Almighty Coach

by Stayrr

How could a poor graduate student without any background or connections become successful? With a coaching system? An upgrade? This is not a computer game, but real life we’re talking about! This will be a fantasy based on reality. Dai Li will fight back against all those who would mock and humiliate him with his astonishing and awe-inspiring training skills. From a nobody he’ll t

19. 561

Read Almighty Coach - Chapter 561 - Grow Tall online free - Light Novel Full

Dai Li only saw the results of the triathlon online that night.

The Brown brothers only got the second and third place. Dai Li then saw Tell helping Hansen cross the finish line on the news. He was moved.

"The older brother gave up on becoming a champion for his younger brother. I hope that after this race, the brothers will become close again." Dai Li closed the webpage and stood up. He had to go welcome a guest from Spain. It was Fernando, the department head of one of the football giants in the La Liga, FC Barcelona.

"Coach Li, we met again," Fernando spoke in standard American English. People who didn't know him might think he was a full-blooded American.

Dai Li had met Fernando when he went to visit FC Barcelona. It was then that Fernando promised Barcelona would give Halls a chance if he could grow taller. Fernando was there because of this promise.

A few minutes later, Fernando saw Halls. The Halls had grown taller in the past year.

"The child really has grown taller since last year," Fernando nodded, satisfied.

"Mr. Fernando, we should let the data do the talking." Dai Li reached out and pointed to a ruler on a wall that measured height.

Halls immediately went over.

"Wait a minute!" Dai Li stopped Halls and said, "Take off your shoes."

Halls nodded. As Dai Li instructed, he took off his shoes. He then went over to the wall.

A staff member immediately stepped forward and measured Halls' height.

"168 cm!" The surveyor reported the measured number and, at the same time, he moved his body to the side so that Fernando could confirm the result with his own eyes.

"The measurement is 168cm when he is barefoot. If you put on your shoes, you will at least be 170 cm. Although you can't be a center-forward that constantly gets to shoot and score points, you are tall enough to be a winger that breakthrough the enemies defense." Fernando gave a satisfied nod. In his opinion, Halls had reached the minimum height that was required to be a professional football player.

A height of 168 cm was considered small on the football field, but there were many football players that were less than 170 cm tall. There were many well-known "sideways killers." Although they were not tall, they were flexible, technically sophisticated, and very fast. They could easily attack their opponent's goal.

The technical characteristics currently displayed by Halls was clearly in line with the idea of the "sideways killer."

Dai Li went on to say, "If we let Halls continue to train here, he should be able to continue to grow taller. Maybe he can grow up to 175 cm, but that will take time. Maybe one or two years. However, during this period, I'm afraid that he will not be able to get professional football training. I am not a professional football coach. I can't provide professional football training here. I think football training should be handled by football clubs such as yours. If I handled his football training we would be wasting his talent."

"Coach Li, you've really given this a lot of thought." Fernando rose slightly to pay his compliments before saying, "I am very satisfied with Halls' current state. I believe that he will have a future after joining Barcelona."Life in Argentina had been hard recently. The Argentine peso had depreciated by 10% in just a few days. It seemed that a new economic crisis was on the horizon.

However, the people of Argentina had long been used to this. Last century, the struggle between Peronism and anti-Peronism caused the country to slip from being a developed country to being a developing country. The rise of neoliberalism triggered the withdrawal of foreign capital, the collapse of exports, and pushed a large number of businesses to the brink of bankruptcy. It continually drained the vitality of the country. The country was at risk of defaulting on an astronomical debt. Argentinians had become numb to the constant and numerous problems.

No matter how bad the economy got, nothing stopped the Argentinians' passion for football. Every weekend, during the domestic football league in Argentina, people would gather together and watch football matches.

In a dilapidated tavern, twenty people gathered in front of an old-fashioned CRT television which had been in use for more than a decade. They drank the cheapest beer and stared at the television with a chromatic aberration.

Frast was amongst them. As a football coach, he was naturally very passionate about the sport. Although raising four children put him under great economic pressure, he still came to the tavern on the weekends in the afternoon, drank two bottles of beer, and enjoyed the moment.

The phone rang. Frast was unhappy. A phone call during a football match ruined her mood.

Frast still picked up the phone. After a few seconds, his face changed drastically and he screamed wildly.

Everyone in the pub looked at Frast. It wasn't that strange to scream here. Whenever there was a goal, the pub always went crazy. However, there hadn't been a goal. Frast's scream was of a different kind.

"Hey man. What's wrong with you?" The person next to him asked.

"Barcelona has decided to give my son Halls a contract!" Frast yelled excitedly.

The people around the room surrounded him.

"What are you talking about? Barcelona? The Barcelona?"

"Is that the Barcelona in La Liga? Is your son there?"

"What is your son's name? Is he a footballer?"

All sorts of questions instantly arose.

"Of course. Of course, my son is a footballer. He will soon be playing in Barcelona in La Liga!" Frast replied incoherently.

"Hey Frast, I think you've gone insane. I remember that your son has dwarfism. He is only 1.5 meters tall. He can't be a professional player," someone said from the side.

"My son has grown to 170 centimeters!" said Frast.

"170 centimeters? How is that possible? How can someone who suffers from dwarfism grow to 170 centimeters?" No one believed Frast.

"Believe it or not. You just wait and see. It will be reported on the news within the next two days," Frast said as he stood up. He wasn't in the mood to watch football anymore. He decided to return home immediately and share the good news with his family.The Argentinian media did in fact report on the news.

Although Argentina had a lot of football talent, someone being able to play in the La Liga was definitely big news. Barcelona was a very famous club as well. Even if he were just entering the youth training system in Barcelona, every sports news outlet in Argentina would still focus on it.

When the manager of the Riverbed team, Aguero, saw that familiar name, he was in disbelief.

How could Halls be chosen by Barcelona? Isn't he suffering from dwarfism? He can't be a professional player, so how could Barcelona choose him?

Aguero couldn't help but reread the content of the news article word by word in great detail.

The newspaper said that Halls is 1.7 meters tall. How is this possible? He has dwarfism. There is no way he would have grown to 1.7 meters, Aguero thought.

However, there was a picture in the newspaper. It showed Halls training on the field while wearing a Barcelona training jersey. In the photo, although he was shorter than the other players, he was definitely not a dwarf.

The very next moment, Aguero remembered how crazy talented Halls was at football.

What a loss! If I knew that he could grow to 1.7 meters, I would've definitely signed him on. With his talent, I could've obtained at least ten million euros in transfer fees when I sold him to a European team! Aguero was full of regret.In the conference room of the Real Madrid Club, the intelligence officer held a document in his hands, and he was giving a report to the management.

"In a U15 practice session yesterday, Barcelona's U15 youth team defeated Valencia's U15 youth team with a score of 7 to 1," the intelligence officer said. He lifted up his glasses.

"7 to 1? Such a big difference? This must have been a very one-sided game. As far as I know, Valencia's youth team is not weak. Even if it were just practice, they wouldn't lose so much to Barcelona, right? That would be too embarrassing," someone immediately questioned the intelligence officers.

"Indeed, this score is unusual. The players at the U15-level already have a firm grasp on defensive techniques. They also know about a few complicated tactical cooperation tactics. How could there be such a big difference? Was there anything unusual about the game or did anything happen during the game?" Someone else asked.

"Yes. All of Barcelona's seven goals were related to a player named Halls Frast. He is an Argentinian. He was just recruited by Barcelona. During this practice game, Halls Frast scored four goals, two of which were penalty kicks that were caused by him. He also scored in a direct free kick. He also helped his teammates with three assists," said the intelligence officer.

"What did you say was his name," Henry suddenly said.

"Halls Frast." The intelligence officer turned to look at Henry and then asked, "Mr. Henry, do you know this player?"

"Is it him?" Henry immediately shook his head. "Impossible. I do know a child named Halls, and he is indeed an Argentinian, but he suffers from dwarfism. It is impossible that him became a professional footballer."

"Then maybe they have the same name," the intelligence officer said.

"Do you have a photo of the Argentine?" Henry asked.

"Yes," The intelligence officer took out a piece of paper from a folder and handed it to Henry. He said, "The third one in the first row is Halls Frast."

Henry took the paper and looked down.

"It's him. This is the Halls Frast I know. How is it possible? He has dwarfism, how could he be playing football?" Henry screamed. He completely lost it.

"Mr. Henry, what is going on?" Someone besides him immediately asked.

"This Halls visited our club a year ago. I'd already noticed him at the time. He was very talented. It could be said that he was a football genius. But he suffered from dwarfism. It was impossible for him to become a professional player, so I didn't try to get him to stay," Henry said.

"The information I have here shows that the height of Halls is 1.7 meters. Obviously, his height has reached the standard of professional players. He could at least be a winger that breaks through the enemies defense." The intelligence officer paused for a moment and then said, "Mr. Henry, I think you may have been cheated. He may be short, or he may have reached puberty a little later, but he does not suffer from dwarfism."

"No. That's probably not true. Coach Li wouldn't deceive me. After all, he won Best Coach at the Laureus Award and he had no conflict of interest with Real Madrid. He wouldn't lie about this kind of thing," Henry suddenly stopped talking. He remembered that when he had met Dai Li a year ago, Dai Li said that Halls was going to be training with him.

"Did Coach Li actually do it? Oh my God! He actually got a dwarf to grow to 1.7 meters through fitness training!"

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know report chapter so we can fix it as soon as possible.

Report chapter

Chapter 562: Recommendation

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

Castello was a key midfielder on the Real Madrid U15 team. He had been on the Real Madrid youth training system ever since he was young. Step by step, he eliminated his opponents one by one. He had already earned a place on Real Madrid by the time he joined the Real Madrid youth training camp. They already knew that he was strong enough to play for the team.

Castello was also a member of the Spanish National Youth Football Team, so he had a bright future ahead of him. It was only a matter of time before Castello joined the Real Madrid team.

Now, was with the Real Madrid U15 team in Villarreal, a city in the province of Castello within the Valencian Community in Spain. The U15 team of Real Madrid was about to play a match against the Barcelona U15 team.

Coincidentally, the Real Madrid and Barcelona teams were both staying in the same hotel.

The players of both teams knew each other. They were all the cream of the crop in their age group. Many of them had competed with each other since they were seven or eight years old. Many of them had been rivals for years.

At the same time, many of them were members of the Spanish national team, so they also used to be teammates that fought for the honor of Spain.

Castello met a former teammate in the hotel corridor. He was currently his opponent.

"Francisco! Long time no see!" Castello greeted him with a smile.

Francisco was a young player trained by Barcelona, but he had been on the Spanish National Youth Football Team. He was teammates with Castello and was also a midfielder. Francisco and Castello's technical characteristics complemented each other. One of them was partial to being very organized and the other was partial to defense. So when they were on the Spanish National Youth Football Team, the two of them became the twin-spears of the Spanish midfield. They had good chemistry and cooperated with each other.

Although Francisco and Castello currently served different masters, the friendship between the two remained.

"Francisco, we meet again. I feel a bit embarrassed about always beating you guys," Castello said snarkily.

At the U15 level, Real Madrid was indeed better so, as Castello said, Real Madrid did always beat Barcelona.

Francisco knew that Castello was not being malicious and that he was just teasing. He did not get angry, but instead said, "Castello, you guys used to win, but we will beat you this year!"

"Get out of here! You're dreaming!" Castello said with a smile. The two of them were familiar with each other, so they spoke casually.

Francisco shook his head, "What I said is true. I am not lying to you. We have an excellent newcomer this year. To be honest, I have never seen someone so good before!"

"Is that so? Where is he?" Castello asked.

"I will take you to see him." Francisco took Castello to the hotel's pool. Then Francisco pointed to Halls who was next to the pool and said, "Look. That is him!"

"That thin, small guy?" Castello looked at Halls. Halls was sitting alone by the pool at that time. He soaked his feet in the water and he was playing by himself.

"This kid is very good? Why haven't I seen him before?" Asked Castello.

"He is Argentinian. He just came to Spain," Francisco replied.

Castello curled his lips with disdain. He always believed that Francisco liked to brag, so he didn't really believe him.

Francisco is definitely deliberately trying to confuse me! I don't believe him! Castello thought.On the field, Castello looked at the score, Barcelona's 3 to Real Madrid's 0. He now realized that Halls had crushed the Real Madrid U15 youth team.

The Barcelona team had been using a short pass tactic in the match. No matter where the ball was, whether it was on the middle or the sides, the fast passes made it so that the ball reached Halls' feet quickly.

When the ball was at Hall's feet, it was terrifying for Real Madrid. Halls looked small and skinny, but he was strong. He gave the defenders a headache.

The craziest thing was the way that Halls controlled the ball. Castello had never seen such impressive skill. The defenders had no way to take the ball from Halls' feet. It could be said that Halls single-handedly threw Real Madrid's entire midfield and defensive line into dismay.

How can there be such a terrifying player! Castello was panting and his eyes displayed the dread he felt.

For a midfielder who was partial to playing defense, seeing such a strong striker on a rival team was terrifying. Castello realized that this small guy from Argentina was going to be a nightmare in his career for decades to come!"We shouldn't have missed out on him. It's all my fault. I should've paid more attention to him," Henry looked despondent. He let out a long sigh and said, "More importantly, our enemy, Barcelona, has gotten him! That is my biggest concern. I think everyone has seen the potential of this player. He's is already incredibly good and he is only fifteen years old. He will be giving us headaches for the next twenty years."

"Henry, this is not your fault. No one could have known that a child with dwarfism could grow to the height of a normal person. None of the staff of any teams would have wasted their time on someone who suffered from dwarfism." Someone next to Henry comforted him.

"No. I am responsible for this. I looked down on Dai Li." Henry shook his head and said, "At that time, he said that he would train the child with dwarfism to grow taller. I was full of disdain. I even laughed at him. Now, it seems that I should be the one laughed at. I am an ignorant person."Royal Medical College, United Kingdom.

Helen Pepe looked nervously at the white-haired doctor in front of her. It was as if she was a prisoner waiting for her sentence.

Finally, the white-haired doctor said, "Miss Pepe, treating your strain injury will be a complicated matter. If you want to cure it completely, as long as you are still playing tennis, engaging in high-intensity training will be impossible. So I can't really do anything about it."

"Professor Green, you are the authority on sports rehabilitation. Even you don't have a solution?" Pepe looked at the doctor pitifully.

Professor Green decisively shook his head, "From a medical point of view, I really don't see a way. This type of inflammation in your hips cannot be treated surgically. In the case of medicinal treatment, many drugs are banned by the International Tennis Federation. If you use medication, you may need to rest for two to three years. You will not be able to accept this. The only thing that can alleviate your injury is through physical therapy."

"I have already done a lot of physical therapy, but there aren't any obvious effects," Pepe said.

"It's not surprising. The effects of physical therapy cannot be guaranteed," Professor Green said.

Pepe was dismayed. She was like a hurt kitten. People would pity her upon sight.

Although Professor Green was not young, he was an average man. When he saw the look on Pepe's face, he couldn't bear it. He lowered his voice and said, "I know a person who is very good at sports rehabilitation. Our Duke of Gael in England was injured and he sat in a wheelchair for more than ten years. All of the European rehabilitation experts, including myself, couldn't do anything to help, but this person helped the Duke of Gael recover. I think he may be able to help you in your current situation."

"Is that true? Who is he? Do you have his contact?" Pepe asked immediately.

"His name is Dai Li. He is Chinese. He has a training center in America. He won Best Coach at the Laureus Award," Professor Green replied.

Him again! Pepe suddenly remembered the person who saw through her hip injury at the hotel in London.

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know report chapter so we can fix it as soon as possible.

Report chapter

Chapter 563: "Pervert" Coach Li

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

The light was not switched on in the room. Helen Pepe was alone. She leaned against a sofa. She looked through the huge floor-to-ceiling windows and looked outside at the moon and stars in the sky.

In the past year, Helen Pepe had been plagued by severe injuries and her performance had greatly suffered. At the beginning of the Australian Open, she had only made it to the quarter-finals. Later at the French Open, she had been eliminated in the quarter-finals. After that, at Wimbledon, she lost in the third round. In the U.S. Open, although she got through the first round, her injury made it so that she was unable to play the second round, so she had to withdraw.

For a professional tennis player, playing worse meant making less money because sponsors would drop you. This was especially true for beautiful athletes like Helen Pepe. The prize money for the competitions was never her main income. The huge celebrity endorsement fees were the most significant contributor to her income.

Of course, even if she didn't play tennis, Helen Pepe would still be able to gain the favor of many advertisers with her attractive features. She could always do what those supermodels do and partake in a fashion week when she was free. She would only need to show her face and make her presence felt. She would be able to attract many endorsements offers from companies by doing that.

However, if Helen Pepe really wanted to be a supermodel, she wouldn't have trained every day to become a tennis player. The life of an athlete was much harder than that of a supermodel's. The kind of players who could win grand slams gave their blood, sweat, and tears. They trained hard every day.

Helen Pepe changed her sitting position, but the injured area in her hips still made her feel uncomfortable.

Her injury was a strain and, because of the inflammation, it caused physical discomfort. This kind of inflammation did not cause her substantial pain and had no real effect on her average day to day life. However, after playing in a high-intensity match, the strenuous physical activity made the injury more serious, and it would bring her unbearable pain.

Pepe knew that if she wanted to continue to play tennis, she must fix the strain on her hip. Even if it could not be eradicated, it had to recover to the point where it wouldn't affect her performance.

It was a pity that the well-known experts she had seen had been no help. The answers they gave were to rest and use conservative treatment methods. She would need to stop training and taking part in competitions. This was unacceptable to Pepe.

Do I really need to go to America to find that person? Pepe let out a long sigh. She knew very clearly that in her current situation, Dai Li may be the only person who could help her.

However, Pepe had some reservations about Dai Li. Beautiful players such as herself had always been the focus of media attention. The media were very happy to dig into her private life. No matter where she was, paparazzi would be all around trying to sneak in a few shots. She had to be very concerned about protecting her privacy. Dai Li saw Pepe's hip injury at the party after the Laureus Award, and that made her feel that her privacy had been invaded.

To continue playing, I need to go to America and find Coach Li." Although Pepe was hesitant, she decided to go to Los Angeles.Dai Li handed a document to Helen Pepe and said, "Miss Pepe, this is the rehabilitation program I specifically designed for you. It focuses on physiotherapy, supplemented by new some rehabilitation exercises. If you have any problems with it, you can tell me. I can modify it. If there are no problems, we will follow this plan."

Pepe took the document and looked at it carefully. As she looked at it, her face expressed more and more doubt.

Later, Pepe looked at Dai Li skeptically and asked, "Coach Li, how many masseurs do you have here?"

"Most of our coaches here have mastered the technique of giving massages. They are all very good. But Miss Pepe, please rest assured, I will personally handle your rehabilitative message to ensure the best results," Dai Li said.

You personally giving me rehabilitative massages is what I am worried about, Pepe internally complained. Naturally, she wouldn't say this out loud. Her tone changed and she asked, "Coach Li. This rehabilitation program, aren't there too many massages?"

Dai Li glimpsed at the plan and immediately understood what Pepe was thinking about.

Pepe was injured in the hip area, so Dai Li had to massage around that region. Naturally, this area was an area where women were concerned with their privacy. It wasn't an area that people could just touch.

Although it was for medical purposes, it was easy to misunderstand if a middle-aged man like Dai Li massaged the hip of a beautiful woman. Touching the butt of a beautiful woman might please Dai Li, but Pepe didn't want him to. Pepe's subconscious felt that Dai Li was deliberately using her injury as a way to take advantage of her.

If she were a slightly uglier athlete, she might not think this way. However, Pepe was a beautiful woman. Many men harassed her. There were also many people who would want to use opportunities to take advantage of her. Therefore, she had become a little more defensive. When she saw that Dai Li's training program contained massages, she had labeled Dai Li a "pervert."

Dai Li felt that he was being treated unfairly.

Amongst the rehabilitation programs he listed, there were many other physiotherapy and exercises besides massages, but massages were the main component. Dai Li relied not on physical therapy and rehabilitative exercises, but on his rehabilitation massaging skills. Dai Li was able to guarantee that Helen Pepe's hip injury would be fixed because he was so confident in his rehabilitation massaging skills.

In other words, if there were no rehabilitation massages Dai Li wouldn't be able to fix Pepe's hip injury. The more frequent the rehabilitation massages, the faster Pepe's hip injury would recover. Therefore, Dai Li added more massages to the rehabilitation program, but he had not expected Pepe to misunderstand this.

She can't be thinking that I am deliberately trying to take advantage of her? She must think of me as a pervert! Dai Li was upset, but he realized that when thought about Pepe's supermodel body, he felt a little excited. He even looked forward to seeing Pepe's hips.

What am I thinking? How can I have such dirty thoughts? I am a coach. I have to have the professional ethics of a coach. I have to be pure. Dai Li bit his tongue to clear his mind. He then opened his mouth and said, "Miss Pepe, it is okay if you want to reduce the massages, but I must inform you in advance that the effect of the rehabilitation may be reduced."

Although Dai Li appeared to be very professional, Pepe was unconvinced. He had the appearance of a modest gentleman, but the beast in him was thinking about how to get into bed with her. She had seen this many times. Pepe took it for granted that Dai Li was deliberately trying to find ways to act out his perverted nature.

"Okay, I understand. Please reduce the frequency of the massages. I think the daily massages should be kept to 20 minutes." Pepe's tone seemed a bit stiff, as if she was warning Dai Li not to have any funny thoughts.

Dai Li understood. He could only smile bitterly and shake his head.

It seems like I have really become a pervert!

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know report chapter so we can fix it as soon as possible.

Report chapter

Chapter 564: A Coach With a Pure Soul

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

In the massage room of the training center, Dai Li looked at the surveillance camera in the corner and felt relieved.

This surveillance camera had been installed that day because of Helen Pepe. Dai Li could feel that Pepe saw him as a pervert. He wanted to avoid provoking suspicion, so he found someone to install a camera.

Pepe was on the massage bed. It had to be said that she had a good figure. Her figure pair with a body in peak physical fitness could easily provoke the most basic male instinct. She was also wearing tight-fitting sweatpants.

Think no evil, do no evil, Dai Li repeated this several times in his head. He picked up a towel and covered the area on Pepe's hips that needed to be massaged. He then put on a pair of gloves.

A layer of towel, and a layer of gloves. This should be alright, right?" Dai Li helplessly shook his head. For the first time, he felt nervous about giving a rehabilitative massage to his customers.

"Miss Pepe, let's get started," Dai Li said. He gathered his thoughts and started to focus on his work.Helen Pepe clenched her fist. She was very alert.

If this guy dares to use the massage as a guise to touch other parts of my body, I will beat him up, Pepe thought. She was even prepared to turn around and kick Dai Li.

The next second, Dai Li's hand was pressing down.

Dai Li's massage technique was no different from other masseurs, but it did have a unique effect.

Pepe felt a warm current coming from Dai Li's hands. It was like a warm blanket that wrapped her up in an instant. This warm current gradually reached into her muscles. It was as if the bruises of the strain melted away.

This was like the sunshine of spring being ushered in after being blocked by ice and snow for a whole winter. The tough icicles slowly turned into water droplets and gathered in the streams. The snow gradually faded from the inside. The black soil leaked out and countless green seedlings rushed out of the soil. A wasteland suddenly turned into a land that was full of life.

Pepe also felt a new breath of life. She could feel the cells that were injured become like grass that had just sprouted. They had been revived. They had regained life.

It was an unparalleled sense of comfort. Pepe had never felt so comfortable. She felt her whole body relax. Like a lazy dog with a belly full of food and drinks lying in the yard, stretching and enjoying the beautiful sunshine.

Helen Pepe began practicing tennis when she was five. Since then, she had trained hard every day. Every single muscle and cell in her body had been subjected to the fatigue brought about by exercise. Day after day, year after year, even when she was resting, her body was still full of tension.

This was the physical condition that professional athletes should be in. Their bodies must be prepared every day. When they walked on the field, they should be able to enter a high-intensity confrontation. So, even in the off seasons, their spirits were relaxed, but their bodies could not be relaxed.

This is so comfortable… Pepe closed her eyes and completely relaxed her mind and body. She began to enjoy this feeling.

As the massage progressed, she became more and more comfortable. Although he was only massaging her hip area, the comfort brought about by the rehabilitation massage gradually spread through her whole body. This made her became more and more relaxed.

Pepe couldn't help but moan when she felt this kind of relaxation and comfort.

"Hmm…ah…"When Dai Li started to give Pepe the massage, he could feel that Pepe's muscles were very tense. Dai Li didn't know if it was because she was nervous or it was because these muscles had been overused.

However, as the rehabilitation massage started to take effect, Pepe's muscles began to relax.

Dai Li was still very confident about the effects of the rehabilitation massage. Among all of Dai Li's skill, only the rehabilitation massage was strengthened over time. If he were able to heal Helheim from a half-vegetative state with his rehabilitation massage, treating Pepe's strain-related injuries would be nothing. Dai Li believed that as long as he did it a few times, he could definitely cure Pepe's hip injury.

There was suddenly a moan.

"Hmm…ah…"

Dai Li understood that this was probably because the effect of the rehabilitation massage had started taking shape. Pepe felt comfortable, so she could not help but make a sound.

This was also the case when Dai Li did the rehabilitation massage for other athletes. They couldn't help but moan because of the comfort that was brought on by the rehabilitation massage.

However, even though they were both moans, when it came out of Helen Pepe's mouth, the effect it had on straight men was different than the effect of the moans of middle-aged men.

Dai Li was certainly not gay, so when he heard the moans of Helen Pepe, he could not help but have some evil thoughts.

This voice, people who don't know would think that we are doing something shameful. But I feel pretty good about this massage, Dai Li thought.

A beautiful woman was right in front of him and he was pressing down on her hips. She was even making sounds that could stimulate male hormones. Dai Li became worried about not being able to hold back himself.

Think no evil, do no evil. I need to control myself. Don't think about those dirty things, I am a coach with a pure soul. Dai Li comforted himself while looking at his watch. At this time, he suddenly felt that Helen Pepe's proposal to limit the session to 20 minutes was smart.

Thank goodness this is only 20 minutes. 20 minutes. It will pass by in no time," Dai Li thought.

"Hmm…ah…" Helen Pepe moaned again. Dai Li couldn't help his hands from trembling.

Dai Li looked at the clock on the wall. He suddenly felt like this 20 minutes would be long and slow…The 20 minutes were up. Dai Li stopped immediately.

As a top professional athlete, Helen Pepe often received a variety of physical therapies. Not just massages, but cupping, moxibustion, and low-temperature liquid nitrogen. She had experienced all of them, but she had never been so comfortable before.

After the massage, Pepe got up from the bed and looked at Dai Li with an unsatisfied look.

She saw that Dai Li was a little red and that he was covered in sweat. It was as if he had just finished exercising.

From the looks of Coach Li, giving massages must be very labor-intensive, Pepe thought. She then said, "Coach Li, thank you for the hard work."

"It was a little hard." Dai Li smiled, but he thought, Holding it in was really difficult!

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know report chapter so we can fix it as soon as possible.

Report chapter

Chapter 565: Gossip

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

That evening, Helen Pepe stood on the tennis court and practiced for an hour with the tennis ball machine.

For professional tennis players, training with the ball machine was low-intensity training. This kind of training was mainly to maintain their familiarity with the ball. Not playing with the ball for a long time would make them rusty.

In Pepe's current condition, even this kind of low-intensity training carried a certain risk. Once a problem arose it could just be muscle soreness, but if it were more severe it might disrupt some core functions of the muscles.

In the past, after Pepe's training, her wounds would make her somewhat uncomfortable. However, after one hour of training, Pepe did not feel any discomfort.

"In the past, after relatively high-intensity training, there would be a continuous pain in the hip area. If the intensity were light, I would feel sore. Now, I don't feel sore at all," Pepe said to herself.

The soreness was a very direct effect of her strain. Pepe's hip injury had been going on for many years so she had long been accustomed to sore muscles. Now that it wasn't there she was relaxed.

Pepe subconsciously reached out to press her hips, specifically on the area where the pain was usually stronger. She didn't expect that when she pushed down she wouldn't feel any pain.

Experiencing pain when pressing down on parts of the hip area was also one of the symptoms of muscle strain and this symptom had tortured Pepe for many years. At its most serious, Pepe couldn't even lay down because it brought her a lot of pain.

It doesn't hurt at all! Pepe couldn't believe it. She pressed down a few more times and only then did it hurt.

Is this the effect of today's massage? This is amazing! Pepe took a breath of cold air. She never could've dreamed of achieving such results.

Suddenly, Pepe realized that she was wrong about Dai Li. The reason Dai Li arranged a lot of massages in the rehabilitation program was really for her to recover quickly.

I've misunderstood him. He must think that I think of him as a pervert. I've really done something wrong this time!James, the editor-in-chief of a well-known media company in Los Angeles, looked through some photos that were in his hands and he shook his head.

After a while, he finished looking through all the photos and threw them to a young man opposite of him. Then he said, "Peter, these photos are all rubbish. They are not worth a single penny. I don't want a single one."

"Garbage? How come? These are all photos of Helen Pepe. She has so many fans. Her photos have always been the most popular. I followed her for a long time to get these photos," said the young man named Peter.

"Helen Pepe's photos are really popular, but there are no highlights in these photos. Look at the garbage you took. This is Pepe going to the parking lot and getting in her car. It is so regular. Do you think our audience will pay attention to pictures this bland?"

As James spoke, he picked up a few other photos. "These photos. Pepe walking out of a hotel. She is not an American. She has no real estate in Los Angeles. Of course, she would stay in a hotel. Where else would she sleep? On the streets? What is the point of these photos? Do you think this can be published in the newspaper? This is Los Angeles. Anyone can see a star if they sit outside a five-star hotel. Why is it strange for Pepe to stay at a hotel?

"What I want are not photos of her daily life. What I need are photos that have a point. It should be what the readers want to see." James pointed at the photo, and then went on to say, "Even a few photos of Pepe at a nightclub would be better than this rubbish!"

"But the photos I took are very clear, the choice of angle, the choice of light, and…"

As Peter was explaining, he was interrupted by James before he could finish speaking.

"Okay, Peter. Do you really think that you are some artsy photographer? Angle and light choice? Hehehe…" James laughed mockingly and said, "Okay, to put it kindly, you are a freelance photographer. To put it bluntly, you're paparazzi! Paparazzi need to do what paparazzi need to do. You should take paparazzi photos instead of worrying about angles and lighting!"

When James finished speaking, he pointed his finger at the door and said, "Well, Peter, I don't have time to talk about ideals and life here. I still have a lot of work to do. If you keep bringing me this kind of garbage, I won't see you again."Peter was walking down the road, frustrated. He had been humiliated by James.

He also knew that what James said was true. He was not a photographer. He could only be regarded as paparazzi.

Being a photographer was Peter's dream, but his dreams weren't able to feed him. The photos that he took were worthless in the eyes of others.

James is right, I am just paparazzi. I should do what the paparazzi do.

Peter took a deep breath and he recalled Helen Pepe's recent activities.

Helen Pepe has been going to a physical training center. If I can take some pictures of her while she's training, I should be able to sell it for some money.

That is a very upscale training center. If I am not a member, I won't be able to get in. I can't become a member with my income. If I want to get into that training center, I have to think of another way.Peter pushed a cleaning trolly and secretly looked around the room.

He had disguised himself as cleaning staff to sneak into Dai Li's physical training center.

Labor cost a lot in America. To hire a regular employee, a company would need to pay for the employee's various insurances in addition to paying their salary. Therefore, Dai Li did not hire a cleaning staff but instead paid a cleaning company to take care of the cleaning and sanitation of the training center. He saved a lot of money doing this.

It was for this reason that Peter was able to disguise himself as cleaning staff and sneak into the training center. The cleaning company did not send the same person every day. Even if he was unfamiliar, no one would suspect him.

This training center is really big. I wonder where Helen Pepe is, Peter pondered as he looked around him.

From time to time, there were one or two familiar faces that Peter saw. They were well-known athletes.

Peter had a strong urge to take out his camera that was hidden in the cleaning trolly and take a few photos of these famous athletes, but the rational part of Peter told him that he should not do that. The purpose of his trip was Helen Pepe. Helen Pepe's photos were much more valuable than those athletes.

Peter was finally nearby the massage room.

A massage room? The door is closed. There should be no one inside. Peter walked straight into the massage room with his cleaning trolly.

At that very moment, he heard a woman moaning.

"Hmm…ah…"

When he heard this sound, Peter immediately stopped walking.Helen Pepe moaned again in the massage room.

Dai Li felt awkward and he couldn't help but stop the massage.

Pepe was enjoying the comfort brought by the rehabilitation massage. When Dai Li stopped, Pepe subconsciously said, "Coach Li, don't stop."

Dai Li was helpless. He then said, "Miss Pepe, can you not make such sounds? It may be heard by others."

Once Dai Li said this, Pepe realized that the moans that she made were indeed indecent.

"Sorry. It was just that the touch was just right and it was just too comfortable. I couldn't hold back.," Pepe looked back at Dai Li with an unsatisfied look in her eyes. She then said, "Coach Li, can we continue?"

"Okay." Dai Li went back work.

After only twenty seconds, Pepe couldn't help but moan out in comfort again.Outside the door, Peter heard the strange sound from the room and immediately stopped walking.

Why is there a female moaning? Is someone doing something dirty inside?

Peter's curiosity suddenly grew. He wanted to push the door open to see who was inside, but he also knew that he was here in secret. He had entered without permission. If he was discovered, he would be in trouble with the law. He could not be discovered by others.

Peter suppressed his curiosity and waited quietly outside the door to eavesdrop. Although he couldn't take pictures, he made sure that he hit his phone's record button.

The woman's voice could be heard again.

"Coach Li. Don't stop."

Peter suddenly realized what was going on. Just what I thought. A dirty smile crept across his face.

The people inside are doing something that can't be described. They are quite brave to do such things in a place like this in broad daylight. This woman said 'Coach Li,' who I remember is the owner of the training center.

She must be with the owner of the center. Only the boss would dare do such unscrupulous things here. I wonder who that woman is. Is it a female secretary? It is normal for the boss to do such things with a secretary. An affair between the Best Coach Award winner and his secretary. If this kind of news spreads, I wonder if anyone would pay attention.

At this moment, several ideas popped into Peter's head.

Another sound came from the room.

"Miss Pepe, can you not make such sounds? Others might hear."

Miss Pepe. Peter was shocked.

The man just said 'Pepe.' Is it possible that the woman inside is Helen Pepe? My God! Helen Pepe and that Coach Li are doing something shameful!

Peter also felt sadness and jealousy. It was as if the goddess he admired had been tarnished.

"Sorry. It was just that the touch was just right and it was just too comfortable. I couldn't hold back."

"Coach Li, can we continue?"

Pepe made a moaning sound again.

The touch was just right? Comfortable? Continue?" Peter, who was outside the door, heard these words. After a while, Pepe's moan could be heard coming from the room again.

Big news, super big news! Gossip about Helen Pepe. I have the recordings too. This is worth more than a few photos of her training! I am going to make a fortune!" Peter smiled excitedly. At this moment his dream of being a photographer had been completely forgotten.A few days later, Peter appeared again in James's office.

"Peter, what kind of photos have you brought this time. Don't tell me they are the same as last time. This is not a garbage disposal center, we do not take in garbage." James did not raise his head when he was speaking to Peter. He didn't show the slightest respect.

Seeing how James acted made Peter very angry. He became even more determined to knock James down a peg or two.

"I didn't bring any photos this time," Peter said.

"No photos?" James lifted up his head when he heard this answer. He looked at Peter and asked, "If you don't have any photos, why are you here?"

"I brought a recording." Peter had a very smug look on his face. It told James that the recording was something very valuable.

However, James grinned disdainfully. "I don't sell audiobooks here. Why would I want a recording!"

"This is a recording of Helen Pepe," Peter said.

"So what? Helen Pepe does hundreds of interviews every year. There are various kinds of interviews. She also records short videos from time to time to post on Twitter. Why would I want your recording? Unless you recorded the sounds Helen Pepe makes in bed, which I could sell it to those who like her. That way they can get more excited when they masturbate!" James raged. His last sentence was certainly not true. He didn't actually want to sell recordings. He was ridiculing Peter's incompetence.

Peter then said, "Mr. James, you guessed right this time. I've really recorded the sounds of Helen Pepe in bed!"

"What did you say? Have you gone crazy!" James exclaimed.

Peter calmly and steadily took out his phone. He found a piece of audio and began to play it.

"Hmm…ah…"

"Coach Li, don't stop."

"The touch was just right and it was just too comfortable. I couldn't hold back."

"Hmm…ah…"

Peter had edited the original audio recording. He intentionally made it so that it was vague. He only left in the critical parts for James to hear.

"Oh my god! This…this…" After James finished listening to it he did not know what to say.

Peter was very satisfied with the expression on James' face. He said, "Mr. James, this is just a part of the recording if you want the full recording…"

"I want this recording. Name a price!" James interrupted Peter before he could finish talking. Peter was somewhat unprepared to go straight to talking about money.The next day, the media published a piece of news with this headline.

"Special training? Helen Pepe and the "Best Coach" involved in a large scale drama."

