One Year Left to Play-Chapter 54 - 17: The Geniuses
Zhang Hao got up in the morning to exercise, feeling in good shape, performing as he usually does, just fast! Among players of the same height, he’s considered extremely fast. Speed coupled with stamina is his strongest point when it comes to catching and shooting, but his positioning skills are fairly average. It’s extremely tough to execute complex tactical plays at the high school level. It’s not that the coaches aren’t capable, it’s just that there aren’t conditions to truly enhance team play. Therefore, having a top-100 national high school player makes a high school team a strong contender. High school leagues rely on star players.
This is also very advantageous for talented high school players, as they have enough ball possession and shooting rights to improve personal skills at this age.
College is the place to truly learn tactics and team play. Many NCAA champion universities don’t produce first-round draft picks, which shows just how strong the team atmosphere is in college basketball.
After completing the static and dynamic physical fitness tests, Zhang Hao returned to training area number 5. Just as he was about to find a place to test, he noticed a crowd around the 16-year-old, 206 cm tall New York State super talent, Odom. Not only were players from his group there, but from other groups too, as Odom was undergoing passing and dribbling tests.
One of the top three point guards among New York State high school students is named Lamar Odom; one of the top three shooting guards is named Lamar Odom; and one of the top three centers is named Lamar Odom.
To Odom, playing basketball is like playing a game, easily handling everything, seamlessly switching between five positions, an enhanced version of Magician in high school...
This was part of the Adidas Training Camp’s promotional material.
Zhang Hao didn’t watch that. He decided to participate last minute and focused on training and preparing the dunks he would use after sending back the registration form.
However, even if Zhang Hao had seen it, he wouldn’t be as curious as the others to go watch Odom’s test, because he knew just how versatile Odom was and how impressive a focused Odom could be. However, this guy could never maintain focus for long periods.
Zhang Hao took a stroll around, visiting nearby training areas. Kobe, Garnett, Bibi, and Raheem were all close by, and there were also quite a few people around the areas where they were testing.
Collecting his thoughts, Zhang Hao decided not to watch any further and instead got a ball, dribbled a bit, and found an open spot to find his shooting rhythm, then proceeded to do the three-point test.
While his stamina was at its peak and he was feeling good, he decided to first test himself in his strongest area, but first wanted to warm up with some three-pointers.
His three-point shots mainly served to get him in the zone.
Zhang Hao handed the record sheet to the trainer responsible for recording the three-point shooting test, and began his shooting test.
His three-point performance was average. In two rounds of testing, with 50 attempts per round, Zhang Hao made 24 shots in the first round and 23 in the second.
Just as Zhang Hao finished testing, someone pretended to casually glance at the scoresheet from the scoring trainer and, seeing Zhang Hao’s results, "the passerby" showed a faint smile.
"I, Corey Benjamin, made 32 and 31! My mid-range shot was even 35 and 41! His threes aren’t as good as mine, and his mid-range is about the same. This time, I will definitely win!"
After completing the physical test, Zhang Hao wandered around, while Corey Benjamin was the first to start testing.
He was also an exceptionally talented high school basketball player, seen by Oregon State University as a future NBA talent, and had secured a full basketball scholarship offer, excelling in many areas.
"This guy’s dribbling is nothing to look at, and his shooting is about the same as mine. Other than running and jumping, he’s not better than me. Let me see his mid-range practice... F..."
Corey Benjamin turned his head to sneak a look at Zhang Hao, who had just finished the three-point test and immediately started the mid-range shot test, seeing Zhang Hao continuously score from the left baseline mid-range spot!
consecutive hits!
At the left 45-degree free-throw line distance mid-range spot, another 10 consecutive hits!
Then at the free-throw line, right 45 degrees, and right baseline, all were 10 consecutive hits!
"Damn it..."
Corey Benjamin pinched himself—it hurt!
Not only Corey Benjamin, but even the trainer who was passing balls and counting hits for Zhang Hao felt it was unbelievable!
He’s been a trainer at the Adidas Training Camp for many years, and 50 perfect mid-range hits was indeed a first!
Generally, scoring over 35 out of 50 in a mid-range test among high schoolers is considered outstanding. Today, before Zhang Hao, the top score was 40.
"It must be a fluke, right?"
The trainer and Corey Benjamin both had this thought. By this time, Zhang Hao had returned to the left baseline position, and the trainer quickly prepared for the second round of passes, while the staff had already gathered the balls. This time collecting the balls was quite simple, just needed to catch them at the basket, unlike other tests where they needed to quickly pick up missed shots to avoid disrupting nearby test items.
Then, Zhang Hao, who had just practiced several hundred shots this morning and was in optimal condition, scored 47 out of 50 in the second round of testing...
50+47!
Watching the trainer fill out and sign the form while exclaiming in astonishment, and then seeing Zhang Hao leave the shooting test area with the record sheet, Corey Benjamin was bewildered—was this a joke?
This was ridiculous! 47 out of 50 in the second round was already excessive, but a perfect 50 in the first round, that was truly at the top professional athlete level!
