After getting back the materials from the basketball gym, Wayne still couldn't contain his excitement.

A starter for an NCAA Division I team...

Just over a month ago, this seemed like a difficult goal for Wayne.

But now, he has truly embraced happiness.

This month's hard work and sweat have paid off. Whether in his previous life or now, Wayne has never felt so accomplished.

Because this is the first time in his two lives that he has taken a solid step towards something he likes.

The word "dream" was extremely illusory to Wayne in the past.

But at this moment, he is setting sail on the journey to pursue his dream.

Of course, this is just a small step.

Becoming a starter is not the ultimate goal, just a starting point.

If he does not perform well in the next few warm-up games, his starting position will most likely be replaced.

The most important thing now is to keep the starting position. Then, move steadily towards the direction of NCAA star!

Thinking of this, Wayne opened the folder he just took from Sutton.

Inside, there was a scouting report for a player named Matt Freje, who was the player Wayne was going to face in the next game.

Seeing how unfamiliar the name was, Wayne let out a sigh of relief.

The name is unfamiliar, which at least proves that this guy will not have any success in the NBA in the future, so he shouldn't be a difficult opponent to deal with.

After reading the name, Wayne looked down at this guy's information.

I have to say that the NCAA's scouting work is quite meticulous.

Basically all of Frege's information is recorded in detail above.

He is 2.08 meters tall. He is a third-year player and serves as a power forward. He is a quarter of Lebanese descent.

"Holy shit, I can find out all this." Wayne shook his head. He was now very curious about what he looked like in other people's scouting reports.

Continuing to scroll down, Wayne saw the weight column.

Judging from the photo, Matt Freije seems to be a not-so-powerful white player. But his weight reaches 101 kilograms...

He is 6 kilograms heavier than Wayne after he gained weight through exhausting work.

"This...anyone is heavier than me?" Wayne is autistic, 6 kilograms, the difference is really not small.

Moreover, the other party is three centimeters shorter than me.

You know, in fighting competitions, weights of about 4-6 kilograms are divided into one level.

Because a seemingly small 4-6 kilograms can make a huge difference in strength.

If Wayne is now compared to a lightweight athlete in a fighting game, he is equivalent to having to cross-level to fight hand-to-hand with a welterweight opponent.

However, this kind of unequal confrontation is precisely part of the charm of basketball games.

In fact, Frege is not as simple as "just coming out" as Wayne thought.

In the latest draft prediction, Freje was ranked in the middle of the second round, basically in the same bracket as Tony Allen.

To put it more simply, Freje is ranked in the top 60 among thousands of players in the NCAA Division I league!

Although from an NBA perspective, a second-round pick doesn't seem to be that big of a deal.

But within the scope of the NCAA, all those who can be included in the predicted draft list are great players.

Sutton is very optimistic about Wayne, so he will not pick an easy opponent to fight Wayne.

"With a difference of 12 pounds, it is indeed a big challenge. But fortunately, the scouting report said that like me, this guy is also a shooting-oriented power forward. He should not be beaten under the basket.

It must have been a miserable meal."

Wayne still doesn't know the background of Fredger, or how powerful this humble guy actually is.

But it just so happens that this also allows Wayne to study his opponent without any distractions.

This era is not like the future, where you can find a bunch of game videos just by searching online.

In 2003, as an NCAA player, the ways to learn about opponents were very limited.

This information is all Wayne can get.

Understanding this information thoroughly will be of great help to Wayne in his next game.

Don't think that basketball players are just a bunch of reckless men who go out on the court to fight.

Before the start of each game, they will conduct very detailed research on their opponents and then formulate strategies.

Basketball is a game in which both mental and physical strength are indispensable in a true sense.

But the more Wayne looked at it, the more he felt that the 12-pound gap between himself and his opponent was a bit worrying.

If the opponent also takes his scouting report, he will definitely see his weight. At that time, he will definitely strengthen his offensive at the basket.

If unfortunately you are really beaten by this guy under the basket, won't your trick of pretending to be a good defender by blocking shots be exposed!?

His current strength and interior defensive ability are still very low.

"No, we have to think of a way." Wayne rubbed his chin. He had finally won the starting position, but he couldn't just throw it away.

Tony Allen and Sutton both have such high expectations for themselves, and they cannot let down the trust of others.

"By the way, there is still a lottery package that has not been opened." At this time, Wayne suddenly remembered that the task rewards that were automatically put into the backpack after completing the tasks had not been used yet.

If I could really come up with something useful, maybe it could make up for my current weakness in strength and weight.

Wayne quickly threw down the information and rushed to the toilet to wash his face first...

This time, please don't come up with anything messy again.

In the system, Wayne opened the B-level lottery package anxiously.

According to the introduction, B-level lottery packages can be used to obtain bronze-level badges or shooting packages.

Currently, Wayne already has Rasheed Wallace's straight-arm shooting bag, and the effect is very good when using it.

Therefore, he hopes to get a more practical badge.

"My face can't always be so dark, right? Open the bag!"

Just like last time, after a flash of white light, a badge appeared in front of Wayne's eyes!

"Like!" Wayne quickly looked at the effect of this badge. Don't tell me, you are really lucky this time!

"Get the badge: Zone Deterrence (Bronze, upgradeable).

Effect: When interfering with the opponent's shot in the three-second zone, the interference effect is slightly improved."

Although it was just the lowest level bronze badge, Wayne felt that it was much more practical than the purple one last time.

Isn't that right? With this installed, you will be more confident in your defense in the penalty area!

