"I don't think I could've been mistaken!"
"Li Fei's fingertip just now must have gone above the top of the backboard—that legendary spot!"
The legend of the top of the backboard had been around since the NBA was born.
The media had hyped up plenty of people who could supposedly touch the top of the backboard, but in reality, even the tallest men had come up a few centimeters short.
They were just a few centimeters away from reaching that spot, that point—but no man had ever managed it.
But Li Fei's block just now gave the commentators reason to believe it was possible.
Li Fei was the man who could "touch the top"!
"Whether Li Fei can actually touch the top of the backboard aside, his performance today deserves every cheer in this arena."
The commentator glanced over Li Fei's stat sheet and began listing his accomplishments. "Just two minutes into the game, Li Fei has already recorded three blocks. And they came from the Paint, the free-throw line, and beyond the three-point line. He can defend from under the basket all the way out to the three-point line—he's everywhere!"
"I finally understand why the Golden Bears promoted him to the starting lineup ahead of schedule."
"He's the best center in this arena!"
Li Fei: Are you kidding me? I'm a guard—a shooting guard!
At that moment, everyone in the arena looked stunned.
The only ones who remained unfazed were the University of California players.
They were used to seeing things like this.
Defending from under the basket all the way out to the three-point line.
What was so surprising about that?
Wasn't it perfectly normal?
Come on, it barely even dirtied the hem of his jersey.
The commentators and fans weren't the only ones left reeling by Li Fei's block.
The most immediate victim, Glenn Robinson, never in a million years would've expected it.
Li Fei had been under the basket just a moment ago, then the next thing he knew, he was right in front of him.
And when Li Fei blocked his shot, he'd been at least two and a half meters away!
He had never seen a player with such a terrifying defensive range.
Wheeep, wheeep, wheeep...
Just then, Purdue University head coach Hozberg called a timeout to stop the bleeding.
"So this is your next MJ?"
As Li Fei headed off the court, he passed Hozberg, shrugged, and asked:
"The MJ you're talking about isn't Michael Jackson, is it?"
Glenn Robinson, standing nearby, was shaking with rage, his fists clenched tight.
When had he ever suffered such humiliation?
"Kang Mang, Glenn."
At that moment, head coach Hozberg's voice stopped Robinson, who was on the verge of losing his temper.
"Calm down. We all know this isn't your fault."
Hozberg laid on the pep talk. "We didn't have any game footage of him, so he got to have his moment. But now we know. That guy's defense would rank near the top even in the NBA."
"So from now on, you need to avoid him as much as possible. You don't want him hurting your draft stock, right?"
To be fair, the coach was pretty good at this.
High EQ: You don't want him hurting your draft stock, right?
Low EQ: You got blocked into next week!
But Robinson hadn't exactly been refusing to avoid Li Fei.
He'd stayed all the way out by the three-point line, and that guy had still come over to block him.
How was that his fault?
When play resumed, Purdue University still couldn't stop the bleeding.
Even with a defender in his face, Glenn Robinson missed his fadeaway jumper. Li Fei grabbed the rebound and brought the ball upcourt.
He was double-teamed in the low post. Li Fei turned, raised his right hand high, and went straight into a one-handed, straight-arm hook shot.
Shooting package: "Hook Shot Like Yao"
He had a clear view of the basket, and his touch was just right.
Li Fei's fingers and wrists still weren't quite at an elite level, but the height difference was enormous, and there was no one contesting him.
The ball dropped cleanly through the net. Two more points!
"This just proves that when the height difference is this great, it doesn't matter how many people you stack around him."
The commentator's voice rang out from the NBC broadcast booth:
"Li Fei's height compared to Purdue University's frontcourt is like the Eiffel Tower!"
Back on the other end.
Li Fei's presence had completely shut down Purdue University's offense around the basket.
Glenn Robinson no longer dared to run pick-and-rolls against Li Fei.
Purdue University was basically a one-man show, with Robinson taking almost all the shots. Unable to run the pick-and-roll, he could only keep trying to score one-on-one.
But the problem was...
The man guarding him was Jason Kidd.
A future nine-time NBA All-Defensive selection!
He'd made the All-Defensive First Team in his rookie season!
People always remembered Kidd's masterful passing, but too many overlooked his historically elite defense.
And Kidd had an incredibly high defensive IQ. He refused to let Robinson shoot, forcing him toward the basket.
Then Li Fei would sweep through the paint.
With 9:02 left in the first half.
Glenn Robinson struggled to shake Kidd with a crossover.
Then he attempted a one-handed floater from the free-throw line area.
But the result was...
Li Fei again!
Another merciless block!
Eyes turned toward the scoreboard above the backboard.
The fans in the arena swallowed hard.
Nearly ten minutes had gone by.
Purdue University hadn't made a single basket!
They'd been crushed in a 25–0 run!
"Incredible! This is the most brutal start I've ever seen. Purdue University hasn't scored a single point—they've been absolutely demolished, 25 to nothing!"
The commentator shook his head. "The reason this is happening is Li Fei. He's like an octopus, reaching every corner with his tentacles."
"Glenn doesn't even dare step into the paint now. It's hard to believe this is someone known for his offense, and projected to go first overall in the draft again and again!"
"Frankly, based on these ten minutes alone, I'm more inclined to believe Li Fei is the real number-one pick!"
Just as the commentator had said.
A glance at Li Fei's stat sheet told the story.
He was 8-for-9 from the field, with 16 points and 10 rebounds!
And he'd racked up a staggering eight blocks!
Six of those eight blocks had come against Glenn Robinson.
Meanwhile, Glenn Robinson had been blocked on five of his eight attempts—a real 58-point man!
Ever since Li Fei had leaped over him to make that first block, Glenn Robinson had been hoping for a chance to get even.
But Li Fei stood before him like the Himalayas!
Impossible to cross.
And worse still.
Li Fei's wicked mouth.
It kept attacking him, relentlessly, on a psychological level.
In the second half.
After snatching Glenn Robinson's floater out of the air, Li Fei held the ball and threw Robinson's own opening words right back at him:
"If you call an ambulance now, you might still make it in time."
As Glenn Robinson stared at him blankly, Li Fei looked over at his coach, Hozberg.
"Come on, man."
"If you don't want to play next time, then please don't send out an idiot."
"I don't even dare laugh. I'm afraid he's a special-needs person."
After insulting him, Li Fei deliberately shrugged.
That whole string of trash talk, plus the shrug.
It was basically an AOE critical hit!
Tons of damage landed on Glenn Robinson.
Already humiliated, he turned and spotted an NBA scout in the crowd, shaking his head in disappointment.
"AAAAAAAH!"
At last.
The top draft prospect, now 0-for-10 with zero points, felt the walls of his mind collapse completely.
If he couldn't show off his basketball skills, he'd show off his fists instead.
So he charged at Li Fei, raising a huge fist like a vinegar crock!
Before you continue