Zou Yang’s voice was so soft that I couldn’t help asking him at the end of the interview, “Do you usually say no dirty words?” He paused for a moment and laughed out loud, “I think few people playing basketball don’t say dirty words, do they? Occasionally, the mood comes up…….”

I kept a photo of Zou Yang holding the ball and going down quickly in my camera, which was the semi-final of the CUBAL North district competition last year. In the photo, his feet were quite like “horse stepping on a Flying Swallow”.

Zou Yang is undoubtedly one of the front faces of this league and the “monster forward” many CBA teams want to get, with a height of only 1.98 meters, but the arm exhibition reached an astonishing 2 meters 13, and even the West heat river couldn’t help recruiting in person. But in life, he is not aggressive, and his voice is so soft that he is not like a basketball player who roars all the year round.

As the core of Tsinghua’s “three successive championships”, the MVP winner of the CUBAL finals, and the member of the U23 national team of China’s three-person basketball team, Zou Yang has been living in the spotlight for a long time, but on him, there are still many unknown things waiting to be excavated.

01

Basketball Enlightenment: father’s guidance

In 1997, Zou Xiangwen set out from his hometown in Chongqing and went all the way east to Shenzhen, the special zone at the forefront of reform. Different from many “deep drift” of the same era, his greatest gain in this “Golden City everywhere” is not wealth, but an outstanding son-Zou Yang.

In 2000, in the year of Millennium, Zou Yang was born. He spent the first five years of his life with his grandparents. Zou Xiangwen couldn’t bear to let him become a “left-behind child”, so he was brought to his side. Farewell to the small mountain village where there are always pheasants and wild boar, farewell to the happy memory of catching fish in the river in rainy days, farewell to the orchard and the trees in the hometown, Zou Yang suddenly found that he was in the jungle of reinforced concrete, A new life has begun.

Zou Xiangwen practiced basketball for a period of time in the sports school and had a foundation. He didn’t drop the basketball when he arrived in Shenzhen. When he went out to play basketball, he often took Zou Yang with him. When Zou Yang grew high, he pulled him over to “gather together the number”. In order to help the next generation improve their skills, Zou Xiangwen and his teammates also organized a “training class”. Zou Yang and Guo xiaocan of Guangdong University of Technology are all trainees of this “training class.

Competing with adults, zouyang, who just went to primary school, is naturally difficult to do anything. The only thing that impressed Zou Xiangwen was that as long as he grabbed defensive rebound, Zou Yang always rushed to the front court. “His fast attack consciousness was probably formed at that time.” Zou Xiangwen said.

Just when zouyang accepted the basketball enlightenment, CUBAL also began to stir Zou Xiangwen’s nerves.

The news came from his teammates. Zou Xiangwen knew from then on that there was another high-profile basketball league in China besides CBA, relying on the dictation of his teammates, he knew that Huaqiao University, which won the “four consecutive championships” in the 7-10th session, also knew that the league and CBA belonged to two kinds of logic and two systems. As for zouyang to play CUBAL in the future? Zou Xiangwen at that time dared not even think about it.

02

Basketball and learning

In the second grade, zouyang, whose height soared, transferred to the affiliated middle school of Beijing Normal University and began to receive systematic basketball training. More than a month later, Zou Xiangwen felt that all his Technologies were advancing by leaps and bounds. Then, he found that he and his teammates faced Zou Yang and began to be overwhelmed. Zou Xiangwen came up with the idea of letting his son take the basketball Road for the first time.

Unfortunately, the good times didn’t last long. The basketball team of the affiliated middle school of Beijing Normal University was dissolved. Zou Yang advised his teammates not to leave, but everyone left one by one. Zou Yang said that he was a person who “quite repelled changes”. In fact, the feeling of getting on the right track and getting out of control quickly was not just him, but nobody liked it. When Zou Yang was worried about the future, Tian Guikun, the coach of Shenzhen Ershi, a famous basketball school, found him.

Shenzhen Ershi, a famous high school basketball school in Guangdong, but zouyang’s mother didn’t want him to go at first, “My mother still thought that only learning can make people succeed. She herself read only to high school, maybe it was her regret, so she hoped that I would succeed in my studies.” Zou Yang said.

Zou Xiangwen obviously wanted to let Zou Yang go. He had played basketball and knew that his son was gifted. His teammates were also very optimistic about Zou Yang’s future. Some even volunteered to send it to the United States.

In the end, the zouyang family reached an agreement: they can practice the ball, but they should also give consideration to their study. Zou Yang was very obedient, busy and tired training competition, but he never left his study behind. In the 2018 college entrance examination, his score was more than 118 points than the score line assigned to him by Tsinghua University. Because of this, he can “completely adapt” to the college life of playing basketball while studying.

“In the finals of junior year, I had to review while preparing for the competition, because there was a final exam on the second day after the competition.” Zou Yang said, “financial securities investment”, a recitation subject.”

03

CUBAL, I’m coming

Under Tian Guikun’s training, Zou Yang soon became the best small forward in the campus of middle school. As a result, the invitations of the professional team poured in. The Enlightenment coach of Yi Jianlian, Dai Yixin of Shenzhen Sports School, Qu Shaobin of Guangdong youth team, and Guangzhou Dragon Lion all tried to take him under their control.

