Where the noise did not reach

Chapter 13 Excuse me, who are you?

In the final Associated Press poll of 2006, Texas Tech University, thanks to its outstanding performance at the Pete Newell Invitational, successfully overtook Marquette University to become the 20th best team in the nation.

The Associated Press wrote in Texas Tech's team profile: "With Jarius Jackson settling into his academic life, TTU now possesses an offensive arsenal capable of destroying college basketball—Eli, Jarius, Martin Zeno, and if they're on fire, even the University of Florida will tremble before them."

However, things did not develop as the Associated Press had predicted.

After Jackson's return, TTU still has two warm-up games to play. They had previously achieved a twelve-game winning streak and were in high spirits.

They were expected to enter the Big 12 Conference Championship with an undefeated record, but they were first broken by the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, and then defeated by a large margin by the University of Arkansas.

As captain, Jarius Jackson averaged 20 shots per game in the two games, but his shooting percentage was dismal, less than 40%.

"Jarius Jackson may be burying his already limited draft prospects."

Xu Ling may be the only one exempt from blame during the two-game losing streak. Against the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, he scored a team-high 24 points on 15 shots. But against the University of Arkansas, for some reason, Knight only let him play for 22 minutes, and before he could make enough contributions, the game collapsed.

Although neither match will affect the rankings in the Big 12 League Championship, Xu Ling could clearly feel that Jarius Jackson was competing against him.

This player, who has been a starter since his freshman season and is considered a legend in Texas Tech's history, is clearly unwilling to have his position on the team replaced by a freshman simply because he missed a dozen or so games due to academic issues.

Therefore, he hoped that he could achieve an "immediate" effect.

To be honest, this is really difficult.

Because the team had won twelve consecutive games before his return, and Xu Ling himself was the core player at the time, averaging 20 points, 7 rebounds and 4 assists per game, showing a balanced offense and defense. Otherwise, he would not have made it into the first round of the draft predictions of various experts in such a short period of time.

Based on this standard, Jackson gave it a score that was almost negative.

Unable to break through defenses or hold the line, the captain failed to demonstrate leadership and instead revealed his deep-seated anxiety.

Xu Ling wasn't angry; she just thought Jackson was stupid.

Such a person is either overly arrogant or completely unaware of the situation.

If it's the former, then there's no cure; if it's the latter, then there's still a chance to save it.

The tournament is about to begin, and if Jackson doesn't change his ways, he might just do what Jackson himself has been thinking and commit an act of insubordination.

Ultimately, the core position within the team should be held by the most capable person.

Back in the locker room, before Xu Ling could even speak, Knight stormed over, yelling, "If you fucking think this kind of competition isn't worth taking seriously, we can forfeit! If this shitty performance is your true ability, I swear, you'll be the laughingstock of the region again this year, just like last year!"

“JJ!” Knight roared, “You’re like a rabid dog that’s wandered into a pack of wolves! If this is all you’re capable of, then get the hell out of here! I’d rather the team be without you, you hear me? If you can’t even handle a clown like Winko Adams, how can I expect you to handle DJ Augustin and Mario Chalmers?”

Knight then turned to the others and said sternly, "If you continue to play basketball like this, there's no way you'll win a single game in the Big 12 Conference Championship schedule. Not a single one. I can't find a weak enough opponent for you to beat!"

Xu Ling could no longer tolerate Knight's roar.

Another thought was swirling in his mind—just like McGrady had said, he was already thinking about his opponent for Game 1 of the Big 12 tournament.

This indifference was like a needle, precisely piercing Knight's anger.

“And you, Eli!” Knight’s voice suddenly rose, his anger flaring up as if gasoline had been poured on him.

"Huh???" Xu Ling looked up.

"Don't think tonight's loss has nothing to do with you! You didn't step up at all! You say you want to be the Jordan of college basketball, but college Jordan doesn't sit idly by for 22 minutes!"

Xu Ling's stats tonight were 14 points and 5 rebounds.

"My plus-minus tonight is +4," Xu Ling responded simply. "In other words, the team didn't lose a single point in the 22 minutes I was on the court. Instead of criticizing me, explain why you only let me play 22 minutes."

The atmosphere in the locker room instantly turned icy.

"You brat!" Knight roared, barely containing his anger. "You think you can teach me how to do things? You think you can give orders here?!"

“Someone has to take responsibility for the failure.” Xu Ling had a knack for provoking anyone who tried to pick a fight with him without swearing. “But that person isn’t me. I hope you can distinguish right from wrong.”

"you!!!"

The teaching assistants watched with trepidation.

Many of them had followed Knight for years, and they knew, of course, that no one had ever dared to challenge the "General" like this.

“I have no intention of offending you,” Xu Ling said. “I will not accept accusations or criticisms that are not my fault, that’s all.”

Knight breathed heavily—how long am I supposed to put up with this bastard? What am I even putting up with? —In fact, he knew why he tolerated Xu Ling. Because Xu Ling was right.

By suppressing star players to set an example for other players, regardless of whether the star players made mistakes or not—this has always been Knight's forte—but this tactic failed against Xu Ling.

