Calipari remembers vividly when he transferred from the University of Memphis to Kentucky and inspect the Wildcats.

It was the summer of 2009, and the Kentucky team didn't win much in the NCAA that year, not even making it to the national tournament.

After scouting the Wildcats' players, Calipari concluded that the team was too short of talent.

Although the NCAA pays attention to teams and tactics, it is difficult for a clever woman to cook without rice, and no matter how good the tactics and teams are, they are also composed of excellent players.

DeAndrew Ligins, Darius Miller, Patrick Patterson, were the core architecture of the Wildcats at the time.

The first thing Calipari did when he arrived was to inject talent into this team and at the same time weed out the unqualified players.

He recruited John Wall and DeMarcus Cousins to bolster the team's weakest point guard and center position at once.

Then, Calipari wanted to get rid of the guy named Bruce Lee, a Chinese student with mediocre talent, that is, mediocre combat ability.

In Calipari's opinion, Bruce Lee is strong enough to play in the NCAA-3 division.

has a certain height, shooting is not bad, and basic skills are okay, but talent is lacking.

On the training pitch, he is always a beat slower than others, and his lack of confrontation ability is the most lethal.

He stayed in the team and had almost no effect, even as a sparring partner, Calipari felt that he was not qualified enough.

Of course, Calipari later learned about Li Liang's background from the school and learned that this was a guy who "opened the back door".

In the NBA, there are cases where the back door is opened, let alone the colleges.

The name of a member of a college powerhouse sports team is still somewhat useful in some places.

So, Calipari had a free-range attitude towards Li Liang, thinking that as long as he didn't make trouble, he would be fine.

Ignoring and ignoring it, Li Liang was thrown into the corner like an abandoned child waiting for mold.

Calipari thought that one day he would find that he was not fit to play, he would probably quit.

But old Kavan never expected that this kid persevered.

Li Liang slowly impressed the coach with his continuous diligent training.

In the summer of his sophomore year and junior year, Li Liang entered the team squad.

That year, they made it to the elite quarterfinals.

After losing to West Virginia in the quarterfinals, Cousins and Wall entered the NBA, one as the top pick and the other as the No. 4 pick.

The Wildcats added Brandon Knight and Terrence Jones, and Li Liang became Jones' primary sparring partner.

In March Madness of '11, Kentucky, without Cousins and Wall, made it to the final four and went one step further.

After losing by 1 point to eventual champion UConn, Brandon Knight also went to the NBA.

Kentucky then got Anthony Davis, and under the leadership of the talented player, Kentucky finally made the final jump of the triple jump this year and took the crown.

It was also this year that Li Liang began to get the opportunity to play, although only to go up to the free throws.

Li Liang's free throws are good, his mental quality is excellent, and he never makes mistakes.

Because he knows what he can do on the field, his mind is unusually clear.

Therefore, Calipari thought that after graduation, Li Liang would be very soberly aware that he was not suitable for playing basketball.

He could, like himself, choose to pursue a career in basketball coaching.

Starting as a video editor, for example, Calipari was ready to recommend him a position at the University of Memphis.

Or, he could go back and inherit the family business, and there was no need for someone like him to spend time on basketball.

But he never expected that Bruce Lee was a guy with an iron head and insisted that he could enter the NBA.

What he didn't expect was that this kid seemed to be about to succeed!

In Washington, he learned that Li Liang had the opportunity to try out with the Lakers, and he thought it was incredible.

Are Lakers scouts blind?

Even if you are blind, you can sense light, Li Liang has no light at all, how can he go to the trial?

Kalipari speculated whether it could be that Li Liang had a Chinese team behind him.

But when he learned that Li Liang's agent was a Chinese female student at Ken University, he felt that his three views had been damaged to a certain extent.

Is it a new trick for China's rich second-generation pickling girls?

He really hadn't seen it before.

And when Li Liang contacted him yesterday and informed him that the Lakers had promised to choose him, Calypari was silent on the other end of the phone for a while.

Although he was a little unconvinced, he knew that Li Liang did not have any need to deceive himself.

This morning, Calipari confirmed with Li Liang in person.

Li Liang said very calmly that it was not necessarily, it was just a verbal promise.

