warrior godfather

Chapter 300 Trial Training
"...Congratulations to the Mavericks for beating the Heat 105:90 and winning the game, leading the opponent 1:0! They defeated the Heat in an amazing way. Nowitzki's state is very average, but the Heat The whole team was lost in the Mavericks' defense, and this result may have been unexpected by everyone, including the process of the game..."

Looking at the Mavericks players celebrating together on the screen, Leonard couldn't help curling his lips.

He thought he would be able to see a wonderful finals, but he did not expect that the Heat would lose to the Mavericks neatly, and Dirk Nowitzki and the Big Three did not perform well. The Mavericks relied on Terry, Kidd And Marion's outstanding performance won the victory, which made this game almost lose all the highlights.

If it wasn't for Uncle Dennis watching the game with Leonard, he would turn off the TV halfway through.

"Why, Kawhi, do you think this game is not exciting enough?" Dennis glanced at him and smiled.

Leonard has been very close to his uncle since he was a child. Three years ago, Leonard's father was shot and killed in his car wash. Dennis took good care of him and took on half of his father's responsibilities.

After getting along for so many years, Dennis knew Leonard very well, and he could tell what he was thinking just by looking at his expression.

"Of course, Dirk Nowitzki and the Big Three didn't perform well. It's too boring to watch Terry, Marion and Kidd shoot three-pointers there," Leonard said in a muffled voice.

As a die-hard fan of Iverson, Leonard likes to watch the gorgeous cross over the most, not this kind of three-pointer that is pulled up and thrown after the cover.

"Then you have to get rid of this idea as soon as possible. The Warriors are one of the teams that like to throw three-pointers the most in the league. Coach Z respects the three-pointer very much. When you try out tomorrow, don't show your love for the three-pointer." Disdainful." Dennis teased.

"Don't worry, Dennis, I'm a fan now, and I'm a player tomorrow, and I won't confuse them," Leonard said.

At this time, they are in a hotel not far from the Oracle Center in Oakland. Tomorrow morning, Leonard will go to the Warriors' trial training.

"Okay, it's getting late, I'm going to bed, you should go to bed early, get up at [-] o'clock tomorrow, we have to go to the Oracle Center half an hour earlier, to make a good impression on the Warriors management, although they are unlikely to use The third pick picks you, but since the Warriors invited you to try out, we must do our best." Dennis reminded, and stood up from the sofa.

"Why? It's impossible for the Warriors to choose me." Leonard asked.

Dennis explained:

"Coach Z is famous for his vision of people. If the Warriors management can praise you a few words, it can make Brian create momentum in the media. Maybe you can be promoted by 1 or 2 picks. Your draft market Not so good, you have to take every opportunity you get."

"Okay, I'll do my best." Leonard nodded.

After his father passed away, the people he trusted the most were his mother and uncle. Dennis would do what he said, almost obeying.

This kind of trust is not only in life, but also extends to the basketball level, surpassing his trust in agent Brian.

In Leonard's mind, Uncle Dennis, who played in the NCAA in college and later served as a middle-level manager in American Express, Carver Federal Reserve, and **, knows basketball and has seen the world, and he is extremely capable. , the suggestion made must be in his best interest.

After sending Dennis away, Leonard went into the bathroom to wash up, then stared at the night outside the window in a daze for a while, drew the curtains, turned off the lights and went to sleep.

He doesn't play social media, and he hardly plays mobile phones. Especially after his father passed away, he vented all his pain in training, and the entertainment methods in life are even more scarce. This is why Leonard only came into contact with basketball in high school. The key reason why he was able to enter the lottery zone in his sophomore year.

He is a very hardworking person, low-key, quiet, taciturn, with almost no expression on his face, and puts all his energy on basketball. When he was in college, because he had classes in the morning, Leonard often came to the arena for training at five o'clock in the morning , After the daytime classes, he trained in the arena until eleven o'clock in the evening.

Because of this, Dennis believes that Leonard is very promising in basketball. The label of a superstar is talent and hard work. Leonard only barely has talent, but he is the one who works the hardest.

