BOOM!
Following that thunderous slam, absolute silence filled Teiko's basketball gym.
Even Shirogane Kozo unconsciously held his head in amazement.
Tendou Kageyoshi's current height was 174 cm—certainly impressive for his age. It might not be at the very top, but it definitely ranked among the best.
Yet, while his height wasn't exceptional, his wingspan was a staggering 194 cm.
What did this wingspan imply?
Michael Jordan was 196 cm tall, but had a wingspan of 216 cm—a full 20 cm difference between height and wingspan. This physique earned Jordan the reputation of having the most ideal body type for a shooting guard.
Tendou's wingspan-to-height difference was exactly 20 cm as well—just 2 cm shy of Jordan himself.
Of course, a longer wingspan wasn't always better. Excessive length could negatively affect dribbling and lower breakthrough effectiveness.
However, a 20 cm difference was considered the golden standard—second only to Jordan.
The bullet comments erupted once more:
『Holy crap, he just dunked?!』
『If I'm not mistaken, isn't this anime still at middle school stage?』
『12-year-old kids can dunk now? I'm 28, and I can't even touch the rim…』
『Wait, did I misread the anime's title? Isn't this actually 'Tendou no Basket'?』
A 12-year-old kid performing a powerful one-handed slam dunk was indeed astonishing.
Even Tendou himself was thrilled upon landing.
This was the first official dunk of his basketball career.
That exhilarating feeling—of pouring every ounce of strength into the rim and scoring decisively—sent adrenaline surging through his veins.
Yet, outwardly, he pretended to be calm.
Releasing his grip from the rim, he turned confidently toward his teammates and shouted, "Don't stand there dazed—it's our turn to defend now!"
He simply intended to demonstrate his maturity and leadership to leave a good impression on Shirogane.
But, of course, online viewers twisted it immediately:
『What are you guys staring at? Start clapping!』
『Where's the applause? Clap clap clap clap!』
『As expected, anyone named Tendou knows how to act cool!』
『Why aren't you cheering, slackers?』
『Can manga readers spoil me a bit? What's this second-generation trash-talker like?』
『Sorry, no manga spoilers—this is an original anime, no manga exists for reference.』
No manga for reference?
Reading the comments, Tendou paused briefly. But he quickly recovered.
The original Kuroko no Basket never delved deeply into the Generation of Miracles' time at Teiko—it was mostly fragmented flashbacks, hinting at events without specifics.
Now that he'd entered this world, participating actively, the original storyline would likely shift dramatically.
...
The match resumed.
Back on defense, the freshman team suddenly felt energized.
They realized they'd found a genuine star.
Yamanaka, the second-stringer who had easily scored at will in the first half, was completely neutralized by Tendou in the second half.
Maybe they could really win this.
26-18!
The freshmen had now scored six unanswered points—all from fast-break counters triggered by tough defense.
It was currently 2009. Last NBA season's champion had been the Boston Celtics, who defeated the Los Angeles Lakers.
Under the influence of these two powerhouse teams, basketball's mainstream tactics were still dominated by half-court positional offense.
Centers weren't inexplicably floating out beyond the three-point line. Most battles took place in the paint.
So, when Tendou introduced aggressive, modern transition plays, the second-stringers quickly found themselves unable to keep up.
Tendou demanded each of his teammates run, without hesitation, the instant they got the ball.
With Tendou leading the charge, this freshly assembled group of first-years astonishingly developed real chemistry.
Without realizing, Coach Shirogane had already grasped Tendou's application form tightly in his hands.
Though it contained nothing extraordinary—just basic information—it felt like he'd discovered a hidden gem.
He firmly believed that, in the near future, Tendou would hold a crucial position within Teiko.
Players at this age improved at astonishing speeds, especially perimeter players without obvious height advantages.
Even Michael Jordan had spent his sophomore year playing second-string, only to become an All-American by his senior year.
Jimmy Butler averaged fewer than 10 points per game his senior year—no one then would've believed he'd one day lead a team to the NBA Finals.
Ja Morant wasn't even a ranked prospect in high school, yet years later, he emerged as an explosive star.
And if referencing NBA players seemed too distant, the Generation of Miracles nearby served as the perfect example.
Original flashbacks revealed Aomine Daiki, as a freshman, struggled to score even 20 points against certain defenders, promising revenge afterward.
A year later, during nationals, the same defender who'd once held him below 20 points was completely shattered by Aomine's evolved talent.
That was potential.
Before turning 20, a player's body was a treasure chest—capable of producing either dazzling diamonds or worthless scrap metal.
While lost in thought, Yamanaka once again faced off against Tendou.
Ignoring teammates offering screens, Yamanaka stubbornly chose isolation again.
He'd clearly lost his cool.
Aspiring for a first-team position, he couldn't accept repeatedly losing to a freshman—especially in front of the head coach.
But stubbornness always ensured endless humiliation.
Yamanaka recklessly disregarded Tendou's defense, lowered his body, and lunged aggressively toward Tendou's left side.
A player's breakthrough effectiveness could be judged solely by the explosiveness of their first step.
Yamanaka was indeed a skilled slasher—a razor-sharp bench scorer.
However, a straightforward, predictable drive without feints posed zero threat to Tendou.
"Didn't I tell you already? Stop always driving in the same direction."
Tendou deliberately allowed Yamanaka past him.
Yamanaka thought he'd finally succeeded.
This drive carried all the strength he could muster.
"I did it!"
He sensed that the ball was still firmly in his control, and he'd already passed Tendou by half a step.
Next step: drive straight into the paint and score.
However—
Just as he prepared to fully leave Tendou behind, a ghostly whisper sounded from behind:
"Cleave!"
Swish!
Yamanaka felt as though he'd been stabbed. In an instant, his right hand lost all control of the basketball.
Eyes widening in disbelief, he turned stiffly, coming face-to-face with Tendou's piercing, sky-blue eyes.
This scene closely mirrored when Kagami Taiga first entered the Zone, stealing the ball from behind Aomine Daiki.
"No trespassing here!"
Bam!
The basketball violently smashed against the floor, reflecting how much force Tendou had used.
"He stole it again!"
"There's no way past him."
"He's too fast—I can't even see his hand movements clearly!"
Everyone courtside was left stunned—especially those who knew Yamanaka personally.