Chapter 21: The Third Overall Pick Who Was Traded Immediately After Being Drafted – A Rather Circuitous Process!
When David Stern took the envelope and opened it, Chen Hao distinctly felt the entire audience hold their breath.
Even Pelinka, his agent beside him, looked nervous.
Chen Hao chuckled and teased:
"Hey, dare to bet with me on who the first overall pick will be?"
Chen Hao's words made Pelinka pause; he asked, somewhat confused:
"Are you really that sure about the first overall pick?"
Chen Hao smiled and nodded:
"Yes, who do you think it will be?"
After thinking for a moment, Pelinka gave his answer:
"Before March Madness started, I always thought GreggOden would be the first overall pick.
But now I don't think so, because you've overshadowed him.
As a result, Kevin Durant's performance has been even more eye-catching.
If it weren't for your extremely limited number of games, you would definitely be the first overall pick.
But if I had to choose now, I'd pick Kevin Durant."
After listening to Pelinka's analysis, Chen Hao nodded and said:
"Then I'm betting on Gregg Oden!
So, how about a bet?
If I guess correctly, your commission rate drops by one point; if I guess wrong, it goes up by one point. How about that?"
Chen Hao's words greatly shocked Pelinka, as he hadn't expected Chen Hao to play for such high stakes.
One point of commission – that's no small sum!
But seeing Chen Hao's expression, Pelinka hesitated.
After all, Chen Hao looked very confident, which made Pelinka unsure.
But what if he really guessed correctly?
Then he would earn an extra point for free!
The temptation was truly great. Pelinka looked at David Stern, then at Oden, and finally at Durant.
He finally couldn't resist the temptation of that one point, gritted his teeth, and nodded, saying:
"Okay, I'll bet with you!
If I win, my commission rate increases by one point; if you win, it decreases by one point!"
"Excellent! It's a deal!"
Chen Hao nodded in satisfaction, then looked towards the podium with a smile.
David Stern had already begun to recite his classic lines:
"With the first pick in the 2007 NBA Draft, the Portland Trail Blazers select..."
He paused here deliberately, looking at all the draft prospects with a smile.
His pause made the audience below very anxious, and they could only urge him to continue by applauding.
Especially Oden and Durant; the cameras were fixed squarely on them, and their expressions became incredibly tense.
After all, they were still just eighteen or nineteen-year-old kids; at such an important moment, nervousness was inevitable.
David Stern was very pleased with the audience's reaction below.
So, he announced the first overall pick's name:
"Gregg Oden!
From Ohio State University!"
The first overall pick was indeed Oden!
Upon hearing his name, Oden excitedly rose from his seat.
He excitedly hugged his family and friends one by one, then took the Portland Trail Blazers baseball cap handed to him by a staff member.
He strode towards the podium!
Watching Oden's spirited demeanor, Chen Hao felt a great sense of emotion.
This was perhaps the peak of his entire professional career, wasn't it?
After all, his path in the NBA later on would not be easy; his entire career was almost entirely plagued by injuries.
Eventually, he even retired from the court before the age of thirty.
The most classic scene was when, amidst a bustling crowd, Oden, carrying two foot-bags and wearing headphones, was stopped by a passing old lady who asked:
"Hey, do you play basketball?"
"I used to!"
"Then I can beat you!"
The old lady's words made Oden, whose face was already full of the vicissitudes of life, even sadder.
He was speechless, then put his headphones back on and continued walking with his head down.
This was the tragic life of Oden's professional career, but despite this, many Fans firmly believed that Oden's physical talent was historic.
Even if they had to choose a hundred more times, the Portland Trail Blazers would still unhesitatingly choose Oden as the first overall pick.
These were the words spoken by the Portland Trail Blazers' general manager many years later, after Duranthad already become a superstar scorer in the league.
Clearly, in their view, an uninjured Oden could absolutely fulfill his talent.
To some extent, Chen Hao agreed with the Portland Trail Blazers' general manager's statement.
But the prerequisite was that Oden could fulfill his talent without getting injured, and the Portland Trail Blazerswould have to cultivate Oden at all costs.
It's important to remember that before Durant became a superstar scorer in the league, the SuperSonics spent over two years letting him fire away infinitely, relentlessly shooting, and only then did they cultivate him into a formidable, all-around scorer.
Could the Portland Trail Blazers do that?
That remains a question mark.
Moreover, the most fatal flaw of the Portland Trail Blazers was that their team doctor was truly incompetent, even referred to as the Portland Trail Blazers' veterinarian.
Besides Oden, wasn't Roy also directly ruined by them?
Thinking of this, Chen Hao shook his head, then looked at Pelinka beside him with a smile and said:
"It seems my intuition wasn't wrong.
Dinner tonight is on me!"
At this moment, Pelinka's expression was very gloomy; he truly hadn't expected the Portland Trail Blazers to really choose Oden without hesitation.
It's important to know that this guy's stats couldn't even be compared to Durant's, and he had already suffered quite a few injuries during his college years, which was a potential hidden danger.
He hadn't expected the Portland Trail Blazers to still choose him, which made Pelinka very dissatisfied with the Portland Trail Blazers' general manager:
"The Portland Trail Blazers' general manager's vision is really poor. Gregg is simply made of glass; they are destined to regret it!"
Although Pelinka's words contained an element of pique, he hit the nail on the head.
But Chen Hao wouldn't go easy on Pelinka because of this; he continued to tease with a smile:
"Since you guessed the first overall pick wrong, why don't we continue our game of guessing the second overall pick?
Same rules: if you win, I'll add two points to your commission rate; if I win, you'll lower it by another two points. How about that?"
After hearing Chen Hao's suggestion, Pelinka's mouth twitched uncontrollably.
Chen Hao's suggestion sounded very appealing, but in reality, if he really lost, his final commission rate might only be one percent.
Then he would truly suffer a huge loss!
Although he was absolutely certain that Durant would definitely be the second overall pick, he didn't dare to bet, because he couldn't afford to lose!
Chen Hao seemed a little regretful about Pelinka's refusal.
And the final result for the second overall pick was also beyond doubt; it was indeed Durant.
Just as Durant went on stage to shake hands with David Stern, Chen Hao said with a look of relief:
"Oh my goodness!
The SuperSonics actually chose Kevin Durant?
Fortunately, I didn't bet with you, because I thought Al Horford would be the second overall pick."
Pelinka: "???"
Finally, it was the third overall pick. The Hawks' general manager handed the already prepared envelope to a staff member.
Chen Hao even noticed a detail: after the Hawks' general manager handed the envelope to the staff member, his gaze actually flickered towards Chen Hao.
At the same time, the host on stage also said curiously:
"Which player will the Hawks choose with the third pick?"
This time, David Stern didn't keep them in suspense for too long.
After glancing at the name on the card, he smiled and announced loudly:
"With the third pick in the first round of the 2007 NBA Draft, the Hawks select..."
"Chen Hao!
From Dragon Country!
Graduated from Ohio State University!"
Chapter 22: The Green Army Trades Up for Chen Hao, Shaking the World! Taylor swift Writes a Song for Chen Hao!
When David Stern called out Chen Hao's name, all the players present at the draft were stunned!
Because Chen Hao's name was simply too familiar; after all, his performance in the NCAA Tournament finals was truly astonishing.
But despite this, no one thought Chen Hao would be selected with the third pick, as his astonishing performances were simply too few.
Especially his previous game performances, which were quite ordinary, making it unlikely he would even be picked in the late second round.
Therefore, even though Chen Hao's fame was soaring, not many people were optimistic about his draft prospects.
So when he was selected by the Hawks with the third pick, it truly shocked many spectators and prospective players.
Even Pelinka was full of disbelief!
He had previously predicted that Chen Hao might be selected with the third pick, but those were just predictions, not to be taken seriously.
But he never expected that he would actually be selected by the Hawks—this was an incredible stroke of luck!
Being selected with the third pick meant that Chen Haowould definitely get a decent rookie contract, which was fantastic news for Pelinka.
After all, as Chen Hao's agent, he naturally hoped Chen Hao could secure a good rookie contract, and his commission would naturally increase.
