Basketball Terminal

Chapter 39 Call
As the buzzer sounded to signal the end of the match, Li Wei threw the ball forward.

His arm was incredibly strong, and the ball was easily tossed towards the basket in the frontcourt, hitting the transparent tempered glass backboard. The red lights around the backboard signaled the end of the game, with the score settling at 142-130, the Long Island Nets maintaining their lead until the very end.

The teammates spontaneously gathered in a corner of the field, fist bumping and hugging each other. This was their second victory as a team. Although they were loose and informal, victory is always inspiring.

Brett and Timberwolves coach Newman Baker shook hands, both wearing masks, their eyes revealing exhaustion regardless of win or loss. Newman Baker is one step closer to unemployment, with his former team, the Timberwolves, about to face the Los Angeles Clippers, a game likely to end badly. If Saunders is fired, Newman Baker's position will also be precarious.

Brett, despite winning the game, was also in a somber mood, as the match proceeded in a semi-out-of-control state. Lacking training and cohesion, the team quickly descended into a chaotic state of individual play, with established tactical arrangements failing to hold for more than three minutes.

Especially on the defensive end, in the final stages of the fourth quarter, the Timberwolves narrowed the gap to 6 points at one point, but due to defensive disarray, they almost allowed their opponents to stage a major comeback. It was only thanks to Levi's solid rim protection and defensive rebounding under the basket, as well as three-pointers from Eli Okobo and Shannon Scott on the perimeter, that they regained the lead and secured the victory.

Like Newman Baker, Brett realized that the G League head coach is probably the least free coach in all professional and amateur basketball leagues worldwide. Even as a primary school basketball coach, you have absolute authority over your team. You have all the power, and correspondingly, all the responsibility; power and responsibility are intertwined.

Unlike the Development League, the parent team acts as the behind-the-scenes manipulator, requiring the head coach to execute various instructions and ensuring everything revolves around the parent team's interests, including tactical arrangements and roster building. At the same time, the subsidiary teams also have performance targets; if they perform poorly, the head coach will be dismissed. In other words, you have limited power but bear the most responsibility.

From the preseason onwards, the Long Island Nets' tactics were controlled remotely by their parent team, leaving Brett feeling constrained. He tried to strengthen team control, but the players seemed to know he wasn't the ultimate authority, so they were somewhat indifferent to him and didn't take him seriously.

This coaching experience was completely different from Brett's original intention when he first took on the job. He thought he would have the freedom and space to build an ideal team and achieve something, but he didn't know that he was just a guinea pig manager.

During the game just now, Brett spotted the Brooklyn Nets scouting team on the sidelines: Gary Saint-Jean and Eddie Oran. Brett had heard rumors that the Brooklyn Nets were looking to draft a center from the G League as a backup. Players from the Long Island Nets were being closely watched, and players from other teams were also on the observation list.

In this game, Timberwolves' center Tyler Cook was completely outmatched by Levi, whose performance of 22 points, 15 rebounds, 5 assists, 3 blocks and 3 steals was enough for him to try his luck in the NBA.

As Bancher said, the outstanding performance of Levi is very likely to be called up for a contract, at which point Brett's best defensive player will leave him, and the pressure on the Long Island Nets will continue to weigh on Brett's shoulders. And the season has only just begun.

On the court, after shaking hands, Brett walked up to Levi, patted him on the shoulder, and said, "That last shot counts in your field goal attempts, so your shooting percentage will drop." Levi shrugged and said, "I don't care, we won."

Brett glared at Levi: "You really don't care? You didn't play good defense at the end of the second quarter and at the beginning of the fourth. You just watched them drive to the basket and did nothing. And you were more aggressive on the fast break than on defense, weren't you?"

Li Wei did indeed do that, but he didn't think he was wrong, because everyone did that at certain stages of the game. The two teams were evenly matched, their defense was relaxed, they were padding their stats, and then they exerted their strength at crucial moments. That's the rhythm of the game; no one can be on edge from start to finish. After all, this isn't the NBA Finals or the Olympic knockout stage.

“If you’re not satisfied with my performance, you can replace me, Brett.”

"Yes, you're right. So, you'll be a substitute in the next game, and you can play whenever I want."

Unexpectedly, Brett used this opportunity to relegate Li Wei, who had performed well and earned a starting spot, back to the bench. This frustrated Li Wei, who wondered what Brett was thinking. They had won, he had played very well, and just because he had relaxed for a while, he was being pushed back to the bench?
The initial good mood from the victory and excellent performance was almost completely ruined. Back in his room, Li Wei received a message from Luo Ping saying that McCalil had watched the game and was preparing to recommend Li Wei to the coaching staff, telling him to wait for good news. Li Wei's spirits lifted somewhat, but Brett's unusual behavior still puzzled him.

