"What's with these LA jerks being so malicious?"
Yuuto wasn't the least bit flattered, scoffing at the "Asian Kobe" nickname with disdain.
He had no intention of becoming another historical craftsman!
By this point, the score gap had stretched to 15 points, though the game wasn't quite decided yet.
However, with Yuuto having completely neutralized USC's core players, nobody believed they could mount a comeback.
Before this game began, the outside world had predicted a fierce battle.
After all, it was the Los Angeles Derby.
But the moment Yuuto demolished Jason Sia in their matchup, the entire complexion of the game shifted.
USC relied heavily on Jason Sia's penetration to create scoring opportunities.
Once he couldn't spearhead their offense, the entire team fell into disarray.
ESPN's commentators had said during halftime, "Unless Jason Sia can find a way to shake Yu's defense in the second half, there's no way the Trojans can come back against the Bruins!"
Could Jason Sia find a solution?
Of course not.
Not only did he fail to find one, but Yuuto's second-half performance was even more dazzling.
"There it is, ladies and gentlemen—this is Yu Time!"
Yuuto had scored 14 points in the first half, but in the second half, he went absolutely berserk, pouring in 24 points to finish with a game-high 38.
The so-called "Yu Time" referred to how Yuuto would explode every time the second half arrived—especially in the fourth quarter.
Whether on offense or defense, he would elevate his game to another level entirely.
Back in Indiana, many teams had opportunities to defeat Covanord, only to fall apart in the final quarter, stumbling over Yuuto's brilliance.
Indiana basketball fans had dubbed this phenomenon "Yu Time!"
The final buzzer sounded.
97-76. UCLA crushed USC by 21 points.
"38 points, 5 rebounds, 7 assists, 3 steals, 4 blocks! Yu dominated this game!"
Yuuto high-fived his teammates as several media outlets waited courtside to interview him.
He walked over.
"Yu, congratulations on winning this crosstown rivalry game. How are you feeling right now?"
"Feels great to beat the Trojans—they're a tough team."
That statement couldn't have been more insincere.
Deep down, his true thought was that this garbage USC team was only fit to shine his shoes.
"In your very first NCAA game, you scored 38 points and also shut down Jason Sia on defense. How did you do it?"
"Simple—just make the shots you're supposed to make. As for Jason, his drives are sharp, but my defense is sharper."
That response was the definition of humble-bragging—completely unlike the Chinese players they were used to seeing.
"What do you think about what people are calling 'Yu Time'?"
"I'm probably a slow starter. I always seem to find my rhythm in the second half."
Good lord, the reporters thought. You nearly made Jason Sia cry in the first half, and you're calling that your warm-up?
But they couldn't exactly argue. After all, Yuuto's second-half performance really had been that spectacular.
...
The game was over.
But the media's work was just beginning.
"I never imagined a Chinese freshman could perform this brilliantly—their players have never proven themselves at this level before."
That's what the renowned NBA draft website DraftExpress wrote in their post-game column.
This wasn't entirely accurate. In earlier years, China had actually produced guards with explosive athleticism.
Take Hu Weidong, dubbed "China's Jordan," who had once posterized Scottie Pippen on the international stage and could even hold his own against Kobe.
Then came ESPN's official website headline.
A photo of Yuuto posterizing Jason Sia dominated the front page.
The article read: "UCLA finished in the Round of 32 last year, falling short in every aspect. It made people wonder if the once-dominant NCAA powerhouse was a thing of the past—after all, their last national championship was back in 1995."
"But yesterday's game against the Trojans gave Bruins fans renewed hope."
"Yu, this Asian prodigy guard, transformed Covanord High School—an utterly unremarkable program—into a two-time state champion and two-time Nike High School National Invitational champion over the past three years."
"Now he's arrived in California and joined the Bruins. His first-game résumé? A team-high 38 points. That answer sheet should more than satisfy UCLA faithful."
"The Trojans threw everything they had at stopping Yu, all to no avail. Even more impressively, Yu made the opposing team's ace completely disappear from the court."
...
Finally.
ESPN predicted that at this rate, it wouldn't be long before Yuuto entered the lottery range of their mock draft.
This coverage quickly spread across the internet to Japan.
At that moment.
The Generation of Miracles were now second-year university students, since American high school spans four years.
They had entered college a year before Yuuto.
It was worth noting that neither Aomine nor Kise had made it to America.
They desperately wanted to, but their families wouldn't allow it.
Especially Aomine—his family absolutely refused to let someone with such questionable self-care abilities venture to America alone.
As for Kise, his modeling career was flourishing. His family didn't oppose his basketball dreams, but they wouldn't let him abandon modeling either—leaving him with no way to pursue both paths.
...
Midorima felt he wasn't ready yet. Akashi had to inherit his family's business. And Murasakibara? Unless his entire family relocated, there was no way he'd go abroad alone to pursue his dreams.
And so.
The Generation of Miracles could only continue grinding away in Japan, playing from high school all the way through their second year of university.
As for Seirin.
After losing Kagami, they had fallen rapidly—their dark horse days were never coming back.
For the past two years, Akashi had swept every championship, both in high school and university.
Looking at Yuuto in the newspaper, each of them reacted differently.
But after reading the articles, most silently picked up a basketball and headed to practice.
The same was true for Kagami.
He had returned to America during his third year of high school to play ball, but his performance hadn't met expectations.
After all.
The gap between American and Japanese basketball environments was simply too vast.
Over here, there was no way a team like Seirin could exist.
Take Yuuto, for example.
In high school, he was already ranked fifth nationally. He was personally handpicked by Coach Steve as the hope for the team's resurgence.
Yet even at UCLA, he was still ostracized by teammates, and Mosely had the audacity to pull stunts on the court.
The naive Kagami couldn't adapt to this environment. Unable to perform at his full potential, his results were mediocre at best.
It made sense, really.
Even his condition for entering the Zone was fighting for his teammates.
And in America?
Your teammates might be the ones hoping you fail. It was completely natural that Kagami wasn't playing well.
...
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