Chapter 18 Coach Xiao Du’s first training session!

Toyota Athletic Center, El Segundo, California.

The Toyota Athletic Center and the basketball stadium a few streets over are both the Lakers' training facilities.

The Toyota Athletic Center is the main training facility.

On the afternoon of January 26, Toyota Athletic Center was very busy.

Du Kang just signed a two-year regular contract with the Lakers.

The media here in the United States are all waiting for Du Kang's first training session to see how he will cope with the upcoming five consecutive away games.

Don't think that you are safe once you become a regular player. With five consecutive away records being bad, maybe not only Du Kang will get out, but Jim Buss will also get out.

Therefore, the things and standards shown by Du Kang in his first training session are of great reference value.

Except these American journalists.

Yi Jianlian also came here with a group of Chinese media from afar.

So, outside the Toyota Athletic Center, there was a huge crowd of people.

"Brother Wang, who is this bronze statue of the Lakers?"

"He, he is the legendary star of the Lakers, Elgin Baylor. Lakers fans in China call him Lord Baylor. He is one of the players who has played in the most finals in NBA history."

"Have you played more games in the Finals than Jordan?"

"Haha, much more than Jordan."

"This is so awesome and more successful than Jordan. No wonder the Lakers put up a bronze statue..."

"Yes, it's very powerful and very successful."

Wang Gan stood in front of the bronze statue of Elgin Baylor, narrowed his eyes, and said to the so-called "beautiful" anchor next to him who was wearing the Lakers No. 24 jersey.

As the NBA frontline reporter for Penguin.com, I have been a little busy recently.

The Lakers suddenly appointed a Chinese as the team's head coach, and the Chinese head coach suddenly signed Yi Jianlian, the top brother of the Chinese men's basketball team.

This made him, a frontline reporter for the NBA, immediately popular.

Yao Ming retired and Yi Jianlian failed in the NBA, resulting in the NBA losing any Chinese elements. This made them, the frontline reporters of the NBA, very embarrassed.

The salary is high, but...

What reporter hasn’t thought about walking to the stage?

Which NBA front-line reporter doesn’t want to be a reporter like Su Qun, Yang Huahua, Yu Jia, and Wang Yuanyuan who can go to the front of the stage?

These people took advantage of Yao Ming and Yi Jianlian’s previous NBA campaigns.

They, the latecomers, can't afford it and can only act in a hurry.

I originally thought that this would be the end of a journalist’s career.

Unexpectedly, there is another village where the willows are dark and the flowers are bright.

"Jiujiu, we should go in."

Wang Gan glanced at this so-called beautiful anchor with obvious artificial traces at close range with some disdain, but the smile on his face did not change at all.

"Brother Wang, is it our turn? Will we see coach Xiao Du and Ah Lian soon?"

Wang Gan smiled, said nothing, and led the Penguins interview team from afar into the Toyota Athletic Center.

When a group of people from Penguin.com arrived at the Toyota Athletic Center, they happened to encounter Lakers players coming out of the tunnel.

"Wow, Brother Wang, it's Kobe. Oh Kobe, hurry up and take a picture and show it to the sisters. I saw Kobe in person!!!"

Wang Gan looked at the dancing and crazy-looking 'beautiful anchor' next to him, and subconsciously wanted to stay away from her.

The looks from other colleagues around him made him feel ashamed.

"Old Wang, you penguins are still playing tricks, haha..."

The direct words of the Chinese colleague next to him made Wang Gan blush even more.

Can't argue with that.

What's the purpose of sending such a 'precious thing' who knows little about basketball from such a long distance?

Isn’t it just sending river crabs thousands of miles away?

Kobe Bryant is the biggest star of the Lakers. When he appeared with the Lakers players, it naturally caused a burst of flashing lights at the scene.

However, most of the reporters who came here today are not here for Kobe.

Everyone's goal is the man walking behind the Lakers players.

"Huh? The Lakers players actually lined up? When D'Antoni led the team, the Lakers players came out of the training hall, but they haven't lined up in a long time..."

Seeing the Lakers players lining up as they walked into the training facility, the American reporters around them started making a noise.

Even the beautiful Penguin anchor Jiujiu was startled by the suddenly serious atmosphere.

"Wang, Brother Wang, the Lakers players suddenly lined up. Yes, is there anything wrong?"

"There is nothing wrong. At the training ground, players should line up to welcome newcomers, champions and coaches."

Just because it is the right thing to do, people who know this Laker find it incredible.

The Lakers are in too much chaos this season, and many of the things they should be doing are missing.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with describing this Laker as being in a state of chaos.

The second child is dissatisfied with the elder brother.

The eldest brother looks down upon the second oldest brother.

The coach looks down on the players.

The players look down on the coach.

The bosses are still fighting among themselves.

Only by truly understanding this Lakers can we realize how difficult it is to establish order and bring order to this Lakers.

Even getting the Lakers players to line up collectively to welcome newcomers and coaches is not easy.

Now the Lakers players are willing to abide by some order.

This shows that Du Kang, the newly appointed head coach, already has a certain authority in the Lakers.

D'Antoni did not have such authority in the later years of his coaching.

"Coach Xiao Du has had a good start with the Lakers. I hope that Arab League can have a good future with the Lakers."

After Wang Gan finished speaking, Jiujiu next to him had a question mark on his face.

Wang Gan didn't even explain. Is an explanation useful for such a precious thing?

A waste of breath.

It's better to read Du Kang's lecture seriously.

…

…

"I don't need to introduce myself. Everyone is already familiar with me. The player next to me is a player from China, Yi Jianlian. Yi, everyone is welcome."

After Du Kang introduced Yi Jianlian with a smile, Yi Jianlian greeted the Lakers players a little shyly.

After Ah Lian finished his greetings, the Lakers players also gave him sparse applause.

Du Kang glanced briefly.

It was interesting how some people applauded.

Nash and Howard's applause was the most enthusiastic.

Nash and Yi Jianlian get along well.

As for Howard...

Du Kang is not very clear about his brain circuit and cannot guess.

Probably he thinks that Yi Jianlian is one of his Du Kang's people, and he is one of his own Du Kang, so Yi Jianlian is also one of his own people Howard?

Apart from Nash and Howard, Gasol's applause was the most sincere.

He and the United Arab Emirates are old acquaintances. They have had many confrontations in the international arena. In the 2012 London Olympics, the match between the United Arab Emirates and Spain was like a god of war. He still has lingering fears.

Gasol should be regarded as one of the Lakers' players who most recognize Yi Jianlian's strength.

Kobe's applause was the most professional. As the boss of the team, his applause showed neither satisfaction nor dissatisfaction.

Artest and most of the Lakers players were perfunctory.

However, no matter what, even if it is perfunctory, it still gives him face as the head coach.

Antawn Jamison, Earl Clark, Jordan Hill...these three...
To be continued...