Of course, while Yuuto had Steve's trust, UCLA's other players didn't feel the same.
To establish his position on the team, Yuuto needed to prove himself with results.
Yuuto sprinted back on defense, but USC had a three-on-two fast break. Jason Sierra pump-faked a drive and dished to a teammate for another bucket.
5-0!
"Go back to your books—that's your only future! Me? I'll be in the league after this season, a millionaire everyone envies!"
Jason Sierra never missed a chance to trash-talk.
"Rookie, you know who I am now? You're only fit to shine my shoes!"
Yuuto didn't respond.
"Don't let that asshole get to you. We're about to—"
John Morris started to offer encouragement, doing his job as captain—surface-level, at least.
But on offense, when Yuuto wanted the ball, Morris refused to pass.
He'd been the Bruins' leading scorer last year with unlimited green light. But this year's offense was shifting toward Yuuto.
Plus, this crosstown derby had huge visibility. Playing well could boost his future prospects.
But you can't rush things.
Morris drove to the rim but missed again—clearly the one most affected by the pressure.
Just as USC was about to grab the rebound and Jason Sierra was already turning to run the break—
A shadow rocketed up from the baseline, snatching the ball out of mid-air for the putback dunk.
"Morris's layup misses!"
"USC secures the rebound—"
"No! Yu grabbed the offensive board! Putback slam! BOOM!"
The announcer's voice jumped several octaves. Pauley Pavilion erupted in screams.
"This is the fifth-ranked high school player in America!"
Fans had been eagerly awaiting this Asian prodigy's arrival. Now they could see—he was the real deal.
Fifth in the nation. That was Yuuto's final high school ranking.
Who was first?
Anthony Davis, the Brow. He'd gone to Kentucky.
"If you want me to remember you, you need to do at least this much."
Yuuto found Jason Sierra and shrugged, mocking him.
The explosive power Yuuto had just displayed was something Sierra had never witnessed up close.
Sierra might be good at driving, but that didn't make him the best at it. Those were fundamentally different things.
Then Yuuto turned to John Morris. "Relax, captain. We're going to win."
On the sideline, Steve Alford took it all in.
Leadership could be developed, but that innate ability to command others and unify a team? That was one in a million.
Morris had leadership, but he lacked Yuuto's dominance.
"No wonder they call him the Asian Jordan."
Hardworking. Dedicated. Relentless. Stubborn.
Steve saw many Jordan-like qualities in Yuuto.
And this "Asian Jordan" was just getting started.
After getting clowned, Jason Sierra forgot his coach's instructions on the next possession and attacked with his signature drives, trying to rip through UCLA's defense.
He'd overestimated himself and underestimated Yuuto.
Against an idiot who wore his intentions on his face, Yuuto showed no mercy.
His eyes gleamed, crimson-tinged, and his right hand struck like a viper.
Smack~
Yuuto's first steal in NCAA.
One quick step forward to secure the ball, then he accelerated past midcourt. Jason Sierra gave desperate chase from behind.
But to his shock, Yuuto with the ball was nearly as fast as him.
This discovery rattled him, and he pushed himself harder to close the gap.
Yet at the three-point line, Yuuto pulled up with a sudden stop—a hundred to zero in an instant. Sierra couldn't brake in time and went flying several meters past.
The talent gap was too obvious.
Whoosh~
Pauley Pavilion gasped in amazement, then watched the ball leave UCLA's number ten's hands and swish through the net.
Splash~
"His shot selection really pisses me off every damn time."
"But he makes them," the assistant coach said.
"Obviously I know that. If he didn't make those shots, I'd have dealt with him already."
Steve glared at Yuuto with a mix of love and frustration.
As a coach, he really didn't like seeing that kind of three-point attempt.
"Should we keep Yu on Jason?"
"Why not? He can handle it!"
"But John's situation..."
The assistant worried about Morris, but Steve's expression didn't change.
"If we crash and burn this year, I'm getting fired."
At this point, Steve wasn't going to coddle anyone's feelings. He cared more about keeping his job.
And Yuuto—the player he'd personally recruited—their fates were now intertwined.
They both needed results. One to keep his job, the other for draft positioning.
...
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