The first punch that shocked the basketball world

An hour later, Lin Fei finished showering and took the bus home.

As I entered, the food had just been placed on the table.

After eating a couple of bites of rice, he said he was tired and went upstairs to rest.

Zhu Xiuli followed and sidled in.

"Brother~"

She shook Lin Fei's arm: "Next time we go to the city, can you get me Kobe's autograph again?"

Lin Fei glanced at her.

"Do you think Kobe is the convenience store owner downstairs? Someone you can just see whenever you want?"

"Oh, you play for the Defenders, right?" Zhu Xiuli said with a grin. "You get more opportunities than me, don't you?"

She waved the Howard jersey in her hand.

"I wore it to school today, and everyone was so envious! If you can get your hands on Kobe's, I'll give you an extra two hundred yuan for pocket money!"

Lin Fei's eyes lit up.

What unexpected surprises awaited you?

He's short of money lately.

I haven't received my first week's salary yet.

"real?"

"Really!" Zhu Xiuli nodded.

"That won't work."

Lin Fei deliberately played hard to get: "Autographs aren't so easy to get. Give me the money first, then I can make things happen."

"what?"

Zhu Xiuli became wary: "What if you can't get it?"

"Would your brother lie to you?" Lin Fei said seriously. "I don't even have the money for the trip to Staples Center, how can I help you get it? Give me the money first, then I can do my job."

Zhu Xiuli hesitated for a long time.

Think about Kobe's signature, and then think about what Lin Fei said, and it seems to make sense.

She dawdled to the wardrobe and took out two hundred yuan hidden in her pajama pocket.

Reluctantly, I handed it over.

"This is really all the money I have left..." she said pitifully. "Brother, you absolutely have to help me get it."

Lin Fei stuffed it into his pocket.

"Don't worry. I'll definitely help you if I have the chance."

After seeing his sister off, Lin Fei felt relieved.

With two hundred yuan in hand, I can make ends meet for a while longer.

I had only been lying down for two minutes when my phone rang.

Marcus Tucker.

"Lin! I got you the sneakers!" came the excited voice on the other end. "Shall I bring them to you?"

"Okay, see you at the restaurant entrance."

Twenty minutes later, Marcus arrived in his old Ford.

He took a shoebox from the back seat.

"Nike Kobe 8," he said. "I got it from a friend's store, 30% off. Authentic, feel free to verify."

Lin Fei opened the shoebox.

The black and purple color scheme definitely gives it a different feel.

I tried them on, and the fit and support were much better than the previous counterfeit shoes.

"How much?"

"One hundred and twenty cuts."

Lin Fei took out the money and handed it over.

"Thanks, Marcus."

Marcus rubbed his hands together, but didn't leave.

"Lin, look," he chuckled, "now you've signed with a professional team. How about considering letting me be your long-term agent?"

Lin Fei laughed.

"Are you kidding me?" he said. "My salary isn't even enough to support myself, let alone an agent!"

"Not expensive!"

Marcus quickly replied, "Twenty thousand a year will do!"

Lin Fei almost choked.

"My pre-tax income is only 45,000, and you're asking for half?"

Marcus also realized that he had indeed been driving recklessly.

He gave an awkward laugh.

"Well... let's talk about it when you play in the NBA?"

"We'll see," Lin Fei waved his hand.

He doesn't plan to use Marcus long-term.

Grassroots agents lack both connections and professional expertise.

When you reach the NBA level, you definitely need to find a reputable agency.

But this person had helped him during his most difficult time.

If I really make it big in the future, giving me a position as a personal assistant wouldn't be a bad idea.

With Marcus's smooth-talking skills, this is more than enough for him.

After seeing Marcus off, Lin Fei returned to his room.

The next day, at 5 o'clock sharp.

Lin Fei got up on time.

My 10-kilometer morning run is a must, without fail.

After breakfast, I took the bus to the stadium.

I arrived early; the players and coaches hadn't come yet.

Only the cleaning staff were mopping the floor.

Lin Fei chatted with Terry at the door for a while.

Not long after, the two trainers arrived.

The Development League is short-handed, with only two trainers on the entire team.

One is in charge of shooting, and the other is in charge of physical fitness.

Despite the Lakers' glamorous image, the Buss family wasn't actually that wealthy.

Save where you can.

Arriving early has its advantages.

Lin Fei talked with the shooting coach for half an hour and corrected a few shooting details.

Once you get to know each other well, it will be easier to practice together later.

Before eight o'clock, the players arrived one after another.

After changing clothes in the locker room, we gathered for a meeting.

Harris stood in front, giving his usual pep talk.

