Basketball Terminal

Chapter 11 Domineering
Li Wei was able to "pick up" this rebound not because of luck, but because of his anticipation.

Of course, Levi isn't Dennis Rodman; he hasn't, and couldn't possibly, studied the landing point of every shot. He simply relies on his eyes to see where the ball will land in a very short time.

That's right, Li Wei really does possess abilities similar to Observation Haki; he wasn't joking with his brother.

This is Li Wei's greatest confidence in his future after his transmigration and rebirth. As the saying goes, the rich rely on technology, the poor rely on mutation. In this era, technology cannot bridge the gap in genetic talent; it can only play a supporting role. Ultimately, he still has to rely on mutation, on the special power bestowed upon him by heaven, to walk a path that was once completely impassable.

This ability greatly benefits Li Wei's rebounding and defense. The main limitation is that he can only predict the movement of one person or one object at a time. For example, if he's focused on a basketball, he can see the ball's shadow very shortly afterward. If he's focused on a player, he can see their movements very shortly afterward. He can't yet focus on both the ball and a player, or both.

However, Li Wei believed that with repeated practice, he might one day be able to observe and predict the movements of everyone in the room, and perhaps even predict the future, just like in the comics? Li Wei didn't think that far ahead; making good use of his existing abilities was the most important thing.

Li Wei's biggest worry right now is that his body won't be able to keep up with his eyes' predictions. He clearly anticipates that his opponent will dribble to the left, but his feet can't keep up, so improving his physical fitness has always been a top priority.

The players who participated in the G League tryouts were clearly much better than the streetballers. Xavier Moon was one of the best among them. He's 27 years old and the nephew of former NBA player Jamario Moon.

He's a three-time MVP and two-time champion in the Canadian elite basketball league, making him a truly mature professional player. Like Anthony Davis, he was invited by the Long Island Nets management to participate in a tryout and was one of the team's main targets; the others were essentially his practice partners.

Li Wei's second-chance basket didn't change the course of the game. The squeaking of sneakers on the court foreshadowed that the match would continue to be fast-paced and intense.

Despite scoring, Levi showed no excitement. He immediately sprinted back towards his own half, making his first run back to the three-second zone to defend. Brett noticed this and added another point to Levi's score.

Many players who came to training only cared about offense and scoring statistics; their defense was sluggish, and they were lucky if they could keep up their positions. Any player who played aggressive defense would be silently noted down by Brett.

White team's Moon dribbled the ball quickly across half-court. He didn't hold onto the ball for long, but actively cooperated with his teammates to execute tactics. After tirelessly running to get rid of the defense, when he received the ball again beyond the 45-degree three-point line, the Black team's perimeter defense was wide open, and Moon easily broke through and cut in.

The G League has the same rules as the NBA, including the defensive three-second rule. So, the paint is usually empty, but once the perimeter is breached, the interior players need to come over to help defend.

Li Wei, the Black team's center, decisively came over to help defend, raising his arms to block Moon's driving and shooting lanes. But his eyes noticed a different outcome: Moon didn't drive or pull up for a jump shot himself, but instead chose to pass to a teammate who was left open by Li Wei.

Li Wei reacted quickly; he was already prepared. The moment Moon passed the ball, he immediately turned around to defend the white center who was about to dunk.

The white center clearly hadn't expected Levi to be able to defend two players at once, reacting so quickly, and his dunk attempt was too slow. The two battled in the air, and Levi simply shoved the ball out of his hands, completing a block!
This white center was about 2.05 meters tall, the tallest person participating in today's tryouts—taller players generally don't end up in the G League's local player tryouts. But he was too slow and lacked explosiveness. His entire motion—catching the ball, starting, and dunking—took too long, which was exploited by Li Wei, who blocked his shot.

After successfully blocking the shot, Li Wei aggressively fought for possession, regained control of the ball, and then passed it to a teammate. This offensive and defensive play led Brett to mark Li Wei as someone to be closely monitored. The two assistant coaches watching from the sidelines whispered among themselves, clearly impressed by Li Wei's defensive performance.

In the next offensive possession, Li Wei continued to avoid handling the ball, instead focusing on setting up his teammates. He confined his movement to the area on either side of the free-throw line, providing screens for the team's two guards.

Every time a screen is set, there's a violent collision between players, and someone who isn't strong enough can't provide a high-quality screen. The other players on the Black Team weren't very good at setting screens either. But when Moon collided with Levi, he couldn't help but grunt, feeling like he'd hit a solid rock! His body involuntarily slid backward, allowing the Black Team's point guard he was guarding to slip inside.

The successful pick-and-roll forced the interior player to switch onto the smaller guard. The white guard calmed down and returned the favor, passing the ball to Li Wei, who had already moved to the front of the free-throw line.

Li Wei's shooting is quite good. He has transferred all the hard work he has put in over ten years to this body. He catches the ball and makes a soft and light mid-range shot, scoring two points!

Li Wei scored two more points, and more importantly, they executed a beautiful basic pick-and-roll play. This was also a plus in the head coach's eyes.

Scoring after a successful team play is often more exhilarating than a solo basket. Li Wei proactively high-fived the white point guard who passed him the ball, a subtle understanding forming between the temporary teammates.

"Good pass."

"It's a real hindrance."

The two praised and encouraged each other, which is how a positive team atmosphere was formed. Later, the white guard named Ethan discovered that Levi's screens were really effective; he could always block the opponent solidly, giving himself ample time and space to make his move.

Unlike some people who just go through the motions with their pick-and-rolls, rushing to create space for the ball before the screen even starts, making it impossible to form an effective team.

In terms of physique, Li Wei is not large. In terms of strength, Li Wei is only average among basketball players. However, even Xavier Moon, who has played in professional leagues and has excellent physical qualities, was badly knocked off balance when Li Wei blocked his shots. This is because Li Wei also possesses another special ability.

He can concentrate the muscles in a certain part of his body, making them stronger and harder in a short period of time, like steel.

From fists to chest to thighs, and even… certain parts of his body, he could be as hard as iron. Anyone who tried to physically overpower Li Wei would often be taken aback; even a fringe NBA center like Novan would find it difficult to easily push Li Wei aside.

In just a few minutes after Li Wei entered the game, the Black Team's offense and defense improved significantly. They gradually caught up with the score. With more than 30 seconds left in the game, Li Wei grabbed another offensive rebound under the basket and made a layup, tying the score at 22-22.

By this time, the Black Team's morale had soared, and the hastily assembled five-man group celebrated with high-fives and fist bumps. Sweat had soaked through Li Wei's clothes, but the exhilarating feeling of catching up little by little from a deficit was simply fantastic.

Furthermore, as his emotions grew increasingly excited, Li Wei could sense a powerful spiritual energy emanating from him, gradually enveloping the stadium.

He is instilling fear in his opponents.

(End of this chapter)