Chapter Twenty-Two: What Do You Have in Your Hands?

“What’s going on here?”

Just as he raised the ball, Michael Wu sensed something amiss—his hand, holding the ball, seemed much lower than usual. Having undergone tens of thousands of shooting drills, he immediately knew this wasn’t the optimal hand height Coach Vogel demanded, and his heart raced in confusion. He had painstakingly followed the posture he’d practiced for days, so why was this happening now?

“Michael, lift your hand higher.”

While Michael Wu was still worrying, Frank Vogel, sorting through paperwork, glanced over at him. “You’ve taken so many shots—how could you make such a rookie mistake?”

“Did you forget about the weight of the ball?” Vogel looked at Michael Wu’s bewildered face and was taken aback. “My goodness, you’ve always trained shooting without the ball, so the height was never an issue. But now, look at what’s in your hand!”

“That’s a basketball weighing six hundred grams!” Vogel couldn’t help but rub his forehead. “Michael, what should I even say to you?”

Seeing Michael Wu’s sudden realization, Frank Vogel didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. Wu’s athletic talent was explosive—something even a strict coach like Vogel had to admit. Yet with that clueless expression, Vogel worried that such a player would be mercilessly teased by the league’s crafty veterans.

“Coach, you don’t need to say anything—I understand everything now.”

Seeing Vogel’s expression, Michael Wu realized his glaring lack of understanding had left his head coach speechless. He simply buried himself in training, saying no more. He knew that any further words would only betray his intelligence.

With Vogel’s guidance, Michael Wu’s shooting drills with the ball went much smoother. The effects of his days of no-ball shooting practice began to show. He finished a thousand shots quickly, even adding two extra rounds until Coach Vogel called a halt.

Watching Wu, dripping with sweat and eager to continue, Vogel felt a quiet satisfaction. Perhaps in the next game, he could let this kid get a taste of the action. After all, real matches mean a great deal to a rookie.

Yet Vogel remained cautious—after all, the Magic’s next opponent was no pushover.

On November 6th, local time, at the Amway Center in Orlando, the Magic welcomed their third home game of the season. They had just emerged from a three-game losing streak, now riding a two-game winning streak!

The arena was abuzz as Magic fans chatted, all hoping their team would clinch a third consecutive home victory.

“Hey, man, you know what I’m most looking forward to today?”

In the stands, a fan in a Magic jersey shouted to his friend, “I want to see Michael Wu snatch a rebound right over Marcin Gortat’s head!”

Marcin Gortat, nicknamed the Polish Hammer, was once a quality big man for the Magic and Dwight Howard’s dedicated backup. Now, he returned as an opponent.

Naturally, Magic fans showed him no warmth.

“That’s right, my friend! Michael Wu is going to make Marcin regret being under our basket!”

Besides cheering for superstar performances, fans loved watching role players rise and inspire. The Magic lacked a superstar to carry Orlando’s basketball scene, but the fans hadn’t overlooked the rookie with breakout potential—Michael Wu!

Though Wu had played only twice so far, his brief appearances had made him memorable among Orlando fans. With no superstar to idolize, they pinned their hopes on this gifted newcomer.

“Wow, the passion in Orlando is still blazing—the Amway Center is packed to the rafters!”

As game time approached, the broadcast cameras shifted to the sideline, focusing on the two TNT commentators at the desk.

They weren’t members of TNT’s star commentary team; this game wasn’t big enough for the network’s top talent.

“Wilson, tonight the Orlando Magic host the Washington Wizards. The two teams are in completely different situations—who do you think has the edge?”

As the camera panned, Jerry Mead from TNT posed the question to his partner, Wilson Peto.

“I think the team from the capital will have a tough time winning on the road,” Peto replied confidently. “First, the Magic pulled off a double-digit comeback last game, and they’ve won two straight right here. Their momentum is unstoppable!”

“On the other hand, the Wizards arrive at the Amway Center carrying the weight of their last defeat. Plus, with starting point guard John Wall likely out due to recurring injuries, the odds are stacked against them. I believe the Magic will secure a long-awaited third consecutive win!”

Wilson Peto’s analysis was sound, echoing exactly what Coach Vogel was instilling in his players from the bench.

While today’s opponent was among the Eastern Conference’s strongest, the Magic’s roster was solid, though their record had been lackluster. This season’s Wizards weren’t as formidable as before.

Simply put, Vogel believed the Magic weren’t doomed to lose—in fact, they had a strong chance to win, riding the wave of two victories and facing a Wizards team missing their All-Star point guard, John Wall.

The game unfolded just as Vogel predicted. Without John Wall, the Wizards’ intensity dropped noticeably. Bradley Beal struggled to carry the offense alone, unable to match Orlando’s multi-pronged attack.

By halftime, the Magic had already built a double-digit lead, up 53 to 40—thirteen points ahead at home.

After the break, the Wizards still couldn’t turn things around. Coach Scott Brooks shook his head on the sidelines, feeling helpless—without Wall, even the best coach couldn’t work miracles.

With the Wizards powerless, the Magic grew even more comfortable. From the third quarter on, Coach Vogel sat confidently on the bench. Glancing at the clock, he signaled Michael Wu.

“Go warm up.”