The first punch that shocked the basketball world

In the center of the training field, a crowd formed a circle.

Darius Morris stood opposite Lin Fei, flexing his wrists.

He is 1.85 meters tall and weighs 86 kilograms.

A standard combo guard build.

His playing style is more like that of a shooting guard; he is aggressive and adept at changing direction and rhythm.

He made a name for himself at the University of Michigan, averaging 17.3 points per game in his sophomore year and was once a top prospect in the draft.

Unfortunately, point guards who rely heavily on one-on-one play have the hardest time making it in the NBA.

The track is too crowded.

If you can't reach the top, you won't even get a spot in the rotation.

Unless you have the scoring explosiveness of Lou Williams or Jamal Crawford, you can't secure a spot as the sixth man.

Morris is clearly not at that level.

This is also the core reason why he was demoted to the Development League by the Lakers.

"The new guy."

Morris tossed the ball to Lin Fei, saying casually, "I don't bully people, you go first."

Lin Fei caught the ball and casually tossed it back.

"No need," he smiled. "You go first."

A murmur rippled through the crowd from the sidelines.

"Not bad, this kid's pretty arrogant," a white reporter said in a low voice.

Sofia pursed her lips and retorted.

"Being able to speak well? That's called confidence."

The white reporter paused for a moment.

Sofia has used words even harsher than "crazy" when she writes.

Why is there such a strong reaction to just one question today?

He glanced at Sofia, then at the handsome Lin Fei on the field, and gave a knowing, mischievous smile.

Got it, got it.

Morris was so angry he laughed.

"OK."

He caught the ball and clapped his hands twice: "Since you're so confident, I'll be serious. This is the utmost respect I can give you."

As soon as he finished speaking, he started the engine.

A crossover dribble followed by a front crossover is the standard starting move.

He broke through on the right flank with great speed.

He didn't take Lin Fei seriously and just wanted to easily get past him with his first attack.

But Lin Fei moved even faster.

With a slight slip, he precisely positioned himself on the breakthrough path.

Morris was startled and instinctively tried to change direction.

Just as he switched hands,

"Snapped!"

Lin Fei flicked his finger, sending the ball flying.

Clean and neat.

A gasp rippled through the crowd from the sidelines.

No one expected that Morris would be intercepted on the very first attack of the game.

The teammates, who had initially been watching with anticipation, dropped their nonchalant expressions.

Sofia laughed and nudged the arm of the white reporter next to her.

"See?" she said. "That's the foundation of confidence."

The white reporter curled his lip, muttering to himself.

I think you're just lusting after her body.

Mark Harris stood on the sidelines with a blank expression, but his chin nodded very slightly.

Not only did they manage to defend against it, but they also managed to prevent it from happening.

The key is to perform the movements cleanly.

There are two types of defense.

One type relies on dirty tricks and shady dealings, like Bruce Bowen.

Another approach relies on consciousness, the body, and experience, and is clean and simple, like Sean Battier.

Coaches prefer the latter.

Good reputation, doesn't cause trouble, you can rest assured when placing them on the field.

At that moment, Harris looked at Lin Fei's back and vaguely saw the shadow of Battier.

Possession changes.

Lin Fei picked up the ball and dribbled it to the three-point line.

He was never a good ball handler.

No one can outdo Maurice in fancy tricks.

But he has the most basic advantage—height, weight, and strength—which he completely overwhelms.

Lin Fei shielded the ball with his side, lowered his shoulder, and slowly shrugged inwards.

There were no fancy moves; it was all about physical strength.

Morris tried to push, but he couldn't budge it at all.

2米01对1米93，95公斤对86公斤。

There's a difference of two orders of magnitude.

After two collisions, Lin Fei turned and drove into the paint, raising his hand to bank the ball.

"Whoosh!"

Goal!

The next three rounds were exactly the same.

Lin Fei pushed hard from behind, then turned and finished the attack.

Simple, direct, and effective.

4:0.

Morris was embarrassed.

He's a player with a formal NBA contract; how can he face a rookie like that?

In the next defensive play, he noticeably increased the amount of hand movements.

Pulling and tugging, all subtle movements.

