Chapter 40: Generational Talent
March 31, 2007, Atlanta, Georgia Dome.
This is the day of the NCAA Final Four game, where the final two will be decided here today.
Countless fans flooded into this gymnasium that far exceeds the specifications of a typical NBA arena, with over 70,000 seats nearly fully occupied, and fans from all over the country treating this game as the must-see event of the year.
On the sidelines, live broadcast teams from major television stations were setting up equipment and testing devices.
Jim Nantz and Billy Packer, these two nationally renowned commentator partners, were discussing tonight’s game.
“Texas Tech University’s journey has truly been unbelievable,” Billy Packer appeared neutral but actually took a clear stance, “but I think their journey might end here. TTU’s specialty, zone defense, can’t be deployed against the ‘Clover’（ Ohio State team name）, the gap in interior play between the two sides is huge, and even if Greg Oden can only attack with his left hand, I don’t think Daryl Dora and Jon Plevka have any opportunity against him.”
Packer’s statement did not surprise his colleague.
Before the Final Four, Packer was TTU’s number one supporter. Because Packer is a die-hard Duke fan, a die-hard Duke fan who doesn’t want North Carolina to be eliminated isn’t a standard die-hard Duke fan. But when TTU eliminated North Carolina, it was time to settle both new and old scores. You have merit for eliminating North Carolina, but don’t forget, Duke was also eliminated by you.
How strong is Packer’s support for Duke? In this season’s ACC league regular season, Duke vs. North Carolina, when the game reached garbage time, North Carolina still didn’t sub out Hansbrough, so a Duke player couldn’t hold back and gave him a flagrant foul, causing Hansbrough’s nose to bleed profusely on the spot.
Packer said: “That was a completely legal defensive move!”
Now supporting the championship favorite Ohio State to take down TTU is just returning to his roots.
“I think TTU still has a chance to go further.” Packer’s partner Nantz said, “Based solely on the games both teams have played so far, Eli’s influence is greater. And while Greg is a defender who can change the game, tonight’s focus is on offense, not defense.”
Hearing this, Packer felt even more correct, because it’s all about offense, so Oden’s superior defense might decide the game’s direction.
In the stands, NBA executives took their seats one by one.
Basically, every team aiming for the lottery had dedicated personnel at the scene.
Soon after, personnel from both teams entered the court one after another.
Greg Oden walked last. His massive physique cast an exaggerated shadow under the gymnasium lights, and his left hand subconsciously touched the brace on his right shoulder.
As per convention, players from both sides could exchange greetings before the game.
Xu Ling proactively walked toward Oden, and this unusual scene was also caught by the reporters.
“Has your right hand recovered?” This was the first time Xu Ling and Oden met, but his way of greeting was as if they were old friends.
Oden’s mature face carried a “don’t mess with me” dignity, what a shame he didn’t make it out, otherwise he and James would have been fodder for toxic fans’ “wild father-son memes” how many times?
“Not yet.” Oden grinned wickedly, “But it’s enough to crush you guys.”
They didn’t hypocritically ask each other’s names, just one question and one answer, then returned to their respective halves.
“What did you have to say to that guy?” Daryl Dora had been doing mental preparation these past few days.
After all, having to guard Oden, who wouldn’t be scared? The opponent has been the top player in the country since his junior year, reputed to have Bill Russell’s defense, David Robinson’s mobility, Dwight Howard’s strength and explosiveness, and Tim Duncan’s game sense.
Playing the entire season with only his non-dominant hand, yet averaging 16 points, 10 rebounds, and 3 blocks per game—what kind of perverted talent is that?
But Xu Ling actually had the leisure to greet the opponent, which infuriated Dora.
“I asked him about his right hand for you.”
“What did he say?”
“He said he’s going to crush you.”
This was Xu Ling’s “cherry-picking” learned from the media, and he felt he learned it well.
A few minutes later, both starting lineups took the court.
Jim Nantz immediately pointed out a key detail in the starting lineups: “The Red Raiders are deploying a big-small lineup again tonight, only this time, their starting center is switched from Jon Plevka to the more athletic senior center Daryl Dora.”
“This shows TTU has decided to completely abandon the interior.” Billy Packer immediately added, “However, I don’t think Ohio State’s outside firepower will be inferior to TTU’s.”
The opening tip-off had no suspense.
Oden jumped with full force, tipping the ball to Mike Conley.
From the first second of the game, those who had long observed Oden sensed something was off.
Since entering college, Oden had never played at full strength; scouts believed he had used at most 70% effort before.
So, when he won the tip-off and charged toward the frontcourt at full speed, Conley didn’t need to issue any instructions, just throw the ball high into the frontcourt, and that beast considered a generational talent soared like riding a rocket, grabbing the ball with both hands and slamming it viciously toward the rim.
“These past few days, everyone has been discussing the possibility of Eli surpassing Greg Oden, now Greg is telling them to shut up!” Billy Packer commentated passionately.
Xu Ling matched up against 6’5″ shooting guard Ron Lewis in the frontcourt.
