"He's crazy, this kid is crazy!" The operations officer was startled by Jiang Lin's intense gaze and rushed out of the locker room. When asked by the staff, he said Jiang Lin had gone mad from the shock of not being able to play in the NBA and was now talking nonsense.
"Kobe, I look forward to our next encounter," Jiang Lin said, staring at Kobe's locker. Another reason he didn't want to be Kobe's teammate was that he wanted to face the legendary player as an opponent on the court!
He had the confidence to say that because, after this game, he had completed two achievements, and the system would reward him. Youth is for boldness and arrogance!
Today, the Lakers management heartlessly abandoned him, so he would work doubly hard to repay them!
"Where to? I'll give you a ride," Metta World Peace said, driving a Range Rover and waiting for Jiang Lin in the parking lot. He had evidently received the news as well.
"The airport." Jiang Lin tossed his backpack into the back seat and got in with style.
"OK, I have a feeling that the next time we meet, you'll beat us up," Metta said, cigar in mouth, sunglasses on, as he sped away from Staples Center.
"Trust the process."
…
A stone thrown into a lake causes a thousand ripples, and the fans were buzzing.
**Hupu News**: Jiang Lin Unemployed, NBA Dream Shattered?
**Fox Sports**: Lakers Backup Guard Jiang Lin's 10-Day Contract Not Renewed. Will Any Team Pick Him Up?
**Woj**: Multiple Tanking Teams Interested in Developing This Chinese Player. Is It for the Chinese Market or for Jiang Lin's Aggressive Drives?
Some Lakers fans debated fiercely on Reddit.
**Uncle Sam**: "Oh no, not that guy. He just crossed over LeBron tonight!"
**KobeIsGod**: "Kobe only scored 21 points, 4 assists, 4 rebounds tonight, but played 42 minutes and took 28 shots… I'm embarrassed to admit it."
**PurpleLegend**: "They just cut him? What a pity. His dribbling made me wet. I was studying his moves!"
**YAOYAOYAO**: "If they don't want him, fine. Surely some team will pick him up."
"Yeah, we complained about management signing a Chinese player just for money. Now they listened and cut him. Isn't that good?"
"Kobe, Nash, Howard—there aren't enough shots to go around. Best of luck to JIANG!"
"Go to New York. They're tanking!"
"Come to Memphis. We need this sharp edge!"
"San Antonio needs Parker's successor!"
"Noxus will rise again… Sorry, wrong scene."
These were just small distractions. A rookie who scored 10 points wouldn't generate as much heat as the 23 vs. 24 debate. Soon, fans returned to discussing who was better, Kobe or LeBron.
After a brief uproar, even Chinese fans moved on to the next big game between the Spurs and Thunder.
As for Jiang Lin's future, fans didn't concern themselves too much. Only CBA teams showed interest, hoping to bring him back to play in China.
…
In the car with Metta, the windows down, the cold wind of the City of Angels hitting their faces, Jiang Lin hummed Sam Hui's "Genius Idiot Dream" while listening to the radio.
The evening NBA news recapped the Heat vs. Lakers game in about 30 seconds, mentioning only Kobe, LeBron, and Wade.
"The Heat are unstoppable, now on a 9-game winning streak!"
Metta switched channels, landing on a Los Angeles station playing LeBron's interview. Both men heard LeBron's meaningful words, hinting at recruiting Jiang Lin.
"Wow, LeBron is really something…" Jiang Lin thought, impressed by LeBron's vision to even consider recruiting a fringe player like him.
"Congrats, you won't have trouble finding a job. The Heat will definitely take you. They don't even have a full bench."
"I'm not one to join if I can't beat them."
"Can't beat them, join them? Haha, interesting!" Metta pondered the phrase and found Jiang Lin even more intriguing.
"So what's your plan?"
"I'll follow up on the contacts you gave me and go for tryouts."
"Cool!" Metta gave a thumbs up.
At Los Angeles Airport.
"Brother, this is where I leave you. You'll be a star. Keep pushing."
"No doubt!! Metta, I'll remember this ride. Next time, it'll be my home game, and I'll treat you!"
"Deal!" Metta lit another cigar and drove away.
Jiang Lin remembered this kindness, slung his big bag over his shoulder, and walked into the terminal like a wanderer.
Finally, he had time to check the system.
He asked a key question: "Streetball Superstar System, if I want to keep getting stronger quickly and acquire other stars' skills, what should I do?"
After playing today's game, Jiang Lin was eager to become stronger, to win in front of 20,000 fans!
"The host needs to continually train. Upon reaching certain achievement triggers, you can earn special abilities by completing tasks!"
"Is training considered an achievement? What are the triggers?"
"No, training is the basis for achievements. For example, if the host wants to learn Curry's long-range three-pointers, then during training, you must hit 20,000 long-range threes. This meets the trigger condition, activating a challenge task. The task might be to hit a long-range three in an NBA game, and those 20,000 practice shots are the trigger!"
### Chapter 13: Stockton and Paul's Skill Packs
"Got it," Jiang Lin thought as he comprehended the system's mechanics. To unlock and master various star skills, he needed to train rigorously and complete specific in-game achievements.
"Each skill has different training requirements based on its strength," the system explained.
"There's a detailed skill list within the system, outlining each star's skills and their requirements."
