This year's Eagles didn't make much of a change, just brought in Grant? Lu, to bridge the Hawks' shortcomings at the small forward position.

In the face of the rocket that has just defeated the supersonic speed and is in high morale, there is obviously no good way.

However, at this time, Tiger was once again requested to be traded by the Hawks, and the Hawks wanted to get the Chinese player.

Tiger really couldn't figure out why the eagle wanted to get the bus so much, and Tiger, who had such an idea, picked up the phone, and he connected a number.

"Hello, is it Steven? Mr. Belkin? I'm Tiger? Jones. At this time, Tiger was a successful businessman, a financial predator with huge resources.

The person on the other side of the phone, obviously stunned, was silent for a few seconds, and said, "Yes, I'm Steven?" Hello Belkin, Mr. Tiger. ”

Tiger smiled faintly and said, "I often hear people mention Mr. Steven's name, but there are very few opportunities to meet, I hope it won't bother you." ”

Steven, the largest shareholder of the Eagles? Belkin hurriedly said on the other end of the phone, "No, no, Mr. Tiger, I won't bother you or anything, do you have something, Mr. Tiger." ”

Don't blame Steven? Belkin's nervousness, although he is also a successful businessman, is still far from Tiger compared to Tiger.

Tiger heard the doubts in the heart of the person opposite, but Tiger did not pierce it, and still said: "Mr. Steven, I have now received a trade request from the Eagles, do you appreciate it so much, this Chinese in our team?" ”

Steven at this time? Belkin has slowly calmed down, and although he is still a little apprehensive, as a successful businessman, the necessary calmness is still needed.

After hearing Tiger's purpose, Steven? Belkin pondered for a while and said: "You don't know, our Eagles also selected a Chinese player back then, who was also a center, that was a very talented young man, but due to an injury, he still failed to land in the world's highest level of professional basketball league, that young man is very pity, after that, our team still wants to have a Chinese player, to see if the young man's compatriots have the ability to play something in this league." Actually, you don't know, when the bus landed in the league, we have already begun to pay attention to him, after a few years of development we think that this person is completely possible in the eagles to hold up a piece of the sky, you know that the age of the African mountains has always been a mystery, we are not sure how long Deacon Bay can play, how long he can maintain his competitive form, we need a young center to make up for it, but you also know how difficult it is to find these excellent interior players in the league now, and there are many young people now, They are all relying on their own body and talent to play, and it is really difficult to find a good center like Daba, who has solid basic skills and basket skills, and shoots with one hand. That's why we made a trade application. Tiger listening to Steven? Belkin's explanation, silent for a long time, finally said: "The Chinese you chose is not called Song Tao." ”

Steven? Belkin was stunned when he heard this, a three-round pick of the 87 draft, how can the richest boss in this league also know, Leng Gui Leng, Steven quickly said: "Yes, that Chinese is Song." ”

And Steven? What Belkin didn't know was that Tiger at this time had fallen into the past of Song Tao, a Chinese who passed by the NBA.

Song Tao, born in 1964, is 2.08 meters tall, a native of Shandong Province, and a center forward. Song Tao's father is a basketball coach, perhaps because he has witnessed it, he has a strong interest in basketball since he was a child, and his body is relatively weak, his father has trained him in basketball since he was a child. At that time, Song Tao's dream was to go to university, and when he was in his second year of high school, the coach of the Shandong provincial team took a fancy to Song Tao's excellent physical fitness and basketball skills, and encouraged him to participate in the training and competition of the provincial team, when he was only 16 years old.

In 1983, Song Tao was selected for the national team, and during his time playing in the national team, some coaches took a fancy to him and hoped that he could play volleyball or high jump. Because of his explosiveness and good bounce power, the coach of the national track and field team once "lobbied" Song Tao to change his career, and jokingly said: "If Song Tao practices high jump, Zhu Jianhua will have no play!" But he rejected them because he only liked to play basketball. In his national team career from '83 to '89, he participated in the Olympic Games, Asian Games, World Championships, World Youth Championships and other competitions. 1986 World Men's Basketball Championship. At that time, as the main center of the Chinese national team, he made outstanding contributions to the Chinese team's 9th place. A total of 24 teams participated in that competition, and the ninth place won by the Chinese team was also the best result achieved by Chinese basketball in a world-class competition at that time.

It was also in June 1987 that the Hawks selected the 2.08-meter-tall Chinese center in the 67th place in the third round of the NBA Draft. This is not only the glory of Chinese basketball players, but also the glory of Asian basketball players, but unfortunately, Song Tao was not able to land in the NBA to show his style on the court.

How did he get noticed by the NBA, and what caused him to land in the NBA and run aground?

If you are not a veteran basketball fan, you may not know the name Song Tao. How good is Song Tao, let's put it this way, look at Du Feng today, you can see Song Tao back then, but Song Tao is taller and bounces better than Du Feng. The 2.08-meter Song Tao had a terrifying move at that time: he held the basketball with both hands at the same time, and dunked the basketball into the basket after jumping. How good is Song Tao's bounce? He once tried to touch the height with the high jump world champion Zhu Jianhua, and the result was that Song Tao's touch height was 3.69 meters, and Zhu Jianhua's was 3.67 meters. Because of his good bounce and outstanding defensive awareness, Song Tao's cap is very good, and he can cover the opponent's hat through people when defending. When he went to the United States with the Chinese men's basketball team, he even covered the famous "Dr. J" Julius? Owen's hat.

