NBA: Warrior godfather.

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Behind Liam, a group of players ran over, forming a circle around him. They put their hands on each other's shoulders and cheered loudly while spinning around.

Liam smiled and hugged the players one by one, then approached the scorer's table to shake hands with McKenna:

"Congratulations, you almost won."

McKenna's face froze. He said nothing, just waved his hand dismissively and turned away.

Those words were originally spoken by "King of Trash Talk" Larry Bird, the legendary star from Indiana State University.

Liam couldn't help but feel satisfied. As expected, winning is the only truth.

At the end of the game, the Bulldogs defeated Indiana State 77-67.

Curry had a phenomenal debut, scoring 29 points, 7 assists, and 3 steals, including 6 of 10 from beyond the arc. Mike Green added 12 points. Ben Slayton, who Liam relied on heavily in the second half, only scored 3 points but dished out 5 assists, playing the role of a surprise contributor.

For Indiana State, Moore managed to score 24 points and 4 assists, despite only putting up 8 points in the first half. Cole hit 5 of 12 from three-point range, scoring 15 points. Townell was efficient from mid-range, making 6 of 8 shots for 12 points.

After the Indiana State players left the court, Liam directed his team to bow to the fans, prompting deafening cheers throughout Hinkle Fieldhouse once more.

Micah Shrewsbury, the Director of Basketball Operations, was also present to watch the game. He approached Liam with a big smile on his face:

"Liam, congratulations! We actually beat Indiana State. This is the first time we've defeated them in three years. You did a fantastic job!"

"This is just the beginning," Liam said calmly.

Shrewsbury nodded, "You're right! Stephen is playing like a superstar. Now I understand why you believed in him so much."

He offered more words of encouragement before leaving, clearly satisfied.

Shrewsbury had shielded Liam from board pressure when he was appointed head coach. Still, he had been a bit nervous, unsure if Liam was the right choice to take over for Lickliter.

Now that the team had defeated a strong opponent like Indiana State, he could finally breathe a sigh of relief.

From the adjustments Liam made during the game, Shrewsbury was confident he had made the right decision. Liam Gonzales was indeed proving to be an excellent head coach.

After the game, Liam and Curry went to attend the media interviews.

Since the Horizon League is a smaller league, Indiana State is considered one of its top teams, and Butler University is relatively unknown. Therefore, only local Indiana media attended the post-game interview, and the number of reporters was quite small.

When Liam and Curry sat down, the reporters in the audience were taken aback.

The two sitting on the stage didn't look like a head coach and a player but rather like two students. Curry, with his baby face, looked incredibly young, while Liam, at 23, still had a youthful appearance.

"Coach G, do you have any comments on our win over Indiana State?" the first reporter asked a standard question.

"Huh? Coach G? Are you talking about me?" Liam was a bit surprised.

"Yes, your last name 'Gonzales' is too common, so how about we call you Coach G?" the reporter joked.

"No problem; I like the sound of that," Liam chuckled. "As for winning the game, beating Indiana State is just the beginning. The Bulldogs will keep winning from now on."

"Coach G, as the youngest head coach in the NCAA, many people have questioned your ability. Even many NCAA coaches have called your appointment 'ridiculous and unbelievable.' Any comments on that?" another reporter asked pointedly.

Liam hesitated for a moment before saying slowly, "Before this game, Coach McKenna said he'd give me a proper lesson. I expect other coaches to try teaching me a lesson as well."

As soon as he finished speaking, a low chuckle spread through the room. Liam's message was clear: McKenna, who had underestimated him, had already lost. Who would be next?

The reporters then asked Liam several more routine questions. His responses were impeccable, surprising the journalists.

This young man acted with such poise and confidence; he didn't seem like a rookie head coach at all.

What they didn't know was that Liam had watched countless interviews with coaches and players in his life. In this age of information overload, he had also witnessed numerous spats between stars and fans, especially Durant. With so many negative examples, he already knew how to handle the media effectively.

The reporters then turned their attention to Curry:

"Stephen, you were the best performer in this game. Do you have anything to say?"

"I'm really grateful to my coach. Without him, I wouldn't even be in the NCAA," Curry said.

The reporters exchanged glances, their eyes lighting up with excitement. This sounded like big news!

