The Whip of the God of Basketball

Mike D'Antoni lives in Manhattan Beach, California, where he, his wife, and son have a beautiful ocean-view villa. However, this summer after work, he did not choose to stay in Los Angeles and vacation with his family. Instead, he returned to his hometown of Maurice, West Virginia, to spend some time with his old father. At the same time, he also wanted to seek some guidance from his father to get through the most confusing period of his coaching career.

D'Antoni's father, D'Antoni Sr., is a legendary high school coach in West Virginia and a member of the West Virginia Sports Hall of Fame. It was he who brought his two sons into the world of basketball and eventually guided and helped his two sons become NBA players. Coach, the youngest son Mike was honored as the best coach in the NBA and is only one step away from the peak of a basketball coach.

After retirement, he lived in his hometown of Maures. This tough old man who loves basketball is over 90 years old and is still very healthy and strong. His voice is loud and his thinking is clear, just like when he was a coach. Can give guidance.

The younger son Mike has always been the pride of the old man. Although he knows that Mike cannot become a superstar like Bird and Havlicek in basketball, he has blazed his own path. Mike was the first American player to play overseas. At that time, it was a shame for American basketball players, because only those who couldn't make it at home would go to the other side of the Atlantic to make a living.

But the old D'Antoni understood his son. Later, Mike also obtained dual citizenship of the United States and Italy. After starting his coaching career, the old man told D'Antoni not to be constrained by the past, not to be bound by those rules and regulations, and to play the game that belongs to him. My own basketball. His father's words have always been the spiritual pillar for D'Antoni to insist on his own coaching style.

It's just that this summer, D'Antoni was a little injured. Not only did he fall short in front of the Spurs again, but the Suns had already announced the candidates for the new head coach some time ago. Fox Leon, a super coach who has won three championships, Steve Kerr and Boss Savo made such a decision without even discussing it with D'Antoni, which made D'Antoni very hurt.

Now he has received coaching invitations from several teams, all of which are Eastern Conference teams such as the Raptors and Knicks, because these Eastern Conference teams feel that D'Antoni can bring the gorgeous offense they want. D'Antoni is still hesitating. He lives with his father in Maures and has cut off most contact with the outside world. However, he received a text message the day before yesterday saying that Fox Leon was coming to Maures. A trip to interview D'Antoni.

D'Antoni really finds it very strange that the boss and general manager don't come to talk to him, but his competitor, the new head coach, wants to talk to him. But for this once magical Boston coach, D'Antoni had heard about him when he led the Suns to play against him. This is a coach who is very good at negotiating. He once flew all over the United States to find members for his assistant coaching staff. He once used a bunch of The huge amount of money directly recruited Steve Hess to join the Celtics.

D'Antoni did not refuse the visit. He sent his home address and started waiting. He wanted to communicate with the young and successful coach in person. D'Antoni wanted to know what he wanted the Suns to look like. In the Boston Celtics, he created the strongest shield in history, so much so that the league had to change the whistleblowing standards and increase the intensity of whistleblowing for outside defensive fouls to ensure the smooth flow of the game.

D'Antoni still remembers the tragic situation when he brought the V-shaped offense into the Suns and set off a solar storm in 2005. When he faced the Boston Celtics for the first time, he was pinned to the ground and rubbed by the defending champion.

Does he want to bring that kind of defense to Phoenix? If this is the case, D'Antoni will never stay in the Suns for one more second. Maybe that can bring a championship to the Suns, but that is not the basketball that D'Antoni loves, and that is not what he thinks is the trend of the league. Although he saw the San Antonio Spurs successfully sweep the Cavaliers to win the championship a few days ago, and saw Popovich finally win a championship ring with his basketball philosophy, the stubborn D'Antoni felt envious and unwilling. More still, I hope to use my own ideas to win my own championship.

"Which team is suitable for me?" D'Antoni couldn't help but think this way.

……………………

On the morning of June 21, D'Antoni got up very early, but his father got up even earlier. He had already gone out for a walk on the nearby hills. The small town of Maures was only established in 1912. It is a small place with a population of just over a thousand people. The old D'Antoni family is considered the last famous person in this town, and they are also the pride of this place. The old man walks around the town every day, catches up with old friends, and exercises.

D'Antoni's mother has passed away, and his old father is at home alone. It is very happy to be able to be so carefree. After D'Antoni got up, he fried himself an egg and heated a glass of milk. He thought that if Fox-Leon didn't come again today, he was going to go to New York, where he might have a chance to show off his skills.

Just as I was thinking about it, the door to the house opened, and old D'Antoni opened the door and came in. He was back so early.

Mike felt a little strange. Usually his father would walk in the mountains for a while, then go to town to chat with friends, and then come back around noon. When he was about to ask, he saw that old D'Antoni was not the only one coming back, but there was also someone behind him. Mike recognized him at a glance, it was Fox Leon.

Leon took a plane yesterday, slept on the plane, arrived in Richmond in the early morning, then rented a car in Richmond and drove all the way to Maures. Fortunately, Fox-Leon is very good at reading maps. Otherwise, without GPS navigation in the car, driving from Richmond to Maurice would be a disaster if he got lost, because both Virginia and West Virginia are mountains.

Leon looked a little tired because of the long flight and then driving. In a small town, a tired outsider always attracts people's attention. Old D'Antoni, who has been following basketball all year round, recognized Leon and knew He wanted to see his son, so he took him home.

Mike quickly poured Leon a glass of milk and heated up a few slices of bread. Leon was not polite, said hello, changed his shoes and sat down. He finished the bread and drank the milk in a few mouthfuls. He felt much better.

Mike looked at Leon and said, "Actually, you don't have to be in such a hurry. Did you come here overnight? I won't fly away, and you are the head coach of the Suns."

After listening to his son's words, D'Antoni Sr. said: "Don't speak sourly, Mike. I just had a few words with Fox on the road. He wanted you to stay in the Suns as an assistant coach. He came here overnight. That's his sincerity." "

After finishing the meal, Leon wiped his mouth and said, "I have received news from New York, which intends to invite you to be the coach of the Knicks. I can't let you go to that hellish place to waste your life."

Leon's words made both D'Antoni and his son laugh, although the reasons for their laughter were different.

Mike asked: "You want me to be an assistant coach? As the best coach, I don't care about the title. In fact, it doesn't matter. Just like when you were in Boston, didn't Rick Carlisle later become your assistant coach? I I want to know, if I stay, I mean if, can I show my value. Or is it just to stabilize the morale of the army and let the players play with peace of mind, and I don’t have to do anything else, just sit on the bench every day Go to bed and sleep.”

"I'm going to put you in charge of the Suns offense, all, all of it, and Gentry will be in charge."

"What?" Mike D'Antoni looked like he didn't believe his ears.

Old D'Antoni on the side said: "Are you as deaf as me? He said that you will be responsible for all offenses, all of them!"

Mike glanced at his old father reproachfully and said, "I'm not deaf, I just want to make sure."

He then asked: "I will be responsible for the offense, and you will be responsible for the defense?"

Leon shook his head and said: "No, I am not responsible for defense. We don't need to defend."

D'Antoni feels that he has met a fake Fox-Leon. He came to the Suns and didn't want to bring defense?

Seeing the disbelief on his son's face, D'Antoni Sr. said: "When Pat Riley went to the Knicks, many people thought he would bring New York a gorgeous offense. Unexpectedly, in the end he turned New York into a muscular defense. group."

Leon nodded. Obviously the old man's idea was correct, but he still said: "Pat Riley and I are still different. He didn't win a championship when he went to the Knicks, but I will."