Basketball miracles

Chapter 23 [Youth is Wonderful]

After the match, major media outlets gave Xiao Tu extremely high praise.

Many experts believe that the Lakers might not have been able to defeat the Nuggets on the road if Xiao Tu hadn't grabbed so many rebounds. Some argue that Xiao Tu's tactical role was greater than Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's, who was considered too soft, lacking offensive variety, and primarily relying on low-post isolation plays.

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's ability to comfortably isolate and attack was also related to Xiao Tu's positioning outside the three-point line and high post, drawing the defense away from him. Previously, teams could double-team Abdul-Jabbar, but now doing so leaves Xiao Tu or Magic Johnson open.

The Lakers' triangle offense is a natural fit; Pat Riley doesn't need to make any special arrangements. The three of them simply like to create opportunities for each other on one side.

Xiao Tu became even more popular, surpassing Michael Jordan in popularity.

He's not just a hot topic; his dunks are more numerous and spectacular than Jordan's. Many fans dislike him, not because of his playing style, but because of his arrogant demeanor.

Xiao Tu's outstanding performance also had a negative impact: Magic Johnson was in a great mood and always wanted to celebrate. His celebrations often resulted in numerous scandals, including frequently changing female companions.

Riley couldn't do anything about Johnson; he'd said the same things many times, but Johnson just wouldn't listen.

With his exceptional talent, if he trains hard, he should be able to leave Larry Bird far behind, rather than be on par with him.

Magic Johnson's lack of self-discipline is a major reason why his skills have not improved. He has averaged less than 20 points per game for three consecutive seasons, and it is unlikely that he will reach that number this season.

The team returned to Los Angeles, and Riley did not schedule any training, giving the players a day off. The main purpose of training is for the players to get into shape, and if everyone is in good form, there's no need to train.

Johnson's poor shooting accuracy isn't a big deal. He's always been a player who prioritizes playmaking and knows how to adjust on the court.

On the playmaking front, Johnson has won the assist title for two consecutive seasons, delivering numerous no-look passes. This season, his assist total has reached a new career high and is likely to break the NBA single-season record.

Johnson's performance remains better than other point guards, so Riley can't be too harsh on him. Moreover, Riley believes that his increased passing will benefit Xiao Tu's development and the team's future.

Coaches at this time generally believed that point guards should pass the ball more and shoot less. Riley wanted to develop Xiao Tu into a super scorer to succeed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.

Xiao Tu and Harry from Snickers Company arranged a time to shoot an advertisement at the indoor court of Carlson High School.

This location was chosen to make it convenient for Xiao Tu to film; the school is not far from his apartment, and the plan is to finish filming within one day.

The next morning, Xiao Tu drove to school wearing a dark blue tracksuit, black sweatpants, and sneakers. When the photo was taken, he took off his outer jacket and sweatpants, revealing his tracksuit and shorts underneath.

Before his transmigration, Xiao Tu was just an ordinary person. This was his first time filming an advertisement, and he was quite excited about it. He really wanted to know what he would look like in the ad, and whether he would be even more handsome than when he appeared on screen playing basketball.

The resolution on TVs is too low now, so basketball games can't display his image well.

Many students heard that NBA stars were filming an advertisement today, so they gathered outside the arena to wait. They weren't allowed inside the arena; the advertisement didn't need that many people on camera.

In the United States, there are certain deals you can't take advantage of when making films and television shows. Even if students are willing to be audience members for free, directors won't dare to let them appear on screen. If someone later sues for violating their image rights, the production team will win without paying them.

As soon as Xiao Tu got out of the car, he immediately attracted everyone's attention, and some female students even screamed.

The fact that Los Angeles has no NFL teams and the MLB's Dodgers doesn't have any big-name stars gives the Lakers a unique status and unparalleled exposure in Los Angeles.

Locally, Xiao Tu is already a star, more famous than many Hollywood actors.

A blonde female employee from the advertising crew was waiting at the entrance. When she saw Xiao Tu, her eyes widened. She hesitated for a few seconds before going up to greet him and asking the students to make way for her into the stadium.

She felt that Xiao Tu didn't need makeup at all for shooting commercials; his face was practically glowing, and he was handsome from every angle.

He exudes masculinity with a touch of roguish charm, possessing a unique charisma. He also has a great physique, tall and strong, with particularly eye-catching long legs.

