Volume 1 Western Cowboy Chapter 015 It doesn't seem that difficult
After getting the information back from the basketball hall, Wayne couldn't suppress his excitement.
The starting players on NCAA Division I teams...
A little over a month ago, this seemed like a difficult goal for Wayne.
But now, he has truly embraced happiness.
This month’s efforts and sweat have not been in vain. Wayne has never felt so accomplished, either in his previous life or now.
Because this was the first time in his two lifetimes that he took a solid step forward in something he loved.
The word "dream" was extremely illusory .
But at this moment, he is setting sail on the journey of pursuing his dreams.
Of course, this is just a small step.
Becoming a starter is not the ultimate goal, it is just a starting point.
If he does not perform well in the next few warm-up matches, his starting position is likely to be replaced.
The most important thing now is to keep the starting position. Then, move forward steadily towards becoming an NCAA star!
Thinking of this, Wayne opened the folder he had just taken from Sutton.
Inside was a scouting report on a player named Matt Freger, who was the player Wayne would face off against in the next game.
Wayne breathed a sigh of relief when he saw that the name was so unfamiliar.
The name is unfamiliar, but it at least proves that this guy didn't make a name for himself in the NBA later, so he shouldn't be a difficult opponent.
After reading the name, Wayne looked down at the guy's information.
It has to be said that the NCAA's scouting work is already quite detailed.
Basically all of Frege's information is recorded on it in detail.
He is 2.08 meters tall, a junior player, plays as a power forward, and is one-quarter Lebanese.
"Damn, they can find out this." Wayne shook his head. He was now very curious about what he looked like in other people's scouting reports.
Scrolling down, Wayne saw the column for weight.
From the photo, Matt Frege seems to be a white player who is not very strong. But his weight is 101 kilograms...
He is 6 kilograms heavier than Wayne who worked so hard to gain weight.
"This...any one of them is heavier than me?" Wayne was autistic. 6 kilograms, the gap is really not small.
What's more, the other person is three centimeters shorter than me.
You know, in fighting competitions, there is a level of about 4-6 kilograms.
Because the seemingly small 4-6 kilograms can create a huge strength gap.
If Wayne is compared to a lightweight athlete in a fighting competition, he would have to cross weight classes to engage in hand-to-hand combat with a welterweight opponent.
However, this unequal confrontation is precisely part of the charm of basketball games.
In fact, Freje is not as simple as Wayne thinks, "just any random guy".
In the latest draft predictions, Freger was ranked in the middle of the second round, basically the same level as Tony Allen.
To put it simply, Freje is ranked in the top 60 among thousands of players in the NCAA Division I league!
Although from the NBA's perspective, a second-round pick doesn't seem to be a big deal.
But within the NCAA, all those who can make the predicted draft list are great.
Sutton is very optimistic about Wayne, so he will not choose easy opponents to fight Wayne.
"There's a 12-pound difference, which is indeed a big challenge. But fortunately, the scout report says that he is a shooting power forward like me. He shouldn't be eaten too badly under the basket."
Wayne still didn't know where Freje came from, and didn't know how strong this unprepossessing guy actually was.
But it's just right that this also allows Wayne to focus on studying his opponent without distraction.
This era is not like the future, where you can find a bunch of game videos with a simple search on the Internet.
In 2003, as an NCAA player, there were very limited ways to learn about your opponents.
This information is all Wayne can get.
Thoroughly understanding this information will be of great help to Wayne in his next game.
Don't think that basketball players are just a group of brutes who fight on the court.
Before each game begins, they will do very detailed research on their opponents and then develop strategies.
Basketball is a game that truly requires both mental and physical strength.
However, the more Wayne looked at it, the more he felt worried about the 12-pound gap between himself and his opponent.
If the other team also had his scouting report, they would definitely see his weight. At that time, he would definitely strengthen his offensive under the basket.
If I was unlucky enough to be beaten by this guy under the basket, wouldn't my trick of pretending to be a good defender by blocking shots be exposed? ?
His current strength and interior defensive ability are still very low.
"No, we have to think of a way." Wayne touched his chin. He couldn't just give up the starting position he had fought so hard for.
Tony Allen and Sutton both have such high expectations of themselves, and they cannot let others down.
"By the way, there is still a lottery package that has not been opened." At this time, Wayne suddenly remembered that the task reward that was automatically collected into the backpack after completing the task had not been used.
If I could really come up with something useful, maybe I could make up for my current disadvantages in strength and weight.
Wayne quickly threw down the information and rushed into the bathroom to wash his face...
This time, please don't come up with anything messy.
In the system, Wayne nervously opened the B-level lottery package.
According to the introduction, a B-level lottery package can be opened into a bronze-level badge or shooting package.
Shooting package: Wayne now has Rasheed Wallace's straight-arm shot, and it works very well.
Therefore, he hoped to get a more practical badge.
"Your face can't always be so dark, open the bag!"
Just like last time, after a flash of white light, a badge appeared in front of Wayne!
"Great!" Wayne quickly looked at the effect of the badge. You know what, his luck was really good this time!
“Earned the badge: Off-limits Deterrence (Bronze, upgradeable).
Effect: When interfering with the opponent's shot in the three-second zone, the interference effect is slightly improved. "
Although it was just a lowest-level bronze badge, Wayne felt that it was much more practical than the purple one last time.
Isn't that right? After installing this, I will be more confident in defending in the penalty area!
So Wayne took off the previous purple badge without hesitation and installed the bronze penalty area deterrent.
