Where the noise did not reach

Chapter 7 The Rebels Appear (Thanks to reader 20191217210839391 for the Alliance Master award)

The lead of Sandon University of Houston was like a gust of wind.

Capitalizing on TTU's disorganized start to build a large lead and secure the victory was their only chance. They did indeed manage to turn the tide at one point, but as the commentators put it, "Red Raiders' number 1, Eli Xu, broke the Bears' momentum!"

Another commentator said, "This international player from the East doesn't seem intimidated at all. To be honest, he reminds me of Jarius Jackson in his first year!"

For TTU, whose recruitment appeal has long since diminished, scouting freshmen and second-year players is the primary objective this season before the Big 12 Conference Championship begins. Xu Ling's outstanding performance in his debut gives off a very special feeling. Looking at the combination of his talent and skills alone, it's easy to imagine his future—perhaps the NBA?

Knight also saw Xu Ling's potential in those few minutes of actual combat. However, he didn't quite like the newcomer's personality. It wasn't just because the rookie's pride was too strong, nor just because he dared to challenge his authority in public, but more so because of the other's arrogant and self-absorbed mentality.

Is this habit bad? Absolutely not. On-court focus is a crucial factor in evaluating a player. But Knight wants Xu Ling to demonstrate more control over the court. A great star player should control the court like a ball player; for example, when he just brought the atmosphere to a climax and the audience cheered, he only needs to slightly echo that to elevate the atmosphere to a new level.

As a result, he just trash-talked his opponent and then ignored the audience.

Thinking back to how this kid dared to bring up Larry Bird yesterday—what does this arrogant brat know? Knight grew angrier the more he thought about it. He turned around and looked at Xu Ling, wanting to find fault with him, but found that this jerk had played too well just now, practically flawless.

"At the start, we could say we hadn't found our rhythm yet, but you've already responded to your opponents with your performance. From now on, if the rhythm shifts back to them, someone's in big trouble!"

Knight made a threatening remark and the pause ended.

The Bears hoped that TTU's number 1 would lose his rhythm after the timeout. They were too optimistic. This was Xu Ling's first official game after his time travel. Before this, he had been training hard for months, finally convincing the coaching staff that he could play forward or guard. Now he had to prove himself in the game.

Moreover, because he was considered a lower-tier talent on the court in his previous life, he was actually more used to playing from behind. He grew up in an environment where he was constantly thinking, "What if the opponent is taller than me? What if the opponent is faster than me? What if the opponent can jump higher than me? What if the opponent's static and dynamic talents completely overwhelm me?" Now, he has suddenly transformed into a player who is always at the top of the talent pool. Apart from captain Jackson, no one on the TTU team can rival him.

In their first game in the NCAA, the Houston State University Bears also failed to put up much of a fight. Bears captain Ryan Bright went cold after he entered the game.

After the timeout, Xu Ling made more contributions on the defensive end. He made steals and helped with blocks, focusing all his attention on defense. Meanwhile, his teammate, Martin Zeno, who returned to the court, began to show his ability as the team's second-leading scorer, and freshman guard Charlie Burgess, who played alongside Xu Ling, impressed the fans with his speed.

The match was a complete rout. TTU assistant coach Chris Beard remarked, "Eli's immediate impact might be even greater than JJ's back then."

Meanwhile, at the scene, ESPN reporter Ryan Jones was idly recording this one-sided "buyout" game. TTU is no longer a major focus for ESPN, and for good reason. But at this moment, the reporter's pen stopped; his gaze was firmly drawn to the Chinese freshman wearing the number 1 jersey.

The game was already decided early in the second half. Knight, whose main objective was to evaluate players, didn't give Xu Ling much playing time. Ultimately, Xu Ling left the game with 13 minutes remaining, playing a total of 21 minutes and scoring 16 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists, 4 steals, and 3 blocks.

Looking at the data filling every column on the statistics sheet, and recalling the figure on the field who was listed as 201 cm tall (with shoes), had an amazing wingspan, outstanding running and jumping ability, and superb skills, Ryan Jones circled the name "Eli Xu" heavily in his notebook.

