Chapter 608 Draft and Dream Team

Before the start of the second round of the draft, at the end of the first round, the Hawks and the Celtics, who traded up for draft picks, selected Serge Ibaka and Nicolas Batum, respectively.

Before suffering a major injury, Ibaka, who was 208 cm tall and weighed 108 kg, had excellent lateral movement ability.

In addition, his physical profile was excellent, and he had experience playing in the Spanish league, so the Hawks management was very optimistic that he could reduce Gasol's defensive pressure in the new season. (Note 1)

And in this way, the Gasol and Ibaka inside combination, and the Smith and Wade wing combination...

It has to be said, it was indeed a little bit terrifying.

Of course, before the Hawks could break out of the Eastern Conference monster house, in Su Feng's view, this was not something he needed to worry about.

Just next year...

What if James and Wade meet again in the playoffs...

Then it is very likely that this time, James will be beaten into autism by Wade.

In comparison, the Celtics trading up to select Batum...

It was entirely because Bird and Karl were too afraid of Su Feng...

Because during Batum's workout, Batum's wingspan and mobility left a deep impression on the Celtics' front office...

So after careful consideration, Bird insisted that if the Celtics wanted to defend their title next year, they must first prepare to fight the Lakers in a head-on clash.

Relying solely on Allen, Stackhouse, and Ray Allen, in Bird's view, was not enough to ensure that the Celtics could effectively limit Su Feng when facing the Lakers.

In short, others may not be optimistic about the Lakers after Kobe's return, but Bird and Karl dared not draw such a conclusion.

Because of how painful it was to be beaten by the teams Su Feng played for in the past...

That is how much they feared Su Feng at this moment.

In addition, the 76ers also selected George Hill at the end of the first round.

Because Snow was no longer as strong as he used to be, the 76ers urgently needed a new utility player who could take care of both defense and ball-handling to help Iverson.

Hill, who was 188 cm tall, had enviable long arms, and with his excellent defensive attitude, the 76ers' front office was very optimistic that he could replace Snow.

To be fair.

The quality of the 2008 draft class was indeed very high.

Because after the first round of the draft, there were still players like the "Slovenian Sniper" Goran Dragic, the "Cameroon Prince" Luc Mbah a Moute, and the "Balkan White Bear" Nikola Pekovic in the second round pool.

In the tenth pick of the second round, in order to avoid any unexpected changes, after spending some cash to trade up for the draft pick, the Lakers selected Dragic.

If in the new season, with Marion and Su Feng both able to play power forward...

Because the Lakers did not have any extra inside resources to cultivate Ibaka, therefore, DeAndre Jordan, who could hone his defensive skills with Ben Wallace, and only needed to use his athletic talent on the defensive end to help the Lakers guard the second unit's paint, was the optimal solution for the Lakers in this year's draft...

Then Dragic, in Su Feng's view, was the best ball-handling utility player that God had arranged for this Lakers team.

Dragic, who was 22 years old, was 191 cm tall.

And unlike Nash, who only reached "191" cm with padded socks...

Because Dragic's height was genuine...

Therefore, in terms of physical profile, Dragic was enough to ensure that he would not be at a disadvantage when facing most guards in the league.

You know, being a "ball-handling guard" for the Lakers was a technical job.

Because Kobe has always had extremely high standards for his teammates' defensive attitude...

Therefore, in the free agent market...

The Lakers really couldn't find anyone more suitable for this team than Dragic in a short period of time.

And although Dragic was not known for his defense, but for Su Feng, who had worked with Iverson, Nash, Mo Williams and others...

Honestly speaking.

Dragic was definitely the "best defensive player" among them.

In addition, as an international player, Dragic also had a good shooting touch.

Plus, he was also a left-handed player, and could often achieve some surprising effects when breaking through, so with the guidance of excellent veterans like Su Feng and Kobe, Su Feng believed that Dragic would definitely be able to feel what the "best" point guard growth environment in the NBA was like.

To put it bluntly, with Su Feng and Kobe around, Dragic could gain a foothold in the NBA just with his physical profile and shooting touch.

Therefore, even if his growth cycle was longer, the Lakers would not need to worry about it.

You know, choosing the most suitable players to complete the team building according to the needs of different positions...

This was what a knowledgeable general manager like Kupchak should do.

And only listening to players' names and choosing players through the "God's perspective"...

Then, because they couldn't provide these young people with the environment and soil needed for growth, causing their growth trajectories to deviate...

Finally, they could only forcefully portray these people as All-Stars...

This was a plot that only appeared in some online novels.

In Su Feng's previous life, even though Jordan had only averaged a dozen minutes of playing time in his first two seasons with the Clippers, he could immediately play a role after coming on the court.

