Was He Really Just a Ball Boy?

There were several kinds of scholarships in the United States. Both undergraduate and graduate programs offered academic scholarships, and the one this body had failed to apply for before was a full undergraduate scholarship.

But besides academic scholarships, every school also had a certain number of athletic scholarships each year, though the number was much smaller.

According to official statistics, fewer than 2% of high school students in the United States received athletic scholarships each year. Even among NCAA Division I athletes, that percentage was only 56%.

Furthermore, NCAA Division I scholarships were available in only six sports: men's football, men's basketball, women's basketball, women's volleyball, women's tennis, and women's gymnastics.

For men's basketball, each school had only thirteen full scholarship spots per year, and that included any possible redshirt players.

The NCAA was different from professional leagues. There was no limit on the number of players on the official roster, but a team generally had between ten and fifteen players.

It might have seemed like everyone got a share, but the prerequisite was making the team. Getting into an NCAA Division I program was no easier than making it to the NBA. It was like thousands fighting to cross a single-log bridge.

Cahoon's question was the opportunity Tang Tian had been waiting for.

Cahoon had not expected Tang Tian to answer so quickly and froze for a moment.

"I've been with the team for more than half a year, and I've basically memorized all the tactics. There shouldn't be a problem," Tang Tian explained when he saw the old man's reaction.

Cahoon nodded after hearing that and gestured for practice to continue.

Ollie shook his head helplessly from the side.

UConn, in such turbulent times, was actually putting a ball boy on the court!

Walker smiled and high-fived Tang Tian. It was clear the two usually had a genuinely good relationship.

The full-court contact scrimmage was between the starters and the Bench Team. Tang Tian replaced Forsyth at center for the Bench Team.

As he stepped onto the court, he observed both lineups.

Walker was a third-year player, Alex Oriakhi was a second-year player, and the remaining seven were all freshmen.

But several of those freshmen would make it to the NBA in the future, such as Shabazz Napier and Jeremy Lamb. Still, that was the future. Right now, their faces were full of youthful immaturity.

The scrimmage continued. Walker drove past Napier in the frontcourt and scored with a stop and pop jumper.

As the team leader, he was teaching the newcomer Napier a lesson.

"Stay closer! Don't give your opponent that much room to shoot!" Ollie shouted at Napier from the sideline.

Cahoon was getting old and conserved his energy while standing by the court. Most of the scolding had already been handed over to his successor.

Napier grew a little anxious after being yelled at. When he reached the frontcourt, he took the ball straight at Walker and drove to the basket.

His speed and strength were both good. He squeezed past Walker, but his shot was forced and was swatted away by O'Riaqi.

Ollie spread his hands helplessly on the sideline. This was UConn's current level.

The Bench Team failed to score after inbounding the sideline ball. Walker brought the ball back to the frontcourt, but he did not attack Napier again. He was giving his little brother some face.

The ball swung into Lamb's hands.

Lamb was a standard tall, slender swingman. He was the most talented high school recruit UConn had brought in that year, with sharp drives, reliable shooting, strong rebounding, and defense among the best in the NCAA.

If Walker left UConn, he would definitely be his successor.

At that moment, he called O'Riaqi over for a pick-and-roll. After coming off the screen, he immediately accelerated toward the basket.

His explosive first step and timing were excellent, and Ollie watching from the sideline was delighted.

Now this looked like there might actually be some hope.

But immediately afterward, his expression changed.

Because Lamb was stopped cold by Tang Tian after his first step.

Tang Tian appeared at exactly the right moment in Lamb's driving lane and completely sealed off his path to the basket.

Ollie's brows instantly furrowed. Lamb had actually been stopped by a ball boy.

These rookies were completely out of sorts today!

But Cahoon's eyes lit up.

Tang Tian's anticipation was accurate, and his defensive footwork was also excellent. It seemed that when he said he was familiar with the team's tactics, he had not been talking nonsense.

Lamb had already been preparing to finish at the rim. He was clearly surprised to see Tang Tian appear, but he did not panic. After a between-the-legs dribble, he created space from Tang Tian, then changed directions and accelerated, ready to get past him.

But to his surprise, Tang Tian appeared in his driving lane again!

"Huh?" This time, Ollie also turned his attention to Tang Tian.

Getting stopped once on a drive could have been a coincidence, but twice was another matter.

Lamb had not joined the team yesterday. Ollie knew his abilities very well.

This Tang Tian seemed to have something to him!

Lamb frowned.

Both the coach and assistant coach were watching from the sideline, yet he had failed to get past a ball boy twice in a row.

He was different from Walker. He had not been with the team for long, and his relationship with Tang Tian was nowhere near as good.

He changed directions again, this time with a wider move.

Smack!

But just then, Tang Tian suddenly reached out and cleanly stripped the ball from his hands!

Ollie's eyes widened.

Lamb had actually been robbed!

Robbed by Tang Tian, a ball boy!

The other players on the court did not react in time.

After the steal, Tang Tian immediately passed the ball to Napier, who went on a full court drive to the frontcourt and scored on a layup.

"How did you do that?" Only then did Tang Tian's Bench Team teammates shout at him.

"Luck," Tang Tian said modestly.

If he wanted a scholarship, he had to join the team. He did not want to make things unpleasant with Lamb.

That was what he thought, but Lamb did not see it that way.

Before coming to UConn, he had been one of the top high school players in the country. Even after arriving at UConn, he had gone straight onto the starting team. Getting stripped by a ball boy was simply too humiliating.

Walker dribbled into the frontcourt, and Lamb proactively held out his hand for the ball.

He had been careless earlier. This time, he would play seriously and pick up the pride he had dropped.

Change of direction, double crossover, acceleration, deceleration, then another change of direction.

Lamb executed the series of moves with remarkable proficiency, but Tang Tian simply would not let him get by.

"Interesting," Cahoon said with a rare smile.

He had not known Tang Tian for only a day. In fact, he had known Tang Tian for about as long as Walker had. He just had not expected Tang Tian to possess such strong individual defense. It truly surprised him and even made him a little delighted.

Unable to beat him from the front, Lamb turned around and chose to post up. After backing him down, he suddenly spun.

Smack!

Lamb spun past him, but Tang Tian stripped the ball away again.

Again!

Lamb had been robbed by Tang Tian again!

And Tang Tian had made the steal at the exact instant Lamb turned.

Clean, beautiful, flawless.

Ollie stared in disbelief.

Was he... really just a ball boy?