Chapter 66: Zhang San's Counterattack

However, Zhang Yang's frustration does not come from Harden himself, after all, they are the same height.

The real reason for being so upset is DeRozan, who is 196cm tall!
Zhang Yang used to be with DeRozan every day, so he didn't feel much about DeRozan's height growth. He was used to it.

But when Zhang Yang saw that DeRozan was obviously taller than Harden when they stood together, he felt uncomfortable, because this meant that DeRozan was also much taller than him.

Zhang San was not the only one who was upset. Erha was even more upset when he saw that Da Luozan was still so much taller than him.

He has grown 7cm in the past year, and the height difference between him and Ronaldinho has not narrowed, but has increased by 1cm! It's unjust!
Men are afraid that they are not tall enough, and they are even more afraid that their brothers are taller than them.

Seeing that Harden was also very jealous, Zhang Yang felt much better.

While eating lunch, Harden chattered about his half-season with the main team.

The coaching staff of Lanewood High School made a rare right choice. After Harden joined the main team, he played better than when he was in the reserve team. He had more opportunities to receive the ball and shoot on the wing and had better space to cut into the basket. His average of 13.2 points per game seemed to be similar to when he was in the reserve team, but the strength of the opponents was completely not at the same level, and the value of the points scored was completely different.

At the age of 14, he had the ability to average 13 points per game in the main team, and Harden also became a key training target of the coaching staff of Ryanwood High School.

Zhang Yang and DeRozan were happy for Harden after hearing this.

The three brothers played games for two hours in the afternoon. After the sun was not so strong, they went to the park to play ball together. They started with a few one-on-one matches.

Harden couldn't beat DeRozan, but I'm used to it. He couldn't beat Zhang Yang, but I've accepted that. Half a year ago, he lost more than he won.

When Harden saw Zhang Yang and DeRozan fighting back and forth... No! He had to work harder!

It's been less than a year, right? Ronaldinho can only beat Zhang San by a more accurate shot. Erha has never wanted to become stronger!

While taking a break after the duel, Zhang Yang asked, "James, didn't you buy the Spurs video to learn the Eurostep? Haven't you learned it yet? But you're pretty good at stepping back, teach me!"

Harden: "I wanted to learn the Eurostep at first, but it was too difficult. I didn't understand it. I tried Ginobili's step-back shot in the video. That's easy... You teach me the Eurostep, and I'll teach you the step-back shot!"

Zhang Yang remembered that Ginobili could do a step-back shot! He didn't learn it, what a loss! But Ginobili didn't seem to have considered his step-back shot as a mid-range shot...

Seeing that Erha and Zhang San seemed to want to leave him alone and eat alone, DeRozan immediately offered to add him as well.

Daluo is panicking because he can’t beat Zhang San in a one-on-one fight!
The three of them taught each other, DeRozan taught the pull-up jump shot, Harden taught the step-back, and Zhang Yang taught the European step.

DeRozan tried the Eurostep again, but he really didn't like it and couldn't find the feeling. However, he felt good when he tried the step-back shot. Although the step-back shot also requires rhythm, it relies more on reaction and physical fitness.

Harden tried both moves...DeRozan's determination to be the king of the ball was strengthened.

Harden is so talented. He has terrifying strength that allows him to easily complete emergency stops and changes of direction. Coupled with his innate sense of rhythm, he feels good in emergency stop jump shots and European steps.

Zhang Yang also felt the pressure. He had already surpassed Harden, so he naturally didn't want to be overtaken.

The three of them began a summer training mode of competing and learning from each other.

June 6th is Zhang Yang’s 6th birthday.

Jarrett Young and Tyson Roy, together with Harden and DeRozan, shared the money and made a custom birthday cake for Zhang Yang.

Tyson Roy successfully entered USC after graduating from Southern California High School thanks to his outstanding football skills; Jarrett Young scored very well in the ACT test in February, received a letter of recommendation from the school leaders of Southern California High School, and received an admission letter from the University of California's sports medicine major. Although he could no longer be an athlete, he still wanted to work in a related industry.

