The first punch that shocked the basketball world

February 8, Long Island.

The Los Angeles Defenders will play the Long Island Nets, the Brooklyn Nets' affiliate team, on the road.

Lin Fei will continue to start as the small forward.

He glanced at the sidelines during warm-up.

There were 30% more scouts and reporters than in the last game.

Several men in formal attire sat by the scorer's table, holding tactical notebooks, their eyes occasionally glancing in his direction.

Lin Fei knew what was going on.

His two consecutive impressive performances have caught the attention of NBA teams.

It's not narcissism.

Every time he made a successful defensive play or scored an open shot, he could catch a glimpse of those people with their heads down, writing.

It shouldn't be something bad that was written.

He has made almost no mistakes in his recent games, and all his contributions have been positive.

Tonight's opponent is Chris Joseph.

He was selected 21st overall in the second round of the draft last year by the Celtics. After playing six games, he was traded to the Nets, where he played four more games, averaging 0.5 points and 0.8 rebounds per game. He was recently relegated to the Development League.

His skill level is significantly lower than James White's in the previous game.

Their attitude is also inconsistent.

They probably felt they had a regular NBA contract and didn't take the G League competition too seriously.

The first attack of the game.

Joseph took a probing step with the ball, intending to drive straight to the basket.

The moment he took a step, Lin Fei reached out and poked him.

"Smack."

The ball was successfully stolen.

Lin Fei turned and charged forward, making a long run to the frontcourt and scoring with a layup off the backboard.

2:0.

Joseph was even less attentive on the defensive end.

When encountering a screen, you are half a beat too slow.

Lin Fei got open looks in several consecutive games.

He made two of his first three shots: a corner three-pointer and a layup.

The Defenders started strong with a 14-2 run.

The Nets immediately called a timeout.

Joseph couldn't find his rhythm at all with Lin Fei.

This guy is from Syracuse University, has good physical talent, can shoot three-pointers, and is a typical unpredictable player.

He's a bit like JR Smith, just without JR's scoring explosiveness.

Lin Fei is best at dealing with this type of player.

He never jumps on defense and rarely gets faked out.

They were firmly on the breakthrough route in every round.

Unless the opponent drives hard to the basket and draws a foul, it's very difficult to get rid of them.

Joseph, however, preferred to float outside and throw the ball.

He ran right into the muzzle of a gun.

Lin Fei played the full 12 minutes in the first quarter.

The Defenders lead by 14 points.

He scored 8 points, 2 steals and 1 block.

The statistics aren't explosive, but his impact on the field is undeniable.

Lin Fei rested for more than 4 minutes in the second quarter.

When he returned to the game, he still didn't deliberately try to boost his score.

The focus is entirely on the defensive end.

When scouts come to the Development League, they never look at how many points you score.

Defense, discipline, and execution are the real hard currency.

Lin Fei knew this better than anyone else.

The second half was pretty much a foregone conclusion.

The defenders played steadily, widening the score gap further.

The final whistle blew.

115:94.

A resounding 21-point victory.

林飞全场15分7篮板3助攻3抢断2盖帽。

He leads the team in rebounds, steals, and blocks.

As he left, Lin Fei could feel several gazes fixed on his back.

Without even turning around, I knew it was a scout on the sidelines.

The atmosphere in the locker room was relaxed.

With two consecutive wins, everyone is in a good mood.

Mike Taylor came up and bumped shoulders with him.

"Wow, you've got more scouts on the sidelines than fans."

Lin Fei smiled.

Even Darius Morris, who was always arrogant, came over and bumped fists with him.

He didn't say anything, but the meaning was clear.

Approved.

In three games, Lin Fei won over his teammates with his performance.

After taking a shower, Lin Fei dried his hair and scrolled through his phone.

A text message from an unknown number was lying in my inbox.

"Hello, Lin. Our scouts watched your game and are very interested. Please call back if you see this."

Lin Fei raised an eyebrow.

My first thought was that it was someone from the Lakers?

wrong.

If it were Ryan West, he would have just called; there's no need to send a text message.

Puzzled, he returned to his hotel room and dialed the number back.

Three rings, and the other end answered.

"Hey Lin, thanks for calling back." The voice was steady and businesslike. "This is Sam Presti, general manager of the Thunder. I'd like to talk to you for a bit."

Lin Fei was stunned for two seconds.

Thunder General Manager?

He considered many teams, but he never expected it to be Presti.

"Hello, Mr. Presti." He quickly regained his composure and spoke calmly.

Presti didn't get straight to the point; he started by making small talk.

He talked about the environment of the development league and his experience of poaching people from the development league over the years.

"I signed Ish Smith from the G League three years ago, and he's now a rotation player on several teams," he said. "I've always believed that there are a lot of underrated players in the G League."

I also asked him about his high school and college years, and his family situation.

His tone was casual, like he was having a chat.

Towards the end of the conversation, he changed the subject.

"I started following you a week ago. I've watched all the game footage, and your defense is outstanding."

He paused, his tone tinged with doubt, "I'm just a little curious. Your current level far surpasses most draft prospectes, so why are your college stats...?"

