All I Really Want Is To Play Basketball - Chapter 6

Chapter 6: Kobe Invited Me…

Translator: Atlas Studios

Editor: Atlas Studios

After class, Kobe returned to the basketball court to find an extremely exhausted Su Feng. Kobe asked him curiously, “Were you training this whole time?”

“I have to be tough on myself if I want to succeed!” Su Feng panted as he placed his palms on his kneecaps.

Looking at Su Feng, Kobe felt that he was as stubborn about basketball as him.

Unfortunately, he lacked raw talent…

Kobe warmed up by patting the basketball while he looked at Su Feng and asked, “Oh, there’s something I wanna ask you, Su.”

After Su Feng took out a bottle of nutrient fluid, gulped down a huge mouthful, and recovered some strength, he told Kobe, “Ask away.”

Kobe looked at Su Feng closely as he asked, “You told me in the morning that you’re a student from Nefaria High School, right? Also, judging by your accent and appearance, you should be an international student from China, right? Moreover, you’re the only Chinese international student in your school, right?”

Su Feng nodded. “I’ll answer all three questions at once. Yes!”

After hearing Su Feng’s answer, Kobe put down the basketball and gasped. “No wonder you don’t need to go to class…

“So, you’re that ‘Superman’ everyone’s talking about!” Kobe elaborated.

Su Feng was speechless.

What?

Superman?

What’s that?

Su Feng took a look at his lower body and thought, “That’s not right, I’m not wearing my underwear on the outside…”

After Kobe explained, Su Feng finally understood.

Apparently, his courageous act of helping a gunshot victim had spread around in all of Philadelphia’s high schools.

Although information did not spread as quickly in 1994 as it did in the future, it was precisely because of this that discrepancies often appeared when information spread…

As news of Su Feng’s act spread among students, some students exaggerated it so much that Su Feng had become “Superman”…

“They all said that you were sent here to protect the Earth,” Kobe proclaimed as he looked at Su Feng sternly.

Su Feng slapped his forehead helplessly as he thought, “So this is why so many people have eight-grader syndrome in the future!”

Such was the state of American society in the 90s. During this period of time, many sci-fi films were created, and people’s minds were filled with all kinds of fantasies about the unknown universe and cosmos.

And the most important thing was…

The fact that information spread mainly through newspapers and television during this time. So one should not believe it when people talked about how amazing those ancient mythical beasts were… Actually, those were all just misunderstandings!

After all, we have to believe in science. In the realm of competitive sports, there will always be someone taller, faster, and stronger than you.

“Honestly, why did you think of saving that guy back then?” Kobe asked curiously.

After pondering for a while, Su Feng replied seriously, “Probably because I’m an Aries.”

After hearing that, Kobe had a confused expression.

“I’ve read that male Arieses are all very kind,” Su Feng replied while looking at Kobe innocently.

Kobe, who did not really understand a whole lot about horoscopes, looked curiously at Su Feng and asked, “How about Virgos and Leos?”

“I’ve read that it would be best for me to stay away from Virgos…

“As for Leos…. I think I’ve read that they’re pretty compatible with Arieses?” Su Feng replied earnestly.

After hearing Su Feng’s first reply, Kobe was actually a little angry. After all, what had Virgos done to deserve that?

But after hearing Su Feng’s second reply, Kobe shuddered subconsciously… D*mn, could he really have superpowers?

….

Clang!

Another day of training ended, and Su Feng realised that he actually had quite a few common interests with Kobe.

From basketball techniques to basketball tactics and technology, there was nothing they could not talk about…

And after finding out about Su Feng’s act two days ago, Kobe’s attitude towards Su Feng changed once again.

Su Feng felt that Kobe must have really seen him as someone he could befriend.

Just like that, after three days…

“You improved pretty quickly!” Kobe exclaimed as he looked at Su Feng with a shocked expression.