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know report chapter so we can fix it as soon as possible.

Report chapter

Chapter 566: Unintentional

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

Dai Li wore a cap, sunglasses, and a scarf to hide as much of his face as possible. Almost his entire face was covered. Then he carefully looked around and quickly walked into his training center.

This should be enough to get rid of those damn paparazzi. I'm an innocent man caught in this mess. If I knew that there would be such gossips, I wouldn't have picked up Pepe's business. The media has no ethics whatsoever, Dai complained internally.

The receptionist at the front desk noticed Dai Li. She stood up and asked, "Sir, what can I do for you?"

"Annie, it is me." Dai Li took off his scarf and sunglasses.

"Boss, good morning!" The beautiful receptionist greeted him with a smile, but she wondered why Dai Li was dressed the way he was.

"Good morning." Dai Li stopped and asked, "Is Randy here?"

"Mr. Blake is here. He is seeing a customer in the reception room," Annie replied.

"Oh. Then I will head there." Dai Li nodded and walked to the reception room.

Dai Li knocked on the door of the reception room and walked in. He saw that Randy Blake was holding the training center's brochure and telling the client about the brilliant achievements of the training center.

When he saw Dai Li walk in, Blake immediately introduced him to the client. "Mr. Hanks, let me introduce you. This is the boss of our training center…"

"I recognize you. You are Coach Li!" The customer interrupted Blake before he finished speaking.

Dai Li was about to answer, but the client continued. "You are Helen Pepe's boyfriend. Coach Li, can you teach me a few tricks on how to bag a goddess?"

Dai Li looked helpless. He had explained it too many times in the last few days and now he did not want to waste his breath again. Most of the time people didn't believe Dai Li's explanation. Trying to explain it made it seem like he was trying to cover it up.

Dai Li did not explain. He immediately changed the topic and shifted the customer's attention.

After sending away the customer, Blake smiled and pushed Dai Li's shoulder,."Li, Helen Pepe is a goddess to countless people. Even I envy you!"

"That's enough. Those paparazzi have already given me a headache, so don't tease me. You know this is a misunderstanding, I have nothing to do with Pepe. I just helped give her a massage." Dai Li looked even more helpless than before.

Blake smiled and said, "Actually, this kind of thing is common, especially in Los Angeles. Hollywood and most of the world's stars are here. Naturally, the media will exaggerate reports based on gossip. The more you care about the paparazzi, the more they are interested in you. The more you ignore them, and do what you need to do, they will give up on you. Then, average people will forget about this."

Dai Li nodded. American stars did indeed deal with gossip differently than Chinese stars. Chinese stars wrapped themselves up to hide their face in fear of being photographed by the paparazzi. American stars were willing to get pictures taken of them. They continued to go about their everyday activities.

"Right. Why did you come to me?" Blake asked.

"I have to go back to China. I already booked my ticket. I will leave tomorrow. This will be the first time you are in charge of the training center," Dai Li said.

"It's not a big deal. Some media just want to hype it up. You don't need to hide on the other side of the globe," Blake said.

"I'm not trying to hide. I'm not worried about these unscrupulous reports either. What I'm worried about is my girlfriend." Dai Li pointed to the mobile phone in his hand and went on to say, "After this happened, she stopped answering my calls. She even blocked me on WeChat."

"So you have to go back to put out the fire?" Blake laughed as if he was taking joy in Dai Li's misery. He went on to say, "If it were me, I would do the same thing if I thought that my boyfriend and Helen Pepe got into bed together. How are you going to explain it to your girlfriend? Even if you tell the truth, she may not believe you."

"Fortunately, I installed surveillance in the massage room. I have the surveillance video. It will be able to prove my innocence," Dai Li said.

"You installed a surveillance camera? So you and Helen Pepe didn't do anything?" Blake pretended to be surprised. It was obviously to tease Dai Li.

Dai Li stared at Blake, and Blake smiled slyly. He went on to say, "I have never seen you look so flustered before. I didn't expect Coach Li, who was full of confidence even at the Olympics, would have such a side. Okay, you rest assured and return to China. Just let me take care of the training center."

"Okay. I will try to come back as soon as possible," Dai Li said.

"You don't have to worry. Just come back after you deal with your girlfriend. When women encounter this kind of thing, even if you explained it clearly, it will stay on her mind. You don't have to rush it. If worst comes to worst, you should bring her to the United States. If you live together and let her be by your side every day, it may dispel her doubts," Blake said.

"Live together?" Dai Li was stunned for a moment, and he suddenly laughed. Then he grabbed Blake's shoulder with excitement and said, "Randy, thank you, thank you for reminding me. You are right. I should marry her! I will buy a diamond ring. I will propose to her!"

"What? Propose?" Blakes was shocked.

What I meant was that they could try to live together first. Did Dai Li misunderstand me? He wants to go and buy a diamond ring to propose to his girlfriend? Blake thought.

Dai Li ran out excitedly to buy a diamond ring.

Many young men and women in China chose to live together before marriage, while young people in the United States did the same but would remove the words "before marriage." To them, it was just simple cohabitation. Although many of the men and women were really in love, it was normal to only live together without getting married for a decade or two. Even if they had children, there was no need to get married.

For example, many American sports stars had children before they got married. When a son went to attend the wedding of his parent, sometimes he would wear a suit and act as his parents' page boy. Such situations were normal in the United States, but not in China.

Therefore, Blake had just been talking about cohabitation.

Dai Li was not an American, so he thought Blake's suggestion was to propose to Xiao Yunan.

Blake looked at the back of Dai Li in the far off distance and immediately planned to stop him.

However, just as Blake was about to call out, he held back.

Li, this decision may be just a spur of a moment thing, but I do hope to attend your wedding, Blake shook his head as he smiled. Then he suddenly remembered his wife.

We haven't had a romantic two-person date for a long time… Blake pulled out his mobile phone and dialed the phone number of a restaurant.

"Hello, my name is Randy Blake, I want to make a reservation for tonight. Oh right, please help me prepare some roses…"

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know report chapter so we can fix it as soon as possible.

Report chapter

Chapter 567: New Opportunities, New Challenges

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

Ten days later, Dai Li returned to Los Angeles.

Blake looked at Dai Li, who seemed cheerful, and could not help but ask, "Li, was your proposal successful?"

Dai Li nodded and then grinned like a fool.

"Congratulations. It seems that I have to apply for a visa to China so that I can participate in your wedding," Blake congratulated him.

"The wedding is still a bit far off. As for where the wedding will be held, I'm not certain. We might have it in Hawaii. If that were the case, you wouldn't need to apply for a visa," said Dai Li. Dai Li then said, as he pointed to the door, "I just took a look around. It seems that there are not many people here r today. There are fewer customers than usual. It also seems that there are fewer coaches working."

"All of the center's black coaches took time off to go participate in a protest at the entrance of Stark Real Estate," Blake said.

"Protest? What for?" Dai Li asked.

"Have you not read the news recently? There was a leaked recording of the Los Angeles Clippers boss, Stark, saying something discriminatory against black people," Blake replied.

Dai Li nodded. "I did see that. I saw some reports when I was in China. It seems that this Stark fellow has made racially discriminatory remarks before. This is not the first time he has done such a thing."

"This guy has a record of being racist, but this time it seems to be a lot more serious. This time, the recording caused an uproar. Many black people are protesting in front of Stark Real Estate every day. I think the NBA will definitely impose a heavy punishment on him," Blake said.

"How big of a fine will have to pay?" Dai Li smiled disdainfully, "Stark is a real estate tycoon. He is worth at least a few billion dollars. This rich man won't feel a thing even if he's fined tens of thousands of dollars."

"It may not just be a fine this time. The NBA could force him to sell the team." Blake then explained, "In other words, they want to kick Stark out of the NBA forever."

"So serious?" Dai Li was a little surprised. He continued to ask, "But the Clippers are the property of Stark and his ownership of it is protected by law. If Stark does not sell, the NBA can't force him. The NBA has no power to force him to."

"That is true. As his private property, his ownership of the Los Angeles Clippers is indeed protected by law, and Stark can choose not to sell the team. However, the entire Clippers team, from the coach to the players, have already issued statements refusing to work for Stark. I heard that the Clippers' head coach has already written his resignation letter. The fans are also disgusted by such racist behavior. They will boycott the Clippers."

Blake then explained, "If this continues, no one will watch games that feature the Clippers. No one will buy their jerseys and souvenirs and the advertising sponsors will leave. The market value of the Clippers will fall and the value of Stark will also shrink. Instead of losing money, it is better to sell the team quickly. Anyway, Los Angeles is a big basketball market. Even if they were a bad team, it would still be possible to sell them at a good price."

"How much do you think the Clippers can be sold for?" Dai Li asked casually.

"Definitely more than $1 billion," Blake replied.

"So expensive?" Dai Li was shocked. "The Clippers' record is not that good. It's basically the bottom of the barrel on the West Coast. Can it be sold at such a high price?"

"This is after I've deduced the amount. This is Los Angeles! The NBA market has been quite good in recent years. It is a Los Angeles team. It will definitely appreciate after someone buys it. I guess the price of the specific transaction will definitely be far higher than $1 billion!" Blake continued, "Stark bought the Clippers in the 1980s for only $10 million, and now he can sell it for at least 1 billion. A one hundred percent growth over thirty years. That doesn't include his income for managing the team for thirty years. The sale will be a very profitable transaction for Stark."NBA Headquarters, New York.

The President of the NBA, Adams, was listening to his assistant's report.

"Stark has relaxed his position. He said that he will be willing to sell the Los Angeles Clippers if the price is right," the assistant said.

Adams nodded. "I knew it. Stark, the old fox. He said that he wouldn't sell the team, but he just wants to sell it for the right price. It seems the one billion dollar price we leaked is unable to impress this old guy."

"Yes, he is more greedy than we thought. Before, we released information that a buyer was willing to spend one billion to buy the Clippers. He was completely unmoved and told the media that he would not sell the team. Now someone has offered a bid of more than 1.5 billion dollars, he said he would be willing to let it go. The nature of the bargaining businessman has revealed itself," the assistant said.

"1.5 billion dollars is definitely not a price Stark would accept. He will want more. This old fox spent ten million dollars to buy the team. Now he wants to sell it for 1.5 billion!" Adams's tone change and continued to say, "If the team sells at a high price, it will also be good for us. If the team gets more and more valuable, the owner of the team will be more willing to invest money into it. The NBA will develop faster. The value of the NBA will also increase."

"What you said is true," said the assistant as he handed a document to Adams. He then continued to say, "Mr. President, so far we have received dozens of requests to acquire the Clippers. These four are the ones that offered to bid more than 1.5 billion. I have already sorted out their background information. Please look them over."

Adams opened the folder and looked at it carefully.

"The Seattle Consortium. They have a background in Silicon Valley technology. They make up some of the shareholders at Microsoft and Intel. It seems that these industry giants also want to delve into sports.

"Bay Area Entertainment Group. They are currently the highest bidders, but how many of their major shareholders are from the Las Vegas Lottery Company? This won't do. We have signed a three-year strategic cooperation agreement with the Las Vegas Lottery Company. Gambling on NBA games has been legalized. If they were allowed to control a certain team, it would be equivalent to letting them control the chains of the entire industry. Even we in the upper management at the NBA will be controlled by the Lottery Company," Adams said as he shook his head. "So no matter how much they pay, we can't sell it to them.

"Shenzhen Investment Group is the second highest bid. The boss behind the company is the richest man in India. He is called the 'Rockefeller of India.' This guy is worth nearly 50 billion U.S. dollars. If the Clippers were sold to him, the NBA would be welcoming the wealthiest NBA owner ever. That is also a good thing.

"Dingtian Sports is Chinese-funded. Their main shareholder is the Chinese real estate giant the Dingtian Group. Although their bids are not high, they have a huge market behind them. It is a market that we at the NBA hope to expand into. There hasn't been an NBA player who is from China for a while now."

When Adams thought about the massive market of over one billion people, he had already made his decision.The Dingtian Group's central conference room was where the shareholders' meeting was being held. Everyone there was a major shareholder.

The purpose of this meeting was to discuss whether or not to acquire the Los Angeles Lakers. This kind of investment of more than one billion U.S. dollars was a significant investment decision for Dingtian Group. The investment amount was higher than prime properties in first-tier cities in China. The transaction would also be in U.S. dollars. Xiao Dingtian could not make such a decision by himself. It was natural to conduct a meeting with the board of directors.

"I think this investment is feasible. The domestic real estate market is unlikely to rise forever and the cost of land acquisition is getting higher and higher. It is imperative to diversify our investment. The NBA only has thirty teams. Anyone of the NBA teams would be a good asset that is suitable for the group to invest in. So I agree with this investment proposal," said a white-haired shareholder.

"I also agree with this investment proposal. Compared with other investment proposals, buying an NBA team is definitely a relatively low-risk investment." Another person paused and said, "I am just worried about something. Will this take up much of the group's funds? And this investment is in U.S. dollars. Can we raise that much?"

Xiao Dingtian focused his gaze on his assistant, Zhicheng Huang, who was beside him. Zhicheng Huang immediately started to report, "Shareholders, as far as the capital is concerned, I need to inform you that we have received a clear reply from the foreign exchange bureau. They will not approve such a large amount of foreign exchange. A large amount for the acquisition of the Los Angeles Clippers will require us to raise our own funds."

Xiao Dingtian added a timely cough, and then Zhicheng Huang said, "In the past few years, we have made some investments overseas. There are stocks in big companies, there are U.S. dollar bonds, and there are real estates. These investments have made some gains. If we were to buy the Los Angeles Lakers, we would need to sell a large portion of our overseas investment."

"We need to sell our overseas assets?!"

"The overseas assets have been accumulated with great difficulty in the past few years. It would be a pity to sell them."

The shareholders began to whisper and it was clear that everyone was reluctant to give up these overseas assets.

Xiao Dingtian seems to have anticipated something like this, so he said, "Of course, there is another way. We could use these overseas investments as collateral, borrow from foreign banks, and then use that money to buy the Los Angeles Lakers. However, it is more difficult to get loans abroad than in China."

"In our own country, with the name "Dingtian Group," we can borrow tens of billions from the banks. Even if we delay the repayment time sometimes, we could discuss it with the bank. The bank knows that once we take the money, bought the land, and build the buildings, we will be able to make it back very quickly. It would be very easy to repay the loan. In foreign countries, our name does not carry as much weight."

"Chairman Xiao, what do you mean?" asked the white-haired shareholder.

"I mean, after we buy the Los Angeles Clippers, we need to make a profit as soon as possible. As long as the Clippers can make a profit, it will demonstrate to the bank that we have the ability to repay the loan, so the pressure to repay the loan will be lessened," Xiao Dingtian said.

"What the chairman said makes sense, but I don't know much about the management of a basketball team. To be honest, I don't even watch basketball very often," a shareholder said with a smile.

"I think it's easy to make a profit. Let the team sign a Chinese player. There hasn't been a Chinese player in the NBA for a long time. When we buy the Clippers, we immediately sign a player from the CBA, even if he is just a substitute. It would attract a Chinese audience. It won't be a problem to make a profit then," another person said.

"The crux of the matter is whether or not our domestic CBA players are good enough for the NBA. As far as I know, the substitutes in the NBA are better than our CBA players," another shareholder said.

"Then just sign someone to be a mascot," said the man before.

"You can't just sign any random person. If this player isn't popular in China, even if he were signed to the NBA as a substitute, it wouldn't attract much attention from the domestic fans. If you want to sign someone, you need to sign someone from the CBA who is well-known. We would need a player who is key to the CBA. Now that the CBA games are in progress, the CBA teams will definitely not let them go easily. It wouldn't be easy even if we were trying to find a 'mascot.'"

Xiao Dingtian coughed again, indicating that everyone should be quiet. Then he said, "Everyone, I have an idea. Since it is not easy to find a suitable Chinese player at this time, then we can find a Chinese coach. The NBA has had Chinese players in the past, but there has never been a Chinese coach. More attention will be paid to a head coach than a substitute player."

Everyone concentrated on Xiao Dingtian.

Xiao Dingtian then said, "The head coach of the Los Angeles Clippers is a black man. He submitted his resignation after Stark's racist speech a few days ago. He declared that he would not work for Stark. His behavior attracted the positive attention of African American groups. Some called him a defender of equal rights. After our investigation, we found that the reason for his resignation was that he found a better job. He will be the head coach of the Milwaukee Bucks.

"A month ago, the Bucks fired their own head coach because of their team's poor performance. They have been looking for a new coach. The Clippers boss, Stark, is stingy. The salary he gives his coaches are very low, so the Clippers' coach had wanted to change jobs. The racist incident by Stark gave the Clippers' coach the excuse to change jobs. He just resigned and signed a two-year contract with the Bucks.

"The current Los Angeles Clippers have no head coach, and the coaching for the team is temporarily being done by the former assistant coach. So we can find a Chinese coach to be the new head coach of the Clippers."

After Xiao Dingtian finished, the shareholders began whispering amongst themselves again.

"Can we find the right coach in China?"

"We can't even find a strong enough player for the NBA. How can we find a coach who can coach an NBA team?"

"Our own men's national team hires foreign coaches, right? If the domestic coaches have the ability to coach an NBA team, why would our men's team spend so much money hiring foreign head coaches?"

"Don't forget Dai Li won the Best Coach Award."

"I remember. He could become the coach of a U.S. team! I think Dai Li and Chairman Xiao's daughter are in some sort of relationship, right?"

"Yeah, it is said that he is Xiao Dingtian's future son-in-law. Does Xiao Dingtian mean to let Dai Li be the head coach of the Clippers?"

"That should be the case. Keep it within the family!"

"But Dai Li is a track and field coach, right? Does he know basketball?"

"If Chairman Xiao dares to mention this, it means that Dai Li must know basketball. Besides, he became the head coach of the American track and field team, and he won an important international award. There's no way he wouldn't be multi-talented, right?"

"Xiao Dingtian will be suggesting Dai Li as the head coach soon, should we agree or disagree?"

"Nonsense. Xiao Dingtian is trying to use this as a chance to promote his future son-in-law. If you are against this, Xiao Dingtian will lose face. Moreover, Xiao Dingtian only has one daughter. The position of chairman of Dingtian Group will be handed over to his daughter in the future. We will be seeing her very often in the future. Why should we go against it? Why not just agree since it isn't hard to do and save the Xiao family some face!"

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know report chapter so we can fix it as soon as possible.

Report chapter

Chapter 568: No Past, No Present, No Future

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

Dai Li stood in the arrivals areal of the Los Angeles International Airport. He stared at the crowd coming out.

Finally, Xiao Yunan came into Dai Li's line of sight.

Dai Li immediately went over, greeted her, and took the suitcase from her hands.

"You are always so busy, I didn't expect you to take the time to come to the United States to see me," Dai Li said with a smile.

"You think too highly of yourself! I am not here to see you. I came to the United States to work. I'm only seeing you because I'm in the area." Listening to Xiao Yunnan's voice made Dai Li's heart itch.

Xiao Yunan then lowered her voice and said, "We at Dingtian Sports have bought the Los Angeles Clippers. The contract has been signed, but there are still some legal procedures that have not been completed, so it has not been publicly announced."

"You bought the Clippers?" Dai Li was surprised. He said, "I have seen some news about the sale of the Clippers. There are a lot of rumors. One of them was that a Chinese company wanted to buy the Clippers. I thought it was just the media spreading fake news to create buzz. I didn't expect that it was true or that the Chinese company was your company."

"In recent years, many domestic enterprises have begun to venture overseas and purchase overseas assets on a large scale. We are keen on investing overseas, especially for overseas fixed assets. However, the cost of overseas fixed assets is relatively high. An NBA team is a much better asset. Managing a team generates income and the value of the team can appreciate. Even if we sell it, we will still make a profit," Xiao Yunan said.

"As far as I know, the Clippers' boss, Stark, does not have a low asking price. How much did you spend?" Dai Li asked.

"1.7 billion dollars," Xiao Yunan replied.

"So much?" Dai Li was shocked.

Dai Li and Blake had had a conversation about this before. At the time, Blake believed that the Clippers could sell for more than one billion U.S. dollars. Dai Li felt that even if there were a premium, at most, it would sell for 1.1 or 1.2 billion. He did not expect the final transaction price to reach 1.7 billion. This was more than half of what Dai Li estimated.

"Actually, spending $1.7 billion to buy the Los Angeles Clippers is indeed a bit expensive. However, the NBA has developed well in recent years. If some talented Chinese players join in the next few years, it will open up the domestic market. Then, this investment will have a better return." Xiao Yunan went on to say, "If nothing goes wrong, I may be stationed in Los Angeles for the near future, to manage the operation of the Clippers."

"Really? That's great. We finally don't have to be in two separate places." Dai Li immediately became excited and he couldn't help but hold Xiao Yunan's hand.

Xiao Yunan let out a long sigh, "The current Clippers are a mess. The team has no star players, they were ranked second last in the Western Conference, and more importantly, even the head coach has resigned."

"I have seen some reports. Because of Stark's racist remarks, the Clippers' coach refused to work for Stark and has resigned from the Clippers," Dai Li said.

"Did you know that the head coach had already gotten a job as the head coach at the Bucks?" Xiao Yunan smiled and then said, "He just used the racial discrimination as an excuse to resign. Stark is a stingy person. The salary he gave the head coach was only $3 million. His income ranks second lowest amongst the NBA's head coaches' salaries. The only one lower than him is the Memphis Grizzlies head coach's salary of $2.8 million. He had wanted to leave the Clippers for a while. Now that he had the excuse of the racial discrimination, he didn't have to pay liquidated damages when he resigned."

Dai Li nodded silently, "A salary of $3 million in California is not as good as a $2.8 million salary in Tennessee. The tax rates in California are quite high, while Tennessee is one of the seven states that does not have state taxes. They have many tax reduction policies as well. If this is taken into consideration, the Grizzlies head coach had a higher salary."

Several states in the United States did not collect state taxes, such as Texas and Nevada. Some did not have a value-added tax, such as Oregon. Some states had reductions in property taxes, petrol taxes, and so on.

For a coach who made millions of dollars a year or an NBA player with a salary of tens of millions of dollars, saving money on the state tax was equivalent to making a lot of money. Teams like the Rockets or the Spurs, who were based in Texas, had an advantage when offering salaries to players. Realistically, the player would be getting a higher salary.

However, in California, where the tax was relatively high, the difference between the player's salary and the actual amount that the player got was relatively big. Just paying a few taxes was enough to make a huge difference. Fortunately, the teams in California were in a large market. Players could make up for the money lost to taxes through other commercial activities.

Xiao Yunan said, "The position of the Clippers' head coach is being filled by an assistant coach for now, but this is not a long-term solution. So I came to the United States to solve the Clippers' coach problem. Dad hopes that you will be the head coach of the Clippers."

"Me?" Dai Li was caught off guard.

Dai Li wanted to tell Xiao Yunan that he was not a basketball coach. He did not have a very good understanding of basketball. He was not even as good as a professional player. He may not even be qualified to be the head coach of an NBA team. However, when he was about to say it out loud, he stopped himself from doing so.

I became famous through track and field, not basketball. I am not a professional basketball coach. Everyone knows this. Dingtian Group spent $1.7 billion to buy the Clippers. The head coach is a very important position. How can Xiao Yunan's father hand this position to me, a coach who specializes in track and field? Track and field and basketball are very different sports. Being good at coaching track and field does not mean that I will be good at coaching basketball.

Xiao Dingtian is able to conduct businesses that involve billions of dollars. There's no way that he wouldn't have thought about something so obvious, right? Even if Xiao Dingtian doesn't understand sports, there should be people around him that at least understand a little, right? This involves a billion-dollar team, there should be someone who told Xiao Dingtian about this. I don't believe that this real estate giant doesn't have a professional think tank team. It's a 1.7 billion dollar investment, Xiao Dingtian would definitely not make such a careless decision.

There are a lot of excellent basketball coaches in the United States. Of the ones I know, there are four or five people who have been on NBA teams who are now just spending their time at home. The assistant coaches of strong teams are also not mediocre. For example, the assistant coaches of the Spurs and the Warriors are more than capable enough to be the head coach of other teams. It is not difficult to ask such people to go to the Clippers as the head coach.

According to the current market rate in the NBA, hiring an excellent coach with experience will only cost four or five million dollars. I could even afford that amount. The Dingtian Group is rich and they have already spent $1.7 billion in acquisition fees. They wouldn't mind spending four or five million dollars to find a professional basketball coach, right?

Xiao Dingtian's decision for me to be the head coach of the Clippers must be deliberate. I just proposed to Yunan a few days ago. Now Yunan's father wants me to be the head coach of the Clippers. Is this a promotion? It can't be so simple. In addition to it being a promotion, perhaps it is also a test. Dai Li was frowning while thinking all of this.

Xiao Dingtian is not testing my ability. I got the Laureus World Sports Award Coach of the Year. Naturally, my ability cannot be doubted. I believe no one in the world could question my ability. He is testing how I can contribute to Dingtian Group. Another way of putting it is that he wants to see if I am any use to Dingtian Group. I am a coach, so doing business is not my specialty. Coaching the Clippers may be the best way for me to contribute to Dingtian Group.

Or, Xiao Dingtian hopes that I can make a contribution to Dingtian Group. Xiao Dingtian only has Yunan as his daughter. She is the future heir of Dingtian Group, so I, the son-in-law, need to show that I can do well. At least to the point where outsiders won't feel that I am just a pretty face, useless to Dingtian Group.

Dai Li could not help but think about the incident during the reign of Emperor Kangxi where he made the nine princes compete against each other. At that time, to test the princes, Emperor Kangxi sent the princes on errands. The princes, to make a good impression on Kangxi, all went out and did their best.

Dai Li sighed, I can't refuse to be the Clippers' head coach. I need to accept this job for Yunan. Being the son-in-law of a rich man is really not easy!When he got home, Dai Li let Xiao Yunan rest first, to let her get used to the time difference. He sat in front of the computer and began to check for information on the Clippers.

Most of the information about NBA teams were public. It could easily be found on the internet. Dai Li was able to understand the situation of the Clippers through the use of the internet.

Presently, the Clippers had a record of 16 wins and 30 losses, ranking second to last in the Western Conference. This meant the Clippers would not make the playoffs.

The best option for a team that wasn't making the playoffs was to get the worst results possible. They should get a very bad record. They could then get a highly ranked player in the next draft. They could get a player with potential as a draft pick. If they could get one of the top three ranking picks, those that were at the top of the list, that would naturally be a very good thing.

However, the Clippers' first-round draft picks were not decided by the Clippers themselves.

Five years ago, in order to become the champions, the Clippers formed the so-called "three giants," which brought together three star players. At that time, this "three giants" model was the best lineup for an NBA team.

So, in order to form the "three giants," the Clippers used the first round of draft picks of the next few years as a bargaining chip. They exchanged two All-Star players from other teams to their teams. This behavior was equivalent to using the team's future in exchange for the team's present

However, luck was not on the side of the Clippers. The Clippers' three giants had suffered injuries since the day they were formed. Amongst the three of them, there was always someone who was injured. Sometimes it was only one of them and sometimes two were injured at the same time. Once the ones who were injured recovered from their injury, another would immediately get injured again. In that season, of the 82 games, the Clippers three giants played less than 20 games together.

In the next season, one of the "giants" did not participate and, when he returned, his condition was worse than before.

At the same time, their ages had also started to show. When the "three giants" joined the Clippers, they were already over thirty years old. Their bodies were already on the decline. The process of aging spares no one. After two years, the data on the "three giants" showed an obvious decline. They no longer had the data of celebrity-level athletes.

The "three giants" also knew that it was impossible for three old guys who were on the decline to go all out and win the championship. So the three men chose to go their own way after the expiration of their contracts, and go to other teams to try and win the championship with them. Thus, the Clippers' "three giants" dissolved. Not only did the Clippers not win the championship, but they also threw away their team's future because they lost the chance of getting draft picks in the next few years.

The current Clippers had no reason to get a bad result intentionally. They had no draft picks. Even if they ranked at the bottom, they would just be helping others. They just helped the teams that received their rights to their draft picks.

The only benefit the fall of the "three giants" brought for the Clippers was freeing up the team's cash flow. The salaries of the star players were relatively high. Once the high-income players left, the Clippers naturally had more money and the Clippers could offer a high salary to the star players on the other teams.

As Los Angeles had a large market for basketball, it was still very attractive to players. If the Clippers were willing to pay a high salary, the All-Star players who had no desire to win the championship, but just wanted to make more money, may still be attracted to the Clippers.

The Clippers could still offer rookies a high salary to get them to join the Clippers. As long as the other teams were reluctant to match the Clippers offer, then the Clippers would be able to get a newcomer with potential.

Whether it was directly offering a high salary to attract all-star players, or giving a high-priced offer to a rookie, they could immediately become stronger. The Clippers could recover quickly. Although they could not win the championship, they still had a chance to make the playoffs.

However, the Clippers chose another path: to rebuild themselves completely.

With no draft picks in hand, the Clippers couldn't rely on intentionally getting bad results to get highly ranked rookies. The option of getting rookies and bringing in several star players could not be implemented immediately.

The Clippers had plenty of money to offer high salaries, but they chose to take over rubbish contracts to gain the right to draft picks.

There would always be garbage contracts in the NBA. For example, if a team signed on a player for a certain price, the performance of the player might not meet expectations. Obviously, the high salary and bad performance made it a garbage contract. Every year, there were always players who earned much more than they actually deserved.

Teams would, of course, want to get rid of these garbage contracts. However, other teams were not fools. They would not take on those contracts if there were no benefits. So, if the team wanted to get rid of these garbage contracts, they would have to offer more. They might also give an extra player who performed well, a rookie with potential, or the rights to a future draft pick. With such benefits, there would be teams who would pick up such contracts.

The Clippers became a team that picked up such contracts. They took over the garbage contracts of other teams and gained players who performed well and the rights to draft picks. The downside of this was that the cost of the garbage contracts also locked up the Clippers' cash flow. Before the garbage contracts ended, the Clippers did not have the extra money to attract star players.

Looking at the Clippers' information, Dai Li felt depressed.

The Clippers have taken on the garbage contracts, so they don't have the extra money to recruit new people. The Clippers can only rely on the existing lineup to continue onwards. With the current condition of the Clippers, it is impossible for them to perform well.

The Clippers' rights to draft picks have been traded. Intentionally getting a bad result to secure future draft picks is useless. They have no highly ranked draft picks. This team has no future.

As for the past, the Clippers' best result was getting to the second round of the Western Conference. They haven't even gotten to the final of their conference.

It seems that the team I will be taking over is a team with no past, no present, and no future! This is another insanely difficult challenge!

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know report chapter so we can fix it as soon as possible.

Report chapter

Chapter 569: The Head Coach of a Garbage Team

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

Dai Li continued looking at the player information for the Clippers.

At the moment, the highest paid player on the Clippers team was a player named Wood. He was a point guard and was currently recovering from an injury.

Wood entered the NBA as a first-round draft pick. He started his NBA career with the Chicago Bulls and he played very well. In his rookie season, he displayed great leadership qualities. In the second year of his career, he had already made it as a substitute onto the all-star lineup. He received the NBA MVP award at the age of 22 and became the youngest MVP in NBA history. This helped him get onto the All-NBA team for a while.

With performances as amazing as that, after Wood's rookie contract ended, he received a five-year contract worth 153 million dollars, a super contract that exceeded the NBA salary cap. The NBA changed their contract signing rules because of this.

However, an injury destroyed this superstar. One injury tore his cruciate ligament and, after he recovered, the cruciate ligament of his left knee also tore. After that, it was the meniscus of his right knee that was torn. The once youngest MVP had become a man made of glass.

Wood's form was destroyed by his injuries over time. He lost speed, explosiveness, as well as his competitive strength. The skill he relied upon to survive, his amazing breakthrough, also disappeared. The original Wood could have easily broken through the defense for a layup with defenders latched onto him. The current Wood, however, could not even defend one-on-one, his opponent would easily pass him.

Without a doubt, Wood had fallen and the 153 million-dollar five-year contract he signed a while ago had become one of the most garbage contracts in the NBA.

The Chicago Bulls wanted to ditch that awful contract. After some effort, the Clippers received that rubbish contract. At the same time, they also got themselves a young player with decent potential, a first-round draft pick, another second-round draft pick, and some cash from the Chicago Bulls.

After Wood arrived at the Clippers, before the first game of the season, he injured himself training. The current Wood was still rehabilitating and, based on the information given by the Clippers, Wood's injury would only heal by the summer at the quickest. That meant that he was practically unusable for the rest of the season.

Wood's contract, if one counted the current year, still had two years left. Every year, his salary exceeded 30 million dollars. That meant that if the Clippers did not quickly get rid of Wood, they would have to wait another season before they could finally be rid of Wood's garbage contract.

Wood takes up around 30 million dollars worth of salary space in the team. That is blocking the Clippers' future signing capability. Dai Li shook his head in resignation.

Under that situation, the Clippers did not have a lot of salary space to offer a high salary to other players. That, on top of the team playing so badly, discouraged basketball stars from joining. Their prospects looked really dim indeed.

Dai Li then took a look at the results of the Chicago Bulls. The Chicago Bulls were currently placed in fifth in the Eastern Conference table. They led the eighth-placed team in the Eastern Conference by at least 10 games. Getting to the playoffs was not a problem for them. That meant that the draft picks that the Clippers received from them would be after the 20th pick. If they got a player worthy of being in the starting line-up, they should start thanking God for the fortune bestowed upon them.

The player with potential who transferred over with Wood was called Ronny. He was 2.03 meters tall forward. He was the 23rd pick in the first round of the draft back in the day, and it was the last year of his rookie contract.

Ronny was one of those well-suited three-dimensional players. When he was with the Bulls, he was an important player for the team. As the Bulls' top substitute, his average contribution per game was 12.7 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 2.7 assists. His shooting success rate was 42% and his three-pointers also had a high success rate of 36%. For a player in his rookie contract, he had a lot of potential.

The Clippers also fancied Ronny's potential, which was why they were alright with taking over Wood's rubbish contract. After joining the Clippers, Ronny became the team's starting small forward. His playing time and shots increased and his average points per game increased to 18.8 points. He became a key player on the current Clippers team.

However, Ronny was not the top scorer on the Clippers. The leading scorer of the Clippers was a 32-year-old veteran player called Naismith. As a guard, Naismith contributed 22.6 points per game and 5.3 assists per game. Those stats were quite decent. However, it was not enough to help the team achieve victory.

Naismith was once the sixth best man in the NBA. He was great at individual play, but his defense was weak. More importantly, Naismith was not consistent. If he was in the mood, he could compete against the superstars of the NBA, but if his form dipped a little, he might not hit any of his shots.

"Wildcard" players like him served as additional forces to the team in terms of firepower, but they were destined to never become the core of a team.

The original center and power forward of the team were all injured. So the Clippers could only send out peripheral players and "drinking fountain" players to partner up inside. One of them was a rookie drafted in the second round and another was not a drafted player. These players did not have secure spots on the team. As the Clippers were short of players, however, they got the chance to start in games.

Dai Li then looked at the injury situation for the Clippers. His face suddenly became distorted.

15 players. Five people are currently injured, and two more are on the list of players under daily observation. Doesn't that make it so that there are only eight perfectly healthy players? Among these eight, three of them are "drinking fountain" players who never would have made the team under normal circumstances. With that many injuries, if I were to take up the job offer from the Clippers, the first thing I would do is to fire the team doctor!

Later, Dai Li started reviewing the upcoming fixture of the Clippers.

At the moment, the Clippers had played a total of 46 games, and their result was 16 wins and 30 losses. There were 36 games to go. Dai Li took out a pen and paper and started categorizing the remaining fixtures of the Clippers.

The first category was the top two teams of both the Eastern and Western Conference. These were teams that would go into the playoffs without any problem. They won most of their games and would certainly maintain their home game advantage in the playoffs. Teams that were able to stay in the top two of the Eastern or Western Conference were teams that were likely to be crowned champions. These teams were immensely strong. There was no way the Clippers could beat them.

The second category included teams ranked in third to sixth in both conferences. These teams were likely to make it to the playoffs, but it wasn't guaranteed they'd obtain the home team advantage. So, in the remaining 36 games, they would definitely fight to win the right to have the home advantage in the playoffs. They would not give up easily. If the Clippers were to face them, it would certainly be a tough battle.

The third category was the teams ranked from the seventh to the 12th in both conferences. They were the peripheral teams for the playoffs. They would make it to the playoffs if they won a few more games, and not make it to the playoff if they lost a little bit more. For these teams, the closer it was to the playoffs, the harder they would fight. The Clippers were regarded as a weak team that these teams would definitely have to beat, so the Clippers would definitely have a tough time.

The fourth category included teams that were tanking. When the NBA season reached this stage, a lot of teams would begin tanking so that they would get a better pick in the draft. These teams did not even want to win, so when the Clippers faced them, they could get the victory.

To mid-to-low level teams, the latter stage of the NBA season was a lot tougher than the earlier stage. For one, after half a season of games, all the teams were completely synthesized, some of the capable teams started to show their strength. Secondly, to make the playoff, or to obtain a home advantage in the playoff, teams treat games more seriously. They will not lose to weaker teams as easily. So I must accept that the 30 games remaining will be very tough. This is a nightmare!