"Understood!"
After understanding the system's response, Jiang Lin realized his path to continuous improvement—train, train, and train some more!
Only through relentless effort could he elevate himself and savor the crowd's cheers. Who wouldn't want to ignite the fans' passion like Kobe with every appearance?
Jiang Lin then opened the two unread system messages displayed since the game ended. He indeed received two rewards.
"Ding! Congratulations to the host for achieving: Crossing Over an NBA Superstar. You are awarded John Stockton's 99% Ankle Protection ability, enhancing your ankle strength!"
"Ding! Congratulations to the host for achieving: Scoring Over 10 Points in an NBA Regular Season Game. You are awarded Chris Paul's 90% Mid-Range Shooting ability!"
"Wow!"
These two notifications made Jiang Lin jump up from his seat in the waiting area, startling the sleepy passengers around him.
Stockton and CP3!! Jiang Lin was ecstatic. These two players were among his favorites!
The Streetball Superstar System had granted him two immensely useful skills. Having played streetball for years, he knew the common weaknesses of streetballers.
The first key issue was shooting. Many streetball players had poor shooting fundamentals, making it easy for defenders to sag off and force them to shoot. Without a reliable shot, defenders could easily guard against drives, as the closer the defender, the easier it was to get past them.
This was why many looked down on streetball. Streetball players often focused on flashy moves, neglecting fundamental skills like shooting. Consequently, despite impressive dribbling, many ended up with airballs when taking open shots.
This is why players like Jamal Crawford, who had a great shot, thrived in the NBA, transforming into a sixth-man extraordinaire and a prolific scorer.
The second issue was frequent injuries. The complex moves in streetball put continuous stress on knees and ankles. Often, a player's ankles would give out before their opponent's. Speedy players who relied on quick changes of direction faced the brunt of this, their careers often ending early due to ankle, tendon, and knee injuries unless they adjusted their playing style.
If Jiang Lin were to bulk up, his ankles might not be able to handle the added weight. That's why many streetballers stayed lean, but staying too lean limited their professional prospects. It was a trade-off.
In his previous life, Jiang Lin had twisted his ankle over ten times, eventually resorting to wearing high-top center shoes, and shifting his playstyle to a grounded, technical approach.
The human body wears out over time. Everyone knew Westbrook's style was unsustainable, yet in 2020, he still played like a ninja turtle, showcasing extreme self-preservation and management skills.
Stockton was one such player with unparalleled durability. With his ankle strength enhanced by Stockton's skill, Jiang Lin no longer feared injury.
Feeling his now more flexible ankles, Jiang Lin realized he had resolved two major streetball issues.
"System, can I ask what the trigger points were for these two achievements?"
"The host trained rigorously in the gym for two hours of strength training daily and ran 1,000 hours over 100 days, reaching a physical achievement trigger point."
"The host successfully made 30,000 mid-range shots during training, reaching a scoring achievement trigger point."
"Got it," Jiang Lin nodded. These achievements were hard-earned through his dedication and hard work. Reaching NBA-level endurance itself was a testament to his relentless training, something only he knew the true struggle of.
To reach NBA-level physicality, he had forced himself to train tirelessly in the gym.
To achieve mechanical precision in his shots,
he focused heavily on shooting, starting with mid-range. He even trained with steel basketballs to refine his shooting form, making thousands of shots.
Forging steel through relentless practice! This was the spirit of a Chinese athlete!
Next, he needed to translate these training results into consistent game performance!
He couldn't wait to hit the court and experience these star skills in action!
What did Stockton's ankle strength mean? Stockton and Malone, the Jazz duo, were among the most durable players in NBA history. Malone missed fewer than three games per season over his first 18 seasons, even playing 82 games in 10 seasons. "The Mailman" always delivered.
Stockton was even more impressive, with 17 of his 19 seasons being full seasons, including 16 seasons of 82 games, earning him the title of the NBA's all-time assist leader. Such durability spoke volumes about his ankle strength, capable of withstanding immense wear and tear.
"That's not just an ankle, it's steel!"
"And Chris Paul's mid-range shooting, 90% of his ability is enough to dominate!"
This skill needed no validation. Currently captaining the Clippers, Paul's mid-range shooting percentage of 50.1% was league-leading, followed closely by Durant and Leonard.
Paul's shot wasn't as flashy or powerful as Kobe's or Anthony's, but it was incredibly reliable!
How reliable?
The more Jiang Lin thought about it, the more terrifying it seemed. In the 2016-17 season with the Clippers, Paul averaged 5.3 mid-range attempts per game, making 2.7, a 50.9% success rate, the highest in the league.
In the 2017-18 season, Paul averaged 3.1 mid-range attempts, making 1.7 with a 53.9% success rate, again leading the league.
As steady as it gets! A beacon of traditional point guard play, not shooting a lot but lethal with every shot.
In Jiang Lin's mind, Paul's open mid-range shots were practically automatic. His pick-and-roll pull-up jumpers were signature moves.
For a super streetballer like Jiang Lin, this was adding wings to a tiger. He could create his own shot, and with precision shooting, scoring would become easier, making him a true all-around one-on-one king!
And, I'm 13 cm taller than Paul, with a better shooting vision!
"Sorry, Lakers fans. When I return, you'll shed tears of regret."