The rest is just noise

Louis's speech was very convincing.

Although some teams do not want their players to compete for the national team during the offseason, under such circumstances, they cannot tolerate not agreeing.

Because Louis expressed his stance on behalf of the Knicks and will fully support the formation of the dream team.

If necessary, the entire Knicks team can represent the United States, provided that other stars in the league will not object.

Since 1987, the Knicks have played at least until May for five consecutive seasons. What can other teams say?

The resolution to allow American professional players to participate in international competitions was unanimously approved.

What happens next is about the formation of the dream team.

Although professional players are allowed to join the team, a certain position must be reserved for college basketball.

Members of the selection committee representing college basketball want a 50-50 split between professional players and 50 percent college players.

"Pfft"

Louis laughed out loud.

"Coach Lu, what's so funny about this?" Leighton Noddingson of the selection committee asked.

"Actually, before I came here, I had already drawn up a list of players who are eligible to be selected for the Dream Team." Louis took out a stack of documents from the document bag he carried with him, "I just happened to make a few copies, please.

Take a look."

"This is a player that I think deserves to be on the Dream Team."

The list of candidates for the dream team drawn up by Louis was circulated to everyone.

They are Benjamin Wilson, Patrick Ewing, John Stockton, Reggie Miller, Dennis Rodman, Michael Jordan, Clyde Drexler, Isiah Thomas,

Ralph Sampson, Larry Bird, The Tragedian, David Robinson, Scottie Pippen, Chris Mullin, Charles Barkley, Danny Manning, Hank Guy

Seth, Karl Malone, Akeem Olajuwon after becoming a naturalized American, Dale Ellis.

This is a list of 20 people.

Noddingson's face suddenly collapsed when he saw the people on the list.

Originally, his bottom line was to have at least three college student spots in the dream team, but look at the names on it

"Coach Lu, what's your opinion?" Noddingson asked in a low voice.

"Since it is a dream team, there should not be too many young student players. I know that college basketball is the future of the league, but when it comes to national honor, the best players should be selected to participate. As for college students, I think,

At most, leave a place for them."

Afterwards, they began to discuss the list that Louis brought out.

Although it is not complete enough, it has indeed included all the players who are qualified to be selected for the Dream Team.

Except for the college student who has yet to make a final decision, the remaining candidates are already on this list.

Representatives from each club began discussions.

First they need to determine the top six members of this dream team.

The process is not difficult.

Before the players themselves agreed, the league took the lead in finalizing the six core members.

They are Tragedyman, Sampson, Jordan, Bird, Wilson, and Ewing.

Then, they started discussing the head coach.

In the initial conception, the coach who would lead this team should come from a university and be a well-known academic coach with profound tactical knowledge and the ability to suppress the personality of the stars.

This has been a matter of course for a long time.

Coach K’s voice was very loud.

Louis was silent, he was waiting.

Later, Jack Krueger, the top executive of Madison Square Garden, asked loudly: "Who said that the coach of the Dream Team must be a college coach? Not a professional coach? I mean, don't you really feel that you are truly qualified?

Is the coach who leads this team in the NBA?"

Jerry West reacted instantly: "What do you mean?"

"If this is a dream team, then it shouldn't just be a dream squad, it should be the best coach. Once we get into that, I don't think anyone dares to think that the Messiah is there.

It’s the best.”

Messiah, a middle school nickname that only lives in Louis’ news and personal feature articles.

In the summer of 1984, he came to New York from Boston and was laughed at by countless people.

Bob Ryan says he buried his career for money.

The New York media, which had a bad relationship with him, mockingly called him the Messiah, but no one expected him to bring about any change.

However, a few years later, the word Messiah changed from a joking and ironic meaning to a sacred one, and was quoted by New York sports writers and commentators.

Louie's status in the New York sports world is so high that anyone who calls him "Little Lou" will be attacked by groups.

"Coach Lu, what do you think?" Louis' loyal henchman Lewis Shafir asked cooperatively.

Louis knew that the matter would not be decided in one day.

Since they are all recognized as the best current head coaches, why don't they have some airs?

"I think this matter should be considered in the long term." Louis smiled lightly, "I have no plans to coach the dream team, but who can say for sure what the future will bring?"

※※※

At the end of the annual meeting, Krueger asked Louis: "Why didn't you express your position on the spot?"

Only Jack Kruger and Wu De knew that Louis wanted to run for the head coach of the Dream Team, which was why they came to the annual meeting.

Otherwise, given the level of the annual meeting, they are not interested in getting involved.

"There is a saying in China called 'Play hard to get'." Louis explained, "If you want to get something, act carelessly on purpose to make him relax his guard, and then catch him."