It's nothing more than discipline, hard work, seizing opportunities, and aiming for the NBA.

After saying that, he began to run the tactics.

The Defenders also played a run-and-gun style.

Align with the home team, the Lakers' system.

If the Lakers ever need someone, they can bring him in and use him immediately.

Almost all teams in the league do this.

Run-and-gun offense is the most physically demanding.

They went back and forth without stopping for a moment.

The teammates were panting heavily from running.

Lin Fei, on the contrary, became more and more energetic as he ran.

He already has good physical reserves, so this intensity is just right for him.

Harris stood on the sidelines, watching intently, and nodded frequently.

After the tactical drills, it's time for physical training.

The physical training in the development league is very rough.

Thirty shuttle runs, lateral sliding steps, and resistance shuttle runs.

There aren't that many fancy things.

Primitive, brutal, but effective.

An hour and a half later.

Some people had leg cramps, while others were leaning against trash cans and vomiting acid.

Lin Fei was also exhausted and lay down on the floor, panting.

But compared to others, he was in significantly better condition.

With the physical gifts from the time travel, plus the daily morning runs, maintaining this intensity shouldn't be a problem.

What he lacks is a professional and systematic training method.

Given time, his physical fitness can improve even further.

As the training session came to a close, Harris said a few more words.

It's the same old routine.

"The G League isn't as intense as the NBA, but don't underestimate it." He swept his gaze across the crowd. "Everyone here is a beast, everyone wants to fight tooth and nail to climb up. If you don't give it your all, there are plenty of people who will take your place."

Dismissed, time for dinner.

Free time in the afternoon as usual.

Lin Fei stayed for another half hour.

I was really tired today, so I didn't train for very long.

After taking a shower, he went to the physical testing room.

I want to test my jumping ability and body fat percentage to see how I'm doing lately.

There are people in the physical testing room.

A white defender is testing his lateral movement around the cones.

Lin Fei knew him.

Mike Taylor.

The team's backup point guard, and the most senior player on the team.

He played in the Development League for four years, all with the Defenders.

27 years old, an older player.

Everyone knows he can no longer make it to the NBA.

Staying here is for a stable job, close to home, and able to support my family.

Without ambition, there is naturally no competitiveness.

He has a good relationship with his teammates.

"Lin? You haven't left yet?" Taylor stopped to greet him when he saw him.

"Okay, let's test your jumping ability." Lin Fei smiled.

The two started chatting casually.

From the recently released film "Django Unchained" to Justin Bieber's latest breakup.

These are all topics that men gossip about.

As we chatted, the conversation turned to which girl in the team's cheerleading squad was the prettiest.

The atmosphere was quite harmonious.

After the data was measured, the two went out together.

They parted ways at the entrance of the stadium.

It was already dark.

Lin Fei took the bus back to Alhambra.

On the bus, he was thinking about something.

Taking the bus every day is such a waste of time.

In America, not having a car is like not having legs.

He plans to buy a used car.

Used cars are cheap here, and gas prices are low.

Daily commuting costs are low.

He dialed Marcus's number.

"Marcus, do you know anyone who sells used cars?"

"Yes," Marcus said. "What price range are you looking for?"

Lin Fei counted the money in his hand.

"Around five hundred dollars."

"puff!"

The person on the other end of the phone was clearly exasperated.

"Are you kidding me?!"

Marcus yelled, "What are you buying for five hundred dollars? A stroller?"

Lin Fei awkwardly touched his nose.

He also knew it was a bit too little.

"I'm really short on cash," he said. "Could you help me see if there's anything cheaper? As long as it works."

"The cheapest one that's even drivable will cost at least 1,500," Marcus said irritably. "A 500 car is something you'd have to treat like royalty; it'll break down every other day."

Lin Fei gritted his teeth.

"A thousand at most," he said. "I'll get paid soon this week, and I really can't afford anything more expensive."

There was a few seconds of silence on the other end of the phone.

"Alright, alright."

Marcus sighed. "I'll ask my friend for you. With a thousand dollars, you can only find an older family car. I'll try my best to keep an eye on the car's condition, but I can't guarantee it will be in great shape."

"As long as it can run, it's fine," Lin Fei said. "I'm not picky."

"I'll ask around for you in the next couple of days and call you when I get back to you."

I hung up the phone.

The bus arrived at the stop just in time.

Lin Fei got out of the car and slowly walked towards the restaurant.

He paused for a moment as he reached the door.

A black Audi Q3 was parked in front of his restaurant.

The car's paint was gleaming, standing out starkly against the dilapidated streetscape around it.

Have we had guests over?

Lin Fei was a little curious, so he walked over.