"I can now confirm that you'll be able to make it into the NBA this year."
Tois was full of praise for Hansen as they left the press conference.
Talent is very important in basketball, but so is mindset.
"I think so too," Hansen estimated. He had exchanged for new talent and would be able to complete his training before the draft workouts.
Tois was accustomed to Hansen's confidence and laughed heartily, patting him on the shoulder.
He should also be ready to engage with NBA teams this summer.
Returning to the hotel, Rondo had gone off somewhere with his teammates again.
Hansen took a shower and then entered the system's exchange space.
The talents available for exchange in [Black Fan Value] were divided into four tiers; the fourth tier required 1K~5K, the third tier 1W~5W, the second tier 10W~50W, and the first tier 100W+.
That means he now had two options, exchange for a third-tier talent, or use it to activate the lottery chance obtained in the newcomer gift package.
The lottery pool was divided into two types: offensive talent pool and defensive talent pool.
The draw was entirely random; he could draw any talent from the fourth to the first tier.
So he had made his choice early because as long as he wasn't 'unlucky,' anything but a fourth-tier talent drawn would make his 10,000 Black Fan Value worthwhile.
It was also a typical "newcomer's gift package," not of great use, but somewhat useful.
Hansen chose the defensive talent pool.
Basketball evolves with the rules; in the 90s, the three-pointer wasn't emphasized, but now space has become more and more important.
That was why he initially chose [Eagle Eye].
However, [Eagle Eye] after all was a talent given with the newcomer's package, it couldn't make him a shooter of Curry's level.
In other words, he couldn't rely on three-pointers to become a core player on the team.
And if he couldn't become a core player, then he could only start as a role player.
There were several types of role players: playmaker, defensive player, bench scorer, blue-collar worker, shooter, etc.
A 3D player covers both three-point shooting and defense, which is equivalent to one person doing the work of two roles, and this is highly sought after in the NBA.
In other words, if he became a 3D player, the chances of being selected were extremely high.
Moreover, if a 3D player is strong enough, they are highly likely to enter the starting lineup and get plenty of playing time.
So, being a 3D secures a lower limit, and there is a great deal of room for development.
Leonard, Jimmy Butler, Paul George, Klay Thompson, McGrady, and others all started as 3D players.
Having decided on the pool, Hansen immediately clicked to draw.
None of that washing hands or face, relying on fate without superstitions, it was all about that crisp, clear feeling.
After he clicked, a classic big roulette wheel appeared on the system and began to spin rapidly.
Hansen's eyes were glued to the direction of the pointer.
When the wheel gradually slowed down and locked in the result, he shouted and jumped out of bed.
Although he didn't draw the best first-tier talent, but...
[Star Catcher], a second-tier talent!
It was worth 300,000 Black Fan Value in the system!
What thirtyfold joy!!
Being unlucky was impossible, his name clearly meant he could never be unlucky!
It was just a pity that this lottery chance was only once.
After calming his excitement, Hansen read the details with a flushed face, becoming even more exhilarated.
[Star Catcher]: A talent that improves lateral movement speed, steals, blocks, and physical confrontation.
Slow lateral movement, poor body confrontation, these are the common issues for Asian players.
[Star Catcher] solved them all at once, plus it even added stealing and blocking talents, unbeatable!
After exchanging his talent, Rondo still hadn't come back, in fact, he didn't come back until the next morning, staggering.
"Did you run into a vampire?" Hansen looked at the pale Rondo with shock in his eyes.
Rondo walked to Hansen's bed with a mischievous smile, picked up the camera, and handed it to Hansen with a look of pride.
Hansen glanced over and instantly sobered up.
It was another DIY mosaic content.
This guy truly is the United States version of Teacher Chen!
"Hmm? Is that from the Heat Cheerleaders?"
Hansen noticed the red heart-shaped T-shirt that was being pushed up by two mountainous curves, with the word "Heat" on it.
"Otherwise, how could I have had fun all night?" Rondo said as he lay back on his bed.
"How do you know them?" Hansen curiously placed the camera on the nightstand.
Although the Heat Team was also in Miami, it wasn't easy to get in touch with cheerleaders.
Rondo sat up abruptly from the bed, a smug look on his face, "I'm a locker room guest attendant for the Heat Team."
"Locker room guest attendant?" Hansen was a bit confused.
"That means a ball boy, but you can't call it that in front of the ladies, it's too embarrassing."
"You're a ball boy for the Heat?" Now Hansen finally understood why he often couldn't find Rondo at night.
"Yeah, NBA players aren't allowed to contact the cheerleaders, but there's no rule against ball boys."
Hansen's eyes widened; what Rondo said was a revelation to him, but somehow it didn't seem wrong.
"Do you want me to introduce you? Not just cheerleaders, but also beautiful female fans, a ball boy can pretend to ask for their contact information on behalf of the players."
"...You're really a talent."
"That's true. It looks like you prefer basketball over women," Rondo said, then lay back down and soon, snores were filling the room.
It was clear he had been really drained last night.
...
Like "Eagle Eye," "Star Catcher" also required training to improve strength.
However, unlike "Eagle Eye," because there were clear targets, Hansen had already started this kind of training before.
This was also why he had thought he could finish his training before the draft workouts.
But as time went on, Hansen realized that things weren't quite as he expected.
He had put in enough training time, but the results were disappointing.
He eventually realized that offense and defense were different.
Offense, whether it's three-point shooting, mid-range shots, drives, or dunks, can be practiced alone.
But defense isn't just about footwork and technique; it also involves experience.
Only in a competitive environment, and especially against strong opponents, can defense rapidly improve.
But now he was in the Second Gear League, and the invitation tournament was over, leaving him without such opponents.
So the system indeed raised the limit of his talent, but to reach that limit, he needed to invest more time.
Or in other words, he couldn't reach that limit before the draft workouts.
This clearly wasn't what he wanted because it would significantly lower his chances of being selected.
He couldn't resist criticizing Han's choice; if he had originally chosen a First-tier weak team, this issue wouldn't exist.
But after griping, he still needed to find a solution.
However, strong enough opponents aren't easy to come by.
It was then that Hansen suddenly thought of a method.
One day after returning to the dormitory, Hansen pulled Rondo aside to inquire about the ball boy job.
"As a ball boy, do you have the chance to interact with NBA players?" Hansen went straight to the point.
"Of course. Ball boys serve the players. Before the game, prepare their gear, run errands. During the game, pass towels and drinks. After the game, go to the locker room to clean up trash and clothes."
While Rondo explained this with a look of disgust, if it weren't for the chance to hit on girls up close, he wouldn't want to do those tasks.
Especially after the game, the locker room smelled so strong it was suffocating.
"During the players' warm-up training, don't you need to help pick up balls?" Hansen pressed on.
"Of course you do, but the teams have trainers and assistant coaches, so most of the time it's not the ball boy's turn. It's only when players do their warm-up early that they need help."
Hansen nodded, then spoke up, "You said before you could introduce me to be a ball boy?"
"So, you've come around?" Rondo asked with a mischievous smile.