Where the noise did not reach

Chapter 12 Before I Came Here

The day after winning the Pete Newell Invitational, Texas Tech University flew back to Lubbock.

There are still two weeks until the Big 12 League Championship begins. In the meantime, they have a few warm-up games to play, but none of them are important.

Moreover, some players have found that even winning the invitational tournament is not so important anymore.

On the plane, Xu Ling's roommate, Roderick Craig, complained, "Why is it that after we worked so hard to win $50,000 in prize money, we only get a $500 student stipend? Is that fair?"

His teammates around him echoed his sentiments, their faces filled with injustice and confusion.

"Be content, newbies!" Dora complained, then wrapped his thick arm around Xu Ling's neck and grinned, "At least this $500 is enough for us to have a good drink at 'Double Tip Bar'! Eli, you're not old enough to drink yet, are you? Haha, I'll treat you to juice then!"

Xu Ling was struggling to breathe from his tight grip, and with some effort, she pried his arm open a little: "Daryl, I suggest you save the money."

"Saving money? Why?" Dora gave her a "you're crazy" look. "Listen, Eli, when you get to my age—a senior in college! You'll understand that the joy of life is in living it to the fullest! Training, playing, and then having a drink, that's college life! Think of all the girls screaming for us!"

"Is that why you can only get 6 rebounds when you can average 10?" Xu Ling asked jokingly.

Dora's smile froze instantly, then turned into an exaggerated expression of pain: "Oh! You hurt me, bro! That hurt more than Coach Knight's roar!"

But he quickly regained his optimistic demeanor, patting Xu Ling on the back forcefully: "But you're right, I really should save some money, at least enough to buy a new pair of sneakers, haha!"

Seeing Dora's carefree attitude, Xu Ling couldn't help but smile.

That's Daryl Dora for you. You can't really get angry with him, nor can you motivate him to give 100%. He's like a sponge wrapped in talent, absorbing all the pressure and then releasing it easily, always maintaining a happy sense of relaxation.

Then, the others continued to complain about the distribution of the bonuses.

Because this is not a subsidy at all; it's blatant charity.

For college players struggling to make ends meet, $50,000 is a fortune that could change their lives. It's enough to pay tuition, ease the burden on their families, and make them ecstatic no matter how they use it. However, the vast majority of this prize money seems to have vanished into thin air, flowing into the depths of the massive and mysterious NCAA machine.

Coaches and school administrators sit in first class, basking in the glory and praise of victory, and they might use phrases like "bringing honor to the school" and "honor is more important than money" to deflect attention.

But the reality is that the contracts and salaries they hold are the real "honors" in real money.

They reap huge profits from the sweat and hard work of these young people, whether it's sponsorship contracts, television broadcasting rights, or ticket revenue—these figures have nothing to do with the players. They are like the cheapest labor force in the huge commercial empire of the NCAA, receiving meager "subsidies" while bearing all the risks and pressures of the empire's operation.

Xu Ling wasn't entirely clear on the intricacies of the situation, but the facts were clear: of the $50,000, each person received a $500 student stipend. Furthermore, the coaching staff explicitly stated that this was due to relevant NCAA regulations.

The team can only give this amount within the rules. If the players really want to distribute bonuses according to their work, that's fine too, but the price is that they have to graduate from college basketball now and can never play for the team again.

Of course, no one would give up their NCAA qualification for such a "small amount of money".

But complaints are always inevitable.

Upon returning to Lubbock, Texas Tech welcomed back captain Jarius Jackson, whose academic record had met the requirements and who was eligible to continue representing the team.

This is undoubtedly a shot in the arm for the Red Raiders.

Where has our Michael Jordan gone?

Jackson asked about Xu Ling.

"Eli will be a little late today; he has an interview with the school newspaper," Roderick Craig said.

"No wonder he's TTU's MJ"

Jackson could only say sourly.

Basketball is not a strong sport at TTU, or rather, basketball is simply placed in the right position at TTU.

Rugby is TTU's core sport.

TTU manages to send players to the NFL almost every few years, while the basketball team hasn't had a proper NBA player in a long time.

Unless they can lead the team to historic achievements, basketball players rarely attract the attention of the school newspaper.

Xu Ling got this opportunity not only because he helped the team win the Pete Newell Invitational, but also because the "hype" he generated during the invitational tournament is having a lasting impact.

Since the mid-20th century, American media have favored portraying East Asians as a "good but quiet" group. They are rule-abiding, unassuming, and avoid trouble, sometimes making it difficult to discern whether this is due to restraint or cowardice. Bruce Lee briefly challenged this stereotype, and his philosophy of "being like water" still resonates in history. However, he died young and failed to establish a lasting spiritual legacy for Asian Americans.

Decades have passed, and when Yao Ming entered the NBA with expectations reminiscent of Vincent van der Amazon, he was good enough, but ultimately failed to be great enough to rewrite the narrative. His carefully crafted American humor and Eastern humility, on the contrary, gave old stereotypes a more mellow patina. And just as Yao Ming was about to reach the peak, another Chinese player openly declared that he would become the modern-day Jordan—without any preparation, without any buffer, like a boulder thrown into a calm lake.

Fans might be thinking, "Who the hell is he?"

The media thought, "This guy is really damn bold to say that!"

