The Raptors have long sought a successor to Carter to rejuvenate Toronto's basketball market. Despite Toronto's icy climate and smaller market size, many top players have been reluctant to join the team. Compounding this, star player Bosh shows no signs of renewing his contract, making his departure almost certain by the end of the season.
With their star's future uncertain, Raptors management is urgently seeking a new cornerstone player. Unable to attract established stars, they pin their hopes on this year's draft class. Among the prospects, DeRozan stands out as a promising option despite not matching Carter's athleticism. His impressive dunking ability and graceful fadeaway shots have caught the eye of Raptors' decision-makers.
While DeRozan's three-point shooting is a concern, the league still values mid-range scoring and inside play more heavily. This makes DeRozan a focal point for the Raptors' draft strategy.
However, DeRozan isn't their sole consideration. If the Raptors are fortunate in the draft lottery and secure a top-three pick, they'll have more options to consider.
The game between USC and the traditional basketball school has attracted scouts from numerous NBA teams, including the Thunder, Rockets, and Nets, among others. These scouts are keenly observing the matchup, evaluating talent for their respective franchises.
Furthermore, the emergence of "Mr. Key" Lian Dao has intensified interest from team managements across the league. Teams like the Rockets are already well-stocked, while others, like the Bucks, have likely benefited financially from their recent successes.
The players made their entrances into the arena amidst a roaring crowd that seemed to lift the roof off the Galen Center Stadium.
DeMar was the first to step onto the court, greeted by thunderous cheers and chants of his name from the fans. Excitedly, he waved back at the audience.
Observing DeMar's demeanor, Lian Dao couldn't help but notice that he seemed unusually excited today.
Lian Dao followed as the second-to-last player to enter, with Captain Gibson bringing up the rear.
Despite having played in numerous games before, Lian Dao was surprised by the intensity of the cheers that greeted him as he stepped onto the court. Although he had grown accustomed to the stadium's fanfare over the past dozen games, today's atmosphere was electrifying. Excited female fans energetically waved banners emblazoned with "Mr. Key" and loudly cheered Lian Dao's English name.
Taking in the spectacle, Lian Dao scanned the crowd and waved towards the stands. It was then that he spotted a familiar face.
It dawned on Lian Dao why DeMar had seemed so thrilled earlier.
Unexpectedly, Kobe Bryant was in attendance at today's game, seated next to Odom, with a female USC fan in a red jersey beside them—likely Odom's "friend," whose ample figure was unmistakable despite the loose jersey.
Well, that's very Lamar, Lian Dao thought to himself, acknowledging Odom's aesthetic preferences that favored voluptuous women. In the "Bald Eagle Country," many African Americans shared this appreciation for curvier figures, finding them attractive and sexy.
For instance, Odom in the stands and "Son of JDZ" from Arizona State University in the Parker Ten League exemplified this preference. Even the current Harden had not yet evolved into the iconic "Son of JDZ."
Then there was Demar, Lian Dao's teammate and roommate, who, while typically reserved, clearly shared Odom's taste in magazine covers featuring full-figured models.
Given Lian Dao's distinctly Eastern aesthetic, he found little interest in Demar's preferred reading material, which had once earned him the label of "aesthetically problematic" by Demar.
Today, DeMar seemed truly excited. During warm-ups, he showcased a series of dunks and even mimicked Kobe with a fadeaway jumper.
Lian Dao understood DeMar's demeanor well. There's nothing quite like the thrill of playing in front of your idol. DeMar's performance resembled that of a child eager for approval, albeit in a naive yet sincere manner.
"Hey, chief, this guy's athleticism is decent. He's still a step behind me, but his imitation of your fadeaway jumper was quite entertaining!" Odom remarked as he watched DeMar on the court, casually touching the girl next to him.
"Although he imitated your fadeaway, his form lacks fluidity, like he's leaning back just for the sake of it!" Odom paused, trying to find the right words, then his eyes lit up. "It's like he's forcing the lean-back feel!"
Kobe looked at Odom with surprise. They hadn't expected these insightful comments from the guy known more for his physique and social skills.
It dawned on Kobe that Odom might have more going on upstairs than he often let on. Maybe that's why he managed to carve out a niche in the NBA—not just with his muscles, but with his brains too.
Reflecting on DeMar's fadeaway jumper, Kobe nodded inwardly. When DeMar had greeted him after sinking the shot, Kobe had noticed it too. DeMar's fadeaway seemed forced, leaning back more than necessary—a contrast to Kobe's own technique, which aimed to avoid excessive backward lean. Kobe believed efficiency in scoring didn't require unnecessary movements. His own fadeaway was about fluidity, avoiding defenders with a natural grace that inflicted a deep psychological blow on opponents.
In Kobe's eyes, the inability to defend against such a move was the harshest blow to an opponent's morale, a testament to the synergy of player and ball.
...
Looking at the roster, Tim, the head coach of the University of Southern California, couldn't help but smile.
"This year's team is no weaker than last year's," he thought.
"Darren Collison, Josh Shipp, Alfred Aboya, Nikola Dragovich, Jrue Holiday!"
Tim noted the average height of his inside players—206 cm. The absence of players like Mutte and Kevin Love, who were drafted, had significantly weakened their inside game. Alfred Aboya and Nikola Dragovich, lacking the height and strength of those drafted, left USC without the same dominance they once had.
"For the first time in recent years, we've got complete control on the inside," Tim mused. "Gibson at 206 cm and Vucevic at 210 cm give us a clear advantage."
His gaze fell on Josh Shipp's name, prompting a playful smile.
"I wonder if Coach Ben Howland regrets letting go of Lian Dao," Tim pondered. "If only he hadn't insisted that Lian Dao wasn't a fit. We'd be the ones struggling with our perimeter lineup."
Tim felt grateful to Howland for passing on Lian Dao, enabling him to pick up a versatile player capable of handling the third and fourth positions effectively.
"As for Jrue Holiday," Tim continued, confidence in his voice. "DeMar will show this talented kid what true genius on the court looks like."
But one name still caused Tim concern: Darren Collison. Standing at 183 cm, Collison's speed and scoring ability posed a significant challenge.
"Hackett will have his hands full guarding Collison," Tim acknowledged. "We'll need to bolster our perimeter and interior defense quickly."
Overall, though, Tim remained optimistic. The team's strength across the board gave him ample confidence going into the game.