This guy could be considered Oden’s armed escort, able to shoot and defend, an indispensable player for Ohio State.
No need for Xu Ling to call for the ball; teammates would naturally pass it to him.
The instant Xu Ling received the ball with his right hand, his body’s center of gravity sank, then he exploded forward one step, tearing open Lewis’s balance. The opponent, under pressure, had to shift his center of gravity over.
These instinctive moves would become the trigger for an ankle-breaker.
As Xu Ling dribbled forward, he crossed it between his legs, then abruptly pulled the ball laterally with his left hand; the unsupported Lewis’s eyes widened, but he couldn’t avoid his body pitching forward.
When Xu Ling stepped back, the basketball was still in a dribbling state—that feeling was utterly wondrous. He knew what he could do; this was the first time since his transmigration he’d done it—first a lateral step-back dribble to create space, then a backward step-back to gather; the two moves connected as smoothly as velvet, and Ron Lewis could only lie on the ground in despair watching him shoot the three-pointer.
“Oh my God! What did we just see?!” Commentator Jim Nantz’s voice suddenly rose eight octaves, nearly cracking, “This isn’t a basketball move—it’s magic! Eli Xu just made the defender ‘disappear’!”
The entire Georgia Dome instantly erupted in madness. Front-row spectators stood up in unison, someone’s popcorn bucket slipped from their hand and flew out, golden popcorn kernels sprinkling through the air like celebratory confetti.
“This is impossible.” ESPN analyst Jay Bilas yanked off his headphones, “That step-back into a hanging dribble… did he do a second change of direction in the air?”
The replay on the big screen sent the crowd noise surging again. The slow-motion clearly showed: at the instant Lewis lunged, the basketball seemed stuck to his left hand, hovering for 0.5 seconds, then shooting like a slingshot beyond the three-point line. When the orange net rippled white, the still-prone Lewis had just propped up his upper body—this image would become the front-page headline for all sports media tomorrow.
Oden’s opening alley-oop dunk certainly gave the impression of “he’s already won,” but Xu Ling’s subsequent ankle-breaker into double step-back three-pointer response made everyone feel the absurdity.
Oh my God, basketball has been around for over a century—can someone really still pull off never-before-seen moves on the court?
Xu Ling’s response shot not only didn’t lose to Oden’s raw talent display, but far surpassed it in imagination.
What followed was a round of unrelenting offense and defense.
Oden aggressively called for the ball in the low post.
Just as Xu Ling and they had studied pre-game, although Oden’s body, sturdy unlike a freshman, was practically a “natural pick-and-roll saint,” like Howard, he had the frame but didn’t like pick-and-rolls and was obsessed with low post offense.
This way, even with Ohio State’s outside shooters, they couldn’t maximize Conley’s potential.
A point guard unqualified to initiate pick-and-roll plays is destined to be a ball mover on the court.
All TTU players approaching Oden would try to harass him, forcing him to pass the ball out.
Although they said in training to abandon the interior at game start and let them get exploded by Oden, when it came to actually playing, how could they really abandon the interior?
Moreover, the NCAA’s three-point line, as short as Ji Chunzhuo’s, naturally suits contracting defense. Outside defenders don’t need to fully abandon their man to disrupt interior offense.
Oden received passes back and forth, post-up play, passed out, finally creating a good opportunity for an outside teammate, but the rhythm of the passes also affects the shooter—this shot went completely astray.
But no matter, Oden leaped like a fierce tiger, grabbing the rebound tightly, about to power to the basket, but unexpectedly Xu Ling swatted the ball away like a ghost in the shadows. Oden, accustomed to playing high-to-low, never developed the habit of high-post play; this seemingly minor bad habit cost him for the first time tonight.
At the instant Xu Ling stole and spun, Ohio State’s guards were still outside the three-point line, not reacting.
The entire crowd only saw that red figure shoot toward the frontcourt like an arrow off the string, the Georgia Dome lights stretching a long shadow under his feet. One step inside the free-throw line, Xu Ling jumped off one foot, pulling the ball back behind his head like a fully drawn bowstring—and the chasing Oden could only watch his performance from close behind.
“Boom!”
Amid the rim’s violent shuddering boom, Xu Ling slid out of bounds upon landing. He turned just in time to meet the charging-back Oden, their chests nearly colliding.
“Know the difference between you and me?” Xu Ling’s voice was soft enough for only the opponent to hear, “You’re always waiting for the right opportunity, while I never miss one.”
Oden’s pupils contracted sharply, subconsciously using his right hand to remove the mouthpiece from his mouth: “Next time I’ll nail you to the backboard.”
“What your right hand can’t do, your left hand can’t either.”
“We’ll see!”
“Generational talent” is never a blessing, but shackles. It means you must be the brightest existence of an era, means countless eyes waiting to see you fall. History has long proven that most crowned with this name failed to reach the heights they once gazed at.
But the young don’t care about such things.
Youth is meant to be sharp-edged, the time to wear ambition on your face. So when Xu Ling and Oden’s gazes clashed in the Georgia Dome, this war had already begun.
No probing, no holding back, and of course not a shred of camaraderie.