Although he had just made a bet with Chen Hao, which led him to reduce his commission by another point, he now felt confident again.
The camera was now focused on Chen Hao, and Fans in Dragon Country were also watching the live broadcast on TV.
Because besides Chen Hao, two other Dragon Country players, A'lian and Sun Yue, also participated in this draft.
Although they knew Chen Hao was participating, almost all Dragon Country Fans believed that A'lian would be the first Dragon Country player to be selected.
Because A'lian's data and performance in all aspects were superior to Chen Hao's; he was quite a formidable presence in the CBA.
However, to everyone's surprise, A'lian had not yet been selected, but Chen Hao was picked first by the Hawks, which truly made many Dragon Country Fans feel exceptionally surprised.
Chen Hao on the TV had already taken the baseball cap handed to him by the staff, with the Hawks' logo on the brim.
Chen Hao walked briskly to the podium and shook hands with David Stern for a photo.
David Stern was certainly not unfamiliar with Chen Hao, especially given his recent spectacular performances.
So when he shook hands with Chen Hao, he specifically said a few more words to him:
"Hey, young man, I really like your playing style!
I'm looking forward to your performance after entering the NBA; work hard!"
Chen Hao responded to David Stern's encouragement with a polite yet not awkward smile.
In fact, Chen Hao knew very well that David Stern's special regard for him was mostly due to his identity as a Dragon Countryman.
His Dragon Country identity meant access to a massive basketball market, which was crucial for the NBA's full expansion in Dragon Country.
One Yao Ming had already introduced many Dragon Country Fans to the NBA and made them start following it.
Now, with another third-pick Dragon Country player emerging, it meant even more Dragon Country Fanswould pay attention to the NBA, and most importantly, Chen Hao primarily played as a guard.
This point was very appealing to many Dragon Country Fans, as it proved that Dragon Country could not only produce tall players but also cultivate skilled guard players.
Seeing Chen Hao being selected, Oden and Durant were quite surprised, and even Conley was filled with shock.
"This guy, he was actually picked before me?
That's truly unbelievable!"
Just as Conley was feeling incredulous, David Sterncalled out his name for the fourth pick.
This made Conley feel a little better; at least he wasn't left too far behind, after all, Chen Hao used to be his substitute!
Now he was even ranked ahead of him, becoming the third pick, which Conley found very hard to accept.
Although Conley clearly knew that Chen Hao's strength had increased geometrically, he subconsciously still felt that Chen Hao was inferior to him.
At this moment, the Boston Celtics, holding the fifth pick, selected Al Horford, and Horford's draft position was naturally lower than expected.
Because in the draft predictions, he was projected to be selected with the third pick, but now he had fallen to the fifth pick.
So when Horford went up to shake hands with David Stern, the expression on his face was not very natural, and he surely felt bitter inside.
Just as the Boston Celtics had selected Al Horford and were preparing for the sixth pick, the live host urgently broke in with explosive trade news, instantly igniting the atmosphere in the arena and among viewers in front of their televisions.
"We've just received a breaking trade notification, which is truly surprising!
The Boston Celtics have traded Al Horford, whom they just selected with the fifth pick, plus a future first-round draft pick to the Hawks, in exchange for Chen Hao, whom the Hawks just selected!
So, now Chen Hao and Al Horford have swapped teams, and Chen Hao has become a member of the Boston Celtics!"
The Boston Celtics actually reached an upward trade with the Hawks, paying a huge price to acquire Chen Hao.
This truly exceeded everyone's expectations, especially for the teams behind them who were very interested in Chen Hao; it was undoubtedly terrible news.
Even Chen Hao was somewhat surprised after learning about this trade.
Although he had already guessed some things, when the final result was announced, he couldn't help but feel a little emotional.
Indeed, those who can become general managers of NBA teams are not to be underestimated, especially Angie, the current general manager of the Boston Celtics.
He actually spent a fortune to get him. So, would the Green Army's Big Three still be possible?
Or, is Angie's current idea to fully develop him and then use him to revive the Green Army's past glory?
If Angie truly had this idea, then Chen Hao would naturally think highly of him.
At this moment, Fans in Dragon Country were also quite surprised to see this news, as it was their first time witnessing such a trade.
In another part of New York, USA, Taylor swift was also following this draft.
She was actually focused on Chen Hao's final draft position, so when she saw Chen Hao being selected by the Hawks and then traded to the Boston Celtics, she was quite shocked:
"Oh my goodness!
This guy actually became a member of the Green Army?
It seems the Green Army truly values his talent!
I'm now impatiently eager to see his crazy performance in the NBA!
Alright, this draft has given me inspiration.
I'm going to write a song for Chen Hao right now to promote him well!
I believe that once this song is released, he will definitely thank me properly!"
Chapter 23: The 2007 Third Overall Pick, Chen Hao! The Rookie Contract Must Be Maxed Out!
When Chen Hao became the third overall pick and was traded to the Boston Celtics, it was destined that this draft would be quite exciting.
Next, A'lian, who the Dragon Country Fans were concerned about, was selected by the Milwaukee Buckswith the sixth pick. As for Sun Yue, he was selected by the Los Angeles Lakers with the fortieth pick in the second round.
In this draft, three Dragon Country players were chosen, setting a new historical high for the number of people entering the NBA.
Some foreign media jokingly said that this NBA Draft was like New Year's for Dragon Country Fans.
Although it was a bit exaggerated, it was indeed quite apt and vivid.
For the NBA, this was also a win-win situation, meaning that the huge basketball market in Dragon Country would be further developed.
This was what David Stern most wanted to see.
After the draft concluded, the selected rookie players took a group photo. A'lian then proactively sought out Chen Hao and exchanged pleasantries with him.
Meeting an old acquaintance in a foreign land, fellow countrymen seeing each other... no, it should be tears welling up in their eyes.
A'lian seemed very excited. He enthusiastically invited Chen Hao to have dinner with him to celebrate their successful entry into the NBA.
Chen Hao naturally wouldn't refuse A'lian's kind invitation. He also wanted to have a good chat with A'lian, and if he had the chance, he even wanted to give A'lian a small piece of advice.
After all, Chen Hao was quite clear about A'lian's path in the NBA, and he was also known as the last backbone of the Dragon Country Men's Basketball Team.
So Chen Hao also didn't want A'lian's path in the NBA to be full of twists and turns, hoping he could reduce injuries and establish himself in the NBA.
That night, Chen Hao and A'lian had a casual dinner together, and there was a feeling between them of having met too late.
Although A'lian was older than Chen Hao, A'lian always felt that Chen Hao's conversation was quite mature, and his views on many things were very unique, completely unlike the maturity an eighteen-year-old could possess.
This surprised A'lian, but he didn't delve too deeply into it. After all, Chen Hao had been working hard alone in the United States for so many years, so it was normal for him to be more mature.
After dinner, the two parted ways, as they both still had things to deal with.
After all, they had already become prospective NBA players, and their schedules were actually packed.
After the NBA Draft, Chen Hao quickly met with Boston Celtics General Manager Angie.
When he saw Chen Hao, Angie was very enthusiastic and full of praise for Chen Hao.
He didn't hide his admiration for Chen Hao at all and even proactively told him the Boston Celtics' goal for the new season:
"We plan to focus on developing you.
Our team's star player is Paul Pierce; he has a wealth of experience.
So we hope you can learn the rules of survival in the NBA from him.
Adapt to the NBA rhythm as quickly as possible and integrate into our team rapidly.
Strive to improve our record this season.
We don't expect to make the playoffs, but at least we should reach the top ten in the Eastern Conference."
Angie's words greatly surprised Chen Hao. He didn't expect Angie's requirements for the new season to be so low, not even hoping to make the playoffs? It really didn't feel like his true thoughts.
Soon, Chen Hao realized that this might be Angie testing whether he had ambition.
So, after a brief thought, Chen Hao quickly responded:
"If it's just to enter the top ten in the Eastern Conference, then that requirement really isn't high.
If I were to say, I think we can easily make it into the playoffs.
