NBA's Super Troublemaker

Chapter 27 Strike When the Time Is Right

Shortly after, Trail Blazers president Steve Patterson returned after finishing his business.

He really regretted it; he should have walked further away when he answered the phone so that Hansen Lee wouldn't have heard about it.

After all, as this year's rookie, Hansen Lee's first day with the team was not a good start, as he heard about his teammate being caught hiding flour. It would leave a bad impression on him.

Steve Patterson explained, "About Damon... well, I mean, Hansen, you just joined the team, just focus on yourself and don't worry about anything else."

"I never intended to concern myself with these criminals," Li He thought to himself.

"It's alright, I'm used to it." Li He shook his head and chuckled. "In early 02, Damon Stoudemire was found to have marijuana in his home."

"In November 2002, he was fined for speeding and flour was found hidden in his car."

"Including today's incident, in just a year and a half, the little flying squirrel has already achieved a hat trick. That's quite efficient, isn't it?"

Steve Patterson was speechless. It seemed that Hansen Lee had done a lot of research to join the team, as he even knew these things.

He suddenly seemed to remember something and realized why Li He knew so much about "flying squirrels".

Because Damon Stoudemire also graduated from the University of Arizona!

He's Hansen Lee's senior!

Thinking about it this way, the two have a deep connection. They are both disciples of Coach Lute Olsen, fellow students. Perhaps they can have a better chemistry on the field?

Steve Patterson pursed his lips: "But Damon played pretty well on the court, so the two of you might make a good pair."

"Perhaps." Li He smiled calmly.

Li He knew that "Little Flying Squirrel" Stoudemire was quite skilled.

The reason the Trail Blazers didn't get rid of "Little Mouse" is because he had an outstanding performance in last season's playoffs, averaging 15.3 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 5.6 assists per game, with a three-point shooting percentage of 48.4% and a ridiculously high free throw percentage of 95.2%!

If it weren't for the mess he made off the court, Damon Stoudemire might have had a better career in the NBA.

The subsequent signing ceremony went quite smoothly, and Li He, under the guidance of head coach Maurice Cheeks, briefly familiarized himself with the venue.

This is a place where Li He will often stay in the future.

Maurice Cheeks was a second-round pick and won a championship with the 76ers in 1983. He was also the 76ers' leader in steals when he retired. He was very good at coaching guards.

"Hansen, I have great confidence in you. Your future is sure to be bright!" Maurice Cheeks declared.

Although there isn't much video footage of Li He, just watching a few games in the NCAA is enough to prove how incredible his shooting ability is.

"Thank you, Coach. I will try my best."

"Keep it up! The Summer League is just around the corner, do your best and make a name for yourself!"

After touring the team's facilities, Li He needed to consider arranging accommodations.

With some time still to go before the start of the regular season, Li He, an orphan, was quite strapped for cash. Fortunately, his mentor Yao Ming transferred $10,000 to him, helping him out of his immediate predicament.

He first found a hotel to stay in for one night, and the next day he rented a two-bedroom apartment for $900 a month for six months. After six months, he would receive his salary and be able to move to a better place.

"Things have settled down just like that." Inside the apartment, Li He stared blankly at the empty ceiling. "Keep going!"

……

Days passed by in this way, and Li He trained every day in preparation for the summer league.

Meanwhile, through continuous training, Li He's performance in matches has improved significantly.

The one-on-one challenge count for the "Respect the Elderly and Love the Young" system has been reset. However, after continuous training, it has now reached 31%. I wonder if I can get another chance to use the template before the new season arrives.

The date is May 18th.

The NBA Summer League officially kicked off in Salt Lake City.

This is the largest summer league this summer, far exceeding the size of the Orlando Summer League and the Southern California Summer League.

The participation of LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony, and others in the Summer League has generated significant media attention.

The main purpose of the Summer League is to train players. Most teams go through the motions and don't put in much effort, so their rosters are relatively loose.

Before the Summer League, Li He met his first Trail Blazers teammate, Quintel Woods.

This is a 2.03-meter tall swingman who grew up in Memphis. He was selected by the Trail Blazers in the first round last year with the 21st pick, but his performance was mediocre, averaging only 2.4 points per game this season.

But his off-field performance is far more impressive than his on-field performance.

Illegal possession of marijuana, involvement in fights, animal abuse—the list of crimes is simply staggering.

Of course, by the standards of the "Portland Prisons Team," this guy does fit the team's character quite well.

As a second-year player, he ignored Li He when he saw him and sat to the side looking smug.

He was still waiting for Li He to come over and say hello, but Li He didn't even look at him.

A rude newcomer. Quintel Woods mentally labeled him.

The Trail Blazers' first opponent is the Toronto Raptors, who drafted Chris Bosh in this year's draft.

At the start of the match, both sides played relatively evenly, but as the lead changed hands, the intensity of the game increased.

Summer League has virtually no tactics to speak of. Temporary players want to prove themselves and make a name for themselves, while rookies are getting familiar with the game. Almost everyone is just taking the ball and going it alone.

This made it quite easy for Li He to play, and he made 4 three-pointers in the first half alone, scoring 14 points.

As for Quintel Woods, he was clearly underwhelming. He was completely outmatched by Chris Bosh, scoring only 1 point from free throws in the first half and getting blocked three times.

This put Quintel Woods in a bad mood, and he tried to prove himself in the second half, but made a series of mistakes.

During a timeout in the third quarter, he angrily threw a towel at Li He, hitting him directly in the face.

Li He said with a displeased expression, "Kuntel, what are you doing?"

"They just kept attacking relentlessly on the field, got completely destroyed, and still have the nerve to be angry?"

Quintel Woods immediately exploded, pointing at Li He and roaring, "You freaking rookie, what right do you have to talk to me like that?"

"Are you tired of living?!"

Some Black people have such simple thought processes; otherwise, how could they commit acts like illegal possession of marijuana, involvement in fights, and repeated animal abuse?

Just as the team's coach, Dan Panzarino, was about to speak, Li He stood up from his seat and walked towards Quintel Woods.

Those long arms, as if cast in steel, suddenly pressed down on Quintel Woods' shoulders, pulling the 2.03-meter-tall man up in one go.

Li He stared intently at Quintel Woods and said in a deep voice, "Who's got a death wish?"

In an instant, his momentum overwhelmed Quintel Woods, especially his sudden burst of power, which made Quintel Woods realize that this rookie was no pushover.

Quintel Woods choked up, at a loss for words.

To put it bluntly, people who frequently abuse animals are basically cowards in real life. What real tough guy would do such a despicable thing?

"I'm sorry..."

Just as Quintel Woods was about to apologize, Li He suddenly shoved him, sending him crashing into a chair that broke in two.

At this moment, all eyes in the arena were focused on the Trail Blazers' bench.

Holy crap, the match isn't even over yet and they've already started fighting amongst themselves?