Basketball miracles

Chapter 11 [Promote him! We must promote him!]

A few seconds later, Xiao Tu, lying on his large bed in the bedroom, received feedback from the treasure chest and learned what the reward was.

His expression became quite interesting.

Huh? Grapes?

The brass treasure chest yielded a type of fruit—premium grapes!
Xiao Tu didn't know what kind of fruit was considered top-grade; the information he received described it this way. This was something he had never eaten before; he used to be very poor and usually chose the cheapest food.

He had imagined what the reward would be, and he had a feeling that he would get a higher-level training aura, or some kind of basketball skill, something related to basketball.

He hadn't expected to be rewarded with fruit at all, and was a little annoyed.

This is basically like getting snacks and drinks from a Black Iron Chest, right? A consolation prize?

The description says these aren't ordinary grapes; they have benefits such as relieving fatigue, replenishing blood and energy, beautifying the skin, strengthening muscles and bones, and calming the mind. With so many benefits, it seems pretty good?

Never mind, I'll take it out and try it first.

Anyway, there are 82 regular season games. The Lakers are strong, so my chances of getting the bronze chest are high. There will definitely be basketball-related rewards, no need to rush.

Xiao Tu thought about taking out the grapes, and suddenly he had a bunch of grapes in his hand.

He hadn't expected many, but the bunch of grapes was huge, weighing about 10 pounds. This was completely different from what was given in the Black Iron Treasure Chest; the quantity alone was much better.

Goodness, this is truly a top-grade fruit!
Xiao Tu took a deep breath and instantly changed his mind.

These grapes are so beautiful! They're long and translucent like sapphires, with unique shapes and uniform sizes. Each grape is about the thickness of his thumb, plump and full.

He was a muscular man over two meters tall with huge hands and fingers much thicker than the average person's. He had never seen such large grapes before; they gave off a mouthwatering and noble feeling.

Holy crap, is this a grape? Has it mutated?

If I were to sell this, how much would be a reasonable price?
Selling it was definitely out of the question. Xiao Tu knew that the items from the treasure chest were extraordinary and had special effects. These were things that money couldn't buy, so of course he had to keep them for himself.

He popped a grape into his mouth and chewed it, then was immediately stunned. He was almost hallucinating, as if he were running on a beach.

The grapes have a rich, refreshing aroma, a delicious taste, and are very juicy.

I've never experienced such a refreshing and ethereal feeling before, more poetic and picturesque than my first love. The lines "Raising my head, I gaze at the bright moon; lowering my head, I think of my hometown..." are beautiful, truly beautiful.

Xiao Tu also discovered that there was no need to spit out the grape seeds and skins, because there were no seeds and the skins tasted good, so he could just eat them all.

His gloomy mood vanished, and now all he could say was, "It's so good!"
The premium grapes were absolutely delicious; all the grapes and raisins he had eaten in his previous life paled in comparison. He had bought raisins twice in Los Angeles; they weren't expensive, but the taste was just average.

This is a special reward: some delicious fruit to enjoy after winning the game.

If I keep getting these premium grapes from treasure chests, won't I develop diabetes in no time?

The grapes were so delicious that Xiao Tu couldn't stop eating them; he ate at least a pound before forcing himself to stop. With a thought, he put the rest back into the treasure chest.

Xiao Tu was too excited to sleep, so he went to the living room and watched TV for a while. Half an hour later, he suddenly realized that the fatigue he felt after the game had lessened, as if he had rested for a long time.

Are grapes really that effective? I'm sure I'll feel great tomorrow.

With these grapes, I'll have a physical advantage in back-to-back games.

Xiao Tu immediately thought of the benefits of premium fruits, which were not unrelated to basketball games. Even top athletes experience fatigue after high-intensity games, which can be relieved through rest and hot compresses. For ordinary people, the fatigue would last at least 3-5 days.

The NBA schedule is tight, and players can't rest for long periods, so fatigue accumulates. Many young players hit the "rookie wall" in their rookie season due to physical fatigue and lack of stamina.

Experienced players can allocate their energy reasonably, have a strong ability to resist fatigue, and are used to high-intensity schedules.

