It's the All-Star Weekend, and when the All-Star roster is announced, fans' enthusiasm finally begins to rise.

Every year, the league makes some changes during the All-Star Weekend. Some of the new events really make fans complain. For example, last year's mixed shooting contest, as long as the top pitcher in the NBA is selected, there is basically no suspense. The top player in the WNBA

No matter how accurate the shooting is, it cannot be compared with NBA players. Maybe they can shoot slowly one by one. Female players are no worse than male players, but the gap in this kind of game is too big.

However, there are some changes every year, and fans are also looking forward to it. For example, this year, the league made trouble and created a Legend Challenge, which is a 3V3 bullfighting competition!

There are only two teams. Each team has a retired NBA star, a WNBA superstar, an active player and a Hollywood movie star as a substitute. Each team has four people.

Retired star, since the All-Star Weekend is held in Atlanta, Dominic Wilkins, the highlight of human movies, was invited to play and join the Eastern Team.

On the Western Conference side, the Hawks also spent a lot of money and invited Magic Johnson to participate.

A superstar in the WNBA, the Eastern Team was the MVP of the WNBA last season, the superstar of the Houston Comets, Shel Swoopes, a two-time Olympic gold medalist, a two-time WNBA regular season MVP, and the first four years since the establishment of the WNBA in 1997

The championship can be won.

Originally, the Hawks wanted to invite Cynthia Cooper, the number one superstar in the history of the WNBA, the former European women's basketball hegemon, a superstar of the Houston Comets, and the so-called female Jordan who won the WNBA championship MVP for the first four consecutive years, but Cynthia-

Cooper is already 40 years old and can no longer play. When he participated in the WNBA in his first year, he was almost 35. He was still No. 1 in the world and deserved the title of Female Jordan.

Cooper couldn't be invited, so he settled for the next best thing and chose last year's regular season MVP Swoopes.

The WNBA star of the Western Team is last year's championship MVP, Los Angeles Sparks super center Lisa Leslie, a tall black woman who is 1.95 meters tall.

As for the movie stars, they are keeping it secret as usual. For example, Will Smith joined during the All-Star Weekend last season, which shocked everyone.

Active players are still waiting to register or designate candidates to participate.

In addition to the 3V3 Bullfighting Competition, we also held an All-Star Skills Challenge, inviting the best players in the league to handle the ball, shoot, and pass.

That being said, the people invited include Jason Kidd, Tony Parker, Shaquille O'Neal...and Payton, Liu Mang, Marbury, Iverson, and Garnett.

This lineup, I have to say, is really interesting. The fans were so happy when they saw it. If O'Neal, Kidd, and Parker really participate, this game will be interesting. With the skills of the three of them, O'Neal can probably control the ball.

Not bad, but the shooting of these three...

The next few games are truly suspenseful. Garnett's skills are no worse than those of guards, especially shooting.

However, this is just a gimmick. After experiencing so many league gimmicks, the fans have almost understood it, and in the end, none of these people may participate.

The invitation candidates for other events have also been announced. Whether to participate or not is beyond the control of the alliance.

The Slam Dunk Contest, the most watched competition, has invited last year's dunk king Jason Richardson, the number one dunker in history Vince Carter, Liu Mang who claims to challenge the number one dunker in history, and the Suns' hot and violent rookie this year.

Power forward Amar'e Stoudemire, Bucks' Draymond Mason, Magic's Tracy McGrady, Lakers' Kobe Bryant... Anyway, the league invited them all

.

However, among these people, there are only two people that people are looking forward to, and that is the duel between Carter and Liu Mang!

In the three-point contest, Liu Mang, as the champion of last year's three-point contest, was naturally invited to participate this year. Unlike the slam dunk contest, which may win the championship and not participate in the second year if he doesn't want to dunk, the defending champion of the three-point contest is required to participate as usual.

This is not tiring, and there is no possibility of injury like the dunk contest.

After announcing the All-Star lineup and newly added items on the afternoon of December 30, the league officials have sent formal invitation emails to all teams.

