Chapter 97: Stepping Stone

“Giannis, you need to calm down!”

Jason Kidd, the head coach of the Milwaukee Bucks, had been the brain of every team he played for during his career. His mind had always been razor-sharp, and now, as a coach, he saw the flow of the game even more clearly.

Wu Rui had been brilliant, but his flaws were obvious too. He was extremely inconsistent, which was why Vogel had kept him nailed to the bench, using him as the team’s sixth man or even seventh.

As long as the game remained deadlocked, Wu Rui had no chance of still being on the floor in the closing moments.

But clearly, something had gone wrong during this stretch of stalemate. The Bucks’ franchise star, Giannis Antetokounmpo, had been deeply affected by the explosively physical Wu Rui.

“The young man on the other side doesn’t have a centerpiece role like yours, so he’ll give everything he has to showcase himself and fight for more minutes,” Kidd said, trying to reassure his young cornerstone. “He’s not on your level. Don’t let him get to you.”

“Giannis, if you can be dragged down by a second-round rookie, then you’ll never beat LeBron James!”

With that, Kidd said no more. He knew the smart Greek would understand the simplest truth.

Wu Rui was nothing more than a stepping stone on Giannis Antetokounmpo’s road to challenging the league’s throne. Step over him, and everything would open up at once.

“Michael, keep it up!”

On the other side, on the Magic bench, Frank Vogel personally handed Wu Rui a towel.

After Wu Rui thanked him, Vogel went on, “But your shot is terrible. Get back the feel you had in the last game, and get those damn shots in for me!”

“Giannis Antetokounmpo over there has already played the entire first quarter. He won’t be out there to start the second. I need you to find your rhythm and give them a gift they won’t forget!”

Vogel clapped a heavy hand onto Wu Rui’s shoulder. “Can you do that?”

“Don’t worry, Coach Vogel. The first quarter was just my warm-up,” Wu Rui said, wiping the sweat from his face. “My real home court is always the second quarter!”

“Then I’m counting on you.”

Vogel smiled, and was just about to give the other players some instructions when Wu Rui continued, “But I have one request.”

“When Giannis goes back in, I want to stay on the court too,” Wu Rui said, looking firmly at his coach. “I want to cross that mountain myself!”

Seeing his player so determined, Vogel hesitated for a moment.

Truthfully, when the opposing team’s core ran into Wu Rui, it was like hitting a bottleneck. Jason Kidd would surely see Wu Rui as fuel for the growth of the Greek Freak. If Wu Rui kept matching up with Antetokounmpo for extended stretches, he might really end up helping the opponent develop, walking straight into their plan.

But Vogel still nodded at Wu Rui. Since they saw Wu Rui as fuel for their franchise cornerstone, why couldn’t the same be true in return?

That Greek monster, Giannis Antetokounmpo, was equally the perfect whetstone on Michael Wu’s road to growth.

“Beep!”

The whistle blew, and the second quarter between the Magic and the Bucks began.

For Orlando, the lineup kept Aaron Gordon and Bismack Biyombo in the frontcourt, while the backcourt featured the long-frozen Mario Hezonja and D.J. Augustin, with the small forward spot, as always, occupied by the unmovable Wu Rui.

For Milwaukee, just as Vogel had expected, Jabari Parker and Antetokounmpo were both left on the bench, and the Bucks went to their second unit.

“Michael Wu is still on the floor, and he’ll be facing the former prodigy, Michael Beasley!”

Michael Beasley, the second overall pick in the 2008 NBA Draft, had once been hailed as a peerless talent. Some fans had even compared him to Kevin Durant, proof enough that his gifts were extraordinary.

Regrettably, fate had been unkind. Beasley’s attitude had kept him from truly shining in the NBA.

Still, after his years of seasoning in China, the former chosen one was clearly no longer the same man.

Last season, Beasley had briefly played for the Houston Rockets, and in just 18 minutes a game, he had been highly efficient with 12.8 points and 4.8 rebounds. His strength was still there, and his danger had not diminished.

So this season, after arriving in Milwaukee, Kidd had entrusted him with an important role. The team’s second unit was his to lead.

“Hey, I know you. Your name’s Michael too.”

The moment Beasley matched up with Wu Rui, he was warm and friendly. “I used to play in your country too. Those were good memories.”

“I’m very grateful I spent some time there.”

Beasley clearly held fond feelings for his time in the CBA, and so he was quite friendly toward Wu Rui as well.

Friendly or not, physical contact on defense was still unavoidable. Beasley was worthy of being the second pick in that draft year; his tight on-ball pressure put enormous strain on Wu Rui.

But Wu Rui was not to be underestimated. If he couldn’t shake free by himself, he still had teammates to help him.

Biyombo came up to set the screen, and Wu Rui cut back around to the right side of the free-throw line. Player to ball, ball to player: Aaron Gordon was orchestrating from the high post, and the pass settled cleanly into Wu Rui’s hands.

Bend the knees, rise, release.

From his favorite spot, Wu Rui fired the most comfortable shot he could ask for. The ball kissed the back of the rim playfully before dropping through the net.

“32 to 25! The Magic open the second quarter with a basket, and it’s Michael Wu again. His hot hand from the last game may just keep on rolling!”

The commentator on the sideline spoke as he flipped open the stats sheet.

“Three for four from the field. Michael already has six points!”

On the floor, after hitting the shot, Wu Rui let out a sigh toward the late-arriving Beasley.

“Michael, your defense is really good,” he said, “but you’re not my target today.”

With that, Wu Rui shifted his gaze toward the Bucks bench, toward the giant who was staring right back at him.

“Your teammate is the main event today!”

On the sideline, Giannis Antetokounmpo gripped his towel tightly. Watching Wu Rui once again secure the defensive rebound, push the break, and then feed Hezonja for another easy two, he wished he could be on the floor right this instant and send the opponent crashing to the hardwood.

“Calm down, Giannis. You don’t think sitting on the bench is just so you can admire their baskets, do you?”

Seeing his prized pupil lose his composure like this, Kidd strode straight over to the Greek Freak, crouched beside him, and pointed toward Wu Rui running on the floor.

“Look at Michael Wu’s movements. Study every detail.”

“Remember this: every attack he makes on the court is with everything he’s got. Find his weakness, then crush him in one blow!” Kidd patted Antetokounmpo on the thigh. “That’s what you should be doing right now!”

A good stepping stone exists to be studied closely by the team’s leader, and then broken through.