Where the noise did not reach

Chapter 70 won't kill you, at least not now.

Xu Ling dragged his tired body home; the night in Memphis outside the window was already deep. He almost sank into the sofa, but Roderick Craig brought him a data statistics sheet that the coaching staff had specially prepared: "Eli, you might need to take a look at this."

Xu Ling took the data statistics table.

At first, he thought it was just ordinary basic statistics—points, rebounds, assists. But as soon as it started, his gaze was instantly fixed.

This goes far beyond a typical data table.

The document is densely filled with records of the starting positions for every attack he launched that night: left wing, top of the arc, transition attack, and his choices when facing different defensive strategies.

He faced 7 defensive switches, taking 5 shots and passing 2; he was double-teamed 4 times, successfully passing the ball on all of them.
There was even a detailed distribution diagram of the locations of Xu Ling's missed shots: 0 for 2 three-pointers from the left corner, and 2 for 4 short-to-mid-range shots from the right. What surprised him even more was the analysis of his three mistakes tonight: one was a predicted passing route, one was an offensive foul, and one was stopping the ball too early under pressure. Each of these was accompanied by a concise tactical diagram and "avoidance suggestions".

This is not a data statistic at all, but an extremely professional personal offensive audit report.

When Xu Ling turned the page, he found that the second page contained identical "statistics" about his defensive performance throughout the game.

Rather than a "statistic," this is more like a scouting report.

"Who compiled this data?" Xu Ling asked.

Craig thought for a moment and said uncertainly, "It seems to be a DJ."

Dave Joerger?
Xu Ling had some impression of him; he was considered a promising young teaching assistant in the industry.

The in-depth analysis that Jorge prepared for Xu Ling was usually done by a team of professional video analysts. As a teaching assistant, unless Jafaroni instructed him to do so, Jorge didn't need to do it at all. So what was his purpose in doing so? If it was to make a deep impression on Xu Ling, then he had obviously succeeded.

Xu Ling found Joerg's number in his contacts and dialed it.

On the other end of the phone, Jorg was clearly surprised that Xu Ling had not only read the report carefully but also called so late at night. When he answered, his tone was hurried, as if he was preparing an explanation: "Eli? It's so late, is there a problem with the data?"

“On the contrary, DJ,” Xu Ling laughed, “I have never seen such a detailed and accurate personal report. It’s not just a set of data; I can even see your understanding of the game and my expectations in it.”

Xu Ling paused, then added earnestly, "Honestly, the value of this report far exceeds tonight's game-winning shot. The team is lucky to have you."

There was a few seconds of silence on the other end of the phone. Jorg seemed a little flustered, but finally his voice carried a hint of flattery and gratitude: "Eli, thank you. I... I just did what I thought was necessary. It really means a lot to me that you can say that."

After Xu Ling hung up the phone, Giorg held his phone for a long time without moving, lost in thought.

Xu Ling's value to the team is self-evident—his 39 points and game-winning shot in the first game of the new season against the defending champions are enough to solidify his undisputed core status. However, opinions about him within the team are subtly divided.

The marketing department had some reservations about this rising star. As a highly popular and prominent player, Xu Ling showed little interest in the commercial activities and public promotions arranged by the team, which was far from their ideal of a team that was interactive and eager for exposure.

The coaching staff, led by Marc Jaffaroni, harbored a different, deeper concern. Jaffaroni aspired to be Memphis's Mike D'Antoni, firmly believing that the "seven seconds or less" offensive system was the future of basketball, a Shakespearean sonnet on the court. However, Xu Ling's obvious discomfort with the system undoubtedly cast a shadow of uncertainty over SSOL's future with the Grizzlies.

The more common view is that Xu Ling is both aloof and arrogant. The most direct manifestation of this is that he never responds to the thunderous cheers of the fans on the court, as if he is in another world, as calm as Duncan, the "Steel Man".

But as you know, even someone like Duncan was ejected from the game last season by an angry referee for mocking his calls.

Xu Ling had never experienced such a moment or instant before.

Such an unconventional and unorthodox rising star should have faced opposition from fans at home.

But the people of Memphis were incredibly receptive to it.

This contradictory yet genuine acceptance reminded Joerger of another name that had once defined Memphis—Elvis Presley. Initially, he was seen as a blasphemous outcast by the mainstream for his swaying hips, boisterous rhythms, and his blatant fusion of Black blues and country rock. But it was precisely this authentic, uncompromising, and even somewhat aloof rebellious spirit that struck a chord with the soul of the blues city. Thus, Elvis became more than just a singer; he became a cultural icon transcending music itself.

At that moment, as he faintly heard the echoes of fans chanting "My Lord Eli" outside the window, a thought suddenly popped into Joerger's mind that even surprised him.

Perhaps no one in Memphis really knows Eli.

Less than an hour after the game ended, the homepages of major social media platforms were filled with huge posters featuring Xu Ling standing silently after his game-winning shot, with the Spurs players' stunned expressions in the background.

The media frenzy continued into the following day.

The Memphis Commercial Daily reminded all residents who missed the game of what happened at FedExCare last night with a striking headline: "Good morning, Blues City! The era of the Lord begins with a game-winning shot!"

Then came ESPN, who responded quickly. Although they are a Nike-leaning media outlet, they wouldn't miss any opportunity to gain traffic, creating a special feature on last night's game, with several of their NBA reporters writing columns for it.

The most noteworthy change was by Chris Sheridan, who had previously been a fierce critic of Xu Ling, but whose attitude underwent a complete reversal: "Memphis is destined for a brilliant morning. You can't imagine a more perfect start to the new season—Eli defeated the defending champions with what can be called the greatest debut in a decade. At least for now, no one will question Adidas's bold investment."

