Chapter 0010: Subtle Changes in Teammates

This black coal is the renowned Mr. Nazar Muhammad

Regardless of Liu Mang's original world impression of Muhammad or the previous memories of Muhammad in this world, this guy is simply a good-natured person. On the court, his playing style is fierce, and even in 2012, he could still occasionally achieve a double-double in a single game. Remarkably, at the age of 35, he even had performances of 20 points and 20 rebounds along with 5 blocks. Off the court, he is an excellent locker room leader. The Oklahoma City Thunder's advancement to the NBA Finals in 2012 owes much to him. In a situation where Perkins could not keep up with the pace of the game, he stepped up and provided outstanding defense against Duncan, helping the Thunder complete a remarkable comeback from 0 to 2.

After Liu Mang underwent a check-up by the team doctor and completed his warm-up, an hour had already passed. There were only a few minutes left until the training session at 10 o'clock, and all the teammates had arrived, including Jason Terry and others.

Liu Mang rode his bicycle to the Phillips Arena, which served as his mode of transportation. For the past two years, whether going to school for classes, training, playing matches, or working part-time as a Chinese tutor, he has relied on this second-hand bicycle that he purchased for 25 dollars.

Just as I locked my "ride," a player driving a discounted Mercedes sports car sponsored by the team approached me. "Hey, Ace, you seem to be in a good mood today! You look much more spirited than before; this is how young people should be! So what if your draft position is a bit lower? As long as you show your true abilities, you can still land a big contract!"

Liu Mang knew that he should not get into a conflict with this detestable little man, otherwise he would definitely be the one to suffer.

... ...

If Liu Mang could one day reach even a capability value of 70, he would not have to worry about not being wanted by any team, because the average capability value of an NBA starter is 70, but for now, he can only endure

Liu Mang then recalled that this nice guy was the 29th pick in the first round of the 1998 draft, which means he was the last player selected in the first round. It is indeed very inspiring that he has managed to reach this point and become the highest-paid player among the 1998 rookies.

After all, although Liu Mang is a slender Asian, his height of over 1.9 meters is quite intimidating. Later, Coach Kruger learned that this kid was a student from his own school and a key player on the team, with impressive shooting skills. He decided to try bringing him into the school's reserve camp, which led to the subsequent events

Liu Mang was preparing for training, but was first taken away by the team doctor for an examination.

After the memory fusion, Liu Mang finally understood why he felt that Coach Kruger was so attentive to him yesterday, because Liu Mang's ability to play in the NCAA was due to Coach Kruger bringing him into the Georgia Tech varsity team

Moreover, it is about strength

Liu Mang was just about to make a joke, as that was his nature, but he felt a gaze that was both stern and comforting. This gaze naturally belonged to his coach, Lang Kruger, who had been with him during his university days when he played basketball.

Strength is of utmost importance

However, Liu Mang also sensed a slight change; it seemed that after he showcased a bit of Klay Thompson's abilities yesterday, his teammates began to engage with him more in conversation

The status in the NBA

Indeed, Muhammad was the highest-paid player among the rookies in 1998, and it is estimated that it was just for that one season. Carter, on the other hand, was a lottery pick and signed a four-year rookie contract, which means he will definitely be eligible for a maximum salary next season. Did you not see that last year the Raptors traded McGrady just to provide salary cap space for Carter's future

Haha, of course! The chemistry between us is innate! Yesterday, with your second three-pointer, you saw me cutting in, drawing the defender away, which gave you the opportunity to shoot the three-pointer. We didn't even need to discuss how to position ourselves...

Liu Mang looked at the chattering chubby figure, a drop of cold sweat trickling down. Did I not see the terror in your eyes when we threw that ball yesterday!

At present, Liu Mang is merely a "trusted aide" brought by Coach Kruger, which means he is someone with connections, while Terry is a rising star of the younger generation, on the verge of becoming a top-tier player. Liu Mang has checked his ability rating, which is as high as 82

Previously, although Muhammad looked after him, he certainly would not have spoken to him so much. Although Emmanuel was not one of those who coldly mocked him, he would definitely not have spoken to him this much, after all, the status within the team is vastly different. Muhammad is a starting player for the team, simply warm-hearted and caring towards any teammate, while Emmanuel is also a stable rotation player

"Nazir, my salary is only one-tenth of yours. Since you are so eager for me to be in a better mood, would you consider sharing a little with me?" Liu Mang said with a sly smile.

