Dallas, Texas, USA. Pen ~ fun ~ pavilion www.biquge.info

Li Yiming is in the daily training hall of the Mavericks, a veteran powerhouse in the NBA West.

More than half of the uniformed team members gathered around him, some of them were intently evaluating the physical test data he had just completed, and some were discussing his physical examination report with the team doctor...... It is somewhat similar to the trial scene in Chicago not long ago, but the difference is that in addition to the uniform team and the team doctor, there is also a man dressed in casual clothes and a man with a large figure, and the two sit on the side of the court from a distance, looking at Li Yiming from time to time, not knowing what to say in each other's ears.

The casually dressed man Li Yiming is a little familiar, and he is very familiar with the tall and thin one.

It is the Dallas Mavericks who are the team boss, and it is not an exaggeration to say that it is the "German chariot" of the team. Werner. Nowitzki.

The identity of the other one is not difficult to guess, and it should be the owner of the Mavericks, the most exclusive owner of the NBA, Mark Brown. Cuban.

One is the soul of a team that has been loyal to a team for more than ten years, and the other is the owner of the NBA's most basketball-loving team, and there are so many stories between this pair.

"Lee." Mavericks head coach Carlisle looked at the report in his hand, which was densely packed with a lot of information that had been highlighted by his subordinates, all about the yellow-skinned man in front of him.

"Your knees...."He looked at Li Yiming, and couldn't help but shake his head like the coach of the Bulls.

Reluctantly showing a wry smile, Li Yiming nodded and said, "I know very well." ”

"It's hard to do." Carlisle's tone was flat, but there was a slight twist, he turned to look at the team manager next to him, Nelson, as if to exchange opinions with the other party through eye contact, "But we still think you still have a foothold in the NBA." ”

He is a typical academic coach, and he has never been very interested in the "jumping man" with outstanding physical fitness, but he is more favored by the kind of players who have a strong basketball IQ or have a strong tactical execution.

This is also the reason why he still invited Li Yiming to participate in the trial.

Li Yiming is still very young, although his physical condition is degraded, but his brain is still there, and his ability to execute on the court has been proven as early as the 2011-2012 season.

He's the kind of player who plays with a brain, perfectly qualified for the role of off-ball finisher with the Bulls, and after the injury of star Rose on the eve of the playoffs, he was able to quickly adjust his position and start playing a lot of ball-handling singles, creating opportunities for his teammates by attracting packs.

In 2012, he led the Bulls without Rose to the second round of the playoffs, and if it weren't for the championship team of the year, the Heat, maybe he could have gone far.

Compared to the loss of athleticism due to illness, Carlisle values his good basketball IQ and strong learning ability.

"And I have to compliment you a few words." Carlisle continued: "It's almost a full season of season reimbursements, and you've lost a little weight to reduce the load on your knees, but your overall body fat level is still very good. ”

Rao is Carlisle, who has always had a cold expression, not only gave a thumbs up, "This attitude is very professional, you must have been maintaining high-intensity training with the goal of returning to the NBA, right?" ”

Although it is a questioning sentence, the tone of the other party is very affirmative.

Li Yiming nodded quietly, the coach's words made him feel the opportunity, and while secretly breathing a sigh of relief, he couldn't help but smile on his face, "Yes, I've been preparing." ”

Kuban and Nowitzki, who had been sitting far away before, also surrounded them at some point.

Hearing Li Yiming's words, Kuban, who had been staring at him, looked very happy, "Hey, Li, you are more tenacious than I imagined. ”

"Thank you." Li Yiming bowed slightly, and after greeting him, he took the initiative to touch his shoulders and shake hands with Nowitzki beside him.

"Dirk, long time no see."

"It's been a long time since you've seen you, man." Nowitzki is still blonde, his beard is neatly trimmed, and his facial features hidden under his hair are actually very delicate, he is 36 years old this year, but his eyes are still very clear.

Although the two are in the same league, they can basically be said to be people of two eras, and when the German tank led the team to the playoffs every year, Li Yiming had just entered high school.

Although he is not his fan, Li Yiming still admires each other very much, not only because of the loneliness of being stationed in a city alone, but also because of his respect for a superstar whose career is about to come to an end.

The stars of that era meant a youth that Li Yiming could not forget and always remembered.