I'm very confident in this, after all, we have experienced players and coaches, as well as you, the general manager with unique vision!"
Chen Hao's answer greatly shocked Angie. He didn't expect Chen Hao to be so confident, and his words made people feel very comfortable listening to them.
When Chen Hao said these words, he carefully observed Angie's subtle facial expressions.
Although Angie concealed it well, Chen Hao still caught a slight curve at the corner of Angie's mouth.
Apparently, Chen Hao's flattery was quite effective for him.
Indeed, no matter what nationality a person is, they all like to hear good things.
Currently, Chen Hao was just a rookie player for the Boston Celtics, so he was very clear about his role.
He needed to be confident, but not overly arrogant, at least not yet.
Especially in front of the team's general manager, the necessary respect still had to be shown. After all, the rookie contract hadn't been signed yet, so Chen Haonaturally wanted to leave a good impression on Angie.
After all, Angie had gone to great lengths to get him.
Chen Hao's flattery had a clear effect, and the smile on Angie's face widened.
He began to explain the Boston Celtics' current situation to Chen Hao, and even specifically guaranteed Chen Haothat he would arrange for Pierce to be Chen Hao's mentor, to guide Chen Hao well and teach him all the necessary NBA survival rules.
Chen Hao appeared very excited about Angie's arrangement, but in reality, his heart was calm.
Because Chen Hao understood Pierce very well; this guy was not a good person.
Especially now that he had become a rookie player for the Boston Celtics, and Angie even said he would focus on developing him.
This was not good news for Pierce, the team's leader.
Although the Boston Celtics' record was poor now, Pierce, as the team's leader, also needed to save face.
If, after a rookie player arrived, the team put all its focus on that rookie, then as an veteran player, he would definitely have some opinions, more or less.
Especially a scoundrel player like Pierce, he would definitely not obediently be Chen Hao's mentor.
Chen Hao was more inclined to believe that Pierce would try to trip him up in various ways, after all, this was an old NBA tradition; veterans always liked to tease rookies.
However, Chen Hao hadn't met Pierce or interacted with him yet, so he just needed to be mindful in advance and deal with it when the time came.
Chen Hao's principle was very simple: if others don't offend him, he won't offend them; if others offend him, he will repay them a hundredfold, even if that person is his teammate!
After a pleasant conversation with Angie, they finally got to the main point: the amount of the rookie contract.
Angie changed his tone and began to complain about the team's financial difficulties, saying he hoped Chen Haocould understand and contribute his own strength to the team.
In all his words, Chen Hao only heard one sentence:
"The team has no money, don't ask for too much when you make your offer!"
Pelinka, who had been listening with a slight smile after Angie's lament, officially intervened in the contract amount negotiations.
"I understand all that you've said.
However, the league also has clear regulations regarding the amount of rookie contracts.
Therefore, our demand is not high; it's simply to follow the league's regulations.
Of course, we hope the floating increase percentage will be set to the maximum!"
Chapter 24: Four Years, Eighteen Million! Conquering the Summer League!
The NBA has strict salary management regulations for players entering the league through the draft, which are directly tied to their draft position.
For example, since Chen Hao was selected as the third pick, his salary standard is the average of the salaries of the third picks from the previous five NBA drafts.
Above this standard, teams can appropriately decrease or increase the contract by twenty percent when signing a rookie.
Therefore, Pelinka's statement to Angie about raising the contract amount to the maximum meant increasing it by twenty percent based on this third pick's salary standard.
In other words, Pelinka was asking Angie to sign Chen Hao for 120 percent of the standard amount, which is the highest possible increase.
When Angie heard Pelinka's words, his expression instantly stiffened.
He didn't expect Pelinka to immediately offer the highest price; it seemed negotiations weren't going very smoothly!
In Angie's view, Chen Hao's talent and potential were limitless, so he deserved a high-priced rookie contract.
However, as a general manager of a team, he naturally couldn't just think about giving players high salaries; his job was to sign the best players at the lowest possible cost.
Especially for a rookie like Chen Hao, who had just entered the league, he would absolutely not sign him at the highest price.
In Angie's opinion, he even wanted to sign Chen Hao at eighty percent of the standard price, fully exploiting Chen Hao's value.
So, after Pelinka stated his demands, Angie immediately put on a very troubled expression:
"It seems there's still a disagreement between us!
You know, to get Chen Hao, we not only lost Al Horfordbut also a future first-round draft pick.
So, we genuinely want to acquire Chen Hao and develop him into a star.
But your asking price is simply too high; our team can't afford it at all!"
Pelinka listened to Angie's feigned poverty with a smile, looking as if he was quietly watching him put on an act.
Even Chen Hao could barely listen anymore; this Angiewas truly stingy.
Chen Hao didn't say anything, as Pelinka was currently in charge; he was the key person responsible for contract negotiations, and he was very familiar with the Boston Celtics players' salary situation.
So, Pelinka smiled and pulled out a list, placing it directly in front of Angie:
"Hey, let's not talk empty words; let's talk with data.
Look, the Boston Celtics' record last season was at the bottom of the league, and the only true All-Star player on the team was Paul Pierce.
Paul Pierce, the highest-paid player, earns 15.1 million usd a year.
The second highest is Wally Szczerbiak at 11.78 million usd.
The third highest is Theo Ratliff at 11.67 million usd.
The rest of the players are all a few million usd a year, far from exceeding the league's salary cap.
So, how can you say the team is currently in a difficult situation?"
At this point, Angie's expression had become incredibly serious; Pelinka's professionalism was indeed well-deserved.
Now that the other party had a complete grasp of the Boston Celtics players' salary situation, they likely wouldn't budge.
What bothered Angie the most was that he genuinely liked Chen Hao; this guy had unlimited potential and a promising future.
Angie wasn't the kind of general manager who was overly calculative; since the other party was so clear about his team's situation, there was no need to continue dragging it out.
If he continued to drag it out, it would have the opposite effect, making Chen Hao feel that the Boston Celtics were a petty and stingy team, and once that impression was formed, it would be very difficult to change.
So, Angie sighed deeply and said with a worried expression:
"Although our team's total payroll hasn't reached the league's salary cap, our team's financial situation is concerning.
That's why I said what I did earlier.
However, since you're demanding to sign with us at the highest standard...
Then we can only agree. Who can blame us for truly needing you?
Let's sign!"
Angie finally compromised, which made Pelinka quite excited; signing at the highest standard meant four years and eighteen million!
This amount was not low; although it was lower than Oden and Durant, it was already the third-highest salary among this year's rookies!
It's worth noting that Oden only got 21.79 million for four years, and Durant got 19.51 million for four years.
So, Chen Hao's 18 million for four years was indeed quite satisfactory.
Thus, with both parties as witnesses, Chen Hao signed the rookie contract.
Four years, eighteen million!
The so-called four-year rookie contract refers to two years plus two years of team option, where the team has the initiative before October 31st of the second and third seasons to choose to renew or terminate the contract with the player.
If the team hasn't acted by the fourth season, the player will become a restricted free agent.
Therefore, if a player performs well during their rookie contract, teams generally choose to extend their contract early, and the contract amount naturally increases.
If the performance is poor, it is very likely that they will be directly cut by the team after the second season.
However, these things were not worth worrying about for Chen Hao, because he knew he would make Angiecompletely devoted to him in his first season.
After both parties signed the rookie contract, Chen Haoofficially became a member of the Boston Celtics.
When his rookie contract was revealed, it immediately sparked heated discussions among All-America Fans.
Especially those commentators who were not optimistic about Chen Hao were quite annoyed.
Among them was the famous basketball commentator Charles Barkley, whose mouth was notoriously foul.
When he learned of Chen Hao's rookie contract amount, he immediately posted on social media:
"The Boston Celtics' general manager Angie has really lost his mind, spending so much effort to get a yellow-skinned player.
He doesn't even look at how terrible this guy's previous performance was; he's truly crazy!
Just wait, this guy will definitely be a bust as a third pick, and Angie will also be kicked out by the Green Armyowner!
Signing a Dragon Country player at such a high price, I don't know what he's thinking!"
