The next day, Zhang Yang, Tellem, and Bynum arrived at the Los Angeles Toyota Center Training Hall to participate in the Lakers’ trial.
They were greeted by Jerry Buss, Jim Buss, and Kupchak.
After introductions, Kupchak had the trainers take the two of them to prepare for the tryout.
During warm-ups, Zhang Yang said to Bynum, "It seems the Lakers really value you, arranging a special trial just for you."
Bynum grinned proudly, "As they should, I’m the best center from the ’05 class, I beat McRoberts in camp back in 10th grade... Didn’t Arnold just recommend us to the logo man?"
You actually believed that... Zhang Yang said, "Maybe today’s trial isn’t from Arnold’s recommendation but rather a direct invitation from the Lakers for you."
Bynum nodded, believing once more.
In fact, Zhang Yang didn’t know which was the case either; he didn’t ask, as he was just here to accompany him.
When Jim Buss was greeting them, he specifically chatted a bit more with Bynum.
Seeing the Lakers’ setup, Zhang Yang understood what true importance looked like.
The Grizzlies also showed importance to them yesterday, but they didn’t separate them from the other high school players at the trial.
It was just that Coach Floyd was very interested in him and Bynum and personally oversaw their trials.
Was Tellem choosing the Grizzlies as their first trial team to let them experience the trial process?
Or was it to secure them a baseline team?
Both of them received a second trial invitation from the logo man; a second trial is usually an individual trial, just like the Lakers did today, aimed specifically at the player they are interested in.
Suddenly, Bynum asked, "Jack, the guy who just pat on my back, was that the Lakers’ head coach?"
Zhang Yang, "...I don’t think so."
Bynum, "Was it that guy with the pointy chin?"
Zhang Yang, "...I don’t think so either."
Bynum, "Is the Lakers’ head coach that old man? Oh my God, no wonder their performance is so poor, that old man is even older than my great-grandmother, why would they fire Jackson to hire such an old coach?"
Buddy! Didn’t you listen to anything during the greetings?
And you’re skipping college to enter the draft without knowing anything about the teams? Are you just focusing on hairstyles?
Zhang Yang imagined, if he told Bynum anything important, it would be as if his ears were covered... he admired the one who could endure him for so many years.
Holding back his sarcasm, Zhang Yang said, "That’s the owner of the Lakers, the Lakers’ head coach hasn’t been signed yet."
Tom Janovich relapsed from a serious illness and resigned mid-season, causing the Lakers’ performance to plummet and dropping out of the playoff race, securing the 10th pick in the first round.
Earlier, Zhang Yang saw in the news that the Lakers wanted to invite Phil Jackson back, so for this, Old Buss had his socialite daughter go out.
Zhang Yang could only say, doing family business certainly has its perks; the famous coach is tempted by his own daughter, so why not send her?
Phil Jackson wasn’t much younger than Jerry Buss; in the free lands of the United States, he could almost be Jeanie Buss’s father.
However, after the Buss family sold their real estate business entirely to Clippers’ owner Sterling and sold their pioneering cable sports channel to Time Warner, the Lakers were the only business left; it wasn’t strange that this family would do anything for the prosperity of their team, perhaps it was even Jeanie Buss’s own suggestion.
After warming up, the tests began, and the Busses also came to watch.
An individual trial is different, from physical fitness to technical tests, test sections, and items are much more comprehensive.
Bynum once again caused an uproar among the spectators.
Kupchak’s evaluation of Bynum—best physical talent in a center seen in the last 13 years.
Now onto the technical tests... it doesn’t matter! Just with that physique, he’s worth a lottery pick.
Kupchak also evaluated Zhang Yang, but his evaluation surprised Zhang Yang.
Yesterday, although the Grizzlies’ coach also praised his skills, he mainly complimented his physical fitness.
But with Kupchak, the focus was on skills, with not much evaluation of his physical fitness, just mentioning that his wingspan was decent.
Zhang Yang was puzzled, was his current physical fitness considered excellent or not?
What he didn’t know was that, as early as the end of January, he had already attracted the attention of the Lakers’ scouting department, and some of his basic information had been on Kupchak’s desk for a while.
Coming from Compton, in the Greater Los Angeles area, producing two top-tier talents, the Lakers naturally took notice.
Although earlier this year the NBA announced it would no longer accept high school players’ draft applications from 2006, the Lakers couldn’t guess that Zhang Yang would apply early after his 11th-grade season, but for future drafts? And even farther in the future?
After the Nets were eliminated in the first round, there were reports that Jason Kidd was considering a transfer, and his first choice was the Lakers.
Kidd had such intentions because he had played in California his entire student life.
Though Kupchak wasn’t adept at long-term planning, having been an assistant to the logo man for over a decade, long-term planning had become a habit, though how well he did it is another matter.
Outstanding physical fitness, very adept at utilizing physical advantages, was the Lakers scouts’ evaluation of Zhang Yang.
Zhang Yang’s strength was highlighted; after the winter break ended early this year, his weight reached around 86 kilograms, ranking him second in strength among all California high school basketball players, just behind the 96-kilogram genius guard from Lynwood High School.