“A pearl covered in dust,” he thought, “especially for a team like TTU that has long since faded from the spotlight.”

TTU is not a university that ESPN focuses on, because Knight has long lost his appeal as a recruiter.

Why? Because Knight is still following the old ways.

He always prioritizes communicating with the players' parents rather than with the players themselves, and the strongest promise he can give to the players' parents is: "He may not play well on my team, but he will never drop out of school!"
Knight has always prided himself on the above-average graduation rate of his players. Twenty years ago, this would have been a highly valued indicator for parents.

But now, parents, especially single parents who work three jobs to raise their children and are just hoping their little ones will make a fortune in the NBA, have only one thought: Is academic performance even worth mentioning?
If it weren't for the NBA's age restrictions, LeBron James would have entered the draft at the age of 16.

What sane person would give up a million-dollar salary in the NBA to work for the NCAA for free for the sake of so-called pure basketball, living a miserable life while being subjected to PUA tactics by the college sports committee: "The charm of college basketball lies in the pure game where players don't earn money!"

Over the past six years, most of the high school prodigies have not made it to the NCAA.

Every kid who goes straight into the NBA draft from high school dreams of being the next Kobe/McGrady/Garnett.

Unfortunately, the results were not satisfactory. While there were players like LeBron James, who had the face of an 18-year-old but the mental maturity of a 48-year-old, there were many more like Kwame Brown, Eddie Curry, and Darius Miles, whose abilities did not match their ambitions and whose mental maturity was far below that of an adult.

As a result, the labor and management teams ended the era in which high school students could participate in the NBA draft this year.

Otherwise, college basketball fans would never have seen once-in-a-decade geniuses like Oden and Durant playing in the NCAA.

Knight didn't want Xu Ling to gain a lot of attention too early, because fame can corrupt a person, no matter how pure they once were. Besides, he had a selfish motive. He hoped to coach Xu Ling for four years.

Since arriving at TTU, he hadn't felt excited about any of his players for a long time. One of his biggest regrets was failing to stop Bird from leaving when he couldn't adapt to the atmosphere at Indiana University. If he had cared more about his players then, the subsequent events could have been avoided. Unfortunately, what's done is done.

Years later, fate gave him a second chance. He recruited Indiana University's greatest player in history—Isiah Thomas. Their relationship was complex and intriguing, a mixture of love and hate. Years later, Thomas succinctly summarized this mentor-student bond in one sentence: "Sometimes I really wanted to shoot him, but other times I wanted to give him a hug and tell him I loved him."

Thomas led his team to a national championship during his sophomore year, by which time he was too mature to continue playing college basketball. He thus became Knight's first player to leave the team before completing four years of college and enter the NBA draft. Years later, Knight realized how rare it was to have the opportunity to coach a player like Thomas.

Now, he saw another one. Rebellious like Thomas and Bird, yet so full of talent.

In Knight's mind, Xu Ling's debut was perfect. But in the locker room, he still reprimanded him with a stern face: "Eli, don't think you're something special just because you crushed a weak team from the Southern Alliance. Remember, true champions never become complacent with victories of this magnitude!"

Xu Ling couldn't help but roll her eyes. What's wrong with this old man? He doesn't make people happy when he wins, and who knows how he'll bark like a dog when he loses.

"What kind of expression is that?!" Knight exclaimed, annoyed.

Xu Ling responded with his signature dry humor: "The expression on your face as you try to process what you just said."

The team members burst into laughter, which lightened the atmosphere in the locker room considerably.

A few days later, TTU defeated another weak team from the minor leagues, and then the entire team flew to Oakland, California for the Pete Newell Classic. This was the most important game before the Big 12 League Championship began.

　Thank you to reader 20191217210839391 for the generous donation, and also to readers 20180915143254434, Little Bear 7777777, Tears of Passing Away, and Dancing Qianqian for their generous donations.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)