At the postgame press conference, Link sat on the edge of the interview table, looking slightly reserved, trailing behind Kobe and the Zen Master.
Most of the questions, naturally, were focused on Kobe, who had just dropped 40+ points. Kobe was clearly in a good mood, cracking a few jokes with the reporters.
It wasn't until the end of the press conference that a reporter got the microphone. He seemed a bit nervous and asked his question in halting English.
"I want to ask Link... Congratulations on your... key moment... in your first game..."
Link picked up on the difficulty the reporter was having. Before he could finish, Link offered a warm smile and replied in clear, fluent Mandarin: "Thank you. You can ask me directly in ; my Mandarin is very good."
The reporter was stunned for a moment, then his face broke out in a look of pleasant surprise.
"Although I grew up here in the States, I feel a strong connection to my family's roots, and I'd love to go back and visit if I get the chance!" Link explained, making up a quick reason when he saw the curious looks from Kobe and the Zen Master.
"That's wonderful, Link! You are welcome anytime, please be sure to contact me when you do!" The reporter's excitement was palpable, sensing he had a great angle for a news story.
"Getting back to the question," the reporter adjusted his glasses. "We saw you make a crucial steal at the very end. Can you tell us how you managed to anticipate Carmelo Anthony's passing lane so perfectly?"
"Oh, it was nothing..." Link shrugged, answering calmly in Mandarin. "I watched a lot of film on their games. They run similar sets many times, so I just took a bit of a gamble..."
"Melo's incredible, but luckily his passing isn't quite as good yet, or my contract would be over!" Link half-jokingly stuck out his tongue, drawing a few soft laughs from the reporters present.
"One more question. Before that steal, you hit an extremely clutch three-pointer. Why were you brave enough to take a shot like that?"
As soon as the reporter finished, everyone, including Kobe and the Zen Master, looked over with curiosity.
It was 2005, and while the three-pointer was a regular weapon, many coaches in the league didn't prioritize it and certainly wouldn't allow a player to take such a difficult shot in a high-pressure situation.
Link paused for a moment. "I don't really know what I was thinking in the moment, but I felt like... the whole world went quiet the second the ball left my fingertips. It wasn't about courage; it was an instinct, as natural as breathing."
He paused, his eyes focused. "I've practiced that shot thousands and thousands of times. My muscles have memorized that arc, so when the opportunity showed up, my body reacted before my brain did."
"As for why I was confident enough to shoot..." Link smiled slightly. "On the basketball court, sometimes the smartest decision is just trusting your most reliable weapon."
"Alright, that's all for my interview. Thank you," the reporter nodded politely.
---
After the interview, the Lakers didn't linger in Denver. They had a tough back-to-back game the next day at home against the Phoenix Suns.
The Suns were a powerhouse in the West that year, stacked with talent like reigning MVP Steve Nash, the versatile forward Shawn Marion, the face-up specialist Amar'e Stoudemire, and defensive stopper Raja Bell.
Historically, this Lakers team would scrape into the playoffs as the seventh seed only to be eliminated by these same Suns in a crushing comeback after leading 3-1.
Link couldn't afford to let up. The Suns were an offensive-minded team, and to match their three-point firepower, he was very likely to get another chance to play.
Time was short; he had to seize every opportunity to improve his game.
It was late when the Lakers' charter flight landed in Los Angeles. Link headed straight for the practice facility after getting off the plane.
He was determined to get his training session done tonight.
Once inside the gym, Link immediately pulled up his system interface.
[Host: Link]
[Age: 21, Height: 6'6" (1.99m), Weight: 194 lbs (88kg), Wingspan: 6'10" (2.08m), Body Fat: 8.6%]
[Shooting Ability Rating]
Three-Point: B+
Mid-Range: B-
Free Throw: B+
Catch-and-Shoot: B-
[Finishing Ability Rating]
Floater: C
Off-Hand Layup: C-
Finishing through Contact: C-
Drawing Fouls: D
[Athleticism Rating]
Speed: C+
Agility: C+
Strength: C-
Vertical Jump: D+
Balance: B
[Overall Player Rating: C]
[...]
[Completed Training: Open Three-Pointer (Basic), Athleticism (Basic)]
[Unlocked Skills: Focused Shooter Lv1, Stamina Enhancement Lv1 (Passive)]
Link thought carefully. For him right now, ball-handling, finishing at the rim, and other skills were secondary.
The team didn't need him to initiate the offense. The only thing he had to do was make shots after Kobe drew the double team—period.
Therefore, shooting was undoubtedly the most critical area.
Link looked at [Open Three-Pointer (Intermediate)] and [Catch-and-Shoot (Basic)]. Both fit his current needs perfectly.
After mulling it over, Link decided on [Catch-and-Shoot (Basic)].
His main concern was that the Intermediate training would involve a significantly higher workload than the Basic level. With a back-to-back against the Suns tomorrow, he was short on time.
Choosing a Basic-level training was the more realistic necessity.
Without further hesitation, Link began his third round of devil training.
[Mission: Catch-and-Shoot (Basic)]
[Content: Choose any spots and complete 2,000 quick catch-and-shoot jumpers from outside 20 feet after running to the spot.]
[Progress: 0/2000]
Two thousand catch-and-shoot jumpers!
The system specifically required jump shots from outside 20 feet (about a step inside the three-point line), leaving no room for cutting corners.
Link whistled. That distance, combined with sprinting, catching the ball, and shooting quickly without adjustment, would be an enormous energy drain.
It was definitely living up to the name "devil training"!
The session began.
Initially, things went smoothly. He set up the ball machine, starting from the corners, simulating game cuts, running to the spot, jumping, and releasing.
For the first hundred shots, his accuracy was respectable, and his form held up.
However, as the shot count climbed, fatigue washed over him like a tide. His legs started to ache, and every push-off the ground became a struggle.
"Clang!"
"Clang!"
"Clang!"
The sound of bricks started to ring out frequently.
The drop in stamina compromised Link's shooting stability. His lift was lower, his core strength faltered, and his shooting motion started to break down.
Fortunately, thanks to his previous athleticism training, Link's body recovered a bit faster.
He walked to the sideline, took a deep breath, and chugged a sports drink. His energy levels recovered noticeably.
Back on the court, Link adjusted his strategy. He stopped trying to rush and focused on the completeness of every single movement.
Every run, every catch, every jump, and every wrist flick—he forced himself to execute it perfectly.
Time melted away in the monotonous repetition. The clock on the training facility wall slowly ticked past midnight and into the early morning hours.