Dai Li massaged his temple and looked very distressed.Journalists soon found out that the Clippers had a new owner and it didn't take long for it to make headlines.

Following this, the NBA also officially announced that the Dingtian Sports Group acquired the L.A. Clippers.

For the entire NBA, it was like a stabilization injection. The previous negative effect of racism was quickly turned around.

The NBA had been enticed by the Chinese market for a long time. With Dingtian Sports acquiring the Clippers, the development of the Chinese market could go more smoothly.

The owners of the other 29 teams looked favorably upon the acquisition made by the Dingtian Sports Group. They were all beneficiaries of the expansion of the NBA.

The NBA players were the same. Some NBA players had already received brands sponsorships from Chinese sports brand and felt the pleasantries beforehand. The other players naturally hoped to receive some of the benefits of the Chinese market.

The happiest of them all was, without a doubt, the players on the Clippers. They were not superstars, so they would never have the chance to receive lucrative advertising endorsement deals normally. The few "drinking fountain" players on the Clippers even started planning. If they failed to find a team in the NBA next season, they could join the CBA to make a living.The assistant coach of the Clippers, Cassel, parked his car in the underground carpark. He then walked to the elevator with his chest puffed up and head held high.

Due to the resignation of the previous coach, Cassel was the interim head coach of the team. With the acquisition from the Dingtian Group complete, Cassel felt as if his opportunity had come.

"Hold on!" Before the elevator door closed, a person rushed inside. Cassel pressed on the open button of the elevator to open the elevator door. The person who rushed in was the team doctor.

The team doctor entered the elevator and showed the smile of a sweet talker. He then said, "Coach Cassel, congratulations."

"Congratulations? Why?" Cassel asked. His tone indicated that he already knew the answer to the question.

"The team just welcomed our new owner. I'm guessing Coach Cassel will be promoted and become the new official head coach of the team." The team doctor paused and continued, "Half the season is already over and the result of the team is far than satisfying. There are at least 30 games left. In my opinion, at least for the remainder of this season, it is impossible for our new owner to hire a new head coach. Naturally, you will be promoted. So I must congratulate you!"

"I hope you're right!" Cassel stated. However, his tone of voice implied a sense of confidence.

In Cassel's opinion, the analysis of the team doctor was spot on. The Clippers were terrible and the situation of the season was already set in stone. The new owner would not have to spend an extra sum to hire a new coach.

If he were to become the head coach of the Clippers, even if it were only the second half of the season, Cassel's resume would be considerably more impressive. He might even be able to solidify the position of head coach.

The elevator stopped. Cassel and the team doctor got out of the elevator. However, the people around him shot him a different kind of glance.

The glance made Cassel feel uneasy. He had a feeling that something was going to happen.

When Cassel entered the coach's locker room, three trainers were whispering in low voices. When they saw Cassel, their faces suddenly changed colors. A person even hid something behind him.

"What are you looking at?" Cassel asked.

"Nothing…" The person who answered smiled awkwardly before saying, "Mr. Cassel, the weather sure is nice today!"

Cassel knew that this guy was intentionally trying to change the subject. He sensitively noticed that the thing that they were discussing, the thing that was hidden behind them, was related to him.

Cassel suddenly felt angry, he was going to become the head coach of the team. He was the most powerful person on the team, so how could he tolerate such behavior?

Cassel grunted coldly at them and walked towards them with a straight face. He pushed the guy who hid something to the side.

On the bench behind the person was a newspaper.

"It's just a newspaper, what's there to hide!" Cassel picked up the newspaper, a little confused. He then saw the headline.

"New Owner of Clippers: We're going to hire the Laureus World's Coach of the Year, Dai Li, to be the head coach of the Clippers."

"Laureus World's Coach of the Year? That Chinese man named Li? Isn't he a track and field coach? Does he even know basketball?" Cassel couldn't help but start yelling.

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know report chapter so we can fix it as soon as possible.

Report chapter

Chapter 570: Some Are Happy, Some Despair

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

There are only 30 teams in the NBA and anyone could become the head coach of an NBA team. Although one could not regard every head coach of NBA teams as tactical masters, one thing was for certain. Every NBA head coach had an exceptional understanding of basketball.

Nowadays in the NBA, a lot of the head coaches of teams used to be professionals, even superstar players, when they were young. They started off as an assistant coach after their retirement and gradually became the head coach of a team. They were basketball players for decades and personally witnessed the development of the NBA. They were unbelievably familiar with the NBA and their tactical thinking was the most suitable for the NBA.

The NBA was significantly different from international basketball leagues. The rules, the tactical systems, and the skills of the players were all differences. That is the reason why there has never been a non-American head coach before. Even if there were coaches with dual nationalities, they would have grown up in the U.S. and been immersed in American basketball culture. One could say that coaches who had never experienced the American basketball would never stand on their own in the NBA.

Dai Li did not really understand American basketball culture. He did not even have experience working as a basketball coach. So when news of him becoming the new head coach of the Clippers came out, all sports commentators voiced their doubts. Clearly, no one looked favorably on a person without any basketball coaching experience, even if he was Laureus World's Coach of the Year.L.A. Lakers

"Has the new boss of the Clippers gone mad? Hiring a track and field coach as the head coach! What a joke!" The person speaking was a middle-aged man around 40 years old. He was the head coach of the L.A. Lakers.

As teams in the same city, although the Lakers and Clippers could not be regarded as fierce rivals, there was tension between the two teams. The Lakers' market was big and they were one of the NBA's traditional powerhouses. The emergence of the Clippers did reduce the size of the Lakers' market. To think that the Lakers would not follow news about the situation of the Clippers was unrealistic.

"This Dai Li is Laureus World's Coach of the Year, perhaps he really has what it takes," a person beside him said. He was the manager of the Lakers.

"So what if he was named Coach of the Year! It's not that easy to be a head coach of an NBA team. I would say that the assistant coaches of any NBA team would be better than him," The head coach of the Lakers grunted.

"In truth, our intelligence unit investigated Dai Li. He is the fiancee of the new boss of the Clippers," the manager of Lakers said.

"No wonder. Looks like this new owner of the Clippers isn't looking for results, he just wants to control the team. That's why he appointed his own people in key positions. However, as terrible as the Clippers are right now, they have no chance of getting better." The head coach of Lakers shook his head in disdain. He then said, "I remember not long ago there was gossip that he had been with Helen Pepe? Hard to believe he has a fiancee now. Dating two girls at once, what a player."

Hearing that, the calculative manager of Lakers smiled.Boston Celtics.

"I really want to give the new owner of the Clippers a hug and a kiss right now. He is a nepotic crony, hiring an outsider as the head coach. What a way to help us out. We should really give him a toast and celebrate!" The general manager of the Celtics looked as if he were on top of the world.

"We're in the East while the Clippers are in the West. We don't have any conflict of interest with the Clippers, so them playing badly doesn't really affect us. I don't understand. What's the benefit ?" Someone in the meeting room asked, confused.

"Did you forget we have a draft pick from the Clippers?" The manager of the Celtics laughed as he talked. He then said, "Back then, because the Clippers wanted to have their three giants, they gave us their first draft pick, which is also the draft pick this summer. The worse their result, the higher the value of this draft pick.

"The Clippers are bad enough this year and now they got themselves an outsider to be their head coach. They will only get worse. If they sat at the bottom of the table in the Western Conference, there will be a good chance for us to get the draft pick for the three best positions! However, for the tanking teams out there, they might have to stay depressed longer cause they're faced with a team far weaker than them."The Phoenix Suns was a depressed team.

The Phoenix Suns were currently the last placed team in the Western Conference table. They didn't want to win. The objective of the Phoenix Suns was to tank and place last in the table so that they would earn the first draft pick. Then they could get a rookie with the potential to become a superstar.

The management of the Phoenix Suns was currently discussing Dai Li.

"Hiring an outsider to become their head coach. The Clippers clearly don't want to win. If the Clippers get a result worse than us this season, we'll be in trouble."

"The key is that there is no reason for the Clippers to tank. Their draft pick belongs to the Celtics, so it would only benefit the Celtics."

"Looks like we have to pay attention to the Clippers in the remaining 30 games. If they lose, we must also lose. If not, our last place in the Western Conference will no longer be guaranteed."

"I really just want to find several capable assistant coaches and send them over to the Clippers. At least they would win a few more games."

"I actually have an idea. We can question Dai Li's coaching qualifications. We can make an appeal to the league and say that Dai Li doesn't have the capability to coach an NBA team. It will only lower the standard of the NBA and that it is not beneficial to the development of the NBA."

"Great idea, but if it's just us isn't our argument a little weak?"

"We can look for help from other teams because we aren't the only ones trying to tank this season. The other tanking teams would also benefit, so we can create an alliance."New York. The headquarters of the NBA.

"Mr. President, we've received a joint appeal from the Phoenix Suns, Memphis Grizzlies, Sacramento Kings, Atlanta Hawks, Orlando Magic, and the New York Nets. They believe that the new head coach of the Clippers, Dai Li, does not possess the necessary qualifications to coach a team in the NBA. Letting him coach the L.A. Clippers would greatly diminish the strength of the Clippers, lowering the overall competitiveness of the league, which is not beneficial to the development of the league," his deputy reported.

"The Phoenix Suns, Memphis Grizzlies, Sacramento Kings, Atlanta Hawks, Orlando Magic, and the New York Nets; none of them have been great this season. Aren't these the teams all tanking?" The President of the NBA, Adams, smiled. He clearly understood why these teams had formed an alliance. It was simply because they were worried that the Clippers would suck too much, taking away their first draft pick.

Later, Adams lifted his head and asked his deputy, "What's your opinion?"

"The reason these teams are making this appeal is that they are worried that the Clippers will play terribly and up their drafting plans." The deputy paused briefly before continuing, "I believe they are telling the truth. I think that Dai Li really does not have the ability to coach an NBA team. Even the famous coaches in Europe are unable to adapt to the speed and pace of NBA games. A coach without any NBA coaching experience will never be able to coach an NBA team. I think that it is possible he will make a mess of the entire Clippers team."

"Yeah, I've also thought of the things you said. Dai Li has no experience in basketball, so letting him become an NBA head coach is simply a trifling matter. If he was smart enough, he would not attempt to take control of the team but leave all the important responsibilities of being head coach to his assistant coach, Cassel. He should take it easy and become a puppet head coach."

Adams shook his head and said, "But he won't do that. There is no way a person capable of being recognized by the world and crowned as the Coach of the Year would be willing to just be a puppet! A person like that is sure to have a strong personality. It's impossible for someone like him to ignore the team."

"Mr. President, what should we do? Should we talk to the new owner of the Clippers and ask him to withdraw the head coach position from Dai Li?" The deputy asked.

"Don't be hasty. We'll just observe for now. The NBA is a commercial league, so it is natural for us to follow commercial rules. In principle, we cannot interfere with the decision of the owner in recruitment. The boss can hire whoever he wants and give them whatever position he desires. Besides, Dai Li is the future son-in-law of the new boss of the Clippers and it is normal for a boss to put someone he trusts in a key position of the team. The other teams also do that."

Adams spread out his hands and said, "Of course, we can't completely let them do whatever they want. If Dai Li turns the Clippers into a worse team, the reputation of the entire league will be affected. I want to wait and observe for a few games before making a decision."News concerning a few tanking teams making an appeal to the NBA was leaked and reported by the media.

"What the heck is this? I haven't even taken my post and my position as head coach is already in danger. Someone is already talking about taking me off. I might just be the unluckiest head coach in the entire history of the NBA!" Dai Li sighed in resignation.

"That's even more reason for you to not let them look down on you!" Xiao Yunan said. As she talked, she put a document in Dai Li's hand. "This is a new contract for your assistant coach, Cassel."

Dai Li took the file and he reviewed it carefully. He said, "It should be a lot easier with this new contract to recapture Cassel's service. After all, no one ever had any problem with making more money."

"You really want to put Cassel to good use? He might be angry with you, thinking that you've stolen the position of head coach from him," Xiao Yunan said.

"Using Cassel is something I don't have much of a choice in. There are only around 30 games left so the team cannot afford to change strategies. The chemistry between players also needs to be taken into account. We can only use the tactical system of the previous coach and Cassel is the person who is most familiar with that tactical system. That is why I need him," Dai Li lowered his head and thought for a moment. He then said, "I have a small goal. I want to win half of the games we have left."

"That means a 50% win rate? That might be a bit difficult. Can you do it?" Xiao Yunan sat beside Dai Li and rested her head on his body before saying, "The previous result was 16 wins and 30 losses. That's not even 35%. The team doesn't have any new players, how can they get a 50% win rate?"

"Other people can't do it, but that doesn't mean that I can't!" Dai Li lowered his head and kissed Xiao Yunan's forehead. He then said, "Don't forget, I am the best coach! I will surprise everyone!"

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know report chapter so we can fix it as soon as possible.

Report chapter

Chapter 571: Dai Li's First NBA Game

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

Los Angeles Clippers.

Assistant Coach Cassel glared at the head coach's office. He whispered to himself, "Nepotism got you this position. If you weren't dating the boss's daughter, there is no way you would have become the head coach. That room should be mine."

Cassel cursed in his head. He calmed himself down and knocked on the door of the office.

Dai Li was inside. This was his first day as the head coach of the Clippers. When he saw Cassel, he smiled. "Coach Cassel, do you want something to drink? I have coffee and tea here. There's also some whiskey."

"Coffee is fine, thank you." Cassel was very cautious.

Dai Li poured a cup of coffee for Cassel. As he was pouring, he said, "Coach Cassel, from now on we are colleagues. I hope we can cooperate and work well together."

"Of course. It is my pleasure to cooperate with the Coach of the Year." Cassel gave him a compliment. He did not express his dissatisfaction to Dai Li's face.

Dai Li handed a folder to Cassel and said, "Look at this."

Cassel opened the folder and saw that a new contract was inside.

"This is…" Cassel looked at Dai Li doubtfully.

"Look at the numbers on the back first," Dai Li said.

Cassel turned to the back and saw the number at the top. It was 50% more than his current salary.

"Coach Li. What is this for?" Cassel asked, puzzled.

"What do you think? Aren't you satisfied with this new contract?" Dai Li asked.

"New contract? Is this contract for me?" Cassel couldn't help but be excited by a 50% bump in his salary.

"Normally, a team's manager should sign an assistant coach. This is a little bit outside my jurisdiction, but I've gotten the okay from the team's management. After all, my relationship with the boss is no secret. Coach Cassel, you are a smart person. You should be able to understand my intentions," Dai Li said.

Obviously, Cassel understood Dai Li's intention. Dai Li, the head coach, had given him a bump in his salary to show Cassel who his "boss" was.

Dai Li said, "Coach Cassel, I recognize your ability and I think that you are an indispensable member of the team. I suggested management give you this raise. I hope that you can continue to perform well for this team. Believe me, this is just the beginning. You will get more in the future."

Dai Li was subtle, but Cassel fully understood him. Dai Li was, without a doubt, saying that, if Cassel was loyal to him, Cassel would make a lot of money.

Cassel looked at the contract in his hands and thought about the salary. Cassel's dissatisfaction with Dai Li disappeared.

Cassel really wanted to be the head coach, but he also wanted to make money. Compared with the position of the head coach, making money was more practical.

Dai Li is the future son-in-law of the new boss. He is also the boss of the team. I can't compete with him for this position. It is better to earn money while he is willing to recruit me. Right now, they need an assistant coach who is familiar with the team. If I stand out, I might be able to sign a multi-year contract with the team. That way I won't struggle to put food on the table for the next few years.

The more Cassel weighed the pros and cons, the more he saw that accepting Coach Li's kindness was his best option.Several other coaches and staff members also got their salaries increased

Dai Li knew that, when a team got a new boss and head coach, the most important thing to maintain was morale. The easiest way to do this was to throw money at them. When faced with more money, complaints tended to disappear.

The offer of new contracts was a way to communicate to the team that no significant changes were going to be made. They would keep their jobs and could work for the new boss with peace of mind.

This generosity solidified Dai Li's place on the Clippers. His next step was to exercise his duties as the head coach.

Dai Li did not intend to change the strategy of the Clippers. In fact, a coach like him wouldn't have anything practical to contribute. Thus, the Clippers tactics would remain the same.

The Clippers' strategy this season was to quickly switch between fast attacks and defense.

This season, many teams were using this style of play. There were not many teams that were using conventional tactics. Therefore, the Clippers seemed to be merely following the trend of the NBA.

The Clippers were weaker than the other teams. Their frontline was not up to par because they had no first-rate offensive players. On top of that, the team's defense wasn't very efficient. Most of their points came from players that were only occasionally good. They were not good enough to win using conventional tactics. They could only score by quickly switching between fast attacks and defense.

Dai Li would hand the responsibility of strategy over to Cassel. Dai Li observed from the sidelines. This was a learning process for him.

As for the team's training, they each had their own professional coaches. The coaching staff of the team was relatively well-equipped. Some coaches were responsible for the offense. Some coaches were responsible for the defense. There were special coaches that handled shooting and rebounding. The head coach need not worry about them.

For example, if a player's free throw accuracy got worse, the player would have to work on free throws. The shooting coach would be responsible for the player's free throw training. The head coach only needed to arrange the training, instead of having to coach the player himself. Of course, if the head coach was very good at free throws, or had a particular preference for this player, it was possible for the head coach to step in.

Dai Li was obviously not skilled at basketball. He could not get involved in any of the tactical elements of the game. The only thing he could take charge of was the physical training.

Dai Li was considered to be the best in the United States when it came to physical training. No one could challenge that. Track and field coaches were inherently good at physical training. Dai Li had led the American track and field team to create miraculous results. Naturally, no one would question his ability in that field.

It was currently the middle of the season. The turbulent Clippers lost two games before Dai Li joined them and their record became 16 wins and 32 losses. According to the schedule, the Clippers had five days without a game followed by four away games.

Before Dai Li was familiar with the team, he had to board a plane and start this four-match journey

The first stop opponent on this journey was the Portland Trail Blazers. The Blazers had made it into the playoffs the last five seasons. Considering that the competition in the Western Conference was fierce, reaching the playoffs in five consecutive seasons was an impressive feat.

The Blazers' current record was 34 wins and 15 losses. They had won close to 70% of their games and they were ranked third in the Western Conference. They were regarded as a strong team. It was almost impossible for the Clippers to beat them.

A betting company gave them odds that confirmed this. The Blazers had 14.5 points, and the odds were 1.75. With such odds, no one thought the Clippers could win the game.In the visiting team's locker room at the Moda Center, the Trail Blazers' stadium, the Clippers players were talking and laughing. They seemed very easy-going.

Dai Li could feel that this was not confidence but a lack of focus. The players didn't seem to be thinking about the upcoming game.

Their opponent was a strong team playing at home. Even the NBA's reigning champion couldn't hope to win without giving their attention to the game. The Clippers were inattentive, however, because they knew they were not good. They thought that their loss was inevitable so there was no need to put up any sort of resistance.

In fact, the Clippers record was terrible. They had just experienced a six-game losing streak. Coupled with the turmoil caused by the change in leadership, the players had forgotten what victory felt like. They were no longer eager to win.

For them, being weak is not scary and losing is not scary. The scary thing is that the players have lost their desire to win. Dai Li felt helpless.

In this case, I can only gamble. Whether we win or lose depends on God's will. Dai Li shook his head and equipped "Evenly Matched."As the game had not yet begun, the two commentators were talking about the two teams.

"In the previous four games, the Clippers were led by the assistant coach Cassel. Under his leadership, the Clippers lost four games in a row. I heard that a new coach will lead the team in this game. I don't know what he will bring to the Clippers," said a commentator.

"I think we won't be seeing much change in the Clippers. Their new coach has just taken over and he doesn't have any basketball experience. He will definitely follow their old strategy and not make any adjustments. With their current lineup, there isn't any room to adjust," another said.

"The key to the Clippers' current strategy is Ronny. He has improved a lot this season, but he still can't carry the team. They would be doing even worse if it were not for Naismith's occasionally outstanding performances.

"In this game, the Clippers face the Blazers. I am afraid they will have to swallow a bitter pill. The Blazers normally win at home and the Clippers aren't a strong team, so they are unlikely to beat the Blazers."

During this conversation, the player's walked onto the court.The Blazer's head coach, Terry, came to Dai Li's side. With a smile on his face, he gave Dai Li a hug. He looked sincere.

"Li, welcome to the NBA!" Terry said.

Dai Li did not feel welcome based on Terry's tone. He looked at Terry's smile and remembered the smile of the wolf that tricked Little Red Riding Hood.

Terry may be welcoming me, but I am afraid he is thinking of ways to destroy me!" Dai Li thought. Out loud, he said, "Terry, this is my first game in the NBA. I hope the Blazers can be merciful and don't make me lose by too much."

At least you know how to behave, Terry thought, the smile on his face getting bigger. "What are you talking about Coach Li? The Clippers have always been a strong team. We will need to go all out."

The broadcast footage was on the two of them. The two did not show any arrogance, and they seemed cordial. This disappointed the reporters.

Terry returned to the Blazers' bench and called the players to his side.

"In this game, your opponents are the five Clippers players on the court. My opponent is the head coach of the Clippers. He is a coach who has no basketball experience. He is a layman! I want a big win today! I hope that you crush your opponents!" A spark of color flashed in Terry's eyes. "I am your head coach, and you are my players. I hope that you tell the world through your actions that I am far better than this layman!"

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know report chapter so we can fix it as soon as possible.

Report chapter

Chapter 572: Won't Stop Even If Beaten to Death

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

The gameplay stopped and the player's left the court for their first official break. The score was 10-9, with the Blazers in the lead.

Looking at the statistics, the Clippers did not appear to be playing well. They had only made three out of their nine shots. On top of that, they scored on only half of their free throws.

The Blazers didn't play badly. While on defense, they limited the Clippers' field goals to 33%. They caused a terrific turnover as well. Regarding their offense, the Blazers created many chances for unblocked shots with their strategy of cooperation.

The problem was that the Blazers' ball-handling was just average. Their shots were always just slightly off.

Looking at this score, the Blazers' coach, Terry, was dissatisfied. His goal was to dominate the Clippers completely. He wanted to the score to be 10-0, or even 20-0. However, the Blazers were only up by one point now, which didn't make much of a difference.

Terry couldn't blame his own players. The players were not playing badly. They carried out Terry's strategy well. They played in typical Blazers style. The only thing Terry could be upset about was that they missed a basket before the quarter ended.

The game has only just started, the players haven't gotten a handle on this game yet. Once they have gotten used to it, they will naturally score more. Once we get the momentum, we'll sweep this game. Terry looked towards the Clippers' bench.

He saw Dai Li giving a water bottle to one of his players with a smile on his face. It looked like Dai Li was going to stick to the same strategy. The players were either sitting in their chairs, drinking water, or wiping their sweat. They had no intention of listening to their coach.

Dai Li isn't going to say anything to his athletes? He looks like he's their waterboy. Come to think about it, this man wouldn't have any advice to offer anyway. Terry grinned disdainfully.

The break was about to end so the players returned to the court. Both sides kept in their starting lineup.

The Blazers' got a better handle on the game and scored a few consecutive goals. In the face of the Blazers' attacks, the Clippers were powerless. On the defensive end, the Blazers forced the Clippers to make mistakes.

However, it remained a one-point game. The Clippers' inconsistent player, Naismith, scored a three-pointer and the team made a free throw after one of their players was fouled. The free throw helped the Clippers stabilized the situation.

If it weren't for Naismith, who is extremely inconsistent, we would be winning much more decisively, Terry thought as he looked at the scoreboard indignantly.

Terry knew that when an inconsistent player started doing well, there was no stopping them. When they went crazy they could get an unreasonably high number of points. Even when there were no openings for an attack, they would be able to find an opportunity to get points.

In the blink of an eye, the first quarter of the game entered its last three minutes. The referee used a dead ball to begin the second official break.

Terry was not satisfied with the performance of his five starting players because they had not achieved a big enough lead. They didn't even have much of a lead at all. In the first nine minutes of the game their lead had never exceeded five points, and the vast majority of their leads were two or three points.

This was what Terry wanted. He wanted a big win, not only because the Clippers were a weak team, but also because the Clippers' head coach was a layman. If he only defeated such an inexperienced coach by three or five points, it would be embarrassing for Terry.

The substitutes should play. Our substitutes have always been better than the Clippers'. The Clippers have suffered from large-scale injuries so, if both sides put in subs, we will be better off overall. It's up to the substitute players to do what our starting players couldn't.

He started to replace the lineup with substitutes. He was looking forward to the substitutes increasing their lead.Terry changed another two players during a free throw and, finally, the starting lineup had been completely replaced.

The Clippers scored two free throws, making them only behind by four. Terry felt powerless.

After the substitutes put in, the team still couldn't get too far ahead. Instead, the gap stayed around five points.

Anger gradually sprouted in Terry's heart. Against such a weak team and a weak coach, the Blazers should have a much higher score.

Terry couldn't help but look at the Clippers' bench and see Dai Li looking very relaxed. He was talking and laughing with his assistant coach, Cassel.

Dai Li was indeed very relaxed. When he had equipped "Evenly Matched," he lost control over the result of the match. Dai Li decided to simply enjoy the show. From time to time, he would listen to Cassel explain their strategy.

The Clippers' assistant coach, Cassel, became more and more confused. From his perspective, the Clippers were not playing well. The Blazers were not playing badly either, but the scores had been close the whole game. He constantly looked at the latest technical statistics. He wanted to find some clues.

Finally, the first half of the game ended. Naismith scored a two-pointer at the buzzer. The Clippers only trailed the Blazers by three points. The score was 49-52.

The Blazers were a strong team in the Western Conference. It was excellent that the Clippers were only down by three.

For the Blazers, they kept the lead the first half, which was an acceptable result.In the Blazers locker room, Terry looked at his players and roared in anger.

"What the hell are you doing? We're playing the second worst team in the Western Conference. Are you guys sleepwalking out there?!"

The Blazers' players faced each other. Some of them didn't understand why the head coach was so angry.

"Coach, we have been playing very seriously and we never lost the lead. Overall, we have been suppressing the Clippers," a player explained.

"So why are we only leading by three points?" Terry said with contempt. "There were several missed opportunities to score that even a middle schooler would know to take. We made too many rookie mistakes, like stepping on the line in the second quarter!"

Terry began to go into detail about the performance of the Blazers in the first half. He talked about every single thing he was unsatisfied with. He was like a stingy businessman, arguing over the smallest little details.At the start of the second half, the Blazers were able to score 11 and the Clippers only scored two. This may have been because of Terry's outburst during halftime.

"Coach, we should call a timeout," Cassel said.

Under normal circumstances, when the opponent was on a roll, the head coach on the losing end immediately called a timeout. This was to adjust strategy, let players calm down, and interrupt the opponent's momentum.

When the Clippers were being outscored by the Blazers 11-2, Cassel immediately suggested a timeout.

Dai Li looked at the timer and shook his head. "It's almost time for the official break. We should just hold on a bit longer."

From Dai Li's point of view, calling a timeout wouldn't make much of a difference. The two sides were currently under the influence of "Evenly Matched." As long as the game was not over, they would be able to catch up.

Cassel, however, looked anxious. "Coach, I am afraid that they won't last until the official break. The Blazers are on a roll. If we don't call a timeout soon, they will lead by even more. "

"They won't. You can rest assured that our players will catch up." Dai Li said with a smile."The Blazers played an impressive start to the half. Now they have a 12-point lead. The Clippers should be calling a timeout soon," the commentator said. He then looked towards to the referee.

The referee subconsciously looked at the Clippers' bench and looked at Dai Li, only to find that Dai Li had no plans to call a timeout.

The Clippers' player looked at their bench and saw that Dai Li did not call a timeout, so they served the ball. The defense dribbled the ball halfway down the court and looked at Dai Li as if asking him to call a timeout.

The Blazers' players across the court were thinking the same thing. They thought the Clippers would call a timeout, so they ran back to their own half of the court and waited for the referee to sound his whistle.

The Blazers' coaching staff even picked up their boards and prepared for the timeout.

It wasn't until the Clippers' defense passed the ball to the other half of the court that they realized Dai Li would not be calling a timeout.

The Clippers' players were somewhat frustrated with this. The Blazers were able to put up a 24-second defense on the Clippers' attack. This affected the morale of the Clippers.

Why don't the Clippers call a timeout? They have enough. Do they want to keep playing and try their chances? Terry thought, frowning.

It was the Blazers turn to make a play. They scored another three-pointer and widened the gap to 15 points.

A difference of 15 points. Surely you call a timeout now! Terry looked at Dai Li."Coach, let's call a timeout! Now that the situation has worsened, if we wait until the official break, we might be behind by more than twenty points," Cassel said anxiously.

"Hold your horses. It's only the third quarter. The end is still far off." Dai Li waved his hands. He still firmly believed that "Equally Matched" would narrow the difference between the two teams as soon as possible.

At this time, both the players and the referee turned their attention to Dai Li. They were waiting for Dai Li to call a timeout.

However, Dai Li was still indifferent.

As soon as the Clippers handed the ball to the team's key player, Ronny, organized an offense.

Ronny and his teammates made a breakthrough and scored a two-pointer with a pull-up jumper. The lead narrowed to 13 points. This score was due to a hole in the Blazers' defense. The defensive players were not able to get into their positions in time, giving the Clippers a shot from a middle-ranged distance.

The 14-2 run that the Blazers achieved had obviously made them more relaxed.

As the Blazers attacked, the players took advantage of their confidence. They dribbled to the three-point line and threw a three-pointer. The ball bounced out of the basket.

The Clippers grabbed the rebound and, before the Blazers had time to get into position, they changed from defense into offense. They made a three-point play. The difference between the two sides became 10 points.

The Blazers broke through the Clippers' defense and immediately committed a foul. The ball was back in the hands of the Clippers. The Clippers attempted a three-pointer but missed, but the forward players attempted a rebound. The Blazers committed another foul and the Clippers gained two points of the free throws. The gap narrowed to eight points.

Neither side scored over the next two plays. On a third play, a lay-up by the Blazers was disrupted by the Clippers. The Clippers switched to offense and managed to get two more free throws and narrow the gap to six points.

The Blazers finally recovered and cast a two-pointer while stepping on the three-point line, returning their lead to eight. The Clippers immediately retaliated with a real three-pointer and narrowed the lead to five points.

"Hwee!" The referee sounded his whistle. Terry had called for a timeout.

The Clippers caught up from the 15-point lead. They did it without calling for a timeout, a substitution, or any tactical change. This meant the problem was with the Blazers' own players. Terry couldn't wait any longer and told the referee to call a timeout.

The Blazers' walked back to their bench in frustration, but the Clippers were very excited. They reduced the lead by 10 points. However, they didn't even know how they had done it.

Cassel looked at Dai Li and couldn't help but scream internally. No timeout, no substitution, and no adjustments to the strategy. He just allowed the players to continue playing. Coach Li is really lucky!The game went into the last quarter and the score stayed close. The Blazers were always leading, but the lead was always by three or four points.

As the game got closer to the end, the Blazers' players started to feel the pressure.

A difference of three or four points was not a secure advantage. A four-point lead was almost acceptable because the opponent would need two plays to catch up. If the lead was three points, the opponent only needed a three-pointer to tie it up.

Terry's face became uglier and uglier. He didn't think that a weak team like the Clippers would be so troublesome.

After the last official break, the game entered its final decisive moment. Now it was a two-point game and each attack was very important.

The game entered its final two minutes, and the Blazers' key player scored a crucial three-pointer, widening the gap to five points.

"Coach. We should call a timeout," Cassel advised.

"No!" Dai Li shook his head.

Just as Dai Li's voice faded away, Naismith scored another three-pointer.

With about a minute left in the game, the Blazers had a two-point lead and the ball was in their hands.

The Blazers' point guard began to apply some pressure and tried to exhaust the 24 seconds of attack time.

It wasn't until the timer had five seconds left that he started to attack. As a result, when the player started to move, the 24 seconds were up. The Blazers had wasted this attack.

However, the Blazers also successfully wasted 24 seconds, leaving about 50 seconds left in the game.

"Coach, call a timeout so we can plan the next attack," Cassel advised.

The Clippers were two points behind with about fifty seconds left on the clock. In theory, the Clippers had two opportunities to attack and the Blazers had one. If the Clippers scored and then stopped the Blazers' attack, the Clippers would have the initiative.

Dai Li thought for a moment but shook his head. "Let the players play how they will."

The ball was in Ronny's hands. Ronny looked at the Blazers' defense and lost his confidence. He thought about how he had scored 23 points today, which exceeded his average. He had finished what he needed to do today, so he passed the ball to Naismith.

The inconsistent Naismith did not care about such things, he took the ball and attacked. His style of play was unconventional. His shot was blocked by the Blazers' defense.

However, Naismith won two free throws and he scored both.

The Blazers were uneasy and Terry immediately called a timeout.

Terry arranged an attack which succeeded. After the jump ball in the middle of the court, the Blazers quickly rushed underneath the rim, took a shot, and scored. The offensive only took 7 seconds and there were 32 seconds left.

From this calculation, the two teams would each have one more opportunity, and the last attack would be the Blazers'.

"Coach, call a timeout. This is our last attack," Cassel immediately advised.

"No timeout." Dai Li shook his head.

"Coach, we should really call a timeout this time," Cassel urged.

"There is no need," Dai Li shook his head again. It seemed he wouldn't call a timeout even if he were beaten to death.

The referee once again looked at Dai Li. The players on the court also looked at Dai Li. Even the camera lens zoomed in on Dai Li to give him a close-up. They wanted to capture the scene where he called for a timeout. The Blazers' coach took out his tactics board.

Dai Li was still sitting there, completely indifferent.

"Why don't the Clippers call a timeout?"

"Are they out of timeouts? No. The Clippers have not called a single timeout for the entirety of the second half, right?"

"What is the Clippers head coach thinking? Surely he'll make a plan for the last attack? If they can't mount a successful attack, they would need to create a foul immediately. Who will be committing the foul? How would he foul? All these require proper tactical planning."

The audience was doubtful. The professional commentators did not understand what Dai Li wanted to do.

The Clippers players did not hear the timeout whistle, so they served the ball. They then transported the ball to the front of the court. They began to run into their positions. The ball was passed twice, and it landed in the hands of the inconsistent Naismith. Without regard for what was around him, he took the ball, took two steps, and did a jump shot. The ball actually went in.

The score was tied again. There were only 13 seconds left for the Blazers.

The Blazers used the last timeout and laid out their last play. However, in their lay-up, the ball slipped. The Clippers prevented a rebound. The game ended at this time.

The commentator on-site took a breath. "105 to 105. This game is going into overtime. I really didn't expect the Blazers, a strong team in the Western Conference, and the Clippers to give us such a close match."

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know report chapter so we can fix it as soon as possible.

Report chapter

Chapter 573: King of Overtime

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

On the Blazers' sideline, Terry looked like a monster who had just climbed out of hell. He shouted at the players loudly.

"Run! You better run!"

"Quickly attack, apply maximum pressure!"

"Shoot! It's such a good opportunity. Shoot!"

"Did you not eat? It took you such a long time to get back into defensive positions. Faster. Work harder on the defense!"

In a basketball game, if the head coach scolded someone or constantly challenged referees, he could get a technical foul. He might even be expelled from the match. In addition, the referee could give on-site commands on the side of the court. As long as it did not interfere with the progress of the game, shouting was permissible.

The styles of each coach in the NBA were different. Some coaches liked to shout at the players. If they were even a tiny bit unsatisfied, they would roar like a wild beast. Some coaches were as quiet as scholars. They would sit on the bench. Never shouting loudly even if the players did not perform as expected. They would, at most, frown to express their dissatisfaction.

Terry was not the kind of coach to shout. However, now that they had reached overtime, he could not control his emotions.

Typically, during overtime, the side that was stronger had the advantage. The team with more substitutes also had an advantage. Those playing on their home-court normally had an advantage. The Blazers had all three of these advantages, so they had no need to worry. As long as the Blazers played as they usually did, they would be able to win.

Whenever Terry remembered that the Blazers were playing in overtime against a weak team being led by a layman, he felt as if he were sitting on pins and needles.

Terry thought that everyone who looked at him was judging him. He thought they were laughing at him for being worse than an inexperienced basketball coach participating in his first NBA match.

On the Clippers side, assistant coach Cassel kept looking in Terry's direction. He did not expect to see Terry this agitated today.

"Terry seems very agitated. This is just a regular season match. With the Blazers' current wins, even a loss today would not affect their ranking. Does he need to act like this?" Cassel whispered to himself and then looked at the score.

In the last two and a half minutes, there had been no change to the score. No one scored any points. The game was deadlocked.

The Clippers were weak. When faced with the Blazers' tough defense, not scoring any points was excusable. However, the Blazers were a strong team playing on their home-court. Not scoring any points in two and a half minutes was inexcusable.

On top of that, it was overtime. For a team that was able to make it to the playoffs, not scoring during overtime was a problem.

"It seems that much of today's match went like this. When the Blazers played well, we also played well. When the Blazers played badly, we also played badly. When they scored, we also scored. When they didn't score, we didn't score. The two sides seem to have reached an agreement. The rhythm of this game is quite strange."