Facing the places that countless basketball teenagers dream of, zouyang’s family also struggled with, but they still chose the school Road. His parents naturally want him to read more books, “after coming out, he will have a diploma and be able to play basketball. It is easy to find a job.” This is the simple idea of Zou Xiangwen and his wife.

Zou Yang also said that if he really went to the professional team, with his character, he might not want to learn any more. But he didn’t consider these at that time. “I was too young at that time and didn’t like to make choices. I just wanted to be stable.”

This is another feature of zouyang: what to say, don’t beat around the bush, and don’t flatter.

As for the journalist who had never met before, he seemed to have no vigilance, and he did not intend to say that kind of correct irrelevant talk that no one could pick something wrong. On the contrary, his emotions were revealed several times. You can tell from it that a young man is trying to defend something, sometimes it is honor, sometimes it is self-esteem, sometimes it is something that is self-precious.

Zou Yang’s high school career left a bunch of beautiful data. Here are a few simple examples: 2017 Guangdong league matches, with an average of 17.1 points and 12.6 rebounds; 2018 Guangdong league matches, with an average of 24 points and 9 points. 6 rebounds 2.2 steals, 2.5 cap; In the students of nation Games of 2017, the team won the national championship with an average of 15.3 points. In that Guangdong team, there were Xu Jie, Li Yiyang, Chen Guohao……

However, it is impossible for anyone to win all the time. As strong as Zou Yang, there is also a pity that he has never entered the Southern District of China high school basketball league.

Then there was the preliminary match of Fujian National Games in the 1970 s. His team had no strength to fight back in front of Hu Jinqiu and Shen Zijie. “Hu Jinqiu scored more than 30 points and more than a dozen rebounds at half time, and he couldn’t play at all.” Zou Yang said that he didn’t regret this matter at all, because the gap with his opponent was too large, so he didn’t even have the qualification to regret.

During the training of the youth team of Fujian National Games, Zou Yang established an intuitive feeling for CUBAL for the first time. He met the “golden generation” of Guangdong University of Technology, the strength of Zhong Guodong and the speed of Roger, he was deeply impressed. Five years later, zouyang’s team will compete with the descendants of Zhong Guodong and Roger at the peak. This is the last word.

At the same time, under the head coach Gong Songlin’s ear, Zou Yang’s football style was refreshed. He was no longer afraid of confrontation. When he took the ball to the inside line, almost no one could stop him. Now, it’s time to try your hand at CUBAL.

04

Nothing should be taken for granted

Chen Lei, the old captain of Shougang with three championship rings in hand, who came to Tsinghua with zouyang’s front and back feet, broke five ribs but magically returned four months later. With only two seasons, he led this rich team back to the peak of college basketball and opened the third “dynasty” of the CUBAL league “. The first “dynasty” in history was the Huaqiao University that Zou Xiangwen thought was far away.

The team’s performance was good, and the prospects of the team members also rose. Wang Lanzhen became the “first guard”, and Zou Yang was soon discussed as the “CBA quasi-Champion. However, the “embarrassment” of Tsinghua men’s basketball is that no matter how good the results are, such a team with huge enrollment advantages seems to be “deserved”-who won the championship if you don’t win?

Speaking of which, zouyang, whose voice has always been gentle, was excited. “Nothing should be taken for granted. These are all our efforts! Let the players of any team feel our training and they will understand why Tsinghua won the championship!”

It is indeed easy for the world to ignore one’s efforts because one’s talent is too good. Zou Yang is unhappy that he has his own.

In fact, what Chen Lei brought to Tsinghua is not only a better source of students, but also first-class management and training. “You see, these players in Tsinghua came over and their temperament was different from other teams. Chen Lei Guan was so good.” This is the original words of Mr. Ren Jinjun, the founder of Tai Li men’s basketball in Mianyang last year.

In men’s basketball, Tsinghua University, when you see teachers and elders, you should say hello. If you are 10 minutes late for training, you should be punished. When you go out, you should dress uniformly, wear slippers, and play wild balls, don’t sign up for brokers and brands too early…… Chen Lei reshaped the whole team’s mental outlook with these trivial regulations.

Chen Lei on the training ground was also very strict, “in his mind, we were never good enough athletes, so I was scolded and cried by him.” Zou Yang said. At this time, the 75-year-old man Wang delii was playing the round court next to him: “When we were young, we shot into shock. You have to practice yourself to get the shooting up.”

Chen Lei told zouyang

However, Chen Lei is not totally unkind. He knows what it means to be one by one. He does not check the dormitory or collect mobile phones, giving the team members some space and privacy. Therefore, Zou Yang has time to go swimming, shopping, play billiards, bowling and enjoy the colorful college life.

05

Basketball League = education class

Just when Zou Yang said “hard work”, I asked him, “Do you think you work hard?”

“Of course I work hard!” Zou Yang did not hide anything, raising the sound volume again.

