The next day.
After Link woke up, he discovered that his [Explosiveness], [Jumping Height], and [Stamina] had all received improvements.
Base attribute of [Explosiveness] +1, rising to 42 (59);
Base attribute of [Jumping Height] +1, rising to 33 (64);
Base attribute of [Stamina] +1, rising to 54 (84);
The effect of this [physical sports special training card] was truly powerful; in just two days, he had achieved such gains.
A Explosiveness of 42 wasn't considered fast, but it was barely enough for the High School League. After all, Link wasn't some small 183cm Point Guard; at 198cm, his advantage in standing reach was incredibly obvious.
Unfortunately, this special training card expired today.
...
...
Today was Link's third day at the ABCD Training Camp.
The training camp's match-making mechanism had also changed. The first two days were random, where a team of five-star starters could potentially face a team of all three-stars.
But starting today, the training camp would match teams according to their "team records."
The Dream Chasing Warriors Team's record was 4-0, so the worst record of any team they matched with would be 3-1.
Naturally, the higher the level of the game, the more attention it received.
Link and his team's opponent for the morning was the "Villain Devils Team."
Although Link, with memories of two lifetimes, didn't recognize any of them, the Villain Devils Team's starting lineup featured four All-American five-star high schoolers, and their record before the game was 3-1.
Their only loss was to the team led by last year's training camp MVP, Lamine Kook.
The team's Point Guard wore the camp's No. 38 jersey. He was a typical American-style Point Guard, 191cm tall, weighing 88kg, with a 200cm wingspan. He was fast and explosive, with athleticism that was definitely T1 tier in the High School League.
But his weakness was inconsistent shooting.
The other three All-American five-star high schoolers were also highly athletic.
After the game started, this No. 38 American guard started showing off "flashy moves" against Link's defense, with consecutive between-the-legs dribbles and spin moves, constantly using body language to provoke Link.
This caused the media reporters, scouts, and students watching from the sidelines to cheer and jeer.
"wow..."
"wow..."
"wow..."
But Link wasn't affected by his flashiness. He suddenly lunged forward, eyeing the point where the ball hit the floor. His long arm shot out like a dagger, and he leaned his body in at the same time.
With a "smack," his hand stripped the ball. Although the opponent's No. 38 had decent strength, he still stumbled when faced with Link, who was a size larger than him.
The referee didn't blow the whistle.
Exclamations of "oh, no!" erupted from the sidelines.
After the Steal, Link pushed the ball forward. Although he wasn't fast and was quickly caught by the opponent's shooting guard, Josh and Bosh were running fast. While slowing down his dribbling rhythm, Link deliberately glanced at Josh following up on the right. This immediately drew the attention of the opponent's shooting guard, who looked back. Taking advantage of the moment, Link accelerated again, forcefully driving to the basket and finishing with a layup.
"Beautiful!"
"Nice shot!"
The media reporters and scouts on the sidelines couldn't help but applaud.
Link glanced coldly at the opposing guard; those flashy moves were truly beneath mention to him now. With a Steal rating as high as 68 (87) and Perimeter Defense at 59 (73), he was T1 level in the High School League for reading perimeter offenses and anticipating Steals—not to mention he was a large-sized Point Guard at 198cm with a 211cm wingspan.
Uh...
As for that bump during the Steal, it was a "little trick" he learned from Draymond Green in the virtual space. This way, the opponent couldn't adjust their Center of gravity, while he could seize an absolutely advantageous position. Of course, the force of the collision had to be controlled, or it would easily be called a "defensive foul."
The opposing guard, disgruntled by the early Steal, tried to use his Speed to blow past Link, but with poor results.
Link kept a certain distance from him, seemingly baiting the shot while guarding the drive, but in reality, Link's height, wingspan, and solid defensive anticipation allowed him to step up and interfere whenever the opponent tried to shoot.
Although the opponent could score, his shooting percentage was very low.
On the offensive end, Link used pick-and-rolls with his teammates as his starting move. Depending on the opponent's reaction—for instance, if the defender didn't fight through the screen and the opposing Center didn't step up to hedge in time—Link would pull up for a jumper.
If the opposing Center stepped up to cover, Link would use his Speed to drive past. Although Link's Speed wasn't fast, the opponent was a heavy interior player with poor athleticism whose footwork couldn't keep up with him at all.
In the first half, Link's playmaking and orchestration gave the team a 16-point lead. Although his personal stats weren't particularly flashy—only 8 points, 5 assists, and 2 Steals—they paled in comparison to Chris Bosh, who exploded for 21 points, 7 rebounds, and 3 Blocks.
However, Link's ability to read the game and his maturity in handling the ball left the NCAA scouts on site in awe.
"We at UCLA must get this guy; he's a natural floor general!"
The UCLA scout had been observing Link for three days, and his opinion had shifted from "performer" to "floor general." The scout, John, felt like he had discovered a treasure; Link showed something different in every game.
...
...
As the game entered the second half, Link returned to the court and changed his playing style. No longer focusing primarily on playmaking as he did in the first half, he stepped up his individual scoring.
Link used his size, weight, and strength to power past the opposing No. 38. If he broke through, he naturally went for a layup. If he didn't, he would adjust his footwork and switch to a post-up game.
"Wow!"
"This No. 28's Explosiveness is a bit faster than I imagined."
The scout from Duke University watched as Link drove into the paint. Facing the help defense from the Villain Devils' Center, Link used a change of pace to fake out the defender before jumping for a Bank shot layup.
This kind of change of pace was a common skill for guards in professional leagues. However, the Duke scout found that Link's scouting report didn't quite match reality; that initial burst off the ground after faking out the defense wasn't particularly slow.
This was quite important for a guard; if your Explosiveness was too slow, even if the opponent was faked out, they could still recover and contest the shot in the next instant.
Besides these solid fundamentals, Link's 45-degree Bank shots were making the opposing No. 38 miserable.
Facing him, Link had a "mismatch advantage." After backing him down, he would transition into a Bank shot; the opponent could only pray that Link would miss, as he had no way to stop him.
Link's individual scoring continued to climb.
The media reporters and scouts on the sidelines were gradually drawn in by Link.
Meanwhile, Chris Grant, acting as Link's temporary head coach, had a hint of a smile on his face, thinking to himself, "Kid, spread your wings and fly high into the sky!"
The game ended.
98 to 71!
It was another massive 27-point victory.
Unlike the first two days, the characteristics of the teams and players were no longer "secrets." Furthermore, this win-based matching mechanism removed the element of "luck" from before.
By the end of the game, Link had made 10 of 17 shots, 0 of 3 from the Three-Point Shot line, and 3 of 4 free throws, finishing with a Double-double of 23 points, 11 assists, 1 rebound, and 4 Steals.
...
...
After the game, the various NCAA scouts on the sidelines were constantly conversing.
Their focus was no longer just on Chris Bosh and Josh Smith; Link had truly stood out.
This caused "Mr. John," the UCLA scout who had been quietly watching Link, to feel a sense of annoyance and worry.
"I want him!"
"We at UCLA must have him!"