The two good friends who took good care of him had a bright future. Zhang Yang was very happy when he heard about this. He hoped that the two would have a good life in the future.

Miller, Keefe, Charlie Monroe, Allen Kanter, and Abouya, five reserve team members, also came from Compton. Except for Sam Smith, who joined midway and was not so familiar with him, two backcourt teammates who were not on good terms with him, and Tatum, who went to St. Louis to take his brother, everyone else came.

Andre Kyle, the classmate sitting next to Zhang Yang who chatted the most with him and often borrowed study notes from him, also came with his girlfriend.

It was almost noon when Fugo Heep drove his supercar to Hidden Mountain.

Zhang Yang hadn’t realized before that he already had so many friends… so he was very happy.

Yang Jing was very happy to see so many of her son's classmates coming from other cities, but she also felt emotional: "Shen, it's right for Yang Yang to go out and try his luck. We protected him too well in the past. Although he didn't learn bad things in those years, he didn't have many friends. Jarrett and Tyson took the initiative to take him out to play. Now Yang Yang has finally learned how to make friends."

Zhang Chen: "Yang Yang was still young at that time, and it was right to protect him during puberty."

Yang Jing thought about it and it made sense. Looking at her 16-year-old son, she felt a little sad. The time they would spend together would surely become less and less each year... Fortunately, she practiced the trumpet!

...

After a day off for my birthday, on the 7th, the Compton King trio officially started training, playing against each other, and occasionally going fishing together in the afternoon.

This time Harden settled down in Yinshan. Originally, even if DeRozan was in Yinshan, Harden's mother would not agree to let Harden come to play for too long. But Harden's mother learned about Zhang Yang's academic performance from DeRozan's mother and agreed.

The direction is clear, the goal is clear, the team has a heavy burden, enough motivation, and they compete with each other...

Time passed day by day, and a new month arrived. On July 7, Zhang Yang had a one-on-one match with DeRozan in the park.

Zhang Yang breaks through.

DeRozan was fighting and retreating, and suddenly, he seized the opportunity and pressed forward to confront... but didn't touch anyone!
Zhang Yang used the European step and jumped to the right behind DeRozan.

It was too late for DeRozan to turn around and rush forward, so Zhang Yang jumped and made a layup.

10 to 8, Zhang Yang defeated DeRozan and won this one-on-one match!
In the past three months, Zhang Yang has made rapid progress, even faster than during the season. He has reached the stage that the coaching staff mentioned a year ago when they talked about him focusing on honing his basic skills - the stage where his strength improves by leaps and bounds after his basic skills have been improved to a certain point.

A month ago, DeRozan could still suppress him in a one-on-one duel, but now it's a real back-and-forth game with a win or a loss.

DeRozan, who lost, showed no emotion on his face. Over the past year, he and Zhang Yang had been together day and night, and witnessed Zhang Yang's progress from kicking the ball with his feet to using the Euro step to tease the opponent's inside players. To be honest, even he felt shocked by Zhang Yang's speed of improvement.

He just thought so at the time, but he didn't expect to be surpassed.

He did not get discouraged by the setback, but worked harder. Zhang San is one year older than him and only slightly better than him. He has time to catch up!

He picked up the ball on the sidelines and went to the next half to play the ballad from the East...

Harden said excitedly: "Jack, you are so handsome! You beat DeMar again!"

He was actually also hit hard, but he had new expectations - if Zhang San could surpass Daluo, could he do it?

The thought of one day he would play with DeRozan on the court... that scene made him excited just thinking about it.

Zhang Yang: "That's nothing. Wait until I have trained for two and a half years, put on dungarees, and comb my hair in a middle part, then you will know how strong I am."

Harden: "Wearing overalls? Playing basketball? Wearing a middle-parted hairstyle? Will that make me stronger? Let me try!"

(End of this chapter)