I'm Terrifyingly Prepared!!!

[Sharpshooter (Bronze)] Function Description:

1. Slightly improves resistance to shooting interference and boosts contested shooting ability.

2. To upgrade to the next stage (Silver), you need to make a cumulative total of 5,000 contested three-pointers during games or training.

Zhou Ze had once again obtained a shooting-type badge, further improving his shooting ability.

However, upgrading the [Sharpshooter] badge was somewhat difficult.

He needed to make 5,000 contested three-pointers.

By comparison, advancing [Catch-and-Shoot] and [Three-Point Agent] was much easier.

[Three-Point Agent] only needed 500 more three-pointers before it could be upgraded.

[Catch-and-Shoot] still needed 1,200.

For a perfectionist on Kobe's level, both badges could be upgraded in the game against the Phoenix Suns the day after tomorrow.

After all, these two training requirements could essentially be treated as one and the same.

As a second-round pick, Zhou Ze had put up 20+ points in his NBA debut. Although more than half of his points had come from three-pointers, it still brought him plenty of exposure.

Especially back home in China.

<Shocking! Little Ze drops 20+ and has already earned Phil Jackson's trust!>

Kobe welcomes a powerful new teammate!

The Purple and Gold complete their rebuild!

<Another Chinese basketball superstar is on the rise!>

Zhou Ze! An upgraded Ma Jian!

Zhou Ze's outstanding performance naturally received heavy praise from the domestic media.

Some outlets even hailed Zhou Ze as an upgraded version of Ma Jian.

The heavily muscled Ma Jian played similarly to Robert Horry, relying primarily on jump shooting for offense.

Because the Houston Rockets also had a game that day, China Sports did not broadcast the Lakers' season opener.

However, the Lakers' game in Phoenix two days later would be broadcast not only by China Sports, but also by TNT and other American media outlets.

The day after the game, the Los Angeles Lakers only held a half-day team practice.

But that afternoon, Zhou Ze and Kobe stayed behind for extra work in the training gym.

Seeing his teammate drenched in sweat, Kobe felt both gratified and helpless.

"Zhou, you're an interior player." Kobe reminded Zhou Ze once again.

Zhou Ze rolled his eyes at Kobe, sounding somewhat impatient. "You think I don't know that?"

Seeing that Zhou Ze refused to listen, Kobe finally lost it and pointed at his nose as he cursed, "Shit, Zhou, have you forgotten that embarrassing moment in the game when you missed a layup over Andre Miller?"

Zhou Ze's old face reddened slightly.

Of course, he remembered that scene perfectly well.

But right now, training his three-pointers was the fastest way for him to improve.

"Kobe, do you know how to win a game with one hundred percent certainty?" Zhou Ze suddenly put on a serious expression, completely shedding his usual irreverent attitude.

Kobe thought for a few seconds before asking seriously, "Tell me."

"You just need to score more points than the other team," Zhou Ze said.

Creak, creak...

Creak, creak...

Kobe said nothing, but his fists had already clenched tight.

"Kobe, maybe you don't know this, but I'm a genius at three-pointers, and threes are the fastest scoring weapon in basketball!!!" Zhou Ze said with a smile.

"Hmph!" Kobe snorted coldly, no longer wanting to pay Zhou Ze any attention.

But Zhou Ze called out, "Kobe, let's play one-on-one later."

"Fine!" Kobe, who had been deeply dissatisfied with Zhou Ze's obsessive three-point training, agreed without the slightest hesitation.

With the help of the training partner, Zhou Ze steadily upgraded [Catch-and-Shoot] and [Three-Point Agent].

[Three-Point Agent (Silver)] Description:

1. When pulling up for a jumper or shooting off a spin from three-point range, Three-Point attribute +8.

2. To upgrade to the next stage (Gold), he needed to make a cumulative total of 50,000 three-pointers in games or training.

[Catch-and-Shoot (Silver)] Description:

1. Improved three-point ability after receiving a pass, Three-Point attribute +8;

2. To upgrade to the next stage (Gold), he needed to make a cumulative total of 50,000 three-pointers in games or training.

Zhou Ze's Three-Point attribute was [94] (94).

Once both badges were triggered, his Three-Point attribute increased by 16, reaching 110.

In addition, Zhou Ze had [Sharpshooter (Bronze)], a shooting badge that resisted interference.

Zhou Ze's off-the-dribble threes might not have been all that reliable, but his catch-and-shoot ability had barely reached the level of an "elite shooter."

But unlike those shooters who stood around two meters tall, Zhou Ze was 206 cm barefoot!!!

One-on-one games with Kobe had become part of Zhou Ze's daily training routine.

In order to beat Kobe—or rather, to avoid losing too badly—

Zhou Ze demanded that they be allowed to fight for rebounds, make second-chance attempts, and switch possession after every basket!!!

That way, he could avoid getting swept away by Kobe in one uninterrupted run.

After Kobe easily blew past Zhou Ze and made the first basket, Zhou Ze caught the ball beyond the top-of-the-key three-point line. The instant Kobe passed it over, Zhou Ze sprang into the air and fired a three.

Even Kobe was somewhat surprised by such a decisive shot.

Twice in a row, Zhou Ze got the ball after Kobe scored!

"In your face!"

"Kobe, tremble!"

"I'm scary accurate right now!"

After drilling two straight shots in Kobe's face, Zhou Ze got a little carried away and started talking trash.

Kobe's expression immediately darkened.

Right after that...

The instant he checked the ball in, Kobe exploded forward and sprang in front of Zhou Ze, treating him to a vicious block.

After getting swatted, Zhou Ze smoothly picked up the loose ball, gave a quick pump fake to send Kobe flying, then spun around and launched a three.

Kobe, having been faked into the air, could not help feeling a little surprised.

This little bastard's fakes had improved fast.

Of course, the three-pointer, thrown off rhythm by Kobe, ultimately bounced off the rim.

Under the "rules" Zhou Ze had requested, he still lost this one-on-one against Kobe, but it did not look too ugly.

Once Kobe got serious, he defended Zhou Ze's contested shots very well, but Zhou Ze still managed several in-your-face makes.

Even Kobe, who had always told Zhou Ze to "toughen up" and become a proper interior player, finally relented.

After the one-on-one ended, Kobe said, "Zhou, this season, you can focus on training your three-point shot. But you need to understand that three-pointers alone won't take your career very far."