Basketball miracles

Chapter 171 [Starting to Understand]

Of course, Anzai Mitsuyoshi couldn't ignore Mitsui Hisashi lying on the ground, so he went over to help him up and comforted him as they went inside.

When Xiao Tu read the manga, he thought Mitsui Hisashi kneeling and crying was a classic scene, but after seeing it twice in real life, he felt it was too much.

It's just high school basketball for fun, why are you making such a fuss?
Isaiah Thomas, the future "best 175cm player on earth" for the Celtics, rejected a $70 million contract and forced management to accept a minimum salary of $2 million a year. He didn't even kneel on the ground crying like you.

But you manage to hit consecutive three-pointers at crucial moments. Is your mental fortitude good or bad?

The entrance to a Japanese villa is very simple, and it is right next to the courtyard. Walking in, you enter the living room.

Anzai Mitsuyoshi asked, "Mr. Xiao, may I speak with Mitsui first?"

"Of course you can, you should have talked to him a long time ago. After leaving the basketball team, this kid has been a hoodlum for almost two years and still can't fight. If it weren't for his friends protecting him, he would have been beaten to death long ago. He just got dentures for his front teeth." Xiao Tu said this deliberately, observing Anzai Mitsuyoshi's expression.

After all, Coach Anzai really didn't manage anything at Shohoku. It wasn't until Sakuragi Hanamichi and Rukawa Kaede, two incredibly talented young men, joined Shohoku that he started going to the gym more often.

Anzai Mitsuyoshi's chubby body trembled, deeply moved.

Xiao Tu was internally ranting and raving.

Why does this guy's expression look just like Professor Yi Xiaoxing's?

He doesn't seem to feel much remorse.

Anzai Mitsuyoshi did not immediately invite Mitsui Hisashi to sit down, but instead gave him a slight bow. "Mitsui, I'm sorry."

Xiao Tu continued watching the show.

You Japanese really love bowing! Young people bow to the elderly, employees bow to their bosses, and bosses bow to their American daddies. It's like you're not comfortable if you don't bow.

Oh, and sometimes the Japanese have an ultimate way of apologizing—the "tiger landing"! That's how Seiya begged the sun god for forgiveness, officially ending Saint Seiya.

"Coach..." When Mitsui Hisashi saw Coach Anzai apologize, the resentment in his heart immediately vanished, and tears streamed down his face.

Xiao Tu was shocked. Wasn't this something only a cartoon character could do?
Wait, Slam Dunk was originally a manga, it's just that this world has been brought to life.

That's fine then, go ahead and spit it out.

Anzai Mitsuyoshi admitted his mistake. He said that Mitsui Hisashi had come to Shohoku High School because of him, but after he was injured, he ignored him. This was indeed wrong.

Then he pulled Mitsui to sit on the ground and said he wanted to tell a story.

Xiao Tu didn't interrupt and casually sat down on the ground.

Traditional Japanese houses are centered around the "washitsu" (Japanese-style room), whose core feature is the tatami flooring. Tatami originated from the "tatami mats" worn by ancient Japanese nobles and gradually became popular in ordinary households.

As of 2020, traditional Japanese-style houses still accounted for 12% of all homes in Japan, with tatami mats making up over 80% of those houses. Japanese people not only enjoy sitting on the floor, but they also like to sleep on it.

Neither Xiao Tu nor his son liked this style and always stayed in European-style hotels.

The story Anzai Mitsuyoshi told was about Ryuji Tanizawa. He used to be a college coach who discovered a talented player and was very strict with him. Later, Tanizawa became dissatisfied and went to the United States to pursue his basketball dream, only to find that there were too many talented players there, and he was no match for them.

In 1987, Gu Ze died in a car accident while driving under the influence of drugs and speeding.

At Tanizawa's grave, Tanizawa's mother gave Anzai Mitsuyoshi the letter he had never sent. Anzai was deeply moved and from then on withdrew from the world of college basketball, transforming from a "white-haired devil" into a "white-haired Buddha".

Mitsui Hisashi listened attentively to the story, but his eyes kept glancing at Xiao Tu.

If a Japanese prodigy were to encounter an opponent like this, they would be so discouraged that they wouldn't want to play anymore.

Anzai lamented, "Because of Tanizawa, I dare not be strict with the players anymore. Mitsui, you care too much about winning and losing, I don't know how to guide you... After you left the team, I didn't ask about you, I was worried that you would take basketball too seriously like Tanizawa."

Mitsui suddenly realized something and asked, "Coach, do you think my talent is average and that I can't become a professional player in the future, and that this path is a dead end?"

Anzai Mitsuyoshi's glasses flashed as he looked into Mitsui Hisashi's eyes and slowly nodded. "Your technique and shooting are excellent, but in basketball, physical attributes are actually more important, do you understand?"

