Basketball System: Rebound of the Underdog

The Shizi Dogs gathered around in a circle after they went down the stage. They could barely keep themselves from shouting out every few seconds. Yuze was still hugging Kai so tight he could barely breathe, which was very unusual for the once-cold captain. "Alright, alright!" Kai managed to pry Yuze off, laughing. "Save some of that energy, captain. We still have the MVP announcement." "Oh, come on, who else could it be?" Andy said, wiping sweat from his brow. "It's going to be you. You were amazing out there." "Eh, I don't know about that," Jinping chimed in, shaking his head. "I bet it's Jian. He's been crazy good from the start." Renren shook his head in amusement. "You really like to oppose Kai, huh?" Jinping frowned. "I do not," he denied. The crowd and the players started debating, their voices rising over one another. "It's too soon for it to be Kai," Dylan said. "Jian is the center of the Interhigh Nationals. He's even on the poster!" "But Kai is like the biggest rising star!" Bao argued. "They can't deny his influence, too." Bets were going around the court. Chaoxing nudged Jian's shoulder. "Let's make a bet. Loser buys dinner for everyone." "I say it's Kai," he added. "It's Jian," Jimmy frowned. The people were split into two groups, half arguing for Kai and the other half for Jian. Kai just shook his head, laughing at their arguments. He knew it was anyone's game. Jian had been phenomenal, but this match was a culmination of everything Kai had poured into the season. Just then, Gina's voice boomed over the speakers again. "And now, for the MVP award. This player has shown incredible skill, leadership, and fire throughout the tournament. It was a tough decision, but in the end, the Most Valuable Player award goes to…" The crowd held its breath, and so did the players. "Kai Guo of the Shizi Dogs!" Kai's eyebrows raised in surprise. As much as he wanted the title, he didn't expect it at all! The crowd was in awe. Of course, it was unexpected. However, they also couldn't refute it. He, in fact, beat Jian during the final game. Kai's teammates rushed to him, pulling him into a massive group hug, shouting and cheering louder than anyone else. Kai's heart raced, his face splitting into a grin as he stepped forward to accept the award. "Wow," Kai said, holding the trophy up. He laughed, looking back at his team. "You lucky bastard," Jinping said, slapping Kai's back with a grin as he made his way down. "I guess you earned it." "Of course he did," Andy added, still bouncing on his feet. "You're the MVP, man!" But before they could celebrate any further, David stepped in with a knowing smile. "Hold on, hold on," he said. "We're not done yet. We still have another important award to give." The players quieted down, their attention shifting back to the stage. "This next award," Gina announced, "is one that recognizes a player's legacy and impact on the sport. The Hall of Fame award goes to Jian Niu of the Juren Champions!" The crowd clapped out of respect. In the three years that Jian was a player, he had always been phenomenal. Jian stepped forward, his expression unreadable. He accepted the award with a quiet nod, in contrast to the loud celebration from before. Kai clapped along with everyone else, a smile tugging at his lips. Jian met his eyes for a brief moment, and they had a mutual acknowledgment. It wasn't resentment or anger—it was respect. "And now, to lighten the mood," David's voice took on a playful tone, "we have a few special awards, just for fun." The audience chuckled, sensing the lighthearted atmosphere. The players exchanged curious looks, wondering what was coming next. "First up, the 'Most Likely to Get Lost on the Way to the Bench' award goes to… Zheng Zhang!" The camera panned to Zheng, who was laughing, his hands thrown up in mock confusion. Gina chimed in next. "And the 'Best Hair Flip' award goes to… Calvin Wu!" Calvin ran his hand through his hair, striking a pose. The crowd erupted in laughter, and Max gave a mock bow. "I'd like to thank my shampoo," he said, winking. "The 'Most Dramatic Foul Reaction' award goes to Max Zhou!" David continued. Max rolled his eyes but couldn't help grinning as a clip of his most over-the-top reactions played on the big screen. He waved his hand as if to say, "I'm not that bad," while his teammates laughed and patted him on the back. "And last but not least," Gina said, barely holding back her laughter, "the 'Most Likely to Eat All the Snacks Before the Game' award goes to Fang Liu!" Fang, who had broken out of his ice cold persona, blushed as soon as his name was called. Then, a compilation of his courtside eating was shown, making him even more endearing to the fans. With that, the awardees went back to the stage to get their photos taken altogether. The atmosphere was light and full of joy, and the earlier tension from the competition slowly melted away. But just as it seemed the ceremony was winding down, Gina held up a hand. "We have one more announcement left, but we need a moment to settle something first. We'll take a short break." Kai took the opportunity to step off the stage and take a deep breath. He was about to head back to his team when he saw Jian walking toward him. Kai stopped in his tracks and waited for Jian to arrive in front of him. There was a silence that stretched for a moment too long before Jian finally spoke. "You deserve it," Jian said, his voice quiet. "The MVP, I mean." Kai blinked, taken aback. "Thanks," he replied, scratching the back of his head. "But you were incredible out there, too. You always have been." Jian shook his head, an accepting smile tugging at his lips. "No, I wasn't," he admitted, remembering what Kimmy had said. "You worked harder. I relied too much on what I've always had—talent. I didn't push myself, not like you did." Kai frowned. "It's not like that," he protested. "You're one of the best players I've ever faced." "Maybe," Jian said, his voice tinged with something Kai couldn't quite place—regret, maybe, or realization. "But that's the problem. I've always thought I was the best. I never thought I needed to work harder. Today, you showed me that I'm not perfect." Kai glanced down, feeling awkward. "This is a very weird conversation," he muttered, rubbing his neck again. Jian let out a soft laugh, his expression relaxing a little. "Yeah, I guess it is," he agreed. He looked at Kai, and for a moment, there was something fond in his gaze. "But I needed it. So… thanks. For reminding me that there's still room to grow." Kai didn't know what to say to that, so he just gave a small nod. Jian turned to leave but hesitated. He looked back, his eyes sharper now, the competitive glint back in them. "We'll play again, kid," he said, his voice dropping into a challenge. "And next time, I'm going to beat you." Kai's lips curved into a smile, the thrill of the competition lighting up his face. "I'll be ready," he replied.