Bishop of the Devil

Players from both sides were warming up on the court, and Richard stood on the sidelines looking at Yi Jianlian.

Yi Jianlian had a miserable time last season. Under normal circumstances, he would get a lot of starting opportunities in the Bucks, but now because of Richard, after being selected by Green Kai in 2007, he didn't start a single game. Didn't get it, and was later traded to the Timberwolves in the Green Kai Big Three trade...

As a result, the Timberwolves didn't have much interest in Yi Jianlian, so they changed hands and sent him to the New Jersey Nets.

Yi Jianlian's life in the Nets is quite difficult right now. Due to his personality, he has basically no communication with his teammates. During the warm-up period, he just shoots basketball by himself, as if he is an outsider, while his teammates are in groups. Talking and laughing.

Richard sighed, Yi Jianlian's temperament is really a bit unsociable. There is a big gap between his own strength and those of the stars. Now he is unsociable. It's strange that he can fight.

Under normal circumstances, Chinese fans should be very aware of Yi Jianlian's situation. After joining the Bucks in his rookie season, the Bucks have actually taken good care of Yi Jianlian.

He played a total of 66 games, including 49 starts, and averaged 25 minutes per game. This is a treatment that only top rookies can enjoy.

He averages 7.9 shots per game, which is actually no different from No. 3 overall pick Horford's 8.2 shots per game.

It can be said that the Bucks really did not treat Yi Jianlian badly. As for everyone in the Bucks team not spreading racial discrimination and not passing the ball to Yi Jianlian, that is even more untrue...

The third overall pick only took 8.2 shots, and Yi Jianlian took 7.9 shots, which is actually not too few.

Moreover, Yi Jianlian's offensive efficiency is really terrible. As a seven-foot power forward, Yi Jianlian's shooting rate is only 42%, which is far lower than the average level. Although he has three-point ability, his 28.6% shooting rate is basically equal to nothing.

With such offensive efficiency, whose point guard would be brave enough to pass the ball to him crazily, and it’s not his own ancestor...

Even a point guard with a weak brain must know that passing the ball to a player with a high shooting percentage will increase his chances of getting assists.

…

At the moment, Yi Jianlian is actually not as good as he is under normal circumstances. After joining the Nets this season, the Nets did not treat Yi Jianlian badly and gave him most of the starting opportunities. However, Yi Jianlian's shooting percentage in the previous month and a half was poor. Only 38.2% is simply appalling.

Yi Jianlian's ending is doomed due to his lack of strength and introverted personality. The reason why the Nets still reuse Yi Jianlian is not only because of the Chinese market behind Yi Jianlian, but also because of Yi Jianlian's outstanding talent.

There is no doubt that Yi Jianlian has good talent. During the joint trial and physical test in 2007, the data was quite eye-catching.

This also gives the Nets hope. What if they can realize their talent just by playing? Coupled with the Chinese market behind Yi Jianlian, this is a treasure...

…

"Yi Jianlian, come here." Richard shouted towards the court.

When Yi Jianlian heard the shouting, he turned to look at Richard with an expression of disbelief.

Pointing at himself, he meant to ask Richard if he was calling him.

Richard nodded and waved Yi Jianlian over.

"Kid, relax and communicate more with your teammates." Richard said gently to Yi Jianlian.

Richard is now twenty years older than Yi Jianlian, so there is no problem in calling Yi Jianlian his son.

Yi Jianlian nodded. He knew that Richard's words were for his own good, and he was also aware of his problem.

But social barriers don't just change if he wants to. He also wants to work hard to integrate into the team, but after trying several times, the results are not ideal.

"Coach, I don't know what to do to integrate into the team." Yi Jianlian sighed with a bitter look on his face.

Richard also sighed. It was actually quite difficult for Yi Jianlian, because when he first entered the league, the fans had high expectations. After he failed to perform, all these expectations turned into disappointment. After disappointment, Next, the fans naturally blackmailed Yi Jianlian...

Now Yi Jianlian not only has to face pressure within the team, but also from domestic fans in China.

Under such great pressure, Yi Jianlian's life must be difficult now.

"Son, the NBA is a business league. Since it is a business league, you can regard it as doing business."

"If you want to do good business, you have two choices. The first is connections..."

"Having connections will not make you a top player in the league, but it will help you gain a foothold in the league. For example, Walton of the Lakers should have been eliminated by the league based on his performance after so many years, but No, he can still have a stable guaranteed contract in the league."

