Rekindling the dream of becoming a star

Chapter 406 The Future Belongs to Them!

American basketball is indeed different from basketball in other parts of the world.

In American high schools, positional play is rarely seen. Both coaches demand that players speed up the game and play more 1v1 situations. Teammates also rarely help defend, and individual heroism is highly valued – the belief that "superstars decide the game".

This mainstream perception has produced a large number of top forwards and guards. In countries where people are generally tall, 190-200 cm is the norm. Combined with dietary habits, this has allowed American basketball to exist in the world basketball arena in a behemoth form.

The key to watching American high schools has always been their transition offense and defense, and judging their quality by the players' creativity.

This is the essence of American basketball: using this style of play to select players.

If you want to play, you must have basic ball control skills; if you want to become a starter, you must be able to score while controlling the ball.

In this way, players play from the age of seven or eight until they are seventeen or eighteen, using ten years to select players with strong athleticism, quick reflexes, courage to engage in physical contact and make moves, and exceptional talent. These players are then sent to the NCAA to receive technical and tactical training, and the best among them participate in the draft to become NBA players.

The core development model in American basketball is to leave room for improvement.

To be precise, it refers to whether or not decisions can be made under operational control, and whether points can be scored through continuous decision-making; this is called "movement blank space".

What is decision-making?

It's even simpler: how to pass the ball, who to pass it to, which direction to break through, how to break through, whether to go for a layup or a jump shot—these are all decisions. When you have possession of the ball, every action you take is called a decision.

When a decision is made multiple times, it is called leaving room for error.

Scouts observe whether your movement is characterized by excellent spacing, unexpectedness, imagination, and aggression.

This unique observation method ensures that it is difficult to miss true talents in basketball. Most of the current NBA domestic players are already household names and well-known stars in their local areas when they are 15 or 16 years old.

Today, many college scouts are here. Their job is to scout American high schools. Due to financial constraints, most of them are local. Good college scouts will even travel across continents to observe players on their rosters.

The main focus of observation is on the two five-star high school students from Sierra Canyon, and incidentally, we'll also take a look at Genos Zoe, the four-star point guard from St. John Bosco High School.

At the start of the game, Sierra Canyon High School gained possession of the ball first. Brownie, playing point guard, immediately dribbled the ball across half-court and, without much hesitation, drove straight to the basket against Genos Zoe of St. John Bosco High School.

At only 183cm tall, Bronny's speed and ball control are not yet outstanding. When he gets past his opponent, he loses control of the ball due to the contact, and he clearly slips out of his hand when he goes for a layup.

The ball didn't even touch the rim, and St. John Bosque High School won.

The stands were noisy, with some people sighing, seemingly lamenting the defeat.

The pace is very fast; the players are constantly running, not walking.

The ball quickly reached Sierra Canyon High School's half of the court.

Chen Fang focused his attention on Zeng Fanbo. He initially went to the middle, and then, depending on the position of the ball handler, quietly moved to the short corner on the same side, positioning himself as a power forward.

Genos Zoe ignored him, mentally determined to retaliate against Bronny who had just broken through his defense. With a step-back crossover and a crossover dribble, he got past Bronny.

He drove in, and two players from Sierra Canyon High School came to help, but Genos Zoe was quick and put the ball into the basket.

2:0.

St. John Boske High School took the lead.

This play exposed that Bronny's lateral movement is relatively slow. Genos is 190cm tall, so theoretically Bronny's lateral movement should be faster, but he seemed powerless against Genos's breakthrough.

James clapped his hands in frustration on his chair, muttering something under his breath.

The baseline balls from American high schools are always served very quickly, giving the feeling of racing against time. Just as one side scores, in the blink of an eye, Brandon from Sierra Canyon High School has already dribbled the ball across half-court, and facing the defender in front, he pushes the ball and changes direction to get past him.

He strode across the three-point line, completely disregarding the two guards protecting the rim, and took to the air.

Don't underestimate the tenacity of American high school players; they'll seize every opportunity to shine, using explosive dunks to gain more cheers and exposure.

