Slam Dunk: Muguro

Chapter 279 Dampier: Oh no, I've become a G0at!
"Running Without Getting Tired (or Disabled)": During strenuous exercise, use a special breathing rhythm to slightly reduce energy consumption!
Even though the title "Undying Runner" is incomplete, its attributes are still enviable.

For players, physical fitness is an attribute that can never be bypassed.

If Yao Ming possessed this ability, he wouldn't have underperformed in the fourth quarter.

Unfortunately, there is no if!
If it were the complete "Undying Runner" title, its effect would definitely be even better.

At this moment, Kogure looked at the next title.

This is where the real prize comes in!
King of Pretenders
Effect 1: Your trash talk is more likely to provoke your opponent's emotions.

Effect 2: When your trash talk is related to shooting, it greatly increases your shooting percentage (can only be used once per game).

Effect 3: When you successfully show off, you gain a status buff, but at the same time, the risk of being beaten up by your opponent increases!

This is the first time Kogure has ever seen a title with three effects; all I can say is that Bird truly deserves to be called the strongest white man.

It's hard to imagine that this is a Hall of Fame superstar whose right middle finger can't bend to 90 degrees or straighten, and whose physical talents are even mediocre!
With such physical attributes, to be ranked in the top ten in history, doesn't that speak volumes about his skill?

If Bird had historically great physical attributes, it's unimaginable how strong he would have been.

These three effects are undeniably powerful, and if used well, they could potentially determine the outcome of a match.

Bird is known as the "King of Show-offs" not only because all the things he said came true, but also because he got beaten up for showing off.

It was a quiet night when a boastful act sparked a brawl among six future Hall of Famers.

In the end, only Bird's heartbroken world was achieved.

Because he was the one being beaten, and he was surrounded and beaten by three burly men.

That was awful!

Bird put on a show, but he also got beaten up!

On the last day of training camp, Bird organized a final scrimmage, which was once again a match between players from two different countries.

During this period, Bird did not only focus on daily training, but he also frequently organized and planned a series of scrimmages.

These matches are not only to test the players' training results, but also to improve their teamwork skills.

During scrimmages, Bird always emphasized the importance of team spirit and paid attention to the players' execution of tactics.

For Bird, while individual brilliance was important, team victory was the ultimate goal.

As arranged by Bird, the two teams in the competition remained the island nation team and the American team.

Both sides fielded their strongest lineups and engaged in a fierce battle on the field.

Due to the disparity in player skill, the American team gained the upper hand from the very beginning of the game.

However, thanks to Kogure's organization, the match did not turn out to be one-sided, and the suspense remained until the last half minute.

The United States team not only led by three points, but also had possession of the ball.

The situation is very favorable for the United States team!
shuh~
Despite Kogure's effective interference, Kobe still managed to score two crucial points with a spectacular shot, extending the lead to 5 points.

At this moment, there are only 12 seconds left in the game!
In such a short time, the American team has almost secured the victory.

Unless a miracle like the 'Miller Time' or the 'McGrady Time' occurs, it's best not to consider it.

However, Kogure did not give up.

Without hesitation, Kogure used his last pause.

Besides inspiring his teammates, it was also to gain the opportunity to take the ball from midfield.

After the timeout ended, Shota Sugiyama quickly passed the ball to Kogure.

Perhaps thinking victory was assured, Dampier became a "G0at," neglecting his defensive efforts and resulting in a fatal lapse in defense.

Using his teammates' cover, Fujima appeared in the left corner, while Dampier not only didn't switch with Knight, but there was also no one in front of him.

A closer look reveals that Dampier didn't move much, standing still in a defensive stance, but there was no one in front of him.

He's protecting himself from air!
The moment Fujima appeared at the bottom corner, Kogure quickly passed the ball, accurately delivering it into Fujima's hands.

It was only then that Dampier realized what was happening and rushed towards Fujima.

But by then, it was too late.

Because Kogure's pass was so easy, Fujima didn't even need to adjust and just made a three-pointer.

shuh~
The basketball went into the net, successfully narrowing the gap to 2 points.

At this point, there are 10 seconds left in the game.

Dampier shrugged, seemingly unconcerned.

They could have dragged the game out until the very end!

As Dampier prepared to serve, Kogure shouted, "Press the defense!"

Under Kogure's leadership, Fujima and the others mustered their remaining strength and implemented a tight defensive press.

Hamilton stepped up to receive Dampier's serve after Dampier committed a service fault, even trapping Zebeng behind him.