And Ibaka...

If you couldn't give him enough playing time, then no matter how excellent he was, wouldn't he have to sit by the water cooler and watch his brothers wave towels?

Moreover, with Su Feng, Kobe, and Gasol being the future core of the Lakers...

Where would the Lakers find an inside player like Jordan, who didn't consume resources, was willing to do the dirty work, and was willing to grab offensive rebounds and box out for his brothers?

The Lakers, who would definitely launch an attack on the championship in the new season, could not consider, and would not consider taking care of the feelings of young players.

Therefore, Jordan and Dragic, who could both be utility players in terms of characteristics and roles, were undoubtedly the most suitable two pieces of the puzzle for the current Lakers.

...

After the end of the draft, Su Feng immediately called Ben Wallace.

Because Jordan's free throw percentage in his early years was notoriously bad, so in order to prevent this guy from being hacked as soon as he came on the court in the new season, Su Feng knew that he had to get Jordan to improve his free throw percentage.

And as the number one "underhand free throw" expert in the league today...

Who was more qualified than Ben Wallace to speak on improving free throw percentage?

Huh?

You said O'Neal?

Sorry.

Because as a player with four championship rings in hand, O'Neal did not want people to only remember him for his underhand free throws in the future, so shortly after arriving in Cleveland, O'Neal switched back to his normal free throw action.

Therefore...

Undoubtedly.

Ben Wallace was definitely recognized as the number one active player in how to improve free throw percentage.

And after the free agent market opened this summer, because Ben Wallace hoped to continue to stay with the Lakers on a veteran minimum contract to assist Su Feng...

So when he learned that Su Feng wanted him to tutor Jordan's free throws, Ben Wallace was very clear...

Brother Feng...

Still loved him after all!

After all, if he didn't plan to renew his contract with him, how could Brother Feng entrust such an important task to him?

"Don't worry, Su.

You don't need to find him any more shooting coaches.

Because before the start of the new season, I guarantee that I can get this kid's free throw percentage to exceed 70%." On the phone, Ben Wallace issued a military order to Su Feng.

And Su Feng was amused by the military order Ben Wallace had issued.

Although in his original timeline, as long as Jordan could get an excellent shooting coach, then theoretically, even if he didn't use the underhand free throw, he could still get his free throw percentage to above 70%.

But, if the underhand free throw could make Jordan's free throws better...

Then why not?

Of course, in addition to having Ben Wallace guide Jordan's free throws, Su Feng knew that the shooting coach that should be hired for Jordan still had to be hired.

But then again...

There were indeed many coaches in the NBA who took the team's salary and didn't do their job.

Because in Su Feng's previous life, the Mavericks' shooting coach used his strength to show how cost-effective the Clippers' shooting coach was before.

In Su Feng's original timeline, because they were never able to effectively improve Jordan's free throw percentage on the court, the Clippers' shooting coach, like Ewing and Olajuwon who believed that they couldn't teach Howard was because of Howard's own lack of talent, passed the buck to Jordan himself.

However...

After arriving in Dallas and learning free throws for a few months...

Jordan vaguely discovered...

That he was actually a once-in-a-million free throw genius!

And the bloody reality also told people at that moment...

In the NBA, some coaches were even worse than keyboard warriors.

In addition, after finishing his call with Ben Wallace, Su Feng also contacted Dragic through his agent.

Although when he decided to participate in the draft, Dragic had already resolved his contract with his European parent team and could land in the NBA at any time.

But in order to prevent this guy from worrying that he would not be able to play for the Lakers and choose not to land in the NBA, Su Feng knew that he had to give Dragic a reassurance first.

As a result, when he received a call from Su Feng himself...

Dragic, who was planning to have his agent contact Real Madrid, was shocked at the time!

Because as a mere second-round pick, he never expected that the noble Basketball God would personally call to invite him!

See, how visionary was Su Feng?

You know...

Although Su Feng and Kobe were idols for most young European players...

But those who played in the world basketball scene...

As long as they weren't idiots...

Then how could they not know how painful... uh, how happy it would be to play with these two people!

"Goran, I know you're worried that you won't be able to get more playing time on this Lakers team.

But I can guarantee you that as long as you can strengthen your resistance training and adapt to the NBA's three-point line in the summer, then the Lakers' starting point guard in the new season will definitely be you."

In fact, Su Feng had conducted remote communication with Coach Lue before the start of the draft.

Because no matter who Kupchak would choose between Ibaka and Jordan, Dragic would definitely be the Lakers' only choice in the second round...

Therefore, after reading the report sent back from Europe by the Lakers' scouts, Coach Lue firmly believed that Dragic would be more effective as the starting point guard in the new season than Mo Williams.

