A week later, the Knicks' training camp began.
Li Yan drove a Mercedes-Benz SUV to the training hall. As a spokesperson, his car was given by the sponsor.
Yi Jianlian followed Li Yan in a BMW SUV. Yi Jianlian met Li Yan two days in advance in order to understand the NBA situation in advance.
As soon as Li Yan arrived at the door, staff came out to guide him, and the queue was packed.
When the two arrived at the locker room, they found that many people had already arrived.
When the Knicks players saw Li Yan, they all stood up to say hello.
Everyone is understanding and knows that this is Li Yan's team.
Ah Lian also greeted his teammates after being introduced by Li Yan.
With Li Yan here, Ah Lian doesn't have to worry about being bossed around by old players.
Li Yan quickly found his cabinet near the aisle. What surprised Li Yan was that there were two cabinets with his name written on them.
The wardrobe has been neatly filled with training uniforms and game jerseys, as well as the sneakers that Li Yan had given to the staff in advance.
Ah Lian's cabinet is next to Li Yan.
Every team in the NBA pays great attention to the seniority of its players.
Generally speaking, the seats on the far side of the locker room are the best. Not only are they large in space, but they are also convenient for interviews with reporters. Therefore, the leader-level players in the team usually sit on the far side.
The newcomers to the team usually have to sit next to the boss so that they can do odd jobs for the boss.
The locker reflects a star's status. For example, Lakers superstar Kobe Bryant has three locker positions.
Li Yan's absolute core status in the Knicks is shown through the cabinet. He is the only player with two cabinets.
Artest and Randolph's cabinets are also on the side, which reflects the importance the team attaches to them.
Unlike the enthusiasm of other teammates, Artest and Randolph seemed a bit silent.
Artest shook hands with Li Yan, and Randolph just nodded in response.
Randolph still hasn't figured out why the Trail Blazers traded him. As the leader of the Trail Blazers, he scored 20+10 last season.
Artest's condition is not much better than that of Randolph. Since the incident at the Palace of Auburn Hills, Artest has not been very happy.
Outside of the game, Artest was troubled by being accused of animal cruelty by the Animal Welfare Association and pursued by women's organizations for domestic violence.
Although the performance on the court is not bad, the Kings are at the bottom of the Western Conference.
Artest was considered a negative factor on the team.
…………
On the first day of the training camp, head coach Isiah Thomas did not arrange high-intensity training, but mainly restorative training.
The players have just returned from vacation, and not everyone is in shape for the new season.
The more obvious one is Eddie Curry. In one offseason, he became fatter, and he was already out of breath after just two back and forth runs.
Randolph's physical condition is also not very good. He did not touch basketball during the entire offseason. His poor mood caused him to eat irregularly.
In comparison, Arab League has maintained a good condition. He has played many games with the men's basketball team in preparation for the Olympics.
Li Yan also made Isiah Thomas shine. Li Yan is in very good condition, and his basic statistics are all astonishingly strong.
When Li Yan was adjusting, he took the tactical manual given by Thomas and looked at it. It was tailor-made for him.
There are many pick-and-roll tactics, as well as low-post singles and fast breaks to prevent counterattacks.
Thomas is smart. He knows the influence of the top point guard. Now that he has recruited Li Yan, he must fully cooperate with him to let him go.
Later in the evening, Li Yan was arranged by the Knicks to attend a media day interview.
As soon as Li Yan arrived, the flashing lights couldn't stop at all.
More than 100 media outlets descended on Madison Square Garden today, including many domestic media outlets.
This amount is a new high in recent years, which is enough to show Li Yan's influence.
The hall was packed with people. Li Yan walked to the stage and the table was filled with microphones.
The reporters held up their "long guns and short cannons" for fear of missing a detail.
Li Yan was already very calm in the face of such a scene, but it was even more exaggerated than this in China.
Soon the interview began.
An ESPN reporter was the first to ask:
"Lee, why did you choose to join the Knicks? As far as I know, the Los Angeles Lakers also offered you a maximum salary contract."
Li Yan thought for a while and said: "The Knicks are a great team, and owner James Dolan and coach Isiah Thomas impressed me with their plans for the future.
The Knicks have been dormant for too long and they shouldn't be in this position. This is my second year and I want to use the Knicks as a fresh start.
New York is a great city with the best fans here. I am willing to grow with the Knicks, even if this road is very difficult. "
Li Yan's answer received countless applause, and the response was very enthusiastic.
"What is the goal for this year? Do you think the Knicks can win the championship this year?" a reporter from TNT asked.
"My goal is always to win the championship." Li Yan said domineeringly: "I will do my best to lead the Knicks further."
"Do you think the Knicks can beat the Celtics? They are a super team." The reporter asked.
"Everything is possible in competitive sports. If you only look at paper strength, just award awards directly." Li Yan said firmly:
"I will do my best, no matter what the result is, I must play the role of the team."
"No team will want to meet the Knicks in the future." Li Yan added.
The reporter continued to ask: "The Knicks' lineup has changed a lot this year. What do you think of the two new teammates, Zach Randolph and Ron Artest?"
"Zach and Ron are star players, and we will work together to do well in the Knicks."
"Yi Jianlian is your teammate in the national team. How do you think he will perform in the new season?"
"A Lian is a high-level player. You will like him. He will make you feel great value for money." Li Yan joked:
"After all, I, a second-round pick, can do this, and you have to know that this guy is a lottery pick."
"Hahaha!" Everyone was happy.
"Lee, what are your expectations for the new season? In terms of statistics and awards."
Li Yan replied: "I definitely want to do my best, but I am a point guard. The most important thing is to help the team win the game. The other things are just icing on the cake."
"You rejected Kobe Bryant and the Lakers. Will Kobe be angry?"
"Well, I think you should ask Kobe about this. I'm not angry anyway."
…………
After Li Yan completed the interview, other Knicks players and coaches also accepted interviews.
New York is indeed different from Denver. The attention and exposure here are unmatched by Denver.
There is still pressure on Li Yan. The Celtics have ushered in the era of the Big Three, not to mention that there will be a peak reunion of the "Heat Big Three" later.
It is indeed difficult to win the championship on your own, but fortunately the Knicks have enough time to adjust the lineup.
Compared to joining a mature team, starting from scratch gives Li Yan a greater sense of accomplishment.