Wu Dexiao asked: "So, this is your strategy?"

"It can't be that. I just suddenly felt that the head coach of the Dream Team is not that interesting, so I'm not in a hurry. I don't want to beg them to let me be the coach of this team." Louis said lightly, "Of course, if they

If you come and beg me, I will consider it."

Krueger laughed out loud.

"You're right, what a dream team. Without you, this team can't be considered a dream team. If the final head coach is not you, we can ask Benj and Patrick to refuse to participate." Wu De's words sounded extremely unpleasant.

Political correctness.

Louis gestured to his immediate boss to be careful about his words and actions.

Louis and Kruger have worked together for six years and have a tacit understanding with each other. Kruger's attention to Louis is increasing day by day.

Before Louis arrived, the Knicks were just an asset that made money but had no good reputation.

After Louis came, the Knicks underwent tremendous changes.

Their brand in New York, the market value of the team, and advertisers attracted by the team's performance and superstars can be lined up from MSG to Central Park.

For this kind of business where you kneel down and give money, if it weren't for a big brand, Kruger wouldn't even look at it.

Such commercial effects originally belonged to the Yankees, Capitals, and Islanders during the dynasty period.

Now the Knicks are as popular as they come.

While the rest of New York City's sports clubs are at the bottom, only the Knicks are at the top, and their peak seems to have no end in sight.

A large number of new fans embraced the team and regarded them as the pride of the city.

Kruger, who has been the top executive of the Madison Square Garden Company for six years, has experienced this change best. He and Louis came to New York together and witnessed the Knicks transforming from a joke that everyone bullied into a human being.

A totem that everyone loves.

Therefore, it is natural that they have a good relationship with Louis.

They don't understand professional sports, and Louis understands that he has no conflict of interest with these two people. The better the Knicks' performance, the greater their reputation at the top, and this mutually beneficial and win-win relationship will feed back into personal relationships.

This is why Truger will personally come to support Louis next year.

The NBA's lifting of the ban on local players soon spread throughout the United States through the media.

"Sports Illustrated" quoted Louis and called the new US men's basketball team the dream team.

In 1991, joining the national team was an unattainable wish for many players.

Because professional players are prohibited from participating in the competition, if you want to win honors for the country, you must stand out as a student, and then you may be selected for the training team, and then be selected for the national team after fierce competition.

Celtics legend and historical iron king John Havlicek regards not being able to participate in the national team as one of the biggest regrets in his life.

Professional leagues will undoubtedly make players consider the potential risks of participating in the national team.

But after the news spread, the tragic Johnson immediately expressed his desire to fight for his country.

This made the selection committee breathe a sigh of relief. As long as there is a tragedy master to take the lead, the subsequent work will be much easier.

Louis can put aside the dream team thing for now.

Before deciding who to be the coach, they first have to convince big-name stars to join the dream team.

The tragedian gave them a good start.

Louis himself will focus on the 1991 draft.

In addition to Yu Tiancan who confirmed that he will stay in school, several other Chinese players competing in the NCAA have also chosen to stay in school.

In his third season at Syracuse University, Hu Weidong successfully became the main force, averaging 13 points, 4 rebounds and 3 assists per game. In this draft where there are so many talents, his market is only in the early second round, so it is better to stay in school and polish it.

One year, wait until your body and skills are more mature before you go out.

As for UCLA's Liu Yuqing, he was not reused in UCLA, which is full of talents.

At 2.02 meters tall, he is sometimes pushed to the fourth position. But he is a swingman, so he naturally does not perform well when pushed to an unfamiliar position.

This also made Louis dissatisfied with the UCLA coaching staff. This was not what they said when they came to recruit.

Looking at UCLA's roster, it seems understandable to ask Liu Yuqing to play the fourth position.

They have several players with NBA prospects at the second and third positions, but Louis doesn't think they are better than Liu Yuqing.

I only hope that after the graduation of main players like Gerald Madkins (SG), he can get more opportunities.

If Liu Yuqing still does not gain a better tactical position in her sophomore season, she might as well directly participate in the draft.

After all, Liu Yuqing was the number one shooting guard in the United States in his generation. No matter how fierce the competition is within the team, he can't play the fourth position, right?

Chinese players with draft prospects are not participating. What Louis needs to worry about is the Knicks' selection this year, as well as potential trades.

Like the Celtics, after experiencing last season's failure, they have no reason to keep the distraught Isiah Thomas.

But at the same time, they are not willing to take advantage of other teams.

Miami's Lewis Shafir made a special trip to speak with Louis about the possibility of trading Thomas.