The next day, on the 25th, the Suns announced Wang Tiejun's short-term contract signing.
"Damn it!"
After receiving the news, Mark West, who was already preparing for his comeback, was very angry, but he was powerless and could only feel angry on his own.
"My hunch finally came true. I didn't expect that the management had this idea. Damn it, since they chose me, why did they choose a Chinese guy?"
There is also someone who is angrier than Mark West, and that is rookie Oliver Miller.
However, the status of these two people in the Suns is very low, and they cannot affect Wang Tiejun, so let's not talk about it.
In less than half a day, because of his Chinese identity, the news immediately spread throughout the media and triggered widespread heated discussion.
Even in New York, some reporters rushed to Chinatown and dug out all his information.
Illegal workers, Chinese coolies, sleeping in sewers, homeless people, violently beating bosses, etc. have become his labels.
At the same time, many reporters went to the Suns' training base and headquarters to interview the Suns' management and players.
Intimidated by Colangelo's prestige, the Suns didn't say much and used their official attitude to deal with the media.
At four o'clock in the afternoon, the Knicks arrived in Phoenix, checked into the hotel at five o'clock, and held a press conference.
"Patrick, do you have any comment on this signing by the Suns?" a local reporter in Phoenix asked.
Ewing treats the media like a leper. He hates reporters the most, so he said with a very stiff and indifferent attitude: "That's their choice."
"So do you think a Chinese is qualified to join the NBA?" the reporter asked again.
"I've met him. He boasts that he is the number one center forward and is a big talker."
Speaking of this, Ewing said a little more: "Actually, I can't imagine what it would be like for a Chinese who is doing hard work to step onto the NBA court, just because he has strength? That's so funny, why?
Why don't you find a strongman who can deadlift a thousand pounds or more?"
"What, the Chinese actually call themselves the number one center in the world?"
The reporter on the opposite side was obviously shocked, and then asked: "So in tomorrow night's game, if the Chinese has a chance to play, what will you do to him?" the reporter asked.
"Oh, do you think he has a chance to play?" Ewing said in surprise.
"No, I mean what if." the reporter explained.
"If so, I will tell Mr. Colangelo, I'm sorry, you made a wrong signing decision." Ewing said.
December 26, Christmas Day.
On this day, many media were making various cynicisms about the Suns, characterizing the signing as the stupidest signing of the season.
Of course, Wang Tiejun is the first target of media ridicule. Big mouth, paranoia, Chinese coolie, waste, and Chinatown's number one center are all labels given to him by the media.
At this moment, a basketball player from China paid attention to the news about Wang Tiejun. He is the former member of the national men's basketball team, the famous Asian power forward, and the former national team coach Comrade Zhang Lili.
Zhang Lili came to the United States in 1988. Because his ex-wife studied abroad at the University of Chicago, he also worked as a trainer for the University of Chicago men's basketball team. In fact, he worked as a handyman. Last year, he applied for a job as a staff member of the school's finance department.
The old Zhang family is from a well-known family. Their ancestors were tutored by Kang Youwei and Liang Qichao. Their maternal grandfather's family is also from a well-known family. Their mother and six aunts are all PhD professors. They have three aunts in the United States, and the family's conditions are very good.
The reason why he came to the United States back then was mainly because he failed in the competition to be the head coach of the national team. He originally wanted to continue his basketball career in the United States, but unfortunately it was too difficult to start from scratch here. His three aunts had some connections in the education field.
But he has no connections in the sports world and can't help him. He basically has nothing to do with basketball now. He has just resigned and is making his next life plan.
When he saw the news about Wang Tiejun, he was really shocked.
Yes, it was a shock.
He is a former national player and one of the best power forwards in Asia, but he still has no way to continue his basketball career in the United States. But now a little guy who works hard can actually enter the NBA team, which has to shock him.
.
"Wang Tiejun, 19 years old, 215 centimeters tall, has never heard of this person in the domestic basketball world!" After thinking hard, he couldn't find any information about Wang Tiejun in his head.
"He came from China and worked as a coolie in Chinatown for almost five months. Perhaps, at his age, he just graduated from a sports school and came to the United States because he had no chance to play in China?"
After repeated consideration, he decided to meet Wang Tiejun in person. It was the first time that a domestic player could join the NBA, even if it was just a ten-day contract. It was impossible for such an important person not to go.
Understood.
Moreover, he and his ex-wife were about to go to Sanaria University to visit his former sister-in-law who was studying there. Tucson was only 200 kilometers away from Phoenix, so they happened to be on the way.
But before that, he still made a phone call to return to China and contact Liu Yumin first. Maybe he could learn something about Wang Tiejun from her.
He and Liu Yumin were national players at one time. Now Liu Yumin has served as the deputy director of the basketball department of the Sports Committee, and his development is much better than his.
"Ding ding..."
At ten o'clock in the evening, in a single room on the third floor of a tube building owned by the Domestic Sports Commission, Liu Yumin was preparing to take a rest when the phone suddenly rang.
"Hello, who are you?" She hurried over and picked up the phone and asked.
"Liu Chu, I am Zhang Lili."
"Oh, Lao Zhang, you have been in the United States for several years. Have you returned to China?" she said in surprise.
"No, I'm still in the United States. Chu Liu, that's what happened. I want to ask someone..." Zhang Lili said there.
"Oh, tell me." International calls are very expensive, Liu Yumin said directly without talking nonsense.
"Wang Tiejun, he is only 19 years old this year. Do you know which sports school in China he should have come from to play basketball?" Zhang Lili asked.
"Wang Tiejun? How do you know him here?"
Liu Yumin was startled, she really knew this young man's name.
Zhang Lili explained: "He has now joined an NBA team in the United States, I think..."
"What?" Liu Yumin was shocked.
"Liu Chu, do you know him?" Zhang Lili said quickly.
"Yes, of course I know."
Liu Yumin sighed and explained: "He is from Cangzhou Sports School. His physical condition is very good, especially his wingspan is very good, and his strength quality is also very strong. He can be said to be the best center prospect in China after Mu Tiezhu. In 1990
In October, he was selected to join the National Youth Team, but before joining, he was jailed for causing injury in a fight and was sentenced to one year..."
"What?"
When Zhang Lili heard this, he immediately understood why Wang Tiejun appeared in the United States.
After this experience in China, let alone the mixed system, even the A and B leagues cannot be played. Who dares to let a reform-through-labor prisoner play?
"Because the nature of the matter was rather bad, I also learned about his incident. I heard that he never admitted that it was a fight from beginning to end, saying that he fought with those gangsters to save a girl. However, the public security department asked
Without the girl, he can't provide any clues, so..."
"What a shame!"
Zhang Hexian sighed.
After chatting briefly for a few more words, the two ended the phone call.
Zhang Lili decided to meet Wang Tiejun. After all, he was the first Chinese to win an NBA contract, and since he had resigned, he had nothing to do for the time being.