On the evening of December 29, the No. 9 jersey was flying over the Dongguan Bank Basketball Center in Guangdong, side by side with Du Feng's No. 4, Zhu Fangyu's No. 8 and Jackson's No. 15 jersey. Its owner Yi Jianlian, like these predecessors, has changed from a "famous general" to a "famous person".
In fact, from the day Yi Jianlian announced his retirement, he has always had the idea of writing something to commemorate our 21 years of friendship, but I didn’t know where to start. During these long years, my mind is almost filled with the youth, shyness, hard work and diligence of Arab League when he debuted, so that after he grew up at the "speed of light" and entered the national team and the NBA, it is difficult to remember his history.
21 years ago tonight (29th), during the CBA regular season match between Guangdong and Jilin, A Lian appeared on the court during garbage time and began his career as a professional player. Of course, the first show was basically bitter, with 2 points and 3 rebounds in just over 8 minutes. Du Feng, Jackson, Song Xi and other main players on the sidelines were laughing and cheering for him, but what could be heard in Ah Lian's ears were the angry shouts of head coach Li Chunjiang, "Hurry up! Hurry up" and "Take it hard."
’s roar sounds a bit familiar, right? This is the almost harsh requirement that the 11-time champion Guangdong team has for young players - to play in the Guangdong team, the starting point must be higher than others. If you can't stand it and don't make progress, you can only be eliminated. It will be passed down from generation to generation.
Unfortunately, the author did not come to the scene of the UAE's debut. Looking back, I can only blame myself for not having enough vision. But who would have thought that this young man with a youthful face and serious words would grow up at the speed of light in the future and become the leader of the Chinese men's basketball team?
Yi Jianlian is not a genius, and the peak does not exist when he debuts. He doesn't have the spirituality like McGrady, nor the basic skills like Duncan. What he has is just extremely strong physical fitness. His debut was so ordinary that the Guangdong team at the time had some controversy about his position in the team. Just because of the existence of a powerful center like Jackson, UAE is more often positioned as the 4th position (power forward) and becomes Du Feng's substitute.
Arab League's first few games in the CBA, let alone "amazing", may not even be called a "qualified substitute". His body is too thin, his basic skills are insufficient, his playing time is fragmented, and his positioning is inconsistent, which made him feel at a loss when he first entered the professional arena. His turning point came in a close defeat on the road.
At that time, the Guangdong team visited Jinan. With almost only five main players on the field (Lin Li only played 1 minute as a substitute), they lost to Shandong by 5 points, suspending their 13-game winning streak. After the defeat, the club held an important meeting with the coaching staff and decided to "use new players at all costs from now on." Club boss Chen Haitao said that if they keep using those five guns, can they last until the playoffs? If losing a few games now can be exchanged for winning in the playoffs, it would be worth it.
Some people call this meeting the "Zunyi Meeting" of the Hongyuan Club. Since then, the Guangdong team has had a large number of new players and has dominated the CBA for many years. In the first game after this meeting, the Guangdong team's "Home Alone" defeated Jiangsu. Arab League was the most outstanding performer. He played for 30 minutes and scored 15 points, 3 dunks and 2 blocks. From then on, The dispensable "bench" has officially become an important substitute player.
The moment UAE became a blockbuster and made people aware that he could become a CBA superstar was the final game of the regular season against Beijing. Let's take a look at a live event news written by the author that year -
"Du Feng and Jackson were sent off one after another, which forced Li Chunjiang to send 16-year-old Yi Jianlian to the field to serve as the main center. The overtime only lasted 18 seconds. , Yi Jianlian got a free throw opportunity. Amid the roar of 'boo-boo' from the 5,800 spectators, he missed both free throws. The players off the field were a little anxious, 'A Lian, hold on!' 16 seconds later, Yi Jianlian once again stood on the free throw line. The first free throw was still missed. The whole audience was filled with boos and boos. For the second free throw, Yi Jianlian held his breath and shot, and the ball went hollow into the basket! Team leader Guan Deyou said with a smile: "It's time to play." .' Li Chunjiang called Yi Jianlian to the front again and gave him some instructions.
This penalty sent out a confident Yi Jianlian.At 1 minute and 12 seconds, Yi Jianlian dunked to tie the score at 101; 29 seconds later, he made another free throw, hitting two of them; 47 seconds later, he scored a strong attack under the basket, causing his opponent to foul, and then made a solid free throw - the entire Overtime became Yi Jianlian's performance, with 3 dunks and 4 rebounds. He scored 13 of the 18 points scored by the Guangdong team, helping the Guangdong team defeat the opponent 116-105.
After the game, Yi Jianlian was surrounded by reporters, fans and his teammates like a hero. Facing many microphones, he lowered his head and said shyly: "Du Feng and Ji Chen have gone down, and I feel a lot of pressure." Free throws are my weakness, and I gained confidence after scoring the third free throw. These three overtimes are really better than playing ten games! '"
Opportunities are always reserved for those who are prepared. I don't know how the Arab League will define this game in the future, but I know at the scene that this young man has opened up the "Ren and Du Second Meridians" and his upward path is bright.
He was the best rookie in the CBA that year, was selected for the Chinese men's basketball team in the Athens Olympics, almost defeated Germany in the Beijing Olympics, and entered the NBA as the No. 6 pick... Later, many people remember his trajectory. The one that impressed me the most in my memory has always been "No. 9" "Rookie" looked like when he debuted. He was taciturn, listened humbly, and worked hard.
The strange thing is that in the 2002-2003 season, which was the time when the Arab League entered the professional arena, the author played with the Guangdong team throughout the season. On the bus, except that he likes to sit in the last row of seats, I can hardly remember any details about him. Outside the stadium, sometimes it is really difficult for people to notice his existence.
The Arab League who "cherishes words like gold" He is not a good interview subject, but it does not prevent him from shining brightly on the court. Just like the "No. 9" jersey that has been hung in the basketball hall, it is calm and fluttering in the wind, gently telling the wind and rain behind it. and wonderful.
Text | Reporter Zhou Fangping
Pictures | Reporter Visual China