Leonard was lying on the bed. In the thick darkness, he suddenly opened his eyes, blinked twice, and turned to look out the window.

He didn't draw the curtains tightly just now, a ray of moonlight shone in from the corner, bringing the only light to the dark room.

After the Warriors, where will I try out?

Leonard stared at the light for a while, then turned his head, looked up, and slowly closed his eyes.

In the dense darkness, a slight snoring sound slowly sounded, and Leonard, who was sleeping soundly, did not notice that the ray of moonlight shining into the room was becoming brighter and brighter as the crescent moon lifted into the sky.

……

The next day, Dennis accompanied Leonard to the Oracle Center for trial training. They arrived at the arena half an hour earlier and waited in the reception room for nearly 10 minutes before Larry Riley appeared in front of them.

"Sorry for keeping you two waiting." Larry Riley said politely.

"No, it's because we came earlier." Dennis didn't dare to make any excuses, and quickly got up and said.

The Warriors are a strong team that made it to the Western Conference Finals. In the past two years, they have cultivated many outstanding young rookies. As the general manager of the Warriors, Larry Riley's status in the league has also risen. Leonard's agent, Brian, specifically urged Dennis, have respect for Larry Riley.

In fact, Brian wanted to accompany Leonard to participate in the trial training in person, but Leonard’s home is in Los Angeles, very close to Oakland. Dennis expressed his strong willingness to participate in the trial training with Leonard, and Leonard himself agreed , Brian had no choice but to agree.

No broker wants to see the relatives of clients interfering with their own operations, but most of the time they have nothing to do, the client's own wishes are the most important.

After a brief exchange of pleasantries, the trial training began. Dennis was a little surprised to find that the Warriors had arranged a trial training for Leonard alone!

You know, what the Warriors hold is the No. [-] pick, and it is absolutely impossible to use it on Leonard. Under normal circumstances, Leonard will be used as a foil to participate in trial training with other players.

Although Leonard’s predicted pick is in the top ten, Dennis is very clear that Leonard cannot be selected in the top ten picks. He only started playing basketball in high school, and his basic skills are very poor. He can still play with his body in the NCAA. Not in the NBA.

In the past, many college players with empty bodies were favored by draft websites before the draft, but their picks dropped sharply when they entered the draft.

Jordan, who participated in the 2008 election, is a very typical example. With his explosive physical talent, he was predicted to be selected in the lottery before the draft. He was invited into the small green room, but he withered in the small green room. After sitting for a long time, he was not selected by the Clippers until the fifth overall pick in the second round, and he became a laughingstock for a while.

However, the Warriors arranged a separate trial for Leonard, which made Dennis's mind active. Are the Warriors really optimistic about Leonard?

But the subsequent trial training made Dennis's idea quickly disappear.

Previously, Leonard had conducted a detailed physical test at the rookie joint training camp in Chicago. Physical data is not a secret. The Warriors focused on testing his shooting, dribbling, passing and other skills without confrontation.

Unfortunately, Leonard's performance was very average.

His strengths are strength and confrontation, and he is especially good at defense and rebounding. His strengths on the offensive end are tank-style breakthroughs and off-the-ball cuts that rely on his body, but he is not good at any skills related to holding the ball.

This made his trial results miserable. Even without confrontation, Leonard's performance is hard to believe. He turned out to be a talented player who was predicted to be selected in the top ten.

This is the reason why many college players with outstanding talents have dropped sharply in the draft after participating in the draft. There is a huge gap between their performance in the trial training and the talents touted by the media. No team dares to bet on their potential.

After Dennis saw Leonard's performance, the unrealistic thoughts in his heart disappeared.

He has only one idea now, and that is how to make a big fuss about the "Warriors' individual trial training, general manager Larry Riley praised Leonard's potential", so as to continue to build momentum for Leonard in the media, so as to promote Leonard draft pick.

But to Dennis' surprise, after the trial training, Larry Riley's attitude towards the two did not change, as if Leonard's poor performance in the trial training did not exist.

He enthusiastically sent the two out of the Oracle Center. Dennis tentatively asked Larry Riley if the Warriors had plans to choose Leonard in the draft. Larry Riley did not explicitly deny it, but said that he was very optimistic about Leonard. Nader's potential will be considered.