Hall stood on the sideline as the referee, pretending not to see anything.

They've already been beaten so badly, calling a foul on them would only make them look worse.

And just like that, Morris forced Lin Fei into making a mistake.

Possession returned to Morris.

His expression was solemn, and he dared not underestimate his opponent in the slightest.

It's still a change of direction to break through, this time on the left wing.

Lin Fei's steps remained steady as he moved sideways to press against the other side.

He didn't intentionally foul; he just stayed close to the opponent, using his body to absorb the impact of their drive.

The moment they made contact, Maurice's rhythm was completely disrupted.

He managed to protect the ball and avoid being dispossessed, but his path to the basket was blocked.

The only option is to pull back to the outside and force a three-pointer.

Morris was never a pitcher.

Lin Fei kept his hand raised in front of his face, effectively interfering with his movements.

"Bang!"

The ball hit the side of the backboard but didn't even touch the rim.

Another attack ended in failure.

Morris took a breath and muttered a curse under his breath.

Damn it.

I don't know whether to blame myself or Lin Fei.

He understands now.

This young Chinese man in front of me is no novice at all.

The defensive pressure was even more unbearable than Beverley's.

It was airtight, like a net.

...

The fifteen rounds were over quickly.

15:3.

Lin Fei won decisively.

Sofia was the first to applaud.

The surrounding reporters and several players also applauded.

No one expected the outcome to be so one-sided.

Lin Fei walked off the field.

The teammates who had been indifferent just moments before suddenly came over and gave him a high-five.

"Great job, bro!"

"The defense is too tough!"

In competitive sports, the strong naturally command respect.

Even competitors have to be recognized for their strength.

Lin Fei clearly has the potential to make it to the NBA.

You shouldn't offend this kind of person.

"Alright, alright."

Hall clapped his hands and stepped in to smooth things over: "Let's call it a day. One-on-one doesn't prove anything. Lin has a size advantage, but what the team needs is teamwork and discipline."

This was clearly an attempt to save face for Maurice.

Everyone understood, but no one called it out.

Lin Fei nodded with a smile.

"The coach is right, I will continue to work hard."

Hall glanced at him again.

Be firm when you need to be, and yield when you need to be.

Keep a low profile and don't kick someone when they're down.

This kind of personality is even rarer than talent.

The morning training session ended quickly.

As is customary in development alliances, training sessions are only held for half a day.

The afternoon is free to arrange as you like, and the schedule is far less packed than the NBA schedule.

The Defenders haven't had any games in the last few days, so the afternoons are basically a day off.

After eating in the cafeteria, the teammates dispersed in twos and threes.

Lin Fei didn't leave.

He stayed behind for extra practice.

It's not for the coach's benefit.

The facilities here are complete, and there is air conditioning.

Going back would only allow me to play pickup games, which wouldn't be nearly as effective.

He mainly practices jump shots with the ball.

Today's one-on-one game exposed my problems; my ball-handling offense is still stiff.

Although the positioning is 3D, it does not require too much ball possession.

But having an extra ball in hand allows you to seize opportunities at crucial moments.

Second-floor office, in front of the floor-to-ceiling windows.

Mark Harris and Hall stood side by side, looking down.

"Do you think this kid is just putting on a show, or is he really working hard?" Harris suddenly asked.

In places like development alliances, there are many people who pretend to practice extra hard.

Perform for the coach, to make a good impression.

Hall thought for a moment.

"I don't know," he said, "but his basic skills don't lie. He must have worked hard."

The subtext is very straightforward.

Whether today's performance was a publicity stunt or not, the foundation is there, which shows that they've practiced a lot.

Harris nodded.

"I'm quite hardworking," he said, "but if you want to even get a foothold in the NBA, hard work alone isn't enough."

Hall was somewhat surprised.

"Do you really think he has a chance?"

Harris paused for a few seconds, his gaze falling on the figure downstairs repeatedly shooting hoops.

"I don't know," he said, "but I like people who work hard."

When it comes to luck, who can say for sure?

If he really had to hit someone, he'd rather hit someone who was willing to risk their life.

Instead of those worthless people who squander their talents.