Chapter 94: Observing Giannis’s Style of Play

“Giannis is like a figure straight out of Greek mythology—this is simply unbelievable!”
At the Orlando Amway Arena, the commentator at the booth was gesticulating excitedly. “Man, I have every reason to believe that he might be the next LeBron James in the NBA!”
“Absolutely, I agree with you completely. This season, Giannis Antetokounmpo deserves our anticipation, and he might even surprise us with more than we expect!”
The sideline commentator lavished praise upon the Greek Freak. Indeed, the pace of his growth is terrifying. When he first entered the league, he was a first-round rookie nobody cared about, but each season he’s made a huge leap. Last season he broke into the public eye, and now he dominates the conversation for the small forward position in the league.
“Watch how Giannis plays, Michael.”
On the Orlando Magic’s bench, Head Coach Frank Vogel walked over to Wu Rui. “This kid is very similar to you. He used to lack any shooting ability, and even though he’s made remarkable progress now, he still has a long way to go.”
“But you know what? Even with an unstable shot, he averages 22 points this season.” Vogel paused, fixing his gaze on Wu Rui. “Do you want to know how he does it?”
“Unstable shooting, and still gets 22 points?” Wu Rui was startled by Vogel’s words.
If scoring despite shaky shooting is possible, then Wu Rui himself was a good example. He possessed extraordinary physical gifts, and just a few days earlier, relying on dunks and putbacks, he could barely contribute a few points.
But that was the limit; no team would allow a player to get a dozen putbacks per game, scoring double digits that way.
To score heavily, only exceptional shooting could pave that path.
“Coach Frank, I can’t figure out how he does it,” Wu Rui replied honestly. “Does he charge into the paint every possession? That’s way too exhausting—no one could sustain that for an entire game!”
“Congratulations, Michael, you already know what to do.” However, Coach Vogel nodded. “Young man, watch Giannis Antetokounmpo closely. This will be an entirely different learning experience.”
With that, Vogel’s expression changed, a hint of anger in his eyes as he turned to the Magic players on the floor, shouting loudly.
The team’s defense had held out for only three minutes before holes were punched through by the opponents. Now, even on offense, the players seemed distracted. The opening tactic of slowing the pace to stifle the opposition was collapsing instantly, and Vogel was deeply dissatisfied with his players’ performance.

Pressuring the players from the sidelines is what a head coach ought to do.
Wu Rui, meanwhile, was lost in thought, reflecting on Vogel’s words. It seemed his earlier comments were exactly what Vogel had wanted to say: that a player like Giannis, whose shooting was not refined, relied more on attacking the paint?
This scoring style reminded Wu Rui of a conversation he once overheard in his previous life while bedridden, spoken by a neighboring patient.
“LeBron James, someone who relies on his body, won’t have many years at his peak!”
“After he turns thirty, he’ll decline sharply. I’ll see how his fans keep praising him then!”
Those words, even as a die-hard Kobe fan, Wu Rui couldn’t fully agree with. How could a legendary star depend solely on physicality?
Even Shaquille O’Neal, who had once interviewed Wu Rui, possessed exquisite skills under the basket. Wu Rui had even seen a GIF of a young Shaq using a series of slick moves to shake off the GOAT during an All-Star game warm-up.
Sure enough, LeBron was now in his thirties, yet remained the league’s best player. Even if Wu Rui didn’t care for this champion of ‘brotherhood basketball’ and hometown pride, he had to admit the truth.
Moreover, LeBron had invested heavily in improving his shooting in recent years. Wu Rui’s first game after crossing over to this world, he watched from the bench as LeBron led the Cavaliers to trounce his own team, experiencing firsthand how much that skill mattered.
Now, would he finally witness a player who embodied his former ward’s philosophy?
Wu Rui still found it hard to believe: could someone really dominate a team’s defense solely with physicality?
“Swish!”
As Wu Rui’s thoughts raced, on the court, Giannis once again used his terrifying power to bulldoze Jeff Green into the paint, finishing with a layup and drawing a defensive foul from Green!
“Giannis scores again and earns a free throw! That’s Jeff Green’s second personal foul this game, and Frank Vogel’s expression is sour. Clearly, the Greek is leaving his opponents bewildered!”
On the sidelines, as Antetokounmpo high-fived his teammates in celebration, Vogel glanced at the clock, gestured toward the scorer’s table, and then returned to the bench, pointing at the players seated there.

“Aaron, Bismack, and… Michael.” After naming them, Vogel continued, “You’re up.”
“Stop Jabari Parker—that kid is as explosive as Giannis!” He patted Aaron Gordon’s shoulder. “But I believe you’re even better.”
“Protect the boards, Bismack—John Henson is no match for you!”
Sending Biyombo and Gordon onto the court, Vogel gave Wu Rui a meaningful look. He said nothing, only pursed his lips toward the Bucks’ Greek warrior waiting at the free throw line.
Wu Rui caught the hint immediately, giving Vogel a thumbs-up. “Leave it to me, Coach!”
“Beep!”
With the referee’s whistle, the Orlando Magic decisively made substitutions. The two interior stalwarts, Vucevic and Ibaka, were replaced by Biyombo and Aaron Gordon, and Jeff Green—carrying two fouls—was unsurprisingly substituted by Wu Rui!
“Coach Frank Vogel is making moves—Michael Wu is on the floor!”
Seeing the Magic adjust their lineup first, the commentator questioned, “But he’s changed the entire interior rotation, which means Michael will be matched up with Giannis?”
“And the Magic’s overall height has dropped significantly. Is Coach Frank looking to speed things up?”
“Incredible—playing a fast-paced game against the Bucks, a team full of athleticism, is a very unwise choice!” another commentator remarked in confusion. “Even with Aaron Gordon and Michael Wu, Jabari Parker and Giannis are far superior!”
“The Orlando Magic are digging their own grave!”