This made Dennis even more overjoyed. He would not be so stupid as to think that the Warriors would really choose Leonard with the No. He was picked with the No. [-] pick in the draft.

Anyway, the Warriors will not really do this. Leonard will not come to the Warriors. He is not afraid of offending the Warriors. As for how this will affect Leonard’s agent, Brian, it is no longer within the scope of Dennis’ consideration No, he only cares about Leonard's interests.

The only thing Dennis regrets is that Coach Z did not show up during Leonard's trial training, otherwise he would have created greater momentum in the media. "Coach Z praised Leonard's talent during the trial training" is better than "Warriors are optimistic Leonard's potential" is more attractive to other teams.

……

"Leonard is gone?" Zhang Yu asked.

"Not long after he left, this is the result of his trial training." Larry Riley handed Zhang Yu a stack of A4 papers.

As soon as Leonard left, Larry Riley sorted out his trial results and sent them to Zhang Yu who was waiting in the office.

Zhang Yu took it and looked it over briefly, and said in admiration:
"His basic skills are so poor? Well, he has a good wingspan and big hands, but his speed is a bit slow and his jumping is not good. How could he be predicted to be selected in the top ten? Those draft websites only saw Lun Is Nader's big hand? His entry into the lottery is a great success!"

"His agent, no, his uncle Dennis Robertson is not a fuel-efficient lamp. He tried every means to test whether I would pick Leonard in the draft, used various methods to trick me, and tried to induce me to praise Leonard. Leonard's talent is probably to create momentum in the media, and Leonard's forecast price is so high, which may also be the reason." Larry Riley explained.

Zhang Yu nodded slightly and said:
"His uncle is really difficult to deal with. Be careful not to provoke him as much as possible. He has a lot of influence on Leonard. Let him spread it casually. As long as I don't show up at the trial site, no one will believe that we really Will take Leonard."

"I see..." Larry Riley nodded with a wry smile.

The Warriors are indeed the boss and you have the final say. I, the general manager, are just an executor, but is it really okay for you to say it in front of me...

Larry Riley secretly slandered, and then asked a little puzzled:
"Boss, why are you so optimistic about Leonard? To be honest, his talent is not outstanding. There are many such forwards appearing in the draft every year. I can't see what is outstanding about him. His steals are indeed outstanding. Impressive, but that's in the NCAA, he's got a lot of length and big hands, but there's a lot of these wings in the league, and we have Jimmy and Tony Allen, doesn't it seem like he's not needed?"

After personally training Leonard, Larry Riley was a little shaken by Zhang Yu's decision.

Combined with Leonard's college game, he can't see any flashes of Leonard's offensive end. His shooting and passing skills are not good, and the defensive end is good at steals and rebounds, but the Warriors have Chandler, Green, Butler , Tony Allen and other defensive champions, Larry Riley doesn't think Leonard can make any contribution to the team next season.

Faced with Larry Riley's doubts, Zhang Yu simply said:
"Leonard is a very hard-working player, comparable to Jimmy's hard-working player."

Larry Riley was taken aback, then slowly nodded:

"That's it... No wonder you are so optimistic about him, boss."

Larry Riley knows that one of the criteria for Zhang Yu's draft is whether the players work hard enough. Naturally, Curry and Butler needless to say, Green, Clay, Danny Green and Jeremy Lin are all very hardworking players. Yi Jianlian, who was traded, also soaked in the arena every day.

Sure, rookies usually work hard, but there's no other team in the league with as many hard-working rookies as the Warriors.

Many rookies suddenly signed a million-dollar contract, immediately indulged in a luxurious life of luxury and money, had no intention of training, and faded out of the league after the rookie contract ended.

But Larry Riley still has some doubts:

"But Leonard's skills are really poor. Even if he works hard, I'm afraid he won't be able to make up for the lack of basic skills in a short time."

Zhang Yu handed back the results of Leonard's trial training to Larry Riley, and said with a smile:

"Really? Larry, don't forget that a new round of labor negotiations is about to begin."

(End of this chapter)