Chapter Thirty-Six: The NBA Today

Dwyane Wade, a basketball prodigy raised in Chicago, had once sat before the television and witnessed the greatest player in NBA history win six championships for his hometown team. Now, above his head, the six championship banners hung proudly in the arena. Wade, just finished with a game, was in excellent spirits.

“We’re just a matter of time,” Wade emphasized as he began his post-game interview. “Everyone’s getting way too anxious. Me, Jimmy, and Rajon—how many games have we played together? Seven?”

“The season is long, but we have absolutely no worries about our chemistry. Rajon and I both have plenty of experience with team integration.”

Wade smiled into the camera. Indeed, he had joined forces in Miami with LeBron James and Chris Bosh, forming a super trio and enduring the growing pains of their early days together. Rajon Rondo needed no introduction either; he had once fought alongside Ray Allen, Paul Pierce, and Kevin Garnett. For him, playing with a roster full of stars was never a problem.

“So, Dwyane, does this game carry any special significance for you all?” The interviewer, seeing Wade deftly answer the previous question, naturally followed up.

“Special significance? Of course. Every victory holds special meaning for us.” Wade’s smile lingered, but a sudden thought lit up his features. “I can’t speak for my teammates, but for me, tonight’s game does have a special meaning.”

Wade turned to the camera. “Michael Wu, find yourself a new idol. I think Dwyane Wade is pretty good.”

“Pfft!”

In front of the television, Wu Rui couldn’t help but spit out his water upon seeing Wade’s post-game interview.

“What kind of move is that?” Wu Rui wiped the water from his mouth, watching Wade grinning ear to ear on the screen. “Wade recommends me a new idol—and it’s himself!”

“How narcissistic do you have to be to pull something like this?”

Helplessly, Wu Rui took another sip, recalling the game that had just ended. He’d played a little over four minutes, grabbed three rebounds, dished out one assist, and snagged a steal. It looked decent, but in scoring, his lone shot had clanked off the rim. With the team trailing, he couldn’t help them close the gap. That sense of powerlessness still lingered, making him uncomfortable.

“Tomorrow, I’ll make sure to get to the gym early!”

Thinking of Coach Vogel’s questions and his own confusion, Wu Rui clenched his fists, gulped down some water, and turned to ESPN’s recap of the day’s games.

The NBA had seen multiple matchups today. In the Rockets vs. Wizards game, James Harden, once one of the Thunder’s famed trio, racked up 32 points and 15 assists, leading his team past the Wizards, who had three players scoring over twenty, and pushing their win percentage above fifty.

Another game, featuring Kevin Durant’s new team, drew fans’ attention as well. The Golden State Warriors, heartbroken after losing the championship last season, had become even more formidable after Durant’s arrival—four wins and two losses, firmly among the Western Conference leaders.

Against the New Orleans Pelicans today, they gave their opponents no breathing room. Durant efficiently tallied 22 points, Klay Thompson added 23, but those alone weren’t enough to overcome Anthony Davis, who posted a dominant 33 points and 13 rebounds.

Stephen Curry, two-time MVP and the league’s hottest superstar, delivered his best performance of the season at Oracle Arena: 16-for-26 shooting, 46 points, five assists, and five rebounds!

Curry’s display left Wu Rui, watching from home, utterly stunned. He still vaguely remembered, in his previous life, the historic 73-win Warriors team that had achieved miracles thanks to this extraordinary talent.

Naturally, Curry’s performance was awarded ESPN’s Play of the Day.

But today’s NBA was destined to be extraordinary, for the Oklahoma City Thunder had won again!

With a 97–85 home victory over the Miami Heat, the Thunder claimed their second consecutive win, standing at six wins and one loss, leading the Western Conference. Their leader, Russell Westbrook, was averaging 30.9 points, 9.9 assists, and 8.8 rebounds over the first seven games!

Perhaps the averages alone couldn’t tell the full story, but in these first seven games, Westbrook had already notched two triple-doubles—including a 50-point triple-double in the second game of the season, captivating fans everywhere.

Without Kevin Durant, Oklahoma City Thunder now led the West, and Westbrook was the heart and soul of their success!

“Damn! Damn! Damn!”

Watching ESPN’s special feature on Westbrook, seeing the highlights of this unstoppable force soaring and dominating, Wu Rui couldn’t help but exclaim, mesmerized by it all.

Indeed, Coach Donovan had entrusted Westbrook with total control—scoring, playmaking, rebounding, all his responsibility. It was a truly all-encompassing style.

With Westbrook’s bold and aggressive approach, the highlight reel left Wu Rui’s blood boiling.

But it wasn’t the explosive stats or Westbrook’s style that fascinated him. Wu Rui was imagining himself in Westbrook’s place, wondering: if one day he possessed such energy, how many victories could he bring his team?

And to achieve that, what must he sacrifice?

Wu Rui didn’t know the answer, but he knew that mere daydreaming would never make it happen. So, after finishing ESPN’s NBA segment, he washed up and went to bed early. The next morning, he arrived at the Magic’s training facility, starting his ball-handling drills.

Ever since Coach Vogel had corrected Wu Rui’s shooting mindset on the court, Wu Rui realized it wasn’t the game ball’s weight at fault, but his own deep-seated fear of shooting. The root cause was a lack of confidence. If he practiced enough and made scoring a reflex, stepping onto the court would be a completely different experience.

Lost in thought, Wu Rui continued his shooting practice, and before he knew it, he had wandered onto the court proper. Suddenly aware, he found himself standing just a step in front of the free-throw line, facing the towering rim.