NBA, Here I Come!!

After Jay's three-pointer tied the score at 41, Napier advanced the ball up the court.

As expected, Jay stayed on Napier in a one-on-one defensive matchup. This time, Napier didn't try to force a drive against him. Having learned that Jay was not to be trifled with, Napier called for a pick.

Jay effortlessly maneuvered around the screen, but by the time he caught up, Napier had already executed a handoff to a teammate. Stern, who was focused on Napier, failed to rotate to the open shooter.

Swish— The shot was good. Napier picked up an assist.

On Kentucky's possession, Jay pushed the ball forward and passed it to Randle. As expected, UConn sent a double-team.

Jay moved without the ball, slipping into open space. When Randle passed out of the trap, Jay caught it and immediately lobbed the ball toward the rim.

Bang! Stern caught it mid-air and slammed it home. Jay earned an assist in return.

The game turned into a heated exchange. Jay and Napier seemed locked in a personal duel: one scoring on a jumper, the other countering with a drive; one threading an assist, the other sinking a three-pointer.

Neither team could pull away. The lead changed hands multiple times, with every possession feeling like a game-deciding moment.

With a minute remaining, the score was tied at 59.

UConn had the ball, and Napier sought to attack quickly, aiming to leave Kentucky with less time for a final shot.

Napier drove into the lane, Jay staying close to him every step of the way. As Napier approached the rim, he faked a spin move, hoping to shake Jay off. But Jay, clinging tightly, didn't budge.

Napier pivoted again, this time with a convincing shoulder fake, before fading into a high-arcing bank shot.

Clank—Swish— The ball kissed the glass and fell in. UConn led 61–59.

Coach Calipari immediately called timeout to draw up a play. On the UConn sideline, their players celebrated as if the game was already over.

With 45 seconds left, Kentucky returned to the court. Following the coach's instructions, Jay inbounded the ball to Randle.

The plan was simple: use Randle's post-up to draw defenders and kick out for a three-point shot. But UConn had adjusted their strategy, leaving Randle in single coverage despite his back-to-the-basket move.

Randle noticed that none of his teammates were able to get open. Frustrated but determined, he lowered his shoulder and backed his defender into the paint.

UConn's strategy seemed sound. Randle had struggled all game, managing just 9 points. Trusting him to make a clutch play seemed risky at best.

But theory doesn't always align with reality.

Fueled by frustration and desperation, Randle fought hard, muscling his way closer to the basket. After a difficult spin move, he planted his shoulder into his defender and hooked the ball over his outstretched arm.

Thud—Roll—In! The ball bounced around the rim before dropping through the net.

"Ahhh!" Randle screamed, pounding his chest in celebration.

The score was tied again, 61–61.

With 11 seconds remaining, UConn called timeout to set up a final play. Kentucky prepared their defense for the game's most crucial possession.

UConn's center stood on the sideline, ready to inbound the ball. Napier darted through a maze of screens, trying to shake Jay, but Jay stuck to him like glue.

As the inbound clock neared its limit, Napier managed a brief opening at the top of the key. The center fired the ball toward him, but it was a low bounce pass, forcing Napier to bend down to grab it.

Jay saw his chance. Pickpocket activated as he lunged forward, swiping the ball cleanly.

Without hesitation, Jay sprinted toward the other end of the court, with Napier chasing close behind.

At the three-point line, Jay suddenly stopped, faking a pull-up jumper. Napier, caught off guard, stumbled past him.

Realizing too late that he'd been baited, Napier lunged back toward Jay, but Jay smirked and exploded toward the rim.

Although Jay had initially planned for a dunk, his lack of dunking ability and fatigue forced him to settle for a layup. The ball kissed the glass and dropped in.

Kentucky led 63–61.

UConn quickly called another timeout. With 2 seconds remaining, they still had one last chance.

This time, UConn substituted their center, replacing him with a small forward to inbound the ball. Napier again ran through a series of screens, but Jay stayed glued to him, denying him any opportunity to receive the pass.

With no time left on the shot clock, UConn's forward passed to Poltlite on the wing. The forward, out of options, launched a contested three-point shot as time expired.

Clang—Buzzer—

The ball hit the rim and bounced off. Game over.

Stern grabbed the loose rebound, hugging it tightly as he let out a primal roar of victory.

Randle, despite an overall underwhelming performance, celebrated wildly, knowing that his critical late-game contributions would bolster his draft stock.

Kentucky's players took turns cutting down the net and posing for pictures.

"And the Most Outstanding Player of this year's Final Four is… from the University of Kentucky—Jay Sun!"

Jay accepted the MOP trophy, holding it high as cameras flashed. Overwhelmed by emotion, he thanked Coach Calipari for his guidance and Randle for his leadership.

During a post-game interview, Jay made a major announcement:

"Yes, I've decided to declare for this year's NBA draft."

Surprisingly, Jay's announcement didn't generate much buzz among scouts. Only three or four scouts approached him, and just two handed him their business cards—a gesture that felt more polite than genuine.

Meanwhile, scouts flocked around Randle, Napier, and even James Young, leaving Jay to wrestle with the bittersweet reality of being overlooked.

Surrounded by falling confetti and holding his trophy, Jay gazed around the arena.

"NBA, here I come!" he thought.