One hour passed in reality, while six hours had passed in the virtual world.
Link was surprised to find that several of his "shooting and finishing" categories had improved.
[Close-Range Shot] base attribute +2, increasing to 53 (80); the higher the Close-Range Shot attribute, the stronger the finishing ability near the rim.
[Driving Layup] base attribute +1, increasing to 56 (78); the higher the Driving Layup attribute, the higher the layup percentage after contact when driving to the basket.
Today's second game was scheduled for 3 PM.
Before that, a middle-aged white man in a suit took the initiative to invite Link to a coffee shop near the gym.
The ABCD Training Camp allowed people to go out during the day, but after 9 PM, no one was allowed to leave. Without prior leave, failing to return on time would result in direct expulsion from the camp.
"Link, you should have an impression of me. After all, I've been observing you for a full two and a half days," the middle-aged white man said with a smile.
"Hello, Mr. John!" Link said with a smile.
He was naturally aware of this UCLA scout.
After a few pleasantries, Scout John got straight to the point: "We at UCLA are very interested in you and are willing to offer you a full scholarship."
Although Link wanted to skip high school and take his talents directly to the NBA, there was a prerequisite: whether his national ranking could rise to an 'ideal' position after the ABCD Training Camp ended.
If he was still outside the top 50 in Tier 1, even if he declared for the draft, it would be impossible for any NBA team to select him.
For Link, the NCAA was a sub-optimal choice.
Therefore, Link very seriously inquired about his role on the team, as it concerned his usage rate and playing time.
"Link, although I think very highly of you, every freshman entering our school needs to start from the bench," John said.
Link nodded slightly, appearing understanding on the surface, but thinking something else in his heart. Although, as John said, most freshmen generally serve as substitutes, in reality, true top high school players lock in a starting position or even become the absolute core of the team upon entering the NCAA.
Such as: Carmelo Anthony.
UCLA was willing to offer Link a full scholarship, but only as a substitute, which clearly did not satisfy him.
"Thank you, Mr. John. Regarding NCAA universities, it's not within my consideration for the time being. What I want to do right now is make a name for myself in this training camp," Link said with a smile.
He didn't agree, but of course, he didn't completely refuse either.
There was no other way; Link wasn't a protagonist in those power-fantasy novels. Excessive arrogance would only ruin his draft prospects. One must know that no team would choose a player with unstable emotions and average talent.
Advancing steadily and developing quietly was what Link should do most.
John didn't make things difficult for Link, saying he would give him some time to consider.
At the same time, receiving his first full scholarship invitation from an NCAA Division I school, Link gained 100 GOAT points.
[Goat Points: 122/922]
Link immediately spent 100 Goat Points on a lucky draw.
He had good luck.
Link finally drew a "physical sports special training card" instead of Green's sparring partner card.
This way, the 5x training effect could continue.
...
...
The [Dream Chasing Warriors Team]'s opponent for the afternoon game was the [Blazing Rose Team].
Like the Dream Chasing Warriors Team, the Blazing Rose Team currently had 5 wins and 0 losses, remaining undefeated.
The team's starting lineup featured three five-star high school players.
Two of them would enter the NBA in the future.
The Blazing Rose Team's point guard—TJ Ford, the man Iverson claimed was even faster than himself. Like Link, he was Tier 1, ranked 7th in the nation. He stood 178cm tall, weighed 75kg, and had a 191cm wingspan. He would be selected 8th overall in the first round of the 2003 draft by the Milwaukee Bucks.
Starting power forward—Travis Outlaw, also Tier 1, ranked 18th in the nation. He would be selected 23rd overall in the first round of the 2003 draft by the Portland Trail Blazers. He possessed elite athletic talent, with a running vertical jump of 91cm and a lane agility drill time of 11.8 seconds. Keep in mind, he was an interior player with a wingspan of over 2 meters.
It's worth mentioning that in his rookie season, Travis Outlaw posterized the 226cm Yao Ming!!!
Of course, his weakness was poor strength and contact; at 94kg, he wasn't much heavier than Link. Furthermore, in the strength test before the 2003 draft, he only managed 2 reps of the 84kg bench press.
The remaining five-star white center stood over 2 meters tall and weighed 111kg, possessing solid screen-setting abilities and a soft shooting touch, but his weakness was poor athleticism.
The Blazing Rose Team's overall strength and roster configuration were undoubtedly the strongest the Dream Chasing Warriors Team had encountered so far.
The attention on this game was also extremely high.
Among all the afternoon matchups, it ranked in the top three, second only to the head-to-head matchup between LeBron James and Lamine Kook. Consequently, there were many spectators.
Even the head coach of the University of Texas, "Rodney Terry," came to watch in person.
In addition to "Parade" magazine, there were also reporters from "Sports Illustrated" and "SLAM."
...
...
As expected by everyone before the game, the match was very intense.
After TJ Ford intercepted Link's pass to Josh Smith in the frontcourt, he took the ball coast-to-coast on a solo fast break.
Even though TJ Ford was driving with the ball and Link, who was ahead, was running without it, Link couldn't even see TJ Ford's taillights.
His Speed was so fast he left afterimages...
This was the fastest player Link had encountered so far. Even the top high school player in New Jersey, Dajuan Wagner, was half a tier slower than TJ Ford.
With a "Boom!", TJ Ford completed a one-handed tomahawk dunk.
By then, Link, chasing from behind, was at least 2 meters away.
After the successful dunk, TJ Ford shrugged at Link and said, "Man, you're too slow!"
Talent!
Link once again felt the suppression of raw talent.
However, Link quickly responded in the next offensive possession. After a hand-off and cut play with Bosh, he slipped to the basket. Facing TJ Ford's tight defense, he played big and strong, putting the ball into the hoop quite forcefully.
"Man, you're too short!" After scoring, Link didn't forget to respond, making the 'too small' gesture by pressing his palm toward the floor.
TJ Ford smiled helplessly.
Height and weight were his fatal flaws. Link, who was nearly 20cm taller than him, had a huge mismatch advantage when receiving the ball at the rim. Even if Link's finishing ability was average, it was hard to defend.
TJ Ford turned to look at his interior teammate, Travis Outlaw, and frowned. "Buddy, don't space out. With your ability, you could definitely have blocked him."
Travis Outlaw was known as the "poor man's Kevin Garnett," specializing in powerful dunks and Blocks. With his wingspan and mobility, he could switch to defend multiple positions, but his defensive focus was poor and his strength was weak. He often spaced out during games and lost his defensive position.
19 to 21. Halfway through the first half, the Dream Chasing Warriors Team trailed by 2 points.