score maniac

Chapter 21: Here I Come!

Doing 200 push-ups in one go isn’t exactly a grueling punishment for a professional player. In fact, the reporters’ descriptions were somewhat exaggerated. Before the game started, Gu Yu and Cousins did indeed seek out Westphal again, but it wasn’t as explosive as reported; rather, after some back-and-forth bargaining, they settled on two wagers. “You want to get on the court—I understand that feeling—but going head-to-head with me in front of so many players… if I just gave in right away, how would I ever establish my authority in the future??” Although Westphal was old-school, he wasn’t completely out of touch with human nature. Rookie players, after all, always crave a chance to start and make a splash the moment they step onto the court. There was a time when the veteran coach was a player himself, so he understood that feeling all too well. In fact, Westphal—who had once guided Barkley to the NBA throne—deep down actually appreciated this kind of straightforward personality. So when Gu Yu and Cousins came to him again, still insisting they absolutely had to play and refusing to back down, Westphal kept a poker face, but deep down, he’d already softened. No coach likes troublemakers—that’s the truth. But if a player acts like a troublemaker simply because his desire to play is too strong, it’s understandable. “I have to punish you.” Leading Gu Yu and Cousins into the players’ tunnel, Westphal said solemnly, “I have to punish you—it’s the only way for me to save face.” Well… The old coach’s bluntness actually made the two hotheads feel a bit embarrassed. They exchanged a glance, and Gu Yu spoke up: “Fine! Whatever punishment you say!” “Two hundred push-ups.” The old coach held up two fingers. “Damn, that’s way too easy!” Cousins burst out laughing immediately. “Do them all in one go.” A smile tugged at the old coach’s lips as he gave Gu Yu a meaningful look. “No problem!” Gu Yu nodded firmly. If he couldn’t even do that, what was the point of even playing in the NBA?? “Come back right after you’re done. I’ll put you guys in the game. That’s the first bet.” There was clearly more to the old coach’s smile than met the eye, but the two young men hadn’t picked up on it yet. “The first one? What about the second wager?” Gu Yu asked. “I’ll give you one quarter of playing time—12 minutes.” The veteran coach looked at Gu Yu and said, “In the next 12 minutes, you have to prove to me that you’re worth staying on the court.” “Playing that card?” Cousins wasn’t having it. He furrowed his brow and said, “Even if we really give it our all, isn’t whether we’re worth it or not just up to you? You could just say we didn’t do well enough—and what if we defied the odds? No way, no way—that’s not fair!” “Huh, unfair?” Westphal chuckled mysteriously. “You two—one plays center, the other shooting guard. While whether you’re valuable on the court does indeed depend on my personal judgment, you should know the most basic roles of these two positions, right?” Fundamental roles? Gu Yu thought for a moment, as if he’d caught onto something. “Go on!” After saying that, Westphal didn’t say another word. He waved his hand and said, “Once you’re done, come back to the court. I’ll be waiting for you.” “Got it!” Watching the two young men walk away with renewed enthusiasm, the veteran coach folded his arms across his chest and narrowed his eyes. Yet his gaze didn’t linger on Cousins—whom many considered the future cornerstone of the Kings—but instead rested for a long moment on Gu Yu. “The value of a center lies in dominating the paint, serving as the pivot on both ends of the court, and wreaking havoc under the basket. Given De Marcus’s abilities, that shouldn’t be too difficult.” Turning back and heading toward the court, the veteran coach had his own plans in mind. “And what about the value of a shooting guard? Is it versatility? Defense? Assists? Or rebounding?” None of the above. In Westphal’s mind, basketball remained exactly as it had been decades ago, when he first took up the game. The shooting guard’s greatest value is one thing—and one thing only. “And that is scoring…!” Doing 200 push-ups in one go—while not a major physical challenge—is enough to temporarily throw off a shooter’s sense of balance in both hands. Trembling arms, pressure on the wrists, stiff fingers—and shooting accuracy… Gu Yu—this player who, during team practice, was good for nothing but shooting—should he really be kept on the team? In Westphal’s eyes, this very game was the ultimate test. For most shooters, doing 200 push-ups in one go would affect their touch to some extent, causing their aim to waver. “But if, under those circumstances, you can still maintain that silky touch and keep scoring…” Sitting on the bench, Westphal’s eyes sparkled. “Then even if you can’t do anything but shoot, you’re still worthy of staying on this team—and in this league…!” After all, a shooting guard is supposed to score—to score a lot and a lot of points, isn’t that right? “…Phew! I’m done, aaaah!” Back in the present, having finally finished 200 push-ups, Gu Yu collapsed onto the floor, his arms aching and the muscles around his chest trembling slightly. “All right, all right, let’s go, go, go, go! Back to the court right now!” Cousins had been waiting impatiently the whole time; he didn’t give Gu Yu a moment to rest, grabbing him by the arm and taking two steps at a time as they hurried back to the court. It was right during a timeout. “…Done?” Westphal saw the two hotheads appear and nodded slightly; factoring in the round trip and all the back-and-forth, it was right about the time he’d estimated. “We’re done—every last one! Let us get in the game!” Cousins was in a terrible hurry and immediately asked to be put in the game. “Alright…!” Westphal kept his word. With a sweeping gesture, he adjusted the lineup, substituting out Taylor and Whiteside—who’d been playing poorly—and bringing in Gu Yu and Cousins. “…Oh oh, here they come! Here comes that slick-haired guy who beat up Kahn!!” The moment Gu Yu stepped onto the court, the media section instantly erupted. Countless camera flashes went off, making it look like Kobe was about to play in the Summer League. “Gu Yu…!” Yu Chenyi was naturally the most excited; she jumped to her feet, her beautiful eyes wide with anticipation, her delicate fists clenched tight. Go for it! You’ve got to find a way to stay here!! “Gu.” Just as Gu Yu was about to wave to Yu Chenyi, the old coach’s voice rang out from behind him again. “You’ve got 12 minutes. Try to score 20 points for me.” Westphal spoke with a smile on his lips, but his single remark caused the players around him to turn their heads in astonishment. 20 points in 12 minutes? Even for the Summer League, where the defensive intensity isn’t that high, that’s just a pipe dream! Come on, this is Gu Yu, the “junk draft pick”—not Jordan! The players shook their heads in unison, their gazes toward Gu Yu tinged with a hint of pity. The old coach is clearly determined to make you look like a fool—he doesn’t want to give you much playing time; he’s doing this on purpose! Hmph, are you panicking yet? The old coach is deliberately putting pressure on Gu Yu to see just how much this Asian shooter is really capable of. Although I only mentioned 20 points off the cuff—and whether I hit that mark or not doesn’t really matter—if I start panicking now, there’s no point in even being on the court. However, Gu Yu’s response left everyone completely speechless. “…So that’s ten mid-range shots, then?” Gu Yu’s expression didn’t waver in the slightest. He rested his left hand on his right wrist, gently rotating it, his gaze as sharp as a knife. “If I take one shot per minute, I still have two chances to miss.” He clearly saw right through the old coach’s intentions, but back down now? That just wouldn’t be like Gu Yu. “Coach, about this bet…” As he turned to head back onto the court, Gu Yu tilted his head back and laughed, “I’m definitely going to win…!” NBA, here I come! Welcome, old and new friends alike! For those of you who think this chapter is too short and want to save up for more, remember to drop a vote every now and then! You can also check out *The All-Around Rebound Obsessive*—it’s set in the same universe!