Xiao Tu's playing style is explosive; if he doesn't play aggressively, he won't get good stats, but playing aggressively will consume a lot of his energy. If he doesn't have any ways to alleviate fatigue, he can't have a breakout season, and his performance will fluctuate.

After eating the premium grapes from the treasure chest, Xiao Tu felt like he could "recover health and mana," regaining his condition in a short time. This stuff wasn't a performance-enhancing drug, and a urine test showed nothing.

He was so excited he wanted to clench his fist and shout. As long as he could get these grapes regularly, no one could match his playing style!

I'm definitely going to be a star! I'll definitely be selected for the Western Conference All-Star team by mid-season, and I'll be a starter!
Meanwhile, President David Stern watched a lot of news about the Lakers' big win over the Trail Blazers from his home in New York.

Stern's forte is creating stars. This year, he realized that to change the NBA's previously chaotic image, he needed to select a player with both excellent image and skills as a spokesperson. Therefore, he focused on this year's top rookies, and his staff had to report to him on the situation of the high draft picks at any time.

Hakeem Olajuwon, Michael Jordan, and Charles Barkley all made their debuts.

Hakeem Olajuwon scored 24 points and grabbed 9 rebounds for the Rockets against the Mavericks, leading his team to victory. However, he was the oldest player on the draft, having completed his senior year of college.

公牛主场109比93击败华盛顿子弹，21岁的乔丹为公牛首发出战40分钟，16投5中，罚球7罚6中，得到16分6篮板7助攻2抢断4盖帽。

Jordan's stats were well-rounded, but his shooting percentage was only 31%, and he had 5 turnovers. News reports only mentioned this briefly, without much media coverage.

在费城76人主场111比101击败克里夫兰骑士的比赛中，21岁的巴克利为76人替补出战27分钟，6投3中，6罚5中，得到11分6篮板3助攻。

His performance was mediocre; he didn't have the makings of a star.

Xiao Tu was the best rookie in the first game. After watching the game, Stern felt that Larry Bird was no longer as good.

Both being white players, Bird's selling point was "mediocre talent dominating the basketball world," while Xiao Tu's selling point was "white people can fly too." Comparing the two, the latter clearly attracts more attention from fans!
Mediocre talent doesn't make ordinary people feel much more connected to Bird, and many believe that Bird is overrated.

Xiao Tu's image and temperament far surpass Bird's; he has the face of a born protagonist, as masculine and handsome as a movie star.

Bird's face... it's not a matter of whether he's handsome or not, he looks swollen, and his body seems a bit weak.

Promote him! We must promote him! Xiao is the superstar I've been waiting for!
Stern is prepared to make Shaw a candidate for Rookie of the Year this season. Even if he doesn't win, the 23rd pick's upset victory to become an All-Star would still be a major draw for fans.

Stern planned to have Xiao Tu win the dunk contest and gain a resounding nickname. He felt that this didn't need to be deliberately arranged; Xiao Tu would win based on his own ability.

Stern also wanted to find Xiao Tu a "lifelong rival" from the same year to promote together.

It depends on who plays better between Hakeem Olajuwon and Michael Jordan. It doesn't matter that they play different positions; Larry Bird and Magic Johnson weren't matched up either.

It's not enough to create hype with just one genius; a long-term clash between two equally talented geniuses is much more captivating. If one is black and the other white, it's even more sensational, as they could become the successors to the black-and-white duo in the future.

The only problem is that Xiao Tu is only 18 years old this year, and the people who entered the NBA in the same year as him are all 3 or 4 years older than him. As long as Xiao Tu does not suffer a serious injury that causes a significant decline in his physical condition, he will not be 40 years old even if he plays a full 20 seasons in the NBA. It will not be easy to find someone whose peak period is as long as his.

Before going to bed that night, Stern began to consider having Shaw succeed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar a year later, promoting him as the Lakers' interior superstar.

He discovered from the information that Xiao Tu's birthday was December 25, 1965. What kind of chosen one is he?
From all perspectives, Xiao Tu has a bright future. Whether the NBA can grow stronger and achieve new glory is directly related to him.

Xiao Tu had considered all of the things Stern was thinking about. He had long seen the opportunity for his rise to prominence; as long as he joined the Lakers, it would be difficult for him not to succeed—the timing, the location, and the people all seemed perfect.

(End of this chapter)