Gaining significant weight and muscle takes time, especially during the season, which is a challenge for Noah.

However, although Noah has an outgoing personality and, as Deng said, a bit of pride that is close to superiority, he has one good point, which is that he does what he says.

Just like he had agreed to train with Xu Yong before, and he would go even at four in the morning. Since he lost the bullfight, he would do it even if it was a challenge.

And another characteristic of him is that he is actually very smart and knows that doing so is good for both him and the Bulls.

These two character traits really made Xu Yong feel that although Noah and Rodman were born in completely different backgrounds, they still have some similarities.

Time flies and it is already the end of January.

The Bulls' overall performance in January was very impressive. Although they were almost reversed by the Kings and suffered a crushing defeat to the Magic, they played well overall, winning 10 of the 15 games. The overall record has reached 26 wins and 20, and they have already rushed to the sixth place in the Eastern Conference.

The most important factor comes from the backcourt combination of Rose and Xu Yong.

The two of them had a good understanding as a team, and after Xu Yong gradually adapted to his opponent's improved performance, Rose's performance also improved.

In the January games, Rose averaged 22.3 points, 3.5 rebounds and 7.8 assists per game, with a shooting percentage of 49.6% and a three-point shooting percentage of 31%.

Xu Yongze's monthly scoring average exceeded 20 for the first time, contributing 20.5 points, 4.2 rebounds and 3.6 assists per game, with a shooting percentage and three-point shooting percentage of 51.2% and 41% respectively.

At this time, the league announced the All-Star voting results and substitute lists one after another.

It was this voting result that caused huge controversy.

Eastern Conference starting lineup: Wade, Xu Yong, James, Garnett, Howard;

Eastern Conference bench lineup: Rondo, Rose, Iverson, Johnson, Pierce, Bosh, Al Horford.

Western Conference starting lineup: Nash, Kobe, Anthony, Duncan, Yao Ming;

Western Conference bench lineup: Paul, Deron Williams, Roy, Durant, Nowitzki, Stoudemire, Gasol.

Xu Yong was actually directly selected as the All-Star starter!

In fact, this matter had already caused controversy as early as late December, when the results of the first round of All-Star voting came out.

Because at that time Xu Yong ranked third among guards, second only to Wade and Iverson in the East, and more than Rondo, Pierce, Joe Johnson and other stars.

In fact, the issue of votes for Chinese players has always been a hotly controversial topic.

You should know that Yao Ming, who averaged only 13.5 points and 8.2 rebounds per game in his rookie season, had already surpassed O'Neal, who averaged 27.5 points and 11 rebounds, to become the starting center in the Western Conference.

It was only because Yao Ming later gradually proved his ability and was worthy of the starting position that this topic gradually faded away.

But last season this topic was once again brought to the forefront, because Yi Jianlian, who averaged only 8.6 points and 6.3 rebounds per game, actually suppressed "Wolf King" Garnett in the first three rounds of voting and almost became the starting forward in the Eastern Conference.

It was after that that the league secretly adjusted the voting ratio in the Chinese region. Although there was no clear statement from 1 to 7 to 1 to 14, judging from the fact that the overall number of votes this year was lower than in previous years, it does exist.

But even with this ratio, Xu Yong still became an All-Star starter.

I can only say that there are just too many football fans in China!

Perhaps only Xu Yong, who has seen the BA of Future Village, knows how terrifying that number is.

Xu Yong was the detonator of the fans' enthusiasm, so it was not surprising that his votes continued to rise and he was finally selected as the starter.

But it was this unexpectedness that made those American fans, who called for voting for Iverson in rounds of voting but were unable to stop it in the end, furious.

Since they can't change the outcome, they can only vent their anger on social media.

It just so happened that the previous dunk contest had not yet passed, so this time, "new and old grudges" were taken into account together, and the firepower was fully opened.

"The NBA voting system is a joke. This is definitely the most shameful NBA All-Star Game ever."

"Xu doesn't deserve it at all. It's better not to watch this All-Star Game. We should boycott this year's All-Star Game."

"I would love to go there and watch Xu make a fool of himself in both the dunk contest and the main competition. Wouldn't that be killing two birds with one stone?"

…

However, amidst all the insults, there was an account called "KBforever" that was arguing with these people, and it felt like it was outnumbered.

"What do you care about the fans' choice?"

"Then don't go. And remember don't turn on the TV. If you can't do that, I will look down on you."