Hard.

This kid is really calm, and Calipari wants to be quite a coach of his own.

He has been a high-quality water dispenser for four years, and the VIP seat has been watching the game all year round plus listening to the coach's online commentary, so it's really a pity not to be a coach.

Thinking a lot, Calipari was quite emotional.

He brought out champions like Rose, Wall, and Davis, but he didn't expect such a guy to enter the NBA.

At this time, the players of the new Kentucky Wildcats finally arrived, and changed into training clothes and began to warm up on the court.

It's been five minutes since Calipari booked his scheduled arrival time.

Lao Ka thought that it was time to set the rules for these guys, otherwise it would be difficult to play in the new season.

"Beep!"

A shrill whistle blew, and the Wildcats assembled.

Li Liang stood at the very edge of the team and looked at the players in the team, most of whom were old teammates from before.

Julius Mays, Brian Long, Sam Malone, Joe Hood and many more.

Then Li Liang found a problem, these old teammates seem to be... It's all defenders.

That's right, after last season's six main players confirmed their departures, the Kentucky Wildcats' forward line was poor and white.

Only Kyle Wilcher is left as a striker, so three of the four new additions are big men.

Noel, Cauley Stein and Alex Boisres.

In the current situation where the forward line is extremely important, how can the defensive end withstand the impact of violent defenders by relying on the frontcourt of such a pure newcomer.

Li Liang couldn't help but feel worried about the new season of the Kentucky Wildcats.

The old teammates also felt very strange when they saw Li Liang coming, and asked Li Liang if he had applied for a full-time sparring partner for Wildcat.

Li Liang just snorted coldly and said, "I'm going to enter the NBA, and I'm looking for you to spar!" ”

Of course, everyone didn't believe it, thinking that this kid was bragging again.

Li Liang's braggadocio can be regarded as a must-have in Kentucky.

After all, he is well-informed, and he is not comparable to these black boys who are immersed in playing.

Just talking and laughing with Obama made his teammates admire him.

The training soon began, and the morning began with the practice of basic skills.

College training is different from NBA training.

In the NBA, teams generally don't waste time practicing together.

And in college, there is never a shortage of basic skills practice and basic tactical training.

Li Liang has never fallen behind in these exercises, and he can complete the training content well.

It's just that the skill of ball control is not talented enough, and no matter how much you practice, you just keep it.

When it comes to high-level basketball, the quality of ball control depends on the so-called "ball nature".

Spherical nature is a very mysterious description.

In fact, it is the control of a player's fingers and wrists, and the rhythm of the whole body adjusting to the ball.

A player with a good ball can make the ball seem to grow in his hand, and the ball moves with the person and shuttles freely in the opponent's defense.

If the ball is not good, it is that people run after the ball, and under high-intensity defense, it is good to be able to control the ball well and not drop the ball.

Li Liang's ball nature is very ordinary, no matter how he practices, it's just okay anyway.

This is not a top priority, so so far, Li Liang has not started the task training of [Transmission and Control Ability].

Half an hour of dribbling practice is over, and then it's time to start the confrontation.

Half-court possession-follow-up drills.

Calipari divided the men into two groups, one from the baseline to the halfway line, and the other to follow the ball all the way.

There are twice as many people in possession as in the follow-up group, so you can keep repeating it.

Of course, Li Liang joined the follow-up defense team, and he has always played the role of follow-up pressure in the past.

In the same group as Li Liang, the ball control practice is carried out by newcomers Alex Perisrees and Joe Hood.

"Hey, Hood, are you alright?" Before training, Li Liang and Hood said hello.

The two are old acquaintances, and they are the second-best teammates with Li Liang besides Terrance Jones.

Hood had the unfortunate chance of tearing the anterior cruciate ligament in the summer of '11, resulting in a 12-season reimbursement, a year off, and a championship while lying down.

Repeating his junior year this year, he returned to the court after recovering from injury.

Lao Ka wanted to let the two good friends, Hood and Li Liang, confront each other and see what their situation was now.

Hood smiled and said, "I'm fine now, let's start?" ”

"Okay." Li Liang nodded, thinking that I can't help Hood, I won't pity you just because you just came back from injury!