Cassel looked at the statistics in his hand. He scratched his head in confusion. From the data, the Clippers were not performing any better than usual. The field goal percentage, rebounds, assists, and mistakes were all completely average. A team which such stats should not be able to beat the Blazers, so Cassel was extremely puzzled.

"What's wrong?" Dai Li asked. He noticed Cassel looking confused.

"Nothing, I just didn't think that we could go into overtime against the Blazers. After all, the Blazers are much stronger than us," Cassel said.

Dai Li nodded. "Yeah, we are a weak team and our lineup is not perfect. The crux of it all is that the team coach is inexperienced, so everyone thought that we would lose very badly. No one thought that the Blazers and we would be playing a first overtime."

"First overtime?" Cassel blinked and then asked, "Coach, you can't be thinking that this game will have a second overtime?"

"There may even be a third overtime," Dai Li replied with a smile.

Dai Li remembered the first round of the U.S. Open where Zhen Chen played against the tennis king Basel. Under the influence of "Evenly Matched," they played four tie-breaks. In the end, the winner was decided by an advantage set.

The gap between Zhen Chen and Basel was much larger than the gap between the Blazers and the Clippers, so Dai Li didn't think it would be strange for the Blazers and Clippers to play two or three overtimes.

Cassel did not believe in Dai Li'. The Blazers' starting players were stronger and their substitutes were many. They were also playing at their home-court. These advantages would be exacerbated in overtime. Cassel thought the Clippers could collapse at any time."Hwee!" The sound of the live electronic timer buzzed. It had reached zero, ending the second overtime.

Cassel looked at the score of 118-118. For a moment, he didn't know what to say.

It is as predicted by Coach Li. There is going to be a third overtime. Cassel sneaked a look at Dai Li. He felt that Dai Li's body was emitting some sort of invisible, mysterious aura.

Coach Li said that there would be a third overtime. I thought he was joking, but there really will be a third overtime. Is this just a coincidence? Playing three overtimes is not common in the NBA. If it is a coincidence, then it really odd. It is so coincidental that I can't believe it!

Before, during the third quarter, he didn't call a timeout. He said that the players would be able to get back the scores. He was right. Was that also a coincidence? How could it be possible that everything is so coincidental?

Is this coach Li's professional judgment? He doesn't know basketball. How can he make such accurate judgments? I have been a basketball coach for over a decade and I couldn't tell that this game would have three overtimes. I also didn't think our players would be able to catch up when we were behind by 15 points.

Maybe Coach Li actually understands basketball, but he has been pretending to know nothing. He is deliberately playing dumb to catch his opponent off guard! He wants to make everyone feel that he is a layman and let his opponents lower their guard. Then, he gives his opponents a fatal blow.

Cassel thought of this possibility and looked at Dai Li involuntarily.

Dai Li noticed that Cassel was looking at him, so he smiled.

From Cassel's point of view, there was a knife behind this smile.On the Blazers' bench, Terry had mentally collapsed.

He had wanted a big victory without suspense. He had wanted to crush his opponent easily. However, this was the third overtime and the winner was still undecided.

The Blazers were now two points behind.

Although it was only two points, it made Terry feel very helpless.

Are about to lose to the Clippers?

Terry's self-confidence was shaken.

On the court, the Blazers' players became anxious. They were now two points behind in a third overtime in a game that they should have easily won. It was impossible for the players to be calm.

As for the audience at the home-court, they became quieter and quieter. Some fans had begun to leave early. The excitement in the home-court had dropped significantly.

In an average 48-minute NBA game, it took about two hours to finish the game. With two overtimes already passed, the fans were getting tired. Those who cheered for their team lost their voices. In the third overtime, most were not be able to shout anymore.

Portland was located on the West Coast, so other time zones were already late into the evening by the time the game started. Although everyone lived in the Pacific standard time zone, not every fan lived near the Moda Center. Many fans drove dozens of kilometers to see the game. They had to work the next day. It was impossible for them to stay at the stadium very late. If it had just been one overtime, they could have waited it out. With three overtimes, some fans weren't able to wait any longer.

This game was also not very enjoyable to watch. Although it reached three overtimes, the opposing team was weak. The Blazers were also slacking. They did not perform well. In the eyes of the fans, it was meaningless to spend time watching a boring game.

In fact, many fans were disappointed with the performance of the Blazers. The Blazers were ranked third in the West Conference and the expectations were high. Many fans looked forward to the Blazers reaching the Western Conference finals and maybe even reaching the finals of the playoffs. However, the team wasn't scoring against a bad team, so the fans were naturally disappointed. Some fans even began to accuse the Blazers of playing badly.

The players' mentalities and the atmosphere had both become detrimental to the Blazers. The situation that was created by "Evenly Matched" seemed to have changed."Bong!"

The basketball hit the rim and bounced back out. Three Clippers' players rushed over and protected from the rebound.

At this point, the Clippers still had a two-point lead there were less than ten seconds left. This meant that, even if the Clippers did not attack, they would win the game.

The Blazers' players hesitated. They did not immediately commit a foul. It was clear that their concentration was off.

"Commit a foul!" The Blazers head coach, Terry, shouted at the players.

Only then did the Blazers' players rush forward, but the ball had already passed from the players inside the three-point line to the point guard.

According to the rules of the NBA, fouls that were committed towards players who were not holding the ball in the last two minutes would be considered technical with two free throws given. This was to limit the "Hack-a-Shaq" strategy.

Now that the ball was in the point guard's hand, the Blazers could only commit fouls towards the Clippers' point guard and give the point guard free throws.

The point guard's free throw was reliable. He shot two free throws and both of them went in. The gap widened to four points. This was a safe lead. The Blazers needed at least two plays to catch up.

The Blazers had no more overtime, which meant that they would need to run from the back of the court to the front of the court quickly in order to shoot. With the time that was left, they were unable to mount two offenses.

"We won! We actually won against the Blazers!" Although the game was not over, the Clippers' bench was celebrating in advance.

Dai Li also let out a long breath.

After using "Evenly Matched", the result of the game was out of my control. The last time I used "Evenly Matched" was when Zhen Chen was playing against Basel in the U.S. Open. Zhen Chen eventually lost. I got lucky this time. The Clippers actually won against the Blazers. I hope that I will be as lucky in the next game."Three Overtimes. An Upset in the Clippers v. Blazers Matchup."

The next day, people who saw this headline in the news couldn't help but want to read the article.

The Clippers were a weak team and they had just gotten a new boss and coach. The Blazers were a strong team in the league and they had had good odds. The Clippers had actually won a contest between the two of them. People were driven by curiosity. Everyone wanted to find out what had happened.

Three overtimes was rare for the NBA. An entire season could pass without a game going into three overtimes. For the fans who had seen the game, it was dull watching three overtimes. When the same thing was in the news, it became a point of interest.

A weak team beating a strong team was not uncommon in the NBA. There had been cases where the team ranked at the bottom beat the team ranked in first place. The Blazers and Clippers were not teams that received a lot of attention. Besides the fans of the two teams, this game was only another report in the news. It did not set off a big shockwave.

There were many NBA games every day. A team played 82 games in a regular season. This was not a crucial event so it would not be particularly memorable. Most people forgot about it after they saw the result. They wouldn't even be able to recall the scores.

For the Clippers, this game was the first victory after the team changed leadership. As for Dai Li, this was his first victory as a head coach in the NBA.

Typically, after a victory, a team should celebrate. However, this was only the first of the Clippers' four games as the away team. They had to play another three away games, so there was no time to celebrate this long-awaited victory. Instead, they traveled nonstop to New Orleans to challenge the New Orleans Pelicans.

New Orleans was located in Louisiana. If one were to open a map of the United States, they would think that Louisiana was located more in the eastern part of the United States. In actuality, three teams in the Western Conference were located relative to the east: the Pelicans, the Grizzlies and the Timberwolves. They were geographically closer to the teams in the east.

Flying from Portland to New Orleans meant flying from the northwestern United States to the Gulf of Mexico. Even planes took a long time to make the trip. So, after the game against the Blazers, the Clippers did not return to the hotel. They got on a private plane and flew directly to New Orleans.

The Pelicans were also a playoff-level team. In the fiercely competitive Western Conference, as long as a team was able to make it to the playoffs they were not weak.

Therefore, the Pelicans were much stronger than the Clippers.

In the face of opponents who were stronger, Dai Li could only use "Evenly Matched" again.

Dai Li got lucky again. After three overtimes, the Clippers won again.

The Clippers then flew to Indiana to challenge the Indiana Pacers.

The Pacers were ranked fifth in the Eastern Conference. They had a winning percentage close to 60%. The Pacers had always been known for their perseverance. Although the Western Conference was stronger than the Eastern Conference, the Pacers were not afraid of the teams from the other conference.

The Pacers were also stronger than the Clippers. Dai Li still used "Evenly Matched."

This time, luck was not on Dai Li's side. After they played four overtimes, they lost to the Pacers.

For Dai Li, the two wins and one loss was acceptable.

Dai Li had calculated in his head that if he used "Evenly Matched" and had a 50% chance of winning, then the probability of winning two consecutive games was 25%. This was actually a very high probability. It was equivalent to choosing the correct answer to a multiple-choice question with four choices. Many people had encountered such a situation before.

The probability of winning three consecutive games was 12.5%. The possibility of this happening was much lower.

What Dai Li cared about was the win rate, while others focused on the overtimes.

In the last three games, a total of ten overtimes were played. The Clippers had become the "Kings of Overtime" to their fans.

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know report chapter so we can fix it as soon as possible.

Report chapter

Chapter 574: Los Angeles' Overtime Team

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

At the NBA headquarters in New York, President Adams opened the NBA news column on a website and glanced at the headlines.

In the most visible spot on the website, there was a headline that read: "Ten Overtimes in Three Games, the Los Angeles Clippers Create a New NBA Record."

"The Clippers were able to make the headlines. Then again, there has been quite a lot of news about the Clippers lately," Adams said to himself.

The NBA had games every day. Except for the teams that received the most attention, it was really difficult for most games to make a headline. The current Clippers didn't have top stars and the team was one of the worst. It was not easy for them to make the news.

It's very rare to reach overtime in three consecutive games. Playing ten overtimes in three games is even more incredible. I didn't expect that this change in leadership for the Clippers would make them so tenacious. They have really surprised me. Adams couldn't help but check the recent schedule for the Clippers.

"In the past three games, they've won twice. The next opponent for the Clippers is the Orlando Magic. The Magic have been deliberately tanking so as to get the number one draft pick. It seems that the Clippers can win again," Adams said to himself.Orlando. The Clippers were the away team challenging the Orlando Magic at the Amway Center.

In the player's locker room, Cassel looked at the players. He could tell that the players' conditions were completely different from previous games.

Previously, the Clippers had a very bad record. They had lost too many games. The players had started to become disinterested. They did not care if they won or lost. It was as if they were going to work every day. Punching out after working for 48 hours. Even if the team lost, no one was frustrated. They would still go to nightclubs and hook up with girls.

After the last three games, having played in ten overtimes, the Clippers' players took on a different attitude. They gained a new kind of resilience. Cassel could feel that the desire for victory was returning to the players.

In the three away games, their opponents were all teams at the playoff-level. Getting two wins and one loss could indeed cultivate confidence and let the Clippers' players feel that they could compete with strong teams. This provoked their desire to win.

After all, players in the NBA were all leaders amongst the people in their age groups. Even the worst substitutes were very good basketball players. Many of them had been winning games since they were young. They were all people with a strong desire to win. It was just that, previously, the Clippers were doing terribly. Even if they were people who had the desire to win, it was slowly wiped away after losing constantly.

The current victories allowed the Clippers' players to regain their confidence. Victories that were achieved after playing in overtimes seemed even more hard-fought. The continuous overtimes made the Clippers more resilient. This was the biggest gain for the Clippers.

As a weak team, resilience was an important attribute and it was difficult to cultivate. For professional players, losing was acceptable but giving up was not.

The current Clippers had gradually developed resilience through these past few games because of the overtimes.

Cassel remembered the anger and unwillingness on the players' face swhen they played four overtimes and lost to the Indiana Pacers. Cassel felt the depths of the players incomparable longing for victory. This was completely unlike a usual team that was ranked at the bottom.

I really didn't expect that, in just three games, the team could have undergone such a big change. Cassel though this and looked at Dai Li, who was a little further away. He realized that all these changes happened after Dai Li came.

Does Coach Li really not understand basketball? Cassel felt that the Dai Li in front of him was getting harder and harder to figure out.The Clippers' opponent was the Orlando Magic.

The Magic were ranked second last in the Eastern Conference. They were half a game away from being ranked last.

A team in such a position would naturally want to tank so that they could get the best draft pick. There was still a team under them in the rankings. The Magic was very desperate to lose, so as to "catch up" to the bottom as soon as possible.

The Clippers also had a terrible record. Although the Clippers' own draft picks had already been traded, the Magic didn't want to have a team that had a record as bad as theirs to compete with. Therefore, the Magic were eager to lose to the Clippers.

The Clippers definitely wanted to win. The players' desire to win had been aroused and the opponent was even weaker than the Clippers. The Clippers were naturally going to go all out this game.

One wanted to lose, the other wanted to win. The result was obvious.

The anger and unwillingness the Clippers felt when they lost to the Pacers after playing four overtimes were vented out in the game. They started with a fierce attack at the beginning of the game. The Magic were happy to lose to the Clippers. They put up some symbolic resistance for a while, and then they basically surrendered.

Dai Li did not use "Evenly Matched" for this game, because Dai Li knew that the Magic would come in last in the Eastern Conference if they lost this game. They were "begging to lose." They wouldn't put up a fight against the Clippers.

Without effects of "Evenly Matched," the game did not go into overtime. The Clippers successfully defeated the Magic, and they ended their four away games journey.

Four away games, three of which had been against playoff-level teams, ended with a record of three wins and one loss. People who were unaware would think that this was the record of a playoff-level team.

The Clippers returned to Los Angeles. Their next opponents were the Lakers, who were based in the same city.

In both Los Angeles and the entire NBA, the Lakers had far more influence than the Clippers. The Clippers and the Lakers shared a home-court, the Staples Center. Therefore, the Clippers' home-court would be flooded with a large number of Lakers fans. The Lakers fans outnumbered the Clippers fans. Very often at the Staples Center, cheers were overwhelmingly for the Lakers when the Clippers were playing at their home-court.

So, for the Clippers, playing against the Lakers was akin to playing as an away team.

The Lakers' record this year was not good enough to enter the playoffs, but the Lakers were not deliberately tanking. One reason was that they had gained three excellent draft picks consecutively. The team was already full of talented players. The second reason was that it was a giant team, so the fans had expectations for the Lakers.

In fact, the Lakers had the top players in the NBA. They had no reason to tank to rebuild the team deliberately. The attraction of Los Angeles and the magnetic attraction of giant teams always attracted superstars. Although the performance of the Lakers was not very outstanding this season, the Lakers was able to form a grouping of three or four superstars.

When facing the Lakers, Dai Li once again used "Evenly Matched." It resulted in overtime again.The head coach of the Lakers felt helpless. This was the first time he had played a match with three overtimes since becoming an NBA head coach.

The young players on the Lakers, although very talented, did not have much experience in such situations. Facing a third overtime, they began to fall apart.

On the other hand, the Clippers were not in a hurry. After all, in the past four games there had been three games with overtimes. For the Clippers' players, playing overtime was normal.

"This game has reached its third overtime. In the last game where the Clippers defeated the Magic, there had been no overtime. I thought the Clippers had broken the overtime spell, but now it seems that they haven't," the live commentator said playfully.

Another commentator said, "Since the Clippers changed ownership, their games often go into overtimes. It seems that when I commentate on Clippers' games in the future, I should apply for overtime in advance."The Clippers eventually defeated the Lakers in the third overtime. They achieved four wins and one loss in the last five games. In the new NBA rankings this week, the Clippers had risen eight places.

Following this, the Clippers faced a period of great difficulty.

They played on their home-court against the Houston Rockets, the team ranked number one in the Western Conference. The Clippers lost after one overtime. They then played an away game against the defending champions, the Golden State Warriors. The Clippers lost after one overtime again. Immediately after, they played against the Grizzlies at their home-court. The Grizzlies were deliberately tanking. Dai Li did not use "Evenly Matched" and, eventually, the Clippers won. They then played against the Thunder at their home-court. The Thunder didn't give the Clippers a chance to go to overtime. The Thunder's superstars defeated the Clippers in the last second with a three-pointer.

One win and three losses in four games. This was the record of a weak team.

The momentum of the Clippers had improved. The Rockets, the Warriors and the Thunder were all teams that competed for the championship, especially the first two. They were ranked in the top two in the NBA power ranking list. In the current situation, with the Western Conference being strong and the Eastern Conference being weak, whoever dominated the Western Conference would basically win the championship. As for the weaker teams, being able to reach overtime while competing against championship teams gave them a morale boost.

In the next game, the Clippers once again faced the Blazers. This time it was at the Clippers' home-court. The game once again reached three overtimes.

The Trail-Blazers seemed to be suffering from some trauma when they played against the Clippers. It resulted in them making two crucial mistakes during the third overtime, which made them lose the game.

The Clippers then went on to play two away games against the Milwaukee Bucks and the New York Knicks. Both games reached overtimes. They won one and lost the other.

After Dai Li became the head coach of the Clippers, the Clippers had played 12 games. Nine of those games went into overtime. This wonderful situation caught everyone's attention. The gaming company started to offer a special bet to let people bet on how many overtimes the Clippers would reach in their future games.

The fans also joked online that the Los Angeles Clippers should simply be renamed to the "Los Angeles' Overtime Team."

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know report chapter so we can fix it as soon as possible.

Report chapter

Chapter 575: I Hate Overtime

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

Xiao Yunan held the Clippers' financial report in her hands. Compared to last month, the Clippers' attendance rate at their home-court had shown noticeable improvement.

In Los Angeles, the Clippers' attendance rate was worse than the Lakers'. Even though the Lakers didn't have any star players this season, they could still attract 19,000 spectators to watch their games. Considering how expensive tickets to a Lakers game was, this was an excellent number.

The Clippers' average attendance rate, even in the past when they were consistently getting into the playoffs, never reached 18,000 people. The Clippers had a very bad record this year, so the audience number had fallen to less than 17,000 people. Going by the standards of a city like Los Angeles, where the basketball market was huge, the numbers were really too low.

In other basketball cities, such as New York, even when the Knicks chose to tank a season deliberately, their average attendance rate could still exceed 19,000. The Chicago Bulls and the Philadelphia 76ers were also based in large basketball markets. Their audience numbers were above 20,000. The market for the Cleveland Cavaliers was not very big, but they could get an audience of 20,000 by relying on superstars.

The Clippers' recent record had clearly improved. This had stimulated the enthusiasm of the fans. The multiple overtimes in the last few games attracted more viewers for the Clippers.

In the eyes of the fans, if a game reached overtime, it meant that the game was very intense. This was especially true if it went into the second or third overtime. Most fans may not be able to remember a game where a team achieved an overwhelming victory, but they would remember a game where there were three overtimes.

What's more, the fans had already spent money to buy tickets. They also had to put in an effort to get to the stadium. Watching one overtime was equal to increasing the value that they were getting, as there were no extra charges for watching the overtimes. Although the Clippers' tickets were not as expensive as the Lakers, they were still in Los Angeles, so the ticket prices were more expensive than they are in smaller cities. Fans spent the same amount of money anyway, so they would, of course, want to watch the game for a few more minutes.Los Angeles Staples Stadium.

The Clippers were at home going against the Denver Nuggets

The Nuggets had always been on the brink of entering the playoffs and, in the Western Conference, teams that had a chance of entering the playoffs were not weak. The Nuggets were definitely stronger than the Clippers.

The two teams were neck-in-neck throughout the game. The Nuggets did not have superstars that could single-handedly help them win the game. If one were to look at the data, their players were average. This team did not have any clear advantages or disadvantages.

This type of team was particularly weak under the effects of "Evenly Matched."

So far, the only team that did not go into overtime against the Clippers when "Evenly Matched" was used was the Thunder. They relied on their superstar's three-pointer in the last second to defeat the Clippers. No one could've done anything to help in such a situation.

There were no players on the Nuggets who could score in such a miraculous manner. Their coaches were also very strict about maintaining discipline. The head coach did not let the players play however they liked, and he definitely did not allow his players to take risky shots. For teams that played like this, it was difficult to witness such plays that would turn a match around.

As was predicted, the game only ended after four overtimes. The Nuggets won with their superior lineup. This was the second time the Clippers played in a game with four overtimes this season.

In the history of the NBA, four overtimes had been played in a total of eight games. The most recent one had taken place in the previous century. In fact, since the NBA introduced the 24-second rule, the record for the most number of overtimes was only five. The Clippers under Dai Li had almost tied with this record.

In the Nuggets' locker room, the Nuggets players were all happy. Although the Nuggets had always been a very resilient team, winning after four overtimes made it a hard-fought victory for them. This kind of victory also made the players feel that the victory did not come easily.

"Hey, Mike. Do you want to go to the nightclub together? I know a great that opened in Los Angeles recently. There are a lot of beautiful girls over there!" A player greeted his teammates.

"No. I'm not going. It is a bit too late right now. We played four overtimes and the game ended an hour later than usual. I'm going back to the hotel to sleep," Mike said.

"This is Los Angeles, it's a city that never sleeps! Even if it's late, there are plenty of places to go." The player then asked another person, "Steven, are you going? Let's go have a look around, have a drink, and find a few beautiful girls."

Steven also shook his head, "Having a drink would be fine, but forget about finding a girl. I just played for 60 minutes. Even if Helen Pepe stripped naked right in front of me, I wouldn't be able to muster up any strength. "

"Useless! I played longer than you! I can still handle three babes right now!" The player said with contempt.

"This was a high-intensity game, and it went on for a long time. Even ironmen wouldn't be able to do it. Don't forget that this was the second game back-to-back. If you really managed to get three hot girls this evening, I suggest you call the waiter and ask him to buy a few Viagra for you!" An old player next to him said playfully.

"Forget it, if you guys don't want to go, I will enjoy it myself," the player said with contempt. He quickly changed into casual clothes and got ready to go to the nightclub.

This player was named Raul. He was famous in the NBA for going to nightclubs.

However, in Denver, the entertainment industry was not developed. Although Denver's population was not too small, it was ranked as the tenth largest city in the United States. It was located in the Colorado Plateau. One could see the Rocky Mountains just by lifting their heads. Its unique geographical position created a culture where the people in Denver would just go to sleep as soon as it got dark. Very few people would have a nightlife.

Staying in a place like Denver had stifled Raul. The nightlife in Denver was scarce. He had long gotten tired of the few nightclubs there.

Now that Raul was in Los Angeles, how could he not go to the nightclubs?

Los Angeles was the entertainment capital of the United States. It had the best nightclubs. This was a fatal attraction for Raul. After the game, Raul couldn't wait to go to a nightclub he had been longing to go to.In a private room, Raul took out a hundred-dollar bill and stuffed it into the hands of the nightclub public relations manager. The public relations manager smiled and accepted the banknote. He lowered his voice and replied, "Mr. Raul, I will help you find some girls right away!"

"I want the hottest girl here!" Raul paused and said, "I heard that there is a hot girl named 'Red Pepper' in this building!"

"It is true. Mary works here, but I'm afraid that she will not be able to come today," the public relations manager said.

"Why?" Raul asked, looking displeased.

"Twenty minutes ago, she was invited to the private room next door," the public relations manager replied.

"Then what about the one called Nana? I heard that she is hot," Raul asked.

"If you had come half an hour early, I would've definitely called Nana to accompany you. Now, she seems to have gone to the private room over there," the public relations manager continued to say.

"There is another one called Lucy…"

"She just went out with a guest five minutes ago."

Raul was getting angrier and angrier. The few girls he had learned about from his fair weathered friends had all gone out with other people.

I should have been an hour early. No, I was still playing in the game an hour ago. It was the four overtimes. I was delayed for more than an hour. It cost me these girls.Raul was an NBA player. His annual salary of more than ten million was enough to support his generosity in nightclubs. Raul was able to get a few beautiful women to drink and have fun together in the end.

A few hours later, after he had enough of partying in the club, he went to a nearby five-star hotel with two hot girls.

Raul was no stranger to doing such things. Every time he went to nightclubs, he would always bring two or three hot women with him to spend the night. Every time, Raul was always able to perform well. After all, as a player in the NBA, it was natural to be physically strong, so he would be better than most men in bed.

However, Raul felt that he was not able to do anything today. When he intended to do it a second time, a feeling of exhaustion filled his whole body. Raul then discovered that even if the babes who were opposite him attempted to stimulate him, he could not perform.

Back-to-back games were tiring enough on their own. Add to that four overtimes that were played just now, and it was no wonder that Raul didn't have any physical strength left. A single match in the NBA required a large amount of physical strength. Even the extremely strong players might get a cramp in a 45-minute game. Raul played more than 60 minutes today. There was no way he could make love all night long to two beautiful women.

In this situation, he finally realized what his teammate's words meant. "Even if Helen Pepe stripped naked right in front of me, I still wouldn't be able to muster up any strength."

The two hot women opposite Raul looked at him with traces of contempt in their eyes. It seemed to them that Raul was just a pretty face that could only be looked at and not used.

Raul was also vexed. He had finally come to Los Angeles, managed to get two hot women, but his planned all-nighter had ended just after one round. He also had to endure the disdainful look from the hot women. This hurt Raul's self-esteem.

A man could be called ugly and poor. He may not refute those accusations and he might even admit that he was ugly and poor willingly. If one were to accuse a man of being unable to perform sexually, even if he were poor and ugly, he would argue and say that he was able to perform as well as a pornstar.

Raul could not justify his impotence. The two hot women looked at Raul with "unsatisfied" eyes. Raul could guess that by tomorrow, the nightclubs in Los Angeles would have rumors of his impotence.

Damn, this is embarrassing. If this gets out, I won't be able to show my face in the Los Angeles nightclubs anymore! It's because of those four overtimes! Damn Los Angeles' Overtime Team! I hate overtime!

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know report chapter so we can fix it as soon as possible.

Report chapter

New York, NBA Headquarters.

In the reception room, Adams, the President of the NBA, was meeting with guests. These guests were representatives from the major sponsors of the NBA. It could be said that they were the sources of the NBA's wealth.

In the face of these people, Adams did not dare be inattentive. He personally received them in the reception room and listened to their thoughts.

One of the representatives said, "Mr. President, we have a small request. We are negotiating with ESPN with the hope that they will broadcast more Clippers games. The negotiations are not going well, so I hope the NBA can help us put some pressure on them."

"That won't be difficult. ESPN needs to negotiate their broadcast schedule with us. It's not difficult to change the one or two games a month." Adams nodded and then asked, "But the Clippers are not a strong team. Their record is very bad and they don't have stars players. I don't understand why your company wants to increase the number of broadcasts for them."

"We also know that the Clippers are not a strong team and that they don't have stars players, but their games always go into overtime. We have ads that our company puts on ESPN. If more games go into overtime, it will help promote our products," the representative said.

Adams understood his intention.

When NBA games were broadcast on TV, advertisements were inserted during timeouts and breaks. If there were overtimes, there would be advertisements shown during the timeouts between the overtimes and the breaks before the overtime starts. This was something the sponsors would be happy to see.

Under normal circumstances, a game lasted 48 minutes. The number of timeouts and breaks between quarters was fixed. The number of advertisements shown was also fixed. If there were overtimes, it meant that the sponsors were able to advertise their products several times for free. The more overtimes there were, the more the sponsors gain.

The ratings during overtime were often higher than the ratings during the normal game time.

If two games started at the same time, they would end at the same time. The difference in when they ended would not be more than a couple of minutes apart. However, if one of the games went into overtime, that game would end later. People who were watching one of the games on TV or watching live webcasts would very likely watch the game that was still ongoing.

Therefore, advertisements during overtime were seen by more people. This meant that the sponsors were putting in half the effort but getting twice the results. It was a very cost-effective transaction for the sponsors.

Adams understood the sponsor's intentions. He nodded, "I understand. I will arrange for an increase in the nationwide broadcast of Clippers games. This will ensure a high rating. The broadcast schedule for next month has already been confirmed and it has been announced in the United States, so your company's request will not be implemented until the month after the next."

"I understand. Mr. President, thank you very much for your help," the representative from the sponsor said.

However, Adams hesitated for a couple of seconds. He then said, "I have to remind you that, even though the Clippers have managed to go into overtime in almost all of their recent matches, they might not be able to keep doing this."

"I understand this. Competitions are always filled with uncertainty," the representative from the sponsor said.

"Not only that, but there is also the problem of physical fitness," Adams said. "The pace of NBA games are very fast. It is very hard on the body, so the games are very intense. If only one or two overtime games are played occasionally, it won't be a problem for the athlete's physical fitness. If every game goes into overtime, two or three overtimes no less, I don't think athletes will have enough physical strength to play."A program about the NBA was playing on the TV.

"We just enjoyed watching the best dunks, the best shots, and the best steals from yesterday's games. Next, we will be discussing a pretty hot topic in the NBA recently, that is 'Los Angeles' Overtime Team.' We have invited the famous basketball commentator Mr. Blair as our guest!" The host waved his hand, and the scene switched to the other side of the stage. It showed the guest commentator, Mr. Blair walking into the studio.

"Mr. Blair, in yesterday's game the Clippers went into overtime again. The Clippers have been given a new nickname by the fans: 'Los Angeles' Overtime Team.' The Clippers have now broken the NBA record of most number of overtimes in a single season. What do you make of this matter?" The host asked.

Blair cleared his throat and said, "If I hadn't witnessed it myself, I really wouldn't have believed that there could be so many overtimes. It's incredible. I can't figure out why the Clippers have been able to play so many overtimes both from a technical and empirical point of view. I am certain of one thing, this is only temporary. It won't last long."

"Why would you come to such a conclusion?" the host asked.

"Physical fitness," Blair said calmly. "The players can't sustain playing so many overtimes. NBA games are very intense. If a player played two or three minutes extra per game, if accumulated, it would consume a huge amount of the players' strength. At present, the main players of each team play for about 35 to 40 minutes per game. The main players of the Clippers play more than 45 minutes per game. In games with overtimes, the play time of the main players could reach an unbelievable 60 minutes. Obviously, the players cannot withstand such a long-term consumption on their physical strength.

"Now, we're in the second half of the regular season. After the players have played for more than half the season, their bodies have entered a stage of fatigue. We can see that, recently, players have been getting injured more frequently. This is one of the symptoms of physical fatigue.

"At the same time, we all know that the second half of the NBA season is much more intense than the first half of the season, especially in the last two months. This is the key moment for teams to make the playoffs, the combative nature of the games will grow. When the players' bodies are under such intense physical pressure, going to overtime will be a risk for players. Those with poor physical fitness will be especially vulnerable to injuries. Therefore, if the Clippers continue to play in such a way, most of their players would inevitably be facing injuries. In the worst case scenario, they might not even have enough players to rotate their lineup."

Blair talked on and on. In front of the TV, Raul, who was watching the show, nodded frequently. It was clear that he was in agreement with Blair's statement.

He talks too much. If the Clippers continue to play like this, even if they don't get injured, they will die from exhaustion! Damn those four overtimes…

Raul couldn't help but curse the game where he had to play four overtimes. After four overtimes, he was too tired to get an erection.

It was a nightmare for Raul. Although the Nuggets beat the Clippers, Raul left a nasty reputation in Los Angeles.

Los Angeles' Overtime Team? Humph. Continue to play like this. Let's see how long before you guys collapse! Raul took joy in the Clippers' misfortune.Cassel put down the newspaper in his hand and smiled disdainfully.

"Looking forward to seeing us have physical problems? You guys might not see us have any physical problems until the end of the season," Cassel said to himself.

As second in command on the Clippers' coaching staff, Cassel was very familiar with the physical condition of the players. He spent most of his time with players on the training ground, so he knew that the Clippers' players had no problem with their physical fitness whatsoever.

If it were another physical fitness coach, the players would've been exhausted a long time ago. A large number of our players might've also suffered from injuries. Coach Li is currently responsible for our physical fitness training, so there are no problems with the physical fitness of our players. In other words, there is a reason why Li's physical fitness training center is so famous. If he weren't good, he wouldn't have become famous. It wouldn't be an exaggeration if one were to say he is the best in the world.

In basketball, Dai Li was indeed inexperienced, at least from Russell Cassel's point of view. His basketball coaching ability and understanding of basketball were far above Dai Li's. Although Dai Li had been the Clippers' head coach for a while, he was still an entry-level coach in terms of basketball. Everyone on the Clippers' coaching team was better at coaching basketball than Dai Li.

When it came to physical fitness training, Cassel was convinced of Dai Li's skill. Recently, the Clippers had played many overtimes and they were still very comfortable. No one had been injured. In Cassel's view, this was miraculous. As far as Cassel knew, there weren't any physical fitness coach who could do as well.

When he thought about the overtimes, Cassel couldn't help but scratch his head. "Come to think of it, we have really played a lot of overtime ever since Coach Li came. The amounts of overtimes I've played recently is more than all of the overtimes I've played in my entire life. How peculiar."Many people in the media predicted that many of the Clippers' players would be suffering from injuries soon. Some even believed that the Clippers would suffer from large-scale injuries due to a lack of physical strength.

However, after a few games, the Clippers' players did not show any signs of problems with their physical fitness. They were still up and running. They had not been plagued by physical fitness problems.

The Clippers' players were getting used to going into overtime. For other teams, overtime was the most intense and exciting thing, but for the Clippers, it was business as usual. On the contrary, if they did not play any overtimes, they felt uncomfortable.

As time went by, news of the Clippers eventual collapse became less and less. Those sports commentators were not fools. Since their predictions were not accurate, trying to prove otherwise would be equivalent to shooting themselves in the foot. It was better to try to talk about something else and shift the topic.

Many people were also trying to figure out how the Clippers were able to play so many overtimes.

The NBA kept very rigorous statistics on the data of games, so people quickly discovered that when the Clippers faced the weak teams who were ranked at the bottom, they didn't go into overtime. When they faced the stronger teams, they would definitely go into overtime. It was obvious that the Clippers and the stronger teams were not able to get along.

For strong teams, if the opponent were a team that was ranked lower in the league, they would naturally hope to end the game as soon as possible. It was best if the key players could stop playing within the first three quarters and then rest for the rest of the game. While they were at it, they could let the substitutes gain more experience in real matches.

However, when facing the Clippers, who often went into overtime, key players would definitely have to go onto the court to play during the overtimes. Not only did they not have the chance to rest in advance, but they also needed to increase their physical exertion. When both of those conditions were put together, it significantly increased the possibility of getting injured.

The teams that were likely to enter the playoffs would become desperate, especially in the last ten days of March. The top-ranked teams were working hard to get the home-court advantage in the playoffs. At this time, as the Clippers always went into overtime, they had become the team that the stronger teams were most unwilling to play against.

At this time, the Clippers were like a hedgehog. They didn't seem to be very strong. They could easily be bullied but, if one were not careful, they would prick themselves on the spikes and bleed.

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know report chapter so we can fix it as soon as possible.

Report chapter

Chapter 577: Avoiding Overtime

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

The head coach of the San Antonio Spurs, Gray, was one of the best coaches in the NBA. He was a tactical master and also had the wisdom that comes with age. During his tenure as the coach of the Spurs, he had led the team to the championship of the NBA. Some thought that he was the most accomplished head coach in the league.

In recent seasons, the Spurs had gotten a bit worse, but they still frequented the playoffs. This year, the team was ranked fifth in the Western Conference. The fourth-ranked team was only one game ahead of them.

Last night, the Spurs had beat a strong team in the Eastern Conference, the Philadelphia 76ers, in a home game. Their next game was an away game against the Clippers. Based on their schedule, the players flew to L.A. in the afternoon and were staying a night in L.A. to prepare for the game the next night.

Coach Gray held a roster and moved in front of the players. The Spurs players quieted down as they saw Coach Gray.

"I'm going to announce the starting lineup for tomorrow's game against the Clippers. The starting players are…"

Gray called out five names but none of the names were the usual starting players. They were all substitutes.

The players looked around at each other, confused. Some players were annoyed, wondering if Coach Gray had Alzheimer.

Later, Coach Gray named the players who would be substitutes. Two of the team's key players were not even included on that list.

An NBA team had 15 official spots. Apart from that, they also had two two-way contracts that were not counted towards the 15. Only 12 players could make an appearance in a game. Any other players on the team were not allowed to play in that game. They were put on the inactive player list. According to NBA rules, players on the inactive player list had to wear a suit if they were to watch the game besides their teammates.

The Spurs team had one injured player, so he was not playing. On top of that, Coach Gray put two key players in the inactive player list. This meant that, even though those two came to Los Angeles, they could only watch the game and show their support from the side of the court.

The two key players placed in the inactive player list looked at each other, confused. They knew that they hadn't made any mistakes recently, so the coach was not punishing them. The coach must only have one objective, to let them rest for a match.

Finally, a player asked, "Coach, is this rotation?"

Coach Gray nodded. "You can treat this as rotation."

"Coach, it's only the end of March right now. Isn't it a little early for a rotation? We normally only start to rotate the second half of April. The competition in the Western Conference is fierce this year. Right now, it's not given that we'll make it to the playoffs. The teams below us are close behind us, and we are only one win away from the team in fourth," another player stated.

