Coach: Coaching the Grizzlies at the beginning, playing the bantam

the next day.

Lu Yong opened his eyes, looked at Hannah sleeping soundly beside him, and the corners of his mouth unconsciously turned up.

I got up quietly, not wanting to disturb her.

Lu Yong walked to the window, gazing at the quiet streets of Brooklyn in the early morning, his mind filled with a myriad of thoughts.

I still vividly remember training with Zhou Qi and Ding Yanyuhang yesterday.

Today, he is going to meet three other Chinese players who share a dream of playing basketball – Cui Yongxi, Liao Sanning, and Hu Jinqiu.

These three players were promising talents whom Yao Ming personally asked him to bring to the United States for training, carrying the hopes of the Chinese men's basketball team.

Lu Yong was well aware of the great responsibility he bore.

After a quick wash, Lu Yong changed into comfortable sportswear and drove to the training facility of the Brooklyn Nets' G League affiliate.

Along the way, he recalled the scene when Yao Ming first came looking for him.

It was a sunny afternoon when Yao Ming approached him with a serious expression and said, "Yong, the Chinese men's basketball team is currently in a slump, and these kids are the future stars I have high hopes for. I want to send them to you so they can receive the most professional training in the United States and prepare them to carry the banner of the Chinese men's basketball team in the future."

Looking into Yao Ming's sincere eyes, Lu Yong agreed without hesitation.

Lu Yong arrived at the training hall very quickly.

When he entered the training hall, three young players were already waiting there.

When they saw Lu Yong walk in, their eyes gleamed with excitement.

Cui Yongxi was the first to greet him, and said somewhat shyly, "Coach Lu, hello! I am Cui Yongxi. I am so excited to meet you."

Liao Sanning and Hu Jinqiu followed closely behind, both greeting Lu Yong.

Lu Yong smiled and shook hands with each of them, saying, "Kids, don't be nervous. I've heard you're all very talented players, and Yao Ming has praised you to me too. This summer, I'll arrange for professional trainers to help you improve, and I hope you can make good use of this time."

The three of them nodded vigorously after hearing this.

At that moment, the team's trainer, Mike, walked over.

Mike is an experienced trainer who has worked with the Nets for many years and has unique insights into player training.

Lu Yong patted Mike on the shoulder and said, "Mike, these three are the Chinese players I want you to focus on training. They are all young and have great potential. You need to develop a detailed training plan based on their characteristics."

Mike nodded and said, "Lou, don't worry, I will do everything I can to help them."

Mike led the three to the training ground and began conducting preliminary physical tests and skills assessments on them.

Choi Young-hee is tall with a long wingspan and excels in jumping ability and explosiveness.

Liao Sanning is extremely fast, has excellent ball control skills, and possesses a strong ability to break through defenses.

Hu Jinqiu has solid inside skills, agile footwork, and excellent rebounding awareness.

Mike recorded the data while conducting the tests, and occasionally exchanged ideas with Lu Yong.

After the test, Mike called Lu Yong and the other three together and said, "Based on the test, I have developed a preliminary training plan for you."

"Choi Young-hee, your jumping ability and explosiveness are very good, but you need to improve your strength. This summer, you should focus on strength training and improve your three-point shooting percentage."

"Liao Sanning, your speed and ball-handling skills are good, but your shooting consistency needs to be improved. You need to practice shooting more, especially mid-range and three-point shots."

"Hu Jinqiu, your inside skills are very solid, but you need to improve your physical fitness. You need to do some high-intensity physical training and improve your low-post one-on-one ability."

The three listened attentively to Mike's explanation, taking notes in their notebooks from time to time.

Lu Yong felt very gratified as he watched their focused expressions.

He said, "Kids, Mike is a very professional trainer. You must strictly follow his training plan. If you have any questions or difficulties, feel free to tell me."

All three expressed that they would follow the arrangements and train hard.

In the following period, Mike began to lead the three in training.

First came strength training. Choi Young-hee squatted in front of the barbell, gritting his teeth and persevering with each squat, sweat rolling down his forehead.

Liao Sanning is doing arm strength training in front of the dumbbell rack, his arm muscles contracting continuously with the movement.

Hu Jinqiu was pulling himself up on the pull-up machine, and the lines of his back muscles were clearly visible.

