The day after returning to Oklahoma City, Kayce first reported to the team. He needed to express his gratitude to Coach Brooks, as he had mostly slacked off in the subsequent Summer League to stay healthy.
"Kayce, you've come at just the right time. I need to talk to you first about your role on the team for the new season," Coach Brooks said with a smile.
"No problem, Coach, I'll follow your arrangements," Kayce said, sitting in front of Brooks, facing him calmly.
"Our couching staff is very satisfied with your performance in the Summer League, but for the new season, I hope you can start from the bench. I guarantee you'll have enough ball possession."
Coach Brooks looked at Kayce, seemingly wanting to see his expression.
"No problem, whether I start or come off the bench, I'll make sure I'm in top condition!" Kayce replied with a smile.
"Very good. The team's performance will greatly improve in the new season. We have almost completed the team's rebuilding. Of course, for the rookie season, I only have one request for you: stay healthy, and don't worry about the stats."
Coach Brooks was very pleased with Kayce's answer. He liked obedient players.
"I understand, Coach, I will do my best to help the team," Kayce took the opportunity to express his determination, after all, everyone likes to hear good words.
"Haha, alright Kayce, enjoy your vacation. We'll start training camp in mid-September, and there will be preseason games in early October. Stay in good physical condition, keep it up!"
Coach Brooks was particularly happy. He had a premonition that the Thunder would be reborn in the new season.
After Kayce drove back to his mansion in Oklahoma City, Wagner and the Ansell brothers were already waiting for him. After all, an 800,000 USD private training team isn't just for show.
"It seems the Summer League was too easy for you. You performed great, Kayce," Nutritionist Wagner offered a compliment first.
"Alright, Wagner, let's talk about business first. Kayce, do you have any questions about our training plan?" Tony, as the head of the training team, spoke directly.
Kayce first picked up a glass of juice and chugged it down, letting out a long sigh as he sank into the soft sofa, then slowly began to speak:
"Overall, I have no objections; after all, you are professionals. But I think we can increase the training intensity a bit more. You know, my recovery ability is excellent."
"The training volume needs to be combined with your actual performance. Let's get used to each other first. In the first phase, we will focus on physical coordination training. We believe your body has not been fully utilized."
Meg is currently the person who understands Kayce's physical condition best. Training related to recovery and coordination is his specialty.
"I think it's fine. Of course, given my age, perhaps my body can develop further," Kayce said, somewhat puzzled.
"Let me explain. After seeing your body test data and watching your NCAA game footage, we found that you didn't display the corresponding strength from your body test data during on-ball confrontations."
"To give a simple example, your vertical jump performed very well during the body test—a 97cm standing vertical jump and a 110cm running vertical jump. But in games, under confrontation, you didn't exhibit your proper vertical jump level."
Tony's expression was serious at this moment; once professional issues were discussed, he quickly got into the zone.
"It's not just the vertical jump; confrontation is the same. Kayce, you have to trust your body, rely on your body. This is your talent, and it will make playing basketball much easier for you."
Meg also chimed in at the right time. He believed Kayce was currently a bit afraid of physical confrontation; simply put, his playing style was a bit too 'health-preserving'.
In fact, Kayce himself knew this. Ever since he unlocked the B-grade functional drink, he hadn't done a lot of targeted training in real life, which led to his body slowly getting stronger during this period, but his game attributes remained stagnant.
For example, his strength and jumping ability attributes only increased by about 2 points. This was also the reason why he quickly assembled his own training team after he got rich. He needed to rely on professionals to completely digest the B-grade functional drink.
"Alright, you guys are the professionals. Regarding training, I'll follow your lead. Don't worry, Meg, I've always enjoyed confrontation. I'm already eager to start!"
Kayce immediately expressed his attitude, indicating his complete trust in the team.
"OK, the diet plan starts today. Don't frown, I guarantee you'll love these foods!" Wagner said with a smile.
And so, Kayce began his special training. During the day, he followed trainers Tony and Meg for specialized training on body coordination, core strength, and other aspects. At night, he used the Dream Training Space system to fill in any gaps.
His diet was entirely managed by Wagner, who even brought in a chef for Kayce to help him better adapt to the dietary changes. In short, any problem that money could solve, Kayce simply swiped his card.
This kind of completely personalized training, tailored to his body, was extremely helpful to Kayce. By early September, he had slowly begun to feel the sense of fullness in his body gradually dissipating, which was a sign that he was about to fully digest the B-grade functional drink.
On September 6th, Kayce received a call from his agent Chapman. "Kayce, it looks like your single will be a big success very soon. I think we should celebrate!"
"Ah, I almost forgot about that, but let's skip the celebration for now; the team's training camp is about to start!" Kayce said calmly while lifting weights.
"Come on, this is your first single! We have to commemorate it!" Chapman wanted to use the gathering to subtly urge Kayce to release a few more songs quickly.
"When the next single is successful, we'll celebrate together. Remember to thank Taylor for me; I should thank her personally, but I'm a bit tied up right now!"
The music video for this single was already experiencing explosive growth on YouTube, and data on other streaming platforms was also climbing. Getting into the top few spots on the Billboard should be no problem.
Taylor helped him promote it, coupled with Chapman's channels, and the final results for the catchy song "We Don't Talk Anymore" would definitely be good.
"Alright, Kayce, don't forget to keep creating! I'll follow up with the subsequent promotions!" Chapman said with some regret.
"I trust you to handle things. That's it for now; I'm going to train," Kayce quickly hung up, not wanting to listen to the other side's nagging.
A week passed in a flash. On the night of the 15th, just after midnight, Kayce entered the Dream Training Space. This morning, the feeling of fullness in his body was already very faint; he knew that the B-grade functional drink had been completely digested.
Calling up the holographic projection of the control panel, Kayce went to the Achievement Room and lightly touched his portrait. His current attributes were displayed directly.
Kayce: September 24, 1990
Position: PG/SG/SF
Weight: 98kg
Height: 200cm
Wingspan: 215cm
Standing Reach: 270cm
100-yard dash time, 1 running vertical jump 110cm.
Speed: 88, Strength: 80, Stamina: 94, Jumping Ability: 90, Defensive Agility: 88.
Close-range shooting: 86, Open mid-range shooting: 86, Open three-point shooting: 86, Free throws: 94.
Five-color Achievement Badge [NCAA Champion]: Combinable
Champion's Glory, all player attributes increase by one percent.
Bronze Achievement Badges: Posterizer, Ankle Guard, Mismatch Expert, Ankle Breaker, Rhythm Shooter, Gap Hunter, High Difficulty Shot King, Off-ball Movement Killer, Defensive Expert, Dream Shake, Triple Threat Veteran, Dribble God, Organization Core, Control Master, Ball Control Master.
Silver Achievement Badge: Hot Zone Hunter.
Kayce looked at the physical attributes and achievement badges displayed on the holographic projection and nodded with satisfaction.
"Training camp starts tomorrow, I'm so looking forward to it! The new version of the Thunder's Young Trio? Haha, this is going to be so interesting!"