Meanwhile, the Long Island Nets coaching staff gathered in Brett's room for a meeting to review the game and prepare for the next match.

The other three were puzzled when they learned that Brett had relegated Levi to the bench. Brett explained, "He's risen too quickly, which isn't good for a young player. He needs more experience. Which young player succeeds without going through twists and turns and going through trials?"

The three men exchanged bewildered glances at Brett's explanation. Young people certainly need experience and challenges, but that should come from encountering difficulties, not from creating them where none exist. After the meeting, the veteran coach, Banchi, approached Brett and asked if he had any issues with Victor, whether he disliked him or thought there was something wrong with him.

Brett initially dodged the question, seemingly struggling internally, but finally confessed: "No, it's not that I don't like him; on the contrary, I like him terribly. He's very important to the team, and if he were here, I'm even confident we could contend for the championship. But... like you said, I'm afraid he won't stay for long."

In the G League, the drafting of top players is incredibly fast. If a player is good enough and lucky, they can be signed within three games. If they haven't been drafted after more than 15 games, their chances of making the NBA that season plummet. They just have to finish this season and try again next season.

The G League season is short, and due to the virus, the NBA has a high demand for players. Given Li Wei's performance and stats in his first game, if he were a two-way contract player, he would have been called back to his original team long ago. Because he's a regular contract player, and his college performance was poor, his evaluation period will be longer.

"So, you want Victor to stay on Long Island longer, so you're keeping him on the bench? My God, having players from our team make it to the NBA is an achievement for us too."

"Oh Luca, that's all lies. When you're an NBA player, people talk about your high school coach, your college coach, but they never talk about your G League coach. And what determines my performance is the team's record, not how many ten-day contracts I've signed."

“But Victor must really want to get into the NBA as soon as possible. Do you remember on the first day of training when we had a meeting together at the center, Tellum asked us, ‘Who wants to get into the NBA? Raise your hand if you do.’ Everyone raised their hand, including you and me.”

Brett fell silent. Yes, the Development League is always a transition, not the ultimate goal; the NBA is everyone's dream destination. Wasn't his own decision to coach here precisely to lay the foundation for becoming a head coach in the NBA?
"Besides, I can see that Viktor is a very mature and sentimental young man. His unknown talents and abilities will one day be discovered. Instead of being a hindrance, why not lend him a helping hand?"

With Banchi's encouragement, Brett realized he had indeed been blinded by his emotions, and wondered if making Levi a substitute would really keep him in the starting lineup. He worried about a potential locker room explosion and decided to explain the situation to Levi the next day and get him back into the starting lineup.

After the first game, the Nets had a day off. Li Wei wasn't affected by being relegated to the bench; his mood improved slightly after a brief period of frustration, and he immediately threw himself into training. Everyone was adapting to the team's high-intensity training style, and Li Wei was even able to chat and laugh with his teammates during practice.

After training, Brett approached Levi and told him that he would still be a starter in the next game, not a substitute. Levi was slightly surprised and said, "Oh, coach, you've made the right decision. This will benefit you immensely."

Faced with Li Wei's old-fashioned attitude, Brett smiled wryly and said, "You already have NBA scouts watching you. Do your best, buddy, maybe you'll be playing at Barclays Center soon."

Li Wei suddenly realized and said, "Coach, you don't want me to go to the NBA, so you want to make me a substitute, right?" Brett pinched his nose and said, "Bushett, who do you think you are? You think the team can function without you? You've only played two good games... Go do extra training, run twenty slaloms first! I'll stay and keep you company." "Coach, are you serious?"

"Of course it's true! Don't you like extra training? Come on, start running! Hurry up!"

So, the others left by car, while Brett stayed behind to help Levi with extra training, giving him a solid workout for over an hour. When they left, Levi felt his legs were a little weak. Fortunately, with the help of medication, the soreness disappeared completely the next day, and he was able to return to the game.

On February 11th, the Long Island Nets' second game was scheduled for 9:00 AM. Their first game of the day was against the Lakeland Magic. Levi started again and noticed that there were significantly more spectators at the sidelines than at the previous game.

It's unclear whether it's because it's early in the season, or, as Brett said, because his performance is attracting the attention of various teams.

Standing in the center circle, the referee tossed the ball into the air, but Li Wei simply didn't jump. What was the point of jumping? His opposing center, Jon Tesk, was 2.16 meters tall; jumping would be pointless anyway, since it didn't matter who started the attack first.

Although he didn't jump, Li Wei anticipated the ball's trajectory. He instantly surged forward, intercepting the ball mid-air as Tesk passed it to his teammate! Then the referee called a jump ball violation.

