Basketball: The Path to the Extraordinary

Their training program is very similar to that of most schools: basic exercises, physical training, basic team tactics, and intra-team scrimmages to enhance cohesion.

Lian Dao’s personalized training program goes beyond the team’s curriculum, focusing on targeted practice necessary to achieve his NBA dream and drawing on his past experience as a role model.

The next morning, Lian Dao began his day with a half-hour practice of Xingyi Sanshen Gong.

To understand the significance of this stance, one must delve into the background of Lian Dao's mentor, Guo Nianguo. Guo Nianguo was the vice president of a Chinese business association in New York and a ninth-generation successor of Xingyi Quan. He immigrated to the United States in his early years and was a close friend of Lian Dao's late grandfather and elder brother, Guo Huai'an.

Guo Nianguo provided Lian Dao with immense help. After Lian Dao arrived in the United States, Guo Nianguo discovered his martial arts talent and took him on as a disciple. During his early high school years in New York, Lian Dao diligently practiced boxing under Guo Nianguo's guidance. However, after transferring to a school in California later in high school, his martial arts practice was put on hold.

It wasn't until after graduating from university and returning to New York, under his master's guidance, that his passion for Xingyi Quan was rekindled. Unfortunately, by then it was all too late. An injury sustained in his sophomore year of university prematurely ended his martial arts career, leading him into a period of alcoholism. This setback caused his martial arts training to stagnate at the peak of Ming Jin (manifested strength), and it wasn't until after his rebirth that he was able to break through and enter the realm of An Jin (hidden strength).

Xingyi Quan has a long history, and Guo Nianguo is a successor of Guo Yunshen, a famous Xingyi Quan master in modern times. Guo Nianguo's lineage has preserved the most comprehensive teachings of Guo-style Xingyi Quan, including not only rigorous training methods but also valuable breathing techniques passed down through generations.

The three core principles of Guo-style Xingyi Quan guide practitioners: nourishing essence into qi, refining qi into spirit, and cultivating spirit to return to emptiness. These three principles correspond to the three stages of martial arts development: gathering essence, refining qi, and cleansing the marrow. They also correspond to three different training methods: manifest strength (external force), hidden strength (internal force), and transforming strength (spiritual cultivation).

In his previous life, Lian Dao was stuck at the Qi Refining stage due to insufficient inherent nature, hindering his cultivation progress. Today, traditional martial arts are heavily criticized for their long learning curve and slow results. Some people exploit this criticism, misleading others under the guise of traditional martial arts, further damaging its reputation and paving the way for the rise of other martial arts styles.

Despite facing numerous challenges, Lian Dao is well-versed in the power of traditional martial arts. His confidence stems not only from his experience of struggling on the streets of Harlem before his rebirth, but also from his dedication to studying Xingyi Neijiaquan as a basketball coach in his previous life.

Recalling his early training, Lian Dao remembered his master's wisdom: true mastery of martial arts begins with self-control, and self-control begins with rigorous practice of basic postures such as the Three-Body Stance.

While stance training may seem monotonous and tedious, its benefits are significant. Taking basketball as an example, stance training can significantly enhance lower limb and core strength. As a basketball coach, Lian Dao, with his extensive experience, deeply understands the importance of these strengths for on-court positioning and defense.

Many NBA stars praise Lian Dao's defensive skills, attributing them to his powerful lower body and core strength. Regular practice of Xingyi internal martial arts can also improve body coordination, flexibility, agility, and reaction speed—all essential qualities for basketball movements such as dribbling, passing, shooting, and defense.

Yesterday, Lian Dao discovered through this system that Xingyi Neijiaquan (a style of Chinese martial arts) can enhance the upper limits of lower limb strength, core strength, coordination, flexibility, agility, and reaction speed. During his practice today, he was amazed that the ancient techniques revealed by this system seemed to defy traditional human science principles, yet did not affect the integrity of the body's structure in the slightest.

Lian Dao scoffed at the system's comments, rolled his eyes, and his thoughts drifted to the miracles hidden within thousands of years of cultural heritage. He couldn't help but wonder if the very existence of this system challenged scientific norms.

Lian Dao had gradually formed a training plan in his mind, and he looked forward to refining the specific details of the plan in tomorrow's first training session.

NCAA

The University of Southern California (USC), along with universities like the University of Arizona, belongs to the Pac-12 Conference of the NCAA. However, compared to these formidable rivals, USC's basketball history, while illustrious, is slightly less impressive. Despite winning 11 NCAA championships, including seven consecutive titles, USC has yet to reach the pinnacle of the NCAA—winning a national championship. Although USC frequently advances to March Madness (the NCAA Tournament), their best result has only been reaching the semifinals, never truly making it to the finals.

