Chapter 4, The Psychological Burden of the Thin Guy

Currently, it has been just over two months since Liu Xiu helped Syracuse University win the NCAA basketball championship. With a solid fan base in New York, this outcome has greatly surprised them, as Syracuse University boasts two lottery picks

This individual only participates in matches and conducts team training during the season, while usually being quite lazy and rarely training

In March, Liu Xiu's progress in the elimination stage was evident, and Anthony clearly felt that the pace of the matches in the competition area was faster

Liu Xiu graciously accepted the invitation from Anthony's small group

James was also guessing with the friends and family beside him about who would be the thirteenth pick, and unexpectedly, it turned out to be this guy

Watching Liu Xiu return to his seat and take a deep breath to adjust his emotions, Anthony, who was not very articulate, could indeed express congratulations as a leader on the rise to his younger brother.

In August of last year, Anthony moved from Towson Catholic High School in Baltimore to Syracuse, and quickly gathered two followers due to his outstanding character

However, the probability of the second scenario, based on what Anthony understands, is not higher than the probability of him becoming the first overall pick under the circumstances of the Cavaliers drawing the first pick.

Liu Xiu was taken aback, not because it was a bad thing, but rather a great blessing. However, this unexpected stroke of good fortune left him feeling dazed.

Anthony had long understood that although Liu Xiu's family was not considered poor, it was not easy for his parents to support him in studying abroad in the United States. He had relatives working in the United States, but at most, they could be classified as a middle-class family

But soon, after a training period of two months, Anthony was astonished

Thus, it can be said that humans are contradictory. Liu Xiu has the potential for selection, yet he only began to receive systematic basketball training at the age of 20

Not to mention others, even the highly anticipated Anthony did not expect Liu Xiu to be selected at this position. Initially, he believed that Liu Xiu would definitely be chosen in a higher position, but as the trial phase progressed, he reluctantly accepted that it would be fortunate if Liu Xiu could be selected at all

It cannot be ruled out that some teams may take a gamble

As for whether the Grizzlies will waste a lottery pick... it doesn't matter anyway, David Stern doesn't care

Not many people on site understood the name pronounced by David Stern. When Liu Xiu heard David Stern pronounce his name in a strange tone, he was taken aback for a moment, and when the spotlight shone on him, he stood up with a "clang".

Anthony, who only felt the pressure during the madness of March, understands very well that in college competitions, as long as one does not reach the level of the top 64 in the nation, regardless of how strong the competition in the region is, it ultimately remains an amateur-level contest

Upon hearing that the other party was a Chinese person, Anthony immediately understood what had happened

However, just after becoming the leader of a trio, while contemplating how to expand and strengthen the group, two of his subordinates were beaten and came to him for help

Now, Anthony has completely lifted the burden from his heart

He knows that these two younger brothers are capable of fighting, robbing, and bullying the weak... They can do anything. These two peers were only able to enter Syracuse University because of the mandatory admission quotas for Black students in American universities, and they will definitely not be able to obtain their diplomas.

Why him

Anthony did not expect that Liu Xiu had already gained a certain notoriety in the underworld of Snow City University, making it so that ordinary people dared not provoke him, yet Liu Xiu himself was not a thug

However, in just two months, Liu Xiu surprisingly impressed Jim Boeheim with his excellent performance in the pre-season selection competition, earning a spot on the reserve list

University coaches wield significant power, but the stability of their positions depends on the performance of the team

Who would have thought that Liu Xiu was actually selected at the 13th position! This is slightly higher than the expected mid-point of the first round!

Rounding down means there is nothing to worry about

David Stern watched Liu Xiu, who was wearing a hat, walk onto the stage. He did not engage in any unnecessary actions, simply shook hands, took a photo, and then left the stage

At this moment, David Stern really wanted to dance a disco! Fortunately, being a professional, he held back.

The point difference was 21. The point difference in the last NCAA final was greater than in this match, which was a 30-point rout by the University of Delaware over Duke University in 1990

The management of the Grizzlies is not as enthusiastic as that of the previous teams, but no one pays attention to them

Therefore, after Anthony fell to the third pick to join the Denver Nuggets, he was prepared that as long as no team wanted Liu Xiu, or if Liu Xiu was later abandoned by other teams, he would do whatever it took to ensure that the Nuggets signed Liu Xiu

In the realm of basketball, at the beginning, Liu Xiu was merely a practice partner, and in Anthony's view, his skill level was quite poor, only at the level of an amateur enthusiast. His strengths included a particularly solid physique as a guard and a speed that was not too bad.