When Liu Mang received all the invitations to the original dual event and the new skills challenge, and the 3V3 bullfighting competition, he was speechless. Liu Mang decisively refused the 3V3 bullfighting competition. This event seemed to be just for one year, and it seemed that there would be no more competitions in the future.

Well, the league invited Liu Mang to participate because Liu Mang is a player for the Eagles. This All-Star Weekend is held at the home court of the Eagles. Of course, it is a "legacy team" composed of the famous players of the team and the most popular stars of the current team.

Interesting, but I didn’t expect Liu Mang to directly refuse.

Liu Mang also refused the three-point contest. According to the convention, he had to participate, but Liu Mang was willful and wanted to break the rules.

In the skills challenge, Liu Mang really wanted to see who would participate. Liu Mang accepted the dunk contest. It was a duel with Carter! I am excited just thinking about it.

Players have also begun to submit registrations, and a section has been opened on the NBA's official website to record the list of people who have registered for this All-Star Weekend event in real time.

In fact, even the most inconspicuous event during the All-Star Weekend is broadcast live in one or two hundred countries around the world and is a good opportunity to become famous. Therefore, when ordinary players are invited to participate in a game, they immediately agree without saying anything.

On December 31, the morning of the game against the Clippers, Liu Mang got up and habitually turned on the computer in the room to read the news. He accidentally saw the registration list for the "Legend Challenge" on the official website.

Jason Terry’s name…

…

…

At one o'clock in the afternoon, Los Angeles time, the Hawks arrived at the Staples Center on a bus prepared by the Clippers. The game started at six o'clock in the afternoon. Los Angeles is almost in the westernmost part of the United States, and the time is a few hours later than in the east, so the game in the west looks like

It's "very early", but in fact the Eastern Conference team has finished playing, and the West Coast team may not even have started yet.

This chapter is not over yet, please click on the next page to continue reading! After getting off the bus, many Eagles players were discussing where to go tonight. Los Angeles is a good place...

Liu Mang and Jason Terry got off the bus last. Their bags were all carried by the rookie. Prince was responsible for their bags. The two were discussing the All-Star Weekend.

"Jason, what kind of bullfighting competition are you going to participate in? What's so good about that kind of competition!" Liu Mang asked curiously.

"Ace, didn't you participate in all the competitions last year? You are also participating in the dunk contest this year." Jason Terry complained when he saw Liu Mang's exaggerated tone.

"I didn't know at that time that I would be selected for the All-Star Game, otherwise I wouldn't be so tired." Thinking about it, Liu Mang felt that he was really not tired last year. In order to promote himself, it was really crazy. Who knew that he would be directly selected?

It's the All-Star game, and it feels silly to think about what I wanted to do to make myself famous before.

"I'm 100% unable to make the All-Stars this year. There are too many star guards in the Eastern Conference. If I go to the West, it's still possible. Sharif's life is really good. I will definitely make the All-Stars." Jason Terry sighed, and then sounded resentful.

Said: "This is an All-Star event held by our own team. How could I watch you and Sharif and Theo participate, leaving me alone..."

The biggest difference between the West and the East is that in the West, the inside is king. Strong teams basically have super insiders. Even the eighth and ninth Rockets and Suns have Yao Ming and Stoudemire, so there are many players in the West every year.

There are very few outstanding insiders who fail to be selected as All-Stars, and the outside players in the Western Conference are often defensive-minded, such as Doug Christie of the Kings and Bowen of the Spurs. It is extremely difficult for them to have a chance to be selected for the All-Stars.

The Eastern Conference is completely opposite. In addition to the fixed center position in the All-Stars, the two forwards are all on the outside. No one even thinks it is wrong to play as a guard. The outside stars are crowded.

"It has nothing to do with me, I am an All-Star." Liu Mang's strength draws hatred.

"Get out!" Jason Terry was so sad and angry.

The two of them walked out of the parking lot, noisily, and saw Coach Kruger who was on the phone again.

"Jason, you came just in time. The boss has confirmed that he will tell the league to give you a spot on the Eastern Conference Legends Challenge team." Coach Kruger said after seeing Jason Terry.

