The Best Point Guard-Chapter 58 - 55: [The Super Talents of Big Bird and Magic]

Chapter 58: Chapter 55: [The Super Talents of Big Bird and Magic]

Ever since the University of Kansas defeated Marquette University on April 5th, the question of who would win this year’s NCAA championship has become a hotly debated topic across the United States. Turn on any sports channel, and you’ll find news and discussions about Syracuse University and the University of Kansas.

The intense media blitz meant that American fans knew the players on both teams like the back of their hands, from the President all the way down to street hustlers in black neighborhoods. Everyone was getting in on the annual championship guessing game.

Su Xi’s name had been mentioned frenetically by the media over the past two days, even more often than Cameron Anthony’s.

Little Sheep Su Xi was a natural-born buzz generator.

His media value was abnormally high. First, he was Asian. Second, he was very handsome. On top of that, he was a dark horse who had burst onto the scene. And most importantly... his media persona was considerably ’arrogant,’ as he was always talking about destroying geniuses.

Americans absolutely loved that kind of attitude.

The famous commentator Mike Brin said on television, "Although Jack is very famous right now, I don’t think he’ll be a lottery pick if he enters the draft. His strength and explosiveness are great in the NCAA, but he has yet to prove he can maintain that advantage in the NBA. Moreover, his weaknesses in other areas are still quite obvious, and his offensive skills aren’t particularly eye-catching..."

It was supposed to be an objective discussion, but that same day, ESPN received over ten thousand complaint calls from furious fans demanding they fire Mike Brin.

This scared Mike Brin so much that during the Lakers vs. Knicks game on the night of April 6th, he immediately apologized. He said he didn’t mean anything by his comments, that his favorite player was Little Sheep Su Xi, that Little Sheep Su Xi would definitely be a lottery pick, and that he was sure to have an incredible performance in the NCAA Finals.

In any country, viral superstars can’t be publicly criticized.

Su Xi had clearly never expected to one day receive the "idol" treatment. When Cameron Anthony told him about what happened, he just scratched the back of his head and said, "I didn’t even do anything."

Of course. What idol ever needs to do anything? Isn’t being handsome enough? Besides, Su Xi’s track record was the real deal. In the world of idols, he was an absolute unicorn.

The NBA announced there would be no games on April 7th to make way for the NCAA Finals.

The Syracuse University Orange Team entered the Super Dome Arena at 2:30 in the afternoon, where many staff members were already busy setting up.

Unlike during the Final Four, three additional rows of media seats and more seating for technical staff had been added for this game. Broadcast cameras were everywhere. The massive arena, which had previously looked a bit sparse, now even felt somewhat crowded with the extra seating.

Su Xi ran some suicides for a while, then started practicing his shot.

Cameron Anthony was practicing nearby with his headphones on. He had been visibly busy the last couple of days; Bill Daffy was showing up in his room almost every two hours.

Clearly, for Anthony, the championship game was just the beginning.

The real main event was the post-finals draft battle.

That was where he could achieve a success of real significance.

In comparison, Su Xi had more strategic composure. He hadn’t contacted any brands, and he’d told Huang Xiaoman not to engage in any commercial negotiations.

He was very disciplined. He knew he had a great future ahead of him, and there was no need to give anyone any ammunition to use against him.

At 4:30, as Su Xi was finishing his practice, the team manager gathered the players for a commemorative photo with the university ’dignitaries’ who had come to visit. He was pushed into the center of the photo.

Evidently, on the Syracuse University campus, Little Sheep Su Xi’s fame was now catching up to Cameron Anthony’s.

There was a novelty factor with him; he was the new hero who had risen out of nowhere, whereas Cameron Anthony was the super-genius who had always carried great expectations.

After the photo, the director of the athletic committee told Su Xi with great confidence, "The wisest decision of my life was approving Reggie Williams’s request to give you a scholarship. I have to say, Reggie and I have sharp eyes."

At the mention of Reggie, Su Xi felt a pang of sadness.

Afterward, Kansas came out to get a feel for the court, and the Syracuse team left.

As Su Xi entered the players’ tunnel, he saw the two legendary rivals of the ’80s walking toward him, surrounded by an entourage.

Magic! Big Bird!

The Syracuse players shrieked with excitement.

To them, these were the absolute biggest names in the world of basketball.

Before Michael Jordan, these two men saved the NBA’s ratings. They kept the league from going bankrupt in the ’80s, preserving the flame of basketball and paving the way for the NBA’s current prosperity.

