"I heard Zhao Dong's been working on his shooting lately, putting up 800 shots a day," Thibodeau suddenly said.
"For real? That many?" Ernie Grunfeld asked in surprise.
Thibodeau nodded. "Yeah. His conditioning still needs work—he can only go about 35 minutes max before his game quality dips. Improving his shooting is a must. It'll take some of the strain off his body, cut down on those tough shots in the paint, and give him more jumpers to conserve energy."
Van Gundy thought for a moment. "I originally planned to bulk him up to 120 kilos to make him more dominant in the post, but it looks like he doesn't plan on staying down low all the time. Seems like he's trying to develop into more of a small forward."
"What's the team's vision for him?" Grunfeld asked.
"Ewing relies mostly on jumpers, and he doesn't attack the basket much. Zhao Dong's low-post game fills that gap perfectly," Van Gundy explained. "But working on his shot is definitely the right move. When he faces a strong interior defense, he can stretch the floor with his jumper and keep our offense flowing."
"You guys notice something? He looks a little quicker," Thibodeau pointed at Zhao Dong, who was running back and forth on the baseline during drills.
"For real?"
Van Gundy watched for a bit, then nodded. "Yeah, he does seem faster. Hard to tell by eye, though. We should set up some tests later."
"Yeah, his jumping numbers were off too. A full physical test is overdue," Grunfeld added.
Van Gundy agreed. "Once we get the results, I'll design a strength program for him to target specific areas. But first, I need to talk to him about how he sees his role."
"Team strategy comes first," Thibodeau reminded.
"Of course, but communication is key," Van Gundy replied.
After practice, Zhao Dong got called in.
"My position?"
When Van Gundy asked, Zhao Dong just grinned. "Magic's my idol. Barkley's my role model."
"So an all-around inside-out game? A bigger Barkley?" Van Gundy immediately understood.
Zhao Dong's vision didn't clash with the team's, which was ideal.
"Coach, I'm playing inside right now, but that's clogging up Charles' space on defense. Honestly, I think my offense is better than my defense, and Oakley's the opposite. Neither of us is fully comfortable right now. If I slide to small forward, we can both maximize our impact," Zhao Dong explained.
Van Gundy nodded. "The team does need a strong small forward, but you're too heavy, and your speed isn't there yet."
"I'll get faster. I know I have it in me," Zhao Dong said confidently.
---
That night, the Bulls played the Hornets on the road. In the visitor's locker room, Michael Jordan sat down for a media interview.
"Haha..."
When a reporter mentioned that Zhao Dong claimed he'd drop 53 points on him within two seasons, Jordan burst out laughing and couldn't stop.
After about twenty seconds, he finally calmed down, still smiling. "Man, that's hilarious! How's he gonna put 53 on me? He's an inside player, and I'm a guard! This is comedy gold! Haha! Someone tell him he's got a bright future in stand-up!"
That night, Jordan went off for 51 points, leading the Bulls to another win and securing back-to-back 50+ point games.
---
November 16—Knicks vs. Timberwolves at Madison Square Garden.
Timberwolves Starting Five: Stojako Frankovic, Kevin Garnett, Tom Gugliotta, Doug West, Stephon Marbury.
Knicks Starting Five: Ewing, Zhao Dong, Oakley, Allan Houston, Charlie Ward.
In the Knicks' locker room, Zhao Dong checked his system's task list.
Superstar Sniper Mission: Lock down future superstar Kevin Garnett and outplay him on both ends.
Hold Garnett to under 12 points.
Limit him to fewer than five rebounds.
Block or steal the ball from him at least five times.
Score at least 20 points with a shooting percentage above 50%.
Take at least 10 mid-range jumpers.
Attempt at least three three-pointers.
Mission Reward: Three skill points.
Note: Must complete all objectives to receive the reward.
All-Star Sniper Mission: Defend against future All-Star Stephon Marbury.
Block or steal the ball from him at least three times.
Hold his field goal percentage below 50% (Marbury is currently shooting 56%).
Mission Reward: One quality point.
Note: Must complete all objectives to receive the reward.
"Two sniper missions?"
Zhao Dong was a little surprised. This was the first time he had two separate missions in a single game.
For Garnett, it was a superstar-level mission, but without a Gold Medal Skill Template as a reward. Just three skill points—same as the Camby mission—but the difficulty was way higher.
"Holding Garnett to 11 and 4 with 5 blocks? That's a tough challenge on defense."
On offense, the system was clearly pushing him to expand his shooting range. Was it because of the Timberwolves' strong interior defense? Or was it setting him up to counter the Bulls' dynasty?
Garnett was averaging 17 and 8 this season. Shutting him down wouldn't be easy.
"For offense, I'll still focus on post-ups. If I can get inside, I'll attack the rim. If not, I'll take the jumper. That should give me a good shot at completing the challenge."
As for Marbury, he'd prioritize help defense. It wasn't his main goal tonight, but if he could complete it, great. If not, no big deal.
At that moment, a few reporters entered the locker room for interviews.
"Zhao Dong, did you see Barkley's interview?" a reporter asked.
"Nah, did he say something about me?" Zhao Dong replied.
"He said you should show more respect to Jordan. And that you need to prove you're worth the No. 1 pick contract the Knicks gave you," the reporter said with a smirk.
Zhao Dong chuckled, then his face turned serious. "Alright, send him a message for me. He's my role model, but I'll surpass him. I've got the heart to chase greatness, to aim higher than Jordan. He never had that. That's why he never beat MJ and never got a ring."
The reporters were hyped. This rookie always gave them headline material.
Patrick Ewing, who was listening nearby, sighed to himself. "If I had Zhao Dong's mindset, maybe we would've won a championship by now."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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