score maniac

Chapter 7: The Draft and Black Stockings

June 24, 2010 (U. S. time), Madison Square Garden, New York. The annual NBA Draft is underway. “With the first overall pick in the first round, the Washington Wizards select—John Wall from the University of Kentucky!” “Yeaaaaaaah—!!” With the top pick essentially a foregone conclusion, the Washington Wizards were incredibly lucky. Although they were ranked only sixth in the odds to land the No. 1 pick, they managed to secure the most crucial lottery spot and draft the superstar point guard they’d long coveted: John Wall. “John, smile for the camera!” Wall took the stage beaming with joy, accepted a Wizards cap from David Stern, and shook hands with the league commissioner with a smile. This photo would later become the starting point of the Wizards’ resurgence after 2010, etched in the memories of many Wizards fans, never to be forgotten. Meanwhile, outside the draft venue. “…Why won’t you let me in???” An Asian man with slicked-back hair glared with wide eyes, arguing angrily with a security guard. If it weren’t for the large number of media reporters nearby—and the need to at least consider his public image—this guy would likely have already come to blows with the security guard. “No invitation, no entry!” The security guard strictly followed the rules, waving his hand to block the slick-haired man at the entrance. Many reporters nearby stifled their laughter as they raised their cameras, snapping away nonstop. “This Asian guy is really a joke—trying to get into the venue without an invitation? Is he out of his mind?” Watching Gu Yu persistently argue his case, a reporter smiled and remarked, “From Wang to Yao to Yi, I always thought Chinese people were humble, polite, and reserved. I never expected there’d be a guy like this—haha!” Ever since the Nike Basketball Summit ended and Gu Yu stole the show, this “Hairstyle Guy” from the mysterious Eastern continent had instantly become the focal point of intense media coverage in China. This was certainly related to Gu Yu’s Chinese identity, but more importantly, his performance in the final moments of the game was simply dazzling. With a total playing time of just over three minutes, he took six consecutive shots from the same sweet spot, sinking all six cleanly through the net—including a game-winning buzzer-beater—and racking up 12 points in a single breath. Gu Yu’s spectacular performance instantly set off a storm of domestic media coverage. From mainstream media to social media, the nickname “China’s ‘Hairstyle Guy’” echoed across the country; every basketball fan had heard about Gu Yu’s astonishing performance. “A complete transformation,” “dominating the court,” “perfect shooting,” “unmissable shots”… Countless words of praise poured in for Gu Yu, instantly propelling this previously unknown, short-statured shooter to the top of every major trending list. Asian basketball can only be considered third-rate on the world stage; the few star players who occasionally make it to the NBA are almost exclusively big men. Before Gu Yu, the only Chinese backcourt player ever drafted by the NBA was Sun Yue, who barely saw any playing time and ended up as little more than a towel boy. All of this has left the Chinese public yearning for the emergence of an NBA-caliber guard. Gu Yu’s sudden emergence instantly catapulted him to fame in China. Countless media outlets began digging deep into his background and life story, but the more they dug, the more unbelievable it all seemed. Not because Gu Yu’s life had been particularly tumultuous, but because his story was, quite simply, too ordinary. Yes, ordinary. He showed basketball talent from a young age, played his way from amateur to semi-pro, and eventually entered a sports school. Like countless other Chinese basketball players, Gu Yu’s basketball journey had nothing extraordinary about it. Compared to Da Zhi’s leaping ability and skills, Yao Ming’s towering stature, Yi Jianlian’s “Asian beast” physique, and Sun Yue’s unconventional label as a tall point guard… Gu Yu’s physical attributes were in no way exceptional; among basketball players, he could only be described as an “ordinary person.” Had it not been for his performance in a regional tournament earlier this year—where he stepped up when the team’s starting center was double-teamed, scoring basket after basket with lightning-quick precision to rack up 20 points in a single half—he wouldn’t even have qualified for the Nike Basketball Summit training camp, let alone the NBA. On the final roster for the Basketball Summit International Team, expectations for Sui Ran were far higher than those for Gu Yu. Virtually everyone assumed that Gu Yu was just there to make up the numbers and boost his profile; expecting him to put on a spectacular performance on the court was nothing short of a pipe dream. However, the outcome took everyone by complete surprise. The timid shooter transformed into a high-energy scoring machine; with his hot hand, he quickly sealed the victory, and even his personality underwent a dramatic change. This dramatic contrast piqued the interest of many Chinese fans. In the U. S. , however, few people knew who Gu Yu was. This isn’t because American fans didn’t see the game reports and stats from the Summit Tournament, but because Gu Yu was previously a complete unknown in the U. S. Even if fans watched the game, they’d only remember that “there was a guy with slicked-back hair who shot pretty well and hit the game-winner”—they wouldn’t have a clue who he was or where he came from. In the United States—the kingdom of basketball—there are several such news stories every day. If you could remember them all, you wouldn’t be a fan—you’d be a machine. “…Don’t think I don’t know—back when Boss Chen Mu entered the draft, he didn’t have an invitation either, but he still got into the venue, didn’t he? Why can he get in but I can’t? Is this discrimination against guards??” Near the entrance, Gu Yu was still arguing with the security guard. His determination to see things through no matter what had a touch of obsession about it. “Hey, man, why are you being so stubborn?” The security guard was getting fed up too. Frowning, he said to Gu Yu, “When Chen participated in the draft back then, he had an agent. Agents have their own channels and connections—getting into the venue was his own doing. What do you have? Huh? Tell me, what do you have??” “I…” Gu Yu was left speechless by the security guard’s retort. He opened and closed his mouth, his mind racing, but he simply couldn’t come up with a reason why he should be allowed in. Finally, in a fit of anger and humiliation, he snapped, “I’ll drive you crazy!” “Haha… Come on, come on~” Standing nearby, a reporter couldn’t stand by and watch any longer. He took a few steps toward Gu Yu, patted him on the shoulder, and said, “That Chinese way of doing things doesn’t work in the U. S. Just be patient for a bit—at worst, you can go back to the hotel and watch the live stream. Isn’t that the same thing?” “You don’t know shit!” Without turning his head, Gu Yu shrugged his shoulder, shaking the reporter’s hand off, and said indignantly, “If I turn around and walk away now, wouldn’t that be the same as backing down? No way, no way, absolutely not. Even if you made me eat shit, I wouldn’t back down! Pfft!” Seeing Gu Yu roll up his sleeves and get into a fighting stance, the reporter was at his wits’ end and resorted to his last resort. “Gu Yu, calm down. Don’t embarrass us Chinese…!” “I’m gonna fucking—… What the hell??” Midway through his tirade, Gu Yu suddenly realized something was off. This… this is Chinese! He paused in his movements, turned his head, and upon seeing the person behind him, Gu Yu’s anger vanished instantly. “If you really don’t want to go back and watch the livestream… I have an idea, though I’m not sure if you’d be up for it~” Behind Gu Yu, a girl with Asian features smiled sweetly. Her round, bright eyes sparkled with a touch of mischief as she playfully winked at him and said, “We media reporters have a press center inside the venue. It’s a bit far, but we can still see what’s happening on the ground. So, what do you say—are you coming or not~?” “Sure, let’s go!” Gu Yu’s eyes scanned the girl in front of him from head to toe, finally resting on her beautiful legs encased in black stockings. He swallowed hard and nodded eagerly, saying, “Let’s not waste any time—let’s go right now! What are we waiting for??”