Damn it. A troublemaker on day one.
Luke Young whipped around with a roar. "What are you laughing at?"
"You think you're funny?"
The scolded freshman immediately shut up. Only then did Luke Young turn back to face this little brat from Asia.
"No, I'm Japanese. I don't appreciate American humor. I was merely stating facts. You're a coach, not a special education teacher."
Fuck.
Now even Walker was about to lose it.
He'd been at Covanord for three years and had never seen a rookie this bold.
"Fine, rookie. You want a chance? You'd better hope your game is as sharp as your mouth."
He didn't give the freshmen another glance and stopped yelling.
But when he stood at the side of the gym, the players didn't dare lose focus during training—they were dead serious.
"Nobody talks to Luke like that." Walker sidled over and elbowed Yuuto. "You're the first, Yu. That was cool. Let's catch a movie tonight—my treat!"
"I was stating facts. Many people have been inspired by Forrest Gump, including me. But no one actually wants to be Forrest Gump." Yuuto said this while casually draining a three-pointer.
Luke Young immediately seized the opportunity to erupt.
"Fuck! Rookie! Who told you to shoot from there?"
Yuuto's release point had been two steps beyond the three-point line.
"Coach, that distance is within my normal range."
"Shut your mouth. I say you're wrong, so you're wrong. Don't bring that Asian bullshit here—it won't work."
Yuuto didn't argue back this time. He still needed playing time.
Once he'd secured a starting spot, he could do whatever he wanted.
"Coach, his shooting touch and rhythm are excellent. For Asian players, his weakness is usually that kind of mid-range shooting distance," the assistant coach said.
"I know. I've been observing him for six months. I know his abilities better than you do." Luke Young regained his composure.
How could he not know how good Yuuto was?
This was Covanord's future perimeter cornerstone. But he needed to handle this damn troublemaker first.
He needed to make this walking hormone of a rookie fall in line.
During that day's freshman scrimmage, Yuuto was assigned to the 3 position.
He showcased his entire arsenal—drives, pull-up jumpers, playmaking—he could do everything, leading his team to victory.
"Keep a close eye on him. Double his training load. Ask what he thinks—if he doesn't want to bulk up, move him to the 2."
Luke Young left the decision to Yuuto.
In Japan, Yuuto's body could dominate at will, playing anywhere from the 1 to the 5 without issue.
But that advantage wouldn't work in America—the physicality here was on another level.
Remember that Papamichail guy from Shinkyō High?
Players like him? Send them straight to the grave.
Luke Young figured that if Yuuto could shoot 80% in Japan's so-called national tournament, his percentage in the NSAA would be cut in half.
Of course.
As mentioned before, bulking up couldn't be done carelessly—it required science.
If adding weight hurt his explosiveness and speed, he might as well stay at the 3.
Influenced by LeBron James, the league now had high demands for the 3 position.
Beyond outstanding athleticism, you also needed to be physically imposing.
Beyond playing defense, you needed to be able to charge into battle. In short, it was all about physicality.
"I'll keep an eye on Yu."
The scrimmage ended.
Yuuto dropped a game-high 28 points while holding his matchup to under 10 points—a pathetic 6.
This left many Covanord players stunned.
Mainly because of Yuuto's skin color. One look and you'd assume he couldn't play. Yet he turned out to be the best player on the court.
"Just as I thought—you'll definitely blow their minds." Walker came over to Yuuto after practice.
Why did he like hanging out with Yuuto?
Because Yuuto was a beast, obviously.
If Yuuto had been trash, Walker definitely wouldn't be this friendly.
They were about to catch a movie, but the assistant coach found Yuuto first.
He relayed Luke Young's thoughts.
"No problem, Coach. Playing the 2 or even the 1 is fine with me."
"Good."
Yuuto's answer meant he wasn't planning to bulk up.
His build was similar to Aomine's—6'3" and around 187 pounds.
Honestly, his body was already strong enough—only about 11 pounds lighter than Jordan.
It's just that the current mainstream 3 position—including the future of the position—favored the muscular type.
As talent pipelines for the NBA, both NCAA and NSAA were influenced by NBA trends...
LeBron had many haters, but also many fans.
He was destined to influence a generation, just as Jordan had.
Yuuto had no interest in packing on muscle. Playing the 2 was no problem.
Besides, continuing to bulk up would be a significant burden on his current body. He wasn't going to blindly add weight.
The matter was settled.
The assistant coach quickly brought the news to Luke Young.
"He's willing to play the 2? Perfect!" Luke Young nodded.
Though Covanord's starting 3 wasn't a star player, his defensive ability was solid. Coexistence would be ideal.
"Luke, you really think that highly of Yu?"
The assistant coach heard his tone—it seemed like he was preparing to elevate Yuuto to the starting lineup.
"I'll give him the opportunity. Whether he earns that spot is up to him."
...
Yuuto and Walker went to see Iron Man.
As Marvel's launching pad, this movie served as a critical bridge.
After all, if Iron Man had flopped, Marvel might have gone bankrupt—and there would've been no future cinematic universe.
Over the following days—a full month and more—
Yuuto trained rigorously under Luke Young's constant yelling.
Even as a mid-tier team, Covanord's training intensity was several times that of Seihō's.
No way around it.
This was how they'd always trained here. Everyone could handle it—their bodies were built tough.
Yuuto truly felt why American basketball dominated the world.
Time flew, and November arrived.
This was when the NSAA season began.
The atmosphere in Indiana was already heating up.
The people of the Cornfield were waiting for all levels of competition to begin.
"Cornfield" was Indiana's nickname, stemming from the agricultural economy's heavy reliance on corn cultivation—it was one of America's primary corn producers.
And players from various schools had already prepared themselves.
College players were sprinting toward the draft; high schoolers were fighting to get into good universities.
Before the season opener, Luke Young announced the roster and gave a speech.
"Tonight's opponent isn't strong." Luke Young stood before his players, expression stern. "We're playing at home. I don't just want victory—I want a beautiful victory. If you screw this up, you'll be in big trouble."
...
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