No, No, Don’t Talk Nonsense

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After everyone quieted down, Liam smiled and said, "So, do you want to win the championship again?"

Curry hesitated for a moment before answering, "Of course I want to... but my dad has been persuading me to enter the draft this year, and many agents have contacted me. They guarantee that I will be selected with a high pick, saying that this year is my best chance."

"I told you before that I'd give you advice about the draft after the finals," Liam reminded him.

"I remember, boss. What do you mean?" Curry began to guess what Liam was about to say.

"Yes, I hope you can postpone entering the draft for another year," Liam said sincerely.

He looked into Curry's eyes and spoke slowly, "You know about Tim Duncan's career, right? He entered the NBA after completing his senior year, and he was dominant from the start. I'm not asking you to be exactly like him, but I believe you still have much to improve. If you play another year in the NCAA, your skills and physical strength will greatly improve, so it won't be a wasted year."

"I've noticed that the way you exert force puts your ankle at a high risk of injury. It might seem fine now, but it'll become a major issue if you don't address it. Also, your ability to handle physical contact needs further improvement. Stephen, if you trust me, play for one more year. I can assure you that you'll still be a high draft pick."

Curry fell silent, digesting Liam's words. After a long pause, he finally smiled and said, "Then I'll play another year. You're right; there's still so much I need to improve. I remember when I came to Indiana for the tryout, you told me, 'Let's create legends together.' At the time, I thought you were just trying to comfort me, but now I see you were right. Boss, without you, I wouldn't have won this championship. I believe in you!"

Liam sighed in relief. Curry's decision was crucial to his long-term plans.

And Liam's advice wasn't exaggerated. If Curry wanted to avoid the ankle injuries that plagued him in the past, he needed to change the way he exerted force now, during the NCAA season, before the demanding NBA schedule left him without the time.

"But boss, my ankle is fine, and didn't you have me switch to single-motion shooting? That's working really well," Curry said, confused.

"That's because you've gained some weight, and you need to continue doing so. Otherwise, you won't be able to handle NBA-level competition. But gaining weight will put extra stress on your ankles, and if you don't adjust the way you move, you'll risk injury," Liam explained.

In a previous life, Curry had a very high attendance rate in his rookie season after joining the NBA, missing only one game and playing an average of 36 minutes per game—a real ironman.

But during his second season, after he began gaining weight, the injuries started. He injured his ankle in the preseason, and later sprained it in a regular-season game against the Spurs. By the end of the season, he needed surgery to repair torn ligaments. Unfortunately, that was only the beginning. In the following season, 2011-2012, Curry sprained his ankle five times in just 26 games!

Curry's injuries came on suddenly and without warning. Fans at the Oracle Center were constantly on edge, terrified he might go down again at any moment.

That period was the darkest of Curry's career. His ankle was filled with inflamed and swollen tissue, bone spurs, and cartilage fragments. At one point, he nearly had to replace his Achilles tendon with one from a donor.

Liam remembered it vividly and was determined to prevent Curry from going through that pain again.

"Okay... but boss, you're telling me I'll still be a high draft pick next year? That seems unlikely. I'll be a junior next year, and older players usually drop in draft value. It would be a miracle to even make it to the lottery," Curry said skeptically.

"Then let's win another championship to prove your strength. That way, no one will be able to ignore you," Liam said with a smile.

…

When the Bulldogs returned to Indiana, they were treated like heroes. The city government organized a championship parade through the main streets.

The last time an Indiana team won the NCAA championship was in 1987, when Indiana University took the title—21 years ago. Fans filled the streets, following the parade to celebrate this hard-earned victory.

After the excitement of the parade faded, the team returned to their regular training schedule. With several seniors set to graduate, Matthew Graves was busy with recruitment for the new season.

Stevens came to Liam with a suggestion about a talented high school player from Indiana—Gordon Hayward.

"Liam, I've been watching Gordon for a while now. He's an excellent team player. He may not be the most talented, but his skills, basketball IQ, and shooting are great. Plus, he has good ball-handling skills, which could really help fill the void of a second ball-handler," Stevens said, highly recommending Hayward.

Liam reviewed the scouting report on Hayward, nodding as he read. Though Hayward was still far from reaching his peak, he was already showing signs of becoming an all-around forward and had made a name for himself in Indiana.

It seemed that the mentor-apprentice bond between Stevens and Hayward was meant to be.

"Have Matthew reach out to him. Offer him a full scholarship and the promise of a starting spot," Liam said.

With Graves set to graduate, Hayward could step in to fill the forward-guard swingman role, pairing with Curry in the backcourt.

"I'll talk to Matthew right away," Stevens said, smiling before heading off.

Liam watched the Bulldogs train. With several seniors gone, Hinkle Fieldhouse felt emptier than usual.

He paced back and forth, observing the players' progress, when he noticed Curry smiling while practicing his shot.

Surprised, Liam asked, "Stephen, what's up? You seem really happy today."

Curry hesitated before quietly asking, "Boss, what kind of gifts do girls like?"

"Girls? Are you in love?" Liam asked, amused.

"No, no, don't start with that! It's just a friend... I haven't seen her in years. She's working in Hollywood now. I got in touch with her when I went to the ESPN awards ceremony," Curry quickly clarified.

Liam immediately guessed who it was—Ayesha.

He looked Curry over and, with a teasing grin, said, "Just bring yourself and be natural. Oh, and don't forget to prepare... safety measures."

"Boss! I'm a devout Christian! I'd never do that before marriage!" Curry's face flushed bright red.

"Haha, I'm just messing with you. Be confident—you're a champion now! Go for it," Liam laughed.

"Who said I'm trying to pursue her..." Curry mumbled, though a wide smile spread across his face.

He shot a few three-pointers before turning back to Liam. "Boss, if we win the championship again, do you think she'll be more impressed?"

Liam almost burst out laughing. What does winning championships have to do with love? But instead, he encouraged him, "Then let's win another championship. For the draft, and for Ayesha!"

"Alright, I'll work hard! Wait, how do you know her name is Ayesha?!" Curry asked, shocked.

End of this chapter

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