Unfortunately, Brandon ran into Zeng Fanbo, who is even more fearless on the court. Standing at 197cm, Brandon was blocked head-on by Zeng Fanbo and sent flying to the floor.

"OMG, oh ho! Wow, that was a brutal block!" the DJ at the scene shouted.

The players from St. John Bosco High School immediately gave Zeng Fanbo a passionate hug and shoves to express their excitement.

"That's really brave!" Butler exclaimed.

Chen Fang didn't say anything. Zeng Fanbo was just like that; he was missing a screw that feared death.

His probability of getting injured is higher than others, but his probability of success is also higher than others.

American high school classes are 10 minutes long, short, and fast-paced.

Both of them were like people who hadn't eaten for three days, and when they got to the table, they wolfed down their food.

As long as the referee's whistle didn't stop, the boys on both sides never stopped. Sierra Canyon's advantage gradually became apparent. After all, with two five-star high school students on their side, the game here was all about offense and defense, giving them a greater advantage.

Fortunately, Zeng Fanbo has the strongest defensive attitude on the court. He focuses most of his energy on defense and doesn't have many opportunities to gain possession of the ball in attack.

After the first quarter, St. John Bosque High School trailed by 5 points, 16-21.

Chen Fang got up and walked to the St. John Bosco High School bench. When he arrived, many people spontaneously stood up.

"You played very well, but I didn't come here today to watch you show off your defense." Chen Fang's voice was loud; he wanted everyone to understand his purpose for being there.

"Go on the attack! Today is a big day, don't let me down!" Chen Fang patted Zeng Fanbo on the shoulder and then glanced at the coach of St. John Bosco High School.

Chen Fang smiled politely and nodded to him, and the latter quickly responded.

Sure enough, things changed in the second quarter at St. John Bosco High School. Zeng Fanbo received more passes, and his offensive talent gradually emerged.

That was the most exciting play.

The point guard at the top of the key broke through, drove to the free-throw line, and passed the ball to Zeng Fanbo, who was moving up from the short corner.

This was an excellent drive and pass, a handoff that completely drew the attention of the defender protecting the rim. But Zeng Fanbo's next move surprised Chen Fang so much that he jumped up from his chair.

Upon receiving the ball, do not dribble; instead, take a large step forward and jump.

In mid-air, Zeng Fanbo perfectly displayed his upright posture, swinging the basketball from his waist and slamming it into the basket with a windmill dunk using his left hand.

"Thank you for the generous gift!" Butler shouted, and the two jumped up almost at the same time. Chen Fang was slightly more reserved, while Butler was no different from the fans next to him, shouting wildly and gesticulating wildly.

The two high-fived in celebration, and Butler said to Chen Fang, "Imaginative performance, I must admit, this kid has talent!"

With this basket, St. John Bosque High School's momentum surged, and Zeng Fanbo became the team's offensive core. His three-pointers, his breakthroughs, and his help defense gradually made him the most dazzling player on the court.

Bronny has disappeared from the court. In principle, at 16 years old, he should not be able to compete against players two age groups higher. It is only because he is James' son that the coach will give him some playing opportunities under various considerations.

But as long as the score remains close, even if it's the emperor's son, the coach has to consider the others.

Chen Fang harbored no ill will toward Bronny; on the contrary, he admired the boy. Despite his father's fame, Bronny was humble in every way, had a great attitude on the court, and was one of the few players in Sierra Canyon who was willing to defend him.

That alone is enough.

Wade's son, Zaire, as a substitute, actually got more playing time, and his performance was commendable. However, compared to the two star players on the team, he didn't have many touches of the ball, so his contribution to the team was just so-so.

This match may seem like a performance by second-generation players, but in essence it is still a contest between high-level players from both sides.

Zeng Fanbo is a newly minted four-star player, as is his African-American teammate Genos Zoe, who is also a four-star guard.

So what James needs to do now is to rate his son's star rating, the higher the better.

The key criterion for star rating is competing against opponents with star ratings; the better you perform, the easier it is to get a star rating.

This is the underlying logic behind going to Sierra Canyon: only teams like this have a better chance of facing strong opponents.

College scouts only recognize this.

