boasting, which made Tianyang a little embarrassed.

"Don't just talk about me, what are you doing with so many boxes?"

"Hi, sales are not good recently. I plan to take advantage of Tusker's opening of a branch in Mountain View and sell these books at a discount in his store. This will not only help him enrich the variety of goods, but also save me the trouble of waiting. , after all, the flow of people here is too small.”

Speaking of selling books, Tianyang asked reflexively: "People who buy paper books are considered a rare species now, right? If you still put them in supermarkets, most of the consumers there are middle-aged aunts, why not go to Our school organizes events."

Tianyang said it tactfully, wanting to tell Kareem Abdul-Jabbar that selling in supermarkets cannot make money.

"Haha, I have been running a bookstore for 10 years. Of course I know where it is easier to make money, but I have never cooperated with a supermarket for daily necessities. This time I have a fresh picture."

"If you don't make any money, don't you think it's a waste of time?"

"No, it doesn't exist. I'm different from you. I don't put making money first. Experience and experience are more important. If we cooperate this time, we may not have the opportunity to cooperate again in the future."

Speaking of this point, Jabbar paused for a while, sighed and continued: "At the beginning, I was a senior student just like you, playing on the school team. I originally wanted to enter the NBA, but there were too many masters that year, and I was afraid that I would not be able to make money. When I got the money, I didn’t dare to sign up for the election, and I regret it now. So when I do things later, I give priority to experience and experience.”

"What year?" Tianyang asked curiously.

"In 96, now the fans often call it the golden generation. If I had participated in the election, I might have been a golden member. Unfortunately, I was afraid that I would not make money. De, when can't you make money? There is only one NBA draft! Even if you don't get selected, it's not too late to come back and make money, oh, I was so stupid back then!"

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar sighed in his life, but Tianyang didn't answer, and he remembered the conversation with Coach Johnny again.

Tianyang's silence made Abdul-Jabbar react from talking to himself.

He scratched his head, wanted to change the subject, and asked, "Are you planning to participate in the NBA draft?"

After asking, he seemed to recall something, and said embarrassingly again: "Haha, you said at the dinner last time that you would return to China after the Pac-[-] playoffs. I actually forgot."

"But I think you can try it. Your visa should be until July, right? This year's draft will be held on June 7, so it's completely in time."

Hearing Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's suggestion, Tianyang couldn't help laughing and said, "Do you also think I can play in the NBA?"

"Of course, although Tusker likes to brag, he is serious about your evaluation. You have the strength to become a second-round pick. Warriors coach Cole is also optimistic about you?"

Tianyang remembered Johnny's words, so he used the word 'also', but Jabbar thought that Tianyang was talking about Tusk, plus Cole, in total, there are already 4 people who think that he can try to enter the NBA.

The irony is that he himself doesn't think so.Could it be, as Johnny said:

"It's just that deep down in your heart, you still can't admit that you want to be an NBA player."

Thinking of this, Tianyang got up and bid farewell to Kareem, and he wanted to go back and take a shower.

Every time he faces a major decision in life, he makes it in the shower.For example, to study in the United States.For example, make up your mind to get rid of Morena.

But this time, after washing for half an hour, I couldn't make a decision.

After walking out of the bathroom, he turned on the computer, QQ messages flashed, and there were 99+ messages from Aaron.

At first glance, it turns out that there is a company that is optimistic about his ability to enter the NBA, and wants to take advantage of his current lack of popularity and sign an endorsement contract with him at a relatively low price.

In addition, the video of the last Northern California Community Basketball Tournament had a good reception in the domestic basketball forums, especially the one-on-one segment between him and Jaylen Brown, which made netizens praise him for his ability to play in the NBA.

At the end of the news, Aaron also gave suggestions that even the second-round picks are worthwhile. The endorsement contract, if the price is less, is still money.

After reading the message, Tianyang looked up at the ceiling, lost in thought.

For one afternoon, he was continuously favored by team coaches, grandpas, netizens, businessmen, and buddies to enter the NBA, but he himself couldn't believe it.

After much deliberation, I still couldn't figure out why, but the phone beeped a new text message.

Open it and see that the sender is 'Yulin Lude Luozan'.

"Brother Tian, ​​I was wrong. I've been busy writing my graduation thesis recently, and I've been overwhelmed, and the news is slow. Don't you go to Yulin Road to eat hot pot and skewers? It seems that you haven't changed your habit of going to extremes? Do you have eight-pack abs?"

Seeing the text message, Tianyang suddenly realized that he was a familiar person, so he knew what his problem was.

He has never dared to admit that he wants to be an NBA player. Fear of being ridiculed by others and fear of not being selected are small factors. The real problem is that he likes to go to extremes and believes in his heart that failing to reach the top ten picks is too much of a failure.

He can endure the ridicule of others, but he can't bear to leave like an NBDL player. He wants to enjoy the general cheers of mountains and tsunamis like LeBron.

However, with his current conditions, it is indeed a bit difficult, and he still wants to be the main force of the team in one step, so he has been timid.

Fortunately, Coach Johnny told him to bravely recognize his own heart and ignore other people's evaluations.

Fortunately, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar told him that there is no loss if you try it, and you may regret it for a lifetime if you don't try it.

Fortunately, Aaron told him that small money is also money, and the second-round pick is also an NBA player.

"As strong as Kobe, also the No. 13 rookie, and played as a substitute for two years, how can I reach the sky in one step?"

After making up his mind, Tianyang sent Johnny a text message from his coach.

"Coach, I have decided to work hard towards becoming an NBA player. Thank you for reminding me that starting tomorrow, I will double my training. I hope that I can be worthy of your trust in time."

In less than a minute, Johnny replied to the text message.

"You've wasted too much time, so I'll talk to you as soon as I arrive at the team. But don't worry, the best time to plant a tree was ten years ago, followed by now."

(End of this chapter)