Westbrook

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Bang!

In a gym, Russell Westbrook, wearing a sleeveless training vest, shot a three-pointer, but the ball hit the rim and bounced out.

Bang!

He took a pass from the trainer and attempted another three-pointer, but he missed again, and the basketball fell into the hands of a tall player.

"Russell, why are you shooting three-pointers?" Kevin Love, who had just received the ball, asked with a smile while faking a shot.

Swish!

With a smooth and graceful motion, Love's shot sailed into the net.

Besides the two of them, other players were training in the gym—all members of the UCLA Bruins.

"They keep saying my shooting is way worse than Stephen Curry's, and that I'm just a reckless dunker!" Westbrook responded angrily.

Bang!

He attempted another long shot, but this time the basketball hit the backboard hard without even touching the rim.

"When did that happen?" Kevin Love asked in surprise.

"Didn't you read the paper? Yesterday, Stephen Curry scored 40 points, made 11 three-pointers, and dropped 29 points in the first 6 minutes of the second half to overturn North Carolina! Now those reporters are saying that neither we nor Xavier can take down Butler University," Westbrook explained.

Kevin Love shrugged as he made a little hook shot.

"You know I don't read the papers... but shouldn't we focus on beating Xavier first?"

Tonight, UCLA was set to play against Xavier University, with the winner advancing to the Final Four and facing Butler University for a spot in the championship.

"Xavier? Please, they're just a bunch of nobodies," Westbrook said with disdain.

It wasn't arrogance. UCLA had been placed in the Western Conference bracket, which was considerably weaker that year. The only real threat had been the No. 2 seed, Duke University, but Duke had been eliminated early and didn't make it to the regional finals.

Xavier's advancement had relied heavily on luck; under normal circumstances, they wouldn't be a match for UCLA.

Westbrook's mind was already set on Butler University.

And now the reporters were claiming that he couldn't measure up to Curry, which made Westbrook, always proud, furious.

He acknowledged that he hadn't hit as many three-pointers in the last three tournament games as Curry did in those 6 minutes. But he could do a windmill dunk or a 360-degree spin dunk. Could Curry do that?

He couldn't.

The more Westbrook thought about it, the angrier he became. He took another pass from his trainer, charged into the paint, and soared off the ground as if springs were under his feet. Stretching out his body, he dunked the ball with one hand, forcefully slamming it into the basket.

"Wow! Russell, you don't even need to shoot three-pointers. The sky's your limit!" Kevin Love laughed.

Westbrook nodded firmly. Whoever controls the paint controls the game. He didn't believe Curry could be that accurate every game. But he knew for sure that if he could get into the paint, he could dominate the basket in various ways.

Afterward, he continued to practice his driving game with the trainer, occasionally throwing down powerful and aesthetically pleasing dunks that made his teammates cheer in awe.

In the distance, UCLA Bruins head coach Ben Howland was discussing strategy for the evening's game with his staff, but he couldn't help but notice the noise Westbrook was generating.

Watching Westbrook's dunks, Howland nodded approvingly.

No matter how many times you see it, Westbrook's dunks always have a certain raw, violent beauty that gets the blood pumping.

"…Ben, do you think we need to make any other changes?" an assistant coach asked, handing Howland a sheet of paper filled with tactical notes.

Howland scanned the paper and nodded. "That'll do… By the way, start studying Butler University's game footage."

The assistant coach hesitated for a moment before responding, "No problem, but what about Xavier University?"

"With Russell and Kevin, Xavier won't be a problem. Butler is the real challenge, so let's prepare early… Coach Gonzalez is young but tough. And Stephen Curry has incredible scoring ability, so we need to be ready for him," Ben Howland said, his tone serious.

Unlike many of the more traditional coaches, Howland had a great deal of respect for Liam Gonzalez, especially after seeing the series of tactics Gonzalez employed against Foda last year. He had been thoroughly impressed.

Yesterday, Gonzalez had led Butler University to defeat North Carolina. Although Curry's remarkable performance had been the decisive factor, Gonzalez's defensive schemes had effectively neutralized Hansbrough and Butler's ability to break double-teams was clearly a result of his coaching.

Howland had a hunch: Butler University would be UCLA's toughest opponent in this year's March Madness.

As for Xavier? He just hoped Westbrook wouldn't tear down their rim.

…

9 p.m., American Airlines Center.

In recent years, the Phoenix Suns, led by Steve Nash, had set the league ablaze with their run-and-gun style, becoming one of the top teams in the NBA.

Though their defensive shortcomings had kept them from advancing beyond the Western Conference, the Suns' stellar regular-season record had made Nash the first international player to win back-to-back MVP awards. Phoenix fans' enthusiasm for their team had reached new heights, reminiscent of the early 1990s when Charles Barkley led the team against the Bulls.

But tonight, the arena wasn't filled with Suns fans. Instead, the stands were packed with supporters of UCLA and Xavier University.

"…Amazing! Westbrook with the slam! He broke through the double-team and dodged the center's block in mid-air. He's an absolute beast, and the sky's his limit! Watching UCLA's games is always pure excitement!" the commentator shouted.

At this point, the game between UCLA and Xavier was nearing its end.

After Westbrook's last dunk, the Bruins had taken a commanding 20-point lead, 76-56, with only four minutes left.

Thanks to Westbrook and Kevin Love's standout performances, UCLA had dominated Xavier throughout the game, and now victory was within reach.

As Westbrook landed from his dunk, the crowd erupted with cheers.

"Russell! Russell!"

Arizona, home to Phoenix, was close to California, and many UCLA fans had come out to support the Bruins. The number of UCLA supporters far outnumbered those backing Xavier.

Beep—

Xavier's head coach called a timeout in frustration, pulling his starters. Ben Howland followed suit, sending in the reserves, and the game entered garbage time.

Sitting on the bench, Westbrook watched the closing minutes of the game, but his thoughts were already in San Antonio.

Stephen Curry? You won't be able to stop me!

Author's note: Some readers have commented that the NCAA storyline hasn't grabbed them. Of course, I get that—this book is called The Godfather of the Warriors, not The Godfather of the Bulldogs. But without laying the groundwork in the NCAA and developing these characters, the story wouldn't have a solid foundation. It might start with a bang, but it would fizzle out soon after.

An editor suggested I start with Zhang Yu as an assistant coach, but I didn't want to write that kind of shortcut story. So, after careful consideration, I stuck to my outline. This could be why the pace of new followers is slow. I've even written about gambling, investments, and trips home.

But I think it would feel disconnected if a super-rich guy just bought the Warriors right off the bat. That's not relatable. Though if you are super-rich, feel free to ignore me…

There are only two games left in the NCAA arc. How will Liam Gonzalez buy the Warriors? How will Curry enter the NBA? Stay tuned!

Lastly, don't forget to recommend the book!

End of this chapter

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