A four-star versus a five-star game is a close call.

At halftime, Sierra Canyon led by 2 points, 41-39.

The game lacked any real tactics or strategy; it was all about transitions and semi-transitions in attack. While it was exciting, it was essentially a quick, fast-paced affair.

Zeng Fanbo's annoyance with Bronny faded as Bronny rarely played, and Chen Fang spent more time chatting with Butler.

Butler will talk about how he played basketball in high school, how no one paid attention to him, and his determination to prove himself. Chen Fang will also talk about how, back in Chaminard, he specifically paid a high school agent to promote him in order to increase his exposure.

"Really? What happened next?"

“I fired him. He took money from both sides without doing any work, and he even made me humiliated by UCLA.”

Butler nodded in agreement: "It's a terrible thing. There are too many guys who want to leech off us. After I became famous, I suddenly had a lot of friends."

“Yes, money is God!” Chen Fang made a gesture of counting banknotes, which made Butler laugh out loud.

The second half began amidst casual conversation.

There's no change; both sides are evenly matched, and the competition is more about their current competitive state.

However, Zeng Fanbo began to receive more attention, and Brandon consciously increased the intensity on him, which exposed Zeng Fanbo's shortcomings in basketball IQ.

They repeatedly opted for head-on confrontations, resulting in one win, but were countered twice by Sierra Canyon, losing 4 points in total and further widening the gap.

Chen Fang shook his head. Some things are just like that. If you're too rigid, you won't be able to bend. If you have a strong personality, you'll have less flexibility in your mind.

The excitement and fervor during a match can exacerbate this behavior.

Zeng Fanbo was substituted after his layup was blocked, and Sierra Canyon took advantage of the momentum to bring on Bronny, who then hit two or three-pointers and became the star of the court.

James celebrated in a very exaggerated way, walking around extensively and even high-fiving passersby.

Chen Fang wasn't being sentimental; his son scoring points made the father happy—it's perfectly normal.

After three quarters, St. John Boske High School trailed by 7 points, 53-60.

The situation was already unfavorable, but Chen Fang remained calm. However, James's side started to put on a show more frequently, adding a dance routine to every offensive and defensive play in Sierra Canyon.

Butler watched the whole thing unfold, then chuckled and asked, "I wonder what his expression will be five days from now."

“Anyway, it definitely won’t be as happy as it is now!” Chen Fang replied.

The two had long harbored a mutual dislike for James. Butler is a demanding person when it comes to the game; he dislikes lazy or unscrupulous behavior on the court, so it was destined that he wouldn't give James a friendly look.

Chen Fang is actually quite neutral; he won't confront James unless James makes him dislike him.

But the conflict last season completely tore off relations. Chen Fang wasn't one to back down, so since things had come to this, he decided to make things simple and have a real fight.

Moreover, there can only be one winner in Los Angeles. The Lakers have been dominating the Clippers for so long, so it's impossible for Chen Fang to get along with James.

Three minutes into the fourth quarter, Zeng Fanbo returned to the court. This time, he remained calm and played more rationally.

Chen Fang nodded slightly. Players need to have the ability to adjust themselves. This is very important. A player who doesn't have this skill is destined to be useless.

He cuts into the paint, receives the ball, and jumps without any extra movements, searching for the basket in mid-air before finally releasing the shot.

This backward-leaning, graceful movement, especially considering it was done with a left hand, seemed outrageous. When the ball went in, the entire stadium gasped in surprise.

Zeng Fanbo, who fell to the ground and landed on the floor, got up on his own and tried his best to defend. His attitude was excellent.

The game continued, and Sierra Canyon continued to score steadily under the leadership of the two five-star high school students. However, in Chen Fang's eyes, the two did not distribute the ball skillfully, which showed that the coach's level was just so-so.

It's nothing like the Red Devils duo he formed with Tatum back then, where sharing the ball meant they could also help others.

The score was neck and neck, but the turning point came in the last three minutes. Sierra Canyon was still leading by five points when Zeng Fanbo hit a three-pointer to close the gap to two.

Then Genos Zoe broke through and scored a 2+1.

