Yao Ming's height gave him a wider field of vision, allowing him to clearly see Yi Jianlian's movement path, and all that remained was to comfortably pass the ball to Yi Jianlian.
That's what everyone thought.
Yao Ming made his move.
Tang Long was still near the free-throw line, so Yao Ming opted for a lob pass.
This type of pass was usually used to break through presses, but because of the distance between them, the ball's speed, and the excellent placement, Yao Ming was already preparing to tease Tang Long.
However, before the basketball even reached its apex, a large hand intercepted it. It was like a special effect from a movie, the ball spinning rapidly in Tang Long's palm, maximizing the show-off effect.
Damn.
This guy is too much of a show-off.
Yao Ming's face twitched.
After Tang Long stole the ball, Yi Jianlian rushed over to defend. He was fast, but Tang Long was faster. With a quick spin, he dunked.
*Bong!*
The backboard rang, and the surrounding players and coaches stared in disbelief.
His leaping ability, explosiveness, and flexibility were almost otherworldly.
Except for Yao Ming.
He had seen Tang Long dunk too many times.
Zhou Peng and Ding Mianhui's expressions were different now. A hint of admiration showed in their eyes, but it was quickly overshadowed by their competitive spirit.
Tang Long inbounded the ball again. After receiving it, Zhou Peng dribbled between his legs, moving quickly. However, Sun Yue, who was guarding him, was focused. Zhou Peng tried to speed past Sun Yue but was blocked and had to pass.
Ding Mianhui was on the other side, so Zhou Peng could only pass to Tang Long.
Of course, he could also choose not to pass.
If it were some difficult player, they might be overconfident and shoot blindly. Zhou Peng hesitated for a moment before passing the ball to Tang Long, who was coming to receive it.
As Tang Long caught the ball, Yao Ming immediately closed in.
He was constantly watching Tang Long. Fortunately, this was half-court, so Yao Ming didn't need to play tight defense. He only rushed forward after Tang Long received the pass.
Tang Long was going one-on-one against Yao Ming.
"This is going to be good," Da Zhi whispered, nudging Du Feng with his elbow. "Who do you think is better?"
"Hard to say," Du Feng replied with a playful smile, staring intently at Tang Long and Yao Ming on the court. He analyzed calmly, "They both have their strengths. Tang Long is agile, while Yao Ming is tall. It really depends on the court and their current form."
"That's like saying nothing at all."
Da Zhi grumbled in dissatisfaction and turned back to watch the two players battling it out.
Tang Long repeatedly tried to drive to the basket, but his space was very limited. The defenders were too close, and he didn't have an opportunity to shoot.
"Brother Yao, friendship first, competition second. Why so serious?"
"You think I'm Gasol... Damn, you..."
Yao Ming was about to say he wasn't Gasol when Tang Long executed a perfect crossover. The ball zipped past him on the left, and Tang Long drove through on the right.
Seeing this, Yao Ming scrambled back, attempting to block Tang Long's shot as he jumped.
His reaction was a split-second too late. Tang Long had an opportunity for a direct layup, but as he took off, he spotted Ding Mianhui's position.
The ball spun under his legs and was directly passed to Ding Mianhui.
Ding Mianhui, inside the paint, was to Yao Ming's right. After Tang Long's drive, Yi Jianlian hadn't followed him, leaving Ding Mianhui unguarded.
The ball landed perfectly in Ding Mianhui's hands. He was momentarily surprised that Tang Long had passed to him, but he quickly reacted and followed Yao Ming's jump to lay the ball in.
1-0.
After making the basket, Ding Mianhui's expression was complex. The fluid teamwork and smooth pass made him feel that playing with Tang Long was a great joy. However, he was still embarrassed about being scolded earlier, making him conflicted.
"Nice play."
Tang Long playfully high-fived Ding Mianhui, and Ding Mianhui felt something boiling within him.
When the ball was inbounded again, Ding Mianhui's movements became more active, forcing Yi Jianlian to also play seriously.
The players quickly sensed the shift in intensity.
Are they really going to play for real now?
Younes and Guo Qiang exchanged glances. They tacitly turned their attention back to the court.
This was the kind of competition they wanted to see, not the casual play from before.
Ding Mianhui's mindset also influenced Zhou Peng. Tang Long, being magnanimous, was not stingy with his passes when Zhou Peng had an opportunity.
The three players' coordination improved, and they led Yao Ming's team by 5-0.
"Brother Yao, how was it?"
Before Yao Ming could speak, Guo Qiang interjected, "1-1, the score is tied. Let's take a break and continue training."
This was supposed to be a friendly match. If any conflict arose between the two sides, their Olympic campaign would be in jeopardy.
Tang Long and Yao Ming looked at each other and grinned.
Any Chinese person who loved basketball couldn't help but like Yao Ming. It was thanks to Yao Ming that Chinese basketball became a strong team in those years.
For this reason, Tang Long deeply admired Yao Ming. They were both men, after all, and they wouldn't let such a small matter cause friction.
"Come on, I'll show you around the base."
Just as Yao Ming was about to lead Tang Long around, Zhou Peng and Ding Mianhui walked over, hesitating to speak.
"What, still want to play another round with me?"
Ding Mianhui was taken aback, then sheepishly touched his head. "We'll definitely play another game, but it would be even better if we played as teammates."
"I think so too. Playing with you is exhilarating. I'm convinced now."
After this match, the two were fully convinced of Tang Long's abilities and understood why he was such a sought-after star in the NBA.
"Alright, let's go beat up the foreigners together."
...
"No way, they're already starting training after only two days of rest?"
LeBron James put on a pained expression and looked at Anthony after receiving a call from Mike Krzyzewski, the head coach of the U.S. men's basketball team.
The three of them had planned to go on vacation together. Then Paul, the younger brother, decided to join, so the four of them planned to enjoy a holiday in Barcelona. Unexpectedly, Krzyzewski called them back to report for training.
Subsequently, Anthony, Wade, and Paul all received calls from Mike Krzyzewski.
The U.S. national team would head to Macau, China, for training in a week.
"I think Mike Krzyzewski is just trying to make himself known. Does our U.S. basketball team really need training?" Anthony scoffed. "Let's go on vacation first and report back later."
The other two agreed, but Paul looked uneasy. "This isn't good, is it? What if the coach gets angry and doesn't let us into the national team?"