Basketball Terminal

Chapter 10 Luck
The criteria for selecting players for basketball teams are often not fixed, but they generally involve assessing a player's physical fitness, technical and tactical skills, and teamwork ability.

Many people came to Nassau Arena for the Long Island Nets tryouts. Brett randomly divided everyone into six groups of six to seven people each, asking them to form teams on the spot for a ten-minute scrimmage. The winning team would advance to the next round of testing. According to this rule, half of the participants would be eliminated after 30 minutes.

Some people expressed their dissatisfaction, saying, "What if we're matched with teammates who aren't good enough?"

Brett said, "That just means you were unlucky. Luck is one of the selection criteria. Besides, it's not certain who isn't capable."

A burst of laughter erupted. Everyone present was a top player on the court, possessing real skill. Given that no one knew each other well, if there was one player no one wanted to be grouped with, 62-year-old Kelvin Davis was definitely one of them, along with the only Asian player, Li Wei. Coincidentally, these two universally acknowledged "bottom-of-the-class" players were placed in the same group.

During the pre-match preparation phase, each of the six groups gathered together to discuss their strategies for the upcoming match.

“It’s nice to see you again, young man. I heard what you just said—confidence is the most precious quality a person can have. Well said.” Davis said, pulling a pair of thick-lensed resin glasses from his pocket and putting them on his nose. Levi asked in surprise, “These…are these your sports glasses?” Davis replied, “Oh, no, they’re my reading glasses.”

Some of the players grouped with the two rolled their eyes, while others sighed deeply. In their minds, being grouped with these two bottom-of-the-barrel players meant certain doom. But Li Wei said, "Fools, being grouped with us is your luck. We'll definitely pass this round of testing, provided you listen to me."

"Don't joke around, with the two of you, we can't beat any of us," someone said.

"So you guys are fools. Do you really think the standard for advancement is winning or losing? Whoever thinks that way will be eliminated first."

In his previous life, Li Wei had participated in numerous selection trials in lower-level leagues, so he was acutely aware of the coaches' selection criteria. Coaches favored players with strong tactical execution, tenacious defense, strict discipline, and solid fundamentals. These players were willing to do the dirty work, were diligent in the locker room, and wouldn't be a source of instability. Simply put, coaches preferred team-oriented players, while those who excelled at scoring and enjoyed individual displays were often eliminated early on.

Does the team not need exceptionally talented attackers? Of course not. It's just that such players are already in the squad. To find these players, they wouldn't go through group trials, but rather individual trials and negotiations. These large-scale selection trials are for supplementary workhorses; after all, who buys premium steak from a discount supermarket?
Uncle Davis nodded in agreement with Levi; at 62, he was far more experienced. Back in 2007, before he got so old, he participated in a tryout for the ABA (Australian minor league founded in 1999) Atlanta Vision and made the cut, becoming the oldest rookie in history at 47. His invitation to the Long Island Nets was merely a formality; he clearly understood the intricacies of the process.

"Focus on plays, play good defense, and teamwork. Even though we haven't played together, basketball is all about dribbling, passing, and shooting. Pass more, dribble less, shoot less; it'll leave a good impression on the coaching staff. Also, don't argue, complain, or get frustrated. The coaches will notice these things; they're all part of the evaluation." Sure enough, having an experienced coach is invaluable. The kind-faced Kelvin Davis imparted his test-taking experience to the younger players. The teammates who had just been sighing and lamenting began to get excited. When discussing who should start out of the six players, Li Wei volunteered to come off the bench, resolving the biggest conflict within the group. Meanwhile, some players in other groups were already arguing about who should start, all of which was observed by the Long Island Nets coaching staff, led by Brett, who silently marked them wrong in their notebooks.

After a 15-minute group warm-up, a 10-minute scrimmage began, and Li Wei's group was placed in the second round. One of the two teams that played in the first round was still arguing about their starting lineup until the match started. They had no idea that their entire team was already doomed; whether they played or not was irrelevant.

The game started in chaos. Most players were only focused on showing off, and once they got the ball, they couldn't let go. They ran frantically, attacked, drove to the basket, and took wild shots. There was also brutal defense, forcing Brett to frequently blow his whistle to interrupt them and warn them to control their fouls. But it seemed to have little effect; everyone only had the ball, the basket, and themselves in their eyes. There were no teammates, no defense.

They believed that scoring more points and leading their team to victory would catch the coach's eye. Each of the ten players on the court saw the other nine as competitors, not as five opponents and four teammates. As a result, the ten-minute game was chaotic, with the ten players acting like ten separate teams. At this point, the score was no longer important; Brett blew the final whistle, and both teams were eliminated. However, they were still unaware of the outcome. Some of the more skilled players were still savoring their impressive performances, wondering if their dunks had impressed the coach.

It was Li Wei's team's turn to take the court; they wore black vests, while their opponents wore white. Reporters on the sidelines raised their cameras, ready to record, as Kelvin Davis was about to enter the game. Both teams' players were energized, the cameras fueling their competitive spirit. They had clearly discussed tactics and teamwork before the game, but as soon as it started, some players got carried away, grabbing the ball and going for it themselves. Li Wei calmly observed from the sidelines; the game's pace was fast, and the more talented players quickly became apparent in their running and movement.

Xavier Moon, the 1.85-meter tall point guard for the white team, performed his duties admirably amidst the chaos on the court. He controlled the tempo, passed the ball, orchestrated the offense, and brought the game under control. Furthermore, his three-point shooting was incredibly accurate, having already hit two consecutive shots from beyond the arc; the black team's white point guard simply couldn't defend him.

The white team quickly took a 12-4 lead, prompting Levi to call a timeout for the black team and request a substitution. However, the white point guard, who was struggling defensively, refused to leave the court, saying he could perform better. At this point, veteran Davis gave up his position to Levi. Davis actually played quite well. Although his athleticism wasn't up to par, his passing was solid, he marked his man closely on defense, and he was able to grab rebounds. The opposing team played cautiously on defense, afraid of injuring the old man.

"Let me see how you do, kid." Davis patted Levi on the shoulder. He wasn't worried about being eliminated because filming was going to continue.

Li Wei stepped onto the stage, having waited a long time for this moment. The instant he stepped onto the maple floor, his adrenaline surged, his heart raced, and blood rushed from his heart to every part of his body, filling him with excitement. Li Wei was always enthusiastic about any competition; he loved intense confrontation and challenges, and regardless of winning or losing, they gave him a sense of purpose.

An unremarkable inbound pass went to the incoming guard. Brett, watching Li Wei intently, was slightly disappointed; he had expected Li Wei to deliver a good pass and assist his teammate under the basket. During the ensuing possession, Li Wei didn't touch the ball, merely setting screens for his teammates. After their shots, he quickly moved to the basket to box out for the rebound. The shot missed, and the ball bounced to his left, landing right in Li Wei's hands.

Li Wei made a deft bank shot, scoring two points and taking his first point on the court. Brett thought to himself, "This kid's got some luck. Is luck really part of skill?"
(End of this chapter)