One-on-One with Kobe? What Kind of Novel Plot is This?

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I will start editing the new novel Warriors Godfather, in which I will change the name and nationality of the MC, I will change parts of the story.

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On the morning of the second day of the training camp, Wang Chong arrived at the gym very early.

As a rookie, Wang Chong had to show his diligence and commitment to training in front of the coaching staff, even if it was just for appearances. After all, no coach would dislike a player who works hard.

However, when Wang Chong arrived at the gym early, he heard the sound of a basketball bouncing.

"Someone actually got to the gym before me?"

Wang Chong glanced at his watch. The time was clearly displayed: 6:03 in the morning.

Was someone here practicing this early?

Wang Chong immediately thought of the figure known in Los Angeles for his 4 a.m. workouts.

Wang Chong changed his clothes in the locker room and came out to the court, where he saw a beautiful jump shot.

Kobe took a mid-range fadeaway jump shot with a graceful posture and smooth movement. The basketball drew a perfect arc in the air and went through the net.

"Swish."

Kobe looked very young at this time, much younger than the No. 24 Black Mamba who led the Lakers to back-to-back championships.

When Wang Chong walked onto the court, Kobe was already drenched in sweat; it was unclear how long he had been practicing.

Hearing footsteps, Kobe paused slightly, turned his head to look at Wang Chong, a hint of surprise in his eyes. But Wang Chong's signature black hair and yellow skin quickly made him realize Wang Chong's identity.

Seeing Kobe looking at him, Wang Chong thought for a moment and raised his hand to greet him.

Although Kobe was now at the center of controversy, as an NBA fan—especially one born in the 1990s—stars like Kobe, Iverson, and McGrady had accompanied Wang Chong throughout his youth.

However, just as he raised his hand with a smile and was about to speak, Kobe had already turned his head and continued shooting, completely ignoring Wang Chong.

Wang Chong: "..."

Well, that's really cool.

Kobe was like this when he was young... No, to be exact, even in the twilight of his career, Kobe was not much different.

Wang Chong didn't know at this time that Kobe had spoken to Fisher on the phone last night and learned that O'Neal had taken Wang Chong under his wing.

In Kobe's eyes, Wang Chong had been labeled as O'Neal's guy, so how could he treat him warmly?

Wang Chong was not the type to force a conversation. Since Kobe ignored him directly, he wouldn't go out of his way to ingratiate himself.

Picking up a basketball from a nearby hoop, Wang Chong went to the other side of the court to warm up with some shots.

Though Kobe chose to ignore Wang Chong, he didn't entirely disregard him. As Wang Chong was shooting, Kobe was silently observing him.

Kobe had never seen Wang Chong play, but he had watched Anthony's games in the NCAA, so he knew Anthony was quite strong. If Wang Chong had managed to beat Anthony in the summer league, he must have some extraordinary skills.

Then he witnessed Wang Chong's accurate mid-range shot.

Kobe, whose primary offensive weapons were his drives and mid-range shots, immediately recognized the lethality of Wang Chong's mid-range shooting, especially the almost unblockable shots made possible by his exaggerated height, which would be a powerful weapon even in the NBA.

"I see. No wonder Cameron suffered at the hands of this guy."

Despite already feeling hostility toward Wang Chong due to his relationship with O'Neal, Kobe couldn't help but be pleased when he saw Wang Chong's skills.

The stronger the Lakers, the more likely they were to win the championship. For both Kobe and O'Neal, this was more important than any conflict between them.

So, naturally, Kobe hoped Wang Chong would become as strong as possible.

Wang Chong continued practicing his shots alone when suddenly—"Hey!"

Wang Chong turned his head at the sound, only to see a basketball flying toward him.

He instinctively caught the ball and looked at Kobe, who had thrown it, with some confusion.

"Rookie, come play a couple of games with me."

Kobe's tone was straightforward and to the point.

Wang Chong's heart suddenly skipped a beat.

One-on-one with Kobe?

This was Kobe, widely recognized as one of the most skilled players in one-on-one situations. Even Jordan might not win against him in a one-on-one match.

According to Jordan himself in an interview, "Only Kobe can beat me in a one-on-one match, and he is qualified to be in the best team of all time!"

Of course, there has been controversy surrounding Kobe's one-on-one matches. For instance, his friend McGrady once challenged Kobe to see who would win in a one-on-one game. Both claimed victory, but there was never a definitive result.

Wang Chong had not expected to be challenged by Kobe to a one-on-one duel on their first meeting. It felt like a scene straight out of a dramatic novel!

But since Kobe had extended the invitation, how could Wang Chong back down?

He really wanted to know the gap between himself and Kobe, a superstar who averaged 30+7+6 per game last season and was selected to the All-NBA First Team.

Anthony is strong, but he's just a rookie who has not yet entered the NBA. His skills and experience are far from the professional level. Kobe is a completely different level!

"You start with the ball," Kobe said.

With immense confidence in his own abilities, Kobe let Wang Chong have the first possession.

In a one-on-one duel, having the first possession is critical; it often determines who reaches 21 points first and wins the game.

Wang Chong stood at the top of the three-point line holding the ball, staring directly at Kobe.

The opponent stood relatively far back and did not press forward on defense. It seemed he wanted to test Wang Chong's abilities first.

Wang Chong knew he couldn't afford to be careless.

His current overall ability rating was 83, which was already quite high, but Kobe's rating would be even higher.

Referring to Kobe's ability value in the 03-04 season from the 2K game, it should be around 96!

This number is not exaggerated at all, because starting from the 1998-99 season, Kobe began a streak of being selected to the All-NBA Team for 15 consecutive years. Especially from the 2001-02 season, except for the 2004-05 season when the Lakers missed the playoffs after O'Neal left, Kobe was consistently selected to the All-NBA First Team until the 2010-11 season. Even in the following two years, while he was no longer selected for the All-Defensive Team, he remained firmly in the All-NBA First Team.

With such a record, an overall ability rating of 96 for the 03-04 season is completely justified.

During this period, only a few players in the league could boast higher abilities than Kobe, such as O'Neal, Duncan, Garnett, and Iverson, the Answer for the 76ers and a rookie of the same year.

End of this chapter

Note: I will continue uploading as promised 4-5 chapters every day until 100, after 100 1-2 per day, with stones, reviews, and collections I will upload more don't worry.