Chapter 7: The Rebel Takes The Stage
Sam Houston State University’s lead was just like a gust of wind.
Taking advantage of TTU’s chaotic opening rhythm to build a big lead and lock in the victory with it was their only opportunity. They did manage to turn the situation into an ideal state for a while, but as the on-site commentator said: “Red Raiders’ No. 1 Eli Xu interrupted the Bears’ momentum!”
The other commentator said: “This international player from the East doesn’t seem intimidated at all. Honestly, he reminds me of freshman Julius Jackson!”
For TTU, whose recruiting appeal has long faded, scouting freshmen and sophomores was the main goal of the season before the Big 12 league championship began. Xu Ling’s outstanding performance in his debut gave people an extremely special feeling. Just looking at the combination of his talent and technique, it’s easy to think of his future—maybe the NBA?
Knight also saw Xu Ling’s potential from these few minutes of live action. However, he didn’t like this freshman’s personality a bit. Not just because this rookie’s self-esteem was too strong, nor only because he dared to publicly challenge his authority, but more because of the opponent’s arrogant attitude, focusing solely on himself and his opponent.
Is this habit bad? It absolutely cannot be called bad. Focus on the court is an important factor in evaluating a player. But Knight hoped Xu Ling would show more ability to control the game. A great star player should control the game like controlling the ball, just like how he had just brought the on-site atmosphere to a climax, the crowd cheered, and with just a slight response, he could take the atmosphere to new heights.
In the end, he just trash-talked the opponent and ignored the on-site audience.
Thinking of how this kid dared to bring up Larry Bird yesterday—this ignorant brat, what does he know?—Knight got angrier the more he thought about it, turned around, fixed his gaze on Xu Ling, wanting to pick on him, but found that this bastard had just played too well, practically flawless.
“We can say we hadn’t found our rhythm at the start, but you’ve already responded to the opponent with your performance. From now on, if the rhythm falls back into their hands again, someone is going to be in big trouble!”
Knight dropped the threatening words, and the timeout ended.
The Bears hoped TTU’s No. 1 would lose rhythm after the timeout. They were thinking too wishfully. This was Xu Ling’s first official game after transmigrating, and before this, he had trained bitterly for months, finally convincing the coaching staff that he could play guard-forward. Now he had to prove himself in the game.
Moreover, because in his previous life he had long been at the lower end of the talent level on the court, he was actually more accustomed to playing from behind. He grew up in an environment of “What if the opponent is taller than me? Faster than me? Jumps higher? What if the opponent’s static and dynamic talents crush me?” Now he suddenly transformed into a player always at the upper end of the talent pool. Within TTU, no one was his opponent except captain Jackson.
And in his first NCAA game, the Sam Houston State University Bears also failed to apply pressure. The Bears’ captain Ryan Bright went cold after he came on the court.
After the timeout, Xu Ling made more contributions on defense. He stole, helped on blocks, with his entire focus on defense. And his teammates, Martin Zeno returning to the court, began showing the strength of the team’s No. 2 scorer, while freshman guard Charlie Burgess, who came on with Xu Ling, left a good impression on fans with his speed.
The game took on a crushing momentum. TTU assistant coach Chris Beard（Chris Beard） had this to say: “Eli’s immediate combat power might be stronger than J.J.’s back then.”
And on-site, ESPN reporter Ryan Jones was bored recording this lopsided buyout game. TTU was no longer a focal point for ESPN, and not without reason. But at this moment, the pen in the reporter’s hand stopped, his gaze firmly drawn to that Chinese freshman wearing the No. 1 jersey.
Not long after the second half started, the game had already lost all suspense. With scouting players as the main purpose, Knight didn’t let Xu Ling play much more. Finally, Xu Ling came off 13 minutes before the end, playing 21 minutes total, with 16 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists, 4 steals, and 3 blocks.
Looking at the stats sheet filled with numbers across the board, and recalling the figure on the court—listed height 201 cm（wearing shoes）, astonishing wingspan, excellent speed and jumping, exquisite technique—Ryan Jones heavily circled the name “Eli Xu” in his notebook.
“A diamond in the rough,” he thought, “especially on a team like TTU that’s long been away from the spotlight.”
TTU was not a focal point for ESPN because Knight as a recruiter no longer had appeal.
Why? Because Knight still followed the old-school approach.
He always prioritized communicating with players’ parents over the players themselves, and the strongest commitment he could give parents was: On my team, he can play poorly, but he absolutely won’t drop out!
Knight had always prided himself on his players’ graduation rates far exceeding the average.
Twenty years ago, this might have been an indicator parents valued highly.
But now, parents, especially single parents who worked three jobs to raise their kids just waiting for the little one to enter the NBA and strike it rich, had only one thought: Academics? What the hell???
If not for the NBA age limit, LeBron James would have entered the draft at 16.
Which person with a normal IQ would turn down an NBA million-dollar salary to work for free for NCAA for so-called pure basketball, living miserably while being brainwashed by the college athletics department: “Players not earning money from playing is the charm of college basketball!”
Over the past six years, most high school geniuses haven’t entered NCAA to play.
Every kid going straight from high school to the NBA draft dreams of being “the next Kobe/McGrady/Garnett.”
Unfortunately, the outcomes aren’t ideal. Though there are freaks like James, who at 18 had a 38-year-old’s face but 48-year-old mental maturity, most are like Kwame Brown, Eddie Curry, Darius Miles—talent not matching ambition, mental maturity far from adult standards, total man-babies.
So, labor and management together ended the era of high schoolers entering the NBA draft this year.
Otherwise, college basketball fans would never see once-in-a-decade generational talents like Oden and Durant playing NCAA.
Knight didn’t want Xu Ling to gain massive attention too early, because fame corrupts a person, no matter how pure they once were. Plus, he had a selfish motive. He hoped to coach Xu Ling for four years.
Since coming to TTU, he hadn’t felt excited about any player under him for a long time. One big regret in his life was failing to stop Bird from wanting to leave due to not adapting to Indiana University’s atmosphere. If he had cared more for his players back then, what followed could absolutely have been avoided. Unfortunately, a miss is a miss.
Years later, heaven gave him a second chance. Years after, he recruited Indiana University’s greatest player in school history—Isiah Thomas. Their relationship was intriguingly complex, with love and hate equally intense. Years later, Thomas summed it up perfectly: “Sometimes I really want to shoot him, but sometimes I want to hug him and tell him I love him.”
Thomas led the team to the national championship in his sophomore year, already mature enough with no reason to keep playing college basketball. So he became the first player under Knight to leave the team for the NBA draft without finishing four years. Years later, Knight realized how rare it was to coach a player like Thomas.
Now, he saw another one. As rebellious as Thomas and Bird, and so full of talent.
In Knight’s mind, Xu Ling’s debut was perfect. But in the locker room, he still sternly scolded: “Eli, don’t think blowing out a weak Southland Conference team makes you a big deal. Remember, true champions never get complacent over a victory of this level!”
Xu Ling couldn’t help rolling his eyes. What’s with this old man? Won’t let you be happy when you win, who knows how he’ll bark if you lose.
“What’s that look?!” Knight got annoyed.
Xu Ling replied with his signature deadpan humor: “The expression of digesting your words.”
The team burst into laughter, lightening the locker room atmosphere considerably.
Days later, TTU beat another weak team from a small conference, then the whole team flew to Oakland, California, for the Pete Newell Invitational. This was the most important game before the Big 12 league championship began.
Thanks to reader 20191217210839391 for the 10,000 reward, and also to readers 20180915143254434, Little Bear Shrugging 7777777, Fading Tears, and Graceful Dancer Qianqian for their rewards.
