One Year Left to Play-Chapter 65 - 21: A Mature Outlook on Careers
"Oh my God, oh my God, oh my God, oho-oho-oho... Aix, you’ve stolen the spotlight!"
"Why didn’t I think of saying I’m the best? Oh gosh, you’re really daring!"
"Do you think you’ll end up offending Kobe, Mike, Kevin and those competitive guys..."
"I’m going to do some simulated position training, are you joining?"
"We’re rivals!"
"Then help me out and pass the ball."
"..."
Marbury was highly impressed, incredibly impressed by Zhang Hao’s audacity.
He truly hadn’t considered saying he was the best. He was badass on New York’s street basketball scene, not bad in high school games, but nowhere near Odom’s reputation in New York State’s high school basketball scene. The local New York media were promoting that Odom, who would be 16 and a sophomore next year, might become the best high school player in the nation.
Originally, Marbury had the street player’s mentality, looking down on others, but on testing day, he was stunned, feeling like hardly anyone was weaker than him! He realized the world was far beyond the size of his radiant street presence. He could boast all day long on the street, look down on the pros, but seeing the prowess of Garnett, who was not yet an NBA player, he understood; anyone with NBA-level skill might be invincible on the street.
Marbury was somewhat shaken...
But Zhang Hao’s presence gave Marbury a particularly special feeling.
Today, Zhang Hao said he was the strongest during a group interview, leaving Marbury astonished.
Marbury truly wished he had been the one to say it, but he didn’t have the courage back then, and hadn’t even thought about saying it like that.
However, once Marbury’s chatterbox mode kicked in, he sincerely expressed some worries.
He worried that Zhang Hao would offend Garnett and Bibi, because Zhang Hao was grouped with them, while Raheem wasn’t a concern, as this legendary genius who supposedly matched Garnett had little interest in contention.
Marbury, through some means, also learned about Zhang Hao’s current situation, knowing that Zhang Hao needed to use this elite match to break into NCAA Division I college basketball, but Zhang Hao’s style was off-ball, needing someone to feed him the ball, and his reputation was just based on training, one-on-one duels, which without follow-up match solidification, amounted to nothing.
Unlike Marbury, others reacted differently, some admiring, some thinking Zhang Hao was arrogant... 𝑓𝓇𝘦ℯ𝘸𝘦𝑏𝓃𝑜𝘷ℯ𝑙.𝑐𝑜𝓂
Another one feeling worried was Zhang Hao’s temporary teammate—Corey Benjamin.
Originally, Corey Benjamin was the one who found Zhang Hao most disagreeable, but now he was worried; if Zhang Hao was isolated by Garnett and Bibi during the game, with no chance to shine, what if he didn’t get into the NCAA?
Corey Benjamin felt he was crazy for having such thoughts about himself!
Remembering that he joined the training camp to beat Zhang Hao, his mindset underwent such a huge change, something he never foresaw. Corey Benjamin thought to himself... "I shouldn’t have come to this stupid training camp, what’s the point..."
...
But, the worries of both were excessive, because by two o’clock in the afternoon, Bibi and Garnett returned to the training ground one after another, and where people gather, gossip spreads fast. Soon after their return, someone told them about the last word Zhang Hao said during the interview—ME.
When Zhang Hao finished three sets of shooting and returned to the main training ground where most people had gathered, all attention was on Zhang Hao, Bibi, and Garnett.
Bibi and Garnett had already gathered their team’s teammates during Zhang Hao’s training. Their team’s atmosphere was somewhat delicate, while another group was merely watching the scene unfold.
Humans, once divided into groups, naturally get into opposition.
At that moment, Garnett said to Zhang Hao, walking into the training ground, "Are you coming to train together? Don’t drag me down in tomorrow’s game..."
"Don’t slip up and pass the ball wrong, if you’re not confident give the ball to Mike or Changxi."
"You think I’m you? I won’t dribble off my feet during a breakthrough!"
"..."
"..."
"Eh?" Marbury was surprised, Garnett was...
Bibi led the way, and Zhang Hao and Garnett started their verbal battle again. Unless someone made mistakes during training and got scolded, Zhang Hao would definitely talk back.
It seemed like the two weren’t getting along, but clearly, Bibi, Garnett, and Zhang Hao didn’t have a conflict over the interview!
Following the lead trio was Corey Benjamin, feeling a bit dazed, could this really work?
Raheem, who heard about this after returning, felt relieved. He didn’t mind, but he wanted to win too! If there’s internal strife, winning becomes hard, with opponents like Kobe and Odom, two monsters, two years younger but equally strong as them.
And with teammates and opponents watching, the "person involved" only had one simple thought upon understanding it—without the confidence to declare oneself the strongest, how can one claim to be among the nation’s top high school players?
Who is better must be proved through matches, with the court performance speaking the truth.
And crucially, they must win!
Among them, Garnett was the most eager to win, predicted to have a chance of being drafted in the lottery area, but he felt losing in a high school game would be the true disgrace!
...
...
"Remaining life: 402 days, usable life: 401 days."
