Beijing time on October 20, 2017.

The Rockets didn't play that day, and they took an early flight from Sacramento, where the previous night's game took the previous night, to their home base of Houston, Texas.

Due to the time difference between the West Coast and the central United States, even if the team leaves early in the morning, it will be the local afternoon when the team arrives in Houston. The players picked up their luggage and walked out of the airport through the VIP passage, and the red bus of the Rockets was already silently waiting for the triumphant return of the heroes.

1/

"Good performance, Yiming." Meritis, assistant to the team's manager, also came to the airport and greeted each player one by one in the car.

"Thank you."

"Keep up the good work."

"Hmm." In the face of the enthusiastic encouragement of the blonde and blue-eyed beautiful assistant, Yang Yiming, who was originally good at English, was also a little speechless, so he could only respond hastily.

"There is a training match in the afternoon, so take a break on the road and perform well." Meritis seemed to take special care of Yiming and specially instructed him.

Training matches?

Yang Yiming silently recited these three words again in his heart. That's really to cheer up, he pursed his lips and secretly cheered himself up.

"Training matches? Wow! Capella, who followed Yang Yiming into the car, heard Meritis reminding the former, and excitedly shouted at his teammates behind him.

"The losing team has a dinner treat." Team boss James Harden heard the shout, took off his headphones, jumped in the car and announced.

"Mexican food!" Those who had already sat in the car followed suit.

"Yes, that's a deal."

"I'll keep track of the flop." Meritis volunteered.

"Then Paul lost his last job." There was a lot of laughter in the carriage about Chris Paul, who was slightly injured in the latter part of the first race.

Paul got into the car, had already heard the discussion, and rushed to sit down and gave a round of middle fingers. The laughter did not go down but rose, and the noise became louder.

2/

"How's your trip to the West Coast?" The players are all tall and big, usually after one person occupies two seats side by side, he still lies horizontally, so Yu Xiaochun did not sit with Yang Yiming, but chose an empty seat in the front row alone. When Meritis saw it, he also sat down next to Yu Xiaochun and asked him about his trip with the team.

"Okay." didn't expect her to take the initiative to say hello, Yu Xiaochun nervously moved to the window.

"It's okay, you'll get used to it." Meritis handed the iPad in his hand to Yu Xiaochun and said in a passer-over tone. With her hands free, she retied her loose hair and tied it with a headband.

"I actually don't think I need this translator." I don't know if it was because of the faint fragrance of Meritis's hair, Yu Xiaochun suddenly fell into a myth.

"His English is good."

"Hmm..."

"But when he's coming to the U.S. for the first time, he'll still need a guide." Meritis tied her hair, and Yu Xiaochun handed her the iPad back, "The NBA is definitely not just about playing basketball. ”

"Guides?"

"Yes, I'm sure that's why he insisted on keeping you." Meritis threw an encouraging look at Koharu, "Yang is very smart, he knows that the help you can give him is far greater than when an agent reviews the contract in a day." ”

"What do you think?" Yu Xiaochun looked back at Meritis, her eyes met, and she nodded. Her eyes are a beautiful sapphire color.

"Trust me, you're going to do a great job – there's a press conference tomorrow and Coach D'Antoni has assigned you all to attend." Meritis pointed out the itinerary memo on the iPad to Yu Xiaochun.

"Hmm—" his tone seemed much more confident this time.

"Take your time, the city of Rome was not built in a day." Meritis quoted an English proverb.

"Yes. But actually, I'm more curious about how the training matches are played. ”

"It's simple... You'll find out later. The two of them were on the bus to the stadium and started talking.

3/

In the training match, all the players are divided into two teams, a team of seven, five players on the field and two substitutes, and compete in the whole field.

Unlike the official game, the Rockets' practice game is faster, not only does it not foul the free throw (the fouled team directly sends a throw-in), but after the shot is hit, the scored team can also serve directly and launch an attack. At full game, the first team to score 21 points wins: all two-point shots are counted as one point, and to encourage three-point shooting, each three-point shot is counted as two points.

Obviously, this coincides with D'Antoni's three-point shooting strategy.

Yang Yiming and team boss James Harden were assigned to the red team. Also on the team are center Nene and forward Ariza and three second-year rookies, Onuaku, Williams, and Jackson.

"We've won." The bearded Harden always seems to have a superior self-confidence.

"Can I choose a place if I win?" Yang Yiming reported a Mexican restaurant recommended by Jose.

"Tasteful, lad." Nene said in a low voice after living in Houston for many years.

"Then let the horses go." On the opposite side, the white team stood opposite Nene and the center forward Capela, who was also ready to jump the ball, did not show weakness.

"Let's get started." Meritis, who still did the flip scoreboard work, put his palms around his mouth and shouted into the field.

Chris Paul, who made a cameo appearance as a referee because of a foot injury, threw the ball into the air.

Two big black shadow hands, vying for this basketball!