Song Tao caught the attention of the NBA in the 10th Men's World Basketball Championship in 1986, in which the young Song Tao was spotted by the NBA Atlanta Hawks for his superb basketball skills and excellent jumping ability, and was selected in the NBA Draft in June 1987.

Later, the Hawks sent Song Tao a work contract, and he solemnly signed it, "I didn't even expect to be the first Chinese player to sign the NBA, which is due to two reasons, one is that everyone didn't care about the NBA on the other side of the ocean at that time, and the other is that Chinese players don't have the strength to play in the NBA." ”

Everything is ready, only the east wind is owed! Just when Song Tao was about to land in the NBA, an unexpected injury caused him to pass by the NBA. It was the day before he went to Yugoslavia to participate in the World University Games, and Song Tao grabbed a rebound from Sun Fengwu, but it was this rebound that delayed the entry of Chinese players into the NBA by 13 years. Due to the unstable landing at that time, Song Tao's patella was shattered and fractured. Song Tao's operation was very successful, more than 3 months later, he began to resume training, perhaps it was the arrangement of fate, Song Tao was walking in the corridor of the athletes' building of the National Sports Commission Training Bureau at that time, but unfortunately fell due to the slippery ground, and suffered from old injuries. The Hawks helped him and took him to the United States for treatment, but he was unable to recover from his injury, and the 22-year-old Song Tao's NBA future was ruined, and his athlete career ended prematurely.

Come to think of it. Tiger was also embarrassed by Song Tao's experience.

But a businessman's instinct made him think Steven? In Belkin's words, there are different things, the excellence of the bus, finding a replacement for Deacon Bay, these are just superficial excuses, but the deeper things, Tiger still sees very accurately.

That is the market, the future of the NBA is the road of internationalization, and the future of international players has become the most beautiful scenery in the NBA league.

The eagle is interested in the bus, not only because of himself, but also because of the huge interests and market behind the bus.

Thinking of this, Tiger continued: "Mr. Steven, we understand that people don't tell lies, I understand what you mean on the surface, but I also understand the deeper things, everyone is a businessman, needless to say so much, I just want to know, will the bus become the main force?" ”

Steven? Belkin is also a transparent person, of course he understands the meaning behind Tiger's words, suppressed the excitement in his heart and said: "As long as this Chinese young man can maintain his current state, there is absolutely no problem for him to become the main force." ”

Tiger nodded silently and said, "Let's not talk about this matter now, let's talk about it after the season is over, I want to give the bus another championship ring." ”

Steven? Belkin suddenly stood up in his chair and said excitedly, "Okay, okay, Mr. Tiger, we understand, we understand." ”

Tiger exchanged a few words of greeting and hung up the phone.

He knows very well the minds of these businessmen, now is the rising period of the bus, there is at least 5-7 years of golden time, every year through the fame of the bus, how much money can be absorbed in the Chinese market, and the bus also has the aura of the championship, in addition to the main position of the eagle, the bus will definitely be pushed to a new height.

Thinking about the past few years of getting along with the bus, this honest Mongolian man has deeply won the hearts of other Rockets players, but he can only be a substitute in the Rockets, which is also a kind of disparagement of the Chinese boy.

However, it is not so easy for you eagles to pick up cheap, when the 98 draft, Dazhi also participated, why don't you make a move, don't you just take a fancy to the title of the first person in NBA China.

Hmph, by next year, I'll let cry find a place.

And the game between the Rockets and the Hawks that day, it became a slaughter, Krohill who returned from injury and the bus who lifted the ban, two tigers who wanted to be slaughtered, ravaging the Hawks' basket, Olajuwon took turns to rest in this game, and the bus served as the starter, in the confrontation with the 'African Mountain', showing the upper hand, although Mutombo covered two big hats, but the whole game cut 24 points and 11 rebounds, is still the standard of an excellent center.

Crohill also had 19 points, four rebounds and three assists, which is good enough for a second-year rookie.

After the start of the game, the Rockets had the upper hand in the first quarter of the game, under the dispatch of Bodi Roga, and with the strong performance of the bus and Crohill, the Rockets led by six points at 24:18 at the end of the first quarter.

In the next game, the Rocket did not give the opponent a chance at all, and the Rocket firmly controlled the game.

At 51:40 in the second quarter, the Rockets stretched the score to 11 points.

At 75:62 of the end of the third quarter, the Rockets still maintained the lead with the substitution player.

When the bell rang, the Rockets won 100-89 on their home court.

After the game, Wilkens could only comfort his players and make them feel better.

Daba and Mutombo exchanged jerseys, and as an old fellow, 'African Mountain' still has a good impression of this kid from China.

But neither of them expected that after the end of the season, both of them would have to go out of a different trajectory than before.

(To be continued)