One Year Left to Play-Chapter 64 - 20: Who Is the Best High School Player?
This is the opportunity Kobe wanted to stand alone against formidable opponents!
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Team A:
Backcourt: Kobe Bryant, Stephon Marbury, Tim Berners, Richard Hamilton, Quincy Lewis.
Frontcourt: Lamar Odom, Jermaine O’Neal, Antoine Jamison, Scott Paggett.
Team B:
Backcourt: Mike Bibby, Chauncey Billups, Rodney Buford, Corey Benjamin, Taylor Wheeler.
Frontcourt: Kevin Garnett, Sheriff Raheem, Calvin Booth, Zhang Hao.
On the morning of May 17th, the two teams immediately started meaningful teamwork training. The past two days were actually spent with the tactical coach teaching them how to cooperate, but now it was time for actual preparation for tomorrow’s game.
And now, the Adidas side granted filming permission. Even though it’s playoff season, a lot of media showed up, and the athletes were more motivated.
Zhang Hao has been excited since the final list was released yesterday—10 future world-class stars! And there are at least 10!
Kobe thinks his teammates, except for Odom, are all just opportunists... but Zhang Hao doesn’t think so. When he saw the Team A’s lineup, he nearly swore!
Marbury, Kobe, Hamilton, Odom, Jamison, Little O’Neal, what a star-studded lineup!
Fortunately, Team B isn’t bad either. Plus, this kind of game is so precious that even if their strongest few switched sides, Zhang Hao wouldn’t back down.
Just being teammates with Garnett...
"Aix, are you blind? You should have used Sheriff’s cutting to create a diversion and loop out, yet you’re diving in. Your athletic ability is strong, but is your impact comparable to Sheriff’s? Do you want to do everything yourself? How about Mike and I give you the ball..."
Zhang Hao got an earful from Garnett from the start of training this morning.
The key is that Zhang Hao couldn’t even argue back because he really wasn’t doing well.
Actually, the tactical coaches are not that harsh. In their view, Zhang Hao’s situation is normal—can a high school student master tactical positioning in two days? That’s out of the question.
The quickest playing style a high schooler can integrate into the team is the core strategy. Take Garnett and Bibby—the tactic for Team B revolves around this inside-outside pick-and-roll duo.
Thus, Zhang Hao began his period of getting criticized, but during this time, he didn’t rebut because Garnett’s awareness in this aspect is indeed good. Despite his venomous tongue and foul language, Zhang Hao truly learned a lot.
Compared to the coach, Garnett’s awareness off the ball offered Zhang Hao clearer guidance.
While Garnett didn’t hold back as Zhang Hao was seriously trying to learn how to position himself correctly—albeit not effectively yet—this attitude... Garnett still seized this great chance to lambast Zhang Hao!
Would speak badly rather than reasonably whenever given the chance!
What can two days of teamwork learning and a morning’s teamwork training achieve?
Actually, not much, except to increase mutual understanding among the players a bit more.
Yet these high schoolers don’t see any problem, they all have boundless enthusiasm!
In a game where money isn’t involved, their motivation comes from a desire for victory, driven by competitiveness!
Although there are players like Garnett and Zhang Hao who came to the camp with their own goals, they haven’t lost the most genuine urge to pursue victory!
By lunchtime, a "spy" infiltrated Team B. Marbury sat beside Zhang Hao looking upset, grumbling for a long time about why they weren’t placed in the same team, making Bibby beside him want to kick him away.
After lunch, Kobe, Bibby, Garnett, and Raheem were all invited for exclusive interviews. Although Zhang Hao had risen to fame through Adidas’s efforts, his reputation has increased only compared to before—it hasn’t reached the media interview level yet.
But they were still included in a group interview. At 1:30 p.m., most of the remaining 14 players were taken by Adidas staff to an interview room for a feature by reporters from Sports Illustrated.
Some questions were given in advance, while the unscripted ones were mostly routine. After all, it’s a group of high schoolers who don’t really have much to stir up, similar to Adidas’s hype around Zhang Hao as the "invincible Mid-range King," which only accentuated Zhang Hao’s mid-range prowess without belittling anyone.
Finally, a reporter asked a question, "Who do you think is the best player in this training camp?"
Marbury was the first to answer, "It’s probably Kobe Bryant—I trained with him all morning, he’s terrifying; Lamar Odom is also very strong, he only turns 16 this November, I’ve competed against him, he’s incredible beyond belief—heard the New York Knicks are already eyeing him."
Little O’Neal said, "I think Kobe is the strongest too."
Billups added, "I believe Kevin is the most formidable; he’s the strongest high schooler I’ve seen."
"It’s hard to say who’s the strongest, but Lamar’s talent is unparalleled, I’m so envious..."
"Sheriff is humble, but I reckon he’s possibly the strongest."
"Mike is also strong..."
The group buzzed with their observations, each selecting players from their own team.
This was within the questioning reporter’s expectation; it wasn’t meant to stir up trouble, but the reporter noticed someone—the "Invincible Mid-range King" high schooler from China who hadn’t said a word when asked.
The reporter whimsically asked separately, "Aix, in your opinion, who is the strongest among you?"
Zhang Hao paused for two seconds, glanced around, pursed his lips, and said, "Me."
