When pride still matters

Chapter 27 The biggest uncertainty since 1979

In the second half of the second half between the Emeralds and the Aces, Anthony came up and hit two consecutive three-pointers to take the lead. Lenny Cook showed a clear understanding and no longer wanted to compete head-on with Yu Fei.

The Aces had a smooth ride, with a lead of up to 9 points.

Since there are only 10 minutes in a half in ABCD training camp, a 9-point lead is huge.

It seems that Anthony, who has better offensive talent, is about to win the game for the Aces.

There were less than 5 minutes left in the game, and Roy was like the cold shooter in the 2K game, unable to score at all.

Iguodala was beaten by Anthony and lost all confidence.

Yu Fei quickly passed the half court and adjusted his rhythm, slowly dribbling to the top of the arc. Cook lowered his center of gravity and was not very alert.

Because Yu Fei rarely attacks from outside the three-point line today.

However, Yu Fei suddenly lowered his center of gravity. The basketball in his left hand crossed from his crotch to his right hand and suddenly changed direction - Cook's center of gravity shifted to one side. As a result, he was helpless against Fei's next cross change.

When Yu Fei made the second cross-crotch change, Cook's defense had been broken down. He couldn't even make a move, and his body stayed in place as if frozen.

Yu Fei rushed into the three-point line with a long stride, took another dribble, put it away, took a leap, and scored a dunk.

"Andre!" Yu Fei shouted in the frontcourt and pointed at Cook, "I'll give you this useless snack, leave it to me Cameron."

"What did you say?"

Cook was very angry at Fei's insulting name, but he couldn't come up with a way to fight back. He just saw that the person defending him was Iguodala, and he had the idea of ​​​​retaliating in kind.

If I can't beat Yu Fei, why can't I beat you?
That’s what Cook thought and did.

He overestimated his own strength. With his physical talent and skills, it is not difficult to score on Iguodala as long as he patiently dribbles the ball a few more times and finds his rhythm.

But he has to perform difficult long-distance pull-ups, just like Anthony did.

He is not Anthony and never will be.

To make matters worse, Cook, who is determined to leave a good impression on professionals, is closing the door to the NBA with his own hands.

Yu Fei grabbed the rebound and started a fast break.

After crossing the half court, he adjusted his rhythm again and shouted to his teammates to prepare for the pick and roll.

Anthony had just settled down and failed to react. Roy had already built a fragile human wall around him.

Yu Fei changed direction at the hip and accelerated toward the pick-and-roll. Anthony had no idea of ​​getting rid of the pick-and-roll, but just watched his opponent dribble into the unguarded vacuum.

At this moment, Yu Fei crossed his hips and dribbled the ball again, returning the basketball from his left hand to his right hand. It was a shooting rhythm that couldn't be better.

In an instant, Yu Fei combined the ball, held it up, and rose upright into the air.

"Shh!"

It was almost a chasing three-pointer.

In less than 1 minute, the score difference returned to 4 points.

Gary Smith, chief writer of Sports Illustrated, who has been following Yu Fei for several months, had many insights when he saw him perform like this against the top high school students in the United States.

He may be the one who knows Yu Fei best among the professionals present.

If the intensity of the Washington State 4A championship is not enough to prove Yu Fei's talent, then Yu Fei's performance in the ABCD training camp is enough to illustrate something.

What's even more fascinating is Yu Fei's period of strength, which is a situation where the Jade team is almost defeated.

This is the true nature of a star.

There are many players who perform well in regular time, but once they come to the anxious and critical moment, they will miss the mark, cannot find the basket, and then miss the good game.

Only a few people can withstand that suffocating pressure and have the courage to take responsibility.

After Yu Fei hit the three-pointer, he provocatively wiped Anthony's neck, "Carmelo, if you give the ball to that loser again, you will lose!"

When he said this, Smith was sitting in the front row less than 10 meters away from him.He smiled.

He is provoking, alienating, and putting pressure on his opponents.

Although immature, it is enough to deal with high school students.

This is a brave and resourceful young man who reminds Smith of Larry Bird in his prime.

Yu Fei has a strange charm that attracts insightful observers like Smith.

Anthony took the bait. He really didn't want the team's advantage to be ruined by Lenny Cook alone, so he ignored Cook's request for the ball, faced Fei's defense, and decisively launched an attack with the ball.

The two most talked about players in this game are ready to battle it out.

Anthony responded to Yu Fei with a difficult jump shot.

Then, Yu Fei changed direction and opened Anthony's defense, and once again completed a breakthrough dunk.

Anthony dribbled to the frontcourt and hit a three-pointer from the top of the key.

Yu Fei made a simple pull-up three-pointer.

The duel between the two continued until the last 90 seconds of the game. Anthony shot a three-pointer, but missed and sprained his foot when landing.

When Anthony was taken off the court, the Aces still led by 2 points, but his exit virtually declared the outcome of the game.

Yu Fei blocked Cook from the front, caught up with the basketball, gave up the opportunity to perform a fast break dunk, and smashed the ball into the backboard in the frontcourt.

The rebounding basketball was caught by Iguodala who jumped up and completed a dunk.

This is the moment of performance and the moment of judgment for the strongest.

Yu Fei continued to humiliate Cook: "I heard that you want to directly sign up for the draft next year? That's ridiculous. What qualifications do you have to play in the NBA?"

Cook collapsed under the high pressure of his opponent.

He threw a foul-smelling air ball that allowed the Emeralds to counterattack with a buzzer beater 20 seconds before the end.

"Hey, Lenny." Yu Fei said heartily, "Don't forget to bring an oxygen bottle when you go home tomorrow. I'm afraid you will suffocate on the way home."

It was over, and the Aces collapsed after Anthony was injured.

Lenny Cook showed his ugly face, while Yu Fei was highly praised by Hubie Brown and many professionals.

Now, like Gary Smith, they feel the charm of Yu Fei.

"Fry, if we have an outstanding child like you in our family, I will be the happiest old man in the world." Brown's love for Fly is beyond words.

Brown's love of flying reminded Smith of an anecdote he heard in Seattle.

It is said that on the night when Yu Fei led his team to win the state championship, an elderly Latin woman told him that watching him play was like watching her own child.

Smith's heart was beating rapidly. He also wanted to exchange a few words with Yu Fei. He wanted to tell the boy that he was preparing to write a column for him in "Sports Illustrated", which would be good for him if he aspired to the NBA. .

It sounds like Smith wants something from Yu Fei.

But he didn't have any utilitarian intentions. From the time he paid attention to Yu Fei, there was only one reason that pushed him to start this job. He liked this child.

Next to Sonny Vaccaro, Jerry West, who had watched the game, pondered: "One year? How is that possible?"

Vaccaro laughed: "I didn't believe it at first, but it's true."

"If this is true, then" West's instinct is to say that he is a can't-miss player, but the reality is that he currently has no relationship with the NBA.

Even if Yu Fei is a player not to be missed, what does it mean to him?
He has no chance to trade for an All-Star center, get a lottery pick, and then make a shocking move in the draft.

"So what?" Vaccaro asked.

"He's going to be the biggest wild card since 1979," West said. "He's either Michael Olowokande or Magic Johnson, there's no in between."

(End of this chapter)