At first, only a few of the hundreds of New York fans present knew the name of David Stern, but when the spotlight shone on Liu Xiu, they recognized it and erupted into a fervent cheer

He is optimistic about Liu Xiu's future? Not really. In his view, how Liu Xiu will develop in the future is a matter for the future. Is the future important? Very important, but the future is accumulated bit by bit from the present. What he needs right now is to promote the NBA's inside and outside stars in China this summer!

Liu Xiu was not a member of the school team during his first and second years, and it was only in his third year that he truly began to receive professional basketball training, making rapid progress throughout the third season. Eventually, Anthony became accustomed to and recognized Liu Xiu's talent.

With a reportedly lazy personality and a background in campus gangs

After the match, Anthony felt that this was not acceptable. Although he did not suffer any losses, he did not regain his standing.

... ...

The two young subordinates I just took in wanted to do something bad and ended up being killed in retaliation

Later, Liu Xiu made remarkable progress that even geniuses like Anthony found astonishing, advancing from a substitute to a key substitute, and finally to a starter... In the final of the NCAA basketball championship, Syracuse University achieved a resounding victory. With Liu Xiu contributing 11 points and 10 assists, Anthony exploded for 35 points, setting a record for the most points scored by a freshman in a championship game, leading Syracuse University to a crushing 92 to 71 victory over the University of Kansas to claim the championship. Syracuse University achieved a resounding victory, with Liu Xiu contributing 11 points and 10 assists, while Anthony exploded for 35 points, setting a record for the most points scored by a freshman in a championship game, leading Syracuse University to a crushing 92 to 71 victory over the University of Kansas to claim the championship

Originally, Anthony was in an invincible position during his freshman season. After winning the championship, he felt no attachment to college and had already decided to enter the draft early. He analyzed the situation with his astute mind and decided to team up with Liu Xiu to go to the NBA

Well, it turns out that the person who was overlooked by them has been chosen

Anthony is the designated star player of Syracuse University. When he returned to the team for the new season, Liu Xiu expressed a desire to check out the basketball team, and Anthony directly approached the basketball club to recruit Liu Xiu.

There is another Chinese player in the lottery area! And he is an outside shooter!

As the elder brother, although Liu Xiu is older than An, and Liu Xiu has never accepted the idea of being a younger brother, Anthony is also considering Liu Xiu's situation. Since Liu Xiu has a talent for basketball, it must be cultivated...! ... There are many opportunities in this world to become wealthy, but for the two of them, playing in the NBA is the best opportunity to become rich

Anthony recalled the past when he met Liu Xiu

One can tell by the physique that Liu Xiu, with a height of 188 centimeters and a weight of 205 pounds, has nearly identical measurements when calculated in kilograms. After playing a whole season, he even gained a few pounds.

However, when it truly came to the training phase, Anthony was taken aback

Thus, Liu Xiu received a rather peculiar draft expectation—mid-first round to undrafted

In terms of strength, Liu Xiu certainly possesses it, as he is the core of the championship team's backcourt. However, every year there are championship backcourt cores in the NCAA basketball tournament, but how many of them can make it to the NBA? Compared to other members of the green room who were not selected, Liu Xiu does not have an advantage.

Liu Xiu was selected in the lottery zone, and for Anthony, being chosen only after falling to the third pick is completely unimportant!

Upon hearing Anthony's words, Liu Xiucai realized what was happening, stepped forward to take the cap handed to him by the management of the Grizzlies, and walked onto the stage

Anthony had never seen such a lazy basketball player as Liu Xiu, not from middle school to university, he had never encountered one.

Regardless of who is right or wrong, he An someone has just debuted at Syracuse University, and my younger brother has been beaten. I must restore the situation; otherwise, how can we grow and strengthen in the future

Looking at Liu Xiu's unremarkable appearance, he is only about ten centimeters taller than the average height in the United States, and his physique is also quite ordinary, making him appear rather overweight compared to everyone present

The reason David Stern is excited is that it can create greater attention for the new season in China

Liu Xiu is not entirely unknown among the new candidates in this election; his involvement with Anthony and his group during their time in custody gained some attention midway through the season

All the unselected members of the Little Green House stared eagerly at this ranking. They had originally been at odds with each other, each harboring a competitor they feared the most, yet none of them included Liu Xiu in their list of rivals.