On last middle October, Zou Yang came back after the U23 three-person Basketball World Cup. Due to the epidemic, he failed to return to the team for training in two or three months. In the face of this God-given “lying flat” opportunity, his choice was to connect with the coach’s video on the first day when he went home. He did strength and shot by himself, and then asked special trainers to help him do targeted training. In fact, even if he went back to his hometown in summer and winter, he would never let himself idle easily. He always found a place to train and play basketball.

“This child has the spirit of suffering.” Zou Xiangwen said, “in the second real time in Shenzhen, he lost the game. He and Li Yiyang spontaneously practiced shooting until eleven or two o’clock at night, the coach saw a video and sent it. I was very moved.”

Zou Xiangwen often gave his son an example of Yi Jianlian: “His age still has such a good competitive state, which is self-discipline.”

The wings on the back wall seem to reflect on Zou Yang at this moment.

However, Zou Yang also had a stage of self-discipline. “I especially like playing games since I was young, and I have been playing games all day. From playing in the morning until my parents come back from work, pretend to study for a while.” Zou Yang said. After entering Tsinghua University, due to the infection of the surrounding environment and the increasing pressure of training and schoolwork, he spent less and less time playing games every day, and up to now he has little left.

When entering Tsinghua Garden at the age of 18, Zou Yang is growing and changing. He may not be aware of some changes, but it is a great surprise to the people around him. “Football skills, strength, personality (treat people and things).” Zou Xiangwen believes that this is the biggest progress of zouyang University in four years. When he came home this spring festival, zou yang made a special trip to buy bracelets for his grandpa, grandma and grandma and put them on by himself, in order to place the blessing of his grandchildren who have been on the road all the year round to the old people. This greatly moved Zou Xiangwen.

We often say that CUBAL is not only a basketball league, but also a classroom for educating people. In Zou Xiangwen, this statement is not empty at all.

06

Never stop and shine to the future

Twenty-five years ago, when Zou Xiangwen came to Shenzhen, which was hot from the foggy mountain city, he probably didn’t think that he was actually making a choice for the next generation. In zouyang’s basketball career, the enlightenment from the origin of family learning is very important, and the rich basketball education and competition resources in Guangdong province are more important. He won the national championship and was admitted to Tsinghua, all of which cannot be separated from the nourishment of this fertile land of basketball.

Today, Zou Yang is not only in the field of five-person basketball, but also in the field of three-person basketball “. In last April, with the prestige of CUBAL’s new science finals MVP, he was selected into the U23 three-person national basketball team for the first time, which was a great honor for his family. In October of the same year, he joined the team to participate in the U23 three-person Basketball World Cup held in Bucharest, Romania, and won the seventh place. Zouyang scored an amazing 35 points in 4 group matches, which was the number one scorer of the team.

At that time, the praises of “CBA quasi-champion” and “The answer to the future front line of the national team” came one after another. But as mentioned before, Zou Yang himself didn’t mean to stop or rest at all. So you will know that his ambition will never stop here.

In fact, zouyang has long emerged in the field of three-person basketball. In the 2021 national games, it was zouyang who scored 11 points in a single game and led the Beijing team to beat the Fujian team. In that game, he integrated sudden, investment, defense, and spread, and let Wang Zhilin and Chen Lin Jian on the opposite side give a shout.

It is no exaggeration to say that Zou Yang is the kind of player that every CBA management will drool after watching it. However, there is also a scoop of cold water to be poured here. He is not impeccable.

In the last league, Zou Yang had an average of 14.6 points, 4.9 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 1.3 steals, field goal percentage, 39% in 18.5 minutes of playing time, but he performed very well, but 12.8% of three-point shot percentage, but it makes people more worried. In the final of the Beijing grassroots competition just past, Tsinghua University was reversed by Peking University. Zou Yang scored 29 points and 16 rebounds, but the three-point goal was only 1 in 6, and there were not many achievements in the two plus hours.

Fortunately, he is less than 23 years old, and there is still a lot of time to adjust and make mistakes. It is good to lose the champion of the grass-roots competition. After all, who doesn’t want to watch the drama of sleeping on the ground?

07

Our generation

As the interview approached, we inevitably touched the ultimate topic: will we participate in the CBA draft this year? In general, this kind of question is also asked for nothing. You can probably guess how the interviewee would answer: “Focus on the current league first, and talk about the draft then.”

Zou Yang’s answer was unexpected: “Not necessarily. It is also possible to go to the three-person basketball national team for one year, go abroad to play points, and play “more than three leagues” next season ‘.” I asked again, “Will you join an MCN like Chen Guohao when you graduate and play a career while doing self-media?” Zou Yang thought for a moment and said, “it is not rejected.”

In this era, the choices of excellent young players are indeed more and more diverse, and the criteria for judging success are no longer uniform. It’s really cool for them to design their lives and plan their future with ease.

After 25 years of leaving the hometown, Zou Xiangwen still spoke with Sichuan and Chongqing flavor. It was in the fog of Sichuan Basin for more than 20 years before he could get the flavor, while Zou Yang, the “deep second generation”, he can’t hear his hometown in his accent. He can come from anywhere. Zou Xiangwen’s generation is doomed to leave their hometown, while Zou Yang’s generation is doomed to rush to the world.