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I'm not sure who suggested authentic Sichuan food, but Griffin's private gym was now a battlefield, with only Lin Yi and Jianlian standing tall.
Even though Jianlian wasn't a fan of spicy food, for some of these NBA stars, the meal was a nightmare. Harden, who had been itching to hit the nightclub afterward, now lay on the court like a fallen soldier, clutching his stomach. He looked like five Ibakas rolled into one, groaning without the will to stand.
Anyway, their special training camp wrapped up in early September. Everyone walked away sharper, especially the rookies of the 2010 class. Scouts, eager to erase memories of their perceived weak 2009 draft, were already hyping 2010 as a superior crop. But Lin Yi knew better. After all, both Harden and Steph from '09 would go on to win MVPs, and if anything, Lin Yi himself was on track to claim one before anyone else.
Wall shook his head after watching some Team USA warm-ups. "Honestly, man," he said, "whether it's Derrick, Steph, or Russ… they're all ahead of me."
Cousins, meanwhile, had been thoroughly schooled by Lin and Griffin. The guy could feel the gap between himself and the group, but blamed it all on his shaky handle.
Favors kept his head down, too. The 2010 rookies were generally a grounded bunch, destined to provide solid NBA contributions, such as those of Hayward and George.
As the camp ended, the players caught some of the World Championships in Turkey. That's where Yi Jianlian's FIBA experience shone through. While the others were still confused about three-second zone rules and why the centers could camp in there, Yi made a name for himself.
It was funny how things worked out. Even though Yi's improved play gave him more security in New Jersey, they still shipped him to Washington, though this time for better value, swapping him for Andray Blatche. Blatche had better scoring numbers, but the Wizards felt Yi was the better fit after his adjustments.
Learning he'd be playing alongside Yi, Wall reached out to him. Lin had helped tweak Yi's shooting mechanics and quickened his release. Yi would never be an All-Star, but as a reliable rotation big? That was realistic.
Lin had also encouraged Yi to become a more effective pick-and-pop threat instead of trying to force post-ups. Yi's work ethic was admirable, his physique already elite for an Asian player, and now — thanks to Lin — he was hitching himself to Wall's rising star. A solid season would almost guarantee Yi a multi-year mid-level deal.
…
As for the World Championships, there were no surprises. As Lin Yi had predicted from the start, Team USA steamrolled the competition en route to the title.
Durant at the FIBA World Championships was an outright cheat code. Initially, Coach K seemed more inclined to pair Durant with Westbrook or Rose, but to everyone's surprise, the best fit turned out to be… Curry.
The reason was simple. Steph didn't overcomplicate things. He shot threes, kept the ball moving, and fed Durant exactly where he liked it. It was understated but incredibly effective.
Playing for Team USA gave Curry's confidence a boost, but the real story was how poorly Westbrook and Rose adapted to FIBA play. Outside of fast-break dunks and the occasional explosive drive, they struggled to adjust to international rules, especially with bigs clogging the paint.
In the semifinals, Coach K even experimented with playing Curry and Westbrook together — one focused on defense, the other on playmaking. Surprisingly, it worked. Lin Yi couldn't help but wonder if, in this world too, people would one day question how anyone doubted Curry's game. For now, though, the duo meshed well.
Durant quietly took home scoring leader and MVP honors, Team USA cruised to gold, and Coach K's stock soared. Some even started clamoring for him to coach in the NBA.
But Lin Yi knew better. There was no chance Coach K would leave Duke for the NBA. At Duke, he was a kingmaker — his authority unquestioned, his program a magnet for elite talent. Even future NBA stars had to play by his rules in college. In the NBA? The star culture was too powerful. Challenge a star's ego, and you'd be out the door fast. Even legends like Phil Jackson and Kobe had their battles, and the Lakers always chose the star.
The real surprise for Lin Yi was the performance of the Chinese men's team — even without Yi Jianlian, they managed to stay competitive. Thanks to some timely help from their African-born naturalized players and a summer spent training in the U.S., they gained valuable experience.
Guo Ailun emerged as an unexpected fan favorite back home, his fearless style winning over Chinese fans. Lin Yi couldn't help but smile. Sure, China still had glaring weaknesses, and they were eliminated before the knockout rounds — but the fact they even qualified showed that the European teams weren't invincible either. The Chinese team simply lacked the depth and strength to make a serious run.
Meanwhile, the European squads learned a hard truth: dominating in Europe didn't necessarily translate to NBA-level competition. Even stars like Teodosic, once hailed as a magician in Europe, struggled to make an impact when he eventually crossed over. The U.S.'s struggles in the early 2000s were partly because NBA tactics had grown stale compared to Europe's evolving game. But now? The gap was closing.
With all that, Lin Yi's summer grind finally wrapped up.
On September 13th, everyone returned home for a short break, time to recharge before the storm.
On September 14th, the Knicks would officially report to camp. The real work was about to begin.
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