Ah, by the way, Ace, the coach asked you to go to the infirmary for a check-up as soon as you arrive today, so I won't take up any more of your time

Watching Liu Mang silently prepare to retrieve the ball, Jason Terry's face revealed a sense of pride, and then he began practicing his three-point shots

Liu Mang and Coach Kruger first met at a café where Liu Mang worked part-time during his spare time. The second meeting occurred when Coach Kruger had his wallet stolen, and Liu Mang happened to assist in catching the thief.

Endured!

Liu Mang could no longer joke around, perhaps because the authority of Coach Kruger was too deeply ingrained in his memory throughout this lifetime. After merging his memories, he responded to Emmanuel with a sense of reverence, giving a wry smile: "Of course, I have finally found the joy of playing basketball again. I need to prepare well for the game, and I hope to get on the court today and score some points"

"I want to practice shooting, you go fetch the balls for me," Jason Terry said with a cold snort

Emanuol enjoys partnering with Liu Mang, as it is only with Liu Mang that he has the opportunity to handle the ball. Which guard would not want to have the ball? However, due to his own poor organizational skills, Emanuol only gets the chance to control the ball when Liu Mang is too weak and likely to be pressured into making a mistake with the ball.

Arriving so early today, the training session starts at 10:00 AM, and I arrived just after 8:00 AM

Moreover, before the subsequent training commenced, he was taken by the trainer for warm-up exercises, stretching, and massage, which alone took more than ten minutes

Liu Mang understood what Coach Kruger’s gaze, which was both comforting and stern, meant; the comforting aspect was that he had finally "pulled himself together" and arrived early for training, while the stern aspect was a reminder not to repeat the previous mistakes of self-indulgence.

This is entirely due to the urging of the beautiful landlady, who first tempted him with a sumptuous breakfast and then hurriedly urged him to come early to prepare for the evening's competition

Liu Mang almost exploded, the tone of this command!

"Hey, Ace, you arrived quite early today!" The agile little chubby Emma Nuoer came over to greet Liu Mang

However, Liu Mang was also somewhat similar before, belonging to the type of self-destructive individuals like DeMar Johnson, both of whom were just going through the motions.

... ...

Upon arriving at the training ground, some teammates had yet to arrive. Liu Mang was among the earlier ones to show up. He had just noticed that Jason Terry's car had not yet arrived, along with the slacker Kukoc, and last year's disappointing 6th overall pick, Demar Johnson, who had essentially given up on himself. This year, from the summer league to the preseason and up to now, he had not shown up early even once.

As there are those who become more friendly, there are also those who become more malicious

Status

This is simply a chatterbox

Go to hell

After 2012, Muhammad did not perform particularly well, yet he continued to be favored by coaches of strong teams. Initially, he signed a 3-year contract worth 12 million with the Bulls, and then in 2015, he was invited back by the Thunder, playing until the end of the 2015-2016 season before retiring. He played a total of 18 seasons, retiring at the age of 39 when he could no longer keep up.

The Atlanta Hawks have a total of 15 personnel, including trainers, massage therapists, and physiotherapists. This is a standard configuration in the NBA, as the league has only one asset, which is the players. The existence of this league primarily relies on the players, and currently, player income accounts for fifty-seven percent of the league's total revenue, which serves as proof of this fact

Liu Mang is the kind of person who reciprocates kindness; if others treat him well, he will treat them well in return. Conversely, if others regard him with indifference or speak harshly to him, he will not respond with a pleasant demeanor. Therefore, whether it is the Liu Mang before the integration of memories or the one who has now integrated new memories, he is very friendly towards Muhammad.

Setting aside the matter of fighting, although Liu Mang is not as robust as Jason Terry, even a player like Boykins, who stands at just over 1.6 meters in the NBA, is stronger than him. However, fighting is not solely dependent on physical strength. During his high school years, Liu Mang was known as a little rogue who would resort to any means necessary in a fight.

Liu Mang has come to appreciate the seriousness of the NBA, and although he had no issues during yesterday's examination, he still underwent a check this year.

Liu Mang had just finished warming up and went to the only half court that was unoccupied to prepare for ball training, when a short person pushed him aside

Practice, practice, practice, I'll train you to death, training without warming up... etc., this bastard little guy is still playing in 2018, damn! Are black people's bodies like livestock?