"You're a little bit abnormal, spending money to watch something you don't like?"

…

Of course, such a debate is powerless, and doubts about Xu Yong are rampant on social media.

New York, NBA headquarters.

Silver is discussing the results of the All-Star voting with Stern.

"Should we continue to increase this proportion next year, or simply remove the votes from the Chinese region?" Xiao Hua suggested.

Just like when he was drafted, he has always been a loyal supporter of the domestic US market, and the overseas market is secondary in his mind.

Stern waved his hand and said, "Adam, you should know that even if you strip away the votes from China, Xu still received a lot of local votes this year."

Xiao Hua could not refute this.

In fact, when most people focus on Xu Yong’s Chinese background, they ignore some other aspects of Xu Yong, such as his playing style.

McGrady's pull-up shot, slam dunk over the defense, fancy slam dunk, change of direction without slowing down, which one of these is not full of visual impact?

Moreover, in the opening game, he defeated the Cavaliers against the Lakers, competed against Kobe, scored a lot in the China derby, and beat Evans in the best rookie battle. In which game under the spotlight did Xu Yong not play well?

Fans may have different nationalities and skin colors, but they are not blind.

Of course there are people who are not blind in their eyes but are blind in their hearts, but they are a minority after all.

Not to mention, Chicago, as the third largest city in North America, has a large number of fans. If you add Arizona, those are two major voting bases.

"But the fans..." Xiao Hua was unwilling.

"Fans don't have to care. Isn't this a good opportunity to continue to hype up the All-Stars?" Stern interrupted Silver.

Seeing this, Xiao Hua had no choice but to nod.

After all, Stern was still the league president at that time.

After Silver left the office, Stern also stood up and walked to the window.

In fact, he thought about much more than Xiao Hua.

Unlike previous dunk contests, this time the controversy is completely a good thing.

Because apart from his background and playing style, Xu Yong's performance as the second pick is actually very outstanding.

So far, Xu Yong has played 46 games, averaging 19.5 points, 3.6 rebounds, 3.8 assists, 1.2 steals, 1.6 blocks, 1.5 turnovers, 48.2% shooting percentage, and 39.2% three-point shooting percentage.

The last forward-guard swingman who played so well as a rookie was Kevin Durant, who has been designated by him as the next potential candidate for the league's leader after James.

If we count one more person back, we would have to go back to Vince Carter, and that was during the 1998-1999 season.

So he had no reason to stop Xu Yongda from doing something.

In fact, he was happy to see it.

Although due to Xu Yong's identity, he is unlikely to train Xu Yong as the future leader of the league, but he is very happy to see such an opponent with overseas player characteristics appear in the careers of James or Durant.

Where there is comparison, there is topic;

Competition makes entertainment enjoyable.

Duncan, doesn’t he have Nowitzki?

And just as he and Silver said, with the dunk contest and the main game, the popularity of this year's All-Star Game has reached its maximum.

Not to mention anything else, the unprecedented 100,000 seats scheduled for this year at the Dallas Cowboys Stadium are no longer a problem at all.

…

"Xu, congratulations on becoming an All-Star starter." In the locker room the next day, Rose congratulated Xu Yong.

"Wait until you are selected as an All-Star starter before congratulating me, otherwise I will just be going through the motions." Xu Yong said with a smile.

Although it is a happy thing that he was elected as the starting player without any votes for himself, he is very clear-headed.

The circle exists, whether he is willing to admit it or not.

When he was chatting with Yao Ming before, Yao Ming told him about this.

"If I had a choice, I really didn't want to go to the All-Star Game, but there's nothing I can do. The fans support you, which means they want to see you."

These are Yao Ming's original words.

Not to mention overseas players, even white people are now excluded by the black circles, not to mention that they are controversial in themselves.

If you are not given the ball and are asked to practice shuttle runs on the court, even if you are Jordan, you can't do anything without the ball.

That's why Xu Yong mentioned Rose's selection.

If they started together, the situation would be very different.

After all, the ball is in the defender's hands, and both of them are defenders.

Ross didn't know, but he knew that this wouldn't take long, it could be done next year.

"Compared to this, Joakim, I actually have a favor I need your help with." Xu Yong then turned his head and looked at Noah on the other side.

There is only half a month left before the dunk contest, and he has to start preparing.

He can go through the motions in the main competition, but definitely not in the dunk contest.

He is determined to win this championship.