"Link..." Bosh, who was sitting in the seat next to Link, leaned in and whispered in a highly gossipy tone, "Do you really have nothing going on with the lady behind us?"
As a high school junior, Bosh naturally wasn't invited to the McDonalds All-American Game; he was just there as a companion. Moreover, Bosh wanted to see the top-tier combat power of high school basketball for himself. The players who could participate in the McDonalds All-American Game were the top players in their respective states. Even in college leagues, they would remain very strong, and many even had the qualifications to jump straight into the NBA.
The person behind them that Bosh mentioned...
Refers to the white beauty reporter from "Rivals"—Sophia Clarke. Ever since that strange bet, an inexplicable connection had formed between the two of them.
Sophia Clarke's presence to report on the McDonalds All-American Game was a work assignment, but she had proactively applied for it.
"Chris, what nonsense are you talking about? Hmph, you're just as annoying as 'grim reaper loves chasing dreams'." As a reporter, her powers of observation were naturally top-notch. With her sharp ears, she had overheard Bosh prying for gossip from Link.
"You've misunderstood, Miss Clarke," Chris Bosh quickly explained.
But Sophia Clarke tsundere-ly turned her head to the side. However, a hint of fluster flashed through her beautiful eyes as she looked out the plane window.
...
...
The organizers of the McDonalds All-American Game had arranged for players like Link and the related media reporters to stay in the same hotel.
Since Link, Bosh, and Sophia were heading the same way, they took a taxi together.
Because it was past 8:00 PM, the taxi driver not only took a detour but also demanded a temporary price hike, threatening to dump Link and the others halfway if they didn't agree.
Halfway there.
The driver pulled over and began to demand an exorbitant price.
"Didn't we agree on a price earlier?" Sophia argued her case with the middle-aged, greasy white driver.
"My beautiful lady, yes... we did agree, but you have to give me 10 dollars." While the driver chuckled, his perverted eyes kept scanning Sophia's chest.
This caused Sophia to subconsciously take a step back.
Seeing this, the driver became even more excited, reaching out both hands to grab forward.
At that moment, facing the unscrupulous taxi driver, Link suddenly struck. A sharp hand-knife slammed heavily onto the man's arm.
"Aow!"
"Aow!"
A wave of intense pain hit him, and the man immediately let out a wail like he had lost his parents.
This impressive move surprised not only Sophia but even Bosh.
Although his good friend was extremely good at trash talk—practically a vicious little Shakespeare—he wasn't much of a fighter.
I remember back in 1999, when we got into a fight on the court, he was the one who got beaten up the worst.
But why does he give me the feeling of a 'martial artist' now?
Since activating the system, Link had used dozens of sparring partner cards. Most of them were Ran Mouri.
Did anyone really think Link was using the sparring partner cards as some 'gentleman's game'? What a joke... he actually practiced seriously, okay?
Link's fighting skills were roughly at the level of a semi-professional martial artist. Furthermore, being tall, his strength exceeded that of an ordinary person.
With a strength attribute of 65, Link could bench press 84kg for 7 reps.
Link looked at him coldly and said, "Either take us to the hotel, or we'll drive ourselves to the hotel."
Seeing Link's youthful student face but terrifying aura, the driver immediately wimped out and obediently took the three of them to the hotel.
Along the way, although Sophia Clarke tried to act calm, her heart felt as if countless fawns were crashing against it.
Furthermore, she would steal glances at Link from time to time.
...
...
After arriving at the hotel, Link first went to register, pick up his room key card, and his game jersey. Link wore number "7" at Lincoln High School, so for that reason, the All-American Game also gave Link a number "7" jersey.
Unlike participating in the ABCD Training Camp, the 24 invited players all stayed in single rooms.
The bed was very large, enough for himself and his good friend Bosh to sleep in.
Before long, the coach for the West All-Stars came knocking on the door, calling all the All-Star players belonging to the West to a "meeting room" inside the hotel.
Inside the meeting room, media reporters were filming, including Sophia Clarke. Additionally, to Link's surprise, his friend Matt Babcock, whom he had met at the ABCD Training Camp, was actually mixed in with the reporters.
