This All-Star Weekend, Liaoning teenager Zhang Zhenlin used two explosive dunks to take back the dunk king that CBA players have lost for many years. In the commentary room of the CCTV cooperation platform, the narrator asked the commentator Xu Yong: "Brother Yong, Zhang Zhenlin's violent dunk is a bit of your style of the year!" Xu Yong said politely, "I don't, no." Another commentator said: "You don't have to be polite about Xu guiding dunks." Xu Yong smiled and said, "Yes, I was like this back then." ”
Many fans may be wondering who this Xu Yong is. Zhang Zhenlin's dunk that exploded so much was actually compared to this Xu Yong by the commentator and the commentator, and Xu Yong actually admitted it after being a little modest, and it didn't look like a joke. In fact, some elderly fans, especially fans in Shanghai, should know that Xu Yong really did not brag, he was so explosive that year, when the expectations of the Chinese people for Xu Yong were not lower than Zhang Zhenlin now.
In the 2007 CBA All-Star Dunk Contest, Xu Yong, who was less than 18 years old, used three dunks that Carter won in the NBA All-Star Dunk Contest in 2000, and won the dunk contest championship that year with an overwhelming advantage, including Zhang Zhenlin's reverse rotation 360-degree windmill dunk this year, which was not a dunk. At that time, all the people were crazy, and a yellow person could have such a physical fitness.
Xu Yong was born in 1989 in a basketball family, his parents were basketball players in the past, and his mother is still the coach of Luwan District Junior Sports School, and is the enlightenment coach of Liu Wei, a legendary football star of Shanghai men's basketball team. Xu Yong's physical fitness has been well inherited, and his mother's deliberate cultivation has also laid a good foundation for him.
In 2005, Xu Yong, who had just turned 16, received an invitation from nike training camp and Adidas training camp at the same time, Xu Yong chose the Adidas training camp, at this time Xu Yong's height had grown to 2 meters, and the driver of the front guard swing man. After the training camp, Xu Yong stayed in the United States while reading and playing. During this time, Xu Yong had the privilege of getting acquainted with NBA celebrity "Lord of the Rings" Bill. Russell. Russell's assessment of Xu Yong was that "this kid's physical fitness exceeds that of most black athletes, and his bounce is comparable to Francis."" ”
In 2006, Xu Yong, who had trained in the United States for more than a year, grew to 2.03 meters tall, and he also returned to the CBA to play for his hometown Shanghai men's basketball team. On December 27, the 17-year-old Xu Yong ushered in his first game in the CBA, and 8 points, 4 rebounds and 3 assists were also his first report card. This season's Xu Yong didn't have too many chances to play, but the violent aesthetic of the dunk contest was enough to make all the fans at the time start paying attention to the youngster.
In the second season of the CBA, Xu Yong, who was only 18 years old, became the starting second place of the Shanghai men's basketball team, averaging 18.2 points, 6.3 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 1.4 steals per game. In particular, he averaged 25.2 points, 6.4 rebounds and 5 assists in the last five games. It is the only all-around player to score rebounds, assists, steals, and blocks, and enter the top ten in the country with six statistics. In the efficiency list of domestic and foreign line players, it is second only to Zhu Fangyu, who is in the middle of the day. It is clear that Shanghai has begun to cultivate Xu Yong as the core of Yao Ming's future.
At the end of the season, Xu Yong was also successfully selected for the Chinese men's basketball training team preparing for the Beijing Olympic Games, and he was also the youngest player in this roster, 18 days younger than Chen Jianghua. And compared to Chen Jianghua, Xu Yong, who has been concerned since birth, his age is absolutely real. At the time, many people thought Xu Yong would become the second Chinese outside player to be selected by the NBA.
Just when a star of hope was rising, the injury caught up with the young man. In mid-May 2008, Xu Yong was diagnosed with "malignant central osteosarcoma of the spine", and then Xu Yong rushed to the United States for surgery, although there was no life worry, but helplessly ended a brilliant and short basketball career.
On August 8, 2008, the night of the opening of the Beijing Olympic Games, Xu Yong, who had just finished surgery, and Ding Jinhui, who had left the national team at the last minute, watched China's match against Spain in a bar in Shanghai. At this time, Xu Yong may think that if I am here, maybe we can win Spain.
From the former star of hope for the Shanghai men's basketball team to seek a comeback, to just playing a more than one season of professional career was sentenced to death. Years later, a few friends and I mentioned the 2012 London Olympics in a chat, if Xu Yong had not been forced to retire because of "malignant central osteosarcoma of the spine", Sun Yue would not have left the field injured in the first game. Yi Jianlian will no longer be difficult to support alone, and the three of them may also bring the Chinese men's basketball team to the quarterfinals of the Olympic Games.
As many people say, unfortunately there is no if, Xu Yong did not appear on the field again after retiring at the age of 18. But Xu Yong did not leave basketball, and he chose to return to the fans as a commentator. But at this time, many young fans may only think that he is a fat man who loves to brag and does not know the ball.