Barkley's remarks quickly spread within Dragon Country, instantly angering many Dragon Country Fans.
Dragon Country Fans had always disliked Barkley, because he had previously criticized Yao Ming on a TV show, but he was eventually proven wrong by Yao Ming.
Now this guy still hasn't learned his lesson and is coming to criticize Chen Hao again?
He's really asking for it!
So, the keyboard warriors of Dragon Country all sprang into action!
At the same time, the Summer League officially began!
Chen Hao traveled with the team, and there was considerable external attention on Chen Hao's performance in the Summer League, especially from Fansin Dragon Country.
In the first Summer League game, the Boston Celtics' opponent was the Memphis Grizzlies, and their team included Chen Hao's former teammate Mike Conley!
And Barkley had already declared in advance that Chen Hao would lose himself in the Summer League!
Chapter 26: A Blasting, Sky-Shattering Putback Dunk! Conquering Rondo! Rondo: It's So Good!
As Barkley's golden partner, Kenny Smith, immediately became interested after learning that Barkley didn't think highly of Chen Hao.
The offseason was already boring, and now seeing Barkley have such strong opinions about Chen Hao, Kenny Smith certainly wouldn't miss out.
So he directly made a bet with Barkley on social media:
"Hey, Charles, since you don't think highly of Chen Hao, do you dare to make a bet with me?"
"How do we bet?"
"We'll bet on Chen Hao's average points per game in the Summer League!"
"Okay, how many points do you think he can average?"
Barkley instantly became excited and eagerly asked.
"I think he can average at least 25 points per game, and it will be 25+5+5 average stats!"
Kenny Smith seemed very confident in Chen Hao, directly stating these astonishing average stats.
When Barkley saw Kenny Smith's prediction, he instantly became ecstatic:
"Okay, I'll bet with you!
I bet he won't be able to achieve 25+5+5 average stats, not even 20+5+5!"
Barkley clearly didn't think highly of Chen Hao, so he readily agreed to bet with Kenny Smith.
Seeing Barkley agree to the bet, Kenny Smith quickly stated the stakes for this bet:
"If I win, you have to kiss a pig's butt in front of All-America.
Last time you kissed a donkey's butt, this time a pig's butt, that's not too much, is it?"
Kenny Smith's taunt made Barkley feel very depressed; every time he thought about it, he got angry.
Now it was related to a Dragon Country player again, but this time he was absolutely confident of winning.
"Okay, it's a deal!
Fans all over America can bear witness!
If you lose, you also have to kiss a pig's butt!"
Barkley clearly didn't want to make it easy for his old friend and likewise stated his demand.
The bet was proposed by Kenny Smith, so he certainly wouldn't refuse!
Thus, the bet between Barkley and Kenny Smith was established, and Fans all over America knew about their wager!
Suddenly, the Summer League held in Las Vegasinstantly received a lot of attention.
After all, it was the offseason, and there were no NBA games to watch, leaving many Fans bored.
Originally, they weren't very interested in the Summer League, and wouldn't even give it a serious look.
After all, the players participating in the Summer Leaguewere basically NBA team rookies, second-year players, and some undrafted players, so the team's strength was not strong, and it was also known as a 'pecking order among weaklings'.
However, for many rookie players, this was a rare opportunity to train, and even the Dragon Country Men's National Basketball Team would appear in the Summer League, with the purpose of training the team and improving combat effectiveness.
The bet between Barkley and Kenny Smith brought Chen Hao immense attention once again.
Even the team's general manager, Angie, was very interested in their bet.
Although he thought highly of Chen Hao's talent and potential, it still had to be tested through actual combat.
In fact, he was under immense pressure right now; Barkley really wasn't wrong.
If Chen Hao performed poorly and didn't meet expectations in his rookie season, Angie might very well be fired by the owner.
After all, they had already finished at the bottom last season, and if they finished at the bottom again this season, it would truly be inexcusable!
So, Angie was very concerned about Chen Hao's Summer League performance; he didn't demand 25+5+5 average stats, but at least 20+5+5.
Only then could he silence the numerous Fans and experts.
Therefore, Angie personally appeared at the Boston Celtics' first game against the Memphis Grizzlies.
This game was originally not broadcast, as it was just a Summer League game.
But due to the bet between Barkley and Kenny Smith, it became an All-America broadcast, which also gave both teams' players a chance to show their faces!
Among the players the Boston Celtics sent to participate in the Summer League, many were very familiar to Chen Hao, including the future coach, Rajon Rondo.
This guy was already a second-year player, so he naturally became the team's leader for this Summer League campaign.
Rajon Rondo's personality was not easy to get along with, especially with rookie players.
When he learned that the team had spent a lot of effort to get Chen Hao, he became very depressed.
Because he knew Chen Hao, and he had seen Chen Hao's performance in the NCAA Tournament; undeniably, Chen Hao's talent was very good.
However, selecting Chen Hao was not very helpful for the current Boston Celtics.
Because Rondo believed that what the Boston Celticslacked now was not a player with potential, but a plug-and-play player.
Because he was one of those players with great potential, so with him on the team, there was no need to choose Chen Hao.
Especially after learning that Chen Hao had also signed a high-value rookie contract, Rondo's mood became even more displeased.
Now, upon hearing that Barkley and Kenny Smith had made a bet regarding Chen Hao's average stats, Rondoalready had a plan in mind.
This guy hadn't even officially stepped into the NBA, yet he had already stirred up so much trouble, which meant he was definitely not a good player.
Rondo felt it was necessary to teach Chen Hao a good lesson in the Summer League and let him know the cruelty of the NBA.
Therefore, Rondo would absolutely not allow Chen Haoto achieve good individual stats in the Summer League, because now, he was the one in charge of the team!
Chen Hao didn't know Rondo's inner thoughts; he just wanted to play well in the Summer League, after all, he also surfed the internet, and he certainly knew about the bet between Barkley and Kenny Smith.
"Since this jinx wants to see me fail so badly, I can only let him taste a pig's butt!"
These were Chen Hao's words when he accepted a reporter's interview before the game.
Boston Celtics VS Memphis Grizzlies!
The Boston Celtics got possession first!
Rondo dribbled past half-court, directing traffic at the top of the arc.
At this time, Chen Hao was standing at the three-point line on the left side, at a forty-five-degree angle!
Rondo certainly knew Chen Hao was standing there, but he never thought of passing the ball to Chen Hao.
Rondo signaled an inside teammate to come for a screen, and he used the screen to drive into the paint!
During the regular season, Rondo would basically choose to drive and dish, as that was his characteristic.
But this was the Summer League, so he chose to attack the basket directly!
It's just that his layup this time was a little too strong, bouncing off the rim!
Just as the Grizzlies' inside player, Swift, was about to grab the defensive rebound, a black shadow descended from the sky!
Leaping high, he firmly caught the basketball with both hands!
Finally!
He even slammed the ball into the basket with a putback dunk!
What was most astonishing was that this putback dunk was even completed by riding over Swift's head!
There was a brief silence in the arena!
At this moment, they finally saw clearly who this person was!
It was Chen Hao, wearing jersey number 8!
Right from the start, he delivered a shocking, domineering two-handed rider-dunk that captivated the entire arena!
And Rondo, whose layup had missed, was now looking up, staring blankly at Chen Hao, who was riding over Swift's head.
Chapter 27: Chen Hao Dominates Both Ends of the Court! Angie Ecstatic, Rondo Still Wants to Assert Authority?
This game was broadcast All-America, so Chen Hao's explosive tip-dunk at the start was instantly seen by Fansacross All-America!
The audience in front of their televisions all watched in disbelief, not expecting such a powerful dunk to appear in a Summer League game.
The commentators for this game happened to be Barkleyand Kenny Smith.
Of course, their commentary this time was only by invitation because they were interested in the game.
Before the game even started, Barkley's expression was quite relaxed. He even kept listing the statistics of previous NBA top picks in the Summer League, noting that no one had ever averaged 25+5+5.
Even James, when he participated in the Summer League, only averaged less than 20 points.
As for Kenny Smith, he always listened with a smile as Barkley rattled off statistics, without much refutation.
