Williams watched, his expression strained.
How could he have predicted that the Bruins would call a timeout just to set up an isolation for Yuuto?
This was practically heresy in the NCAA.
Not using team effort? Not running plays, screens, and various tactics to create open shots? And you call yourself an NCAA coach?
If this were North Carolina, Williams would never allow such a thing.
But Steve knew damn well.
Sure, the NCAA had plenty of talent—but it was still a step below the NBA.
Take Kevin Durant, for example.
Back then, if not for Greg Oden, he would've been the undisputed number-one pick.
He'd dominated the Big 12 and that year's tournament, averaging nearly 30 points per game.
But even in the NBA, the Thunder still had to give him unlimited green light, nurturing him for years before he became a superstar.
And Yuuto?
Steve believed he was the Tim Duncan type.
He already possessed NBA-ready skills.
Given that, why bother with team play? Just give him the ball and let him work.
Simple tactics were fine—just knowing to give the ball to your best player was enough.
What mattered was winning!
Nobody remembers losers!
Besides, being able to utilize Yuuto properly was a skill in itself.
Back on defense, Yuuto continued guarding Black Falcon Barnes.
Barnes wasn't a pure shooter—he had some driving ability thanks to his physical gifts. Against poor defenders, he could attack and shoot at will.
But today he faced Yuuto, the Pac-12's best perimeter defender.
Yuuto could stick to Barnes while simultaneously keeping an eye on Marshall.
Every North Carolina possession had to flow through Marshall.
That was their clear signature—he was their heart and brain.
Barnes ran his routes strictly according to the playbook, trying to pull Yuuto away from UCLA's defensive scheme.
Yuuto followed him, but the moment Marshall made his move, he silently peeled away from Barnes.
Marshall used a screen to shake Mosely and was about to feed Tyler Zeller in the post—
When a blue blur suddenly materialized.
Where the hell is Harrison?
That was his first thought. Then: I need to get back on defense.
"Fast break!"
Mosely grabbed the loose ball and shouted immediately.
Yuuto, who'd made the steal, was already at full speed—even faster than Mosely.
The two had built chemistry over time. Mosely knew exactly what Yuuto wanted from his body language.
Before crossing halfcourt, Mosely gathered the ball and fired it ahead to Yuuto.
Barnes showcased his athleticism, catching up to Yuuto near the free-throw line.
"You're not getting past me!" The Black Falcon locked down against the drive.
But then—
Yuuto's feet suddenly stuttered, and he step-backed beyond the three-point line.
This can't be real?!
Barnes was stunned.
Was this rookie really going to shoot a three?
On a damn fast break, one-on-one, he was pulling up from deep?
Barnes couldn't comprehend it. North Carolina didn't play like this. Williams would never teach them to play like this.
But Yuuto had already released.
Swish~
"YU!!!!"
"His signature deep three!"
"IT'S GOOD!!!"
The commentator roared with excitement.
The crowd chanted his name—and this guy went silent again, playing it cool.
This rookie is so damn arrogant.
Jordan was annoyed because North Carolina was his alma mater, and he loved his school.
But then he remembered that in a few months, this rookie would be playing for his team, and his mood improved.
When you get to Charlotte, I'll show you what's what.
Jordan was ready to personally train this rookie.
He'd heard the kid had elite trash talk.
Perfect—Michael Jordan's trash talk was also top-tier.
...
Halftime arrived.
Williams had predicted almost everything—except that one player's firepower could match an entire team.
Yuuto had dropped a game-high 19 points in the first half.
Those numbers proved their defense against him had failed.
The problem was—
He'd already assigned his best defender, Barnes, to guard him. Marshall was lurking nearby to help. And if Yuuto got into the paint, John Henson, their defensive anchor, was waiting.
Result?
They'd allowed Yuuto 19 first-half points.
Should I add more help defenders?
Williams quickly dismissed the idea.
They couldn't commit more bodies to UCLA's number 10.
Otherwise, the Bruins might get everyone else going—that would be even worse.
He glanced at Jordan sitting nearby.
No wonder scouts used Jordan as Yuuto's comparison template. They were the same type of player.
Unreasonable scoring ability!
Of course, despite Yuuto's brilliance, the halftime score was tight.
46-45. The Bruins led by just one.
Such a slim lead was dangerous. If Yuuto suddenly went cold, UCLA would be in trouble.
But Steve was confident—the second half was Yuuto's time.
Williams was interviewed at halftime. When asked about Yuuto, his expression darkened.
"If Yu were on my team, he wouldn't get a single minute of playing time. Basketball is five players. We're a team."
"But he scored a game-high 19 in the first half."
"I have eyes. You don't need to tell me how many points he scored. And that doesn't prove anything. If I gave Harrison unlimited shots, he could put up those numbers too—maybe even better."
Williams left and headed into the locker room.
Coaches like him naturally attracted NBA interest.
But Williams had refused, choosing to stay in college coaching.
He couldn't accept the NBA's culture of stars superseding everything.
Meanwhile, the NBA executives in attendance—
They only had eyes for Yuuto.
They were discussing his first-half performance.
Some of these teams had been tracking Yuuto for quite a while.
They kept comparing him to other prospects.
And the more they compared, the more they wanted this Asian prodigy guard.
Some were even starting to think Yuuto could compete with Durant for the title of greatest freshman ever.
Their college numbers were remarkably similar. Offensively, both gave the impression they could score whenever they wanted.
Plus, Yuuto's game was more complete—he might adapt to NBA pace faster.
Of course, Durant possessed height and wingspan that Yuuto didn't have.
The consensus was that Durant was still more talented.
But some noticed that beyond the numbers, Yuuto's impact on games exceeded Durant's!
This discovery was quite surprising.
"The question now is: how much of what he's showing in college can translate to the NBA?"
Pelicans GM Dell Demps raised this question.
Given a choice, he'd still prefer the homegrown talent Anthony Davis over this Asian guard.
In recent years, the NBA had been burned repeatedly by gambling on international players.
The lesson learned: domestic talent was the safest bet.
"The market behind him is huge. Houston's franchise value multiplied several times just from Yao alone."
"I know, but do we want results or market share?"
The previous owner might have chosen market.
But Tom Benson, who'd acquired the team this year, probably wanted competitive success more.
Besides the Pelicans, Tom Benson also owned the NFL's New Orleans Saints.
The old man had always fought to keep both franchises in New Orleans, making significant contributions to the city.
...
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