So Wayne took off the previous purple badge without hesitation and installed the bronze restricted zone deterrent.

Currently, Wayne only has one badge equipment slot. He doesn't know if there will always be one, or if it can be unlocked in the future.

But at least now, this only equipment slot will only be reserved for deterrence in the restricted area!

"I feel comfortable. Against him on the outside, I have the advantage of height and wingspan, so I am not afraid of his shooting. On the inside, I have the deterrence of the penalty area. I shouldn't be beaten this time."

Wayne's confidence suddenly soared. In the first official 5-on-5 game, he had to show his momentum!

In a blink of an eye, the time came for the start of the warm-up match between the Cowboys and Vanderbilt University.

When he went out to class this morning, Wayne found that the school was very lively.

Many students were handing out flyers to promote the game. At the same time, many foreign tourists also appeared on campus.

Obviously, this game attracted fans from some surrounding cities to watch.

First, Oklahoma does not have an NBA team, so the NCAA team is the home team for fans.

Secondly, all Oklahomans want to see with their own eyes what the legendary player who defeated Wallace was like.

In the afternoon, two hours before the game started, when Wayne walked into the arena, he found that the place was very different from usual.

Even sitting in the locker room, you can feel the noise of 14,000 people outside.

The temperature of the stadium and Wayne's adrenaline were soaring.

Wayne was a little nervous. He had never played in front of so many people.

The last time I went to a fan meeting to challenge Wallace, there were only a hundred people in attendance.

This time, it was a hundred times better than last time!

"Okay, cheer up! This is our first game of the season. Although it's just a warm-up match, I hope everyone will take it seriously!"

At this time, Eddie Sutton pushed open the door and walked into the locker room.

He clapped his hands, attracting everyone's attention.

"First of all, what you are most concerned about, let me announce today's starting lineup. Point guard Lucas, shooting guard Tony, small forward Joey (Graham), power forward Wei, and center Holmes."

After Sutton announced the list, he glanced at Wayne and found that he had clenched his fists.

The Cowboys' muscular power forward Randy Carter looked confused.

He always felt that he should be the starter.

But overall, this starting set did not cause too much commotion among the players, and they were basically convinced.

"Great, Wayne!" Teacher Tony, who was sitting next to Wayne, said quietly, and then patted Wayne's arm in celebration.

Wayne smiled and nodded. Although he knew in advance that he would be on the starting lineup, when the moment officially came, Wayne was still a little excited.

"However, I can't guarantee that the regular season starter will be exactly the same as today. Again, my team only speaks with its strength. The purpose of this series of warm-up matches is to test the lineup. I just want to lead a team that can win.

Play the game with the best lineup!”

Old Sutton was extremely serious today, and the goal he conveyed was very clear: "Even if it's just a warm-up match, I want you to win it beautifully!"

That's the Cowboys style.

Desperate to win and driven forward, this team has been deeply imprinted with Sutton's signature.

After the head coach finished speaking, the players continued to put on their equipment.

Wayne opened the locker and took out his No. 11 jersey.

This number was chosen by the previous Wayne. Because Yao Ming had just entered the NBA as the No. 1 pick at that time, which greatly encouraged Wayne, who was playing in a foreign country.

Therefore, Wayne chose the same number as Chairman Yao in the Mosaic team.

"Okay, this is our territory, it's no one else's turn to act wild, let's go!" Finally, Tony Allen stood up and waved his arms, and the young players with high spirits filed out one after another.

The moment he pushed open the locker room door, huge cheers filled Wayne's ears.

He followed Tony Allen and rushed out of the tunnel, and he suddenly got goosebumps all over his body.

Is this...the highest level college basketball league in the world?

Wayne looked around at the dark crowd of fans and was dumbfounded.

This atmosphere is more fanatical than the NBA!

In fact, there are only a few teams with high attendance in the NBA regular season.

Therefore, the atmosphere at NCAA games is really more lively than the atmosphere at most NBA games.

"Wei, why are you standing there stupidly? Go warm up!"

It wasn't until Sutton yelled behind Wayne that he finally came to his senses.

"Yes!" After being reminded by Sutton, Wayne's mood changed from nervous to excited.

Isn’t it my ultimate dream to stand on such a court and play basketball?

So, let this dream become more brilliant!

"Is he the Chinese student who defeated Rasheed Wallace?"

"Oh my God, have you seen his arm? I feel like he can block shots even from a distance of one meter."

"He's a sophomore? Why didn't I have any impression of him last season?"

In the stands, many fans instantly started discussing Wayne.

After Sutton sat on the bench, he looked back at the audience.

He noticed that there were many middle-aged men in suits and leather shoes with serious expressions in the arena today.

Most of these guys should be NBA scouts.

It's really rare. It seems that this year's Cowboys team is also attracting everyone's attention.

During the warm-up, Wayne glanced at the white forward who was practicing post-ups under the basket, his opponent today, Matt Frager.

It doesn't look like much in the picture, but in reality, that guy is really strong.

And that blond hair and mustache... actually look a bit like Dirk.

It seems that a fierce battle is inevitable today.

After a while, the referee signaled the players from both sides to step into the center circle, and the cheers at the scene reached their peak.

Wayne took deep breaths and tried to relax.

Although he is a sophomore player, in a real sense, this game is Wayne's NCAA debut.

At this time, Wayne's system evaluated the overall difficulty level of this game as usual.

"Wait, the intensity and difficulty of the game are just normal?" After seeing the difficulty evaluation, Wayne was stunned.

What about the promised hard fight?

Is the opponent too weak?
Chapter completed!