Today is the first training session of the 2008-09 season.

Early in the morning, Lian Dao and DeRozan arrived at the University of Southern California.

The USC basketball training facility is about 10 meters high, with four basketball hoops in each of the front and back courts, as well as various strength training equipment and a gym.

Compared to his high school experience, the basketball training facility at the University of Southern California impressed him with its height, spaciousness, and comprehensive facilities.

The walls are covered with retired players' jerseys and memorable team game posters, but one huge white wall is completely empty.

Looking around the basketball training hall, Lian Dao always felt that something important was missing—specifically, the championship banner and trophy.

The University of Southern California (USC) last reached the semifinals in 1954, and Coach Tim's recent coaching record has been inconsistent and unsatisfactory. USC's athletic committee members are extremely dissatisfied with Tim's performance and have issued him an ultimatum: the minimum requirement for this season is to reach at least the NCAA Tournament's top 16, or he will be immediately dismissed.

Under such pressure, Tim Floyd visibly aged and felt utterly unlucky. The team's overall record was less than ideal, and even OJ Mayo, a five-star high school prodigy acquired through a controversial deal known as the "Black Gold Trade," only lasted one season. Mayo entered the NBA draft after being selected in the first round of last year's "March Madness."

Tim Burton is in a difficult position following the recent exposure of the controversial "black money deal" orchestrated by him. This scrutiny has further exacerbated the board members' dissatisfaction with him.

"Jim, gather them together."

As soon as Tim entered the training facility, he instructed the assistant coach to gather the players.

After everyone had gathered, they began to introduce themselves to each other.

Ty Gibson is 206 cm tall and weighs 102 kg. He is the team's starting power forward, but also frequently plays center. Ty is known for his rebounding and scoring ability around the basket. He is a senior in college and the captain of the Trojan team. Although he has a thick beard and a shaved head, making him look intimidating, he is actually very kind and approachable.

Next up is Dwight Lewis, who is 196 cm tall and weighs 97 kg. He is a junior in college and plays small forward.

Leonard Washington is a freshman forward who is 205 cm tall and weighs 108 kg. He has a small dreadlock and a distinctive personality.

The team's point guard, Marcus Simmons, is 198 cm tall and weighs 90 kg. He is a sophomore in college.

There's also Nikola Vucevic, a tall, 210cm, 99kg European freshman with a slender build.

...

Besides OJ Mayo, who recently entered the NBA, the team also lost three graduating seniors and one transfer student, resulting in a sudden loss of five players. Coincidentally, the team also only had five freshmen this year.

Tim divided the seniors and freshmen into two teams and started a red-blue competition.

Freshman Blue Team:

Point Guard: Donte Smith (180 cm, 81 kg)

Shooting Guard: DeMar DeRozan (198 cm, 96 kg)

Small Forward: Lian Dao (203 cm, 82 kg)

Power Forward: Nikola Vucevic (208 cm, 90 kg)

Center: Leonard Washington (205 cm, 108 kg)

Red Team Veteran:

Point Guard: Marcus Simmons (198 cm, 90 kg)

Shooting Guard: Marcus Jensen (198 cm, 95 kg)

Small Forward: Dwight Lewis (196 cm, 97 kg)

Power Forward: Taj Gibson (206 cm, 102 kg)

Center: Keith Wilkinson (208 cm, 102 kg)

Vucevic and Keith battled for the jump ball. Although Leonard tried to catch it, Vucevic, with his superior wingspan and jumping ability, easily tipped the ball into half-court, giving the rookie Blue team the first possession.

Donte Smith quickly advanced the ball across half-court and passed it to DeRozan. DeRozan used his speed to easily shake off Marcus Jensen and headed straight for the basket, seemingly about to score an easy layup. However, Taj Gibson intervened in time, swatting the ball off the backboard and preventing DeRozan's score, ending the freshman's first offensive attempt.

After Gibson secured the ball, he made a long pass to the surging Marcus Jensen. The pass was too strong, causing Jensen to stumble and miss the fast break opportunity. Jensen regained his balance and passed the ball to point guard Simmons, initiating a pick-and-roll. The opposing defenders quickly double-teamed Simmons.

Jason seized the opportunity and drove towards the basket.

"Bang!"

Gibson soared into the air and completed a powerful alley-oop dunk. With Vucevic's defense in place, the Red Team took a 2-0 lead early in the scrimmage.