In the next game, the Kings beat the Miami Heat 97-105. Hector started the game as the starter and performed well with 10 points and 5 rebounds. He confronted the one he observed during countless hours of video analysis, Bam Adebayo.
Hector tried to defend him, but he got eaten. He is one of the few players who can defend all league positions. And he's shown tremendous progress on offense, making him a legitimate potential All-Star this season.
25 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 blocks. But he couldn't win the game because of Bogdanovic's 23 and Hield's 21 points.
He followed up with a double-double in a 102-122 win over San Antonio. The third in a row. He was clumsy offensively, but with 10 points and 12 rebounds, he contributed to the win.
Hield was unstoppable tonight with 31 points off the bench.
If Hector watched videos in defense of Adebayo, he observed videos of LaMarcus Aldridge on offense. His ability at the post and mid-range game is a feast for the eyes. His style of play is predictable: Mid-range rider after mid-range jumper. It's not the flashiest, but it's very effective. That's partly why Hector is inspired by it.
Rather than being spectacular, Hector is designed for something other than highlights. It's the same in everyday life, in many ways, quiet and reserved.
The excellent series will be broken by two losses against the Dallas Mavericks and the Milwaukee Bucks. Hector finds his rhythm with more than 10 points in both games but a clumsiness in shots that he must erase.
The Kings have a record of 21 wins and 31 losses. And this will conclude the first part of the Rollercoaster of the Kings season.
Heading to Chicago, Hector has been selected for the Rising Star Challenge with Team World. Formerly called Rookie Game, it pitted this season's rookies against the sophomores, that is, the previous season's rookies.
But since 2015, it has pitted American players against international players.
Hector performed well off the bench but did not prevent his team's defeat against Team USA. Result without appeal 131-151. Miles Bridges won the MVP of the game with his 20 points.
Hector was solid with 16 points, the same for Doncic and Gilgeous-Alexander. Barrett is the game's leading scorer with 27 points, and Clarke will put in 22, but it was not enough. Apart from Hector, the rest of the bench has yet to be level with Team USA.
Hector was finally blowing, and the All-Star break finally arrived.
There have been moves on the Kings' side: Deadmon went to Atlanta in exchange for Jabari Parker and Alex Len, which explains Hector's starting spot.
GM Patrick Willis is rumored to be in an ejection seat, but Wharton should be comforted next season. But these are not Hector's problems.
He works at the gym and watches game sequences as usual. He has finally obtained the starting spot, but he must not take the position for granted at the risk of drastically dropping his playing time.