After making the free throw, St. John Bosque High School took the lead against Sierra Canyon for the second time this game.

The situation suddenly became tense, with supporters from both sides chanting. For some reason, Bronny remained on the court; his serious defensive attitude seemed to be the reason he stayed.

Zeng Fanbo missed his shot, and Sierra Canyon launched a fast break. Bronny dribbled and sprinted forward, but Zeng Fanbo, eager to recover, used a blocking move to extinguish the fast break.

James was furious. He saw his son fly out of the air and immediately rushed onto the court, yelling at the referee, "That was an unsportsmanlike foul. Damn it, you have to do something."

After committing the foul, Zeng Fanbo walked away alone, but the direction he avoided was somewhat close to James. So James yelled at him, "Are you an executioner, you little Chinese brat!"

Zeng Fanbo never expected that he would be yelled at by James one day. He looked around blankly, and after confirming that it was really him, his momentum immediately dropped.

To be honest, there are plenty of trash talkers who can be even harsher than this. James managed to control his temper, but Chen Fang became unhappy.

How many times have you sabotaged things in the NBA, always pretending to be innocent, and today you even yelled at my underlings in front of me.

But as a father, James's behavior was understandable, so Chen Fang simply stood up and looked coldly at James across the court.

The two stared at each other for a good five or six seconds before Wade, quick-witted, tugged at James, who then sat down.

Butler chuckled as he watched Chen Fang sit back down and asked, "I thought you were going to rush over and start a fight."

“He can’t beat me, whether on the court or in the ring!” Chen Fang replied.

This little incident attracted a lot of attention. The confrontation had already been recorded. It's human nature to watch a show, and now the audience understands that both sides have powerful backers.

Ultimately, Zeng Fanbo was called for a second foul, and Sierra Canyon was awarded two free throws and possession.

Bronny made one of two free throws, tying the game.

The suspense began, and even Chen Fang became emotional, hoping to win.

Unfortunately, Zhaire Williams, who had been keeping a low profile, suddenly made two strong drives to the basket, giving Sierra Canyon a lead.

Zeng Fanbo's desperate shot missed, sealing St. John Bosco High School's defeat in this game.

When the final whistle blew, Sierra Canyon supporters cheered wildly, and James even came onto the court to celebrate his son's victory.

He then looked at Chen Fang, his eyes full of provocation.

Chen Fang clapped calmly, then walked to the court with an expression of composure to comfort Zeng Fanbo, who was squatting there with his head in his hands.

He pulled him up, not caring that James was just a short distance away, and said to Zeng Fanbo in English, "The benefits of losing a game far outweigh those of winning one."

"Remembering your mistakes is a valuable asset."

Zeng Fanbo's eyes were red, and he said with great guilt, "I failed, I'm so sorry."

"It's nothing." Chen Fang put his arm around Zeng Fanbo and led him to the St. John Bosco High School bench.

"Go and share the burden of this defeat with your teammates. After you've calmed down, call me, and we'll have a casual dinner together tonight."

At 8 p.m., Chen Fang posted a photo on his rarely updated Twitter account, a picture of him and Zeng Fanbo.

It was written in both English and Chinese: Next stop, Heavenly King!

Domestic media quickly reprinted the story and began trying to find out who the boy beside Prince Chen was.

Subsequently, a large amount of information about Zeng Fanbo began to be disclosed, and Chinese fans suddenly realized that there was a 17-year-old talented boy who was about to touch the edge of the NBA.

This was also the first time Zeng Fanbo came into the view of Chinese fans, especially the next day when Chen Fang posted a 25-minute training video on his domestic social media account, in which three teenagers were training with him.

The basketball skills and talent displayed by the boys in the video are even more exciting for fans.

The most exciting part is naturally saved for the end of the video.

Chen Fang introduced the three men to the fans in front of the camera.

"Remember their names: Zeng Fanbo, Cui Yongxi, Wang Junjie."

"Within five years, their names will be as well-known as mine."

"The future belongs to them!"

"In the near future, we will fight side by side to win every honor we can for our country. I can assure you, that day will come!"

(End of this chapter)