"Then you should treat this as me giving you a vacation." Coach Gray looked at his disciples. He decided to explain, "To me, the toughest team to face right now in the league isn't obvious. It isn't the defending champions, Warriors, or the team with the best record, the Rockets. It's not even the team with the league's best player, the Cavaliers. It's the L.A. Clippers. Do you know why?"

"Is it the overtimes?" Someone immediately asked.

Gray nodded. "That's right. Those damn overtimes! I don't know what the new head coach of theirs did to get the Clippers to play so many overtimes, but I don't want you to follow suit. You all know that competition in the Western Conference is tough. I don't want you to waste your energy and strength on the Clippers."

Gray looked at everyone and continued. "If we were playing another weak team, perhaps you could play three-quarters of the game. When it comes to the Clippers, once you enter the game you might need to play two or three overtimes. We'll be spending twice the energy than we'd normally be using against a weak team! Moreover, playing overtime will increase the risk of injury. I have no interest in losing any of you before the playoffs."

"Coach, a lot of reporters said a few days ago that, because the Clippers keeps playing overtime, they will fall apart. Perhaps we can use this and keep shaving away at their energy. When they run out of steam, we can defeat them," a player suggested.

Gray shook his head. "Don't listen to that bullsh*t. If those sports commentators were that smart, they would be your coaches instead of me! If the Clippers were going to fall apart, then they would have done so long ago. Don't forget who their head coach is! Dai Li might be the world's greatest fitness specialist!"

A few players were unconvinced. They felt that Gray was exaggerating things.

Gray explained further. "You probably know Dai Li from the Olympics. He led the U.S. National Track and Field Team to their best performance ever. However, I heard his name way before the Olympics. I have an old friend who is a boxing coach, he's named Ares. Some of you may have heard of the 'White Devil' Ares? Ares' wife was in a coma due to an accident. The doctors believed that his wife would have to spend the rest of her life in bed. I visited his wife at the hospital.

"However, when I went to visit my friend again, I discovered that his wife could already stand and walk with a walking aid. That surprised me I had personally talked to the doctors. I knew how serious his wife's condition was. It was supposedly impossible for her to stand up again, but a miracle happened.

"It was only later that I found out that it was a Chinese rehabilitation coach who helped Ares' wife recover. That Chinese coach is now the head coach of the Clippers. I also know that Dai Li also trained Kevin Taylor and helped him recover.

"I'm sure you know the rest of the story. Taylor was over 30 years old and performing better than he did in his 20s. He also had better stamina than he had in his 20s." Gray looked at a few of the players older than 30. He then said, "Some of you are over 30 years old, some are even 35. You know the physical difference between a 30-year-old and a 20-year-old. You must understand how impossible what Li did with Taylor is."

The players who were over 30 nodded. All of them experienced it, so the knew what it was like.

"Dai Li made the impossible possible. In truth, after I saw Kevin Taylor's match, I thought of getting Dai Li to be our fitness coach. That way, even you older guys would be able to be starters at 40." Gray pointed towards the balding player who had been with him for more than a decade. As he teased him, he shook his head, "Unfortunately, he already has his own physical fitness training center. His revenue isn't bad either. The only way to have gotten him to be on the Spurs would have been to off him my position."Los Angeles, Staples Center.

It was the L.A. Clippers against the San Antonio Spurs.

Before the game, Dai Li got a hold of the starting lineup of the Spurs.

"All five of their starters have changed. What are the Spurs trying to do? Are they rotating? Isn't it a little early for that? Don't people only start to rotate in the second half of April?" Dai Li said to himself. It looked like he was looking for the advice of those around him.

"I'm guessing that old fox, Gray, doesn't want to play with us in overtime. The players on the Spurs are a bit older. If they played overtime, they would expend more energy and be more prone to injury," Cassel explained.

"You're saying the Spurs chickened out? They are avoiding overtime?" Dai Li asked.

"Ugh… I guess you could say that," Cassel answered.

Interesting, Dai Li thought with a frown. He then asked, "If we're only playing the substitutes, we should have a chance to win, right?"

"Our starting lineup should be stronger than the bench of Spurs. This time, Gray even put in some of the players who would normally never play. It shouldn't be a problem for our starters to play against their subs," Cassel said with a nod.

"Okay, then I understand. The Spurs brought us a giant gift." A weird smile appeared on Dai Li's face.When Dai Li saw that Spurs decided to send out their substitutes against them, he decided there was no need to use "Evenly Matched" in this game. He just let the players do their thing.

Although the Clippers were a weak team, the starters were still starters. Players who could become starters in the NBA would still be a lot better than the players on the bench.

It was the same for players who could make to the rotational roster. They were definitely much better than the "water dispenser" type players who did not even normally play.

The match was just like Tianji's horse race [1]. The Spurs were a strong team, but they sent out their middle-class and low-class horses. The Clippers were a weak team, but they sent out their high-class and middle-class horses. When the starters played against the starters, the high-class horses of the Clippers were going against the middle-class horses of Spurs. When the benches played each other, it was the middle-class horse of the Clippers against the low-class horse of Spurs. The result was obvious."Beep…" The digital bell signaled the end of the game.

Gray looked despondent. He intentionally hid his main force to avoid overtime and, in the end, there had been no overtime.

One of the most experienced and qualified head coaches in the NBA, Gray felt ashamed. Initially, he had wanted to play tricks to show off his skills as a tactical master. Looking at the result, it was clear that he had dug a hole and jumped into it.

"Where's the overtime? They always going into overtime against strong teams. Where are those two to three overtimes? If I had known that there wasn't going to be any overtime, I would have used my starters and secured the win…"

Endnotes

[1] Tianji was a general of the kingdom of Qi. He lost all his horse race bets against the king of Qi. His friend Sun Bin helped him think of a plan, which was to pair his weakest horse against the strongest horse of the king, to pair his strongest against the king's middle horse, and to pair Tianji's middle horse against the king's weakest horse. With that plan, he defeated the king of Qi by 2 to 1.

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know report chapter so we can fix it as soon as possible.

Report chapter

Chapter 578: The Entire League is Working Against Me

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

The general manager of the Boston Celtics, Dennis, arrived to work early, as usual. His secretary got him a cup of coffee and he sat in front of his computer. He went online and researched last night's NBA games.

Boston was in the eastern United States so, when teams in the west started playing, it was a little later for those living in Boston. Teams that played on West Coast, like the Lakers, Clippers, Warriors, Trail Blazers, started their games three hours after teams that played on the East Coast. The games on the East Coast ended before the games on the West Coast even started. Therefore, most people in Boston were asleep when games on the West Coast ended. This was why Dennis rarely watched games on the West Coast all the way through. It had become a habit of his to check on the previous night's games on the West Coast first thing in the morning.

After checking the scores of various games, Dennis saw the score between the Clippers and Spurs.

92 to 87! The Spurs lost to the Clippers? How is that possible? Although the Spurs are unlikely to win the championship this year, they are still a strong team. Now is the time for teams to be making a final push to get into the playoffs. How could they lose to a weak team like the Clippers? Getting 92 points for the Clippers is normal, but the Spurs only got 87 points. The Spurs' offense is strong and the Clippers aren't exactly known for their defense. How could the Spurs only get 87 points? What happened?

Dennis immediately clicked and checked out the detailed statistics. He hoped he would find some clues to what happened.

Starting only substitutes? What is that old fox, Gray, doing! His two key players were not even in the active players' lists. Is this rotation? There's still one month left before the regular season ends. Isn't it a little early for a rotation?

Dennis looked at the Spurs ranking in the Western Conference.

The Spurs are currently ranked fifth in the Western Conference. After losing this game, they are 1.5 wins away from the fourth-ranked team and the three teams below them are pretty close. They won't even have the home-court advantage in the playoffs. Where did they find the courage to rotate? Isn't it time to work hard and try to move into fourth place? At least to try to secure the home-court advantage during the playoff."

Dennis furrowed his brow for a long time trying to guess what drove this decision. However, they were all blind guesses. They only made him less certain of why the Spurs did what they did.

"Although the Clippers aren't a strong team, there was no way the Spurs could win with only subs. The Spurs were clearly trying to lose the game!" Dennis said to himself. Suddenly, he thought of something and clicked on another link. He went to check the results of the Clippers.

The Clippers are now in 11th place of the Western Conference. With the same record, they would be in the ninth place of the Eastern Conference. That means that there are four teams in the west whose records aren't as good as the Clippers, and six teams in the east that worse records. Based on their current ranking, the Clippers are ranked 11th from the bottom of the entire league! Damn it…

Dennis couldn't help but curse in his head. He remembered that he was getting a draft pick from the Clippers.

The draft in the NBA was related to how each team ranked in the regular season. The worse the team did, the earlier they would be able to draft, which made it more likely they would get a good player. On the contrary, the better the team did, the worse their draft pick. The team ranked at the bottom of the league had the best chance to get the first pick. The team ranked first basically signed up to get the 30th pick.

Theoretically speaking, the Clippers were ranked 11th from the bottom, so they would get the 11th pick.

However, before Dai Li became the head coach of the Clippers they were ranked second from the bottom of the Western Conference. They were ranked fourth from the bottom of the entire league. They were amongst the bottom feeders of the league. In the past, the team ranked fourth from the bottom had about a 10% chance to get the first pick. There was also a high probability of them getting the second or third pick. Even without luck, it was easy for them to get one of the top five.

That meant that after Dai Li began coaching the team, the Clippers went from getting the fifth pick to getting the 11th. Their slot had clearly depreciated in value.

In truth, the 11th pick wasn't that bad. There was a chance they could still draft a good player. However, compared to the fifth pick, the 11th pick was significantly worse. They also lost the chance of getting the first pick. Any team would be willing to take that 10% chance of getting the first pick than take a 100% chance of getting the 11th pick.

The Clippers had traded the Celtics their first-round draft pick this year. When the Clippers were doing terrible this season the value of the draft pick had increased significantly. Dennis had thought that he had profited a lot from the deal.

The Celtics had still remained in the top three of the Eastern Conference, so they had a chance of winning the championship. The draft pick that they received in exchange from the Clippers had made it possible for them to get the first pick. Dennis could not help but applaud how good the deal had been.

It was a pity, though, that things rarely go as planned. The Clippers had improved. The one of the first five draft picks had turned into the 11th pick. Dennis could say goodbye to the possibility of getting the first pick.

The Celtics would like nothing more than to see the Clippers fall apart. It would be best for the Celtics if they fell to the absolute bottom of the entire league. That way, the Celtics would be able to enjoy one of the first draft picks. The Celtics suffered the most from the Clipper's improvement.

Dennis was infuriated thinking about how the value of his trade had depreciated.

Damn the Spurs. How did you lose? You should beat the Clippers right now! You're losing intentionally! Yes, it must be intentional! No, I must write an appeal to the league and complain about you losing on purpose!After beating the Spurs, the Clippers' next opponent was the Rockets.

The last they played each other, the Rockets had scored a streak of three-pointers in overtime and defeated the Clippers.

At the moment, the Rockets were ranked first in the Western Conference. They were also number one in the entire league. They were ahead of the Warriors, the second place team, by five wins. Their chances of securing first place in the Western Conference were high.

In Houston, the head coach of the Rockets, Max, learned of the Clippers beating Spurs.

"The Spurs actually lost against the Clippers. They sent out a team of substitutes against them. It sure is puzzling. Although the Spurs team aged a year, there is still one month of the regular season left. There shouldn't be a need to rest players yet," the assistant coach nagged beside Max.

Max smiled and said, "You don't understand that old fox, Gray. This isn't about resting and rotating players, this is his plan. However, I never would have thought that he would actually fall into someone else's trap."

"Coach, I don't understand," the assistant coach said in confusion.

Max explained, "I used to work for the Spurs, so I know a little about Gray. I am guessing Gray tried to avoid overtime since the Clippers have been going into overtime way too much. Going into overtime once is like expending two games' worth of stamina. There is also an increased risk of injury. That's why Gray sent his substitutes into the match while he waited to play against the Clippers in overtime. He didn't expect the game wouldn't make it into overtime, so Gray's plan fell through."

"So that's what happened!" Comprehension had just dawned upon the assistant coach.

After Max finished his explanation, he went into his own thoughts.

Although Gray, that old fox, failed in his plan, perhaps I should learn from him, Max thought.

Max was the master of the "run and gun" in the NBA. Besides that, his tactics were very modern. Back when the NBA still admired defense, he had already started using the run and gun tactic with his team. Now that the NBA had entered the small ball era, he created a magic ball theory, which was to give up the mid-range shot on offense to either go for a three-pointer or go below the basket. On defense, it was to continuously change the defenders to destroy the modern pick and roll strategy.

Max had a huge weakness: he did not really believe in role players. On his team, a lot of role players only played when his team was losing anyway. As he did not believe in role players, Max often used a seven-man lineup. He received a lot of criticism for this.

A regular NBA game was 48 minutes long. A team had five players on the court at the same time. This meant that if you added all of the players' time in the game you would get 240 minutes. This was a fixed number.

If seven players rotated between each other, the average time a player was on the court was 34 minutes. If eight players rotated, the average time would decrease to 30 minutes. If ten players were to rotate, the average time of every player was only 24 minutes.

The difference between rotating ten players and seven players meant that every player would play ten minutes less. This also meant that every player would have an extra ten minutes' rest every match so they would have more energy.

Of course, it was only theoretical data. In reality, the key players would spend more time in the game than the substitutes.

However, one thing was certain: the more players in the rotation lineup, the more people would be able to play in the game. This meant the players would be expending less energy.

Considering that there were 82 games in the regular season, with the addition of rigorous and competitive playoffs, it was a good thing for key players to have to expend less energy.

There is only one month in the regular season left. It's about time to prepare for the playoffs. This season, we've used the seven-man rotation too much. There have been signs that some of our players may be injured soon. I should try to control this.

Since the Clippers won't be making it to the playoffs, they won't pose a threat to us. If we battled against them till overtime, we would lose more than we would gain. What's more, we are sitting comfortably in It won't be easy for the Warriors to catch up to us. Losing a game or two occasionally isn't going to affect the big picture.The Clippers defeating the Spurs was considered an upset. However, no one had expected that the Clippers could actually manage to defeat the top-ranked team in the entire league, the Rockets!

The Rockets had also sent out a starting lineup of substitutes. They had even called in their players playing in the development league to play over 20 minutes in the game.

No matter how weak the Clippers players were, they weren't weak enough to lost to players from the development league. It was another game reminiscent of Tianji's horse race against the king of Qi.

The Rockets did this because they did not want to waste their energy on overtime. After all, the Rockets played an entire season with a seven-man rotation. By the time they reached the last month of the regular season, the players would be in terrible condition. It would be much better for them to save some strength for the playoffs rather than battle against the Clippers in a couple of overtimes.The Cleveland Cavaliers.

The head coach walked to the side of a strong player and asked, "Do you want to rest in the next game?"

The strong player was named Brown. He was the best player in the current NBA.

Brown heard his coach and looked puzzled. "What happened?"

"Our next opponent is L.A. Clippers," the head coach said.

"I know some of the L.A. fans don't like me, but they are mostly Lakers fans, not Clippers fans. Even if the fans don't like me, games must still be played!" Brown answered.

"You don't understand. In a previous game, the Clippers beat the Spurs because Spurs sent out an all-substitute team. In their last game, the Clippers beat the Rockets. The Rockets also sent out an all-substitute lineup. So I'm thinking that when we play against the Clippers, we should also rest a few of our key players. We should also start looking towards the playoffs now. Our target is the championship. As for our ranking in the regular season, that's not as important," the coach said.

One of the reasons why Brown was able to become the best player in the NBA was his intellect. He thought about it for a moment and immediately understood.

Brown nodded. "Our rankings aren't really affected by our games against Western Conference teams. Among them, we should be wary of the Warriors and the Rockets, because we might play against them in the final. If we play two or three overtimes against an irrelevant team in the regular season, it would be an unnecessary expenditure."

"Alright, then. In the next match, you will take a rest. By resting f this game, you will gain around five days of rest. Five days off is amazingly rare."Boston Celtics.

General Manager Dennis looked at the results of the previous day. He wanted to cry but had no tears.

In the past three games, the Clippers had beaten the Spurs, the Rockets, and the Cavaliers. Those were the strongest teams in the league.

More importantly, the three opponents had rested their key players and sent out their substitutes for the match. Due to this consecutive win streak, the Clippers moved up one place in the rankings. With that, the first round draft pick of the Clippers had further depreciated in value.

What is this? The Spurs sending out their substitutes, the Rockets sending out their substitutes, and the Cavaliers only sending out their substitutes! They're all weakening their teams! They are clearly letting the Clippers win on purpose! Why do I feel like the entire league is going working against me!

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know report chapter so we can fix it as soon as possible.

Report chapter

Chapter 579: Condemnation

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

The regular season of NBA had entered into its last month, April. It was the most competitive period of the season.

The teams at the bottom were competing to lose in order to get a better draft pick. If they accidentally won a match, they would definitely face an angry manager.

The teams at the top had confirmed their home-court advantages in the playoffs. At this time, they had to consider their first opponents in the playoffs, especially the first and second-placed teams in the Western and Eastern Conference. They could try to manipulate their rankings to select their first-round opponent. For example, they could intentionally lose to certain teams to help increase their rankings in order to remove the opponents they would rather not face in the first round of the playoffs.

The mid-tier teams in the Western and Eastern Conference, on the other hand, had begun their battle for the home-court advantage in the playoffs. For example, the fourth and fifth-placed teams in both conferences were only separated by one spot and the fourth-placed team would have one home game more than the fifth-placed team. In such situations, where the difference was insignificant, the lower-ranked team would definitely try to catch up, so that they may get one more home-court advantage. The higher-ranked team, on the other hand, would try their best to win as many games as possible to keep the extra home-court advantage.

As for the teams at the periphery of the playoff threshold, they would have to fight every game. It was highly possible that every victory they gained would help them get into the playoffs. It was also possible that a defeat would make drop them out of the running. It was even possible for both sides to have the same win/loss ratio. In such cases, their division results or their results against the entire Western Conference would have to be compared to determine which team would advance.

As for the Clippers, it was certain that they would not make it into the playoffs. Their first-round draft pick was already handed over to the Celtics, so tanking was also meaningless. Whether the Clippers obtained a good result or not, it was not important. They were more like troublemakers.

The Clippers had an away match on the East Coast. They headed towards Boston and would challenge the Celtics in an away match. After that, they would head to New York to face off against the Knicks.The general manager of Boston Celtics, Dennis went to the head coach, Arnold.

"Coach Arnold, I would like to know if the team plans to rotate the players?" Dennis asked.

"You've got that spot on. I do plan on resting a few key players against the Clippers. It's what the Spurs, the Rockets, and the Cavaliers did," Coach Arnold stated. "At this point in the season, the players have expended a lot of stamina, especially our key players. They will definitely benefit from saving their strength if we can let them rest for a match or two. Moreover, the Clippers are called 'L.A.'s Overtime Team,' to battle against them in overtime would be detrimental for us."

"No, we can't rotate and rest our players," Dennis said impatiently. "We must win this match against the Clippers!"

"Why?" Arnold looked confused and said, "We're currently sitting firmly in second place in the Eastern Conference and we're four games behind first place. It would be difficult to catch up in the remaining matches. Moreover, the Clippers are a Western Conference team. Our win-loss record against them won't really affect our ranking in the Eastern Conference."

"But the ranking of the Clippers is too high!" Dennis exclaimed.

Arnold's expression was conveyed his confusion. What's Clippers' result got to do with me.

Dennis had no choice but to explain. "We have a draft pick from the Clippers. A few months ago, we were on course to get the first pick. Now, this pick is at the periphery of the lottery area. If the Clippers continues to win like this, our draft pick this year will become even less relevant."

Arnold frowned.

Based on Arnold's understanding, the new draft picks were quite decent. Several of the players were being touted as younger versions of the superstars in the league. That meant that everyone had high hopes for them. Arnold himself had his eyes set on some rookies too. As such, Arnold hoped to get a better pick in the draft so that he may choose the rookie he wanted.

"However, I'm more worried that the additional overtime would cause extra fatigue for our players. It will also increase their risk of being injured," Arnold said hesitantly.

"Coach Arnold, the Clippers belong to the Western Conference, so we only face off against them twice a year. We've already played against them once, so this game is our only chance to suppress the Clippers. More importantly, we can show other teams in the league that, as long as victory is possible, overtime isn't something to be afraid of!"

"Alright, I'll put all our key players in the next game." Arnold nodded as he agreed, reluctantly."The Celtics are actually sending out their entire first team lineup, they sure think highly of us." Dai Li held the Celtics' roster in his hand as he talked in a relaxed manner.

"I initially thought that a title-challenger such as the Celtics would be like the other teams, and send their substitutes to play against us. I never would have thought that they would send out their entire starting team. Looks like they really want to win," Cassel said.

"Since the Celtics afforded such respect, we shouldn't disappoint them. Tell the fellows, let's play overtime again this game!" Dai Li announced. "Boston has always been the Devil's home stadium. It has been a while since we won here in Boston, isn't that right? This time, everyone should do their best. Even if we fail to defeat the Celtics, we will let them know that we, the Clippers, are not a team that people can just push around!""As I predicted, the game has entered into overtime. They sure are L.A.'s overtime team," the commentator said enthusiastically.

On the sideline, the head coach of the Celtics, Arnold, looked very dispirited. He clearly did not want the game to go into overtime.

Please God, let us beat the Clippers now. Please let there be no second overtime, Arnold prayed.

It was at that moment that the point guard of the Celtics, Kerry, attempted a breakthroughl. He collided with a defensive player of the Clippers and to the ground. The referee blew the whistle, and he gave the Clippers a blocking foul.

"They've reached their limit on fouls. Time for free throws." Arnold tightened both his fists as he spoke. However, Kerry remained on the floor. He did not get up and his arms were wrapped around his left knee. His expression showed that he was in great pain.

"Please don't be injured!" Arnold became grim and his gaze radiated his sense of anxiety.

Arnold suddenly remembered that Kerry had experienced a left knee bone fracture three years ago. Two screws were screwed into his left tibia and, recently, Kerry often complained about pain in his left knee. After some examination, they discovered that it was caused by the tendinitis in his left knee. The region where the screw was had a staphylococcal infection.

Under normal circumstances, he would have sought early treatment when faced with situations like that. They would have removed the screws through surgery to prevent an even more severe infection. However, if they proceeded with surgery now, that meant that Kerry would be out for the rest of the season. The Celtics aimed to win the championship, so Kerry had to persevere through with his injury.

On the big screen of the stadium, a slow-motion clip of the breakthrough was finally shown. From a different angle, one could see that while Kerry was advancing, his left knee collided with the knee of a Clippers' defender. It was that collision that left Kerry lying on the ground.

Oh no, a direct collision. Arnold's entire body tightened.

The game had to be stopped as a player was injured. The team doctor made his way to the court to examine Kerry. Kerry looked to be in extreme pain. He could not stand at all, so it looked like there was no way for him to continue playing the game.

After three minutes, Kerry was carried off the court on a stretcher so that he could be looked at further. There was no way he could continue playing in the game.

Kerry was the core point guard of the team, his injury completely messed up the offensive rhythm of the team. In the next few minutes, the offensive plays of the Celtics were held off, while the Clippers caught up. The first overtime ended in a draw.If Kerry had not gotten injured, there's no way we would have needed a second overtime! Arnold complained in his head but, at the same time, he was worried about Kerry's injury.

Kerry was an all-star player and a point guard. That meant that he was the organizer as well as the offensive playmaker of the Celtics. If he were no longer around, their entire strategy, and their strength reduced greatly.

God bless Kerry and please don't let his injury be too severe.

As Arnold prayed to God, the Celtics were rallying themselves for an attack. The Celtics' small forward, Gordon, ran towards the basket. The guard on the outside directly shot the ball towards the hoop with the intention of doing an alley-oop with Gordon.

However, the defenders of the Clippers were not weaklings. The center below the basket jumped up quickly and blocked the ball in the air.

At that moment, Gordon had already started his jump and was prepared to complete the alley-oop. In the end, he collided with the center of the Clippers. Both players were in the air and no one could really control their body.

However, the center weighed a little more so he had the advantage. Gordon lost his balance so, when he hit the ground, his left ankle twisted 90 degrees outwards as the impact was too great.

Gordon fell to the ground in pain. The referee had no choice but to stop the game. The players around Gordon even turned their heads away from Gordon. They didn't dare look at Gordon's pained expression.

It must be a bone fracture! Dai Li thought. At that moment, the team doctor, as well as Arnold, rushed over immediately.

Why? Why did someone else get injured? Looks like Gordon's injury is far worse than Kerry's. He can't be out for the rest of the season! Arnold became indescribably panicked.

Gordon was an all-star player and Kerry's injury severity was still unknown. If Gordon also got injured, the first round of the playoffs would seem hopeless.

"It's an ankle dislocation and a humerus fracture! It would be best if he was sent to the hospital immediately for surgery," a voice from behind everyone called out.

The doctor looked back in annoyance wondering where the claim originated from. Who dared to give such diagnosis before an X-ray was even taken? He saw Dai Li standing there.

Dai Li used the detector on Gordon, so he immediately knew Gordon's injury. He couldn't bear watching Gordon in pain, so he just went and told them the diagnosis so he could receive treatment as soon as possible.

"Coach Li, what did you just say? What fracture?" Arnold asked impatiently. By then, he didn't care if Dai Li was his opponent.

"I said an ankle dislocation and a humerus fracture!" Dai Li repeated himself and said, "It's unfortunate news, but Gordon is out for the rest of the season."

"How do you know?" The team doctor asked, unconvinced.

"Apart from being a coach, I'm also a sports rehabilitation specialist," Dai Li answered.

Upon hearing that, Arnold remembered Dai Li's training center really did have a sports rehabilitation business. As the head coach of the Clippers, to have the courage to give such a diagnosis in such a situation, he would definitely have to be certain.

At the same time, Arnold realized that, if the diagnosis of Dai Li was correct, then Gordon was definitely out for the season.

Two overtimes and two key injured players. This damned game. Why did I go all out? I should've just been like the Spurs, the Rockets, and the Cavaliers. That way, not only would Kerry and Gordon not have been injured, they would have been able to rest for a day. I have really condemned myself!

Arnold became overwhelmed with a sense of regret.

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know report chapter so we can fix it as soon as possible.

Report chapter

Chapter 580: The Newbie Coach with a High Win Rate

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

Two of the Celtics key players, including Gordon, were injured in two overtimes against the Clippers. It was a disastrous blow; just thinking about it sent chills down one's spine.

After Gordon was taken off the court, the morale of the Celtics players hit rock bottom. Their style of play clearly lacked penetration. They seemed to be afraid of physical confrontations. Clearly, the other players were starting to worry that they might end up injured like Kerry and Gordon.

In the eyes of Coach Arnold, the players being unwilling to be too physical was a good thing. The score became irrelevant. As long as no additional players were injured, Arnold would be thanking God.

In truth, Arnold was no longer in the mood to direct the team. He was worried about Kerry and Gordon. Gordon's injury looked much more serious, so he might be out for the rest of the season. As for Kerry's left knee, they had to wait for the result of the examination. The worst case was that he would need surgery, which would mean the season was over.

Losing two key players, Arnold felt that the Celtics' road to the playoffs just got difficult. He also didn't know if they could make it through the first round of the playoffs.

The rest of the game could only be described as being uninterested. In the end, the Celtic's lost.The next day, the media revealed Kerry's and Gordon's injuries.

Gordon's injury was exactly as Dai Li described, an ankle dislocation and a humerus fracture. Even if one were to ignore the ankle dislocation, a humerus fracture alone was a very serious injury. When one's bones or muscles are hurt, they needed 100 days to recover. It was not possible for Gordon's injury to heal in 100 days, so he was definitely out for the rest of the season. Based on the estimation of the doctor, even if Gordon recovered nicely, he would not be able to make the preseason of the coming season. He might be able to come back the first month of next season.

Kerry required surgery to remove the two screws from his knee in order to prevent infection that would further worsen the injury. After the removal of the screws, Kerry would need five to six months' time to rehabilitate. That meant that Kerry would also need to wait until next season to play.

Knee injuries like Kerry's were a common problem. A lot of players who experienced similar injuries weren't able to regain all of their abilities after recovering. So, if the rehabilitation of Kerry's injury did not go smoothly, it would affect his professional career.

To athletes and professional sports players, injuries are a sort of physical and mental torment. For the Celtics, this was an agonizing loss.

Losing two key players in one night, the Celtics managed to garner the sympathy of many of the fans. However, sports commentators and professional basketball coaches were not surprised by the accidents.

Injuries had always been a part of the NBA and this was the peak time for injuries to happen.

Throughout the season every year, there were always some periods in which more players got injured.

The first period was the beginning of the season. The players enjoyed several months of rest, so their bodies weren't used to the rigor of the season. Suddenly plunging such a body into a high-intensity basketball match, the players' bodies could not adapt immediately. Therefore, injuries were common at the start of a season. As the season progressed, players began to adapt to the intensity and rhythm of the game.

The second period of high injury occurrence was right before the all-star game. By then, the season was three months in. The players had experienced three months of high-intensity matches, so their bodies were worn down by fatigue. There were always some players that withdrew from the all-star game due to injuries.

For NBA players, the all-star game was a rare period of rest during the season. Although they could only rest for a week, the short period allowed the bodies of the players to recover slightly. A lot of players placed their faith and hope on that week's rest to help them pull through the remaining second half of the season.

The third period of high injury frequency was in April. The bodies of players once again became fatigued. A lot of old injuries started to reappear. At the same time, a lot of teams put in an effort to make it into the playoffs or obtain a home-court advantage. The intensity of the games increased, so the number of physical confrontations during the games also increased in number. All of those factors contributed to the increased risk of injury.

This was the current period of the season. Teams were fighting for the playoffs and Kerry and Gordan were not the only injured players. The other teams had their own injured players too. However, to lose two key players in one game was still rare.

The Celtics could not blame anyone since it was their players who were injured. It was their bitter pill to swallow. At the same time, they had to pray for their two key players to recover.

The terrible fate that befell the Celtics served as a reminder to the other teams of the NBA, especially those who would make the playoffs. They came to realize that it was not worth it to battle against the Clippers in overtime. No one wanted to risk what happened to the Celtics happening to their team. It would be fine to give a game to the Clippers.

It would be a bad idea to risk injuring key players for just one regular-season win.

No one wanted to follow in the footsteps of the Celtics. No team wanted to see their key players injured right before the playoffs. So, the playoff teams that ranked higher chose to rest their key players against the Clippers, sending their substitutes out to fight against the Clippers.

As for teams at the bottom of the league, they wanted to tank games. They "searched" and "begged" for defeat regardless of their opponent. They did the same when playing against the Clippers.

As such, when the regular season of the NBA came into its last month, the Clippers were in the middle of a very rare winning streak.

When the regular season ended, the record of the Clippers was 38 wins and 44 losses. They were ranked tenth in the Western Conference.

Before Dai Li became the head coach of the Clippers, their win-loss ratio was 16 to 32. After Dai Li became the Clippers' head coach, they had obtained 22 wins and 12 losses. This was an amazingly high win rate of 64%. With such a high win rate, one would definitely rank within the top three.

From the result alone, Dai Li was already on par with the top coaches in the NBA. Taking into account that the team didn't have any all-star players, Dai Li seemed even more impressive.

It was unbelievable for a newbie basketball coach to not just lead a weak team such as the Clippers but to achieve such a result. Many qualified and experienced coaches failed to achieve a win rate of over 60% even when the teams they lead was a strong one. Dai Li had actually managed to achieve a win rate of 64%. It stunned almost everyone.

Back then, a few of the weak bottom feeder teams appealed to the NBA, stating that they felt Dai Li, would lower the standard of the NBA. Now, those teams were silent. No one brought that up ever again.

Professional sports commentators divided and formed two factions.

One faction thought that Dai Li was truly skilled and that he was a wolf disguised as a sheep. He acted as if he did not know about basketball but, in truth, he was was well-versed in basketball.

The other faction believed that Dai Li was just lucky. All the strong teams rested their main players when playing against the Clippers while the weak teams were all looking to lose. Therefore, it was no surprise the Clippers got a good record.

However, the Clippers still did not make it into the playoffs. The competition in the Western Conference was too fierce. The teams ranked in the top nine all achieved a win rate of over 55%. It was not until the last day of the regular season that the teams making it into the playoffs was confirmed.

A total of 16 teams would play in the playoffs and, for teams like the Clippers who did not make it into the playoff, their season was over.

However, Dai LI still had a job to complete.Dai Li knocked on the door and walked inside Xiao Yunan's office.

"You've succeeded again!" Xiao Yunan looked at Dai Li in admiration and said, "The regular season is over, and the selection of the award winners for the regular season has also begun. There's word saying that you've entered the list for best coach."

"Really? Will they be willing to hand such an award to a newbie like me?" Dai Li asked, surprised.

"You're worthy of winning this award. However, just like you've mentioned, you're still new. I guess letting you on the list is, in itself, a special treatment already." Xiao Yunan paused briefly before continuing, "There's one more thing, our team has decided to sign a strategic cooperation agreement with the men's national basketball team."

"Men's national basketball team? You're talking about the Chinese men's national basketball team?" Dai Li asked.

"Of course it's the Chinese men's national basketball team. Even if I wanted to sign an agreement with the American dream team, they wouldn't agree to it!" Xiao Yunan showed Dai Li the white of her eyes before continuing, "If we can really work with the Chinese men's national basketball team, it could be good news. At the very least, it will be easier for us to organize commercial events back in China. However, we haven't come to an agreement on this. The Chinese national basketball association still has some concerns."

"Then what do you need me to do?" Dai Li asked.

"In May, the Chinese men's national basketball team will come here to train for half a month before heading to Europe for some friendly games. After that, they will participate in the Asian Games. If they are trained well, we will be able to finalize this strategic cooperation agreement with the Chinese men's national basketball team," Xiao Yunan said.

Dai Li nodded and said, "I understand. What you mean to say is that, within the next month, I will be training the Chinese men's national basketball team!"

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know report chapter so we can fix it as soon as possible.

Report chapter

Chapter 581: An Entire Team of Training Partners

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

"Wood's mansion is in front. Back when he first came to L.A., he spent 8.5 million dollars on this mansion. He said that he wanted to play on the Clippers until he retired so he could help the Clippers win the championship. It's a pity that since the inception of the 'Three Giants,' we were cursed. Someone was always injured," Cassel said in a melancholic manner. "However, the value of Wood's mansion has risen. I heard that it's at least 11 million dollars now."

Dai Li nodded and said, "The neighborhood is nice. It looks like 'Mr. Youngest MVP Ever' is enjoying his life. I hope this sort of peaceful life hasn't dulled his fighting spirit."

Cassel seemed like he wanted to say something but he hesitated. In the end, he opened his mouth and asked, "Coach Li, do you really plan to use Wood again?"

"Of course. His pay for next season is 34.5 million dollars. If the club is paying him that much money, we need him to play so we can make it back," Dai Li answered.

"Wood is no longer the same player that was the youngest MVP in history. He has only played 20 games in the last three seasons. He even played some of those games as a substitute. His average points per game went from 25 points to five points. His average assists went from eight to 1.2 per game. More importantly, his shooting percentage dropped significantly. Before this injury, his three-pointer percentage had dropped to a measly 16.7%," Cassel said.

"Wood was never good at three-pointers. At his peak, his three-point percentage did not exceed 35%. For a forward, that was a passable standard. His breakthroughs were really amazing. Not only was he able to score points, but he also hurt his opponent. As a point guard, he has the ability to control the rhythm of the game. That is exactly what we need," Dai Li said.

"But he got injured because his style of play relied on breaking through the defense. His body broke down because he kept attacking the paint and getting into physical altercations. He could not play for long," Cassel said, shaking his head.

"Unless he has the world's greatest fitness coach!" Dai Li stated.

Cassel was slightly stunned. Of course, he knew that Dai Li meant Dai Li himself. Cassel also had to admit Dai Li was the best, but he did not believe that Wood could return to his prime.

The two of them reached Wood's mansion, Wood also welcomed Dai Li warmly.

Since becoming the head coach, Dai Li noticed that Wood constantly came to the Staples Center to cheer for the team despite being injured. Of course, he did it to show his face, so that the sponsors would not trouble him.

"How is your recovery?" Dai Li asked.

"If I want to completely recover, I still need at least one to two months. However, I will definitely make it to pre-season training," Wood answered. He looked a little suspicious.

"Really?" Dai Li smiled. He took a piece of paper out of his pocket and read it aloud. "23 February 2009, right wrist injury; 11 March 2010, left wrist sprain; 26 November 2010, neck injury; 10 January 2012, left big toe sprain; 14 January 2012, another left big toe sprain; sixth of February, back spasms; 14 March 2012, groin sprain; 10 April 2012, right ankle sprain; 28 April 2012, torn knee anterior cruciate ligament; 1 November 2014, ankle sprain on both legs; 15 November 2014, left leg sprain; 22 November 2013, knee meniscus tear; 24 February 2015, another knee meniscus tear; 29 September 2015, left eyelid fracture; third of April 2016, third left knee meniscus tear…"

Dai Li kept going one-by-one. It was a list of all of Wood's recent injuries. From the first sprain to the much more severe meniscus tear.

