After more than three months of resuming training in the swimming pool, Yao Ming has "overcome" the injury and is ready for the Olympics.
Now he has to rush back to China to participate in the warm-up match and get familiar with the national team members as soon as possible.
Of course, Xu Yong, who returned to China with Yao Ming, knew that Yao Ming was still limping when he walked, so he was really struggling.
On the plane, Yao Ming and Xu Yong sat next to each other, neither of them saying much.
Yao Ming was worried about the Olympics, but Xu Yong didn't know how to speak.
Regarding the matter of [Time Travel/Rebirth Persuading Yao Ming to Lose Weight], it is a must-choice plot in the basketball novels he has read, and it is as classic as fantasy novels about falling off a cliff and having adventures.
But after experiencing what happened to McGrady, he knew that even if he persuaded him, the result would probably not change.
Because people's choices are basically determined by their personality.
The difference in choices between Harden and McGrady is a reflection of this situation.
In Yao Ming's character, competitiveness and sense of responsibility are the two most important aspects.
His competitiveness is more reflected in his NBA career, which is why he has the most classic [player tunnel and return].
His sense of responsibility is more reflected at the national team level, whether it is the crazy compression of recovery time in the swimming pool to catch up with the BJ Olympics this time, or the word "I" in history when he needed to take responsibility for the World Cup at home. Or maybe he wants to be the chairman of the Basketball Association who gets ridiculed even though he can get endorsements.
Can anyone really convince such a person?
Not to mention convincing, I am afraid that even if Yao Ming himself is reborn, the choices he makes will probably be exactly the same as in history.
However, if you really have such an opportunity after being reborn, if you don't say something to Yao Ming, it really feels like you saw the martial arts secret book at the bottom of the cliff, but deliberately pretended not to see it.
"Brother Yao." Xu Yong finally spoke.
Yao Ming turned his head and looked at Xu Yong doubtfully.
"I want to go to London with you." Xu Yong looked at Yao Ming and said.
Yao Ming was stunned for a moment, then laughed.
Because of his height, Yao Ming is called "silly big guy" by some anti-fans, but in fact, Yao Ming's two-dimensional intelligence is very high, which can be seen from his performance on the court, getting along with teammates, and even in his Hall of Fame speech. come out.
How could he not understand what Xu Yong said?
London had already confirmed its successful bid for the Olympics as early as 2001. Xu Yong's London naturally refers to the London Olympics.
"Of course we will go together." Yao Ming said with a smile.
"Is it really possible?" Xu Yong said, looking at Yao Ming's injured leg.
Because Yao Ming became famous too early, he has not changed his age. His current age is 27 years old and he will soon be 28 years old.
Four years later in London, when the Olympic Games begin, he will be 31 years old.
For inside players in this era, the 31-year-old has begun to decline, but it is still at its peak. It can be called the end of its peak.
But that was under normal circumstances. Xu Yong knew that if Yao Ming didn't make any changes, next season would be his swan song in the NBA.
Yao Ming smiled bitterly when he heard this. He seemed to remember that Xu Yong was someone who could be easily persuaded.
"What do you want to say?" He put away his smile and looked at Xu Yong seriously and asked.
"Brother Yao, did you gain weight to compete with O'Neal?" Xu Yong asked again first, and after seeing that Yao Ming did not refute, he continued,
"When so many Chinese people were looking at you, you could only choose to gain weight. But now that O'Neal is about to retire, can you consider losing weight? I know that losing weight can no longer change your injuries, and it will also make you inside. The threat goes down, but that prolongs your career.”
After finishing speaking, Xu Yong looked at Yao Ming and said what he just said seriously again: "Brother Yao, I really want to go to London with you."
The 2008 Olympics at home is naturally the best opportunity, but he knows very well that the help he can give to the national team now is very limited.
But in London four years later, if Yao Ming can still play, that will be his best chance.
Although he did not come out of the system, he comes from a basketball family and is equally enthusiastic about playing for the national team.
That has nothing to do with the Basketball Association or anything, but as an athlete, representing the national team and winning honors is the most proud and fulfilling thing.
Yao Ming took a long breath.
Xu Yong's persuasion was very good, and it could even be said that it directly hit his weakness.
In order to continue to play for the next national team, losing weight reduces the status of the NBA. This logic that does not work for others is true for him.
Because he really cares more about the national team than his achievements in the NBA.
And four years later, if Yi Jianlian, Sun Yue, and Xu Yong can play, they should have already played. That is indeed the best opportunity.
"Thank you for your suggestion, I will consider it." Yao Ming looked at Xu Yong and said formally.
This way of speaking also shows that unlike McGrady before, he really listens.
Although this still does not mean that he has made a decision, it is much better than Xu Yong imagined.
And there is another reason why Xu Yong persuaded Yao Ming to lose weight. Adelman will join the Rockets next season. Even without Kobe's elbow, Yao Ming, who is running with the whole court, will fall sooner or later if he does not lose weight. .
…
Time flies, and it’s already the end of August in a blink of an eye.
The BJ Olympics opened with much anticipation and ended with much attention.
Xu Yong was shortlisted for the 12-man national team roster and played all 6 games with the national team.
As in history, the men's basketball team stopped in the quarterfinals, but unlike history, the men's basketball team successfully defeated Spain in the group stage and made history.
It is worth mentioning that Xu Yong, who has experienced this Olympics, knows that the men's basketball team that has experienced the "eye-rolling.jpg incident" of the Spanish team is holding back his energy and wants to beat the opponent.
The difference is that they fell short in history, but now because of his joining, they bought Yao Ming a few more minutes of rest, and they finally did it.
Xu Yong averaged 18 minutes per game in 6 games, contributed 7.2 points and 2.5 rebounds, and shot 51% from the field.
And in the game against Spain, he completed his most classic scene in the Olympics, completing a riding dunk across Gasol.
He really threw himself into the air, and the battle almost scared Gasol to the point of peeing.
This dunk also made Xu Yong famous in international competitions.
Everyone knows that among the younger generation of the Chinese men's basketball team, in addition to Yi Jianlian and Sun Yue who have been selected by the NBA, there is also Xu Yong who plays in the NCAA.
…
After ending his journey with the national team, Xu Yong rushed back to Tempe without stopping.
The Devils' training camp has started for a while, and he has to rush back to run in with the team and prepare for the start of the new season.
