One Guard

After the crazy parade celebrations of the day ended, the Dallas Mavericks disbanded on the spot, and the players officially began their long vacation.

This long holiday is not a modification, but this year's holiday is likely to be really long. While the Mavericks players were celebrating wildly in Dallas, based in New York, the players union and the league were in a new round of labor negotiations.

Judging from the news in the last few days, the negotiations are not going smoothly. If the two parties fail to reach an agreement in the end, then the alliance is likely to have the fifth major shutdown in history. No one knows when the new NBA season will arrive after the lockout.

The last NBA lockout occurred in 1998, and the lockout lasted from July 1, 1998 to January 20, 1999. This also resulted in each team playing only 50 games in the 1998-1999 season. God knows this year, will the suspension period be longer?

So this holiday season is likely to grow beyond everyone's expectations. But as far as Yiyang is concerned, he is not so worried about this matter. He believes that Bill Duffy, the ace manager, will not let himself fall into a situation where he cannot be beaten. As long as you prepare yourself, the new season will start soon.

At present, what Yiyang needs to consider is not whether the league will be suspended, but whether or not to join the Chinese national team.

This year's Men's Basketball Asian Championship will be held in Wuhan, China. As the host, China naturally attaches great importance to this event. What's more, the results of this year's Asian Championships will directly affect whether the Chinese team can get tickets for the 12th London Olympics. In addition to the last Asian Championships, the Chinese team shamefully lost the championship, the most humiliating defeat in 34 years.

, So now, they also urgently need to win the championship to consolidate their position as the Asian hegemon.

Therefore, the Chinese Basketball Association naturally hopes that Yiyang will join. The ability of an NBA All-Star player to join will definitely increase the strength of the Chinese team by more than one level. But they did not directly contact Yiyang, but sent Yao Ming to persuade Yiyang. If the Basketball Association is in direct contact with Yiyang, the outside world will surely circulate the news that the Basketball Association is forcing the players.

According to the agreement with Bill Duffy, Yiyang should give him an answer today after the championship parade. But when Bill Duffy and Yiyang talked on the phone, Yiyang's answer was still: "I don't know."

"Have you not decided yet? The Asian Championships will start on September 15th. The Chinese team may start the training camp in August, and the Asian Championships will have to complete the registration of all players in July. If you can’t get it If it is accurate, I can come here in person to discuss with you and listen to your thoughts." Duffy did not blame Yiyang. He knows that for a Chinese who is accustomed to living in the United States, he always said to do this. The decision is not easy.

After all, Yiyang has not only received an invitation from the Chinese team. International teams such as the Canadian Men's Basketball and the Spanish Men's Basketball have the desire to become Yiyang. Compared with these other teams, the Chinese team really has no advantage. But how easy is it to make a guy with yellow skin and black hair play for other countries?

"Can you? Mr. Duffy hasn't been busy recently."

"Of course it's okay. I will arrive in Dallas tomorrow afternoon. Don't think about it, just relax. The big deal, let's not go." Duffy didn't put too much pressure on Yiyang. After all, NBA is a professional player. The main battlefield.

After hanging up the phone, Yiyang took a deep breath. What should I do? National team, national team...

Yiyang walked into the living room and found that Wen Xue was putting a photo of herself lifting the O'Brien Cup on the shelf next to his father's photo.

"Look, our son is promising! NBA championship, this honor, you never dreamt of it before." Wen Xue set up the photo frame and smiled at the father and son in the photo. If their father and son can really hug each other now, that would be great...

"Mom." Seeing Wen Xue looking fascinated by the photos, Yiyang couldn't help shouting from behind.

Wen Xue turned around, her face was no longer as pale as when she was in the Wood District before, and she looked a lot better in blood. But this woman is still thin, and the fatigue and torture she has suffered before can't be made up in just one year.

"If your dad could see today, he would be very proud!" Wen Xue's eyes were a little ruddy, but she still smiled. After so many years, Wen Xue also knows how to control her emotions.

"Okay, Mom, Dad will be proud of me when he is in the sky." Yiyang hugged his mother into his arms. Even for Vignali, Yiyang has never been so gentle.

"Did you know? Although we are living well now. But what I miss most is the time living in China. Watching your father playing on the court and watching football you thrive... Only after arriving in the United States, Everything has changed." Wen Xue said halfway, and suddenly stopped. Yiyang has just won the championship these days, and everyone is very happy. She doesn't want to spoil the happy atmosphere.

"It's okay mom, from now on, our lives will be better."