"Phew... I can finally participate in a game." Jason Terry breathed a sigh of relief.

Since I met the coach, we went to the training ground together. The Staples Center is different from the home arena of many teams. This arena does not belong to the Lakers or Clippers. Both teams rent it, so the inside

There are no regular facilities, and the Staples Center is very expensive. There is no open space for the team to arrange a training ground.

The training ground arranged by the Clippers for the Hawks is a public basketball stadium in the Los Angeles Convention Center across the street from Staples. Yes, it is public. It was built and maintained with money from the Los Angeles city government.

After the boss actively fought for it, 41 afternoons a year are free for opponents of the Clippers' home games. Their own training ground is the Playa-Vista Training Center, a training facility sponsored by Playa-Vista.

As soon as the three of them walked out of the parking lot, a thin black kid, about ten years old, walked over with a box hanging on his chest.

The child came to the three of them and asked in a low voice: "Sir, do you need your shoes shined?"

What is this for?

American begging?

Liu Mang and Coach Kruger looked at each other and said, "We don't need it anymore."

Just when Liu Mang wanted to leave, Jason Terry responded: "Well, my shoes happen to be a little dirty. Boy, please wipe them for me. They need to be wiped clean!"

"Sir, make sure to wipe it clean!" The child excitedly came to a place by the wall that would not block people, opened the box, took out a small folding stool for Jason Terry to sit on, and then took out a small wooden stake for Jason Terry to sit on.

Sen-Teri put his feet up, covered his ankles with leather paper, and then started wiping them.

In fact, Jason Terry's leather shoes were not dirty. Boozer was a reliable shoe shiner. However, when the children were setting up stools and boxes, Jason Terry deliberately stepped on each other's feet, which made the shoes dirty.

.

After the child finished wiping, Jason Terry gave him $10. When the child asked for change, Jason Terry said it was a tip. He is an NBA superstar and cannot help but tip...

After the child left, Jason Terry said with a smile: "Seeing such a young child coming out to make money, I couldn't help but want to give him money, but I didn't want him to feel like giving away, so I delayed it for a while.

"

Watching the child leave his sight, Liu Mang muttered: "It's so strange."

"Hey, Ace, does it seem so weird to you if I do something good?" Jason Terry said dissatisfied.

"Ah?" Liu Mang was stunned for a moment when he heard Jason Terry's words. Looking at Jason Terry's dissatisfied face and Coach Kruger with the same thoughtful expression, Liu Mang said: "No.

, I mean this thing is so strange! Coach, you think so too!"

"That's right," Coach Kruger nodded: "This is the employee parking lot of the Staples Center. In theory, people doing business like this are not allowed to come, and the security guards don't care. It's a bit strange."

"Then why don't we ask the security guard?" Liu Mang suggested.

Anyway, this afternoon's training was fine, and the evening game was quite easy. It's not that the Hawks look down on the Clippers... well, they just look down on the Clippers. Their boss is too stingy!

This year, because the Clippers renewed the contract of the No. 1 pick in 1998, their salary exceeded US$30 million for the first time in team history. Last season, it was only US$29 million, which was far lower than the league average. This year, it reached US$31.3 million.

Such a salary is basically equal to Garnett plus four basic salaries...

The Clippers' lineup is actually not bad. Although the salary is so low, it is mainly because seven of the Clippers' players are still on rookie contracts, several of which are on fourth-year contracts, and none of them plan to renew their contracts, such as Ander

The Clippers are planning to give up on the contracts of Lieutenant Miller and Lamar Odom who cannot be renewed for less than eight to nine million. They are so willful and don't care about those teams that worked hard to botch the draft but picked parallel imports.

How angry the management was.

This chapter is not over yet, please click on the next page to continue reading! The Clippers currently have only one player whose salary exceeds 5 million. The No. 1 pick in 1998 who fulfilled the qualifying offer is worth 6 million U.S. dollars. The Sugarman will also become a player next season.
To be continued...