In Coach Lue's view, once Kobe returned, the Lakers would definitely play completely around Su Feng and Kobe.

So Mo Williams' characteristics determined that he had no room to play in the Lakers' starting lineup.

In comparison, Dragic not only knew how to play off-ball, but also, the resistance he had developed in the European league was enough to ensure that he didn't need the team to worry too much about his defense.

To put it bluntly.

In the market, Coach Lue also believed that it was impossible for the Lakers to find a better ball-handling utility player than Dragic in a short period of time.

Therefore, who knew how important Su Feng's call to Dragic on this day was?

Of course...

In Su Feng's eyes, this was completely Kobe's fault!

Because if Kobe didn't play so selfishly, and didn't like to play one-on-n on the court so much, then how could Dragic have the idea of going back to the European league to play after being selected by the Lakers?

In Su Feng's view, if Kobe could learn more from himself...

Then he wouldn't even need to make this call.

But there was no way.

Because in this day and age, Su Feng knew that there were indeed not many "team players" like himself.

Only...

Su Feng might not believe it if he were told that on this day, after hanging up the phone, although Dragic was full of expectations for his upcoming Lakers career...

The reason why he had the idea of returning to the European league...

Had nothing to do with Kobe at all.

You know, in recent years, there had always been a famous saying circulating in the European basketball circle:

A team with Su Feng doesn't need a point guard.

Because those super guards in the European basketball scene who had fallen in front of the Chinese men's basketball team had already told the world...

In FIBA games, you can never defeat the Chinese men's basketball team that never substitutes its point guard.

Especially after being selected by the Lakers...

After specially asking his agent for a few tapes of the Lakers' games from last season...

Do you know how panicked the then-22-year-old Dragic was when he saw that the ball was always in Su Feng's hands?

No!

You don't know!

Because you only care about how many points Su Feng will score in the game!

Therefore, considering his status as a mere second-round pick, who might not even get playing time usually...

Plus, even if he did get it, he could only stand aside and watch the show, so Dragic had the idea of going back to Europe to train for two more years if it didn't work out.

However, after talking to Su Feng, Dragic finally decided to trust Su Feng.

Because in Dragic's view...

Su Feng was such a big boss, he shouldn't be lying to him...

Right?

...

At the end of June and the beginning of July, after Sun Yue participated in the Celtics' championship parade, the fully assembled Chinese men's basketball team officially began a new round of training.

According to the training schedule, in July, the Chinese men's basketball team will play a series of warm-up matches with several strong European teams before the start of the Olympic Games to adapt to the intensity of the Olympic Games in advance.

At the same time, as Su Feng expected, Ray Allen did accept Davis' call and joined this new generation of American Dream Team led by James.

In addition, at the beginning of July, the Lakers also signed Jordan and Dragic one after another.

And Ben Wallace also received a two-year veteran minimum contract.

And as the new generation of Dream Team that was determined to rebuild the glory of American basketball...

In addition to being led by James, Wade, and Anthony on the wing, veteran Kidd also accepted Davis' call.

At the American men's basketball team's base in Las Vegas, before the expedition, American Basketball Association Chairman Colangelo said: "We hope to tell the world in Beijing with the championship that the birthplace of this sport still has the best basketball.

We want to prove to the world that we are invincible!"

Of course...

Unlike the American fans' cheers for Colangelo's declaration in Su Feng's memory...

Online, Colangelo had just finished his declaration, and the American fans and the American Basketball Association began to sing a different tune...

"I only hope that in Beijing, when facing the real Dream Team, the Chinese men's basketball team, the American men's basketball team's boys can let us see the spirit of 'never give up' in basketball."

"Oh, my God, who gave Colangelo the confidence...

Don't be kidding!

No one can defeat the Chinese men's basketball team that has both Su and Yao in 2008!"

"Hey, buddy, do you know how many NBA championship players there are on this Chinese men's basketball team?

If you count their assistant coach Hu...

Then you might not believe it, but there are a total of six people on their team who have won the NBA championship!"

"As we all know, modern football also originated in England, but how many years have the English not reached the World Cup final?

Therefore, compared to whether the American men's basketball team can win the championship in Beijing...

I'm more concerned about when Kobe will update his training videos online."

Okay...

Now you should know what Su Feng means to this era, right?

Because now...

At this moment...

Even the always proud American basketball fans have called the Chinese men's basketball team led by Su Feng in this era the Dream Team.

Don't ask.

Just ask...

Only a team with Su Feng can be considered a Dream Team!

...

ps: The second update is here. In addition, before the start of the 08/09 season, I will post the main teams' rosters, personnel composition, and salary lists in the "Iron Smashing" timeline in the form of a free single chapter!