After all, he had impulsively wanted to bet with Barkley.
And almost every time he bet with Barkley, he won, so Kenny Smith had an inexplicable confidence in himself.
Barkley's triumphant mood came to an abrupt halt after Chen Hao posterized Swift!
He had seen many poster dunks, but never one so ferocious. Damn, Chen Hao actually jumped directly from behind Swift and completed the tip-dunk from an overhead position.
What did this mean?
It meant that Chen Hao's jumping height was terrifying; his head had definitely cleared the rim!
Even Kenny Smith's eyes widened in shock, his face full of disbelief, after seeing Chen Hao's dunk.
However, Kenny Smith was the first to react, and now it was his turn to be all smiles:
"Hahaha, Charles, it's too late for you to back out now!
This guy delivered such an explosive dunk right at the start, do you still think he won't get 25+5+5?"
Barkley: "."
At this moment, Barkley's face had lost its smile, becoming incredibly grim.
The facts once again proved that smiles don't disappear, they just transfer.
The smile transferred from Barkley's face to Kenny Smith's face, while Barkley now said through gritted teeth:
"One tip-dunk doesn't mean anything. It can only be blamed on the Grizzlies players for not boxing out.
I believe they will learn their lesson and become serious next!
Don't get too happy too soon!"
Although Barkley was still very stubborn, his expression had become serious.
This indicated that he was starting to lose confidence in this bet.
Let's turn our attention back to the court!
At this point, Chen Hao had gotten off Swift, who angrily wanted to confront Chen Hao.
Chen Hao remained very calm about Swift's anger, shrugging his shoulders helplessly and saying:
"Hey, you know, I didn't do it on purpose.
It was mainly because he was too excited and jumped too high.
So next time I'll definitely be careful!"
Rondo, standing nearby, twitched his mouth wildly after hearing Chen Hao's explanation.
What kind of explanation was that? That was clearly intentionally mocking his opponent, right?
It was well known that Swift was a high-flyer; besides dunking, his other skills were quite rough.
And his mind wasn't very sharp, but not being sharp didn't mean he was truly stupid.
Especially Chen Hao's words, which were clearly mocking him relentlessly.
This made the expression on his face even uglier:
"Damn it, what are you saying?
You just wait, I'll show you soon!"
With the persuasion of his other teammates, Swiftgrumbled and went to inbound the ball.
The referee also appeared between the two, preventing any conflict.
Chen Hao's former teammate, Conley, now looked at Chen Hao with a complex expression, and Chen Haoreturned a smile.
At this moment, a thought appeared in Conley's mind:
"Damn, was this guy really my backup back then?
I should be his backup, right?"
Chen Hao's opening tip-dunk instantly won over many Fans in attendance, and everyone was full of interest in his upcoming performance.
"Hey, don't think you're hot stuff just because you completed one tip-dunk. Your positioning was off just now!"
A dissatisfied voice came from beside Chen Hao.
Chen Hao turned his head and saw Rondo staring at him with a displeased expression.
After Chen Hao's poster dunk on Swift caused Rondo a brief shock, he quickly adjusted his emotions.
Although Chen Hao's performance just now was good, it wasn't enough to change his opinion of him, and he was the one who called the shots on the team.
So Rondo naturally wanted to give Chen Hao a bit of a dressing down, especially since he saw that Chen Haodidn't seem to look him in the eye at all. This guy obviously didn't respect him.
This made Rondo even more annoyed with Chen Hao, which led to the reprimand he just delivered.
At this moment, Chen Hao was full of questions. He certainly knew Rondo, but he wasn't familiar with him at all.
Although they were teammates, this guy clearly saw him open just now but chose not to pass, instead attacking the basket directly.
So Chen Hao naturally wouldn't actively try to get close to Rondo, and now he was actually blaming him?
Chen Hao never indulged such self-important players.
He directly retorted:
"Who are you? I don't think you have the right to tell me what to do, do you?"
After saying that, Chen Hao turned and walked away, completely ignoring Rondo, who was shaking with anger.
Rondo didn't expect Chen Hao to say such hateful words to him; he truly didn't put him in his eyes at all!
He had already decided how to deal with Chen Hao.
It was the Grizzlies' turn to attack, and Swift clearly wanted to regain the face he had just lost.
So he demanded the ball in the paint, preparing for a strong attack under the basket.
Conley could only choose to pass him the ball, as he was just a rookie player.
After receiving the ball, Swift dribbled and drove hard to the basket.
After pushing away the Boston Celtics' inside player, he was about to complete a powerful two-handed dunk.
But just as he jumped into the air, a figure descended from above!
With one palm, he firmly pinned the basketball in Swift's hands!
Finally, he even knocked Swift, man and ball, directly to the ground!
It was Chen Hao's help defense and block again!
Even the Boston Celtics players were shocked!
They didn't know when Chen Hao appeared under the basket. How was this guy everywhere?
Just as Swift's face was filled with shock, Chen Hao had already snatched the basketball from his hands with both hands and was dribbling rapidly towards the frontcourt!
Kenny Smith, witnessing this scene, exclaimed loudly:
"Oh my God!
This isn't a steal!
This is a robbery!"
Boston Celtics General Manager Angie, watching the game from the stands, now had a face wreathed in smiles.
As for Rondo, when he saw Chen Hao successfully steal the ball, he extended his hands, signaling Chen Hao to pass him the ball.
However, Chen Hao's next choice made Rondo incredibly furious!
Chapter 28: Chen Hao's rampage on the rim makes Taylor swift willing to write songs for him, and Barkley is about to cry!
Chen Hao ignored Rondo's demand for the ball and dribbled directly to the frontcourt.
In fact, at this time, it was perfectly fine for Chen Hao to dribble to the frontcourt himself, because his speed was very fast, and he instantly surpassed Rondo.
Rondo's expression turned incredibly ugly when he saw Chen Hao ignore his demand for the ball, and under his gaze, Chen Hao easily completed a fast-break dunk.
Chen Hao's dunk once again shocked the entire arena!
He dribbled to near the free-throw line, then suddenly slammed the ball against the backboard!
The moment the basketball quickly rebounded, Chen Haohad already leaped high, holding the ball with one hand, and forcefully slammed it into the rim!
The Fans watching live were once again stunned; the rim was left swaying precariously by Chen Hao's powerful dunk.
The Boston Celtics players stared blankly as Chen Haocompleted the self-alley-oop, their expressions terrified.
"Is this guy really that strong?"
The most pitiful was Swift, who was struggling to get up from the ground, only to see the entire crowd stand up and applaud Chen Hao.
Swift was almost in tears!
He never dreamed that he was about to complete a dunk, yet Chen Hao blocked him so easily?
This guy's height doesn't even seem to be two meters, does it?
How did he do it?
Not only was Swift extremely puzzled, but even his teammates were very confused.
Although Chen Hao was the third overall pick, and they had seen Chen Hao's performance in the NCAA Tournament, they never expected Chen Hao to perform so outstandingly after coming to the NBA.
Is this guy really "the chosen one"?
Angie in the stands was almost going crazy with joy!
At this moment, he finally breathed a sigh of relief, proving that he was not wrong to pick Chen Hao.
At the very least, this guy can tear through the entire Summer League, especially his performance on both offense and defense, which truly satisfies Angie.
But for Barkley, who was watching this live broadcast, this was not good news.
At this moment, his face was furious, and he immediately blasted Swift:
"Damn it, what is this guy good for?
He was clearly about to complete a dunk, yet he was still blocked by Chen Hao?
No wonder this guy has never been a starter for the team; he's just too pathetic!"
Kenny Smith, seeing Barkley so enraged, was already overjoyed to the point of blurriness!
Because he had already foreseen that Chen Hao would dominate this game; the Grizzlies' lineup simply couldn't contend with Chen Hao.
"Hey, Charles, are you ready to kiss a pig's butt in front of the audience?"
Kenny Smith teased with a smile.
Barkley glared at him fiercely and then said:
"Damn it, Kenny, don't celebrate too early.
The game has just begun!
And he still has many more games to play!"
