After the practice match between Shohoku and Ryonan High School ended, Jinguji Budo hurriedly said goodbye to his teammates and coach.
There was no other reason, mainly because Wudao needed to act as Zhang Yongjun's translator and take Zhang Yongjun to find his companions.
At noon, the sun was shining directly, and the temperature on the coast began to rise, from around 20 degrees in the morning to nearly 30 degrees. At the tram station, Jinguji Wudao and Zhang Yongjun walked down from the station one after the other and looked around.
"Brother Jun, that's the hotel, right?"
Jinguji Takeshi asked, carrying his bag, pointing to a hotel a hundred meters away.
"Yes, it's that hotel. Now that I'm here, I know the way. Thank you, Xiao Wu."
Zhang Yongjun looked in the direction Wu Dao pointed, nodded, and smiled. He followed the Chinese custom of addressing Wu Dao, and Wu Dao not only did not feel offended, but felt quite intimate.
"You're welcome. It's my pleasure."
"Brother Jun, I will go back directly then. You can go back to the hotel by yourself." When Jinguji Wudao heard that Zhang Yongjun already knew the way, he couldn't help but laugh and breathed a sigh of relief.
When he heard Zhang Yongjun mention the name of the hotel, he was confused. After all, it was his first time in this area. He asked the locals along the way before bringing Zhang Yongjun here.
It was just before nine o'clock when the practice session ended. It was already noon when Zhang Yongjun and I came all the way here. We spent quite a lot of time on the road.
After Wu Dao said something to Zhang Yongjun, he was about to leave, but when he was about to leave, Zhang Yongjun called him from behind.
"Xiao Wu, don't leave yet, I have something to tell you."
Hearing this, Wu Dao turned around curiously and looked at Zhang Yongjun with a puzzled look.
"Anything else, Jun-ge?"
Zhang Yongjun waved at Wu Dao, and when Wu Dao came to him, he looked at Wu Dao and said, "I wanted to tell you this on the way here, but I couldn't figure out how to tell you at the moment."
"this... .."
"Let me introduce myself again. My name is Zhang Yongjun, and I also play basketball."
"We have also achieved some results in China."
"I've been keeping an eye on you since I saw you play in the practice match."
"Um... You are a freshman in high school this year, right? You should be fifteen years old. Um... Your father is Chinese, and your grandparents still live in China, right?"
When Zhang Yongjun spoke, Wu Dao felt that he was speaking incoherently. Wu Dao listened to him but couldn't grasp the key points of his words, so he interrupted him and said:
"Brother Jun, if you have anything to say, just say it."
Zhang Yongjun was still organizing his words in his mind, and his thoughts became clearer at this moment.
"In that case, I'll be more direct."
"Student Xiao Wu, I think you have excellent talents. I think it's a bit of a waste of your talent for you to stay here and play basketball."
"I may not have told you before, but I am actually a member of the Chinese national team and play in the Chinese league."
"I have already discussed with my team that in two years, I will retire and become the head coach of the team."
"I think you have excellent talent, and I want to ask you if you are willing to play in China."
"Of course, I can't guarantee you anything, but I know a lot of people who can let you practice with the youth team. I believe that with your talent, you should be able to play well in the youth team."
"For your basketball development, China is definitely much better than here."
Zhang Yongjun had some expectation in his expression when he said this. Although he met Wudao by chance, after he saw Wudao's competition, Zhang Yongjun became interested in Wudao.
Does China lack talented young players? Not necessarily. At this stage, China lacks talented players in the back line, but not in the forward line.
Zhang Yongjun felt that Wu Dao could grow into an excellent point guard or small forward. Zhang Yongjun had seen Wu Dao's previous performance on the court. Although it was just a practice match, with Zhang Yongjun's vision, he could certainly see the level of both sides. Even with just one match, Zhang Yongjun had already recognized Wu Dao's talent.
"Go to China and practice with the youth team?!"
Wu Dao was shocked when he heard this. He had already felt somewhat familiar with the name Zhang Yongjun. Now when he heard what Zhang Yongjun said, he actually remembered that he did know such a person in his previous life.
Although people of Wudao's age have never seen Zhang Yongjun play basketball, they have heard of him. Not only that, Wudao also knows that this person became the head coach of the Guangdong Provincial Men's Basketball Team after his retirement. When he took over as the head coach, the Guangdong Provincial Men's Basketball Team was just undergoing a blood transfusion. The young coach Du and the main players Zhu Quanwang were also promoted during his coaching period.