Dampier instinctively prepared to pass the ball to Hamilton, when suddenly, a figure lunged forward, lunging for the basketball.
With his exceptional reaction speed, Kogure made a crucial steal.

Dampier's serve was too obvious, offering no concealment whatsoever.

After making the interception, Kogure immediately passed the ball to the top of the penalty area with a bounce pass.

When Kogure made the steal, Sawakita immediately rushed to the three-point line at top speed and successfully caught the ball.

"not good!"

Hamilton's expression changed drastically, and he rushed over.

Without hesitation, Zebei jumped up and flicked his wrist to throw the ball.

shuh~
The basketball traced a beautiful arc before finally piercing the rim.

After Kogure assisted Sawakita to make a three-pointer, the Japanese national team successfully took the lead.

At this point, there were still [number] minutes left in the game.
At this moment, there are 7 seconds left in the game!
Seeing that things were going badly, Big Z immediately requested a suspension.

After the timeout, the United States team inbounded the ball from midfield, and Kobe, with the help of his teammates' screens, successfully shook off Kogure.

Big Z immediately passed the ball to Kobe, who drove aggressively to the basket and scored a layup under pressure.

The United States team has once again taken the lead.

At this moment, there are 3.3 seconds left in the game!
Since the island nation team had already used up their timeouts, they could only serve from the backcourt.

Before inbounding the ball, Kogure said to Bird, who was standing on the sidelines, "Larry, do you believe I can make this super long three-pointer?"

"Do not believe!"

Bird crossed his arms and immediately shook his head in denial.

At such a distance, the only way to make a shot is by luck, and he didn't think Kogure could make it.

He believed that the probability of Kogure making the shot was lower than the probability of him being ganged up on by Dr. J, Barkley, and Moses Malone.

"Then just watch out!"

Kogure's face was full of confidence.

As soon as Kogure finished speaking, the second effect of the King of Cool was successfully activated, greatly increasing the probability of hitting the basket on the next shot.

With this attribute, he has a good chance of making even long-range three-pointers!
Bird has tried to show off so many times and succeeded each time, so he doesn't believe he'll fail on his 'first time showing off'.

Using Bird's title of "King of Show-offs," when trying to show off in front of Bird, he had to make sure he did it big.

At this moment, many American players instinctively retreated to defend.

Kogure proactively went to the baseline to inbound the ball, passing it to Fujima. Using Watanabe Masao's body, Fujima shook off Kobe and quickly sprinted towards the frontcourt. Fujima briefly passed the ball to Kogure before immediately passing it back.

When Kobe was blocked by Masao Watanabe, Dampier did not switch to guard Kogure.

Not only did Dampier not mark Kogure, but the other American players also failed to interfere with Kogure's ball-handling and advance.

Kobe sensed something was wrong. As he lunged at Kogure again, Kogure, without any interference, launched a long-range three-pointer from 46 feet.

At that moment, everyone's eyes were focused on the basketball.

The moment he threw the ball, Kogure, skilled and daring, turned and pointed at Bird, his eyes brimming with confidence.

As the basketball approached the basket, Kobe became increasingly uneasy for some reason.

shuh~
The basketball pierced straight through the hoop, creating a splash in the net and making a soft, whistling sound like a divine breeze.

A game-winning three-pointer from 46 feet!

"Won!"

At this moment, the teammates could not hide their excitement and began to celebrate wildly.

Among them, Kogure became the focus of their attention.

Kogure was tossed into the air again and again by his teammates, and the entire venue seemed to turn into a sea of ​​joy.

On the sidelines, Bird shook his head and said, "Good lad, you've got a bit of my style back in the day!"

"Larry, I've decided to put him on Nike's watch list!"

Meanwhile, Sonny Vaccaro made a decision.

If all goes well, when he enters the NBA, he will likely sign Kogure for Nike.

Of course, this is on the premise that Sonny Vaccaro was still with Nike at that time.

Although Sonny Vaccaro made significant contributions to Nike's history, his achievements overshadowed those of his predecessors.

Based on historical trends, he will be kicked out of Nike in a few years and then seek other opportunities with shoe brands such as Adidas and Reebok.

Soon, Kogure was finally released.

"I have to say, it feels really good to be down-to-earth."

Kogure breathed a sigh of relief, because he was afraid that his teammates might not have caught him, otherwise the comedy might have turned into a tragedy.