But on second thought, while Matt Babcock's basketball talent and skills were... average, he at least truly understood basketball. Moreover, he had helped Link limit LeBron James during the ABCD All-Star game.
Given his family connections, it was normal for him to be an intern reporter.
The West All-Star coach first gave a brief introduction to the history of the McDonalds All-American Game.
Starting from 1987, the McDonald's All-American Game format was officially established, divided annually into East and West teams. It was currently 2001, and there was only a boys' division; the girls' division wouldn't be added until next year. This event held high prestige across the U.S. and was one of the top events in the American high school basketball circle. The selected players were the finest high school graduates in the nation.
For most high school players, they didn't have much interest in this history.
Link would also be representing the West All-Stars in battle tomorrow.
His West All-Star teammates listened to the coach's tactical arrangements for tomorrow while sizing up Link.
On the West All-Star team, there were future NBA players—David Lee, Tyson Chandler, Chris Thomas, and Daniel Ewing.
Chris Thomas would go undrafted in the NBA in 6 years, but he had signed ten-day contracts in the NBA.
Daniel Ewing was also a brief passer-by in the NBA. After graduating high school, he played for Duke during college and was selected by the Los Angeles Clippers with the 32nd pick in the second round in '05.
Tomorrow's starting lineup for the West was: Link, Daniel Ewing, Chris Thomas, David Lee, and Tyson Chandler. [David Lee: Entered the University of Florida in '01, played 4 years of college. Entered the NBA in '05.]
As for the East...
They also had no shortage of future NBA stars.
Dajuan Wagner, Julius Hodge, TJ Ford, Eddy Curry, and Kwame Brown.
It was a bit of a pity that among the East All-Star players, there wasn't a single "Paul" or "George."
...
...
"Link... tomorrow the East All-Star team will likely have Julius Hodge defend you. His defensive ability is particularly strong, even reaching NBA levels. I hope you can play smarter in the game and reduce some high-difficulty shots," the West All-Star coach, Wood, said with a solemn expression.
NBA-level defense?
These words made the West All-Star high schoolers present pause involuntarily.
Whether it was high schoolers or college players entering the NBA, most of them had to pay a lot of tuition for defense in the early stages of their careers. Many who won Defensive Player of the Year or made All-Defensive teams in college became sieges that everyone could score on once they reached the NBA.
For example: Zion and Towns were both NCAA All-Defensive team players.
The "NBA-level defense" Coach Wood spoke of, even if it was just bench-level NBA defense, was suffocating for ordinary high school stars.
When the future NBA passer-by, Daniel Ewing, heard that the person defending him wasn't Julius Hodge, he clearly felt a sense of relief. At the same time, he didn't forget to look at Link with a mocking gaze.
However...
What left him stunned in the next scene was...
After learning that Julius Hodge was defending him, Link looked completely calm and said composedly, "Okay, coach!"
"Why isn't he afraid?"
"Hmph! He's really good at acting!!!"
Daniel Ewing thought to himself.
Reasonably speaking, Link was already numb to NBA-level defense.
Never mind that this Julius Hodge had a bench-level NBA defensive standard.
You know about DPOY?
Peak Green—didn't I still play against him!
NBA tough guys, you know them?
Jimmy Butler—I've played against him too!
7-time NBA rebounding leader, recognize him!
Fought him!
Who dares to stand firm with a blade, only my Great General George!
Well, I've fought him too!
Just then...
The cold, mechanical electronic voice of the system sounded in Link's mind again.
"Ding, Host has triggered a random mission—I Can Actually Dunk Too!"
"Mission Description: Complete one dunk in tomorrow's McDonalds All-American Game."
"Mission Reward: Random Player Animation Pack x1!"
"Ding, Host has triggered a main storyline mission—Shining Superstar!"
"Mission Description: In tomorrow's McDonalds All-American Game, win the match while also taking the MVP."
"Mission Reward: 500 Goat points; Refresh limited-time premium item area x2."