"This... I haven't thought about returning to China to play basketball for the time being." Wu Dao was a little surprised. He didn't expect Zhang Yongjun to say these words to him. He also didn't expect that after a practice match, Zhang Yongjun would recognize him so much.
To be honest, Wu Dao had never really thought about these things. Although he had dreamed of entering the NBA and becoming the first Chinese basketball superstar, that was only a dream.
At this stage, let alone NBA superstars, Wu Dao has not even desired to become a CBA superstar.
His goal was simple and short-term. He just wanted to lead Xiangbei High School to dominate the country in the three years of high school. As for what would happen in the future, Budo had only thought about it, but had not yet made any plans.
"I know it's normal for you to feel uncomfortable with what I'm saying to you all of a sudden."
"How about this, I'll leave you a phone number, you think about it carefully, consider it, and call me when you have thought it through."
"Um, do you have a pen and paper?"
Zhang Yongjun did not give up his recruitment plan because of Wu Dao's words. In Zhang Yongjun's opinion, as long as Wu Dao's talent is well cultivated, he will definitely shine on the basketball court. The Japanese basketball world, pardon his bluntness, is too small to support a big dragon.
"Yes." Wu Dao nodded stupidly, took out a pen and paper from his bag and gave them to Zhang Yongjun. Zhang Yongjun started writing on it. There was not only a phone number, but also an address.
"Here is my address and home phone number. If you have thought it through, contact me through this."
"Honestly, you have great talent. If you receive effective training, you will definitely become a very strong player."
"Of course, the premise is to get effective training."
"Neon's basketball level is not very good. If you play here, your growth will be suppressed."
Zhang Yongjun wrote down his contact information, then put the small notebook back into Wudao's bag and spoke earnestly.
Until now, Wu Dao's head was still dizzy. He had a feeling of unreality and couldn't believe what was happening before his eyes.
A random passerby on the street turned out to be a member of the national team. He invited me to play in the country after watching me play a practice match? All this happened too suddenly and too fantastically. Even if Wu Dao was a time traveler, he couldn't accept it for a while.
Wu Dao rubbed his cheeks to sober himself up. Coming to his senses, he suddenly shook his head at Zhang Yongjun and said:
"Brother Jun, thank you for your invitation, but... I actually have my own plans."
"I will definitely pursue a career in professional basketball in the future, but at this stage, I just want to lead my team to dominate the country!"
"Not just one year! I want to achieve three consecutive championships in these three years of high school!"
Wu Dao's tone was firm and resolute when he said this, and now that he had come back to his senses, he no longer hesitated.
"Dominate the country? Three consecutive championships..."
"That means I'm 18 years old and can play in the professional league!"
As Zhang Yongjun thought so in his heart, his brows couldn't help but relax. He was really optimistic about his talent in martial arts and didn't want to waste it.
Eighteen years old is not that old, and his current level of martial arts is quite good. As long as he keeps on the right track, his ability will be able to reach a higher level in three years. Even if martial arts is just stagnant, at the age of 18, he still has very strong plasticity. Zhang Yongjun is very clear about this.
Although I thought so in my heart, when the words came to my lips, I didn't say them.
"Is that so? You have to think about it carefully. This opportunity is really rare. You have to know that at your age, many Chinese players have already started formal basketball training."
"You can't compare to the professionalism and intensity of the training they have undergone."
"For now, I can say that you will still be one of the top people in China, but in a few years, the level will be far apart."
“It will definitely not be an easy task to make up for those gaps when the time comes.”
"Even if you came here after finishing high school, the team's attention would definitely be different from what it is now, and there would be a huge gap in the allocation of resources."
Zhang Yongjun patiently advised Wudao. He said so much to Wudao, and at the same time, he didn't want Wudao to waste his personal talent, and he also had a little selfish motive.
He will retire in two years and then coach, which he has already discussed with the team's top management. But the current team is in a period of transition, and when he takes over as the new manager in two years, he must have available people.
The young and talented Wu Dao is a card he can choose! Zhang Yongjun is extremely confident in his vision. He believes that as long as Wu Dao is well trained, with the talent that Wu Dao has now shown, he will definitely be able to amaze countless people.
"This... I have thought it through."
"To dominate the country is a promise my friends and I made, and I will never break my promise!"
