Chapter 1 The Reunion

Walker put down his red jacket, and Tang Tian also temporarily forgot about getting his keys. The two of them sat on the bed and chatted about their college days.

When it all started, Tang Tian was just a ball boy at the University of Connecticut.

"Tang, looking back now, it still feels like a dream. You went from being a ball boy to being the league's number one player in just six years."

Walker couldn't help but sigh when he thought about what happened seven years ago.

Although he and Tang Tian had a good relationship when Tang Tian was still a ball boy, and he knew the efforts Tang Tian had put in behind the scenes over the years.

But really looking at the result, it really was like he said, a dream.

"Isn't something even more dreamlike happening? We're playing on the same team now."

Tang Tian said with a smile.

Walker nodded repeatedly and laughed.

No one ever thought that the two people who led UConn to an incredible championship would meet again in New Orleans.

Is every encounter in life really a reunion after a long separation?

"Speaking of which, I haven't seen you eating cake during games lately. Did you switch to eating it during halftime?"

Memories are like springs, once opened they keep bubbling out.

When Tang Tian played at UConn, him eating cake during games was a beautiful sight, and he heard that Tang Tian even endorsed cake afterwards.

"Haha, that was purely because Elizabeth sent so much. Some cakes are easy to digest, some aren't."

Tang Tian said with a smile, that memory really was as sweet as cake.

"Elizabeth is really a pro at love, and her taste is really good."

There was a hint of jealousy in Walker's words.

"Can't help it, who told me I'm so handsome."

Tang Tian laughed loudly, which resulted in Walker complaining for a while.

"Speaking of this, I never thought you'd be married with kids now, and a father too."

After laughing, Tang Tian said with a lot of emotion.

Walker was a virgin in college. He still clearly remembered when they went to a bar, Walker was almost seduced, but he got up and went outside to get some air.

But now he was also a father and a husband.

Just like Walker said, when you meet someone you like, even a wooden fish will understand love.

"Speaking of which, you really helped me a lot, both mentally and technically."

Walker also expressed his feelings.

"Learn to accept failure. It's not like you haven't failed before. Learn to accept injuries. This is something you'll hardly avoid in the NBA in the future. Learn to accept adjustments. If adjustments were so easy, who would guarantee that the changes they bring you would definitely be good?"

"True strength isn't about defeating how strong an opponent is, but about defeating yourself."

Those words that Tang Tian had said to him back in the NCAA, even though so much time had passed, were still ringing in his ears.

This was also why he maintained a high fighting spirit even when he encountered so many difficulties and setbacks in the Hornets.

Of course, Tang Tian's guidance in changing his breakthrough force method, from ankle to hip, also benefited him a lot.

"Honestly, I even suspect you're just a 20-something year old, because you're really like Coach Calhoun a lot of the time."

Walker said finally.

"Ahahaha, just an illusion, just an illusion, who told me I'm not only handsome, but also precocious."

Tang Tian continued to laugh loudly.

Walker shook his head helplessly after hearing that.

Tang Tian was humble and low-key in front of the media, but those close to him knew that he was actually a very easy-going person.

This was also a very important reason why he was willing to accept Tang Tian's recruitment to come to the Pelicans.

The two of them talked for a long time in the room.

Although they met every year and trained together every year.

But it was really the first time they sat down and reminisced about the past.

From being teammates at the beginning, to being teammates again, there was really a lot to talk about.

Not just what they said, but also those games in the crazy March, those opponents.

Looking back, the 2011 draft was recognized as a small draft year, with no quality rookies except for Irving.

But now, those comments had been completely proven wrong.

Harris and Parsons had become quasi-All-Stars, Irving, Walker, and Thompson had become All-Stars, Leonard and Butler had become superstars, and Tang Tian had become the league's number one player.

It was no exaggeration to say that the quality of this draft was completely on par with the 96 and 03 generations, and could be called a new golden generation.

And most of these people were opponents that Tang Tian and Walker had faced in the NCAA's crazy March.

The value of their championship that year was definitely underestimated.

"We will complete a dynasty, with absolute advantage."

At the end of the conversation, Walker looked at Tang Tian with a firm gaze, just like before the NCAA's crazy March.

As a brother, he knew what Tang Tian's reason was for forming this super team.

As a brother, he would definitely do his best!

Tang Tian nodded with a smile.

They wouldn't just do it, they would definitely do it.

A week after the Hard Training Brothers training camp opened, Irving and Thompson also arrived one after another.

There were more than a dozen people in the training hall at once, which was quite lively.

"Tang, you're cheating, next season doesn't count!"

Thompson questioned Tang Tian "aggressively".

"Tang, don't think you're stable."

Irving, from who knows where he got his Mamba spirit, "yelled" at Tang Tian.

Although he didn't go to a big city in the end as Tang Tian suggested, he formed a Big Three in Milwaukee, and you could see that he was full of confidence.

Tang Tian was already immune to these kinds of words from them.

He was chatting with Drummond and Lamb.

Before, the Pelicans were able to successfully send Boban to the Pistons, and Drummond helped a lot in that.

As for Lamb, he was very worried about his situation and prospects in Charlotte.

Originally, the Hornets signed Lamb because of Walker, but now that Walker was gone, Lamb's future there was predictably miserable.

But he still had one year left on his contract with the Hornets, and he wasn't an obvious player like George or Irving, so he couldn't decide his own future.

As they were chatting, Demps came to the arena again.

He had been busy with negotiations these past two days, and now there were results.

The negotiations with Dedmon went very smoothly.

This Spurs system player from last season was still quite popular in the free market, and the Hawks offered him a two-year, $12.3 million contract.

Dedmon was also very interested in this contract, but after the Pelicans intervened, Dedmon quickly changed his mind.

Going to a super team like the Pelicans, and starting at center, was basically a no-brainer.

In the end, the Pelicans successfully signed him with a two-year, $12 million contract.

Demps used $6 million of the full mid-level exception.

But not everything went smoothly.

Carter declined because he was afraid he wouldn't get playing time if he came to the Pelicans, Joe Harris was also preparing to sign a long-term contract with the Nets, and even Nick Young was preparing to sign a $5 million contract with the Warriors.

After the Pelicans used $6 million of the full mid-level exception, they only had the remaining $2.4 million of the mid-level exception and minimum salaries left, which was very low compared to the competition.

"The Lakers are interested in Bryant."

But besides these two pieces of news, Demps also brought Tang Tian another piece of news.