Kenny Smith smiled, shrugging his shoulders, and said:
"Alright, then let's wait and see!"
Chen Hao's spectacular performance won over his teammates, who all came forward to high-five him in celebration.
Except for Rondo, of course.
Rondo even approached Chen Hao with an angry expression to question him:
"You could have passed the ball to me just now; that would have led to a quicker score.
Why didn't you pass?"
Chen Hao looked at Rondo with a puzzled expression, then retorted:
"The thing is, wasn't my speed faster than yours?
So what's the problem with me completing the fast break score myself?
I advise you not to look for trouble; I'm not some rookie player.
If you really want to pick a fight, then we can have a good chat after the game!"
Chen Hao was quite clear about Rondo's inner thoughts; he just wanted to establish his authority in front of him.
Especially after General Manager Angie spent a lot of effort signing him, it was already destined that the team would focus on developing him.
For second-year player Rondo, this was certainly not good news.
After all, in the current Boston Celtics, besides Pierce, he was already the most valued player.
Rondo even believed that in the new season, he would become the team's second-in-command, and the priority for tactical execution would be given to him.
But he never expected Chen Hao to appear out of nowhere and become the focus of public attention.
This would undoubtedly challenge Rondo's position.
Moreover, Chen Hao's position even overlapped with his, so would he have to make room for Chen Hao?
Therefore, Rondo had no good feelings for Chen Hao, and even wanted to embarrass Chen Hao in the Summer League, which would be most beneficial to him.
But the problem was, from the start of the game until now, Chen Hao not only didn't get embarrassed but instead delivered various spectacular performances.
This made Rondo even more anxious.
That's why he took the initiative to question Chen Hao, wanting to put psychological pressure on him.
Little did he know that Chen Hao completely ignored him, and even retorted, making Rondo's mood incredibly irritable.
If so many people weren't watching right now, he might even directly lay hands on Chen Hao.
Because this guy had already challenged his authority.
Rondo gave Chen Hao a deep look, then turned and walked to the frontcourt.
He had made up his mind that he would make Chen Haopay.
As for Chen Hao, he didn't take Rondo's attitude seriously.
In his opinion, Rondo's skill was actually quite good; before his transmigration, he played an important role in the team.
But now it was different; if this guy wanted to establish his authority against him, he was destined to be severely dealt with.
The game continues!
Although the Grizzlies players all knew that Chen Hao's strength was quite formidable, they still couldn't find an effective way to defend him.
So Chen Hao's crazy performance continued!
Even when Rondo had the ball, he wouldn't actively pass to Chen Hao, but Chen Hao always managed to find opportunities for second-chance points.
Of course, when Chen Hao secured a defensive rebound, he would directly push the fast break and wouldn't actively pass the ball to Rondo either.
However, Chen Hao would also assess the situation on the court and set up other teammates for easy scores.
Chen Hao's passing was quite good; he could not only score himself but also create scoring opportunities for his teammates.
So as the game progressed, Chen Hao's performance became more and more comprehensive, grabbing points, rebounds, and assists.
By halftime, Chen Hao had already racked up a comprehensive stat line of 25 points, 9 rebounds, 10 assists, 4 steals, and 5 blocks.
His halftime stats had already reached 25+5+5, directly slapping Barkley in the face.
It should be noted that this game was broadcast All-America, so Chen Hao's performance was seen by Fansacross All-America, and they were all impressed by his performance.
"This guy's strength is truly too powerful!"
"It seems that the Boston Celtics' choice to draft him was indeed a wise one!"
"It's still too early to draw conclusions, after all, this is just the Summer League, and there are still several more games to come!"
"Then I'm even more interested in his upcoming games!"
Chen Hao's stunning performance made Rondo's expression increasingly grim, because compared to Chen Hao, his performance was truly unwatchable.
Moreover, his other teammates were all quite enthusiastic about Chen Hao.
After all, Chen Hao's assists made it very easy for them to score.
Who wouldn't like such a teammate?
Chen Hao's magic continued!
In the second half, Chen Hao started flying all over the court, with various blocks and fast-break dunks, directly hyping up the audience!
In the third quarter, Chen Hao scored 20 points, along with 5 rebounds, 5 assists, 3 steals, and 4 blocks in a single quarter, effectively blowing out the game.
Checking out after three quarters, Chen Hao also recorded a huge triple-double with 45 points!
He became the most dazzling star of the Summer League's opening game!
In contrast, Rondo only managed a pitiful 4 points, 2 rebounds, 3 assists, and 4 turnovers.
Such a performance is truly hard to compare with Chen Hao!
Similarly, Chen Hao also successfully proved Barkleywrong, making his upcoming games even more highly anticipated!
At the same time, Taylor swift's new song for Chen Hao was finally released!
Chapter 29 Taylor Swift's new song is a sensation! Chen Hao invites Las Vegas
Chapter 29: Taylor swift's New Song Shakes All-America! Chen Hao's Invitation, That Night in Las Vegas!
Just as Chen Hao finished his first Summer League game, Taylor swift's new song for him was released!
Taylor swift even gave this new song a powerful title, "My Superstar!", referring to Chen Hao.
The lyrics of this song are almost all famous moments from Chen Hao's time in the NCAA; any Fans who have paid a little attention to Chen Hao can instantly recognize them.
Especially since Chen Hao's performance in the Summer League was amazing at this time, coupled with this new song as background music, it instantly became popular across the entire social network.
Taylor swift's new song for Chen Hao quickly became the top seller on the new song charts.
Now Chen Hao was completely famous!
Even Chen Hao himself was very surprised after listening to the song; Taylor swift was truly a musical genius.
The song she created has a fast, catchy rhythm, and most importantly, the lyrics are almost all his famous moments.
When reporters asked Chen Hao for his thoughts on the song, Chen Hao happily said:
"I am very grateful to the singer who created this song!
If possible, I would like to meet this singer.
To express my gratitude to her in person!"
Taylor swift had been very nervous about the release of this new song, after all, it was her first time trying this style.
But she didn't expect such a good response, and she even received a personal thank you from Chen Hao himself.
This made her very excited and thrilled, and she said she would be present at Chen Hao's next Summer Leaguegame to cheer him on.
At this point, Chen Hao and Taylor swift finally successfully connected!
The Summer League schedule is quite tight, so one day later, the second game continued.
The Celtics players were already full of admiration for Chen Hao because his performance was simply too explosive.
Except for Rondo, the rest of the players liked playing with a player like Chen Hao.
Because Chen Hao could not only score himself, but he could also create excellent scoring opportunities for his teammates.
Almost all of Chen Hao's passes could be converted into scores, and the person receiving the ball could almost always easily get an easy basket.
Originally, Rondo played this role on the Boston Celtics, but now it has become Chen Hao, and Chen Hao does it even better.
Even General Manager Angie was incredibly shocked by Chen Hao's performance; now he was completely relieved.
In the second Summer League game, the Boston Celtics' opponent was the New York Knicks; for Chen Hao, there was nothing worth taking seriously.
But for Barkley, this game was crucial.
If Chen Hao continued to perform outstandingly in the game, then he really might lose this bet.
Just as the game was about to start, Kenny Smithspecifically played Taylor swift's new song for Barkley.
"Hey, Charles, what do you think of this new song?
Doesn't it make you want to go to the court and vent after listening to it?"
Barkley's expression became very ugly; he certainly knew this song was written for Chen Hao.
After all, the entire social network was filled with this song now; it had even become a hit.
What bothered him most was that this guy Chen Haowas actually very suitable for this background music.
When Barkley heard this song, he gritted his back teeth!
Now Kenny Smith playing this song in front of him, wasn't he deliberately provoking him?
"Turn off this damn music, I need to concentrate on the game!"
Barkley shouted angrily.
"Alright, if you don't like it, I'll turn it off!
But in the upcoming game, Chen Hao's performance might still be very eye-catching!"
Kenny Smith's words made Barkley's face even uglier, but he didn't believe his luck was really that bad.
During their conversation, the game officially began!
Looking at the New York Knicks in front of him, Chen Haofelt very unfamiliar.