Without anyone else to compare him to, Xiao Tu looked more like a Hollywood star or a top supermodel than a basketball player. With someone standing next to him, he appeared too bulky; after all, he was 206cm tall and weighed 108kg with shoes on. Xiao Tu arrived just in time and asked with a smile, "Am I late? Has anyone else arrived?"

The female employee explained, "Only the female lead has arrived; the others haven't come yet. The people filming the commercial are from the school's basketball team. They'll have one more class, and then they'll gather to film. Before filming starts, the director will give you and the female lead some acting instructions."

As Xiao Tu entered the stadium, he saw a man and a woman chatting in the distance.

The middle-aged white man with shoulder-length blond hair and a big beard is the director, named John, and he looks like a fat Thor. Xiao Tu heard about him yesterday, and the woman next to him with long, straight black hair and wearing sportswear must be the female lead.

When this girl turned around, even Xiao Tu, a time traveler, was amazed. She had large eyes, as pure as morning dew, delicate features, a slightly chubby face, and an aura like a flower bud about to bloom.

Xiao Tu's initial amazement quickly turned to surprise, because he actually knew this girl. However, she hadn't fully matured yet; her face was chubby, unlike the cold and aloof woman he would become.

The girl was equally surprised to see Xiao Tu, and kept looking him up and down, perhaps because she had never seen such a tall person before.

She tilted her head back, her mouth slightly open, looking somewhat infatuated. She seemed to want to greet him, but after several attempts, she couldn't utter a single word.

Director John swallowed hard as he watched Xiao Tu, feeling utterly pathetic about his own appearance. He suddenly wanted to distance himself from Xiao Tu, so he wouldn't feel so inferior.

He glanced at the pretty young woman beside him and sighed softly.

During the Lakers' games, many female fans on the sidelines looked at Xiao Tu with this kind of gaze. It's unbelievable that underage girls would look at him like that.

Dude, your charm is just too much!

You're practically in jail.

Xiao Tu is only 18 years old, but John can't treat him like a child. Because Xiao Tu is already a recognized super-strong player in the NBA, with a mature appearance and demeanor. What kind of child is someone who can dominate the NBA with his physique?
John broke the silence first. "Let's get to know each other. This is Sebastian Shaw, a star player for the NBA's Lakers, and this 14-year-old actress is Jennifer Connelly."

"Hello, nice to meet you." Xiao Tu smiled, extended his right hand, and gently shook hands with Jennifer.

When discussing beautiful female celebrities from Europe and America, one name will undoubtedly be mentioned many times: Jennifer Connelly. She has not only been voted one of the most beautiful faces in the world twice, but has also been called a "heavenly beauty." Her face is simply a work of art, deeply loved by movie fans.

Her features are sharply defined, exuding the gentle beauty of an Eastern woman, and her figure is incredibly hot and alluring. She's like an angel who stepped out of a classical painting; every smile is captivating.

Of course, that's all for the future. Right now, Jennifer is a cute and silly girl with funny expressions. She's noticed that Xiao Tu's hands are much bigger than hers, and his fingers are incredibly long.

Xiao Tu has hands perfectly suited for playing basketball; he can grip the ball firmly with one hand, allowing him to better protect it.

Although the director specifically emphasized that Jennifer is 14 years old this year, Xiao Tu is not worried at all about turning into a "prison-type handsome guy" and can chat with Jennifer openly and naturally.

I'm only 18 years old, just four years older than Jennifer. We're practically the same age.

Even if I don't play basketball in the NBA, but just time-traveled and gained a younger body, I've still hit the jackpot.

Young is so good.

Jennifer started talking, looking up at Xiao Tu and exclaiming, "You're so tall... taller than I imagined. I've seen your basketball games."

She looks rather mature; at 14, she looks over 16, and she's over 1.6 meters tall. However, her voice is still very childlike, proving that she hasn't changed her age.

Xiao Tu laughed and said, "That's how it is for basketball players who play inside. Everyone is tall in the game, so it doesn't stand out. I actually really hope that my height is under 190cm."

He's traveled through time twice, and both times his height with shoes on was over two meters, which is a bit unusual. His height makes it easier for him to play basketball well, but in daily life, his average height is more comfortable.

(End of this chapter)