Lu Yong watched from the sidelines, encouraging them from time to time: "Cui Yongxi, hang in there a little longer, your strength will only get stronger."

"Liao Sanning, make your movements more precise, and the effect will be even better."

"Hu Jinqiu, you're one step closer to your goal."

After strength training, shooting practice followed.

Liao Sanning stood beyond the three-point line, shooting the basketball again and again. At first, his accuracy was not high, and the ball always missed the basket.

But he did not get discouraged and kept adjusting his shooting form and power.

Lu Yong walked over to him and said, "Liao Sanning, relax your body and be gentle when you shoot. Don't rush, take your time."

Liao Sanning nodded and continued practicing.

Choi Young-hee was practicing three-pointers and free throws.

His three-point shooting wasn't very consistent at first, but he has a strong learning ability and quickly found his rhythm.

When he took the free throw, he took a deep breath and then steadily released the ball, which swished through the net.

Lu Yong clapped and said, "Cui Yongxi, not bad, your free throws are getting more and more accurate."

Cui Yongxi smiled and said, "Thank you, Coach Lu."

Hu Jinqiu practiced low-post one-on-one drills in the paint.

He turned his back to the imaginary opponent, using his footwork and body to find a shooting opportunity.

At first, his movements were a bit stiff, but with Mike's guidance, he gradually mastered the skills.

Lu Yong looked at him and said, "Your footwork in the paint is very agile. Make good use of this advantage. In the future, the paint will be your domain in the game."

Hu Jinqiu nodded vigorously.

Halfway through the training session, it suddenly started to drizzle.

The rain was pounding against the windows of the training hall, but the three of them were not affected at all and continued to train with focused concentration.

Looking at them, Lu Yong was filled with mixed emotions.

He recalled his own early days as a coach, when he was just as enthusiastic.

During the lunch break, Lu Yong took the three of them to a restaurant near the training hall for lunch.

Everyone sat around the dining table in a relaxed and pleasant atmosphere. Cui Yongxi asked with some curiosity, "Coach Lu, how did you become such a great coach back then?"

Lu Yong smiled and said, "Actually, there's no secret. It's just about passion and perseverance. From assistant coach to head coach, I've experienced many difficulties, but I've never given up."

Liao Sanning then asked, "Coach Lu, what do you think are the differences between training in the United States and training in China?"

Lu Yong thought for a moment and said, "The basketball atmosphere in the United States is very strong, and the training methods and philosophies are quite advanced. Here, you can access more professional training and higher-level games. But at the same time, the competition is also very fierce, and you will have to put in more effort to stand out."

Hu Jinqiu said, "Coach Lu, we will definitely train hard and live up to your and Yao's expectations."

Looking into their eyes, Lu Yong said, "You are all future stars of the Chinese men's basketball team, and you will definitely be able to bring glory to the Chinese men's basketball team on the international stage in the future."

After lunch, training continued in the afternoon.

This was a tactical training session, and Mike explained some simple offensive and defensive tactics to the three of them.

The three listened attentively, occasionally raising their own questions.

Although they were a little rusty at first during the live-fire exercise, they quickly got into the zone.

Choi Young-hee used his height advantage to create many opportunities for his teammates during the offensive play.

Liao Sanning, relying on his speed and dribbling ability, repeatedly broke through the opponent's defense.

Hu Jinqiu firmly guarded the basket in the paint, blocking the opponent's shots time and time again.

Lu Yong watched their performance from the side, nodding occasionally.

He knew that although these three kids were still very young and it was almost impossible for them to join the Nets given their age and ability, they had potential.

Placing them in the Nets' G League affiliate for training in the new season is an excellent choice.

There, they can participate in more competitions and gain more experience.

After the training session ended, it was getting dark.

Lu Yong walked up to the three children and said, "Kids, that's it for today's training. You all did very well today, but you need to keep working hard. This summer is precious, so you must make the most of every minute and second."

The three of them said they would remember Lu Yong's words and continue to train hard.

Lu Yong watched their departing figures with a sense of relief.

Although I have retired, I still want to contribute to the Chinese men's basketball team.

These players, after training in the United States, will undoubtedly make great progress even after returning to their home countries.

They are like seeds, taking root and sprouting in the fertile basketball soil of the United States. They will surely grow into towering trees, providing a bright future for the Chinese men's basketball team. (End of Chapter)