Wood's face darkened as he listened. Finally, he could not take it anymore and interrupted Dai Li, "Coach Li, what's the point of you reading these?"

"Wood, you've experienced so many serious injuries that you're worried that if you came back you won't be able to play like you used to, right?" Dai Li said as he put away that piece of paper.

Wood remained silent. Dai Li continued. "In truth, I consulted your doctor before I came here. He told me that you have the knee of a fifty-year-old."

"He told you that? Damn it, that's private. How could he leak that information to you!" Wood was infuriated.

"Don't forget that the NBA has rules. Players are prohibited from hiding injuries from their teams. You signed an agreement related to that, so your doctor telling us your situation isn't a breach of your privacy. If he had tried to hide it, the club could have sued him," Dai Li said as he spread out his hands.

Wood sighed as if he had just aged a few years. He said, "Alright, I admit my situation is pretty bad. If I did recover, it would be impossible for me to play like before. What do you plan to do? Do you plan to buy me out or trade me away? My contract this season will make it hard to find any takers. I can tell you in advance that I will want a full buyout of 34.5 million dollars. I will not take a single cent less!"

To Wood, there was no way they would continue to use him. They would not give him a chance. Faced with a 34.5 million dollar buyout, it was likely the team would look for a trade or just buy him out.

"The club has no plans to trade you or buy you out," Dai Li said, smiling. He shook his head and said, "Next season, we need a starting point guard as the core of the team, to control the rhythm of the game."

"What do you mean?" Wood asked.

"I mean the team needs you. I'll let you continue to start and make you the core of the team," Dai Li answered.

"Are you kidding? Me? You know my situation. Do you like messing with me?" Wood became even more furious.

Dai Li was incredibly calm. He looked at Wood and said, "Of course, right now you wouldn't be able to start. You might not even make it into the bench. That's why you need to recover and return to your peak condition."

"Impossible. Even if I wanted to, my body couldn't do it. My knee is history!" Wood said, shaking his head.

"That's why I'm here today," Dai Li said. He pulled out a booklet from his bag and gave it to Wood.

"Coach Li's Physical Fitness Training Center's promotion booklet? Coach Li, this is your physical fitness training center, right?" Wood looked at Dai Li. He originally thought that Dai Li was there to talk about a buyout. He never would have imagined that Dai Li was there to look for business for his training center.

Looking for business for his own training center while being the head coach of the Clippers? Isn't this wrong? He wants to make money off of me when he knows I can't get better. I never would have thought that Coach Li was this sort of person.

"Look inside. This is training for those who have experienced serious major injuries or for athletes with old injuries that failed to heal. It's a promotion booklet printed especially for those types of athletes," Dai Li said.

Wood opened the book. The beginning was a normal introduction saying that Dai Li's training center had the best equipment, professional coaches, and experience with rehabilitation therapy training.

The second part attracted Wood's attention. It listed real cases in which athletes who had trained at Dai Li's center had returned to their peak condition. Among these cases were several very famous world-class athletes who Wood had heard about.

"You don't have to doubt the the accuracy of this book. These athletes all underwent the rehabilitative training at my place. Their success and results can all be found online." Dai Li paused for over a minute. He waited for Wood to read through at least half of them and then continued. "Your situation is terrible, but I have methods to help you recover. You can be just like the other athletes you've just read about."

"Really?" Wood's eyes showed his anxiety and his breathing became more hurried.

Dai Li nodded. "Of course, however, you will need to contribute."

"How much do you want?" Wood asked immediately. He thought Dai Li had come to personally profit, so he asked the price directly.

"What the hell are you thinking? You are my player. Why would I take your money?" Dai Li was dumbfounded. "When I said 'contribute,' I meant you'd have to contribute time and effort! You need to listen to me and work hard in the rehabilitative training!"

"I'm sorry, I misunderstood."

Dai Li then went on. "The regular season just ended, so the teams in the playoffs are still playing games. We have been dismissed because we didn't qualify. The training camp for next season begins in October. However, I need you to start training now, not in October. There are six months from now until the season starts. I'm confident that in the next six months, I can return you to your previous condition. This arrangement will mean that your vacation is over. Over the holiday, the other players are all off. They will go to nightclubs, fish, surf, date beautiful stars, and enjoy time with their sons and daughters. You will have none of that. You can only train and sweat. Every day will be repetitive and boring. Are you willing to accept that?"

"Of course I'm willing! As long as I can recover, I'm willing to do anything." Wood's eyes showed a sense of impatience. He was already raring to go.

Dai Li said, "Apart from that, I also found you an entire team to be your training partner."

"An entire team of training partners?" Wood stared at Dai Li in confusion.

"It's an entire team, from the point guard to the center. Every position will be filled and if we decide to scrimmage I've got players we can play against. Considering your current body condition, I'm afraid you will have difficulty adjusting to the physicality of the NBA, so I found you these training partners. They are weaker than NBA players. I believe that, in your current condition, they will be the perfect partners for you," Dai Li said as he started to smile triumphantly.

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know report chapter so we can fix it as soon as possible.

Report chapter

Chapter 582: Group Training for the Men's Basketball Team

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

The Clippers' training center was certainly one of the newer ones in the NBA. The previous boss of the Clippers had spent $4.9 million to purchase the land in 2005 and spent three years erecting a new training center.

Three sides of the training center faced the sea. It was within a mile of the beach and it was also close to the airport. The Staples Center was more than a dozen miles away. The training center was opposite the highway, so it was considered to have traffic connectivity.

The United States was, after all, a country that relied on cars. Regardless of wealth, everyone had a car. The public transport system of the U.S. has always been criticized. If Americans didn't have access to cars, their lives would change dramatically. Americans lived close to highways, just as the Chinese lived close to subway stations.

It was due to this convenient location that the property and land prices of the region around the Clippers rose quickly. That year, in that region, a 200 square meters residence could be sold for two million dollars. The Clippers' training center had become an asset worth over 100 million dollars. That was one of the reasons why the Clippers could be sold for such a high price.

A bus stopped in front of the Clippers' training center and multiple well-built young men walked off the bus. The shortest of these men was at least 6.2 feet and the tallest might have been over 6.8. Anyone could tell that they were basketball players.

However, these people were all Chinese. They seemed totally out of place with all the English signs surrounding them.

These were members of the Chinese national men's basketball team. They were to train in the Clippers' training center for one and a half months.

Some of the younger players looked around curiously. Even this wasn't their first time in the United States, which it was for some of them, it was the first time they were receiving NBA level training. They were all eager.

Some of the players were much calmer, they seemed familiar with the surroundings.

In truth, some players used to receive their training in the NBA. Some had even played for NBA teams and took part in the NBA summer league. Although they did not have the ability to stay in the NBA, they were not strangers to it.

The first thing the team did upon arriving in L.A. was visit the training center. In truth, the basic facilities in every NBA teams' training center were more or less the same. Every team was equipped with the necessary equipment. Compared to what they had in China, the hardware of NBA teams was clearly a higher level. They were also more professional. For the players who had never been to the NBA, it was overwhelming.

Later, the members of the team returned to their hotel. Everyone had just flown from China. It was good for them to rest, in order to get over the jetlag.

Dai Li discussed the upcoming training with their head coach, Chenggong Sun.

Chenggong Sun used to be a basketball player. He had been the key player for the Chinese men's basketball team and had represented the team on multiple occasions. He represented the Chinese national basketball team in the Olympic Games as well as the World Basketball Championship. After he retired, he became the head coach of a team in the CBA and, later, was called upon to become the head coach of the men's national team.

Dai Li was no stranger to Chenggong Sun. When Dai Li was still in school, he often watched Chenggong Sun play basketball. Even after he graduated and found a job, Chenggong Sun had still been a player.

Chenggong Sun also knew about Dai Li. Back when Dai Li was the head coach of the U.S. track and field team, Chenggong Sun knew that there was a fellow Chinese achieving success in the sports world over in the U.S. When Dai Li became the head coach of the Clippers, he became a peer in the same industry. Chenggong Sun followed news about Dai Li more closely, which included the over 60% win rate Dai Li achieved by the Clippers. Chenggong Sun also knew his stats by heart. Chenggong Sun probably would have been able to dictate Dai Li's entire curriculum vitae.In the meeting room, Dai Li talked to Chenggong Sun in Mandarin. Cassel and the other assistant coaches could not understand anything. They only sat there and looked at each other.

"Coach Sun, may I know if your team has any demands for this group training?" Dai Li asked, smiling.

"We will just follow your lead! You need not be so polite. After all, the NBA has the best training in the world. Moreover, you are one of us. I believe you will definitely create an effective training plan for us," Chenggong Sun said, laughing joyously. He passed the ball back to Dai Li.

Chenggong Sun knew that Dai Li was not originally a professional basketball coach. Yet he had still managed to lead a weak team to a win rate of over 60%, meaning Dai Li was genuinely capable. That was why Chenggong Sun did not try to show off. He was very receptive and would follow any plan. At the same time, he also wanted to test Dai Li's ability.

"Since you put it that way, I'll share my thoughts with you briefly," Dai Li said. He stopped being courteous and cleared his throat. "A month and a half is neither too long nor too short. I hope that our team can benefit greatly in this one and a half month.

"I believe there is no need for tactical training. You and the other coaches should already have very detailed tactical plans and systems for the current team, so there is no need for us to intervene here. Moreover, the tactical coaches of the Clippers are all Americans and they do not understand the Chinese basketball play style. They also don't know the traits and personalities of your players. If our tactical coaches interfered your system, I'm afraid it would be bad for the team."

Chenggong Sun nodded. He had not planned on allowing Dai Li to interfere with his tactical system.

Dai Li continued. "I don't see a need for technical training either. Any such training would be ineffectual over such a short period of time. Some techniques require months, even years of training. Furthermore, a lot of game time is needed for adjustments and improvements. If we use the time we have on techniques and skills, it would be a waste and the effects would be minimal."

"Then, Coach Li, what you mean is…?" Chenggong Sun started to ask.

"I think that the best kind of training, in this case, is physical fitness training. Fitness training has the fastest results. Athletes can make significant progress and improve a lot in a short period of time. I want to use this time to make our national basketball team players stronger, with better endurance and resistance.

"I analyzed our opponents in Asia. At the moment, our main adversaries are Australia, New Zealand, and Iran. Australia has a lot of players in the NBA, and several among them are even considered stars. If they were to return and play for the Australian national team, the Australian team would have the capability to play evenly against the strong teams of Europe and America. Truth be told, if the Australian team manages to gather all their players, they are definitely out of our league.

"The situation in New Zealand is similar to the one in Australia. They have a lot of excellent players. If all of those players join the New Zealand team, they would have the strength to play evenly against the teams in Europe and America as well. However, the top players of Australia and New Zealand seem unwilling to represent and play for their country. Most of the time, we only face their second-tier team.

"Moreover, Australia and New Zealand are not participating in this upcoming Asian Games, so Iran is our main opponent. The skills of the Iranian team are pretty decent in the Asian region. The physical qualities of West Asian players are also ideal. However, in the past few years, as the Iranian team has gradually aged, the team is currently transitioning between the young and old players. They are no longer as strong as they were.

"Another thing is naturalization players. The Korean, Japanese and Philippines team all have naturalization players, right? The Filipino team actually has quite a few, even some who used to play in the NBA. It's no exaggeration to say that some of their better players could single-handedly destroy the average team in Asia!"

As Dai Li spoke, he looked at Chenggong Sun, as if asking for his opinion.

Chenggong Sun shook his head in resignation. "This is indeed the case. The current Philippines team has more naturalized players than local ones. Some have dual citizenship so they are both Filipino and American. This means that they have a basketball background in the United States. Although some of their skills are coarse and they are unable to play in the U.S., they can dominate in Asia. The naturalized players in the Philippines really change the tone of Asian basketball."

"That's why I think that our players need physical fitness training. We need to let the players who only rely on the physical qualities to know our strength," Dai Li said with confidence.

Not all of the naturalized players in the Philippines were amazing. Some of them only played in Asian basketball leagues and some only played in the local leagues in the Philippines. Those who only managed to play in the Filipino basketball league were quite bad.

In truth, these players weren't skilled, so they couldn't really play in the United States. American basketball players, who had skills and technique, could still play in the European basketball leagues to earn money if they couldn't make it into the NBA. Those who had a little talent could play in the CBA for a decent wage. They did not have to be reduced to playing in the Filipino basketball league.

The Filipino team was also not physically the strongest when compared to the muscular Americans. However, when compared to local players in Asia, they were much stronger.

Regarding naturalized players in the Philippines, most played with their body. They only knew how to play solo and their skills and technique were rubbish. Such players could still manage when playing against average Asian players, they had an advantage with their bodies. However, when faced with players who were equally strong physically, their lack of skills would be exposed.

Chenggong Sun lowered his head and thought for over a minute. He finally nodded, agreeing Dai Li's point.

To Chenggong Sun, what Dai Li said seemed reasonable. Since tactics and skills could not be developed in such a short period of time, physical fitness was the only thing left to be trained.

Basketball is, after all, a highly physical sport. Chenggong Sun also considered the fact that Dai Li was originally a physical fitness coach. Physical fitness training was probably the kind of training he excelled at.

"Coach Sun, if you have no objections, I will create a training plan as soon as possible. However, my plan will not be limited to only physical training It will also include the daily lifestyle and food intake of the athletes. I hope that during this period, players will be disciplined and follow my instructions," Dai Li said.

"Naturally," Chenggong Sun said, nodding. However, the word "discipline" seemed very out of place to him in a place like the United States.Dai Li led multiple coaches onto the court. The players from the Chinese team immediately formed a line.

It was only then that the people discovered that among the group that followed Dai Li onto the court was a man who looked very familiar.

"Is that Wood?"

"Wood? Which Wood?"

"How many Woods do you know? He's the youngest MVP ever in the regular season!"

"Wood is a Clippers' player?"

"Wood, it's really Wood! That's right, it's him!"

Wood's appearance caused several seconds of ruckus in the line. They never would have thought that they would have the chance to meet a superstar because the Clippers' season was over.

Dai Li walked in front and coughed to signal that he wanted them to quiet down. He then said, "I'm sure you already know the person beside me. From today onwards, Wood will be training with you!"

"Wood will train with us?"

"Train with an NBA superstar? Awesome!"

"Help me take a picture later. I want to be in a photo training with Wood."

A few of the younger players seemed very eager to start.

Dai Li smiled and said, "Fellas, opportunities to train with a regular season MVP of the NBA are far and few in between. I hope that you will value this opportunity. The amount that you learn from Wood will depend on all of you!"

Not far from the group, Coach Chenggong Sun was shell-shocked. He never would have imagined that Dai Li could bring Wood to train with the men's basketball team.

Looks like Coach Li has put a lot of effort into training the team. It was definitely the correct decision to work with the Clippers this time. From this alone, I can beautify the U.S. outstation training report more and hope that the basketball association can finish up our strategic partnership with the Clippers. Our players will get even more opportunities to train with these NBA superstars, even if we do just serve as their training partners. This is definitely better than training back in the mainland!

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know report chapter so we can fix it as soon as possible.

Report chapter

It was 10:00 A.M. at Dai Li's training center.

"Everyone take a break!" Dai Li clapped his hands, signaling for the players to pause their training.

"We've been training for two hours. Finally, we're getting a break."

"The morning training actually wasn't as intense as I'd imagine it to be. It was similar to our training back in China."

"Perhaps this is because we're just beginning. Coach Li did not want to increase our workload too much. Maybe in a few days, our workload will increase drastically."

Players walked to the side of the court in twos and threes, consciously forming a line in front of Dai Li.

"Alright, everyone's here. Get ready to eat," Dai Li said as he waved his arms. After his wave, some staff appeared and walked towards them with dining carts.

The players were dumbfounded. They were wondering if they had heard him wrong.

"Eat? Did Coach Li just say eat? I didn't mishear him, did I?"

"I also heard it."

"It's only ten in the morning. Isn't it a bit early to be eating?"

"Why are they pushing dining pushcarts over here when the Clippers' training center must have specialized dining halls? Do they actually want us to eat here at the court?"

Everyone seemed lost. The staff with the pushcarts had moved in front of them. Everyone looked over the carts. The first one had milk cartons; the second one had sliced apples placed on small plates; the third one had plates of sticky stuff.

"Everyone will have one carton of skimmed milk, a plate of apples, and a plate of this nutritional meal," Dai Li said as he pointed to the pushcarts.

"So we're getting a snack!"

"We get snacks in the middle of training? The NBA sure is exquisite."

The players moved to claim their food one-by-one. They did not pay much attention to the milk and the apple, but they were very interested in the pasty "nutritional meal."

"What is this plate of paste?"

"This must be a snack that the nutritionist of the NBA specifically prepared, right?"

"I know this stuff; I think it's used to build muscle. Trainers have their thinner players eat this stuff to help them bulk up."

"There must be some protein powder in this, right?"

"There are also other kinds of vitamins and minerals. I'm not sure what the difference is between the standard nutritional meal here in the U.S. and the one back in China. I'll test the taste first."

"It tastes pretty decent. I think it's vanilla flavored."

The players each had their nutritional meals in their hands. They talked as they ate, some of them actually enoying the food.

Wood looked agonizingly at the snack in front of him. He gritted his teeth and, as if he had finally mustered enough courage, grabbed the spoon and put it into his mouth.

It's been years since I last ate this stuff. It still tastes the same. If I have to eat this every day, this will be true torture, Wood thought. He looked at the Chinese players and found that they were actually enjoying the stuff.

"Wait 'til you've eaten this for an entire week. I bet you won't be enjoying it anymore!" Wood mumbled to himself.At dinner, the players gathered in the dining hall and talked amongst themselves as they ate.

"I thought that we would be having steak for every meal in the United States. There are so many vegetables in front of us: cucumber, broccoli, and lettuce."

"This is chicken breast, isn't it? There's also freshly squeezed orange juice. There's not even sugar in it so it tastes a little sour."

"Why are you looking for steak? Didn't we already eat grilled beef in the afternoon?"

"That grilled beef had a layer of cheese on it, so I couldn't get used to eating it. It doesn't compare to the boiled beef back at home!"

"That's enough. This is the United States. When in Rome, do as the Romans do."

"Now that I think about it, this'll be our fifth meal of the day, right?"

"You're right. We also ate at ten in the morning and three in the afternoon. Moreover, we also drank one liter of that glutamic acid drink. Back in China, the meals were not as detailed and specific."

"Isn't that right? Back in China, we could go out at night and order skewered meat or something. There's nothing here. I asked around just now, and we're 12 miles away from the city. There are no buses here. If we don't have a car, we have to stay in this training center. We can't go anywhere."

"The United States, huh. Everything is so good, but it's so boring…"Wood had predicted that if the players would get sick of their nutritional meals after a week of eating them. In reality, the players began getting disgusted after only three days.

Food in the form of a paste did not taste great. If one were to eat it occasionally, one would probably be able to accept it. When one had to eat it every day more than once, it was agony. Furthermore, the team was used to Chinese delicacies. This made it even harder to put it the pasty substance into their mouths.

The intensity of the training had gradually increased and a lot of players felt the pressure. They had finally realized that NBA training was not something simple or easy.In the morning, the players arrived early at the dining hall to eat.

"I can't take it anymore. The training is difficult every day and they want us to eat this garbage!" A player pointed at the pasty snack on the plate and threw a spoon at it.

"That's right! Training is the same everywhere. We didn't have to come to the United States! There was no need for us to look for Dai Li at the Clippers! The training is tiring every day. He even controls what we drink and what we eat!"

"We're eating boiled meat and vegetables every day. They aren't even flavorful. Also, how am I supposed to eat this bullsh*t nutritional meal?"

"There's nothing here apart from this training center, not even a supermarket! We've finally come to the U.S., but we can have to stay here. We're not in prison, so what right does he have to keep us stuck here?"

"Coach Li isn't even a professional basketball coach. He's never played the game a day in his life! Why should we listen to him?"

"Yeah, he's an outsider! What gives him the right to train us? He was only great at track and field coaching. Basketball isn't track and field! What does he know!?"

"No more training. We're not training today. Let's go find Coach Li and talk it out with him! We're not his slaves! We want to go out and have a good meal!"

A few players grumbled. Emotion had sparked as if a bunch of dried firewood had caugh aflame, burning and growing ever stronger in intensity.

The gradually increasing training intensity, as well as the disgusting nutritional meal every day, kindled a rebellious spirit in the players. They started to feel conflicted about Dai Li.

It was actually a normal phenomenon. The players who joined the national basketball team were the best in the CBA. They were the core players on their respective teams. A lot of them enjoyed special privileges. Now that they were at the Clippers', things were not going their way. They were suffering. It was natural for them to be mentally offput by this change in their circumstances.

They would not dare to oppose the coaches of their respective teams or Chenggong Sun so agressively. After all, their coach had the authority to punish them. Of course, players did not dare to cause problems. If they challenged an order from him they could kicked off the team and branded as disobedient. That would kill their chances of ever palying for the national team again.

Dai Li was not their head coach and he did not have the authority to punish them. To these players, Dai Li was only a temporary coach. When they were dissatisfied, they did not dare to complain to Chenggong Sun. However, they were brave enough to vent their dissatisfaction to Dai Li.

A few brave players started planning how to pressure Dai Li. At that moment, three pictures appeared on the TV screen in the dining hall.

"I know those guys. The first is the head coach of the Rockets and the second is the head coach of the Raptors!" Someone said.

"The Rockets are in first place of the entire league. The Raptors are first in the Eastern Conference. It would be normal for these two head coaches to appear together, but why is Coach Li with them? Little Ding, your English is good. Hurry up and translate for us."

Little Ding nodded and said, "The NBA just announced the nominees for the best coach award for the season. Those three are the nominees."

"What? You're saying that Coach Li is a nominee for the best coach of the season in the NBA? Is it possible for him to be the best coach in the league?"

The dining hall suddenly went into an uproar.

Everyone there was a professional player. They knew how impressive the best coach in the NBA must be. Even to make it onto the nominee list was impressive.

The players who were plotting to confront Dai Li looked spiritless and the ones who said that Dai Li was an outsider lowered their heads. They did not dare to look into the eyes of the other players.

At that moment, they could only bottle their feelings up.

Dai Li was nominated as one of the best coaches in the NBA. That meant that the NBA recognized Dai Li's professionalism and standard in basketball. Dai Li was no longer an outsider when it came to basketball. These CBA players would be stupid to confront Dai Li about his coaching now!

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know report chapter so we can fix it as soon as possible.

Report chapter

Chapter 584: A Man Who is Not Content With What He Deserves is Like a Snake that Tries to Swallow an Elephant

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

"Coach Li, congratulations on being the nominated for the best coach of the season!" Chenggong Sun said with the brightest of smiles. "There are only three people nominated. They must recognize your ability as a coach. Congratulations on becoming the best coach in advance!"

"The best coach of the season award will not go to me this season. I may be able to get it next season if I fight for it. After all, the Rockets and Raptors did really well this season. We didn't even make the playoffs. The NBA officials won't give such an award to me," Dai Li said, smiling.

"Fight for it a little. You're already nominated, so you might actually have a chance!" Chenggong Sun suggested.

Dai Li smiled mysteriously. He lowered his voice and said, "In truth, I've already spent quite a lot in PR just to get nominated, so I think this is as much as I can hope for."

"Oh, spending a lot in PR also works in the U.S.! I thought that it only worked back in China." Chenggong Sun nodded.

Dai Li really did spend a lot of money to get this nomination.

The annual NBA awards ceremony was usually held in the latter part of May every year, where nominees for all sorts of awards were announced. Some awards (such as the scoring leader, the rebound king, and the assist king) were supported by data. Whoever had the best stats would win, so there was no suspense at all.

However, some awards (the MVP, the best sixth man, the best defender, the best growth, and the best coach) were more subjective. The final winners in these categories are decided through the voting procedure.

Previously, the head coaches of each team would have one vote for each award. However, this had changed recently. Now, well-known sports journalists and sports pundits voted. In recent years, the NBA had also tried to involve the fans in the voting process.

People often fell into habits when voting. For example, a player was named the best defender last season would likely win it again if he was still a good player. He would at least be put in the best defensive line up. So, for players, it was hardest to win their first award. As long as a player got his first award, then the next awards became far easier.

Dai Li wanted to be nominated for the best coach award. The best method to get a nomination was to do PR with sports journalists who had votes. These journalists were certain to be backed by well-known media firms. Dai Li sent a message to these media firms by buying multiple advertisements for his training center from these firms. The sports media firms knew that Dai Li purchased those advertisement space with conditions and, when there's money to be earned, who would say no. Naturally, they would let their journalists vote for Dai Li if he was willing to buy advertisements.

In truth, he basically purchased his nomination for the best coach award. Other coaches did not have that enough money to throw away media advertisements.

Dai Li's physical fitness training center budgeted a certain amount for advertisement and public relations annually, so Dai Li had to spend that money sooner or later. Since it was money that needed to be spent, why not benefits it a little extra?

Dai Li also really needed this nomination. His identity as "Outsider" had plagued him for over half a season. Since the day he arrived at the NBA, an endless stream of people had coined him as "Outsider." He needed an award like this to support him. Even if he could not really win the award, being nominated for the best coach award would be sufficient in shutting up the people who had dubbed him "Outsider."

It was similar to the way that acting careers worked. If critics don't like an actor they say he isn't believable or can't capture an audience's attention. Other people are affected by these negative comments and believe that this actor is bad. However, when the actor receives an award, the negative criticism vanishes. If he received several heavyweight awards and became a master actor, then everyone who critiqued him would change their tune. All the negative comments would become excuses for absolution.

The coaching industry was similar. After receiving a few awards, people would naturally start praising someone.

In truth, the voting was also very lopsided.

The annual NBA awards ceremony was an appraisal of the award winner's season. A team had to play 82 games in a season. The players who could win an award would have at least played 70. It was impossible for the journalists to focus on too many players. They could not watch all 82 games of every team in the NBA. When they voted, they could only vote for players from the pool of players that they followed, or perhaps choose a few players with good stats from the statistics table.

Based on that, when the candidates for the annual NBA awards were released, there were always debates and arguments. Some fans always felt that the nominated players did not deserve the awards.

Dai Li and Chenggong Sun chatted casually for a while and began discussing the next stage of the training plan. At that moment, someone's phone rang.

Dai Li picked up his phone and his expression suddenly changed.

"Coach Li, you should go if you're busy. I'll be here to keep an eye on things," Chenggong Sun said kindly.

"Alright, I'll be right back," Dai Li said. As he left, he called for Cassel and walked to the meeting room."Coach, what happened?" Cassel asked as he walked in behind Dai Li.

"Ronny's contract renewal talks collapsed. He rejected the contract we offered," Dai Li said.

"He rejected a five-year contract worth 90 million dollars?" Cassel was a little surprised.

"Before the season ended, the team wanted to renew Ronny's contract, so they offered him a five-year contract worth 85 million dollars. He did not accept it. Now that the season is over, the team offered him a 90 million dollar five year deal, with the last year being his option. That averages out to 18 million dollars per year, but he still rejected it. He wants more!" Dai Li said.

Cassel nodded and asked, "Then how much does Ronny want? Does he want a super contract of 20 million per year? That's 100 million over five years!"

"His appetite has no limit. He wants a five-year contract worth 150 million dollars!" Dai Li said as a cold light flashed in his eyes.

"What? A five-year contract worth 150 million dollars? That's about as much as we could pay anyone. Has Ronny gone mad!?" Cassel exclaimed.

"It's a good thing he is a restrained free player and we have the right to a contract renewal. We can match the offer of any other teams. According to the rules, the other teams can only offer him a four-year contract, while we can offer him a five-year contract," Dai Li said coldly.

"But if Ronny keeps insisting on the five-year 150 million dollar deal, what do you plan to do? Do you really plan to lose him?" Cassel asked.

"I don't know," Dai Li said, shaking his head. He then said, "But I don't feel that he is worth the highest wage for five years! Worst case: we give him a qualification offer, use him for another year, and ask him to scram!"Back when the Clippers accepted Wood's rubbish contract, Ronny was one of the conditions. Back then, Ronny only had a rookie contract. He was only a bench player and his game time was limited, but he still contributed an average of 12.7 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 2.7 assists per game.

The Clippers fancied Ronny's potential and planned to make him into the core of the team. They gave him a lot of chances. They let him become a starting forward and developed a lot of plays that centered around him. Ronny's stats continually increased. In the most recent season, he reached an average of 19.2 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 3.3 assists per game.

As a forward, 1953 was a decent result. The previous season was the last year of Ronny's rookie contract, so contract renewal became one of the Clippers' main task over the summer.

Before the season ended, the Clippers had already decided to renew Ronny's contract and they offered him a five-year 85 million dollar deal. Although that contract was not the top wage, it was still considered pretty high among for a newbie's contract. After all, Ronny had never been a higher ranking player and wasn't considered an all-star.

Ronny rejected this offer and informed the media that he was fighting for the top wage.

After Dai Li joined the Clippers, they played quite a number of overtimes, which improved the average statistics of several of the Clippers players. They played several more minutes each game, so, naturally, they got higher stats. Ronny's average points per game went above 19.

The Clippers did not want to lose Ronny; they even offered him a five-year contract worth 90 million dollars. This was five million more than the previous offer, and his average annual salary would be over 18 million dollars. However, Ronny was still unsatisfied; he wanted the top wage!

Based on NBA rules, Ronny had already played four full seasons in the NBA, so he fulfilled the requirements of the Larry Bird exception clause. Although he had been traded once, his rookie contract inherited the Larry Bird exception clause. The team that obtained the player after the trade could still execute the Larry Bird exception clause. As such, Ronny could use the clause to obtain a top wage during contract renewal.

The Larry Bird exception clause states that free players could play for a team for over three years. Teams can re-sign their own free agents, at an amount not affected by the salary cap for a maximum of five years. The starting salary for the first year of the contract would be 25% of the current salary under the restriction of the salary cap. Every consecutive year, the salary would rise by 12.5% annually. However, if the player moved to another team by the end of the season, then his salary only rose by 10.5%, and the contract length was limited to four years.

The 12.5% annual salary increase in the Larry Bird exception could only be used on first-round drafted rookies. Ronny was a first-round drafted rookie. His wage in the first year was close to 25 million dollars, and the 12.5% increase in consecutive years would make his five-year salary 150 million dollars.

If he made 90 million dollars over five years, a loss of 60 million, he would lose 12 million dollars per year. Naturally, Ronny did not want to lose that much.In the meeting room, everyone was discussing Ronny's contract renewal.

"150 million over five years is impossible. Ronny isn't worth this much. Although his stats improved to 1953, he is still not an all-star. He's not worth such a high salary."

"Ronny's stats are based on the fact that there's more time to improve. In truth, his shooting rate hasn't improved that much since he was on the Chicago Bulls. If he weren't the tactical core of the team, he would not have the ball so much. He would never have gotten stats like these."

"I believe that Ronny can become an all-star player. However, it's difficult to believe he can become a game-changing leader of a team. A five-year deal worth 150 million dollars is really too much."

Everyone in the meeting room began stating their opinion.

If one were an all-star or had similar stats to an all-star, then a team could offer him a top wage without having to worry about facing a loss. Of course, this did not guarantee teams would earn profits.

A mega superstar, on the other hand, was guaranteed to make a huge profit for a team even if they offered him a the top wage.

Some players had strategic value. They occupied the slot of the top earner but they helped the team make the playoffs. For the team, these sorts of returns were well worth the investment.

Apart from them were mega super rookies. These players were definitely going to become mega superstars in the future. They could very well bring teams the championship or even create a golden era for the team. Teams were naturally going to offer players like these the top earner clause because it was the equivalent of paying for the future in the present,

Ronny wanted to become the top earner with a five-year deal worth 150 million dollars. Clearly, he felt that he was the kind of player who could develop into a mega superstar.

Unfortunately, he was not such a player.

In the meeting room, the management of the Clippers discussed this for at least half a day before finally reaching a consensus. They decided that they would not satisfy Ronny's demands for the 150 million dollar five-year deal.

"At the moment, it looks like we still have the initiative in Ronny's contract renewal. However, I'm worried that the other teams will start causing problems once the playoffs are over. If other teams offer him huge contracts, then it will be up to us to see if we want to match their offers. In that case, we become the passive party. I would prefer to complete contract talks as soon as possible," Xiao Yunan said and looked at Dai Li.

"A man who is not content with what he deserves is like a snake that tries to swallow an elephant!" Dai Li sighed. He then said, "I will think of some way to put pressure on Ronny. In the training camp, I will intentionally pay more attention to players in the forward position. I will also follow some free agents. Hopefully, Ronny will know that we are already starting to look for his replacement. That way, he may be more anxious to renew his contract with us!"

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know report chapter so we can fix it as soon as possible.

Report chapter

Chapter 585: Rookies

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

The NBA organized a joint training camp for up-and-coming rookies every year in late May. The NBA invited about 60 new players to take part in the camp, putting them through a variety of physical and skill-based tests. Every year, scouts, general managers, and sometimes head coaches personally visited the camp and observed the training of the rookies.

If a team spotted a rookie that they liked, they would invite him to participate their team's rookie training. Rookies with potential got invitations from several teams.

In the past, many rookies who were predicted to get drafted early declined to take part in this joint rookie training or to only undergo the physical examination. They might be worried that the skill-based segment would expose their weaknesses.

However, two years ago, the camp reinstated the five versus five scrimmage program, and many high draft ranking players returned to the camp. Actual gameplay was the most effective way of determining a players' actual strength. Many rookies were willing to go play in five versus five scrimmages to display their strength.

As the NBA playoffs were still underway, the head coaches for many teams could not take time off to check out the training camp. Therefore, there were not many head coaches there. Most teams sent their managers and scouts. Dai Li became the focal point for reporters because he personally attending the camp.

Dai Li had just been nominated for the best coach award and a lot of players hoped to receive positive comments from him. It would increase their rankings in the draft.

"Coach Li, these are the physical test results for all the players taking part in the camp," the Clippers' scout said, handing heaps of information to Dai Li.

The stats from the physical test included the height, weight, wingspan, standing reach, palm width, fat percentage, shuttle runs in the paint, shuttle runs, three quarter court sprint, standing vertical leap, and maximum vertical leap for each player. Every year, players with crazy physical stats would appear and a lot of rookies with outstanding physicality used this chance to improve their draft rankings.

The Clippers' scout briefed and introduced the player stats to Dai Li, but Dai Li only shook his head from time to time.

"Coach Li, you don't seem satisfied with these rookies," the scout said.

"Our first round draft pick comes from the Bulls. The Bulls did pretty well this season, making the playoffs. I estimate that our pick will probably be 20th. I'm afraid with a draft pick like that, it'll be really difficult for us to find a suitable rookie."

Dai Li sighed and said, "For this draft, the first few picks will be players with outstanding talent. If we were among the top five, or even the top ten, we would have a good choice, but after the 20th pick there really isn't anyone to choose."

"Coach Li, you don't have to worry, around seven to eight players did not accept the invitation to participate in the joint training camp this year. If you want, I can send their information to you," the scout said.

"Are there any forwards?" Dai Li asked.

The scout thought for a moment and nodded. "Yes, there are. Please wait a moment, I'll find them for you."

The scout took out his tablet, which made a few clicks before producing a lot of player information.

"Coach Li, take a look at this. This player, Kelz Kumar, is 6.7 feet tall. His main position is forward. He's from the University of Utah, where he's a junior. Last season, he played 29 games for the University of Utah, scoring 16.4 points per game, and averaged 9.3 rebounds and 2.4 assists. He was selected as part of the best lineup in the Pacific-12 Conference," the scout said.

"A junior? That sure is an old rookie. What's the media predict for his draft?" Dai Li asked.

"The media predicts that he will probably get picked by the end of the first round or early in the second round. Among the forwards, he's the only one who did not participate today. The latter part is his scouting report," the scout said.

"Strength: Tall and wide wingspan. Good overall skill with decent athletic ability. Large frame, a little underweight at the moment. Standard rotational small forward, or a scoring power forward. Average defense capability. Weakness: Ability to score outside the paint fairly low, low scoring ability shooting off a dribble, in-game decision making could be better, average vertical leap and explosive strength…"

Dai Li reviewed the report carefully. From its content, the scouts did not appear to think highly of Kelz Kumar.

"He is similar to Osef. If he does become like Osef, that isn't so bad," Dai Li said as he returned the tablet to the scout. He then asked casually, "What has that fellow, Osef, been doing lately? It's been a while since I heard anything about him."

"Osef? Last week he announced that he will be making a comeback next season! But I think he's just talk. His career over!" The scout curled his lips. "An excellent player who destroyed himself with drugs and women!"Ronny had been traded to Los Angeles, so he had not yet purchased any real estate in Los Angeles and rented a condominium.

Although the season for the Clippers was over, Ronny did not leave Los Angeles. It was the center of entertainment in the U.S., so there were many temptations that made it hard for a youngster to leave.

At that moment, Ronny opened a bottle of beer and leaned casually on the sofa.

Beside him, Ronny's agent said, "The rookie training camp is about to start and the Clippers invited several forwards to participate. I heard that they were also scouting the NBA development league for forwards."

