NBA: James wants to team up with me

Chapter 14 Sweet 16, vs. Okafor

(I’m really busy today and can’t take care of it. There’s only one update left. I’m sorry because there are too many things.)

March 3, March Madness Sweet 24 showdown.

Coming to the 16-to-8 game, it is completely different from the previous top 64 and top 32 games. Not only has the competition venue been changed to a larger stadium, but the number of spectators, media reporters and even scouts on site has increased significantly.

The strong atmosphere on the field made the Marquette University players feel a little nervous.

Not to mention them, even the team coach was visibly nervous.

The top 16 was already Marquette University's best result. He didn't even dare to think about what it would be like if the team could defeat its opponents and enter the top 16 in the 8-to-8 game.

But this time their opponents were not as strong as their opponents in the previous two rounds.

Their opponent this time is the University of Connecticut.

In the 2003 draft, the University of Connecticut did not have any well-known players join the NBA, but next year, in 2004, they will have a second overall pick in the NBA, Emeka Okafor.

In 2004, Okafor led the University of Connecticut to go all the way and win the NCAA championship trophy.

Although this center who could compete with Howard for the No. 1 pick in the NBA was later eclipsed by everyone due to his limited technical characteristics, at the beginning of his career, he was definitely more capable than Howard in immediate combat.

04-05赛季，奥卡福凭借场均15分10.9篮板1.7封盖的数据击败霍华德当选年度最佳新秀。

Although Okafor is only a sophomore player now, he has been able to steadily contribute 15 points, 11.2 rebounds and 4.73 blocks to the team. In addition, the University of Connecticut already has a strong overall team.

Under his leadership, the University of Connecticut was also a strong team in 03.

More importantly, facing a team with a super center, Marquette University, which lacks a traditional center and even needs Wang Chong, a player who should be playing on the outside, to take over the center position, faces the pressure of Okafor. quite big.

The game hadn't even started yet. Wang Chong looked at Okafor's dark and muscular muscles on the sidelines, and he had already made up his mind that he would never confront that guy head-on, and would give full play to his advantage in mid-range shooting.

What Wang Chong didn't know was that in the stands, a Chinese man looked at Wang Chong, who was wearing the Marquette school team uniform, with a look of surprise on his face.

"It's actually true..."

Two days ago, when he received a call from Su Qun from China, he felt that the other party was talking nonsense.

How is it possible that there are Chinese people playing in the American NCAA? Not even for Chinese Americans.

But since Su Qun said so, as a reporter stationed in the United States to cover the NBA, he still bought tickets non-stop and came to the NCAA game to investigate in person.

Then he saw Wang Chong.

Among a group of whites and blacks, Wang Chong naturally stood out.

If the live game was not about to start at this time, he would have wanted to interview Wang Chong as soon as possible and ask him who he was and why he appeared in the NCAA. Since he reached the top 16 of the NCAA, would there be any future opportunities? Plans to enter the NBA draft?

Resisting many questions in his mind, he patiently watched the game.

The starting players of both sides stood on the court ready to start the game.

Wang Chong and Okafor stood in the center circle preparing to jump the ball.

When the two stand together, their height and wingspan are almost the same.

Okafor is 2 meters tall and has a wingspan of 08 meters. He is indeed almost the same as Wang Chong. Of course, the difference in size between the two is not small.

Okafor weighs more than 110 kilograms and has strong muscles. He looks very strong.

<divclass="contentadv">On the other hand, although Wang Chong is not too thin, he looks extremely thin standing next to the other party.

At the beginning of the game, after the referee threw the ball into the sky, Wang Chong had just bent his knees to take off, when a black shadow suddenly flashed in front of him. Okafor had already leaped high before him and moved the basketball to his own backcourt.

The difference in dynamic talent between the two in terms of jumping and bursting is clear at a glance.

Wang Chong's jumping is actually not that bad, but he can't stand up to Okafor's explosive physical fitness. His average of 4.73 blocks per game in the college league is not for nothing.

UConn offense.

After the point guard held the ball for half the game, he saw Okafor raising his hand high in the paint to signal for the ball.

Okafor has the ability to attack inside, and he is not only limited to attacking in the penalty area, he also has a stable step-back and turn shot.

These offensive skills are not outstanding in the NBA and are not enough to make Okafor an All-Star player, but they are already very top in the NCAA.

With his back against Wang Chong, Okafor stuck out his butt and squeezed. Wang Chong suddenly felt a huge surge of force and couldn't help but stumble back.

Okafor, who easily squeezed Wang Chong away, turned around and sent the basketball into the net with a half-ball.

"This guy's power is even more terrifying than West's!"

As a floor-level inside player, David West's strength is definitely top-notch, but he still can't compare with Okafor.

Rubbing his sore chest, Wang Chong retreated to the bottom line and passed the ball to Wade. The latter did not pause after receiving the ball and accelerated directly towards the backcourt of the University of Connecticut. Obviously he wanted to play for the team. The advantage of mobility catches the opponent by surprise.

But they have already reached the top 16, and none of the participating teams is an underdog. The University of Connecticut has a very good sense of preventing fast breaks. Someone immediately stepped forward to interfere with Wade's dribbling, affecting his straight-line sprint speed.

Wade, who rushed all the way to the three-point line, had to stop, because at this time, the opponent already had three players standing inside, and even if he forced a breakthrough, there would be no good results.

"Dwayne!"

At this moment, Wang Chong's voice sounded in his ears.

Wade turned around and saw Wang Chong who had just run from the backcourt and entered the three-point line. At the same time, he also discovered that Okafor was standing in the penalty area and had no intention of guarding Wang Chong.

Obviously in Okafor's subconscious mind, since Wang Chong is a center, he must not be good at long-range shooting. In order to limit Wade's breakthrough, he, who has the strongest rim protection ability in the team, must guard the basket.

Seeing this, Wade passed the ball directly to Wang Chong without thinking.

After receiving the ball, Wang Chong made a jump shot 22 feet away from the basket. After the basketball drew a perfect arc in the air, it hit the net under Okafor's slightly stunned eyes.

"What an accurate shot!"

In the stands, the Chinese reporters' eyes lit up when they saw this scene.

Wang Chong's shot was excellent in terms of release movement, smoothness and accuracy. As an inside player with a height of 2 meters, it is really rare to have such a shooting touch!

Originally, when he saw Wang Chong being completely crushed by Okafor in terms of strength, he frowned slightly.

For him, who reports on NBA games all year round, the NCAA competition is completely unqualified. Wang Chong is like this in this level of competition. I am afraid it will be difficult to survive in the NBA.

But if Wang Chong's advantage is shooting, then the situation will be different.

The league has a superstar like Nowitzki who lacks confrontational ability, but relies on his shooting to dominate the league!