Chapter 8: You Can Do Anything
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Curry felt a surge of excitement in his heart. He had been through countless tryouts, where the most he'd received was a praise like "You have a good shot," followed quickly by "It's a pity you're too thin." Only Liam had shown genuine recognition of his abilities.
"Coach Liam, I will do my best!" Curry said with determination. He wanted to seize this last chance.
Liam patted him on the shoulder and said slowly, "Stephen, remember, you can do anything!"
These words were like a spark igniting Curry's resentment from repeated rejections over the past month. He felt his whole body heating up, his blood seemingly boiling.
Afterwards, Curry loosened up his arms and legs, and Matthew moved to the basket to retrieve the balls. Liam personally passed him the ball. Among all the tryouts he had experienced, this treatment was luxurious.
"Stephen, are you ready?" Liam asked.
Curry took a deep breath and nodded firmly. He felt as if his whole body was on fire, and the basket appeared as wide as the ocean in his eyes.
"Wait a minute!" Matthew Graves interjected, "You're still some distance away from the three-point line. You can take a step forward."
"He's been practicing shooting from the NBA's three-point line," Dell explained.
"?" Matthew's face showed his confusion.
A high school student shooting from this distance? Many renowned NCAA shooters only began training from NBA-range three-pointers after the draft.
Matthew started to believe Liam's words more.
The test officially began after this brief interruption. Curry needed to start from the left bottom corner and shoot 20 three-pointers in a row, then move to the 45-degree angle on the left, the top of the arc, the 45-degree angle on the right, and the right bottom corner. He needed to shoot 20 three-pointers at each spot, totaling 100 shots.
Curry positioned himself at the left corner, signaling for the ball. Liam quickly passed it to him. After Curry received the ball, he glanced briefly at the basket and immediately shot a three-pointer.
Despite his slight build, his shot was smooth and accurate, the basketball tracing a perfect arc before swishing through the net. Matthew Graves, standing under the basket, barely moved as the ball fell into his hands.
Liam passed the second ball to Curry. Without any adjustment, Curry looked up, raised his hands, and shot again. The ball spun violently through the air and swished through the net with minimal movement.
Curry made 20 consecutive three-pointers, all accurate. Matthew, picking up the ball under the basket, hardly moved. He and Liam seemed like two machines: one responsible for catching the falling basketball and passing it to Liam, and the other responsible for passing it to Curry. Everything was efficient and automatic.
The serious expression on Matthew Graves' face had vanished. He watched Curry's shooting with increasing incredulity.
After finishing the first spot, Curry moved to the next, arms wide for the ball.
In this moment, his face was blank, but his eyes sparkled with sharpness. The nervousness and immaturity from earlier had completely vanished, replaced by confidence and determination.
Dell watched Curry shoot from the side, feeling as if he were seeing the figures of the superstars he had once played against. He knew Curry had entered a special state.
In this state, the player seems to be in a dream. Everything around him slows down. He can shoot effortlessly, and the basket in front of him seems vast.
Curry was undoubtedly in this state. He continued shooting from the 45-degree angle on the left without missing a single shot, making all 20 attempts. So far, he had made 40 out of 40 shots, with only a few bouncing off the rim. The rest were all net swishes!
Matthew watched, dazed, as the young shooter continued to perform flawlessly. A high school student was doing something only NBA players could!
Finally, Curry missed his first three-pointer, his 13th shot from the top of the arc. He missed two more shots in a row, which made Matthew feel a sense of relief.
"Maybe he just performed beyond his normal level earlier…"
But Curry then made 23 three-pointers in a row before missing his fourth shot, shattering Matthew's previous thoughts.
Curry's shooting speed increased, and he missed no shots until his 100th attempt.
Swish!
"Yes!" Curry watched the last ball go through the net, clenching his right fist and letting out a triumphant roar.
He panted, shaking his sore arms.
He hadn't felt much while shooting, but after completing all 100 shots, Curry realized the physical toll it took on his arms. He was no longer the muscular "Golden State Behemoth," but a skinny, baby-faced boy.