A Korean entertainer was holding a concert and, in an effort to liven up the atmosphere, decided to try human surfing, but no fans could catch him...

Until then, Kogure felt that the trend in the last 12 seconds of the game was very familiar.

"Isn't this the script for the future Bulls?!"

Because he vividly remembered that match, Kogure immediately recalled it.

A similar incident occurred on March 28, 2025, during a game between the Lakers and the Bulls.

With 12 seconds left in the game, the Lakers held a 5-point lead.

However, the Bulls won the game thanks to a stellar performance from their sixth man, G0at.

In Kogure's opinion, this match was arguably the funniest in recent seasons.

In this game, G0at accomplished a feat comparable to the Miller Moment and the McGrady Moment.

Miller Time: 8.8 seconds!
McGrady's Moment: 13 points in 35 seconds!
The LeBron James Moment: 12 seconds - 9 points!
Before this game, G0at had just made a game-winning shot and said confidently that this is the game, this is basketball. Even though he had a poor performance on both offense and defense throughout the game, one shot made up for his terrible performance. Even Doncic was saved by him.

That day, the gorilla hunters made a great commotion, constantly praising his decisive victory.

Then, the funniest thing happened.

The celebration lasted only one day before G0at abruptly ended it with his hilarious antics.

It has to be said that G0at really spoils his fans, taking care of both his haters and his fans.

In just two or three days, both types of powder were selling like hotcakes, as if it were Chinese New Year.

Yesterday: This is basketball!

Today: It's just basketball!

It’s too hard to hold!

After watching that match, Kogure laughed so hard his sphincter and groin hurt!
No matter how many earth-shattering announcements were made in the last game, that game-winning putback will soon be forgotten.

No matter how much effort is put into avoiding the main issue, the image of Gidi hitting a long-range three-pointer over LeBron will remain in the memories of fans for a long time.

Here we can use the ending theme song of SD, "Catch the Shining Moment". What is a shining moment?
This is the shining moment!
After watching the Lakers vs. Bulls game, Kogure even wondered if Goat had an innate fear of men whose names contained the character "Di".

In this game, Gidi achieved an epic feat—slaying the gorilla in the halftime!

A shot from 46 feet out sealed the victory for the Lakers!

In Kogure's words, the goal of the year has been born, and this goal can even be called the best goal of the 21st century!
It has to be said that the Bulls' final three three-pointers were all fatally linked to Gatoat!
On the first ball, G0at defended against air, resulting in a fatal missed man.

On the second possession, G0at inbounded the ball from the baseline, but it was stolen by Gidi, and the Bulls hit another three-pointer.

On the third play, Rivers finally managed to drive to the basket and score two points, but G0at missed his man again, and Gidi finally fired a shot in the second half to win the game against the Lakers.

There are no real LeBron haters in this world; it's just that people watch too many of G0at's games, so they naturally become that kind of person.

With the end of this competition, the training camp also came to a close.

Kogure said goodbye to Kobe, Hamilton, Wright, and Zydrunas Ilgauskas, who were also friends he met at the training camp.

If there's a chance in the future, I can play basketball with them again.

"Kogure, when you come to America, I will definitely defeat you!"

During his farewell speech, Kobe made some harsh remarks.

To defeat Kogure, he will definitely train even harder when he gets back.

If Kogure knew Kobe's true feelings, he would definitely shake his head and laugh.

Kobe was very talented, but how can a genius be compared to a cheat? Especially since Kobe was going to play as a substitute for the Lakers for several more years.

Once Kobe becomes the Lakers' second option, Kogure may be able to win a championship as the team's core player.

After saying goodbye to Kobe and the others, Bird went straight to Kogure.

"Kogure, if you're considering studying at a university in America, I recommend Indiana State University!"

Like Drexler and Mullin, Bird also recommended his alma mater.

Before Bird joined Indiana State University, the university had never reached the NCAA playoffs.

During his three years with the Indiana State Figs, Bird helped the team achieve an astonishing 81-13 record and became the fifth-highest scorer in NCAA history.

If Bird hadn't worked part-time for a year during college, he could have become the NCAA's all-time leading scorer.

"Larry, let's talk about it later!"

Kogure neither rejected nor agreed to Bird's offer, nor did he express any opinion.

When that time comes, he will decide based on the situation.

"Okay, remember to call me when you get to America."

Before leaving, Bird left his phone number.

He was optimistic about Kogure's future and believed that he and Kogure belonged to the same kind of people.

(End of this chapter)