"Allen Iverson's talent?"
"Great!"
A thrill of excitement surged in Carlos's heart. As a standout of the golden 1996 draft class, Allen Iverson solidified his place as a top pick among stars like Kobe, Marbury, Ray Allen, and Nash. Despite standing just 6 feet tall, he claimed his spot in the NBA with more than just his athleticism—it was his exceptional talent that set him above many others.
Now...
Carlos inheriting this talent was indeed a cause for celebration.
Back in the locker room, Carlos sat alone in a corner to rest. With a thought, a luminescent white screen materialized before him, displaying his attribute panel infused with Allen Iverson's talents after the integration.
Name: Carlos.
Age: 18.
Height: 7' 1" .
Weight: 238 lbs .
Wingspan: 7' 6" .
Vertical leap: 41 inches .
Talent Panel (Reflecting Allen Iverson's early NBA years):
Speed: 95 (out of 100).
Jump: 94.
Strength: 83.
Stamina: 91.
Athleticism: 93.
Explosiveness: 91.
Mentality: 99.
Ability Panel:
Penetration: 93.
Layups: 91.
Ball Handling: 95.
Steals: 81.
Blocking: 89.
Passing: 78.
Rebounding: 75.
Defense: 76.
Mid-Range Shooting: 88.
Three-Point Shooting: 75.
Free Throws: 80.
"Hiss!"
Carlos drew in a breath as he looked over the attributes, most of which were 90+, and his heart filled with even greater joy. The attributes of penetration, layups, ball-handling, and mid-range were all high, showcasing Allen Iverson's talents and skills. Even as a rookie, he was formidable.
Of course...
After a careful review, Carlos also recognized his weaknesses—lacking strength, mediocre three-point and free-throw abilities, as well as the need to enhance his defensive skills.
"But wait..."
"With the intensity of Allen Iverson's defense and with my height, logically, my defense should also be 90+."
Carlos felt puzzled...
[Ding! The attribute panel represents the optimal values after the fusion of Allen Iverson's talents with your own.]
With that clarification, Carlos immediately understood. Take the block attribute, for example; Iverson's personal talent could not achieve such a height, but combined with Carlos's own height, he could possess a formidable blocking ability.
Similarly...
Iverson's own speed would be at least 97 points, but after merging with Carlos's speed, it settled at 95 points.
"So, now I have perfectly integrated Allen Iverson's talent! What kind of chemistry will result from a center possessing the talents of a legendary guard?!"
Carlos clenched his fists, feeling the significant enhancement of his physical capabilities. Having not yet had the chance to play, he was eager to showcase his skills on the grand NBA stage.
"Carlos!"
As he was musing, a voice broke through Carlos's thoughts. Looking up, Nash approached and handed over a sports drink, smiling, "What are you doing?"
Carlos accepted the drink and replied with a light smile, "Thinking about how we can win the game."
During his short time with the team, Nash was the only one who conversed with him. The others hardly paid any attention, but Carlos was used to it.
After all...
Even in basketball, it's a world where might makes right. As a player from Mexico with average talent, it was normal and common not to receive much recognition. Even Gustavo Ayon, who entered the league as the NBA Draft's first overall pick, didn't get much attention in his rookie days.
"Oh?"
Nash was taken aback, his pupils slightly dilating with surprise. What surprised him wasn't what Carlos said, but rather the confidence in Carlos's tone and demeanor—far more than before, which caught him off guard.
"With a 21-point deficit at halftime and the explosive NBA Draft's first overall pick Wall, do you think we can win?" Nash inquired.
"Yes!"
Carlos affirmed confidently and added, "If they let me play, I think I can win the game."
"Hahaha!"
Nash burst out laughing; he didn't know what had gotten into Carlos, but he liked this newfound confidence. No matter how far behind the team was, they needed to maintain this kind of self-assured atmosphere in the locker room. Even if they ended up losing, it didn't matter.
"Not bad!"
Nash clapped Carlos on the shoulder, smiling, "You know... I've never actually seen you play. While I can't decide your playtime, I'm looking forward to it if the opportunity arises."
"Look forward to it!"
Having merged with Allen Iverson's talent, Carlos did indeed become more confident, just as Nash had observed. After chatting with Nash for a bit and leaving to rest, Carlos suddenly remembered the second gift pack he had yet to open. He silently invoked, "Open the second rookie gift pack!"
[Ding! You have opened the second rookie gift pack and acquired the skill: 'Anthony's jump shot'.]
"Anthony's jump shot? Is it his peak form?"
Carlos was elated once more. 'Melo' Carmelo Anthony was known as the epitome of a jump shooter, and his mid-range shot during his prime was incredibly accurate.
"Mid-range shooting at 96!"
Looking at the attribute panel again, Carlos saw his mid-range shooting ability, originally at 88, soar to an astonishing 96 points, undoubtedly due to the 'Anthony's jump shot'. Carlos's mid-range shooting ability had become incredibly strong.
But as for how strong? That remained to be seen until he could play in an actual game. With this thought, Carlos's eagerness to get on the court grew even more.
However, with his insufficient skills, Carlos had been with the Suns for three days without even making it to the bench rotation, let alone the starting lineup. He could only observe from the sidelines, next to the water cooler. Moreover, with the Suns' preference for a fast-paced Run and Gun Offense, Carlos, a slower, larger center, was even less favored.
The likelihood of playing tonight was slim.
"How can I get on the court?"
Carlos pondered, "With the current situation, the only way for a center like me to get a chance is if the Suns are being utterly crushed, with both the starters and the bench pulled, completely giving up on the game. Yes, that's it!"
The more he thought about it, the clearer it became in Carlos's mind.
So, during the second half of the game, while the other Suns players on the bench were thinking about how to close the gap or even take the lead, Carlos was wondering how the Suns could collapse more quickly.
Soon...
As the final quarter approached, with just 5 minutes and 55 seconds left, and after Wall hit another mid-range shot bringing his total to 31 points and the deficit to 21...
"Whistle!"
Coach Gentry shook his head and called for a timeout, deciding to switch out all five players, effectively giving up on the game.
"Carlos, you're in."
Gentry told Carlos, who narrowed his eyes, knowing his opportunity had arrived!