He had the audacity to refute Knight, and when he was truly without fault, Knight couldn't find any further grounds to attack him.

In the end, Knight turned this one-on-one duel into a group taunt, saying to everyone, "I'm fucking fed up with yelling at you guys every night! I'm really fed up! Go take a shower and get the hell out of here! I don't want to waste my breath on you guys anymore! This is fucking shit! You guys just don't want to work hard! I've never seen a team with so many excuses!" And that's how a terrible night ended.

Everyone except Jarius Jackson would be grateful to Xu Ling.

Because Xu Ling single-handedly bore Knight's wrath, Knight was unable to bring out and prosecute the culprits who caused the team's losing streak one by one.

Now, all the Texas Tech Red Raiders need to do is go back to Lubbock to rest.

The last warm-up match has been completed.

What we need to do now is to focus all our efforts on preparing for the league championship.

The next day, Knight decided to lead today's training session.

Generally, after a loss, Knight would punish the players by requiring them to do extra practice.

But today he seems to have some kind of amnesia, acting as if he doesn't remember what happened yesterday.

After the usual two-hour training session ended, Knight tossed the ball to Xu Ling and said, "Shoot the ball into the basket on the other side from your position, and I'll end today's training. I'll give you three chances!"

"This location?"

Xu Ling glanced at it; although it wasn't exactly a logo shot, it was still about ten meters away from the opposite basket.

“If you think it’s too difficult, I can give you five chances,” Knight said. “If you make it, you rest; if you miss, you and these bastards run back and forth thirty times!”

"This location."

Knight asked, "Is it too difficult for you?"

Then Xu Ling made a swift and decisive three-pointer from far beyond the arc.

"Too close." Xu Ling wiped the sweat from his hands with his jersey. "That's what I was going to say."

Knight laughed.

It can be said that it basically explains the way Xu Ling and Knight get along.

If Xu Ling were to describe it, he could use his experience of navigating through time for months to precisely compare their relationship to a Hollywood drama—it's like Lindsay Lohan and Paris Hilton in 2006. One moment they're inseparable friends, the next Paris is mocking Lindsay's private life to the media, while Lindsay turns to dating Paris's ex-boyfriend. Then they inexplicably reconcile, only for Lindsay to accuse Paris of assaulting her at a party a few days later. Just when everyone thought they'd completely fallen out, they were photographed attending a party together and leaving in the same car, with Lindsay vehemently denying saying those things. But then, Paris angrily denounces Lindsay as a "sick bitch" on a TV show.

Compared to this, their relationship is indeed "healthy".

A few days later, the world moved into the next year.

2007 has arrived.

For college basketball, the real feast is about to begin.

Teams from each Division I conference are about to embark on a thrilling league tournament to compete for a ticket to "March Madness." And for top-tier conferences like the Big 12, their season kicks off on the very first day of 2007.

Texas Tech University is one of the teams participating in the opening game, and their opponent is Texas A&M University, also from the same state. A&M University is a mid-tier team in the Big 12 Conference—in terms of strength, they are not top-tier, but calling them second-tier would be a bit of an understatement, given that they have Acie Law, widely regarded as the best point guard in the Big 12 Conference.

At 4 p.m. that day, the two teams gathered at the United Spirit Gymnasium.

During warm-up, Asi Law came over and gave an impolite greeting: "JJ, so you're still here? I almost thought TTU was the team with the number 1 rookie just a few days ago."

Jackson said with a grim expression, "I have nothing to talk to you about."

Law was clearly a master of psychological warfare. He first manipulated Jackson's mentality, and then, seeing Xu Ling's casual three-pointer miss, he shushed him, saying, "Rookie, you're still a decade away from becoming Jordan!"

“Excuse me,” Xu Ling said to Asi Law, who was ranked high on ESPN’s first NBA draft simulation list of the year, “who are you?”

Off-field highlights
ESPN Mock Draft 1.0
Author: Chad Ford

发布日期：2006年12月9日上午9:40东部时间
Team, Player Name, Grade, School/Country, Position
1. Greg Oden, Boston Celtics freshman center at Ohio State University

2. Kevin Durant, Memphis Grizzlies freshman small forward at the University of Texas

3. Joakim Noah, Milwaukee Bucks Junior, University of Florida Power Forward/Center
4. Seattle SuperSonics Brandon Wright, freshman power forward for the University of North Carolina
5. Julian Wright, Philadelphia 76ers, sophomore small forward at the University of Kansas
6. Atlanta Hawks' Al Horford, junior power forward/center at the University of Florida
7. Sacramento Kings Yi (International Player), Power Forward for Guangdong Southern Tigers, China

8. Jeff Green, Minnesota Timberwolves, Junior Georgetown University Forward
9. Mike Conley, Charlotte Bobcats, freshman point guard at Ohio State University

10. Spencer Hawes, Chicago Bulls, freshman center at the University of Washington

11 Corey Brewer, Indiana Pacers, Junior, University of Florida Shooting Guard/Small Forward

12 Philadelphia 76ers' Assie Law, a fourth-year point guard from Texas A&M University
28. Eli Xu, Dallas Mavericks, freshman at Texas Tech University, shooting guard/small forward

(End of this chapter)