But setting aside the whole "training a girl into a dual-cultivation partner" thing...
The game plan Todd had drawn up for Li Fei would let him take a certain number of shots from the perimeter, including threes, and give him the freedom to push the ball upcourt on some fast breaks.
That was his unique strength.
Overall, though, the focus still had to be on the interior.
Finishing at the rim, low-post offense, cutting to the basket, second-chance points—all of those were core parts of his scoring game.
After all, it was the '90s. A seven-foot-plus giant who didn't play inside would be ridiculous.
Li Fei knew that himself.
His current style might resemble Wembanyama's, but many of his skills were still underdeveloped. Most of his skill ratings were in the seventies. According to the system, a rating in the seventies meant an average NBA player; eighty meant excellent, ninety meant a star, and anything above ninety-five was legendary.
A rating in the seventies was respectable in college, but it wasn't yet a trump card.
His real trump card was still his physical advantage.
Just like turning your girlfriend into the ideal partner, chemistry had to be cultivated bit by bit. Nobody started out as a top-tier seductress.
Li Fei still had a long way to go before he could become a guard.
With Li Fei officially joining the team, Todd also explained the NCAA's rules to him.
In truth, as a longtime basketball fan, Li Fei was practically a basketball deepseek. He already knew all this without needing the coach to explain.
The NCAA was a huge organization made up of thirty-one conferences, each with around ten teams. UC Berkeley belonged to the Pac-12.
A full NCAA season had four stages. First came the "exhibition games," against teams from other conferences. The results didn't count toward the standings.
Next was the regular season, also called conference play. The two teams in each conference played each other once at home and once away. UC Berkeley had to play twenty-two games against the Pac-12's other eleven teams.
After the regular season came the conference "playoffs." Those were single-elimination, and every conference champion earned an automatic bid to March Madness!
"Everyone, I've never doubted that we can make March Madness. But we have to take things one step at a time. Our goal right now is to make sure we get there."
After all, the conference playoffs were also single-elimination. Sometimes a team could be good and still get unlucky and miss March Madness.
"No, Coach Todd."
As soon as the coach finished speaking, Li Fei turned into a fiery young upstart. "Making March Madness isn't our goal at this stage!"
"Our goal is to enter March Madness as the undisputed best team!"
Sixty-four teams made March Madness. Each conference sent one champion directly, for a total of thirty-one automatic bids.
The remaining teams were called "at-large" teams. The selection committee chose which ones would enter March Madness based on their performance.
But Li Fei didn't want to rely on an at-large bid to get into March Madness.
"Now that's the spirit!"
Seeing Li Fei's fighting spirit, Coach Todd applauded in appreciation. "Exactly! We're aiming for the championship!"
"That's not what I meant, either," Li Fei said, interrupting Todd again.
Everyone on the team looked at him, confused.
"When I say 'undisputed best,' I don't just mean winning the championship."
"We're going to sweep through the Pac-12 with a perfect record!"
A perfect record!
The players swallowed hard.
The Golden Bears hadn't won the Pac-12 very often.
And now Li Fei was talking about winning it without a single loss...
And he was only a freshman who hadn't even played a game yet.
He'd come in with his slogans turned up to the max.
The kid was seriously arrogant.
"NICE!"
But Todd responded to Li Fei's confidence with an approving round of applause.
Jason Kidd and Lamond Murray were both too steady by nature.
Li Fei's fiery enthusiasm was exactly the spark that could fully ignite the Golden Bears.
"We've never swept the Pac-12 with a perfect record."
"But this year, we've got Jason, Lamond, and Li Fei—a three-headed engine!"
Todd said solemnly, "I believe this is the year we make history!"
As soon as Todd finished speaking, the system chimed several times in a row.
[ Ding... New season about to begin. NCAA career mission module activated ] [ Mission 1: Lead the Golden Bears to the 1993–94 Pac-12 championship ] [ Mission complete: Receive 1 skill package ] [ Mission 2: Lead the Golden Bears to the 1993–94 NCAA championship ] [ Mission complete: Receive 1 Bronze Badge ]
"Two missions popped up at once."
Li Fei was a little surprised.
And winning March Madness would earn him a Bronze Badge!
The system's rewards mainly came in four types: "attributes," "shooting packages," "skill packages," and "badges."
Badges came in four ranks: Bronze, Silver, Gold, and Star.
Li Fei narrowed his eyes slightly.
Rewards aside, whether it was the Pac-12 championship or the March Madness championship, both were part of his journey.
"In that case..."
"I'll start by going undefeated in the Pac-12!"
Training ended for the day.
Humming "Good Luck Is Coming," Li Fei got ready to shower with the Golden Bears.
"Li, what song are you humming? It sounds pretty good," Kidd asked as he walked alongside him.
Li Fei remembered that Kidd was a music enthusiast, too. When he was younger, he'd confidently recorded a single called "What the Kidd Did." Reality had soon humbled him, and he'd gone back to playing basketball.
But Li Fei had a special reason for humming "Good Luck Is Coming"...
He went into the shower room, turned on the water, slicked himself up, and lathered on the soap. With the steam rising around him, it really was a great place to take care of personal business.
"Activate shooting package!"
In the space inside Li Fei's mind, an ancient-looking brown chest was shaking violently.
The personal business he was eager to take care of, of course, was claiming his reward.
Li Fei rubbed his hands together nervously.
He was worried about the system's first draw. What if it gave him some esports loser's long-range shooting package, or the Evil Big Shark's free-throw package? Then he'd be stuck at center forever. He was going to become one of the four great shooting guards of the future!
"Please give me a guard's shooting package. Something like Kobe's fadeaway or Danzi's jumper. If not, the Beard's step-back would work too..." Li Fei prayed silently.
After a violent shake, the chest finally settled. Its lid opened, and a red card rose out amid a dazzling glow.
Li Fei took a closer look.
On the card, a giant wearing a red number 11 jersey raised his right hand. To evade the defender, he held the ball in one hand, lifting it above his head.
That unmistakable brick-shaped head.
That unmistakable hook shot.
Yao!
[ Congratulations! You received the shooting package: Hook Shot Like Yao ]
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