Adidas, of course, wouldn't let this excellent marketing opportunity slip by. From the moment they resolutely bet on this young man, they firmly believed he could bring unimaginable returns. And this debut has propelled them forward by a significant step.

Lawrence Norman, head of Adidas basketball, held a press conference in New York and excitedly announced: "To match Eli's shared ambition with this city, Adidas has officially decided to invest in the construction of a brand new 'Adidas Basketball Innovation Center' in downtown Memphis. This is not just a building, but a long-term commitment: we will shape the future together with Memphis and the basketball community of Tennessee."

Then, Norman paused briefly before dropping another bombshell: "At the same time, to celebrate the start of Eli's NBA legend, we will be launching our first regionally exclusive signature collection—'Terminator 1 Memphis Blues'—which not only represents the resilience and pride of Memphis but also symbolizes the spirit of the city. We believe that, like Eli, it will go nationwide and worldwide."

While Adidas is eager to market Xu Ling to the world, Nike is not sitting idly by. It's just that it's not their turn yet, and whatever the media says is useless.

However, all the news from the outside world was nothing but a passing cloud to Xu Ling.

With the team facing the Indiana Pacers in a back-to-back game at home tonight, head coach Marc Jaffaroni specifically scheduled the video analysis session for the morning.

The atmosphere in the Grizzlies' video analysis room was relaxed yet weary. Darko Milicic, sporting heavy dark circles under his eyes, slumped in a chair, and a teammate immediately came over to tease him: "Hey Darko, what did you do after the game? Your dark circles look like you've been punched."

Nightclub VIPs like Milicic, with their proven track record, are usually masters of time management. It's hard to imagine how much control these people have over their time in order to live life to the fullest.

Hearing his teammate's question, Milicic was not pleased at all, and complained, "Don't even mention those girls at 'Blues Night,' they have no idea what service spirit is! They have no customer service attitude, and their skills are terrible. I didn't pay to listen to them complain about tips... It's a complete waste of my precious sleep time!"

Xu Ling sat quietly to the side, without saying a word.

Until head coach Marc Jafaroni pushed open the door with his tactics board.

With a back-to-back game against the Portland Trail Blazers tonight, Jaffaroni had to split the video analysis session in two: the first half was a recap of last night's thrilling game against the Spurs, and the second half was used to analyze tonight's opponent.

When reviewing the Spurs' game, Jaffaroni was mostly praising them. When talking about Xu Ling, the only shortcoming he pointed out was that "sometimes he would briefly drift out of the tactical system," but then, seemingly worried that this was too harsh, he quickly added, "Of course, if Eli hadn't chosen to believe in himself at certain moments, we probably wouldn't have won this game at all."

Other players were not so fortunate as to be subjected to the head coach's double standards.

Apart from that, the first half of the game was relatively uneventful until Jaffaroni cut to the last moment of the replay—Manu Ginobili picked up the offensive rebound that Tim Duncan had pointed out at the top of the arc, while Rudy Gay, who should have rushed out to help defend, had already stolen the fast break.

The camera froze on the moment Guy sprinted towards the opponent's half of the court, completely unaware of the danger lurking behind him. The recording studio fell silent.

Jaffaroni turned off the projector and fixed his gaze directly on Guy.

"Rudy, we need an explanation. At that crucial moment, what made you think that abandoning defense and rushing down the court was a more important option than securing the victory?"

Guy looked away with a grim expression, muttering, "I thought we'd get the rebound...because we had more guys under the basket...I thought it was an opportunity..."

"An opportunity?" Jafaroni's voice suddenly rose. "Tim Duncan is probably the best big man in the league! How many chances did we really have to grab that rebound at that moment? It wasn't even a gamble—it was a complete blunder! That wasn't a choice, it was a defensive lapse! Regardless of what you 'thought,' our tactical discipline requires you to hold your position! Because of your perceived 'opportunity,' we almost lost last night's game!"

Guy suddenly stood up, the chair legs scraping loudly on the floor.

"So now it's all my fault? Just because I made the wrong choice?"

“This isn’t a matter of choice, Rudy, it’s a matter of judgment!” Jafaroni stared at him relentlessly. “And your judgment last night was absolutely terrible.”

Guy's face turned ashen, and he seemed to want to argue, but in the end he just kicked the chair away and turned to walk out the door.

Suddenly, a leg stretched out lazily, blocking Guy's path at just the right moment.

Guy looked down and saw Xu Ling.

Surprised? Not at all.

He almost laughed in anger. Why always him? Because of this guy, his status on the team had plummeted; because of him, nobody in the locker room would even give him a second glance; because of him, he was now in such an embarrassing situation. And now, what did he want to do?
“Sit down, Rudy,” Xu Ling said gently.

“What if I say no?” Guy retorted coldly.

“I’m not ordering you around,” Xu Ling finally turned his face, his eyes devoid of emotion. “You owe me a favor. Remember? If I hadn’t made that game-winning shot, you would be facing a situation ten times more difficult than you are now. I cleaned up your mess, and now it’s time to repay me.”

Guy stood frozen in place, his expression changing several times before finally gritting his teeth and plopping heavily back into his chair.

“That’s right,” Xu Ling said casually. “Relax, it won’t kill you.”

At least not today.

P.S.: There will be about five or six more chapters updated tomorrow. I have some family matters to attend to, and I haven't finished revising the drafts yet, so that's all for today. Thank you for your support.

(End of this chapter)