start with scouting

Chapter 85 Multiple friends, multiple paths

Not long after receiving the call, the Sonics publicly announced the dismissal of head coach PJ Carlesimo.

After seeing the news, Su Yang realized the determination and sincerity of Supersonic, and carefully prepared the content of the interview.

He mainly focused on player selection, player positioning and team goals. He didn't spend too much time on the team's tactical system, because the Supersonics will have major personnel changes in the next two years, and it is more important to cultivate the tactical awareness of the main players.

NO.16 At eight o'clock in the morning, Su Yang rushed to the Montage Hotel in Beverly Hills again as agreed.

Take the elevator to the meeting room on the eighth floor. As soon as you open the elevator door, you can see the staff with the Supersonic team logo.

The Thunder interview team has arrived, headed by general manager Presti and a small boss.

Presti has a small back hair, a long face, a stern complexion, wearing a pair of glasses and a suit, and a light beard around his mouth. He has an obvious elite appearance, especially like a beast in Hong Kong dramas.

As for the little boss, he looked like a typical businessman, and looked at Su Yang frequently with his small eyes.

After exchanging pleasantries, Su Yang sat down, and the topic suddenly fast-forwarded to the formal interview before he could relax.

Presti opened the folder: "From your public resume, your first job was as a scout for the Trail Blazers?"

Su Yang hummed and nodded, and Presti nudged his glasses: "Then please give a brief evaluation of this work experience."

"I took office on May 23, [-]. I was mainly responsible for the player evaluation of the Orlando rookie training camp, as well as the organization of the joint trial training of [-] teams. I also acted as an on-the-spot commander to test the rookie players' tactical understanding and execution ability..."

In about a minute and a half, Su Yang briefly described the main experience and achievements of scouting work, and believed that scouting work is very important, and the salary and status of scouting work should be improved, especially tactical scouting, which often plays an important role.

"I'm close to your opinion..."

Presti nodded, "Speaking of which, I also had a scouting experience. When I was in the Spurs in 2001, I suggested to Coach Popovich to choose Tony Parker. That was the highlight of my scouting career.

By the way, we got the [-]th overall pick this year, do you have any advice? "

"I recommend Russell Westbrook..."

Su Yang said: "He is the best player except Derrick Rose, and he is also the most suitable player for the Sonics' current lineup. He can match Kevin Durant very well. He is the kind of existence with belief Pure player."

Hearing what Su Yang said, Presti was a little surprised, blinked again and again, and quickly calmed down.

"I saw it mentioned in your resume that you once served as the player development coach of the Trail Blazers. If we choose Russell Westbrook for the Supersonics, which player do you think is suitable for him to use as a template for development?"

Su Yang spread his hands: "Westbrook is a unique player. If he has to be positioned, then in my opinion, it should be Jason Kidd with enhanced physical fitness and scoring ability. He has the potential to become an MVP-level player."

"Why Jason Kidd?"

Presti asked calmly: "The scouting report mentioned that Westbrook's current ball-handling skills are deficient, and he still needs to improve his outside shooting and free throw ability. The template tends to be Rajon Rondo. How did you come to this conclusion?"

"Because Russell Westbrook's nature is bohemian and loves freedom..."

Su Yang said with a smile: "That makes him like to run amok and solve problems in the simplest and most direct way, but he can also have a cool head and use shots and assists to help the team. He just needs someone to guide him."

"You think you are that person?"

"I'm obliged."

"Okay." Presti inhaled slightly. "Let's talk about Kevin Durant. How do you position him?"

"I said in the All-Star rookie game that he has the potential to hit the top ten in NBA history..."

Presti asked with a smile, "If you weren't coaching, would he still have a chance to hit the top ten in history?"

"Also!"

Su Yang said solemnly: "He is the brightest star in the night sky. Even if he is blocked by dark clouds, he will shine brightly sooner or later. But if I coach him, it is difficult for him to meet dark clouds, and he will always stay where he is. go somewhere else."

Hearing 'not going anywhere else', Presti raised his eyebrows slightly, and then asked with a smile: "Then how do you plan to help him hit the top ten in NBA history? He needs to compete with Duncan, Kobe, O'Neal and others, as well as retired superstars." .”

"First of all, I will design efficient tactics for him that give full play to his technical characteristics.

Secondly, I will let him learn a style of play that is less labor-intensive and easier to prolong his career, and make long-term preparations.