Brett shook his head on the sidelines, wondering if putting him back in the starting lineup was a mistake. Perhaps keeping him on the bench would be a good choice, since he didn't really care.

The Magic gained possession on offense, but their first points were slow to come because the Nets' defense was excellent at the start. A 3-2 zone defense, when used well, can be quite effective, especially at the start of the game when the opponent's outside shooting isn't hot yet.

If the team can protect its weaknesses on the wings and inside, the pressure on the ball handler will be immense. The Magic's consecutive offensive possessions were ended by tough outside shots, while they couldn't grab rebounds inside. Despite being 2.16 meters tall, Tesk was no match for Levi in ​​rebounding.

Not only is Levi better at anticipating plays, but he also surpasses Tesk in positioning and subtle moves. A tall, white guy like Tesk, over 7 feet, plays basketball primarily because of his height; otherwise, he's relatively mediocre and has limited passion for the sport.

Levi, who is half a head shorter than Tesk, completely controlled the paint. At the start of the game, he provided ammunition for his teammates with solid defense and consistent rebounding. The Nets started with an 11-0 run, forcing the Magic to call a timeout.

Tesk appeared particularly clumsy next to Levi. He came from an athletic family; both his parents were basketball players, and his older and younger sisters were also very tall. Tesk was the tallest in his family and also the most accomplished in basketball. He played in the NCAA and was eligible for the NBA draft.

However, apart from his height, Tesk is really not good at basketball. People talk about his height the most, which shows that he doesn't have many other advantages on the court.

During his matchup against Levi, Tesk felt that this yellow-skinned player, who was two sizes smaller than him, was as fierce as a leopard under the basket, and that every move he made was faster than his, always getting ahead of him.

Tesk, who was always a step behind, was quickly substituted by the coach and placed on the bench. The Magic then adopted a small lineup, spread out their defense, and bombarded the outside with three-pointers, which turned the tide of the game.

Under Li Wei's direction, the Nets immediately switched to man-to-man defense and increased their offensive pace, relentlessly attacking the Magic's interior. After setting screens, Li Wei would immediately cut to the basket to steal rebounds, succeeding repeatedly, scoring as many as 11 points in the first quarter using this tactic.

Li Wei played all 12 minutes in the first quarter, and the Long Island Nets led the Magic 36-26 by 10 points at the end of the first quarter. Sitting on the bench, Li Wei was covered in sweat and said to Brett, "Coach, let me come off the bench. Playing the whole quarter is so tiring. Let me rest for a bit."

"I'm giving you a chance to shine, Victor. Let's keep playing in the second quarter."

"what?!"

Brett ultimately showed leniency, giving Levi a rest in the second quarter. He knew that as his stamina declined, his performance on the court wouldn't be as good. Brett had no complaints about Levi's performance on the court.

A perfect rim protector, despite lacking height, isn't necessarily at a significant disadvantage in this era. Whether in the G League or the NBA, low-post monsters are disappearing; perimeter defense has become just as important as rim protection for interior players.

Li Wei didn't focus on padding his stats this game; instead, he concentrated on his defensive duties. Whether under the basket or switching to defend the perimeter, Li Wei performed exceptionally well. He is experienced, adept at subtle tactics, and despite his young age, he already possesses the air of a seasoned veteran, often causing headaches for his opponents.

Experienced scouts will see these details more clearly, further raising their evaluation of Levi.

After an hour and a half of play, the Long Island Nets secured another comfortable victory, winning 117-106, a 11-point lead. The scoring wasn't as explosive as in the previous game. Li Wei led the team in all four categories with 20 points, 11 rebounds, 2 blocks, and 3 steals.

As Li Weineng left the stadium after the match, he could clearly feel that many people's eyes were on him, and his performance was indeed attracting the attention of scouts.

Back in the locker room, everyone was overjoyed with their third victory. Shannon Scott and Paul Ebua came over to give Levi high-fives, fist bumps, and hugs. Thanks to Levi's outstanding performance, they received more playing time, as he had excellent chemistry with them.

While showering and getting ready, Li Wei noticed a missed call and a text message on his phone. The message read: "Victor, we are very interested in you. Please call back when you have time, thank you."

It was an unfamiliar number. Li Wei wondered if it was a scout from the Nets. Luo Ping had brought good news. Back at the hotel, Li Wei returned the call, and it was answered quickly.

"Hi Victor, thanks for calling back. This is Donnie Nelson, General Manager of the Dallas Mavericks. Can we talk?"

“Oh…Mr. Nelson, hello…” This was a call Levi hadn’t expected.

(End of this chapter)