The rest is just noise

The main work during the offseason is to accumulate strength for the new season. Some people choose to train specially, and some people participate in competitions.

This year, the U.S. team won back the Olympic gold medal it lost four years ago in Athens, putting U.S. basketball back on top of the world. The reason why this U.S. team did not get lost on the FIBA ​​stage like in its previous life is because of Benjamin Wilson.

The failure of the Sydney Olympics left USA Basketball with a sigh of relief, but this summer, many stars refused to be called up to the US team. This was the impact of the "9?11" incident a few years ago.

These multi-millionaires who made their fortunes by playing golf are worried about terrorism to the extreme.

At this time, Benj, who had retired from professional basketball, decided to use his influence and actions to inspire fans across the country. He chose to put on the jersey of the national team, even if he and Larry Brown were incompatible, he would play for the United States one last time.

The team goes to battle.

Wilson's joining infected other young stars, and they actively responded to the call of the national team.

This year's U.S. team formed a super lineup of Wilson, Kobe, McGrady, Hill, and Duncan. They were overwhelming in Athens and swept the championship. After the Olympics, Wilson once again announced his retirement from basketball.

At this point, GOAT has written the last chapter of his basketball career. At the same time, Wilson is not the only old star to retire this year. In addition to Benj, there is also Pacers star Hank Gathers.

After being traded to the Pacers in the summer of 1994, this low-key superstar has been consistent for ten years, making the Pacers a long-term strong team in the Eastern Conference.

Compared with Manning, Gathers has less flashy style of play, less flamboyant personality, and less need to upset the team. He just plays hard on the court and maintains professionalism off the court. Until now,

If you feel like you can't play anymore, you'll retire.

As a player without a championship, Gathers is full of pride: "I could have left Indiana a few years ago and gone to a team that could win me a championship, but what's the point? Even if I won the championship by taking a shortcut,

No one will respect me for this."

Michael Jordan would be proud of this, and I'm not alone in that.

Another former star who chose to end his career is Shawn Kemp, a meritorious player in the Knicks dynasty. Logically speaking, 35-year-old Kemp is not considered old, and even 39-year-old Miller is still persisting.

But Kemp really couldn't fight anymore.

Leaving the Knicks due to salary issues changed his subsequent career.

After the lockout in 1999, Kemp gained a lot of weight. From then on, he was no longer the flying Rain Man, but a skilled fat inside man. Another problem caused by obesity is injuries.

Continuous injuries destroyed Kemp's athletic life. By the time he wanted to lose weight, his talent had been taken away by God. Kemp gained nothing after leaving New York.

The Knicks, like other teams that deal with old stars who have broken with them, chose to put aside their grudges and reminisce about the good old days with Kemp. The Knicks publicly announced that they will retire Kemp's jersey next season.

Kemp was not happy. The financial pressure caused by unemployment was something he had not expected.

During those years of hanging out with Ewing, he not only learned a few tricks from him, but he also showed mercy at every turn and gave birth to a double-digit number of illegitimate children. The monthly alimony was a huge expense.

This amount of money was inconspicuous when he was playing. Once he loses his main source of income, he will face huge financial pressure. Under such circumstances, how can Kemp be happy because the Knicks retire his jersey?

Unlike Kemp, who has a miserable life in his later years, there is another veteran who retired without regrets like Wilson. That is the second player in the history of the Heat, Dela Petrovich.

The 40-year-old Petrovic felt that he could no longer continue to provide high-level performance after the team's defeat in the Eastern Conference semifinals, so he chose to retire. Petrovic is a "black history" in Louis' operational record.

At that time, Louis easily gave Petrovic's signing rights to the Heat, which was new to the league.

As a result, Petrovic proved his strength as soon as he entered the league and has since become the most important player in the history of the Heat.

As a member, he experienced the rise of the team in its early days, worked for Hanks, served as the sharp knife of the 1995 Universe, and broke up with Manning but finally stayed with the team. In his later years, when Duncan came, he immediately blossomed.

The next spring, I won two more championships.

Unlike Gathers, who persevered and gained nothing, Petrovich reaped rewards.

Few players' careers have been as intense and ended as successfully as Petrovic's.

Unlike the followers of super teams such as Drexler and Pippen, Petrovic gained more respect and was regarded as the third (second) shooting guard in the 1990s.

Only under Jordan and Miller (there is huge controversy), the league is still accelerating the replacement of generations.

Another group of old men left the field.

The treatment of leaving the game with such a bang as Wilson, Petrovic, and Hanks only belongs to a few people.

The more common way of leaving is quietly, not seen in newspapers, not found in the news, and even fans don't think about it.

Maybe one day in the future, when they appear in the public eye again, fans will sadly remember that he used to be a good player. November 3, 2004

The Boston Celtics' first game of the new season starts at home. This game is not the opening game.

The Celtics' opponents, the 76ers, finished their first game of the new season a few days ago.

Unfortunately, the 76ers' head coach Shaquille O'Neal was severely stepped on his toe in that game and was directly out tonight. The Shark was unable to play, and the 76ers found it difficult to defeat the strong Celtics.

Veteran Sprewell had some resentment towards the Celtics. He had played well in Boston and had just found a home there before being sent away.

Moreover, before the transaction was completed, there were no scandals or gossips, and the management did not say hello in advance. This completely disrespects his contribution during his years in Boston.

Tonight, Louis and Auerbach rarely come to watch the game at the same time. Sprewell wants to embarrass the Celtics.

However, the Celtics' young coach Lu Wuxia used a perfect debut performance to harshly respond to the critics who believed that he would most likely reach the peak of his career after his debut.

In the first game of the new season against the 76ers, Lu Wuxia scored 32 points, 7 rebounds and 6 assists in 28 minutes, leading the team to a good start with a 30-point advantage.

Regarding his wonderful performance, Lu Wuxia gave all the credit to the Celtic girls who danced for the audience and players for the first time in team history. Louis broke many glorious traditions of the Celtics, and the cheerleading team was one of them.

This matter was finalized last season and officially implemented this season, so he and Auerbach came to watch the game. Auerbach is not interested in cheerleading, but he admires Wuxia very much, "Your son is good."

"Don't say this to him, I'm afraid he will be proud." Louis said proudly.

Auerbach hummed: "I won't be vain, good is good. The most rare thing about ish is the kind of leadership that makes people feel comfortable. He is only in his second year, but he can command the whole team with ease."

, this is rare."

"Don't just praise him, talk about his shortcomings. Even the father felt embarrassed after hearing this.

"There are many shortcomings, but let me tell you, they are not big problems." Auerbach said slightly, "The biggest problem with him is that he is so eye-catching and looks exactly like a young magician."

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