Mitsui Hisashi pointed at Xiao Tu and said with a wry smile, "I didn't understand before, but I started to understand after I met him. He said something similar to me before."

Xiao Tu smiled to himself.

Listening to their conversation, Xiao Tu confirmed why Anzai Mitsuyoshi had always let the Shohoku team do as they pleased. He looked down on the players at Shohoku, including Akagi Takenori.

Perhaps in Mitsuyoshi Anzai's eyes, these people should treat basketball as a hobby, and that training hard is a waste of time. They should be better off focusing their energy on studying and getting into a good university. In the end, Takenori Akagi also failed to get into Shenzhen University of Physical Education and Sports, and left the team along with Kiminobu Kogure to prepare for the college entrance exams.

Anzai Mitsuyoshi said seriously, "Mitsui, if you want to play basketball, I welcome you back. But I hope you don't push yourself too hard; just do what you can."

Mitsui Hisashi nodded and sighed, "If Xiao joins Shohoku, I won't need to dribble past them; I can just wait on the perimeter to receive the ball and shoot. Coach, he's an American basketball prodigy who'll be staying in Japan for six months. He wants to join Shohoku to find something to do."

Coach Anzai looked at Xiao Tu and asked, "Xiao Jun, are you here to study in Japan?"

"It's mainly for tourism," Xiao Tu said with a smile.

"You speak Japanese very well, you must have lived in Japan before?"

"No, I learned it in a crash course before coming to Japan, it's not important." Xiao Tu said casually, "I want to join the Shohoku team and find a comfortable environment to practice."

"So, what's your strength?" Coach Anzai guessed he was very strong, because Mitsui Hisashi admitted he was inferior to him.

“I’d say I’m one of the best high school students in America,” Xiao Tu replied.

I'm being too modest; I want to interact with you all as an ordinary person.

I wonder what you'll think when you see news of me playing in the NBA in the future.

But that's a long time from now. Once I've honed my skills, I still need to go to the Heat, become the star player, and play in the NBA.

The three chatted at home for a while before Xiao Tu and Mitsui Hisashi said their goodbyes.

Xiao Tu didn't say much; everyone would know his true ability once he stepped onto the court.

Anzai Mitsuyoshi said he would talk to Akagi Takenori before the start of the semester, and Akagi would definitely welcome Mitsui back to the team and Xiao Tu to join.

Mitsui Hisashi and Akagi Takenori didn't actually have any conflict; they just both wanted to stand out on the team and be the leader. A few minor squabbles between high school students are nothing unusual, but after two years of playing basketball, Akagi had already proven himself unfit to be the team's core player.

Now that a good helper is joining, how could Akagi not welcome him?
Mitsui Hisashi remarked, "I feel much better now that I know what the coach is thinking. I'll practice hard before the start of the new semester."

"You should start by running to improve your physical fitness. With your current physical condition, you can only play half a game. While I practice my techniques, you can run laps on the sidelines."

"Can you practice on your own?"

Xiao Tu laughed and said, "Of course I don't practice by myself. I'll ask Yuki Uchida to play basketball with me. She'll help pass the ball, and I can still stand still without getting tired."

"How could you possibly like Uchida-kun? That's some strange taste," Mitsui Hisashi said curiously. "You've only just met, she wouldn't agree to something like that, would she?"

"She should agree to be my girlfriend tomorrow."

Mitsui Hisashi took Xiao Tu to a used motorcycle shop, saying he wanted to introduce him to a friend. Mitsui Hisashi thought it would be fine for Xiao Tu to buy a used motorcycle, since he wouldn't be staying in Japan for long and wouldn't be able to take the motorcycle with him.

Mitsui Hisashi's friend had messy long hair and a beard, a cigarette dangling from his mouth, dressed as a repairman, with raised eyebrows, cold, lifeless eyes, a sharp nose, and thick lips. He looked mature and didn't look like a good person at all.

"This is Iron Man, my good friend. We used to be neighbors, and he took good care of me when I was a kid. Iron Man, this is Sebastian Shaw, my American friend, who wants to buy a motorcycle."

"Hello." Xiao Tu didn't ask why Tie Nan didn't have a full name; some people just like to be called by their nicknames.

It's you.

So you two have known each other since childhood. No wonder Tetsuo wasn't angry when Sakuragi Hanamichi beat him up.

Mitsui Hisashi, who's a terrible fighter, became the top dog in high school thanks to Tetsuo, right?

Tetsuo looked Mitsui up and down and laughed, "You've cut your hair short, you really look like an athlete. This actually suits you better."

Then he looked at Xiao Tu. "My hands aren't clean, so I won't shake your hand. I heard you've started playing basketball with Mitsui again. That's good; he's a sporty guy."

Tie Nan washed his hands first, then asked, "Do you need me to introduce you to the car models?"

"I need a safe and stable environment because I need to lead people."

"it is good."

(End of this chapter)