Of course, you also need to configure a reasonable lineup for him to maintain long-term competitiveness like the Spurs. "

After Su Yang finished speaking, Presti was a little surprised: "It seems that you have seriously thought about what to do. As for the third point, you just mentioned that Westbrook has MVP potential, so how to balance the two of them?" Ball rights?

You know, becoming the top ten in NBA history requires not only great honors, but also data accumulation. "

Su Yang shrugged slightly: "There is no need to deliberately balance. I also mentioned in the second article that it will make him learn less effort, and it will be easier to prolong his career. Prepare for the long-term. Just imagine that they will stay healthy for a long time and have a very high rate of playing. .”

"OK, your logic makes sense..."

Presti changed the subject: "Then do you think, if the two of them form a team, if the goal is to reach the playoffs, how long will it take to grow and develop? If the goal is to win the championship, what kind of lineup will they need to match? "

"If it's just to make it to the playoffs, then next season, I have the confidence to lead them to finish..."

Hearing what Su Yang said, Presti raised his eyebrows suddenly, and Su Yang continued: "But it needs to suppress their nature, slow down their growth rate, and let them increase the risk of injury for a trivial victory, which is not worth it." .

In contrast, I would rather let them grow quickly and then remain competitive for a long time. "

Presti pressed: "What about the goal of winning the championship? Under your rapidly growing precursor."

Su Yang thought for a while: "I don't know the slowest, but if everything goes well, the fastest will be 10 years."

"I must say..."

Presti took a deep breath, "You are indeed as confident as others say, and you have never had a failure case with your confidence... Speaking of which, if you were coaching, what tactical system would you build?"

"I haven't studied the tactical system in depth yet..." Su Yang said truthfully.

"But I will let them play more European Ballscreen offense (European pick-and-roll offense) first. There will be several basic modes in that system, which will allow them to quickly improve their reading and understanding of the game."

Presti nodded, then raised his hand to signal: "Please briefly introduce the main features of the European-style pick-and-roll offense."

"Pick-and-roll is an important part of any tactical system, and the understanding and implementation of the European-style pick-and-roll system is very simple, and it is flexible and changeable, making opponents unpredictable, and the continuity is also very strong. Kuailing advantage is constantly looking for misplaced attack opportunities, one-on-one to seize opportunities, and then launch a full-staff attack.

This tactical system is very suitable for Durant, Westbrook, and Jeff Green..."

After Su Yang finished speaking, Presti immediately asked: "I noticed that in your narration just now, you mentioned using the advantage of Xiao Kuai Ling many times, which means that you don't pay much attention to center players or inside players, and the lineup is biased toward the Suns." kind?"

"Undercutting the center is one of the options..."

Su Yang shook his head, "The key is to take advantage of the dislocation. If the center forward can achieve the effect, he will naturally use it."

"Then can you draw a specific tactic now?"

"can!"

Su Yang took the tactical board, recalled it for a while, and drew a Slash Action, which is a European-style pick-and-roll offensive tactic invented by Coach Jerry Sloan, which is slightly different from the traditional stagger.

"The so-called Slash Action is 2 cuts to the basket, 1 uses 4 screens to go around..."

Facing the tactical board, Su Yang explained in detail the general tactical moves and variants in a very clear manner.

Presti nodded in satisfaction, and Su Yang took Durant as the target and drew a few more tactics.

Compared with the tactics that PJ Carlesimo copied from the Spurs, his tactics are much simpler.

Chatting and chatting, the interview went on for almost an hour, and Presti deliberately took a break.

After the break, we talked for about an hour, and all doubts and thoughts were shared.

The time came to twelve o'clock in the noon, and Presti said that the interview was officially over, and he chatted casually.

"You know? In addition to Durant wanting to invite you as the head coach, Kevin also recommended you to us. He said that you are the most special young man he has ever seen. I also asked Monty Williams, what does he think of you It's a young man with a big heart, saying that you are not angry because of his stereotypes, and even support many of his ideas.

Me and Kevin, and Monty, have all worked with the Spurs, and I totally believe what they say.

That gave me high hopes for today's interview, and you managed to convince and impress me.

Later, we will send you a post-related email, which will include specific salary and other content. If you have any ideas, we will get in touch.In addition, I suggest you hire an agent, because I sometimes let my assistant handle salary and other things, and I will soon enter the preparations for the draft, so it is difficult to communicate with you directly.

If everything goes well, then you are welcome to join the Thunder in advance, should you change your name to this, Simon? "

Presti turned to look at the little boss named Simon, and Simon hurriedly got up to shake hands with Su Yang.

"I'll confirm as soon as possible." Su Yang's heart was surging.
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(End of this chapter)