"Whoa!"
Amid the roaring noise inside the arena, warm-ups finally came to an end.
The All-Star starters from both sides began making their way onto the court.
East: Derrick Rose, Dwyane Wade, Amar'e Stoudemire, LeBron James, and Dwight Howard.
West: Chris Paul, Kobe Bryant, Carmelo Anthony, Kevin Durant, and Blake Su.
"Boom!"
Once the Eastern and Western Conference starters stepped onto the court, thunderous cheers rang through the arena again.
After all... just seeing so many superstars, players standing at the very top of the league, gathered in one place was enough to send the fans into a frenzy.
And Blake Su, a rookie standing on this stage as the "All-Star voting leader," was without question the most special and dazzling player among them.
Countless fans, and even plenty of players, were amazed by Blake Su's popularity. At the same time, they fully acknowledged that after earning the title of "the league's best center," he was absolutely qualified to stand on this stage.
As for Blake Su himself, looking at Kobe, LeBron, Wade, and the other players around him, seeing the faces of these superstars up close, he was filled with emotion for a moment.
"Playing on the same court as superstars. That was once an unrealistic childhood dream, but now it has become reality. Since that's the case, I might as well have some fun."
Blake Su smiled faintly and silently said in his mind, "[Daiki Aomine Pack], activate."
Buzz!
Almost the instant Blake Su finished that thought, a warm current flowed through his entire body, then vanished without a trace. But Blake Su knew... the talent and abilities belonging to Daiki Aomine from Kuroko's Basketball had already filled him.
"I've only got this for one All-Star Game, so I might as well enjoy it and see just how far a Generation of Miracles-level talent can take me!"
"Jump ball!"
The game began.
Blake Su and Howard went up for the opening tip.
"Tap!"
It was only a light jump, but Blake Su could clearly feel that his leaping ability had improved a lot. He tipped the ball away with ease, winning the first possession for the West.
"Bang, bang, bang!"
Paul dribbled across half court and held the ball at the left side of the arc, looking as if he was about to pull up for a three.
"Whoosh!"
Suddenly, he fired a bounce pass to Blake Su, who was cutting through the free throw line.
Blake Su caught the ball.
"Step!"
He planted one foot inside the free throw line, gathered the ball, and took off. From the look of it, he was clearly going for a gliding power dunk.
Under the basket, Howard's eyes narrowed, and he immediately stepped aside. The meaning was obvious. You're the Slam Dunk Contest champion, so I, "Superman," will give you some space.
Go ahead. Start your show.
But as Blake Su rose into the air and flew toward the basket, he had originally planned to throw down a powerful gliding slam. Then he saw that there was no one in front of him.
So...
With the ball in his right hand, he switched it to his left at the moment he was about to dunk. As he hung in the air and began to descend, he scooped it up with his left hand and finished with a layup.
"Swish!"
The ball kissed the backboard and dropped in.
After Blake Su made the shot, everyone in the stands froze for a moment. Then... deafening cheers shot into the sky.
"Good heavens!"
Inside the broadcast studio.
Mike Breen held his head and shook it in disbelief. "Wasn't that Jordan's move from back in the day? What is Blake Su doing?!
Recreating a classic?!"
"Hahaha!"
Van Gundy also smiled and said, "It really was a recreation of Jordan's move. You could call it a classic being brought back. But look at how happy Blake Su is.
He might just be messing around."
"Oh?"
Mike Breen blinked.
On the court, Blake Su was indeed grinning. But... to be precise, he had only intended to fool around at first. It was only after making the switch hand layup that he realized he had recreated Jordan's classic layup.
That was why he was smiling.
"Wow!"
Nearby, Kobe wore a fierce look of shock, thinking to himself, I've stolen so many of Jordan's moves, and even I can't imitate that one. But you, kid...
You actually pulled it out in the All-Star Game. You've got some nerve.
"He really dares to show off."
Anthony shook his head with a smile.
Wade and James hugged each other in shock, completely stunned by Blake Su recreating Jordan's classic layup.
"Superman" Howard clicked his tongue and thought to himself, Blake Su, you really know how to play around.
"Whoa!"
Because Blake Su had recreated Jordan's classic high-difficulty layup on the very first possession of the game, he had instantly lit up the entire arena.
How could the East fall behind?
"Whoosh!"
Wade charged in like a blade slicing through a live wire, sparks and lightning all the way as he attacked the basket. Durant followed him, but he clearly had no intention of going for a block. However...
"Whoosh!"
As Wade rushed into the paint, he suddenly tossed the ball high behind him.
"Step!"
"Boom!"
LeBron flew in. Because he was charging in with so much force, his head looked like it was about to rise above the rim. Then... he hammered down a tomahawk-style "C" alley oop, blasting the basket.
The "LeBron-Wade Connection," which had already appeared many times this season, was brought out again tonight on the All-Star Game stage, sending countless fans into another frenzy.
In the change of possession, Kobe refused to be outdone. He accelerated coast to coast, drove into the paint, and finished with a spinning reverse dunk that ignited the entire arena.
The "Windy City Rose" pushed the ball up as well, showing no hesitation. With a crossover in front of his body, he slipped past Blake Su's barely-there defense and attacked the basket.
A small frame could still unleash huge energy.
"Boom!"
He served up a folding dunk.
Then, on another change of possession, Blake Su stood in the middle at the top of the arc. Facing LeBron's defense, he raised his hand and fired without warning.
"Swish!"
A shot from deep, dead on target.
A clean make.
LeBron, who had only jumped half-heartedly to contest it, instantly became the backdrop for Blake Su's shot.
"Well, damn!"
After becoming the backdrop, LeBron found Blake Su on the next possession and said with a smile, "The current best center in the league. Let me get a taste of how strong you are, 'Monster Rookie.'"
That was what he said.
But with the game only just beginning, LeBron clearly had no real intention of locking him down.
Blake Su did not really intend to play seriously either. But... since he had the talent and abilities of [Daiki Aomine], he had to have some fun with it.
Blake Su backed into LeBron while everyone else cleared out to one side.
"Bang!"
One step of contact, then one step of acceleration. He charged to the free throw line, then... jumped with his back against LeBron and his back to the basket. Just when everyone thought Blake Su would pass to the side...
"Whoosh!"
Blake Su suddenly flicked up a hook, blindly tossing the ball toward the rim while still facing away from the basket.
"What was that?!"
LeBron was completely stunned, and Wade beside him was just as confused.
"He overdid it!"
Steve Nash smiled in the stands, while Curry also shook his head with a laugh. "Blake Su messed around too much this time."
But just as everyone thought Blake Su's almost formless, back-to-the-basket wild shot had no chance of going in, the ball flew over LeBron's head.
Then came the beautiful sound of the net.
"Swish!"
The ball dropped cleanly through the rim.
...
If you'd like to support my work and unlock advanced chapters, you can follow me on p-@-treon.
p-@-treon/GhostParser (40 Chapters Ahead)
You can also follow as a free member to read a few advanced chapters.