"After I realize this dream, I will come to you. I hope that by then, my strength will be recognized by you!"
Wudao didn't think much and directly replied to Zhang Yongjun. He knew that this was a good opportunity, but Wudao was also full of confidence in himself. He believed that even if he didn't train in the environment of China, he would not lose to others.
Wu Dao's confidence comes from the recognition of his own talent, and also from the opponents he has met. He believes that Ryonan High School, which was defeated by them today, will never give up. With such a group of opponents to inspire him, Wu Dao is not afraid of a lack of intensity in the competition.
"Well... In that case, I won't say much."
"However, if you have a holiday, you can come back to China. When you come to Guangdong Province, I will take you around to repay you for leading the way!"
Zhang Yongjun took these words very seriously. It was just a guide, but to him, it was already a favor. Wudao knew in his heart that Zhang Yongjun said this because the other party really saw his talent, and he said this to make the relationship between the two people deeper.
Wu Dao knew this clearly, and was also very grateful that Zhang Yongjun thought so highly of him. He nodded heavily and replied, "I will go back during the holidays, and I will definitely contact you then. I hope I won't cause you any trouble then."
When Wu Dao said this, he addressed Zhang Yongjun with much more respect. Zhang Yongjun could hear it, nodded, stretched out his hand, and patted Wu Dao's shoulder.
"Then I'll go back first. Take care." Wu Dao patted the notebook that Zhang Yongjun had put in his bag and waved goodbye to Zhang Yongjun.
Looking at Jinguji Takeshi's departing back, Zhang Yongjun sighed silently, as if he was regretting that he was unable to persuade Takeshi to return to China to play basketball.
...
On Monday, Wu Dao had just walked into the campus, and he could immediately feel that the students around him looked at him differently. Before that, although Wu Dao was also very eye-catching, it was only because of his handsome appearance and his height that was much higher than that of ordinary people.
But today, Wudao could sense something was different. Walking towards the classroom, many of his classmates smiled at him instead of pointing and criticizing him as before.
This strange atmosphere left Wudao confused, and he felt uncomfortable during the whole day of class.
It was not until he went to the gym after school in the afternoon that Wu Dao found out what had happened.
He is famous!
"Hey, Wudao, how does it feel to be a celebrity?!" As soon as they entered the stadium, Mitsui Hisashi came to Wudao and joked.
"Celebrity? What's going on?" Wu Dao looked confused and didn't understand.
"Huh? You don't know?!"
"You are a big celebrity in our school now!"
"Everyone knows that you led the team to defeat Ryonan High School, overpowering the junior high school MVP Shinomiya Tano and scoring 55 points in one game."
"You are the savior of Xiangbei High School (﹁﹁)"
Mitsui Shou said this with a smile, but these words always sounded weird to Wudao.
"I haven't heard of what you're talking about. It's just a practice match with Ryonan."
Wu Dao was bewildered, he didn't understand why an ordinary practice match seemed to have caused such a big commotion.
"It seems that Budo really doesn't know!"
"A practice match is nothing, but our practice match opponents are not ordinary teams. Or, in other words, they may have been ordinary teams in the past, but now, they are not ordinary teams."
"Shinomiya Tano was once the MVP of junior high school. I heard that he led his team to the top 16 in the country when he was in junior high school. He is a highly regarded player in the county."
"We won the match against Ryonan, and the school's news agency helped promote it. Now you've become a celebrity."
While Wudao was talking to Mitsui Shou, Mugure Konobu came over with a smile and explained.
The basketball team is a popular club in Xiangbei High School. Because of Mitsui Shou, Xiangbei's basketball team is also well-known in the school. This has also led some students to start paying attention to basketball games.
Many people know Shinomiya Tano as the MVP of junior high school, and Jinguji Budou is the player who helped Shinomiya Tano to get promoted in the practice match.
After a rest day, the news that Xiangbei High School defeated Ryonan High School in the practice match had already spread to the surrounding schools. Even many junior high schools knew about this news. You know, just a few months ago, Yokota Junior High School led by Shinomiya Tano was the nightmare of all junior high schools in the prefecture.
Takeishi Junior High School.
"Hey, Captain Rukawa, have you heard? Ryonan High School where Shinomiya Tano is located was defeated by Shohoku led by Mitsui-senpai."
"Senior Budo scored 55 points in one match, and completely blew away that Shinomiya Tano!"
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