None of these players were recognizable, which indicated that the New York Knicks' roster was quite ordinary.
Facing such an average team, Chen Hao could easily dominate them even with one hand tied behind his back.
Thinking of this, Chen Hao looked towards the stands, because there had been a brief sensation in the stands before the game started.
Taylor swift appeared at the venue!
She indeed accepted his invitation and appeared at the venue to cheer for Chen Hao.
At this moment, Taylor swift was indeed quite stunning and beautiful; European and American girls' prime period is indeed very early.
This age group, it can be said, is quite impressive!
Taylor swift was very surprised by the cheers from the audience and waved excitedly to them.
At this time, Chen Hao withdrew his gaze and began to concentrate on the game!
Perhaps because Chen Hao's previous performance was too explosive, the New York Knicks players were very cautious about Chen Hao.
At the beginning of the game, the New York Knicksplayers started full-court guarding Chen Hao, the purpose of which was to prevent Chen Hao from having easy opportunities to receive the ball.
But for Chen Hao, such a defense was not enough to limit him.
With a tungsten-titanium alloy physique, isn't it easy to break free from this kind of defense?
The only annoying thing was that when Chen Hao played off-ball, Rondo would definitely not pass him the ball.
This made it difficult for Chen Hao to score through off-ball movement; he could only score second-chance points by grabbing offensive rebounds.
So at the beginning of the game, Chen Hao really didn't have many scoring opportunities, apart from a few offensive rebounds and scores, there were no other performances.
In the first quarter, Chen Hao only got 8 points, 4 rebounds, and 4 blocks, a performance that made Barkleyincredibly excited.
Because in his opinion, Chen Hao might be slacking off!
Taylor swift in the stands was also a little annoyed at this moment, because she could see that it was mainly because Rondo didn't pass the ball to Chen Hao that Chen Hao lacked opportunities to perform.
"This damn Rajon Rondo, how can he not pass the ball to Chen Hao?
He himself has no scoring ability!"
At the same time, the Boston Celtics General Manager Angie was also frowning, very dissatisfied with Rondo's actions.
In fact, at first, he was optimistic about Rondo and wanted to cultivate him; his overall vision was quite good.
Except for a poor shooting ability, he really had no obvious shortcomings, of course, his personality was also relatively arrogant.
But when Angie drafted Chen Hao, and compared him with Rondo, he found that Rondo was full of flaws.
His passing was not as good as Chen Hao's, his scoring was even far behind, and now he even deliberately refused to pass the ball to Chen Hao?
Is this guy really trying to cause trouble?
Angie had already decided that if Rondo continued to be so willful, he would consider letting Rondo cool down on the bench.
However, even though Rondo kept refusing to pass the ball to Chen Hao, he still needed to rest eventually.
Chen Hao's opportunity finally arrived!
Chapter 30: Playing games is just work, dating Taylor Swift is the main job!
Chapter 30: Playing Games is Just Work, Courting Taylor swift is the Main Business! The Best Hotel in Vegas is Booked!
Rondo, resting on the bench, was in a good mood. After all, he was quite satisfied with his performance today, mainly because he didn't pass the ball to Chen Hao, and then Chen Hao's performance declined.
This was exactly what Rondo wanted to see. He was unwilling for Chen Hao to receive so much attention, so he made this decision.
However, when the coach substituted him out, Chen Haoremained on the court, which made Rondo slightly displeased.
But it didn't matter; he would only rest for a few minutes. When he went back in, he would regain control of the ball.
Rondo didn't think Chen Hao could cause any trouble in these few minutes!
However, the next few minutes completely overturned Rondo's understanding of a player's scoring ability!
Chen Hao began to control the ball. He first forcefully broke through the New York Knicks' defense, and under the interception of the opposing interior players, he suddenly exploded and completed a powerful tomahawk dunk!
He also drew a defensive foul, completing a 2+1!
Subsequently, with the help of his teammates, he once again drove into the restricted area, performing a 'looking back at the moon' style dunk!
Turning around, he made another precise steal, quickly sprinted up the court, and easily completed a two-handed windmill dunk!
Chen Hao scored three consecutive dunks in less than a minute!
The Fans were completely stunned by Chen Hao's series of attacks!
They had thought Chen Hao would be relatively quiet in this game, but he unexpectedly erupted!
Taylor swift in the stands excitedly jumped up from her seat and shouted:
"Look!
I knew that damn Rajon Rondo was just getting in the way!
Now that he's out, Chen Hao's performance is here!"
Even General Manager Angie was now absolutely certain that if Rondo didn't change his mindset, he would be incompatible with Chen Hao.
If it were before, Angie might have considered Rondo's feelings.
But not anymore!
Because the potential and talent Chen Hao displayed were enough to shift all resources and ball control towards him!
Angie was even considering talking to the team's leader, Pierce, to see if Chen Hao should be given more offensive opportunities in the new season.
After all, Pierce had unlimited shooting rights, but the team's record hadn't improved much.
In that case, why not let Chen Hao try?
However, these were all matters for later. It wouldn't be too late to discuss them when the new season's training camp opened.
As Angie was having these thoughts, Chen Hao's explosive performance continued.
The New York Knicks called an emergency timeout after Chen Hao made three consecutive dunks on them.
After the timeout, they double-teamed Chen Hao.
But the result of double-teaming Chen Hao was that it created scoring opportunities for the Boston Celtics' other players!
Chen Hao began to set up his teammates like crazy!
His Tungsten-Titanium Alloy Constitution gave Chen Hao top-tier point guard vision. The New York Knicks' double-team defense didn't make him lose his vision; instead, it allowed him to see more assist opportunities!
When Chen Hao was double-teamed, a single glance from him would instantly convey his intentions to his teammates, who would then make timely cuts to the basket.
And Chen Hao would pass the ball to them, allowing them to easily score with easy layups!
Another four assists were in hand. Assists, in Chen Hao's hands, seemed to be nothing worth mentioning; he could get them easily whenever he wanted.
Rondo had only rested for two minutes, and Chen Haohad already contributed 6 points and 4 assists, which made his face incredibly gloomy.
He wanted to get on the court now because he didn't want to see Chen Hao's brilliant performance.
But the coach didn't seem to want Rondo to play. He had actually noticed Rondo's incompatibility with Chen Hao.
That's why he chose to substitute Rondo out. At this point, Chen Hao had just found his rhythm, so of course, Rondo couldn't be put back in so quickly!
So Rondo's desire to play was rejected by the coach:
"Hey, get some more rest. This is just a Summer Leaguegame; you don't need to play too long!"
The coach even actively comforted Rondo, but Rondodidn't seem to appreciate it.
His face turned ugly because, just now, Chen Hao had once again completed a block, fast break, and one-man dunk for a score!
Dunking was as easy as eating and drinking for Chen Hao.
Barkley, who was watching the game, now had a completely grim expression. He realized that he had truly underestimated Chen Hao.
The dominance Chen Hao displayed in the game was truly something not just any player could achieve.
Even if James were here, it wouldn't be an easy feat for him to put on such a performance in a similar game, would it?
This showed that Chen Hao's ability was truly very strong, and Barkley began to regret it!
He regretted underestimating Chen Hao and agreeing to a bet with Kenny Smith!
At this rate, he would lose this bet in a matter of minutes!
At first, he thought 25+5+5 was a difficult stat line, but now watching Chen Hao play, these stats were nothing worth mentioning!
Especially assists and rebounds, Chen Hao could easily get them in a single quarter, let alone points!
Barkley even had a strange feeling: he felt like Chen Haohadn't done much, but after a few minutes, he'd look at the stats and his individual numbers would already be quite terrifying!
The last time he had this feeling was with James!
This indicated that Chen Hao's game efficiency was incredibly high; almost every time he touched the ball, his stats would increase.
Such a player was truly terrifying; his opponents should indeed feel fear!
The Fans in the Stadium were completely conquered by Chen Hao's performance and had begun to frantically shout Chen Hao's name!
Especially Taylor swift, who at first was relatively reserved, sitting in the stands cheering!
But later, she was directly standing on her seat, frantically cheering for Chen Hao!