"Hmpf, they are just trying to trick me into signing a renewal contract faster." Ronny curled his lips in disdain.

"As long as you understand that. I'm really worried that you can't take the heat and will actively seek them out to lower your salary," his agent said.

"I'm anything but anxious! I don't believe that the Clippers can so easily replace me." Ronny put down his beer mug and asked, "Have any other teams shown interest? Are there any teams willing to offer me a contract?"

"The playoffs aren't over yet. Even if there are teams, they won't express their interest right now," his agent said.

"Good point," Ronny said as he narrowed his eyes. He then said, "Put the word out to say that my contract talks with the Clippers have stalled and that I'm willing to consider any offers!"A couple of rookies who arrived for trials could be seen on the Clippers' training ground. It was the Clippers' rookie training camp.

"American players sure are strong. Look at that guy! How is he a 19-year-old kid? And that one, I think he's only around 20 years old, but he's as strong as a bull!" Chenggong Sun said enviously.

Concerning physical qualities alone, these rookies were indeed better than the players from the Chinese men's national basketball team. As the head coach of the national team, Chenggong Sun wished that his players were at least as strong.

"Our players have become much stronger after half a month of training," Dai Li said.

"You've got a point. Their muscles have certainly become bigger. At least they are definitely much more defined now," Chenggong Sun said with a nod.

Compared to when they had arrived, the Chinese players had indeed grown stronger. While they could not be compared to the muscular American players, they were certainly better off than other Asian players.

Just as Chenggong Sun relished in the improved physical quality of his basketball team, Dai Li's gaze was fixed on another player.

Looks like the scout was wrong. Kelz Kumar's talent definitely puts him within the top five draft picks. The scout clearly did not seriously consider his potential! Looks like the 20th pick will be reserved for him!

The player he was focusing on was Kelz Kumar, the player who did not take part in the joint rookie training camp.

Under Dai Li's suggestion, the Clippers' rookie training camp sent Kumar an invitation. Kumar decided to accept the invitation.

The Clippers were, after all, a team in Los Angeles. Although they could not be compared to the Lakers in multiple aspects, the team was still in Los Angeles. This was a bonus. It was a factor for attracting players, especially the younger ones. They hoped to begin their professional basketball career in a metropolis.

At the same time, the Clippers had a 20th draft pick. This was slightly earlier than Kumar had been predicted to be drafted, so Kumar hoped that he could be chosen earlier than predicted if he impressed them.

Dai Li looked at Kumar, satisfied. The detector had informed Dai Li he had amazing potential. As long as he could realize his potential, he was destined to become an all-star player. At that moment, Dai Li already decided that he was going to pick Kumar.

"Coach!" A voice came from behind Dai Li. He turned his head and saw that it was an administrative staff of the team.

"Is something the matter?" Dai Li asked.

"Please take a look at this news report." The staff member turned on his laptop and put it in front of Dai Li.

"Ronny from LA Clippers willing to listen to offers from other teams."

Dai Li furrowed his brow as soon as he saw the headline.

"Ronny intentionally put out this information as a countermove huh!" Dai Li smirked in disdain. He told his employee, "You can head back. I know what to do."

Earlier, Dai Li might have cared more about Ronny because the Clippers needed good forwards. Apart from Ronny, there really was no one else.

However, things were different now. Dai Li had discovered Kelz Kumar. Kumar's talent was far greater than Ronny, and his potential was also better. It was much more worth it to groom Kumar. Even if Ronny left the team, the Clippers would still be able to use Kumar as a forward. Right then, Dai Li did not care much if Ronny stayed or not.

Dai Li thought for a few seconds and waved his hands. He hollered for the team reporter of the Clippers.

"There's someone here I'm interested in. I'll have a chat with him later, and you can take a few pictures. After that, write a news report and publish it," Dai Li ordered.

The team reporter nodded to signal that he understood.

Later, Dai Li called Kelz Kumar over and began talking to him. The team reporter who took out his camera and quickly began taking pictures.The following day, photos of Dai Li and Kumar speaking appeared online. The words that went along with the pictures stated that Dai Li was coaching Kumar.

Head coaches normally observed from the sidelines during training camps. Sometimes, they wouldn't even make an appearance and only sent their assistants.

Dai Li was on the court, giving advice to a rookie. This meant that Dai Li valued that rookie.

The first thing they guessed was that the Clippers would use their 20th pick to choose Kelz Kumar.

For Kumar, it was good news. Kumar's previous media-projected draft position was at the end of the first round or the start of the second round. If he were selected as the 20th pick, it would mean he moved up several positions.Boston

The draft pick that the Celtics received from the Clippers went from within the top five to the 13th pick. It was a pick at the periphery of the lottery. It put the general manager, Dennis, in a bad mood.

Moreover, two of the core players on the Celtics were out for the rest of the season due to injuries. They lost in the first round of the playoffs. This made it possible for Dennis to focus his effort and energy into the upcoming NBA draft pick.

At that moment, the rookie training camp of the Celtics was also underway.

Dennis sat on a bench beside the court and gazed at the rookies participating. Occasionally, he sought the advice of the scout seated next to him.

Not far away, Arnold, the head coach of the Celtics walked towards him.

"Coach Arnold, what brings you here? I thought that you wouldn't come today!" Dennis said.

"I want you to look at the information of a rookie." Arnold turned to look at the scout and said, "Please give me a detailed report on Kelz Kumar."

"You're talking about Kelz Kumar from the University of Utah? Please hold on a second, I'll bring him right up." The scout quickly found data on Kumar and passed it to Arnold.

Dennis moved his head to take a peek. As he read the report, he said, "This is a forward! We don't really need any additional players, right? He's predicted to go by the end of the first round or the beginning of the second round. Coach Arnold, you specifically came here. Does that mean you are interested in this player?"

Arnold shook his head and said, "I just saw a news report that stated that the head coach of the Clippers, Dai Li, was interested in this rookie. Some sources said that the Clippers were going to use their 20th pick to select this rookie. I was wondering if this Kumar was a hidden gem."

"Hahahaha. Coach Arnold, you think too much. This is just a trick," Dennis laughed suddenly.

"Mr. Dennis, do you have any inside information?" Arnold asked immediately.

"I'm not sure if you noticed some news yesterday. The Clippers' contract renewal talks with Ronny aren't going very smoothly. Ronny already indicated that he was willing to listen to offers from other teams. Ronny is a forward, and this rookie is also a forward. The Clippers released this info is to put pressure on lowering Ronny's salary demands.

"The Clippers are just trying to tell Ronny that they found a replacement for him. At the same time, they are also telling other teams that the Clippers don't necessarily want to keep Ronny. When the other teams consider making him an offer, they will not set the price too high. That way, when the Clippers match their offer, they will be able to save money."

Arnold nodded and said, "So that's how it is. If you did not remind me, I really would have thought that Kumar was unique. It's just a tactic the Clippers are using to lower the contract value!"Los Angeles, Ronny's apartment.

Ronny was infuriated.

"Damn it. They actually did this to pressure me? I'll never compromise! Five years. 150 million. I will not accept a cent less!" Ronny said angrily.

Calmly, his agent said, "Even you can see through such a price reduction method. I'm sure the managers from other teams will also understand. If they are truly interested in you, they will give you a reasonable price. However, I'm still more inclined to renew your contract with the Clippers. After all, the Clippers can give you a five-year deal while the other teams can only offer you a four-year deal."

"I understand!" Ronny grunted coldly. He then said, "Book me a ticket to Hawaii. I want to go on vacation. I'll leave the Clippers on the side for a while. After the playoffs are over, they will beg me to renew the contract!"

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know report chapter so we can fix it as soon as possible.

Report chapter

Chapter 586: Nobody Cares

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

The Chinese basketball players finally finished their month of training. It had been a month of torment.

"Finally, I'm done with those meals. I feel nauseous whenever I think about them."

"I don't know how I got through this month. I got up earlier than chickens do, went to bed later than chickens do, and ate worse than chickens do…"

"Actually, the food was not bad. We had fish, meat, eggs, and vegetables. It was just that American cooks aren't good at cooking. They only boiled the food or baked it. If we had a Chinese cook, the food might've been decent."

In the front of the bus, the head coach of the team, Chenggong Sun, listened to the complaints of the players and sighed.

They complain after such little hardship. A lot of NBA stars eat such diets for more than ten years. Our players lack self-discipline, Sun thought, irritated.

Overall, Changgong Sun was satisfied with the effect of this training period. Although it was only a month, most of the players had gained weight. This increase in weight came from muscle, not fat.

Chinese basketball players were generally thin; many looked like thin bamboo poles. Because of this, muscle growth had always been very important for Chinese basketball players. However, the training that most players received in China was ineffective at increasing muscle. Of course, some players lacked self-discipline. They were not very concerned about their diets. They drank beer and ate BBQ or fried foods every day. There was no way they could gain muscles.

In the United States, the training environment was different. Dai Li's standard for physical training was a lot higher than most Chinese physical trainers. Moreover, the training center of the Clippers was flanked by the sea on one side and a village on the other. It was impossible to get anywhere without a car. If the players lacked self-disciplined, the environment forced them to behave.

"We will be going to Europe for a warm-up game soon. I hope to see the effect of this month's training very soon." Sun looked at his watch and thought of something else.

"Yesterday, Coach Li flew to New York to participate in this year's NBA draft. The Clippers have the 20th pick in the first round. I wonder who they will pick," Sun said to himself.The NBA draft was being held in New York. Almost all of the head coaches and team managers of the 30 teams in the NBA were present.

A Clippers' staff member hurriedly walked to Dai Li's side. He whispered, "Coach, the Kings want our second round pick. They are willing to pay cash, or trade their second-round draft pick next year."

"It seems that the Kings have someone in mind." Dai Li thought about it for a moment and said, "Then we should exchange draft picks with them. We will trade for their second-round draft pick next year."

The second-round draft picks, especially after the 40th pick, had always been seen as irrelevant. Teams in the NBA often used the second round to show goodwill towards other teams.

The Kings were cashing in on this goodwill. They took a second-round draft pick from the Clippers. From the perspective of the Clippers, it was worthwhile to use a second-round draft pick to gain favor with the Kings.

The first, second, and all the other top draft picks were concluded. It was as the media had predicted. In fact, on the day of the draft, the top three picks had already been determined and the teams wouldn't risk choosing anyone else.

Starting with the sixth-round draft pick, teams started to deviate from what the media had predicted they would do. Gradually, players outside the green room were selected. This meant that there would be players in the green room who fell out of the lottery.

In the NBA drafts, there was a so-called "green room." It was not really a green room. It was a privilege given to certain rookies. Players who had been selected to be in the "green room" could be accompanied by relatives and friends to watch the draft. In general, the NBA invited at least 14 rookies into the green room. These rookies were basically in a lottery.

After the top 19 rookies were selected, it was finally the Clippers' turn to choose.

"I heard that the head coach of the Clippers is very interested in Kelz-Kumar from the University of Utah. I think the Clippers will definitely choose him!"

"That's not necessarily true. Kumar was predicted to be picked at either the end of the first round or the beginning of the second. It's a bit wasteful to choose him with the 20th pick."

"I think the Clippers spread the rumor that they were interested in Kumor to lower Ronny's contract renewal price. Both Ronny and Kumar are frontline players after all."

"I heard that Ronny asked the Clippers for $150 million for five years. He is really daring. He sees himself as an all-star."

"Yeah, if I were the Clippers, I would not agree to that price. That price will scare other teams away from offering him a contract. If he asked the Clippers for $150 million for five years, then other teams would have to offer him a four-year salary of 120 million to recruit him. In that case, it would be better to recruit an actual all-star player."

There were a lot of discussions. Kelz-Kumar was there. He had a nervous expression on his face. From time to time, he looked at the Clippers. He was worried that they might not choose him.

Finally, the President of the NBA, Adams, came to the stage and announced their pick.

"The 20th overall pick from the Los Angeles Clippers is Kelz-Kumar!"

When the applause rang out, Kumar stood up excitedly, took the Clippers' hat from the staff, and put it on his head. He jumped onto the stage and shook hands with Adams.

The general managers and coaches of every team started to talk again.

"The Clippers really chose Kumar. Is this a front?"

"It's really a waste to choose Kumar with the 20th pick. After all, there are still a lot of good forwards who are better than Kumar that have not yet been selected."

"The Clippers are bent on lowering Ronny's contract renewal price. I don't know if Ronny will insist on the $150 million for five years after hearing this news. This is going to be entertaining to watch."Hawaii.

Ronny was on vacation in Hawaii. Due to the time difference, the NBA draft began in the afternoon in Hawaii. Ronny was enjoying the sun, the sea breeze, and the delicious fruit.

Bikini-clad girls walked around the beach and made Ronny happy and relaxed. He even started to think about whether to approach a hot girl to buy her a drink.

His mobile phone started to ring. It was a call from his agent.

"The results of the draft came out. The Clippers really chose Kelz-Kumar," the agent said straightaway.

"What? They chose a forward!" Ronny became uncomfortable. He felt betrayed.

The agent continued, "Obviously, the Clippers are not just trying to lower the price. They are really looking for someone to replace you."

"A rookie player would have trouble just lasting in the NBA. He won't be able to replace me!" Ronny said without hesitation.

"Ronny, I think we should lower our conditions accordingly. The Clippers are unlikely to give you $150 million for five years," the agent pleaded.

"You were the one who wanted me to insist on $150 million for five years. Now, you want me to lower it!" Ronny said resentfully.

"I was testing the bottom line of the Clippers. I didn't expect the management to be so determined to replace you." The agent paused before saying, "But you can rest assured, I will continue to fight for your best interests. What do you think about $125 million for five years?"

"$125 million for five years. Although it is less than before, it is still $25 million each year. If the Clippers are willing to accept this, I can renew the contract," Ronny replied."Ronny's agent has contacted us. They have asked for $125 million for five years," Xiao Yunan said.

Dai Li seethed. Now that the Clippers had Kelz-Kumar, a rookie with potential, Ronny had become less important. Dai Li thought that the $90 million off the Clippers gave him had been too much. There was no need to mention how he felt about $125 million for five years.

"Don't refuse, let's say that our management wants to have a discussion. Then we will take Ronny's requests to the press," Dai Li said.

"Why?" Xiao Yunan asked.

"$125 million for five years is an average of $25 million per year. I want other teams to know this. It will tell all those who are interested in Ronny that they need at least $100 million for four years to recruit Ronny. Do you think any of the 29 teams will offer such a figure?"

Dai Li smiled and continued. "I think other teams won't be able to offer such a high price. Ronny's request is too high. Other teams know that they can't meet Ronny's conditions, so they won't be able to offer him a contract. We can keep dragging Ronny's contract renewal for a while.

"As time goes on, each team will sign new players or renew the contracts of old players. The money they have to spend on salaries will lessen. Once other teams don't have enough money to sign Ronny, we will be Ronny's only choice. It will then be easier to drive down the price. The longer we drag this on, the better it will be for us."

After listening to Dai Li, Xiao Yunan stared at him with a strange look on her face.

"I think you have become a worse person. I can't believe you are able to think of something like this! You didn't have the guts to do something like this when we first met!" Xiao Yunan said with a smile.

"This is not me becoming worse, this is me becoming more mature!" Dai Li shrugged his shoulders to indicate a sense of helplessness. However, he smiled smugly. "If the husband of the lady boss of Dingtian Group was dumb and stupid, he might eventually get kicked out!"In the conference room of the Detroit Pistons, several key personnel from the management and coaching staff were discussing the Piston's approach to the next season.

"This season, we have to strengthen the team's frontline. I want to sign someone who to help us in this regard," the head coach said.

"Do you have any suggestions for a suitable candidate?" The general manager of the Pistons asked.

"The Clippers' Ronny is a good candidate. He became a key player for the Clippers last season and his stats improved dramatically. He is currently a restricted free agent. I think we can give him an offer and see if the Clippers match it," the head coach replied.

"What do you think we should offer him?" The general manager asked.

"$80 million for four years. That should be enough. If that is not enough, we can offer $5 million as a performance bonus. His average annual salary will be more than $20 million. That should be enough to impress Ronny. The Clippers just selected a rookie from the draft. They may want to train this rookie. I think it is very likely that they will give up on Ronny and not match our offer," the head coach said.

"Hahaha! You think that $80 million for four years will impress Ronny?" The Piston general manager smiled slyly.

"$80 million for four years isn't enough? Does Ronny want a top salary?" The head coach asked.

"Of course he does! You probably didn't pay attention to yesterday's news. Ronny asked the Clippers for $125 million for five years," said the general manager.

"Oh my God. He is asking for such a high price. Is Ronny crazy? How did the Clippers reply? They certainly didn't agree," the Pistons' coach said.

"The Clippers said they would consider." The general manager of the Pistons spread his hands and said, "$125 million for five years. That is $25 million every year. If we want to recruit Ronnie, we need to offer him a minimum of $100 million for four years. He will definitely reject $80 million for four years. Even if Ronny accepted the offer of $80 million for four years, the Clippers will match it. After all, if they are considering giving him $125 million for five years, why would they hesitate to match $80 million for four years?"

Upon hearing this news, the Pistons' head coach frowned.

The general manager said, "I suggest the coaching staff give up on Ronny. Let's talk about another target that is more practical than Ronny!"Ronny had a 1953 season when he was with the Clippers. This was impressive for a small forward. He was a restricted free agent this year. There would naturally be teams that were interested in him.

However, teams were very cautious when giving offers to restricted free agents. When they learned that Ronny had requested $125 million for five years to the Clippers, many of them backed away.

This meant that other teams needed at least $100 million for four years to get Ronny to accept. At the same time, they could not rule out the possibility that the Clippers might match the offer. According to the NBA rules, once the Clippers chose to match the offer, the Clippers would have Ronny's signing rights. The team that gave the offer would be left with nothing.

Teams that were deliberately tanking had to make sure that their record was as bad as possible. They would then get a top rookie in the draft. It wasn't worthwhile for them to sign Ronny to improve their record. They definitely wouldn't offer Ronny a four-year contract.

Although teams that wanted to buff up their strength might want Ronny, they thought that Ronny was asking for too much. It was better to recruit a veteran star player.

A team that had a chance to the championship wouldn't be interested in Ronny. They needed cost-effective players to play supporting roles to the team's superstars. Players like Ronny, who weren't all-stars but were stronger than average players, were not cost effective. He wasn't good enough to be a key player on those teams. Teams with a chance of winning would not consider someone like Ronny.

Now, Ronny had become a player on the free market that nobody cared about.

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know report chapter so we can fix it as soon as possible.

Report chapter

Chapter 587: Untamed Horse

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

Dai Li was no longer paying attention to Ronny's situation. The summer was long and Dai Li had plenty of time to deal with the Ronny situation.

The Clippers' next focus was the NBA Summer League. Throughout the Summer League, new players could be examined. First and second-year rookies, as well as free agents who had not been selected, could be watched closely.

This was usually handled by assistant coaches. The head team coaches mainly watched from the sidelines. They usually didn't give any personal guidance to the players. If a head coach was in a good mood, he might go to the summer league to provide some analysis for the players.

Dai Li handed the responsibility of the summer league to Cassel. He only went occasionally to observe.

Among the Clippers' players participating in the summer league, Kelz-Kumar was the only one that could surprise Dai Li.

In fact, this was not unexpected. The NBA had the best talent scouts in the world. Even if one or two scouts missed a rookie, he would not be overlooked by 30 scouts at the same time. A rookie who was unsuccessful definitely lacked talent.

Dai Li showed up on the training ground one day. Although he was just simply observing the training, it excited the players. They all tried their best to showcase themselves, hoping to gain Dai Li's favor and stay on the Clippers.

Dai Li looked at these hard-working young men, feeling helpless.

"These young men are really working hard but, unfortunately, effort alone isn't enough to make it in the NBA. There are too many talented players here," Dai Li said to himself.

His mobile phone rang and broke Dai Li's train of thought. He took it out. Blake's name was on the screen's display.

"Randy, is there anything going on at the training center?" Dai Li asked immediately after picking up the phone.

"I just got a customer. He wants to come to us for rehabilitation training, but there are some small issues with this person," Blake said.

"Who is it? A celebrity?" Dai Li asked.

"He's a well-known athlete, but he is riddled with bad press," Blake continued. "You are now a coach in the NBA. You must have heard the name Osef?"

"Him!" Dai Li said. He could not help but look towards Kelz-Kumar.

In the rookie's draft report, it said that he most resembled Osef!Osef was born into a single-parent family. When he was a child, his mother died. He grew up with his grandmother and aunt. Before the second year of high school, Osef was short and very thin. He had no advantage when he got into fights. When he played as a point guard, he often relied on his brains.

In the second year of high school, he suddenly grew 8 inches. He soon grew to 6.7 feet. His body became strong. Suddenly, he had the potential to become a superstar. He was a point guard with good technique. As a result, he was already a player who was difficult to defend against in high school games.

Osef later entered the NBA as a fourth-round pick. This was very impressive. The team that selected him had high hopes for him. Osef did not let the team down. He showed great potential in his rookie season. It wasn't hard for him to get a triple-double.

Osef reached his peak with the Los Angeles Lakers. He won two championships with them. He also won best sixth player once. He averaged 1495 per game. As a substitute, he could get ten triple-doubles in a season. At the time, Osef was hailed as a point forward.

Osef was a rare player in the NBA in that he could play all five positions. As a substitute, his adaptability made him better than an all-star player. At the time, many opponents treated Osef as an all-star.

It was a pity that such a player was eventually ruined by drugs and women.

In fact, Osef constantly had trouble off the court. He smoked marijuana, was charged with drunk driving, and got involved in a shooting. What really ruined his career was the drugs. After becoming addicted, Osef's condition declined. He was eventually kicked out of the NBA. Later, he went to a drug rehabilitation center, but it didn't help.

It was also around that time that Osef's wife cheated on him with another man. This made Osef indulge himself in women and become more dependent on drugs. He even overdosed from taking too much of an aphrodisiac. He had to be kept alive using a ventilator and kidney dialysis.

After a while, there wasn't any news about Osef. He only recently announced he wanted to make a comeback after the last regular season ended. There wasn't any other news after his announcement. Dai Li didn't expect Osef to go to his training center on his own.Dai Li rushed back to the training center and met Osef.

Before Dai Li arrived, the training center had already given Osef a medical examination. What surprised Dai Li was that, based on the results of the physical examination, Osef was still stronger than most people, even after having used drugs for such a long period of time. His strength shocked even Dai Li, someone who was experienced in this field.

Putting down Osef's medical report, Dai Li asked, "Mr. Osef, are you really going to return to the NBA next season?"

"Of course. I have made up my mind. I want to go back to the NBA. That is why I came to you. You have the best physical training center in the United States, especially in rehabilitation," said Osef.

"Mr. Osef, please forgive me. If you really want to return to the NBA, my training can only help a bit. The more important thing is self-discipline," Dai Li said.

"I know. I have already planned to stop drinking," Osef replied immediately.

"Not just alcohol." Dai Li shook his fingers and lowered his voice. "You have to stop taking drugs as well. Otherwise, you can't qualify as a professional athlete."

"I used to take drugs, but that was a long time ago. I have quit," Osef replied.

"Is that so?" Dai Li smiled and stared at Osef. From what Dai Li saw, Osef looked uncomfortable.

Dai Li knew that Osef was lying; he had not stopped taking drugs. Dai Li had learned through the detector that Osef's body contained traces of drugs. This meant that he was still taking something.

Dai Li did not reveal that he knew. Since Osef wanted to conceal it, he had no reason to reveal it."Do you think Osef really wants to make a comeback?" Blake asked.

Dai Li shook his head. "He is still taking drugs. Do you think any serious professional athlete would become a drug addict? If he really wants to make a comeback, he has to get sober first."

"As I thought. I knew that this guy couldn't make it." Blake shook his head disdainfully and then said, "He has said that he wanted to make a comeback in the past. He released a few photos of his training but, after a few days, he was sent to the hospital because he took too much of an aphrodisiac. You heard about this, right?"

Dai Li nodded. At the time, there was a lot of buzz about Osef. Some of the press even said that Osef was braindead. Of course, Dai Li had heard.

"Osef was not really sincere about wanting a comeback. Maybe he just came because he was feeling emotional. What should we do about his training?" Blake asked.

"Just do what we need to do. He paid the money and he is our customer. Even though he is not sincere, we need to provide good service." Dai Li sighed and thought for a few seconds. "There is nothing for me to do with the Clippers recently. I can handle Osef's training myself.""Whamp! Whomp! Whump!"

The smashing sounds came from the training room.

Dai Li rushed over and saw several coaches standing at the door. None dared to go in.

"What's wrong?" Dai Li asked quickly.

"It's Osef. He is breaking things," one coach replied.

"Why?" Dai Li asked.d

"Because of this." Someone handed Dai Li a sports magazine. "This is the magazine we order. I usually show it to customers when they take a break. This was just sent in the morning. There is an article about Osef and his wife. When Osef took a break, he took the magazine on the shelf next to him. He then started breaking things in anger. Damn. I really shouldn't have let Osef see the magazine."

Dai Li looked at the magazine. The picture was a woman with a bust and hips that she could be proud of. This woman was holding a strong black man.

"This person is Osef's wife. I heard that she had trouble with Osef and that they are going through divorce procedures," the coach explained.

"I know this woman," Dai Li nodded.

According to the rumors, she had cheated on Osef a few times when he was still playing in the NBA. Later, when Osef entered the hospital, his wife went to the hospital with her new boyfriend to visit Osef. Thankfully, Osef was unconscious at the time. Otherwise, he would have seen his wife with another man. It would have definitely made him angry.

"I should've known not to take on this client!" Blake rushed over. He went to Dai Li and asked, "What is Osef mad about? Did he take drugs again?"

"It is this." Dai Li handed the magazine to Blake.

"Hey, isn't this Osef's wife? Their divorce procedures aren't finalized yet, are they? Let me see what is written here. Wow, she said that her boyfriend is much better than Osef in bed! No wonder. I would also go crazy over this." Blake shook his head.

"Yeah, this wife of Osef is not your typical woman." Dai Li smiled and said, "She is a wild untamed horse."

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know report chapter so we can fix it as soon as possible.

Report chapter

Chapter 588: Detoxification

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

The sounds of Osef smashing things gradually died down. It wasn't clear if Osef had gotten tired or he had finished smashing everything.

"Do we want to call the police?" Blake, who was standing beside Dai Li, asked.

"No. If we call the police, this will spread. The media will certainly write some nonsense about it. It will be another thing that affects Osef." Dai Li shook his head and asked, "You have a bottle of whiskey in your office, right?"

"What do you want it for?" Blake asked cautiously.

"Lend it to me. Bring me two cups while you're at it," Dai Li said.

"You want to give him alcohol?" Blake shook his head. "He already smashed up a bunch of things sober. If he gets drunk, he'll tear the entire center apart."

"Then get another bottle to get him even drunker," Dai Li said. "A man was cheated on by his wife. People are spreading rumors of his sexual prowess. It is times like this that a man needs to get drunk!"Dai Li walked into the training room with a bottle of whiskey and two wine glasses.

This training room was a mess. The equipment was all tipped over and many of the things had been smashed. Osef was sitting on a bench, panting angrily.

Osef had calmed down a lot. He looked at Dai Li and then at all the broken things around him. He clearly felt guilty. He said, "Sorry, I'll pay for the damages."

Dai Li pretended not to care about the things that were broken. He handed the glass to Osef and said, "Have a drink."

Osef did not refuse; he took the glass. He wanted to get really drunk.

Dai Li poured a glass for him and then started pouring one for himself. Before he had finished pouring his own glass, Osef had already finished his.

Dai Li filled Osef's cup again. Osef downed the entire cup again. Dai Li poured the whiskey again, and he downed it again.

After drinking three consecutive cups of whiskey, Osef, who was 6.7 feet tall, couldn't drink anymore. He started to get tipsy. His vision began to blur.

When Dai Li thought the timing was right, he poured Osef another glass of whiskey and said, "I know that you are being wronged. If you talk about it, you might feel better. Although I can't help, I can be a good listener."

Perhaps it was the alcohol, but Osef actually started to cry. "I love her, I really love her…"

Dai Li knew that the "her" was his wife who had cheated on him. Dai Li tried to change the topic. "Don't think about these sad things. Let's talk about how you became a basketball player."

Alcohol made Osef frank. He began to tell Dai Li his personal history.

"I was born in New York. My father was a jerk. He abandoned my mother and me not long after I was born. My mother died of cancer, so I had to live with my grandmother and my aunt. I started playing basketball around then. In the neighborhoods of New York, many teenagers like me hung around the street basketball courts every day. We all hoped to become a professional basketball player one day. If we made it to the NBA, we could escape poverty.

"In high school, I was already very famous. Many universities wanted to recruit me, but my academic performance was very poor. I failed my exams my senior year and had to go to a special class. I wasn't able to play. With my grades, I couldn't get admitted to a university. I could only go to school with a remedial course. I couldn't play or participate in the NCAA.

"At the time, there were European teams who wanted to recruit me and give me an annual salary of $500,000. In the end, I decided to participate in the draft. It was an adventure for me. Fortunately, I was selected. I made it to the NBA."

Dai Li nodded, "I know what happened next. You became more famous. Later, you went to the Lakers, helped them get two championships, won the title of best sixth men, and almost joined the All-Star team. You were the hottest frontline player at the time. You had a good future. Why did you start taking drugs?"

"That year, my cousin passed away. I was raised by my aunt. My cousin was my closest relative. I was very sad. It hurt a lot.

"On my way to my cousin's funeral, the car I was in hit someone. Although I was not driving at the time, I watched a person die right in front of me, and that person looked like my cousin. It felt like my cousin had died in front of my eyes, killed by my car.

"After attending my cousin's funeral, I went back to Los Angeles. I was very depressed. I got drunk, then went to bed. I accidentally rolled off the bed. I woke up and saw a pair of underwear under the bed. It was a man's underwear, but it was not mine."

Dai Li nodded. Osef found another man's underwear under his bed. Even a brainless person would know that his wife had cheated on him.

"It was painful for me. I ran out. I still remember that night. There was a light rain. I was walking alone on the road. From time to time, some young punk would look at me. I guess if I weren't very tall, they would've messed with me.

"I eventually ended up outside the door of a bar. I went in and asked for wine. I drank one glass after another. I don't remember how much I drank. I was drunk and someone gave me a bag. He told me that I would forget my troubles after using what was inside…"

"Drugs?" Dai Li asked.

"Yes. Even though I was drunk, I still realized it was a bag of drugs. I knew that I shouldn't touch it, but I didn't refuse it. I was hurting. I wanted to forget everything. I want to now. I thought that if I only used occasionally, it shouldn't be a problem. I would just stop using in the future."

He wrapped his head with his hands. "I underestimated those pills. After using once, I wanted to use a second and third time. I wanted to quit many times, but I couldn't help myself. I couldn't stand the temptation. That's how I ended up where I am today. I don't blame others, I can only blame myself for my self-degradation…"

Dai Li was sympathetic. Osef's self-degradation was wrong, but Dai Li felt that Osef only took one wrong step. He was a lost lamb. He wanted to go back to the herd, but he couldn't find the way. He could only wait for a shepherd to rescue him.

"Actually, when I saw you, I knew that you hadn't stopped taking drugs," Dai Li said as he reached out and took the glass from Osef's hand. "I have not been exposed to drugs, but I know that once you get addicted, it is very difficult to quit. Taking medicine can help you to get rid of drugs, but the most important thing is willpower."

"I know, but I really can't do it…" Osef shook his head.

Dai Li then said, "Maybe you should try to distract yourself. Although I don't know what it feels like to crave drugs, I do know what it's like to exercise to the point of exhaustion. Your limbs will go numb and your mind will be blank. All you want to do is rest. Perhaps it can help you forget about drugs and forget the unhappy things…"Dai Li returned the glass to Blake.

"It seems that you have successfully persuaded him," Blake said.

"It's only temporary. I don't think he can quit drugs on his own. Osef is different from other addicts. Most addicts don't have the money to buy drugs and are forced to detoxify. With Osef's wealth, he could take drugs his entire life and still have money left over," Dai Li replied.

"What are you going to do? You are not a drug rehabilitation specialist. You can't control him," Blake asked.

"That's why I plan to tackle the source. The best way is to prevent him from buying any drugs," Dai Li explained. "That's why I need Payton's help."Chris Payton came to Dai Li's office.

"Chris, I want to know if drug dealers have their own territory. They can't cross into another dealer's territory to sell drugs, right?" Dai Li asked.

"Of course. If a drug dealer dares to cross over to another dealer's territory, it is a declaration of war." Payton nodded and then asked, "Why?"

"Is it possible to stop a person from buying drugs in Los Angeles? I mean, even if he wanted to buy, no drug dealers would sell to him," Dai Li asked.

Payton thought for a moment and replied, "That would be really difficult. Los Angeles is big, so there are a lot of big and small gangs. Every gang has its own territory. There are countless drugs. No one can control all the drugs dealers. Unless…"

"Unless what?" Dai Li asked immediately.

"Unless I go to the Mexicans for help." Payton lowered his voice and went on to say, "Some have almost monopolized the drug trade on the West Coast of the United States. If they are willing to help, the dealers may comply to show some goodwill."

"Well, I need you to do me a favor. I want to make it so Osef can't buy any drugs," Dai Li said. He wrote a number on the checkbook, tore off the check, and handed it to Payton. "I know that it is necessary to spend money to get people to help. They answer to no one but money. This is for you. If you can handle it with money, it would be better not to depend on favors."

"No problem. Let me handle it. Although I don't know what my brother is doing, I am sure he has contacts with Mexican drug dealers," Payton promised.In the middle of the night, Osef sat alone on the bench of the villa. He was feeling sleepy.

Gradually, he felt something strange. Osef felt uneasy. He knew that this was a sign of his drug craving.

No, I have to hold it. I must detoxify my body! Osef licked his fist and then gritted his teeth. He wanted to fight through it.

One minute, two minutes, three minutes…

Ten minutes, fifteen minutes, twenty minutes…

The pain became stronger and stronger. Osef tried to restrain himself, but the feeling grew more and more intolerable.

Finally, he couldn't hold it anymore.

Osef picked up the phone. He hesitated for about two minutes but dialed his phone in the end.

"Hey, I am Osef, please send me some goods. Now. I need it right now!" Osef said on the phone.

The other party immediately replied, "I am afraid I can't do that. I am out of stock now."

When the other party finished speaking, he hung up the phone.

Osef cursed him in his head and immediately dialed another phone number.

"It's me, Osef, I need some goods now. Send me some, the sooner the better," Osef said.

"I am very sorry, Mr. Osef, my goods here just sold out…"

"Nothing again!" Osef was a little angry and hung up the phone. He then dialed the third number.

This time, Osef asked directly, "Do you have any goods there?"

"Of course, what do you want?"

"Give me the best stuff," said Osef.

"No problem, but delivery will cost you extra," the other party said.

"I know. I will not give you a penny less," Osef replied.

"Well, where are you? I will ask one my people to send it to you immediately," the other party promised.

"I am Osef. You know my address, right? said Osef.

"Osef?" When the other party heard the name, he hesitated. He then said, "Sorry, I am understaffed today, and I cannot deliver to you."

After the other party finished speaking, he hung the phone up straight away.

Osef could feel something was wrong. He knew these dealers were deliberately avoiding him. They didn't want to sell to him.

The craving was getting stronger and stronger. Osef couldn't tolerate it. He was lying on the ground, struggling. He had never let himself suffer so much, but he couldn't buy any drugs this time. He had to fight through it.

Osef finally remembered what Dai Li said. He forced himself up and walked into the villa's gym. He set the speed of the treadmill to its fastest setting and ran like crazy.

After ten minutes of running, Osef was panting but he did not stop. Instead, he did push-ups on the ground. Osef was currently exercising like crazy. He wanted to consume all the strength in his body.

It was unclear how long he ran. Finally, Osef was lying down on the ground. He felt the pain brought by the craving lighten.

In fact, the energy consumption caused his limbs to go numb. He felt less sensitive. It was too difficult to struggle.

The exhaustion became stronger and stronger and the pain caused by the cravings disappeared. Osef felt his mind begin to stagnate. He closed his eyes and gradually fell asleep…

This time, Osef was able to resist taking drugs when his cravings started to act up.

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know report chapter so we can fix it as soon as possible.

Report chapter

Chapter 589: Fighting For His Dignity

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

After Osef had one successful experience in overcoming his drug cravings, a second and a third soon followed.

A basketball player who could become a famous player in the NBA naturally had strong willpower. Without it, he wouldn't have able to gain a foothold in the NBA. The more he resisted his cravings, the easier it became to do so.

More importantly, Osef could not buy drugs in Los Angeles. The Mexican drug dealers took Dai Li's money and said that they would not sell to Osef. The drug dealers in Los Angeles couldn't risk offending suppliers just so they could sell to one buyer. In addition, Osef was a celebrity. He almost died as a result of an overdose. If Osef really died, the dealer who sold him the drugs would get into trouble.

Osef was forced to detoxify because he couldn't buy drugs. After going through several days of painful withdrawal and all-day training, his physical condition improved.

In the training room, Dai Li walked over to Osef. He saw he was drenched in sweat and said, "You look very good. If you stick to it, you will be able to play on the courts again in a few months."