"Am I not back?" Before Li Yiming's injury, one of the two teams belonged to the east and the other to the west, and there was no chance to play each other except for the regular season, although Li Yiming also attended the Nowitzki charity dinner in Dallas, but in fact, the two were just nodding friends before.

When we met again after a year, I felt a little intimate.

Cuban was talking to coach Carlisle and manager Nelson, and in order to avoid suspicion, the two went to other corners and chatted with each other.

"I've watched the playoffs." Li Yiming took the initiative to speak, "It's a wonderful game, facing this year's champion Spurs can still lose 3-4, your performance is really unexpected." ”

It's not polite, in the face of the menacing Spurs this year, the Mavericks' 3-4 defeat can already be called a defeat, you must know that whether it is the Western Conference finals against the Thunder, or the finals against the Heat, the Spurs are comfortable winning the game 4-2.

Nowitzki just smiled, "No matter how anxious you are, you can't lose in one round." Since winning the NBA championship in 2011, he has been a lot more open-minded, and although he is as focused as ever, Nowitzki, who is now a complete merit, is more willing to enjoy basketball than winning.

His career was much more bumpy than Li Yiming's, having entered the NBA in 1998, but his first taste of the playoffs was six years later in 2004.

In the 2005-2006 season, he reached the finals, but he was crushed in front of the god-like Wade.

In the 2006_2007 season, Nowitzki played a very dominant season, leading the Mavericks who held back their anger for an offseason to win the first record of 67 wins in the regular season, but in the first round of the playoffs, the Warriors staged a black eight show, and when Nowitzki received the regular season MVP trophy, his Mavericks team had been eliminated early.

Even this drama played out again in the 2009-2010 season, when the second-place Mavericks in the West were defeated 4-2 by the Spurs, who finished seventh in the West, and it was also the first Black Seven Miracle after all rounds of the NBA playoffs were changed to seven games and four wins.

It was all a joke, and Nowitzki has been humiliated by the media and the league since then, and if it weren't for the 2010-2011 season with a group of veterans who fought all the way to win the championship, perhaps his career would never have looked up.

This is also the reason why Li Yiming respects him.

With an indomitable fighting spirit and tenacity that does not give up even if he is not favored by everyone, Nowitzki has made a perfect redemption for his NBA career at the peak tail of his career.

"What about this year?" Li Yiming looked up at him, he hadn't communicated with someone taller than him for some time.

Nowitzki smiled kindly, and after staying in the United States for a long time, the Germans, who had always been unsmiling, began to use smiles to relieve tension.

"Cuban meant to let me sign a contract with a maximum salary, after all, my salary has not been high in order to maintain the team's roster for the past few years." It's not a secret, and there's no need to keep it secret - although it was a negotiation between him and his boss Cuban, everyone knew that he would never leave Mavericks, and Cuban would never treat him badly.

The Kuban has always been generous, and even more so in the face of Nowitsky.

Li Yiming heard the meaning of the turning point in his words.

"But, there must be buts, right?"

Nowitzki glanced at Li Yiming, with a look that you really understand me, "Yes, but I want to play happily more than the top salary." ”

The big man looked at the floor, then at the whole field, and then his eyes stopped at the distant scenery from somewhere.

"As for the money, it's enough, I think you can understand, Lee."

Li Yiming shrugged, although he wanted to say that he was short of money to start a company, but deep down he still agreed with Nowitzki's behavior.

"Well, even though all my salary in the NBA doesn't add up to what you get in a season, it's understandable."

Even if they have different nationalities, races, and cultural backgrounds, the two have at least one thing in common, and that is their pure love for basketball.

Nowitzki patted him on the shoulder, his eyes showing undisguised appreciation, "That's why I'm glad you're joining us." ”

Li Yiming's pupils trembled, and he was a little stunned, but when he came back to his senses, he turned into joy.

"It's ......"

"That's what Kuban meant." The German pointed to the owner of the team who was talking to the manager and coach not far away, "He's glad you came back and contacted us, and I have to admit that you weren't in my plan at first." ”

He paused, "But, why not, you're so good." ”

"Your plan?" Li Yiming was confused by the words that came out of the other party again, "What a plan." ”

The Germans crossed their arms, and their eyes were more meaningful.

"A nursing home? How happy are the elderly? ”

He smiled, "This is Kuban's complaint about me." Well, he's right, we're all old guys indeed. ”

Li Yiming was even more interested, "You guys? ”

"It's us now."