Displaying her tomboy side!
Halftime ended, 75:45!
The Boston Celtics led the New York Knicks by 30 points!
And Chen Hao alone had already accumulated 25 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists in the second quarter.
At this point, Barkley was completely numb!
So, at the end of halftime, he said to Kenny Smith with a mischievous smile:
"Hey, Kenny, if I did anything to displease you earlier, I apologize!"
Kenny Smith: "???"
Kenny Smith couldn't react for a moment. Why had this fat guy suddenly changed his tune?
Seeing Kenny Smith's puzzled expression, Barkley said somewhat awkwardly:
"You said if I lost the bet, I'd have to kiss a pig's butt.
The pig you mentioned, that must be the name of a young woman, right?"
Kenny Smith: "."
Kenny Smith, of course, would not accept Barkley's capitulation. He insisted that Barkley fulfill his promise.
This made Barkley even more depressed!
As for the Boston Celtics versus New York Knicks game, the Boston Celtics, of course, won without suspense!
Chen Hao's final individual stats were 48 points, 15 rebounds, 15 assists, 8 steals, and 8 blocks!
Right after the game ended, Taylor swift excitedly rushed down from the stands and enthusiastically invited Chen Hao to dinner.
Chen Hao, of course, did not refuse Taylor swift's proactive invitation!
Thus, amidst the envious and jealous gazes of many teammates and Fans, Chen Hao and Taylor swift left the Stadium together.
At the same time, the gossipy paparazzi had quietly followed behind them.
"Where are we going?"
Taylor swift asked nervously.
"If you don't mind, let's eat first, then go play at the biggest casino!"
"Okay! I've booked the best hotel here."
Chapter 31: Chen Hao, who owns a tungsten-titanium alloy microphone, makes Taylor give up
Chapter 31: Chen Hao, with his tungsten-titanium alloy microphone, makes Taylor swift sing her heart out for him!
"?"
Taylor swift's words left Chen Hao bewildered.
He didn't seem to have said he wanted to book a hotel, did he?
Why did Taylor swift proactively say she booked the best hotel?
And after seeing Chen Hao's expression, Taylor swift finally reacted, her face instantly flushing red:
"Ah!
I wasn't saying we should go get a room!
I meant I'm staying there today!
So we can go play at the hotel I booked!"
Taylor swift's flustered explanation, her panicked appearance, almost made Chen Hao succumb.
As expected of a future diva, this expression and personality are truly quite endearing.
However, since she has already hooked up with him first, she won't be attracted to anyone else in the future.
After all, he possesses a Tungsten-Titanium Alloy Constitution, and the sheer value of that tungsten-titanium alloy microphone is enough to make Taylor swiftsing for him with peace of mind!
At this time, Taylor swift's fame had begun to gradually rise because a song she wrote for Chen Hao became extremely popular.
Coupled with Chen Hao being the third overall pick in this year's draft and his eye-catching performance in the Summer League, it naturally attracted the attention of paparazzi.
At this moment, the paparazzi were following behind them, wanting to know where they would go.
Chen Hao and Taylor swift first went to have dinner, and then they really went to the best hotel in the casino city.
When they saw the two walk into the hotel at the same time, the paparazzi instantly went wild!
This was explosive news!
A new generation female singer and a rising star who just became an NBA player went to get a room!
Just this headline alone was explosive enough!
They believed that once this news was reported, it would definitely cause a huge sensation.
No wonder Taylor swift wrote a song for Chen Hao; it turns out these two already had an affair!
These paparazzi even began to imagine what kind of things they would do in the hotel.
Little did they know, at this time, Chen Hao and Taylor swiftwere happily playing in the hotel's entertainment hall!
The entertainment hall offered an endless variety of games, keeping Chen Hao and Taylor swift thoroughly entertained.
Especially Chen Hao, his luck was exceptionally good today; he won at everything he played.
This made Taylor swift exclaim in surprise, and also attracted the attention of other tourists.
As a result, many players gathered around Chen Hao, all wanting to 'drink a sip of soup' (share in his winnings).
Chen Hao naturally wouldn't refuse the thoughts of these players, and even proactively reminded them:
"Hey, I'm just lucky for a while; don't rely too much on my luck!"
In response to Chen Hao's reminder, these players all said with a smile:
"Of course, we're just following the trend; we know what we're doing!"
Initially, these players were indeed more cautious, and the amount they bet with Chen Hao was relatively small.
But as they won more and more times, their courage grew.
Because Chen Hao had truly never lost a single time, by the end, these players were even betting several times more than Chen Hao.
This made Chen Hao feel a bit helpless, while Taylor swift on the side appeared very excited and proud, her eyes filled with infinite admiration for Chen Hao.
Seeing Taylor swift's gaze, Chen Hao felt a bit hot-headed.
After all, at this age, he truly lacked resistance to Taylor swift.
"Oh my goodness!
You really won all night!
Just now, our chips were only ten thousand dollars.
But now they've become five hundred thousand dollars!
If we keep playing, won't it become a million dollars?"
Taylor swift exclaimed excitedly at this moment.
Chen Hao, on the other hand, smiled and shook his head, saying:
"I'm not going to keep playing!
Because this thing always relies on luck.
And if we're too greedy, we might even lose our initial ten thousand dollars!
So, let's stop here; no more playing!"
After he finished speaking, under Taylor swift's surprised gaze, Chen Hao took the chips to exchange for cash!
Those players who followed Chen Hao's bets were unhappy and wanted Chen Hao to continue playing.
But Chen Hao politely refused, saying:
"If you want to keep playing, then keep playing!
But I've played enough, and I hope you won't stop me!"
Seeing Chen Hao's resolute expression, these bandwagon players had no choice but to give up, but it was impossible for them to stop; they still wanted to continue playing.
When Chen Hao had exchanged all the chips for cash, passing through the entertainment hall again, he heard sighs and curses coming from within.
Taylor swift looked in that direction and found that these were the players who had just followed Chen Hao, and it seemed they had already started losing.
At this time, a player saw Chen Hao and said with a look of regret:
"I should have stopped playing with you!
I've now lost everything back!"
After Taylor swift heard this player's words, she finally understood the meaning of Chen Hao's words.
Indeed, one truly cannot rely on luck for a lifetime.
Her gaze towards Chen Hao became even more adoring.
In fact, Chen Hao had always known that someone was secretly observing them.
Especially as he won more and more times, the number of people observing him increased.
Chen Hao even made eye contact with a few of them; although they said nothing, from their eyes, Chen Haoalready knew what these people were thinking.
If Chen Hao continued to win, the casino manager would definitely come out to communicate with him.
After all, a casino that opens for business will never do a losing business.
Once a player truly wins too much, the casino will naturally try every means to win the money back.
So Chen Hao decisively withdrew, as he was not a local big shot right now and there was no need to offend the hidden boss here.
Just as Chen Hao and Taylor swift were about to leave the entertainment hall, a Black man in a suit blocked their way.
Taylor swift was startled by the Black man blocking their path and nervously leaned against Chen Hao.
"Mr. Chen Hao, our boss wants to meet you. I wonder if it's convenient for you?"
Taylor swift was a little surprised, not expecting this Black man to know Chen Hao.
Although this Black man was tall, in front of Chen Hao, he was still a little brother.
So Chen Hao was not nervous at all, and even asked curiously:
"Does your boss also like watching basketball?
Otherwise, how would he know me?"
Being questioned back by Chen Hao like this, the Black man was also stunned for a moment.
He didn't expect Chen Hao to be not nervous at all, and even in the mood to tease his boss.
But he quickly reacted, saying with a gloomy face:
"That's not for you to worry about. Do you want to meet my boss or not?"
"Why not? Lead the way!"
Chen Hao said with a smile.
After hearing Chen Hao's answer, Taylor swift also looked at him with some worry.
Chen Hao smiled and shook his head at her, saying:
"Don't worry, since he can find me so politely, it means he has no ill intentions!"
Only after Taylor swift heard Chen Hao's explanation did she finally feel a little relieved.
Thus, Chen Hao and Taylor swift followed the Black man to their boss's office.