"For example, Udonis Haslem of the Heat. He doesn't have a famous dad like Bill Walton, but he has a strong ability to build connections and can convince the crowd in the Heat locker room. He can also gain a foothold in the NBA and still be successful. good."

Yi Jianlian nodded, "Coach, but I don't have a famous father like Bill Walton, nor do I have the communicative skills of Haslem."

Richard waved his hand, "Don't worry, this road won't work, there is a second way."

"What way?" Hope rose in Yi Jianlian's eyes, and he now desperately longed to be recognized by others.

"Improve your own strength and let yourself have strength that cannot be replaced by others. In this way, even if you are mute, even if you destroy someone in a game, no matter how bad your reputation is, you can still survive in this league. Because you have strength that cannot be replaced by others." Richard said with a smile.

To sum up what Richard said, if you want to get ahead, you must either have connections or strength. If you have neither, you are destined to be eliminated, and if you have both, your future achievements will be unimaginable!

In fact, this rule is not only applicable to the NBA, but also applies to many things in life.

Yi Jianlian sighed again. He understood the truth, but he currently did not have the irreplaceable strength that Richard said.

This season, Yi Jianlian averaged 8.2 shots per game and only scored 8.6 points per game...

Ranked fourth on the team in field goal attempts, but only ranked sixth in scoring.

There is an interesting data. In the 2008-09 season, under normal circumstances, there are 37 forward players who have started more than 50 games and are over 205 centimeters tall.

The reason why the height is limited to 205cm or above is because with this height, except for a few outliers, most of them are players at the power forward position, which is the same position as Yi Jianlian.

Among the 37 people, Yi Jianlian’s shooting percentage ranks last...

This is real data, and no one can fake it. Yi Jianlian's performance in the NBA, at least in the first two seasons, was really unsatisfactory.

To put it bluntly, maybe the Nets randomly pull out a substitute player and give him the same treatment as Yi Jianlian. Their performance cannot be worse than Yi Jianlian.

Obviously Yi Jianlian is also aware of this. After more than a season of miserable training, he is now extremely unsure of his own strength.

"Okay, kid, don't think so much. Tonight is your chance to prove yourself. Come on, as long as you are strong enough, you don't need to care about the evaluation of the outside world, and you don't need to care too much about your teammates. It feels like the worst possible outcome is to transfer and leave."

After saying these words, Richard bound the Milicic template to Yi Jianlian without hesitation.

Richard doesn't know the specific effect now, but the game will start soon, and we can see what level Yi Jianlian can play after binding Milicic's template.

Yi Jianlian nodded and went back to continue warming up, but he sighed in his heart.

He understood everything Richard said, but even if he understood it, he didn't have the ability to implement it.

When he saw Richard calling him over, he thought Richard had the idea of ​​letting him join the Pirates.

This is undoubtedly what Yi Jianlian is looking forward to the most right now. Just like Sun Yue, he can work under Richard and not have to worry about so many things...

Of course, Yi Jianlian also knows that if he joins the Buccaneers, he will definitely have to play as a substitute, and he probably won't even be able to play as the chief substitute power forward. After all, the Buccaneers' current chief substitute power forward is Marc Gasol. This little fat guy is currently I also gradually found my own rhythm of the game. Within a month and a half since the start of the game, I can always produce eye-catching performances.

But even if his playing time is limited, joining the Pirates still has a great attraction for Yi Jianlian...

He could wait, waiting for the day when Richard would use him.

But Richard called him over and did not mention letting him join the Pirates, which made Yi Jianlian a little disappointed.

…

"Beep!" The referee blew the whistle to start the game.

The starting players of both sides began to enter the field. Against a weak team like the Nets, Richard did not show the team's strongest combat power.

The team's starting lineup is Oden, Marc Gasol, Batum, Roy and Curry.

Milicic, Rondo and Granger were all rested by Richard in this game.

Resting Milicic is actually Richard's intention to create an opportunity for Yi Jianlian to express himself. If Milicic comes on the field in this game, I'm afraid it will be difficult for Yi Jianlian to perform well, even if he binds Milicic. template……

Although Yi Jianlian is not his own player, Richard still helps this compatriot as much as he can.

…

The Nets are weaklings, this is Richard's opinion. Compared with the Pirates, what if the Nets are not weaklings...

But in fact, the Nets' lineup is not too shabby. At least Carter and Devin Harris are on the team.