Training camps are like job interviews, a round after round. Generally, a successful training camp requires at least two rounds.
Because each training camp session is not long, only about half an hour to an hour, one session is not enough for a player to fully showcase their strength.
During the first training camp, the team will generally only send an assistant coach or a general manager's assistant to score on-site, which is equivalent to a first interview.
After passing the first interview, the team will schedule another time and invite key decision-makers such as the general manager and head coach. At the same time, the training camp content will be more targeted. For example, several rookies might be tested together in a scrimmage, or a current player on the team might be sent to challenge a rookie one-on-one to observe the rookie's practical ability!
After the second training camp, if the team still wants to understand more about your other abilities, there may be third or fourth invitations...
After the Hornets, He Ximeng participated in tryouts for the 76ers, Bucks, Timberwolves, Nets, Knicks, Celtics, and Lakers!
Four teams invited He Ximeng to a second tryout: the Hornets, Knicks, Celtics, and Lakers!
The reactions from the Hornets, Knicks, and Lakers were within He Ximeng's expectations, but the Celtics' special attention to He Ximeng was a pleasant surprise!
Next, during the Hornets' second tryout, He Ximeng met Kobe and Tony Delk!
During the Celtics' second tryout, He Ximeng met Kobe and Kiki Schilt!
During the Lakers' second tryout, He Ximeng met Kobe and Derek Fisher!
During the Knicks' second tryout, He Ximeng met Kobe and Stephon Marbury!
...
Kobe was encountered everywhere, which shows how sought-after he was this summer!
But at the same time, it also indicates that Kobe's draft position was not stable!
Kobe's draft position could be very high or very low.
Because Kobe did not play in the NCAA and came directly from high school, many teams harbored doubts about Kobe's abilities and wanted to see his skills firsthand.
Players like Allen Iverson did not participate in so many tryouts because there was no need.
He Ximeng had no choice. Because most NBA teams did not believe that a Chinese player could dominate the NCAA, He Ximeng's situation was the same as Kobe's. He needed to showcase his abilities in tryouts to dispel the doubts of those team managers.
Therefore, in continuous tryouts, He Ximeng and Kobe engaged in countless one-on-one battles, experiencing both rivalry and camaraderie.
He Ximeng lost more than he won.
He Ximeng positioned himself as a point guard with innate coaching attributes, not a pure scorer like Kobe.
Being able to go back and forth with Kobe in one-on-one situations, He Ximeng felt his performance was quite good. This was also due to He Ximeng's stable outside shooting ability.
To truly measure He Ximeng's strength, it should be in a 5-on-5 scrimmage. He Ximeng believed that in terms of leading a team, he would definitely do better than Kobe...
However, basically no team had the leisure to gather all their players to scrimmage with a few rookies...
He Ximeng's relationship with Kobe, however, became much closer during this series of tryouts.
Because He Ximeng's playing style did not directly conflict with Kobe's. On the contrary, if they were on the same team, He Ximeng could have been a good partner and passer for Kobe...
He Ximeng had already completed two rounds of tryouts, but the Spurs had been slow to offer a tryout opportunity!
John said that the Spurs' official response was that the team did not have a draft pick this year and had no plans to recruit new players...
John advised He Ximeng to give up on the Spurs. It was a small market with little commercial value, far less than the Lakers. Los Angeles was much better, with more fans and more beautiful women...
He Ximeng refused to give up and directly flew to San Antonio, familiarizing himself with the Spurs' club!
In fact, He Ximeng was more familiar with Gregg Popovich's residence, but he was afraid of scaring Popovich, so he went to the team's facility to pay a visit proactively!
When Popovich's secretary reported that a player claiming to be a rookie this year wanted to meet him for a tryout opportunity, Popovich was greatly surprised. He had never encountered such a proactive rookie before!
Popovich had originally planned to give this super proactive rookie three minutes to persuade him, but the moment he saw He Ximeng, Popovich's expression changed slightly!
"Excuse me, do you know Yekaterina?" Popovich asked cautiously.
He Ximeng originally thought Popovich would ask about his mother, but instead, he asked about a Russian?
"Yekaterina? The Russian Empress?"
"No, no, no! Not a historical figure!" Popovich quickly clarified, "She is Chinese, but her Russian name is Yekaterina! Yekaterina means pure and sacred in Russian, and many girls are named Yekaterina..."
"Yekaterina? A Chinese girl?" He Ximeng's first thought was of his mother, but he didn't remember his mother having a foreign name, let alone a Russian one... Well, he would have a good chat with his mother when he got back to the hotel today.
After receiving He Ximeng's negative answer, Popovich quickly adjusted his mood and apologized to He Ximeng: "I'm sorry, your eyes reminded me of a Chinese friend I haven't seen in a long time..."
If his mother hadn't firmly stated before that she didn't know Popovich, He Ximeng would definitely have believed that the "Yekaterina" Popovich was talking about was his mother...
With this small interlude, Popovich completely abandoned his "three-minute" plan.
"I've watched Wake Forest's games and have to admit, you are an excellent point guard! If we had a first-round pick this year, I would seriously consider you and give you a tryout opportunity. But unfortunately, we don't. And we are not short of point guards! Avery Johnson is performing very well, and he is still young..."
Popovich's intention to refuse was already clear, but since He Ximeng had come to San Antonio at his own expense, he wasn't going to be dismissed so easily! He had already thought of an angle.
"I know the Spurs' current situation... Actually, I just want to ask you a question: with Avery Johnson, David Robinson, and the current Spurs lineup, can they contend for a championship?"
Popovich chuckled: "Are you saying that if Avery Johnson were replaced by you, the Spurs could contend for a championship?"