"Bang!"
Stephen Curry's three-point shot missed.
The buzzer sounded. That was the Wildcats' final chance.
The Arizona State Sun Devils thrillingly won the game, 77 to 79.
James Harden's tired face showed no emotion. He looked completely drained like he just wanted to collapse in the locker room.
Curry looked devastated., Lin Yi patted him on the shoulder.
"Even MJ misses game-winners sometimes," Lin said gently. "If there's another shot like that, you'll hit it."
Curry gave him a sideways glance. "Let me guess. Kobe quote again?"
Lin feigned surprise. "What gave it away?"
Finally, Curry cracked a smile.
.......
After the game, both teams lined up and shook hands. Despite the outcome having no impact on rankings, it had been a fiery contest—proof of why college basketball can be so magical. Even in 'meaningless' games, every player gives their all.
As Lin Yi approached Harden for a handshake, Harden suddenly spread his arms.
"Put it in," Harden said with a grin.
Lin Yi blinked, caught off guard.
Lin accepted, chuckling.
"Seriously though," Harden continued, letting go, "that layup you pulled off—damn. I've been working on my Eurostep too. Are you sure you're a center?"
Before Lin could answer, Curry jumped in, clearly jealous that Harden was hogging the spotlight.
"James, when we see you again in March Madness, we're taking you out, that's a promise," Curry said boldly.
Harden raised his eyebrows. "Whoa, easy there, Steph. Have you been watching too many zombie flicks? Stay realistic, man. The Southern League barely gets wild card slots. Your next opponent is Blake Griffin—the guy's a beast!"
"But we already beat them," Curry said, smiling.
Harden waved him off. "Fine, fine. Let's see if we meet again in March."
As Lin and Curry were leaving, Harden called out, "Hey Lin! That beard advice? Gold. I'm gonna look fly as hell."
"You'll look cool, for sure," Lin replied.
Honestly, Harden without a beard did look a little too... adorable.
"I'll take you to the club next time!" Harden sneaking said.
Lin froze.
Wait. What?
Nightclub?
No, no, no. Are we even allowed to do that right now?
Curry grabbed Lin's arm with mock outrage and pulled him away.
...........
Meanwhile, the scouts in the arena were buzzing.
"That kid's a lock for the lottery," one scout said. "If I have a top pick, I'm taking him—no hesitation."
"Hold on, let's not get ahead of ourselves," another replied. " Kostas Koufos didn't pan out, remember? We need more data."
"Malvin, last time you said 'let's wait and see,' the Suns took Amar'e Stoudemire. How'd that turn out?"
"Stoudemire was a fluke!" Malvin grumbled.
Javier Stanford walked past the debate with a smirk. A bunch of amateurs.
Scouting wasn't about waiting—it was about seeing the future before anyone else.
Javier was already texting his editor. Lin Yi's draft stock was about to skyrocket after his report dropped.
This kid's the real deal. A high-potential prospect worth betting on.
...........
Back in China, Wu Xiaolei and Qi Jun rushed into a nearby cafe to upload game footage.
Sports Weekly headquarters exploded with excitement.
"You're kidding me!"
"Wang Zhizhi had good footwork, sure, but this kid—he's doing everything."
Thankfully, Basketball Herald missed the scoop. The Sports Weekly editor-in-chief was thrilled. Wu Xiaolei and Qi Jun were to stay in the U.S. for the next six months, work visas pending, sending back weekly reports on Lin Yi.
With the Chinese internet still developing, Sports Weekly remained the go-to for young fans following basketball abroad.
And the editor-in-chief believed it: another Chinese name would soon be lighting up the NBA.
.........
The Davidson Wildcats didn't linger in Phoenix. After a light refreshment, Curry and the team flew back home.
Christmas was coming up, and Curry, not wanting Lin Yi to spend it alone, invited him to his house.
Lin thought about it and nodded. "Sounds good."
Still riding the high from the Sun Devils game, Lin Yi was itching to level up. His Dream Shake badge was almost at bronze. His rebounding progress meant the Elite Rebounder badge wasn't far either—maybe four games.
But the toughest skill to master remained...
Limitless range.
Deep threes.
Not that Lin didn't want to shoot them—it's just that, in this era, chucking deep threes looked insane.
In the current basketball mindset, a shot like that would get you benched. Even the 2004–05 Phoenix Suns, known for their run-and-gun style, didn't take as many threes as the future Warriors or Rockets would.
Deep threes were considered reckless. Coaches hated them.
It's part of why some people say the past NBA teams couldn't compete with the modern era. All it took was Curry, Lillard, KD, or Harden hitting two 30-footers, and defenses would fall apart.
Basketball just evolved—fast.
Curry might not crack the top ten all-time list one day, but no one could deny he reshaped the NBA.
In the 1990s, basketball was about muscle and grit. Why? Because teams didn't value the three-point shot.
Today?
Look at the Rockets. Top five in threes and points in the paint.
Why bang bodies under the rim when spacing makes everything easier?
That's how the game changed.
And Lin Yi?
He was ahead of his time.
Seven feet tall. Guard-level handles. Elite agility.
His footwork, vision, and speed made him a nightmare mismatch.
Too tall for guards. Too fast for bigs.
He was the prototype of a future the league hadn't caught up with yet.
Just like smartphones in the early 2000s—people didn't realize they were looking at the future.
But soon, they would.