Davidson's next opponent, Brigham Young University, is a well-known underdog in the Southern League. Plus, the Wildcats are still fighting at home. This game? Yeah, it's about to be a massacre.
Before tip-off, Lin Yi asked Coach McKillop for a conversation.
"Coach, can you give me some extra minutes tonight?" he asked.
McKillop considered it. Lin Yi was only in his second game with the team, but he seemed eager. "Alright, I'll let you get some more time," he agreed.
Lin Yi grinned. "Thanks, Coach."
McKillop didn't notice the small grin on Lin Yi's face.
Now, for the real mission.
Lin Yi turned to Stephen Curry. "Steph, listen—NBA scouts already love your scoring. But if you can double your assists? Man, they'll be all over you."
Curry's baby face lit up in realization and pointed a sly grin at Lin Yi.
Yeah, scouts love stats. And if he could rack up more assists, his draft stock would skyrocket.
But for Curry to get more assists, someone had to score.
Who else but Lin Yi?
By the end of the game, Lin Yi had fired off 29 shots—11-of-22 from two, 3-of-7 from three, plus three free throws—for a total of 34 points. Not the most efficient night, but hey, not terrible either.
McKillop didn't mind. "He needs to get used to the NCAA pace," the coach reasoned.
Lin Yi, of course, had his reasons.
With Lin Yi pulling defenders, Curry had a strong game too—20 points and 15 assists.
The truth? Lin Yi needed as many games as possible to develop his skills. His badges weren't just going to level up on their own. He needed to grind.
Rebounds? He had to grab them.
Limitless range? He had to take deep threes.
And then there were the clutch shots—he had to nail those under pressure.
McKillop pulled him aside after the game. "Lin, some of your shot selections need work," he said.
Lin Yi nodded. "I hear you, Coach. I'll work on it. But let's be real—I'm not always going to get easy looks."
McKillop sighed. The kid had a point.
Seven feet tall, with a wingspan to match—Lin Yi didn't have to worry much about defenders contesting his shots. But he still had work to do.
.....
With Lin Yi on board, the Davidson Wildcats went on a six-game winning streak. Curry was thriving, and scouts were taking notice.
ESPN's Draft Network placed Lin Yi in the late second-round projections. Some scouts were skeptical—could he climb even higher? Maybe crack the first round?
Meanwhile, Chinese media was buzzing. A Chinese player putting up solid NCAA numbers. That was big news.
During this era, Chinese fans had high hopes. Yao Ming was an NBA All-Star. Yi Jianlian had flashes of brilliance. Sun Yue was with the Lakers. Basketball in China felt like it was booming.
No one knew that, in the future, things would take a turn.
But for now, Lin Yi was the next big thing. Reporters rushed to interview him, most assuming he was the next Yao Ming.
The camera cut back to Davidson's basketball arena.
The Wildcats were chasing a seven-game streak against St. George Institute of Technology, another weak opponent. Curry was in his bag—already racking up 10 points and 7 assists in the first half.
With his assist numbers climbing, scouts were warming up to the idea of him as an NBA point guard. Sure, he was undersized for a shooting guard, but as a point guard? He was promising.
Lin Yi was thriving too. In the second half, he caught a pass from Curry, pulled up for a tough fadeaway, and drained it—pushing Davidson's lead past 20.
The St. George big men were helpless. If they sagged off, Lin Yi hit jumpers. If they played up, he'd blow past them.
That was his 26th point of the night.
He and Curry? The Southern League's deadliest duo.
Stats mattered. You don't get drafted without putting up numbers.
Michael Beasley went No. 2 in the draft because he stuffed the stat sheet.
Lin Yi had to do the same.
And it was paying off.
Ding!
Lin Yi grinned.
[Badge Unlocked: Tough Shot Maker (Bronze)]
See? Grinding works.