Currently, Wayne has only one badge equipment slot. He doesn't know if there will always be only one, or if it can be unlocked in the future.
But at least now, this only equipment slot will only be reserved for restricted area deterrence!
"It's comfortable. When facing him on the outside, I have the advantage of height and wingspan, so I'm not afraid of his shooting. In the inside, I have the deterrence of the restricted area, so this time, I shouldn't be beaten."
Wayne's confidence suddenly soared. In the first official 5-on-5 game, he must play with momentum!
In the blink of an eye, it was the day of the friendly match between the Cowboys and Vanderbilt University.
When Wayne went out to class this morning, he found that the school was very lively.
Many students were handing out flyers to promote the game, and there were also many foreign tourists on campus.
Obviously, this game attracted fans from some surrounding cities to watch.
First of all, Oklahoma does not have an NBA team, so the NCAA team is the home team for the fans.
Second, all Oklahomans wanted to see with their own eyes what the legendary player who defeated Wallace looked like.
In the afternoon, two hours before the game started, when Wayne walked into the stadium, he found that it was very different from usual.
Even sitting in the locker room, you can feel the noise from the 14,000 people outside.
The temperature of the stadium and Wayne's adrenaline were soaring.
Wayne was a little nervous. He had never played in front of so many people before.
The last time I went to a fan meeting and challenged Wallace, there were only about a hundred people there.
This time, it’s a hundred times more than last time!
"Alright, cheer up! This is our first game of the season. Even though it's just a warm-up match, I hope everyone will take it seriously!"
At this moment, Eddie Sutton pushed the door open and walked into the locker room.
He clapped his hands, drawing everyone's attention.
"First of all, let me announce today's starting lineup, which is what you are most concerned about. Point guard Lucas, shooting guard Tony, small forward Joey (Graham), power forward Wade, and center Holmes."
After Sutton announced the list, he glanced at Wayne and found that he had clenched his fists.
The Cowboys' muscular power forward Randy Carter looked confused.
He always felt that he should be the starting player.
But overall, this starting lineup did not cause too much commotion among the players, and they were basically convinced.
"That's great, Wayne!" Teacher Tony, who was sitting next to Wayne, whispered, then patted Wayne's arm to celebrate.
Wayne smiled and nodded. Although he knew in advance that he would be on the starting list, when the moment officially came, Wayne was still a little excited.
"However, I cannot guarantee that the starting lineup for the regular season will be exactly the same as today. As I said, my team only speaks with strength. The purpose of this series of warm-up games is to test the lineup. I only want to play with a lineup that can win!"
Old Sutton was particularly serious today, and the goal he conveyed was very clear: "Even if it's just a warm-up match, I want you to win beautifully!"
That’s the Cowboys style.
Hungry for victory and determined to move forward, this team has been deeply marked by Sutton.
After the head coach finished speaking, the players continued to put on their equipment.
Wayne opened the locker and took out his No. 11 jersey.
This number was chosen by the previous Wayne, because Yao Ming had just entered the NBA as the No. 1 pick, which gave Wayne great encouragement when he was playing in a foreign country.
Therefore, Wayne chose the same number that Chairman Yao wore on the Mosaic team.
"Okay, this is our territory. It's no one else's turn to run wild. Let's go!" Finally, Tony Allen stood up and waved his arms, and the hot-blooded young players filed out one after another.
The moment he pushed open the door of the locker room, huge cheers filled Wayne's ears.
He rushed out of the player tunnel behind Tony Allen, and immediately got goose bumps all over his body.
Is this... the world's highest level college basketball league?
Wayne looked around at the sea of fans and was dumbfounded.
This atmosphere is even more crazy than the NBA!
In fact, there are only a few teams with high attendance during the NBA regular season.
Therefore, the atmosphere at NCAA games is actually more lively than that at most NBA games.
"Wei, why are you standing there like an idiot? Go warm up!"
It wasn't until Sutton shouted behind Wayne that he finally came to his senses.
"Yes!" After being reminded by Sutton, Wayne's mood changed from nervous to excited.
Isn't it my ultimate dream to play basketball on such a court?
So, let’s make this dream even brighter!
“Is he the Chinese student who beat Rasheed Wallace?”
"Fuck, did you see his arm? I feel like he could block a shot from a meter away."
"He's a sophomore? Why didn't I have much impression of him last season?"
In the stands, many fans instantly started discussing Wayne.
After Sutton sat on the bench, he looked back at the audience.
He found that there were many middle-aged men in suits and with serious expressions in the stadium today.
Most of these guys should be NBA scouts.
It's really rare. It seems that this year's Cowboys team is also the focus of everyone's attention.
While warming up , Wayne glanced at the white forward opposite him who was practicing post-up shots under the basket. He was his opponent today, Matt Freger.
He doesn’t look like anything special in the picture, but when you look at him in real life, you can see that guy is really strong.
And that blond hair and mustache... he actually looks a bit like Dirk.
It seems that there will be a fierce battle today.
After a while, the referee signaled the players from both teams to step into the center circle, and the cheers at the scene reached a peak.
Wayne kept taking deep breaths, trying to relax himself.
Although he is a sophomore, in a true sense, this game is Wayne's NCAA debut.
At this time, Wayne's system, as usual, evaluated the overall difficulty level of the game.
"Wait, the competition intensity and difficulty are just average?" Wayne was stunned after seeing the difficulty assessment.
What about the tough battle you promised?
Is the opponent too weak?
Or is it that... I and the Cowboys are too strong now?