"Well, our life is already pretty good." Wen Xue nodded, and decided not to think about the past again. People should always look forward.

"Do you want to go back to China to have a look?" Letting go of Wen Xue, Yiyang grabbed the young mother's shoulder and asked seriously.

In the past, they did not have this time and economic strength. Both my mother and father passed away early in their parents, and the Yiyang family did not have any important relatives in China, so they had no need to go back in the past.

But now, they have money and time. If Wen Xue wanted to, Yiyang would be very willing to take her back for a look.

Wen Xue stared at Yiyang. Since Yiyang entered high school, this was the first time they discussed whether to return to China. Wen Xue thought about taking Yiyang back, but over time, this plan was eventually shelved. After many years, I changed to Yiyang and wanted to take Wen Xue back.

"The national team thing..."

"Don't worry about that, Mom. Even if you don't join the national team, I'm willing to accompany you to play in China." Yiyang knew that his mother didn't want to bother herself. This woman is like this, always dedicated to herself, but never asks for anything in return.

"No, no, you are also very busy during the offseason. What are we doing in the United States when we go back, hehe." Wen Xue smiled and forced the topic to end.

Wen Xue left the bookshelf, and Yiyang looked at it with an old photo frame. This photo is Wen Xue's only remaining photo of her husband playing on the court. The man in the photo is layup, and it looks like Kong Wu is powerful.

Yiyang is now playing for money and honor. But in the era when Yiyang's father played, the income of a professional basketball game was almost the same as that of an ordinary worker. And the team where his father is, it seems that there is no possibility of winning the championship. Not for money or honor, what is it for?

"mom."

"Huh?" Wen Xue, who was preparing for an afternoon in the kitchen, responded.

"Dad back then... why did he choose to play professional basketball."

"Why? I hope that one day I can enter the national team and play for the country." Wen Xue answered casually without paying attention. If a player now says that his purpose of playing basketball is to play for the country, people will only say that he is false. But the professional players at that time and the professional players now have completely different pursuits. "It's a pity, this dream of your dad has never been realized."

Yiyang listened in his ears and gently put the photo frame back to its original place. Is the father's dream? I seem to want to see it too.

※※※

In the afternoon of the next day, Bill Duffy visited on time. Wenxue had prepared the afternoon tea snacks for Duffy, and Duffy greeted Wenxue with embarrassment. "Madam, you are so kind."

Duffy and Yiyang sat in the living room, while Wen Xue went to the yard to water the flowers and mow the grass. She didn't want to interrupt the conversation between the two men. Some things still had to be left to Yiyang to make decisions.

"How are you thinking about it?" Duffy went straight to the subject without making any confusion.

"What about your suggestion?"

"My suggestion is that I hope you will play in the Asian Championships. First, joining the Chinese national team to play in the Asian Championships is actually not a loss for you. Believe me, as long as you are willing, the Basketball Association will definitely go all the way. Give you the green light. Even if you don’t go to the training camp until the end of August or even the beginning of September, there is no problem at all. The Chinese Basketball Association is no longer what it used to be. They are very supportive of players going abroad to play, and players who play in the NBA are also privileged. And the Asian Championships. The race is not long, only ten days, and it will be over soon. Second." Duffy said, extending two fingers.

"Joining the Chinese national team to play in the Asian Championships~www.novelmtl.com~ helps you completely open up the Chinese market. Chinese people have a strong sense of national belonging. If you join the national team, Chinese fans will definitely admire more crazily. You. From a commercial point of view, this is also a better choice. Third, personal honor. I believe that as long as you go, it will not be a problem for the Chinese team to win the Asian Championship. Generally speaking, joining the Chinese national team It’s not a bad thing. If you want to win the Olympic or World Championships, and you get this honor by naturalizing into another national team, it doesn’t mean much to you personally. After all, these things and national honors It’s more linked, not personal honor. Joining other countries' awards is not high in gold. Of course, the choice is yours. I also said that, the big deal, we won’t go anywhere."

After Duffy finished speaking, he tasted a small biscuit baked by Er Wenxue himself. I have to admit that Madam's craftsmanship is indeed excellent.

Mother's wish to go back and see, father's unfulfilled long-cherished wish, Chinese market, personal honor...

Yiyang's head was spinning frantically, he didn't know what his decision would ultimately mean. But at least now, he is like doing this.

"Call Yao Ming, Mr. Duffy, I'll join!" Yiyang smiled slightly, China, I really look forward to it...