4/

After the opening period, the red team led by James Harden first established the advantage. Nene and Harden, the invincible blocking and pick-and-roll partners in the NBA, played exquisite cooperation many times, with empty dunks, breakthrough points, and three-point shots after blocking and pick-and-roll, and the red team quickly led the white team 7-2. Yang Yiming also received an inside pass from Nene, and played a board under the basket to contribute a point.

"Congratulations, you're becoming an official player for the Rockets from today." Three days ago, in the team's manager's office, D'Antoni congratulated Yang Yiming, who had just signed his name on his rookie contract.

"The Chinese tradition of Team Rocket." General Manager Morey added with a smile on his face.

"Thank you."

"I hope you are as successful as 'Yao'." Morey is clearly talking about Yao Ming, the Great Wall of China.

"I will." Yang Yiming looked at the photo on the office wall where Yao Ming was awarded the NBA Hall of Fame in 2016, and expressed his attitude with confidence.

"Well done! That's what drives you. ”

On the field, the white team obviously did not want to lose the game easily, and after standing firm, they fought back. Taking advantage of the team's advantage of more three-point shots, under the sudden series of Eric Gordon, Anderson took the lead in opening and scored two three-pointers into the basket. Immediately afterwards, Tucker, Capela, and Gordon themselves also scored three points, but grabbed more than half of the points 12:9.

"I'll handle the rest of your contract declaration and work visa on behalf of the team." Meritis took over the words just now, looked at Yu Xiaochun and said, "Then your agent, he...?" ”

"Now that the contract has been signed, he can stay in Houston for a few more days and experience the American scenery." General Manager Morey changed back to the tone of a businessman, and the words changed, "Of course, he can also return to China on the same day, and the follow-up broker commissions will be paid to the account designated by Mr. Yu as soon as possible." ”

"It's not that our Rockets don't welcome Mr. Yu, it's that the agent and the player are still different. The players are part of the team and we do our duty. But the agent just—" or the little old man D'Antoni spoke, trying to make a round.

So soon, going back again?!

The training match was also in a fierce battle at this time. The White team is still creating three-point shooting opportunities by breaking through the ball, but the shooting percentage is down from the original point. And the red team, due to the loss of physical strength from the old center Nenei, has also fallen into the bitter struggle of James Harden with his own ability alone.

At 17:18, the red team is one point behind, and the white team has the ball.

Yang Yiming replaces None.

"You go up and defend Gordon, and I'll help defend it." James Harden pointed to Eric Gordon, who was dribbling into the halfcourt, and whispered to Yang Yiming, who had just returned to the court, "When attacking, you and Ariza stand in the left and right corners for three points. ”

"Three points?"

"That's right, wait for me to pass the ball, shoot when there's space!" Harden tapped Yang Yiming's chest hard, "Let's go!" ”

5/

"He's not my agent." Yang Yiming suddenly opened his mouth and said this. On the court, his size clearly made Gordon uncomfortable, and the latter was forced to dribble to the sideline, and James Harden acted at the opportunity, blocking his way to the basket. Gordon was so caught that he couldn't move forward, so he could only jump up and pass the ball to his teammates, but he didn't expect Yang Yiming to judge his intentions earlier, intercept the pass with both hands, and pass directly to Harden after breaking the ball!

Harden dribbled through, but did not choose to attack the basket, but stopped directly outside the three-point line, took aim, and shot steadily!

19:18。

"Yiming, didn't you say that Mr. Yu can represent you?" In the office, the three people across the signing table were a little surprised. Morey, who has seen all kinds of unexpected situations in the NBA mall, still spoke first.

"Yes. I mean, he's more than just my agent. I also need a translator and personal assistant... Let him come, mainly, for this reason. Yang Yiming deliberately said his English answer intermittently, "Look at me, this language is still just so so-I need him very much." ”

Morey, D'Antoni, and Meritis looked at each other.

On the training court, the white team threw a long pass directly from the backcourt, and the unguarded Anderson made a layup. 19 flat.

The air in the office was almost still.

"Do we have a translator position?" D'Antoni, who is still good at playing the round, broke the silence and asked Meritis.

"There should be. In the past, international players who had poor English and could not fully understand the tactics and training content were hired full-time translators. ”

At the critical moment, the ball of the red team is still in the hands of James Harden. He dribbled the ball under his crotch, shook off the defender with a shift in his center of gravity, and then took three slow steps to break through to the basket. Capela, who was sitting in the penalty area, saw that the situation was not good, came up to block, Harden was prepared, his left wrist shook, and the ball flew to Yang Yiming, who was standing in the bottom corner of the right side and had been waiting for a long time.

Unguarded.

He jumped lightly and sent the basketball away. Three points!

At 21:19, the training match is over!

"Then it looks like your friend Mr. Yu is also going to fly to Auckland with you." Morey made the decision, drawing an end to the thrilling negotiation between Yang Yiming and Yu Xiaochun.