"Can you elaborate on that?" one reporter asked.

"Before joining the Bulldogs, I tried out for several prestigious schools but was rejected by all of them—Duke, North Carolina, Virginia Tech... They all thought I was too thin and wouldn't adapt to the NCAA's intensity. Only Coach believed in me, offering me a full scholarship and making me the team's starting point guard," Curry explained.

"What would you like to say now to those who underestimated you?"

Curry glanced at Liam and smiled, "I'm very grateful to them. Without those setbacks, I wouldn't have met Coach."

"Can you tell us more about the tryout process?" another reporter asked.

"I initially wanted to go to Duke, but when I met Coach K, he told me straight up that I wasn't suited for the NCAA..."

As Curry spoke, the reporters typed rapidly on their keyboards.

The next day, the sports headlines of Indiana's local newspapers were filled with stories about Butler's game against Indiana State:

"Shocking! Indiana State loses to a lesser-known team coached by the NCAA's youngest head coach!" — this came from a tabloid known for its sensationalism.

"Stephen Curry's Untold Story: From Multiple Rejections to Scoring 29 Points in His NCAA Debut" — this headline was from a daily that leaned toward emotional reporting.

"Son of an NBA Star Shines; Butler Defeats Indiana State; Horizon League's Balance of Power Shifts" — this was from the well-respected Indianapolis Star, and the title was more standard.

But the aftermath of this game was mostly contained within Indiana. The Bulldogs were still a small team, and attention remained on giants like Duke, North Carolina, and UCLA. Outside of Indiana, no one was talking about Liam Gonzales or Stephen Curry.

...

That morning, Liam stepped out of his apartment, took the newspaper from his mailbox downstairs, and headed toward his office.

On his way, the students he passed greeted him enthusiastically:

"Good morning, Coach G!"

"Coach G, are we going to win tomorrow?"

"Of course!" Liam responded with a smile.

He greeted the students along the way, reached his office, sat down, and opened the newspaper.

"Butler University has won all of its last five games. The best player on the team is freshman Stephen Curry, eldest son of former NBA star Dell Curry. He averages 28.7 points per game, currently leading the nation, with a three-point shooting percentage of 43.5%. He is the main reason for the team's top spot in the Horizon League."

"Of course, we must mention Butler's head coach, Liam Gonzales. This Colombian coach, at 23 years old, is the youngest head coach in the NCAA, nicknamed 'Coach G.' He has shown strong adaptability during games and commands great respect in the locker room, earning unanimous praise from his players. It is reported that he was the one who discovered Curry's potential and brought him to the team."

"Coach G faced widespread skepticism when he first took over, but now, under his leadership, Butler ranks first in the Horizon League. His coaching skills have been fully recognized. Can this young head coach lead the team into March Madness? USA Today will continue to follow up..."

Liam put down the newspaper, an irrepressible smile forming on his face.

This was USA Today, one of the top three newspapers in the United States and one of the most well-known sports media outlets in North America.

And his name was on the front page of the sports section. This could only mean one thing—he was becoming famous.

After defeating Indiana State, the Bulldogs had played four more games and won all of them, finishing with a 5-0 record and sitting at the top of the Horizon League standings.

If that were all, it wouldn't be much. The NCAA Division I is divided into 32 conferences, each with different levels of competition. The spotlight is usually on the Big Ten, Big 12, Big East, and other power conferences, filled with famous schools and intense rivalries. Smaller conferences like the Horizon League receive little attention.

But the Bulldogs had a unique story with Liam Gonzales. As the youngest head coach in the NCAA, his background and age were eye-catching. If the Bulldogs were mediocre, no one would care. But they had won five straight games, leading the league with each victory by at least 10 points, instantly attracting nationwide attention. Liam's profile had risen dramatically.

And with Curry, who was averaging 28.7 points per game and currently leading the NCAA in scoring, the Bulldogs made the front page of USA Today's sports section.

Of course, given the varying competition levels across conferences, the scoring title wasn't too highly regarded. Only performances in March Madness would earn widespread recognition.

"Liam, why are you grinning so much?" Stevens asked, entering the office.

He walked in, saw the USA Today newspaper on the desk, and gave Liam a knowing look.

End of this chapter

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