The meaning was conveyed even before the words were finished.

Why did they play so badly in college, but suddenly become so strong?

Lin Fei was prepared.

"I didn't meet a suitable coach in college, and my tactical role was low," he said frankly. "My body only matured after graduation, and I gradually improved my skills."

He had practiced this line many times and couldn't find any fault with it.

Presti didn't ask any further questions.

Whether something is true or false is not important.

As long as they can fight, that's fine.

"Let's get straight to the point," he said. "The Thunder want to offer you a ten-day contract. Interested in giving it a try?"

Lin Fei's heart skipped a beat.

After just three G League games, an NBA team extended an offer to them.

Or perhaps it's a general manager like Presti, known for his sharp eye.

If it were a regular G League player, they would have to agree on the spot.

But Lin Fei wasn't in a hurry.

He knows Presti.

She has a keen eye, and she's also genuinely stingy.

Last year, to save millions, they sent Harden directly to the Rockets.

The Thunder have a small market; Oklahoma City is basically a big rural area.

It's worlds apart from Los Angeles.

Moreover, the Thunder's roster is currently full.

If we really want to sign him, we'll have to lay off staff.

Given Presti's personality, he'd likely be signed but not given much playing time.

Use it every ten days and then throw it away.

He'll have to go back to the Development League then, which will take up a lot of time and cause him trouble.

It's better to stay in Los Angeles and wait for the Lakers' opportunity.

It's close to home and the market is huge. Just one good game can give you the same exposure as ten games in Oklahoma City.

After finishing his mental calculations, Lin Fei spoke.

"Thank you for your recognition, Mr. Presti. Nobody wants to be in the NBA," he said sincerely. "But I want a fully guaranteed contract until the end of the season. I don't want to leave Los Angeles for the time being if it's just a short-term ten-day deal."

The words were made very clearly.

If you want me to come, I'll provide a guarantee contract.

Otherwise, there's no point in discussing it.

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

Presti clearly hadn't expected a G League player to dare to bargain with him.

Most people who receive an invitation from the NBA would be eager to fly there that very day.

"You know the rules," Presti said, his tone unchanged. "Those coming from the Development League always sign a ten-day contract first. I can't offer a guaranteed contract right away."

"However," he added, "if you're confident in yourself, why not give it a try? I have high hopes for you."

Lin Fei understood.

It's still a short-term ten-day contract.

The guarantee contract is out of the question.

forget about it.

"I understand."

Lin Fei said, "I need to think about this some more and I'll give you an answer as soon as possible."

"Okay," Presti said without rushing him. "I'll wait for your reply."

After hanging up the phone, Lin Fei breathed a sigh of relief.

It was less of an invitation and more of a test.

Presti did have high hopes for him, but that was about it.

It's a casual move; if we can sign, we will; if not, we won't lose anything.

This level of importance is not worth him giving up his advantages in Los Angeles.

He had seen many such examples in his past life.

The development league is thriving, the general manager is making grand promises, and they've signed ten-day contracts, but the head coach isn't giving them any playing time at all.

After sitting on the sidelines for ten days, I came back dejected.

All the exposure I had built up before was wasted.

For example, former forward Ebanks averaged 20+ points per game in the G League, signed a 10-day contract with the Lakers, played a total of three minutes, and disappeared when the contract expired.

Not worth the candle.

Lin Fei took out his phone and called Marcus Tucker.

"Hey Marcus, any word from Ryan?"

"Soon," Marcus said. "Ryan said he watched two live streams and is reporting it to his superiors. We should hear something in the next day or two."

Lin Fei nodded.

"I have something to tell you. Thunder general manager Sam just called me, wanting to sign me to a ten-day contract, but I didn't agree."

"What?!"

There was a lot of commotion on Marcus's end; it looked like he spat out something from his mouth.

"Thunder? Sam? Holy crap!" His voice rose an octave. "You didn't agree?"

"I didn't agree," Lin Fei said. "It's a short-term ten-day contract, and even if I went, I might not get a chance. I want to wait and see what the Lakers do."

He thought Marcus would persuade him to seize the opportunity.

After all, street agents are eager for players to get into the NBA so they can collect their commissions.

Marcus paused for two seconds and then said, "You did the right thing."

Lin Fei was a little surprised.

"Oklahoma City is a small place, it's a waste of time to go there." Marcus said seriously, "What kind of place is Los Angeles? It's a major market! If you play one good game here, the whole league will see it. You can get a ten-day contract converted to a permanent one, play two more good games, and you'll have a big contract in the offseason."

"Don't worry, I'll call Ryan right now." He spoke quickly. "Tell him Thunder has their eyes on you. Sign the contract quickly, or you'll be gone."

Lin Fei smiled.

No wonder Marcus has been able to stay in the street brokerage circle for so long.

They have a really sharp eye.

"Okay, let's do it this way."

After hanging up the phone, Lin Fei leaned against the headboard.

That was the right move.

With the Thunder as a benchmark, the Lakers' actions will definitely be much faster.

The G League parent team has priority in matching, but if the Lakers don't make a move, other teams can still poach players.