Matthew Graves caught the falling basketball, walked over silently, and scrutinized Curry without speaking.
Feeling nervous under Matthew's gaze, Curry looked to Liam for help.
"Stephen, you did it. You will definitely become a super shooter!" Liam said happily. Ignoring his sweat, he embraced Curry tightly. After letting go, he turned to his assistant coach. "Matthew, do you still think Stephen can't play in the NCAA?"
Matthew Graves finally spoke, full of admiration: "Stephen, your shooting speed, range, and stability are the best I've ever seen among high school students, even better than most NCAA players. While I don't consider shooting a talent, I must admit that you are more than capable of playing in the NCAA!"
Being able to shoot 96 out of 100 from NBA distance is incredibly difficult, especially for a high school player. It's the level of many renowned NBA shooters!
If Curry hadn't been inspired by Liam's words and entered this special state, he wouldn't have achieved such a feat.
With Curry's heart and Liam's motivational words, Curry created a miracle!
Dell and Sonya approached, smiling with relief upon hearing Matthew's words. They knew their son wouldn't be rejected this time.
Liam's expression became serious as he said:
"Stephen, I formally invite you to join the Butler University Bulldogs. The team will offer you a full scholarship. You will be the starting player of the Bulldogs. Are you willing to join us?"
Curry's anxious mood finally relaxed. The dark cloud hanging over him dissipated. It felt like a divine blessing had finally arrived. He even felt tears welling up.
But Curry didn't give an immediate answer. He needed to wait for his father's decision.
Liam looked at Dell, who seemed less than thrilled, and frowned slightly.
"Coach Liam, thank you for recognizing Stephen. The Bulldogs are indeed an outstanding team... but I need to know, how do you plan to use Stephen?"
As a former NBA player, Dell had seen too many coaches make promises only to break them. Plus, Liam was young, and Dell had doubts about his coaching ability. If he didn't get a satisfactory answer, he'd prefer Curry to continue trying out at other schools or go to Davidson College.
Curry's fiery emotions began to cool as he looked intently at Liam, waiting for his answer. This decision would determine the start of his basketball career.
Everyone's attention was on the young head coach. Dell didn't want Liam to use Curry solely as a shooter. While Curry's greatest strength was his shooting, his goal was the NBA, and shooters often faced challenges in the draft.
Sonya's eyes were filled with hope. She hoped her son would receive a full scholarship and recognition. She had confidence in Curry's abilities and believed he could prove himself step by step.
"Stephen will be the absolute core of the Bulldogs," Liam said calmly.
His words were not loud but felt like thunder, resonating in Curry's heart.
He had faced many setbacks in the past month, and Coach K had declared him unsuitable for the NCAA. Yet, Liam said he would be the team's core!
Dell was surprised by this answer and asked, "Coach Liam, are you saying the Bulldogs will build the team around Curry?"
"Exactly," Liam confirmed. "I reiterate that Stephen is a genius. He has amazing creativity and talent. I plan to make him the team's point guard. He'll have unlimited shooting rights on the court and play at his own pace."
"Coach Liam, I've always been a shooting guard," Curry reminded him.
Liam had clearly considered this and responded confidently, "But you should know that staying in the shooting guard position will become a major obstacle to your development due to your height. Playing point guard will allow you to utilize your speed and agility.
"And I've watched many of your game videos. You often make imaginative passes. I believe you'll be a very good playmaker. Imagine, Stephen, as a playmaker with a deadly three-point threat and breakthrough ability—opponents won't be able to defend against you at all!"
"Big men over 6 feet 9 inches will seem clumsy in front of you. You can destroy the opponent's center with pick-and-rolls. Your three-pointers will become their nightmare. Just raise your hand, and they'll fearfully clear the way for you to drive to the basket. When you penetrate the paint, defenders will have to choose between leaving you open for a shot or assisting in defense. You can use a spectacular back pass to set up your teammates for a dunk!"
Liam continued passionately, his eyes growing brighter as if he could already see the thrilling future unfold before him.
End of this chapter
Note: This novel as you see I changed the name and nationality, as such is more complicated translate it I hope you support.