Anthony, a newcomer, brought in a player who clearly did not seem like someone who could compete in NCAA-level amateur basketball. However, Jim Boeheim, the head coach of the Syracuse Orange, did not refuse him.

Another upset!

Then, Anthony and Liu Xiu faced off in their first one-on-one duel. Anthony did not have the upper hand, and he could tell that his opponent was at ease. Given Anthony's extensive experience, he realized that even his two useless lackeys might not be able to win the fight.

Anthony truly is someone who has long aspired to achieve great things and to grow stronger. After the initial shock, he stood up and embraced Liu Xiu's shoulders, saying: "Gogogo, brother, you have been chosen! Thirteenth pick!"

But one day, Jim Boyheim was still chasing Liu Xiu, pursuing him for nine blocks His daughter is a sophomore at Syracuse University, serving as the manager of the basketball club, and has taken a liking to Liu Xiu

Once a defender on the official roster of the team is injured or unable to play for other reasons, Liu Xiu will have the opportunity to come off the bench.

Naturally, Anthony, with his big brother mentality, must consider his brothers

The crux of the matter is that they have just won the championship, and the news that Anthony hears and sees about their team is all praise. In his view, this year represents the best performance of Liu Xiu University in terms of statistics and team results, and he has the potential to be selected in a high draft position

It is even possible that some teams may want to take a gamble on Liu Xiu, yet are concerned that their lower draft position might allow others to seize the opportunity and select him with a higher pick

After becoming acquainted with Liu Xiu, Anthony realized that this guy was incredibly lazy. Over the past two months, apart from the training arranged by the coaching staff, Liu Xiu rarely engaged in private training. Regarding his "efforts" in basketball, it mainly consisted of serving as a practice partner in internal training matches and occasionally playing streetball at outdoor courts with Anthony, who was eager to show off.

Anthony is certain that if he is not on the Orange Men team, even if the core inside teammate Hakeem Warrick is chosen to stay in school due to a lack of confidence, along with Liu Xiu, it would still be very difficult to make it to the Madness of March

Liu Xiuman performed exceptionally well after turning 21 during the March Madness, but players who can enter the NBA at the age of 21 generally do not perform worse than this at that age

After Liu Xiu joined his small group, the speed at which he grew stronger and more powerful became significantly accelerated

James felt somewhat annoyed; the selection of the player at the thirteenth position had little impact on him. However, after analyzing the situation, the conclusion he reached left him quite frustrated.

In terms of obscurity, the Grizzlies' choice of Liu Xiu is not as significant as the Pistons' decision to pass on Anthony in favor of the 17-year-old Darko Miličić

The official players of the school team number only a little over ten, but there are more than a hundred in the basketball club. Having one more player does not matter, but it would be troublesome to displease a talent like Anthony

Is the Memphis Grizzlies selecting players based on looks?

Moreover, Jim Boyheim extended certain privileges to Liu Xiu. Noticing that Liu Xiu possessed the skills of an amateur enthusiast, Jim Boyheim provided Liu Xiu with more opportunities for practice, essentially allowing Anthony to see this friend more often within the team

Although there was no follow-up, Liu Xiu was the one who was favored, and he did not back down, but Jim-Boyheim was still furious for quite a while

But this is the last lottery zone ranking

After a season, Anthony has concluded that Liu Xiu's remarkable progress during the season has nothing to do with Liu Xiu's efforts during the season

What kind of person Anthony is, Syracuse University has long since investigated clearly; some matters need to be handled with care.

Moreover, Yao Ming struggled in the early part of his rookie season and only began to perform well in the latter half, which had its advantages. Even if Liu Xiu does not perform well, such attention can be extended as much as possible. It would be even better if Liu Xiu excels; if he does not, it is still essential to make the most of the situation.

In Anthony's view, Liu Xiu's laid-back personality, combined with the lack of higher intensity games in the senior season, may result in minimal improvement, especially considering that the Orange Team's performance next season is certainly not guaranteed. After contemplating for a few days, Anthony persuaded Liu Xiu to sign with an agent and to register for the draft together

It's just the face

Anthony did not strive hard to grow and strengthen himself, but instead worked tirelessly for trivial matters... What is the purpose of that?

Fortunately, although he has a proud personality, he is intelligent and quickly came up with a solution—if the person who beat up his subordinate is his brother, then punishing his subordinate is equivalent to teaching his brother a lesson

Those lottery rookies who have already been selected were also quite surprised, including the first overall pick, James, who turned to stare at Liu Xiu