They were also considered the rulers of the NBA before Michael Jordan, though they took turns with the crown. In the ’80s, only one person ever escaped their dominion. This person also defeated Jordan. (Pop quiz, no prize.)

So, when the Syracuse players saw them standing together, they could hardly keep from cheering.

Josh Peis was the first to go over and start sucking up. He asked cautiously, "You two Gods of Basketball, could we get a picture with you?"

Magic Johnson readily agreed, and Bird added, "Let’s get a group photo with all of Syracuse University. After all, I’m rooting for you guys to win the championship."

"Me too," Magic added. "This is one of the few times we’ve ever agreed on anything."

With media reporters as witnesses, they all took a pre-game group photo together.

After the photo, Josh Peis started asking for their autographs. With him leading the charge, the other players all got signatures as well.

Su Xi didn’t join the commotion. He stood off to the side, not really thinking autographs had any special value.

But after Bird finished signing for the others, he suddenly called out to Su Xi. "Hey, Little Sheep Su Xi, get over here. It’s your turn."

Su Xi wasn’t one to be a killjoy.

He walked over.

Just as he stepped between Big Bird and Magic.

The Little Elf in his mind stirred on its own and issued an alert: "Super Talent detected."

Su Xi was surprised. ’Who? Bird or Magic?’

"Larry Bird and Magic Johnson both possess Super Talents," the Little Elf said. "Moreover, they are self-evolved Super Court Talents."

Su Xi was taken aback. ’Weren’t Bird’s physical attributes supposed to be poor? Magic Johnson, on the other hand, was famous for punishing opponents with his size advantage in mismatches, and his winning Finals MVP as a rookie was the stuff of legend.’

"Neither Larry Bird nor Magic Johnson possesses an innate Super Talent derived from their physical body. And now that they’re old, those physical gifts have faded. However, the two Super Talents they evolved on their own are still intact. Larry Bird evolved a ’Super Sense of Distance’ through his own training and intuition. Magic Johnson, by augmenting his physical gifts with training and intuition, evolved a ’Super Sense of Space’," the Little Elf explained.

’You can evolve Super Talents on your own?’ Su Xi asked.

"Of course. When many skills are practiced to their absolute peak and perfectly integrated, they can evolve into a Super Talent. That Kobe Bryant you met last time is on the verge of evolving his own Super Talent. These kinds of talents are often better than the innate ones derived from the body."

’What is the Super Sense of Distance? And what is the Super Sense of Space?’ Su Xi couldn’t help but ask.

The Little Elf said, "Bird couldn’t run fast or jump high, and his physical attributes didn’t give him an advantage in matchups, but he remained deadly accurate because his mastery over distance was sublime. Magic Johnson’s sense of space is his control over the entire court—his vision is wider and deeper, and his ability to process dynamic movement is extremely powerful."

Su Xi understood.

By this time, the two legends had both signed Su Xi’s jacket.

Su Xi looked up, a pleasantly surprised expression on his face as he gazed at Bird and Magic. Then, he asked, "Do you two have any lingering regrets from your time on the court that you never fulfilled?"

’He had originally wanted to ask if they were in good health, but that would have been presumptuous and very rude. For Magic, it would have been especially cruel.’

At Su Xi’s sudden question, Magic Johnson, who always had quick reflexes, just smiled. "My biggest regret from the court is that I never thoroughly defeated Bird in the ’80s," he said.

He was joking.

Big Bird, on the other hand, was dead serious. He wasn’t one to smile or joke around.

And when he met Su Xi’s ’scorching’ gaze, he understood.

’The kid is giving me a hint,’ he thought. ’After the last time, he must be afraid I didn’t understand, so he’s giving me another hint. What’s my regret? My biggest basketball regret is known to the whole world: I never brought a championship to my home state of Indiana.’

’Looks like this kid wants me to pick him,’ Larry Bird thought.

A smile broke out on his face. He patted Su Xi’s shoulder, then leaned in and whispered in his ear, "Jack, come find me at my hotel after the game tonight. Or, I can come to yours. I’ll give you a promise."

Huh?

Su Xi froze.

Everyone else was also surprised. Why had Larry Bird suddenly started whispering in Su Xi’s ear?

’Could his regret be...?’

’Are both of these old legends so improper?’

Magic was shocked too. ’Does Bird have some kind of basketball regret he needs to talk about behind my back?’

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