Then, at the recently concluded invitational tournament, Xu Ling not only dared to speak his mind, but also demonstrated considerable skill.

Fans want to know more about him, but they have no way to do so. The media's nature of chasing traffic means they are bound to seize this opportunity to hype it up.

ESPN's college basketball expert, Andy Katz, seized the opportunity to capitalize on the media attention. He not only investigated Xu Ling's background but also delved into his past, unexpectedly discovering that this rising star had actually played center before coming to the United States, yet his fundamentals at the guard position were remarkably strong. In his feature article on Xu Ling, Katz wrote: "We are almost certain that Eli will become Coach Knight's first NBA product from TTU, and if he continues to improve, his future will be far more than just a first-round pick."

Chuck Ford, one of the earliest talent show experts to capitalize on this trend, ranked Xu Ling 29th in his signature preview article, "Top 100 Draft Picks."

This made Xu Ling a celebrity at school.

The teacher became more tolerant of him, and his classmates were enthusiastic, especially the girls, who were happy to give Xu Ling a chance to go to their dormitory to fix things.

The unexpected gains of being a model student, a perfect classmate, and priority in choosing a spouse on campus did not cloud Xu Ling's judgment.

After finishing her interview with the school newspaper, Xu Ling immediately rushed back to Wimbledon Stadium.

"Hey, our superstar's back!" Knight exclaimed as Xu Ling entered the training facility. "I thought you thought you didn't need to do these stupid training sessions anymore after winning the MVP award at the Pete Newell Invitational!"

Xu Ling explained, "I just had to accept the invitation from the school newspaper."

“That would be for the best!” After yesterday’s “heart-to-heart talk,” Knight seemed to dislike Xu Ling even more. “Don’t think you’re so great! Let me tell you, John Roberson PG has agreed to come to TTU! He’s better than you! More responsible, he can do everything you can’t! He’s incredibly powerful!”

Xu Ling rolled her eyes: "Oh, really?"

Poor John Robinson had no idea that Knight had planted a silent landmine. When he arrived at Texas Tech, he would be mercilessly mocked by the seniors who had played with Xu Ling: "John, you really can do everything Eli can't do—you can't attack, and you can't defend!"

Knight was known for humiliating players and insulting their character to toughen them up. In the past, he would seize on any mistake a player made in training to attack them, but since coming to TTU, he has toned it down considerably.

Xu Ling rekindled Knight's desire to "be himself".

However, to Knight's annoyance, Xu Ling didn't give him a single chance.

No one in Wimbledon took their training more seriously than Xu Ling.

He completed both the team's physical training and tactical training meticulously.

Something happened today that really illustrates his training attitude: after physical and tactical training, Xu Ling called on his classmate Charlie Burgess to do extra shooting practice while everyone else was resting.

His reasoning was that this state of physical and mental exhaustion best reflects the reliability of muscle memory.

Burgess' shooting percentage was abysmal, while Xu Ling made 29 of 30 attempts from beyond the three-point line, so he had to shoot again.

Because his goal is to make 30 out of 30 shots.

“Eli, you can train every day. A few minor flaws won’t change anything,” Burgess told him.

Xu Ling said, "If I don't shoot again, I'll keep thinking about the shot I missed. I have to pull my mind out of this abyss of internal conflict."

Burgess was stunned.

Although Xu Ling spoke in English, he simply couldn't understand what she meant and could only do as she said.

Knight, who had originally intended to criticize Xu Ling, remained silent after watching today's training session.

Xu Ling was nothing like the children who had been tested by him.

Incredibly, after spending several months with Xu Ling, Knight discovered his remarkable maturity—a mentally mature, extremely self-disciplined, and exceptionally talented player. Why? Why didn't he dedicate himself to honing his skills in college like the great players of history?
Knight refused to confront the darkness within him.

That was his selfishness.

He hopes to coach a truly great player again at the end of his career.

This was an ordinary day for Texas Tech University before the start of the Big 12 Conference Championship.

For the next two weeks, aside from a few insignificant warm-up games, the rest of the time was filled with the most painful part of college basketball – once the passion and excitement faded, training became tedious and boring. There were no truly valuable games to prepare for or get excited about, no spectators to provide energy or support, just day after day of training – the same faces, the same coaches, the same training, the same teammates.

The same was true in Lubbock. The cold of winter was rapidly approaching, the days were harsh, dry, and windy. This wasn't an intermittent breeze, but a biting, persistent, suffocating gale, howling past with dust. For this team, the weather and the monotony were only part of the challenge. Beside the blinding winter sun lay an even darker shadow.

The shadow of last season.

Whenever the Texas Tech Red Raiders' performance in practice is poor, the head coach always brings up last season.

"If you think I was a terrible jerk last year, then you haven't seen anything worse," Knight said angrily the next day, his coaching passion somehow rekindled. "You'd better think about that!"

The crowd was completely silent, with only the sound of the wind whistling outside the stadium.

Then, Xu Ling's voice broke the silence, completely calm: "Oh."

He paused, as if just realizing the reason, and added, "That's because I wasn't here last year."

Several teammates abruptly lowered their heads, desperately trying to suppress the laughter that almost escaped their lips.

Knight's face instantly turned a deep liver color.

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(End of this chapter)