Previously, Kobe thought that Su Feng lacked talent. He did not expect that Su Feng would improve this much in just three days…

To Kobe, Su Feng’s basketball skills had only improved from that of a casual to that of a skilled casual, but Su Feng’s rate of improvement left a very deep impression on Kobe.

Su Feng, who understood Kobe’s personality very well, smiled as he replied, “Haven’t you seen who I’ve been having one-on-ones with for the past few days?”

Su Feng was very clear that Kobe, whose horoscope fell between Virgo and Leo, had the compulsiveness of Virgos as well as the vanity of Leos. To deal with people like Kobe, you had to flatter them when needed. However, you also could not overdo it…

Indeed, after hearing Su Feng say that, Kobe’s true feelings were revealed by the slight raise of his eyebrows…

Although Kobe still acted nonchalant, his eyebrows gave him away.

One had to admit, Su Feng’s flattery just now was executed perfectly.

On the one hand, Su Feng’s tone brought with it an obvious sense of frustration. That was obviously “blaming” Kobe for playing too seriously for those two days. On the other hand, Su Feng’s tone also had a tinge of recognition. This made Kobe very pleased.

In Su Feng’s previous life, many people thought that Kobe would be one of the hardest teammates to get along with. But in reality, to Su Feng, Kobe’s personality was not really all that special.

After all, those keyboard warriors had analysed Kobe’s personality countless times.

Truly, if one interacted long enough with someone of Kobe’s personality, they would actually find them easier to get along with.

It was just like how in the future, Shaquille O’Neal finally understood what being simple-minded meant after meeting the two-faced Pat Riley.

It was not worth it to live in this world!

“Oh right, the finals are starting in a few days. Do you wanna come to my place to watch it together?” After another day of training ended, Kobe invited Su Feng to his place.

“Finals?” Su Feng was stunned for a moment but reacted after a while…

Indeed, the NBA finals of the 93/94 season were happening in a few days. It was the season future generations called “the season without gods” following the retirement of Michael Jordan…

In his previous life, Su Feng’s understanding of 90s era NBA mostly came from videos and Baidu. If he was not mistaken, Su Feng remembered that this year’s finals was a clash of titans between Olajuwon and Ewing.

The New York Knicks and the Houston Rockets would play each other seven times and Olajuwon would win the title with a spectacular display in the end. This would then further cement his position as one of the four great centers in the future.

In reality, a very big reason why Olajuwon was considered number one among the four great centers in Su Feng’s previous life was due to him defeating Ewing and a young O’Neal in the finals of the 93/94 and 94/95 seasons respectively.

Unlucky Ewing…

Indeed, whether it be on the basketball court or the top of the Empire State Building, gorillas were fated to be seen only as the background…

“Sure!”

Su Feng, who had gotten very close to Kobe lately, would definitely not reject this great opportunity to get even closer to Kobe.

Moreover, the apartment Su Feng was renting now had no television. Su Feng wanted to see whether finals of this time period were as exciting as the keyboard warriors described them to be…

“Then it’s settled!” After Su Feng accepted his invitation, a satisfied smile appeared on Kobe’s face.

You might think Kobe already had a bit of fame back then. But in school, he really did not have many friends….

Alright…

Accurately speaking, he did not have a single friend.

In Su Feng’s past life, Kobe mentioned during an interview that he had always been isolated since young.

Because Kobe kept moving around with his dad when he was young, basketball became his only friend.

When he was in high school in Philadelphia, because Kobe expected others to train just as hard as he did, his teammates did not dare to speak to him…

They were all scared of offending the school’s trump card.

It was only after meeting Su Feng a few days ago that Kobe felt like he had truly found someone who understood him.

Because of his deep-seated love for basketball, after hearing about Su Feng’s aspirations of playing in the NBA, Kobe did not mock him. Instead, he respected Su Feng even more.

Next, the two of them developed a close friendship after the few days of continuous one-on-ones.

Just like that, Philadelphia witnessed the construction of a bridge of friendship.

Kobe liked Su Feng’s attitude towards basketball, while Su Feng was eyeing Kobe’s…

Anyway, this was fate!

….