"I hope so." Osef stopped working out and said, "In fact, I already planned to go overseas. I asked my agent to contact European teams. I don't know if the European league is willing to take me in. If Europe doesn't want me, then I can only go to Asia. Coach Li, if I go to China to play, I will need your recommendation."

"Go to China? Why don't you return to the NBA? That's the place you belong," Dai Li said.

Osef sighed helplessly. "I have a bad record there. I don't think any NBA team would take in someone as useless as me."

"That may not be the case." Dai Li smiled and said, "If you can really get back to your previous condition you'll be fine. No, that's not true. As long as you can get back 70% of your previous condition, you can stay in Los Angeles."

"Do you mean to get me back on the Lakers?" asked Osef subconsciously. He shook his head. "Impossible, the Lakers won't want me anymore."

"The Lakers aren't the only team in Los Angeles. Don't forget the Clippers; their head coach is standing right in front of you," Dai Li replied with a smile.

Osef was stupefied. He suddenly remembered Dai Li's other job. Osef asked, "Coach Li, are you making a joke?"

"No." Dai Li became solemn. "We really need to strengthen our frontline. I can give you this opportunity, but only if you work hard. You have to start over, like a rookie. Perform well to get a contract for yourself. The contract that you get is likely to be an unguaranteed one!"The NBA offseason began and rumors of various trades were flying around. The players were looking for better teams and teams began to strengthen their manpower.

Every reporter began to try to get the latest scope, hoping to get first-hand information on player signings.

Some reporters noticed that Osef was training at Dai Li's center.

In truth, most reporters normally don't pay attention to ex-stars like Osef; however, his socialite wife was high profile. Every so often, she would make the news. Osef was dragged into the news by association. This news wasn't positive. Most of the time they made fun of him going bald.Dai Li attended the Clippers' media meeting in person.

After the reporters asked a few questions about the summer league, a reporter finally asked about Osef.

"Coach Li, I heard that Osef is training at your center. Is he really planning to make a comeback?" A reporter asked.

"Please don't ask questions not related to the team." The M.C. immediately stopped the reporter's question.

Dai Li made a gesture signaling that it was okay, picked up the microphone and replied. "Osef announced his comeback at the end of the last regular season. There were media reports at the time. This shouldn't be considered news, right?"

"Is Osef planning to join the Clippers?" The reporter then asked.

"Why would you think that? Did Osef tell you?" Dai Li asked with a smile. He guessed that Osef had leaked the news.

"I am very sorry Coach Li. This was just my own guess. After all, Osef is training in your center; you are the head coach of the Clippers," the reporter replied.

"The center is my personal business and does not involve my work in the Clippers. It does not affect my ability to carry out my duties as head coach. I have always separated my private and public businesses." After he said this, he deliberately made a thoughtful expression. After thinking for a few seconds, he replied, "But what you said reminded me that the Clippers' frontline really needs to be strengthened. If Osef recovers, I will advise our management to give him a contract."The next day, various headlines appeared on all forms of media.

"The best sixth man will return with the Clippers!"

"The Clippers are interested in signing with Osef!"

"Osef returns: a one-year veteran signing with the Clippers!"

Although Dai Li had only said it was a possibility, it became confirmed when it reached the news media. People were predicting what kind of contract he was going to get."Coach, this is a perfect move. Deliberately saying that you want to give a contract to Osef. Ronny must be anxious now." Cassel pointed to the headline of a sports magazine.

"You're not thinking that I planted journalists there to ask that question, right?" Dai Li asked.

"Isn't that the case?" Cassel was surprised.

"Of course not!" Dai Li shook his head.

Cassel's eyes widened. "Aren't you using the situation with Osef to put pressure on Ronny so we can be in a better position as we negotiate Ronny's contract renewal?"

Dai Li shook his head again. "You think too much. If Osef really can get back to his previous condition, do we really need Ronny? On the surface, Ronny's scoring average is higher than Osef. However, Ronny is a key player and Osef is the sixth man. Really, in terms of offensive techniques and offensive efficiency, Osef is better than Ronny. Osef has organizational skills. Among the NBA's teams, there aren't a lot of substitutes who can get triple-doubles…"

"Wait," Cassel interrupted Dai Li. "Coach, you aren't thinking of actually offering Osef a contract? That guy only cares about drugs and women. He's useless!"

Dai Li shook his head in disapproval and said confidently, "Don't forget, he is training in my training center. The athletes I train all come out jumping higher, running faster, and being stronger!"Ever since he demanded $125 million for five years for his contract, Ronny had been ignored.

He initially thought that when the Clippers said that they would consider it, it meant that the management was leaning towards agreeing. They would eventually accept the $125 million for five years that he proposed. He did not expect that he wouldn't hear from them again.

Ronny finally got impatient. He asked his agent to ask the Clippers on the progress of their "consideration." The reply from the management was that they were still in consideration.

Gradually, Ronny felt that the Clippers were deliberately stalling, so he began to release that he was willing to consider other teams' offers. No teams had approached him so far. After all, the teams knew that Ronny's asking price was not low and the Clippers were likely to match the offer of the other teams.

Over time, many of the free agents got new contracts. Many of them received high-salary contracts. Each high-salary contract that the teams signed ate up more of the money the teams had for new players. Several teams had already crossed the luxury tax threshold. They could not afford to sign new contracts. The number of teams that could offer a high-salary contract to Ronny became lower and lower.

The Clippers were still in consideration and Ronny's patience was being worn out.

Ronny finally saw the news about Osef.

"What? Osef made a comeback! He is also joining the Clippers!" Ronny looked at the news in total confusion.

As a frontline player who could play in any position, players like Osef were definitely in demand by all teams. If the Clippers really signed him, they would be able to reduce Ronny's playing time. If Osef returned to his previous condition, the Clippers might not even need Ronny anymore.

Ronny called his agent immediately.

"Don't worry. This is just a way for the Clippers to reduce the price. Osef is useless. He almost died from a drug overdose last year. How could he return to the court now? Don't forget that he is still taking drugs. Of all the drug addicts I know, none of them were able to quit. You don't need to worry at all. Don't fall for the Clippers' tricks." The agent tried to comfort him.

"But there are fewer and fewer teams that can give me high salary contracts now, I am worried…"

"Don't worry," the agent interrupted Ronny. "I will talk to the Clippers. Don't forget, they have given you a contract of $100 million for five years. I think this is definitely not their bottom line. We can definitely make the Clippers increase their pay!"At the physical fitness training center, Osef was training like crazy.

"Osef has been training very hard recently. I have some concerns about whether his body can withstand such high-intensity training," Payton reported to Dai Li.

Dai Li nodded in satisfaction. "It seems that he is really the prodigal son."

"I talked to him in between his training session. He really wants to return to the NBA. He said that you promised the Clippers would give him a chance to return, so he does not want to disappoint you." Payton changed his tone and went on to say, "I grew up in a family of gangsters. I have seen a lot of addicts. I have seen many people who died because of drugs. The number of people who have successfully quit is very low. Coach Li, you are perhaps the only person in this world who has the ability to change a person."

"Don't flatter me. I just gave him hope. In the end, it depends on him." Dai Li looked at Osef and sighed. He said, "Osef has experienced so many bad things. His wife is openly demeaning and mocking him. He has become a laughing stock. His pride has been damaged. He needs to regain his dignity as a man. He is now fighting for his dignity!"

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know report chapter so we can fix it as soon as possible.

Report chapter

Chapter 590: The Power of a Role Model

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

In the Clippers' meeting room, the management was discussing Ronny's contract renewal.

"Yesterday afternoon, Ronny's agent contacted me again asking about the contract renewal. I told him the team was considering it. We have been delaying Ronny's renewal for a long time. I think we should decide this now."

He was speaking to a white man named Johnson, the new general manager of the Clippers.

When Dingtian Group took over the Clippers, the Clippers' management was short on staff. After the Clippers changed hands, the former general manager left the company, so Xiao Yunan was temporarily responsible for the general manager's position.

It was impossible for Xiao Yunan to handle both her roles as C.E.O. and general manager forever, so the Clippers hired Johnson as the latter. This way, Xiao Yunan could focus on her work as C.E.O.

Johnson used to play in the NBA. Although he wasn't a superstar, he won the championship ring with his team. After retiring, he worked in the management of many NBA teams. He had many years of experience and was considered an NBA insider. He was the most suitable candidate the Clippers could find for the position.

Johnson wanted to achieve something immediately to get the team's approval. Renewing Ronny's contract at a relatively lower price was his chance to show his worth.

Johnson said, "Before, Ronny's agent asked for $125 million for five years. This is indeed a bit much. I am confident that I can lower Ronny's renewal price to $100 million for five years."

"That price is still too high." Dai Li was the first to shake his head. He then said, "Next season, Wood's salary will cost us $35 million. If we give Ronny another $20 million, it will be hard for us to sign someone big."

The NBA's salary cap for was $99 million, and the luxury tax threshold was $125 million. If the team's total salary exceeded this figure, it would have to pay a luxury tax. The Clippers were currently in the process of rebuilding their team and did not want to pay a luxury tax. Since there was no need for the team to perform well, it was best to keep the total salary of the players near the salary cap so that the team could save money.

The Clippers had a high-salary contract with Wood. If they renewed Ronny's contract for $20 million a year, the team would only have $40 million left for signing new players. This wouldn't give the Clippers much room to operate. The Clippers would only be able to sign on players with low salaries.

"It seems that our coaching staff thinks that Ronny is not worth much money." Johnson looked at Dai Li and said, "But last season Ronny got a 1953. This is a major improvement. I think it's acceptable to renew the contract for five years at $100 million. His stats might improve in the future. If he joins the All-Star Team, this contract will give us a good return."

Dai Li shook his head. "Ronny's stats have improved, but only because he was the key player on the team. We used tactics that were designed to assist him. In fact, there was no improvement in his field goal percentage. He did not show a great performance in attacking or defending. Most of the time, he was focused on improving his stats and not on creating opportunities for his teammates. That is not what a team leader should do. Our coaching staff thinks that Ronny has fulfilled his potential and is not worth training."

Johnson knew that Dai Li was the son-in-law of the owner, so he did not argue with him. Instead, he chose to compromise.

Johnson said, "Since the coaching staff thinks this price is too high, we will proceed with the previous offer: $90 million for five years. I will negotiate with him to reach this target."

"Actually, I think that the price of $90 million for five years is still too high." Dai Li shook his head again. "We selected Kumar this year. I think he is more talented than Ronny. He will be able to replace Ronny in two years. I have also been examining the free agents who are frontline players. I hope to find a replacement on the free market."

"Coach Li, the free agent you are talking about, it isn't Osef, is it?" Johnson asked.

"He is one of the options," Dai Li nodded.

"Coach Li, I know that Osef is training at your center, but I don't think that he can return to play! That guy is still addicted to drugs. He has become useless!" Johnson said.

"Osef has quit taking drugs," Dai Li replied.

Johnson shook his head in disapproval. "After athletes get addicted, it is impossible for them to return to compete. None of the addicts I've seen can stay away from drugs."Dai Li and the new general manager, Johnson, had a disagreement and the meeting ended with their difference in opinion unchanged.

At the end of the meeting, Dai Li sat in the office alone, thinking about the next season.

Osef has too much baggage. It is understandable that Johnson would have reservations about him.

As for Kumar, he is still a rookie. He has never played in the NBA. It is normal for Johnson not to trust him.

It wasn't good that the general manager didn't share the same opinion as him. Dai Li was worried, and he massaged his temples.

There was suddenly a knock on the door. Dai Li shouted, "Please come in." Wood entered.

"Wood, what do you need?" Dai Li asked.

"Coach Li, I want to talk with you about the recent situation with training." Wood sat down, hesitated for a few seconds, and finally said, "Coach Li, I feel that your training is very effective. I feel that I have recovered a lot. My knees are much better than before, but they are too damaged and it's impossible to return to my previous condition."

Dai Li thought for a second and asked, "Is the effect of the recent training not meeting your expectations?"

Wood did not answer but, from his expression, Dai Li could tell he was right.

According to the promise Dai Li made, Wood's knees would be restored to their pre-injury state. Now, it seemed that this recovery was somewhat slow. It seemed that a full recovery was far away. Thus, Wood already started to give up.

Dai Li laughed involuntarily.

Wood's knees had suffered multiple injuries, and most of the damages were irreparable. Some of their functions had stopped working. To get Wood's knees back to their pre-injury state, an athlete's patch was required.

Since an athlete's patch could only last for twelve months, Dai Li did not immediately use one for Wood. He hoped to wait until the start of the season to use it. It seemed that Wood was getting impatient waiting.

"Wood, our training has only just begun. We will only start to see the results in early September. If you gave up now, wouldn't it be a pity?" Dai Li asked with a smile.

Dai Li's confident smile affected Wood, but he still seemed somewhat uncertain.

Dai Li asked, "Wood, tell me why you wanted to become a basketball player in the first place?"

"Michael," Wood replied without hesitation.

"I almost forgot, you are from Chicago. When Michael was creating the Bulls Dynasty, you were still a child, right?" Dai Li asked.

Wood nodded, "Michael has greatly influenced me. In fact, at the time, Michael was the idol of every child and teenager. We dreamed of becoming like Michael when we grew up, of becoming the 'The God of Basketball." If it weren't for Michael, I might not have played basketball. I might have gone to college like an ordinary person and found a regular job after graduating."

"After you were selected by the Bulls, I guess you felt that you were getting close to your idol?" Dai Li smiled casually. "It seems that he is not only your idol but also your role model. You must've wanted to become just like him."

"When I first entered the NBA a few years ago, I used him as my goal. The longer I stayed in the NBA, however, the more I discovered how great he was. No one in this world can surpass him," Wood sighed.

"So you are not going to chase after your role model anymore? Although you may not achieve all that he did in his career, you have always been on the path to catching up with him. Now that you realize you may not be able to surpass him, you gave up?" Dai Li asked solemnly.

"No, I didn't give up!" Wood said without hesitation.

Dai Li changed his tone of voice. "Since you have not given up on chasing your role model, what are you doing here? You should be sweating on the training ground right now. Your leg injury is as such. I think you can be completely rehabilitated, but you have no confidence. The possibility is right in front of you. Even if it is only a small possibility, you should try very hard. If you try, you won't be mad that you failed. You won't feel any regret!"Wood left Dai Li's office. The image of Wood's back when he was leaving emerged in Dai Li's head.

Because of the power of a role model, Wood had embarked on the path of basketball. Although Wood could never surpass the "God of Basketball," the "God of Basketball" had planted a conviction in Wood's heart. Dai Li believe that a person with conviction would not give up.

Dai Li suddenly had a bold idea.

Wood needs an athlete's patch to restore him to his previous condition. There should be a lot of players like Wood in the NBA. Instead of focusing on one player, why not go all out?

Dai Li picked up the phone and dialed the number of the team's data analysis group.

"This is Dai Li. I need a list. I want a list of players who have gotten worse because they faced certain issues or retired for various reasons in recent years. It is best if they were stars or superstars. I want those who were the best players. Don't miss anyone!"

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know report chapter so we can fix it as soon as possible.

Report chapter

Chapter 591: Love of the Game

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

"Some of the players on my list used to be superstars, some were even All-Stars. Others on my list were players who never had the chance to show their full potential due to injury, age, or some other reason. All in all, none of the ever had a secure footing in the NBA …

"What I want to do is to bring these former stars together and have them join the Clippers. I will train them so that they will be as good as they used to be. I'll return them to their prime. The Clippers will have a team filled with superstars. Not only will we be able to make the playoffs, but we will be able to go even further…

"I call this plan, the 'Nirvana Project.' The team will be like a phoenix, reborn. The stars who have been eliminated by the NBA will be reborn as well!"

Dai Li eloquently introduced his "Nirvana Plan" in the conference room.

"Coach Li, I admire your imaginative thoughts, but I don't think this is feasible. The players on your list had a glorious past, but they won't be able to adapt to the current NBA. Even if you got them to come back, they won't be able to play in on the court again. They couldn't bear the intensity of a current NBA game." Johnson, the team manager, was the first to object.

"So they require my training," Dai Li admitted. "Rehabilitation is what I am best at. I'm confident that I will be able to return them to their prime. In fact, I accomplished similar feats in the last Olympics."

Johnson shook his head. "Every injury is different. You might be able to help track and field athletes recover from their injuries, but you can't guarantee that you can do the same for basketball players. These injured superstars have already gone to many well-known doctors. In the end, they had to leave the NBA. Their injuries must be incurable."

"I can guarantee that they will recover," Dai Li said resolutely. His answer demonstrated his self-confidence. Johnson was speechless. It didn't matter how reasonable he was being, he clearly wouldn't be able to convince someone so sure of himself that he was wrong.

Dai Li went on. "My 'Nirvana Project,' if successful, will greatly benefit the team. We don't even need every player to return to their prime. As long as two or three people on this list recover fully, we can make it back to the playoffs. Don't forget that all of them are superstars!

"If my plan fails, we won't lose anything. At most, the team's record will be worse. In that case, we could deliberately tank the season and get a good draft pick next year. The players on the list are former stars so, as long as they come to the Clippers, this will benefit us. Los Angeles needs stars!"

His last sentence clearly struck a chord with the management of the Clippers.

A star player could bring a lot of benefits to a big city team. The arrival of star players could mean more expensive tickets, higher attendance, more broadcast income, and better jersey sales. Teams could depend on star players to make a fortune.

Although the players that Dai Li wanted to recruit for his "Nirvana Project" were unlikely to succeed in the current NBA, they were still undeniably very famous. Some were even former All-Stars. In smaller cities, such players would be seen as ex-athletes who were no longer valuable. In a big city like Los Angeles, they could develop their commercial value and increase their popularity.

This was Los Angeles after all. Stars were all over the city. However, stars were what the Clippers needed most.The team management finally approved Da Li's "Nirvana Project."

As Dai Li said, the Clippers were not expecting an incredible result this next season. Recruiting star players had no downsides and a guaranteed return. If the "Nirvana Project" was successful, the Clippers would naturally benefit. If the "Nirvana Project" failed, the Clippers could deliberately tank and get a good draft pick next year. This was a very cost-effective transaction, so the management was happy to implement it.

Dai Li wanted to recruit the players on the list personally and Johnson, the team manager, tagged along.

Johnson was extremely reluctant. He did not agree with Dai Li's plan at all, but the team manager was responsible for signing players. In the end, Johnson had to pack his luggage and set off with Dai Li.

"Coach Li, where is our first stop?" Johnson asked. His voice indicated a sense of resignation.

"To Seattle. This guy is a Seattle native. I heard that he just became a high school basketball coach," Dai Li said.

"Are we going to see Nathan Hall? He used to be known as the 'Yellow Mamba!' Unfortunately, the two menisci in his knees were removed. I heard that he had a knee replacement surgery on both his legs. They implanted artificial menisci, but they did not help. He could not handle the intensity of an NBA game, so he had to retire," Johnson said sympathetically.

Dai Li nodded, "Yes, we are going to meet him. There have been cases in which players have had their menisci removed and been able to get back to the game, so I think I will be able to help Nathan Hall recover."

"I really don't know how you're so confident." Johnson shook his head in disdain. The confident look on Dai Li's face made Johnson think that Dai Li was bragging again.

In fact, Dai Li was extremely confident in dealing with a missing meniscus. The Athlete's Patch could easily solve this problem. With the help of the Athlete's Patch, a person with no feet, such as Philip, could run faster than a normal person. Not having any menisci would be a relatively easy problem to solve.Nathan Hall was a shooting guard. He was a relatively younger player who had only played seven seasons in the NBA. In one of these seasons, he was absent because of his injury. In another, he had only played five games because he had not fully recovered. In reality, he had only played five full seasons.

In these five seasons, he had managed to be named the NBA Rookie of the Year, be selected for the NBA All-Star team three times in a row, and be put on the All-NBA team. People gave him the nickname "Yellow Mamba." This implied that he would become the successor to the "Black Mamba" of the NBA.

His knee injury ruined him and his arthritis restricted the amount of time he could play. His knees were constantly swollen and he had to have the water that built up in his knees taken out from time to time. He had to take anti-arthritis drugs frequently. In the end, he finally had to undergo arthroscopy surgery on both his knees, but the surgery did not cure his arthritis. One of his menisci was being worn out and the remaining meniscus was not enough to act as a buffer. They had become a hindrance to his physical ability. He had no choice but to remove both. After every operation, he would have to go back to the hospital.

Losing his menisci ruined his career. Every time he played, every step he took, every jump, and every confrontation on the court, caused him unbearable pain in his knees. Even after he put in the artificial menisci, he couldn't bear the intensity or pace of the NBA.

He had to retire at only 25 years old.

Shooting guards were not even in their prime at 25. A player who made three All-Star games before the age of 25 was destined to become a superstar. However, a knee injury ruined his chances.Dai Li and Johnson arrived in Seattle.

"Are we going to the high school where Nathan Hall is working? It is summer vacation, so we may not be able to find him at school," Johnson said.

"Of course we can't find him at school," Dai Li said. "Think about what we are doing. Hall is currently the coach at a high school and we are here to recruit him. How can we go to the place where he works? I have already arranged to meet Hall in the reception room at a hotel. So let's go there and rest first. We will join Hall for afternoon tea."

After a few hours, Dai Li met Nathan Hall in the reception room.

"Coach Li, I really didn't expect you to come to Seattle personally. I also didn't expect you to come to see me." Hall obviously knew who Dai Li was. Although he had left the NBA, he still cared about it. He was familiar with every team and Dai Li was a candidate for "Coach of the Year." Hall certainly knew who he was.

Hall continued, "Are you interested in any of the players at our high school? To be honest, I just became the head coach of the team this summer, so I am not familiar with the players. I am afraid I don't have that much information for you."

Dai Li shook his head. "A few years ago, when the NBA allowed high school students to participate in the draft, I might've been here to recruit students. Now that the NBA has banned high school players from participating in the NBA draft, however, I would've gone to a college to recruit students."

"That is true. Why are you here then? What is this for?" Hall asked.

"I want to invite you to join my team," Dai Li said.

"You want me on your coaching staff?" Hall was a little flattered. Joining an NBA team's coaching staff was much better than becoming a high school coach.

Dai Li shook his head again. "Nathan, you misunderstand me. I want you to play for my team. We need a shooting guard."

"You want me to play for the Clippers!" Nathan Hall exclaimed. He expressed his disbelief by saying, "Coach Li, you're joking, right?"

"Do you think that the team manager and I flew all the way to Seattle to make a joke?" Dai Li said with a smile.

Nathan Hall became serious. He realized that Dai Li was being honest. He then asked, "Why me?"

"Why not you?" Dai Li replied.

"I have already announced my retirement. Why did you come looking for me?" Hall asked.

"You are still very young and should not retire," Dai Li replied.

"But my knee has been badly injured, I can't deal with the intensity of the NBA." Hall shook his head and said, "I only played five games in my last season in the NBA. Every time I sprinted or jumped, I'd be in unbearable pain. I couldn't take it anymore, so I chose to retire."

"What you need is one of the world's best rehabilitation trainers," Dai Li said. He took out a brochure for his physical training center and handed it to Hall. He then said, "Look at this. The athletes here have suffered serious injuries and they have all returned to their peak condition. They did so by relying on my rehabilitation training."

Hall took the brochure and read it page by page. When he read the real cases, he was obviously affected.

"Nathan, I know that you have removed the menisci from your knees, but there have been cases in which athletes have come back from that. This is why I came to you. I think you will be able to return to the court after training with me," Dai Li said.

Hall hesitated for a long time, then let out a sigh. He closed the brochure and handed it back to Dai Li. He shook his head and said, "Even if I could return to the court, I wouldn't be able to play like I used to. Without the menisci, my knees are useless. I can't sprint, do a crossover, or jump. I can't do any of the technical moves that used to be easy."

"That's the next thing I wanted to talk to you about. I can get you back to your peak condition. I can even make you stronger than before!" Dai Li stared at Hall and continued, "When did you peak? Were you 22 or 23 years old? It's was probably when you were on an All-Star team three years in a row. However, most shooting guards are just beginning their careers at 20. You have not yet reached your peak, but you have already retired. If you had not been injured, you would have become stronger."

After listening to Dai Li, Nathan Hall lowered his head to hide the unwillingness in his eyes.

"Nathan, you are still young. Don't waste your time. Your career shouldn't have ended. You can work hard again. You should be on the court to compete, not teach high school students how to play!" Dai Li advised.

Nathan Hall took a deep breath. "Coach Li. Give me some time. Can you let me think about it?"

"No problem," Dai Li handed his business card to Hall and said, "This is my contact information. I am looking forward to your reply. Oh yeah, I almost forgot. If you join the Clippers, you will get a fully insured contract. I can guarantee that."Nathan Hall took Dai Li's business card and left the hotel.

"Do you think he will agree?" Johnson asked.

"Yes. He definitely will," Dai Li replied.

"Why dare you so optimistic?" Johnson asked, puzzled

"Because of his love for basketball." Dai Li turned to look at Johnson. "Some basketball players just regard basketball as a job, others have a deep passion for basketball. Basketball will always be a part of their lives.

"Nathan Hall is such a person. He loves basketball. His knees were injured, but he insisted on staying on the court. Every time he got injured and after he had his surgery, he always returned to the court as soon as possible. He eventually lost his menisci, but he still tried to play. When he had to leave the NBA, he did not leave basketball. He became a high school coach instead. When other stars retired they chose a life of riches.

"Hall has no bad habits. He earned tens of millions of dollars in his career, so he is not short of money. He went to a high school because he couldn't bear to leave basketball. I know that he is really passionate about the sport. He won't ever be able to stay away from the court. I firmly believe that he will agree because of his love of the game!"

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know report chapter so we can fix it as soon as possible.

Report chapter

Chapter 592: The Feeling of Victory

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

That evening, Dai Li received a call from Nathan Hall. As Dai Li expected, he agreed to join the Clippers. The next step was to negotiate his contract, which would be handled by Johnson.

Johnson returned to the hotel right after lunch.

"Have you finished already?" Dai Li hadn't thought that Johnson would be so efficient.

"We are already done negotiating. We even had lunch together." Johnson sat down and said, "Hall thought that we were only going to give him a one-year contract so, when I proposed a one-plus-one contract, he was very surprised. Although the second year was a team option, he did not hesitate to agree."

Dai Li nodded and said, "I can guarantee that Hall will not have problems over the next three years. If Hall does well enough next season, I will persuade the team to keep him on for another year and raise his salary."

"Coach Li, I don't quite understand why you didn't just give him a three-year contract. We would have been able to offer a lower salary, which would help out the team," Johnson asked.

"We need the players to give each game everything they've got. Would he be willing to work hard for a team he did not think paid him enough? You wouldn't give a $1 million performance for only $100,000, right? We had to give him a very attractive contract for at least a year. Wood's $30-million contract will expire next summer. That will free up a lot of our finances," Dai Li smiled. He tried to comfort Johnson. "Rest assured, if I can return hall to his prime, we will earn it all back."

"Hall is a done deal. Who are we going to find next?" Johnson asked.

"The most famous guy in Houston." Dai Li let out a sigh.

"Why are you sighing?" Johnson asked, a little puzzled.

"I did some evaluations and it seems likely not everyone is going to be as excited about joining us as Hall was," Dai Li said.

"You're worried that Raymond won't accept our offer?" Johnson asked.

"Raymond is a superstar. He has earned hundreds of millions of dollars. He has won the scoring title, been on the All-Star team, and been on the All-NBA Team. He has even made it into the Hall of Fame. I have no idea how to convince him. I can only take it one step at a time," Dai Li said.

"Yeah, he has two NBA scoring titles, seven All-Star titles, and he was one of the two youngest players ever in his rookie season. He had an average of 26 points per game before the age of 21 and averaged 32 points per game in his prime. He averaged 6.5 rebounds and 5.5 assists. Not to mention that time when he scored 13 points in 35 seconds. Raymond's past achievements are indeed great! You may be able to convince him by offering him a chance to win the championship," Johnson said.

"You're right. Raymond might only be interested in the championship, but we are not a championship team. If we find him now and say 'Play with us to win a championship,' he will think we're crazy," Dai Li said.

"He will think we're conmen," Johnson laughed.Raymond's mansion was more like a castle. Raymond personally greeted them at the gate.

"Coach Li, welcome." Raymond embraced Dai Li and said, "The last time Clippers were in Houston, I went to the Toyota Center to watch the game. You and your Clippers left an impression on me. You guys are quite tenacious."

Raymond ushered Dai Li into the living room. After the guests were seated, Raymond's wife brought out a few glasses of juice.

After they chatted for a while, Raymond asked, "Coach Li, what are you here?"

"I want to invite you to join the Clippers," Dai Li said bluntly.

Raymond did not seem shocked. He smiled and nodded. He then said, "Coach Li, thank you for your kindness, but I'm afraid I can't accept your proposal. In fact, the Rockets also invited me to be part of their management or on their coaching staff. I am retired now. I just want to rest, spend more time with my family, and go to the Toyota Center from time to time to watch a game. I am very satisfied right now."

"No, Mr. Raymond, you misunderstand me. I am inviting you to play," Dai Li said. " To play on the court as a player."

"Play? You want me to come back?" Raymond was surprised.

Dai Li nodded seriously. "Yes, I want you to come back."

"Coach Li, are you joking?" Raymond shook his head. "I am retired. I don't plan on playing anymore."

"Raymond, don't refuse so quickly. You should listen to our offer first," Johnson said.

Raymond waved his hand dismissively. "Even if you gave me an extremely high salary, I wouldn't go back. I played basketball for many years and received many honors. I'm tired. I don't want to go back. In a few years, my name will be engraved in the NBA Hall of Fame. I just want to spend more time with my family."

"Raymond, you played for so many years. Are you really willing to let it go?" Johnson asked.

"If I want to play, I can call a few friends or go to the Rockets' training grounds. However, I won't play in a professional game again," Raymond said.

Johnson wanted to say more, but he was stopped by Dai Li. He said to Raymond, "I understand. You have already made a decision, so we will push you. Still, I hope you will think about it more. This is my business card. If you change your mind, call me."

Dai Li took out his business card and handed it to Raymond. Then he said, "Of course, it is also okay if you just want to chat."

"Of course. I will definitely visit you next time I'm in L.A." Raymond smiled and took Dai Li's business card.The Raymonds personally walked Dai Li and Johnson to the door.

When the two got into the car, Johnson asked, "Li, are you just going to give up? You could take out your brochure and tell him that you have helped many athletes recover, just like how we persuaded Hall."

"Of course we won't give up, but Raymond is different from Hall. Raymond is a superstar. He won't be persuaded by the same things Hall was. You can't buy out a billionaire with only $100." Dai Li paused and then said with a smile, "Now we have to ask ourselves what could persuade him to join us?"

"Who knows what he cares about?" Johnson shook his head despondently, and then asked, "Do you?"

"I don't know, but I have a way to find out," Dai Li replied.

"How?" Johnson asked eagerly.

"Haven't you seen any of those TV quiz shows? When you don't know the answer, you can get help from the audience!" Dai Li said as he picked up the phone.

"Get help from the audience?" Johnson was still puzzled. Then he saw Dai Li take out his mobile phone. "Who are you calling?"

"The audience. In other words, people who are similar to Raymond," Dai Li dialed a number and put his finger to his mouth, telling Johnson to be quiet."Jimmy? It's Dai Li. Yeah, long time no see. How are you doing?

"I'm in a difficult spot. There's something I need your help with. There is something I want to ask you.

"After you retired, did you ever regret it? Or is there anything that could make you want to return to compete?"

"Oh. So that makes sense. I understand. Thank you, Jimmy."

Dai Li ended the call.

"Who did you call? Jimmy? Was he a basketball star?" Johnson asked.

"It was Jimmy Irwin," Dai Li replied.

"The king of the 400-meter, Jimmy Irwin!" Johnson was fascinated, which was rare. He was obviously a fan of Irwin.

Dai Li then dialed another number.

"Hey, Li! Why are you calling? Are you here in Switzerland?" A man's voice came from the phone.

"No, I'm still in the United States, but I need to ask your help with something. Actually, I have a question I want to ask you," Dai Li said.

"Is it about the car?" asked the person on the other end.

"Yeah, my car broke down, do you know how to repair it?" Dai Li said with a smile.

The other side knew that Dai Li was joking, so he replied, "I know everything. Give me some tools and parts and I can assemble a car myself."

Dai Li went straight to the point, "After you retired, did you have any regrets? Did you have any urge to return to competitions?"

"Why?" The person asked, puzzled.

"I don't want the answer you'd give to a reporter. I want to know your real thoughts," Dai Li continued.

The person on the other end thought about it and gave Dai Li an answer. Dai Li hung up after a few minutes of chatting.

"Who was it this time?" Johnson asked.

"Helheim," Dai Li replied.

"The Car King? You know a lot of big-time athletes," Johnson sounded a bit jealous.

Dai Li ignored Johnson and called another person.When the car arrived at the hotel, Dai Li had already made several calls, each one to famous athletes.

Sitting next to him, Johnson went from being jealous, to admiring Dai Li, to being absolutely stupefied.

Johnson never thought about it, but Dai Li knew many of the world's top athletes. Johnson finally realized that he really had earned the honor of being named the world's top coach.

Johnson had been a part of the NBA for quite a few years. He knew a lot of professional basketball players, but he didn't know anyone from other sports.

The resources that Dai Li had accumulated over the years were finally coming into play. He had provided physical training for many top athletes, so he could quickly contact any of them. Other people couldn't reach so many high-level athletes with the efficiency that Li could.

The two went to the hotel's restaurant and ordered afternoon tea. Johnson kept urging Dai Li to tell him what he had said to the top athletes.

Dai Li only told him when the afternoon tea was delivered. "I just spoke to a few athletes whose situations are similar to Raymond's. They all retired after they have achieved fame and success. I asked them if anything could make them return to professional sports. Do you know what they said?"

"The love of the game? Like Hall? He loves basketball, so he agreed to come back," Johnson guessed.

Dai Li shook his head. Johnson then guessed, "Then for their honor. They have yet to achieve what they wanted to or there is a record that they want to break. Top athletes might return for this, right?"

Dai Li shook his head again.

"It wasn't money either, right? The world's top athletes are not short of money. They wouldn't come back for money." Johnson spread his hands and said, "I really can't figure it out"

"Everyone I asked gave me a different answer. Some said that when they see other athletes standing on a podium, they get an impulse to come back. Some said that when they think thought about overpowering an opponent, they get an impulse to come back. Some people said that when they recall the brilliant moments in their careers, they get an impulse to come back. There are many answers but, in the end, there is only one underlying reason." Dai Li deliberately lowered his voice and said, "Victory!"

"Whether it be standing on a podium, overpowering an opponent, or reliving the most brilliant moment in their careers, the thing that excites these athletes is the feeling of victory. Even though they have retired, they still miss this feeling. I think 'victory' is the only thing that can influence Raymond."

"Makes sense," Johnson nodded. "What are you going to do?"

"We will stay in Houston for two days. I have to arrange something," Dai Li replied.The next morning, Raymond wore a hoodie and ran on the road near his home.

Raymond ran every morning before breakfast. Although his knee was injured and he could not undertake any high-intensity exercise, he could still partake in low-intensity cardio.

A car was coming so Raymond ran to the side of the road, but the car stopped at his side.

Dai Li walked out of the car.

"Coach Li? Are you here for me?" Raymond stopped running. He knew that Dai Li had come early in the morning from downtown Houston, so he must've been there for him. He probably still wanted to persuade him to join the Clippers. Raymond even prepared what to say to reject him.

However, Dai Li said, "My training center recently released a promotional film that I want to show you."

Dai Li took out his tablet.

Raymond didn't understand what Dai Li wanted. Wanting to be polite, he took the tablet and sat on the side of the road, looking intently at the content on the tablet.

This video was a montage of moments in different sports. On it was recordings of athletes at their peak moments. Sprinters were crossing finish lines, high jumpers were jumping over poles, weightlifters were lifting weights, rugby players were scoring, and of course, basketball players making game-changing shots.

Every athlete in the video made a celebratory movement when they won. They were excited and some even seemed frenzied. With passionate music in the background, it made Raymond excited.

Suddenly, a subtitle appeared.

"This is the feeling of victory!"

Dai Li spoke when it ended. "What do you think?"

"Ah yes. Not bad. It makes people feel excited " Raymond replied subconsciously.

"This is the feeling of victory!" Dai Li repeated the sentence from the subtitles and then asked, "How long has it been since you experienced this feeling of victory?"

Raymond gave glanced at the coach. He didn't expect Dai Li to ask him this. It was difficult for him to answer. He recalled the last time he had played professionally and he couldn't help but feel a bit lost.

"Actually, this is why I came to you, to ask you to come back. I hope that we can achieve victory together!" Dai Li stood up and patted Raymond's shoulder, he then said, "If you want to taste this feeling again, call me!"

After Dai Li finished, he went straight to the car.

The car started and gradually disappeared, leaving Raymond sitting alone in the same spot, holding the tablet in a daze."Will this work?" Johnson asked.

"I don't know." Dai Li shook his head and said, "I am gambling on how eager he is to win!"

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know report chapter so we can fix it as soon as possible.

Report chapter