Chapter 2: The Greenhorn

【Welcome, player, to the training ground】
【Player is being digitized】
【Player's personal character panel is now open】
A series of prompts rang out, and a personal panel for a game character appeared before Su Feng.

Su Feng.

Age: Eighteen.

Level: lv0 (Basketball Rookie)

Height: 178 cm (Great growth potential)

Team: Houston Rockets

Stamina: One star

Technique: One star

Accuracy: One star

Skills: None

…

Overall Score: 9 points (You are the weakest player ever in the NBA, bar none)

After reading his own stats and the system's mocking commentary, Su Feng was left speechless.

Soon, after some study, Su Feng roughly understood the differences between the levels. The game's system levels represent the strength of basketball players.

This game system divides NBA stars into nine levels.

lv:0 equals an ordinary basketball enthusiast, not yet at professional player level.

lv:1 equals a professional player in China.

lv:2 is equivalent to a substitute in the NBA.

lv:3 is a third-tier NBA player.

lv:4 is a second-tier NBA player; at this level, a player is already considered a basketball star.

lv:5 is an NBA top player, part of the All-Star lineup.

lv:6 includes those who dominate the court and have left their unique mark in NBA history, destined for the Hall of Fame: Yao Ming, Shaquille O’Neal, LeBron James, Kobe Bryant.

lv:7 encompasses legendary NBA icons who shine in basketball: Wilt Chamberlain, Magic Johnson, Dennis Rodman, Tim Duncan.

lv:8 belongs to only one person—the god of basketball, Michael Jordan.

The only thing Su Feng could not comprehend was lv:9. What kind of level was this? Could it be possible to surpass Michael Jordan, the god of basketball?

His imagination ran wild at the thought.

As for his personal abilities and overall evaluation, Su Feng was at a loss for words. All his attributes were only one star, and his total score was nine. He opened the game panel and casually checked the stats of NBA superstars—Kobe, LeBron, Shaq—each had several abilities at nine stars, and their overall scores were above ninety-five. By comparison, Su Feng’s weakness was obvious.

Experience required to level up: 0/10000

At this moment, Su Feng noticed an experience bar beneath his personal attribute panel.

“Could it be…” Seeing the experience bar, a guess suddenly made Su Feng excited.

He’d already witnessed the abilities of the game system: it could alter reality, making everything that happened in the game come true in real life.

If this was really the case, could he level up just like playing a game?

If so, one day he would reach the unprecedented lv:9, surpass Michael Jordan, and become the greatest basketball star in history!

【Training space is now open for the player】

【Newbie mission issued】

【Mission: Success equals one hundred percent sweat】

【Mission requirements: Complete all specified training tasks】

【Dribble 100,000 times】

【Shoot 100,000 times】

【Layup 100,000 times】

【Mission reward: Certain experience, Special Skill Card +1】

Just as Su Feng was elated at his discovery, a massive mission bar appeared before him. Seeing rows of training tasks, each requiring ten thousand repetitions, he was nearly in tears.

What else could he say?

Better start practicing.

…

After a long flight, the plane finally arrived at Houston Airport.

“Mr. Su Feng, we’ve arrived.” The Rockets club agent accompanying him woke Su Feng, who had been sleeping with his eyes closed for a long time.

“Already here?” Su Feng opened his eyes, seemingly unaware of how much time had passed.

“Personal attribute panel!”

Su Feng focused, and his personal attribute panel appeared in his mind.

During the flight, in the training ground of the game system, his level had already risen from lv:0 to lv:1, his abilities had greatly improved, and his overall evaluation had reached 25 points. According to the system’s classification, he now possessed the basketball skills of a professional player in China.

More importantly, after completing the newbie mission, he received the system’s special skill card reward.

【Skill Card: Butterfly Step】

【Description: The famed move of Allen Iverson, one of the greatest NBA players—the dazzling Butterfly Step. Using this skill card, the player will perfectly master this skill.】

That’s right, after finishing a series of rookie tasks, Su Feng was lucky enough to draw the signature move “Butterfly Step” of Allen Iverson, famously known as “the man who crossed God.” Iverson is undoubtedly one of the greatest players in history at breaking through defenders, playing on the court like a butterfly toying with opponents. With this skill, Su Feng finally had some confidence to play in the NBA.

“Mr. Su Feng, let’s go. There’s a special car waiting to take us to the Toyota Center,” said the agent sitting beside him.

Su Feng nodded, filled with anticipation for his upcoming NBA career.

…

Houston, Rockets’ home court, Toyota Center.

“This is a scandal, an outright scandal! How can you use the first overall pick to sign a rookie from China?! He’s only eighteen, and back home he can’t even make the school team, always warming the bench. Now you want him to play in the NBA? This is the biggest disgrace in basketball this century. I’m going to report you to the International Basketball Federation!” At this moment, Rick Adelman, the current head coach of the Rockets, was yelling furiously at the club manager over the phone.

“Rick, to be honest, I still don’t know what’s really going on, but from a legal standpoint, the rookie’s contract is flawless,” came the headache-ridden voice of the Rockets manager on the other end of the line.

According to NBA rules, something like this was virtually impossible: inexplicably signing an obscure eighteen-year-old from across the Pacific Ocean with the first overall pick. Yet this unbelievable scenario was unfolding right before their eyes, and, like Rick Adelman, the Rockets management was utterly baffled.

No matter how much the Rockets management investigated, they found Su Feng’s contract had no issues whatsoever. In other words, the club had to sign Su Feng at a price of twelve million dollars over five years.

In a country governed by law like the United States, the price of breaching a contract was more than the club could bear.

“So what you’re saying is, no matter what, I have to let this so-called genius from China join the Rockets?!” Rick Adelman instantly understood the manager’s meaning, his anger barely contained.