The next morning during training, Coach Calipari announced the official 15-man roster for the Wildcats.
"Karl-Anthony Towns"
"Devin Booker"
"Willie Cauley-Stein"
.....
.....
"Zeng Xingyang!"
These were the same people who played in the game yesterday.
Zeng Xingyang was again the 15th to be called.
Upon hearing his name, Zeng Xingyang's once nervous heart finally calmed down completely.
Finally, he became a member of the Wildcats!
Aside from these 15 people, everyone else meant they were eliminated.
It was a very cruel scene, with many strong men shedding tears.
Being eliminated from the Wildcats meant they were denied at the start of their professional careers, ending their basketball dreams at Kentucky.
Although this scene happens every year, Calipari ultimately couldn't bear it, and he said, "Your future in basketball is long, and the Wildcats are not your only choice. Not staying here doesn't mean your life is a failure; this is just the choice I made."
"I very much hope that one day, one of you will come up to me and tell me that my choice today was wrong."
....
Except for the 15 people on the list, everyone else was announced to disband on the spot and leave the gym.
Unlike the outdoor courts outside, this was the exclusive gym of the Wildcats, and they no longer had the right to stay here.
African-American guard Blair looked at Zeng Xingyang with envy and sighed, "Zeng, maybe I should have worked as hard as you did back then."
Since Blair told Zeng Xingyang about the predetermined school team roster, he had been giving up, while Zeng Xingyang continued to work hard like crazy.
Zeng Xingyang hugged Blair and said, "Blair, it's not too late to work hard now."
Blair was a four-star high school student with good talent. He could still secure a spot to play in the NCAA with weaker teams than the University of Kentucky. That was his way out.
Of course, those schools weren't as strong as Kentucky.
But even so, he still had plenty of opportunities to prove himself.
Blair shook his head and smiled bitterly, "I can't do it; I can't get up in the morning, but I'll try to work hard after I transfer."
The example of Zeng Xingyang was right before him. Blair witnessed how he defied the odds with rigorous training.
Playing professional basketball is indeed very cruel, and even talented athletes need to dedicate their youth and time for a chance at success.
Success is rare, and most people are just sacrifices.
Zeng Xingyang began to understand why the father of his previous self was reluctant to have him play professionally.
If the path succeeded, it was fine. But if it failed, the price paid was immense.
Zeng Xingyang didn't know how to comfort him, so he just said, "Well, hard work will pay off."
Blair said, "Zeng, I hope one day I can see you playing in the NBA. By then, I'll point to the TV and brag to my kids that I used to beat this guy."
Blair no longer had the invincible momentum he had in high school; failing the selection at the University of Kentucky was a huge setback for him.
In high school, he thought he was Jordan, capable of everything. But coming to Kentucky, reality hit him hard.
Zeng Xingyang could only say, "That day will come soon."
....
After the school team roster was set, Calipari had individual conversations with everyone.
Zeng Xingyang was the last to enter the head coach's office.
This was the first formal exchange with the head coach, and Zeng Xingyang was curious about what Calipari would say.
Coach Calipari always gave players a sense of distance, which seemed to be a way to maintain his authority.
Entering the office.
Calipari stood leaning against the desk. He didn't sit down; he was wearing a white shirt with suit pants and leather shoes, and although he had some gray hair, he still appeared extremely energetic. This outfit seemed to represent his serious coaching style as well.
"Zeng, do you want to play in the NBA in the future?" Calipari's words were direct, without any pleasantries.
Calipari didn't ask every player like this. He would change his question for each person. To Towns and Booker, he asked, "Do you want to be the first overall pick?"
Zeng Xingyang understood the power of the head coach and saw no need to hide anything, so he replied, "Of course, that's a player's goal."
"OK, then what I want to tell you is, I can help you get into the NBA," Calipari said seriously.
Hearing this, Zeng Xingyang's heart raced.
Zeng Xingyang didn't doubt Calipari's ability; he had already proven over the years that he could do it.
"Then what do I need to do?" Zeng Xingyang asked.
"Listen to the coaching staff's instructions, work hard to lead your teammates, and then use all your energy on the court to help the team become national champions," Calipari said.
He needed Zeng Xingyang to continue maintaining such a training attitude, which could influence the team's atmosphere.
"You don't have to say that; I'll give it my all," Zeng Xingyang knew what Calipari was worried about. He was just afraid of complacency.
Calipari nodded with a smile. All along, what he liked most was Zeng Xingyang's attitude towards basketball.
"Good, then let me tell you about your plan to enter the NBA. Based on your technical characteristics, your direction to become an NBA player is to become a 3D player."
"Only by doing so will an NBA team take notice of you."
"Don't think you can develop a dribbling offense in a year; that's not possible."
"This season, I will arrange your role not for ball-handling; your main work is defense and shooting."
While speaking, Calipari took out Zeng Xingyang's advanced stats for him to see. During this training period, aside from shooting, his other aspects were terrible.
"Understood," Zeng Xingyang nodded.
Zeng Xingyang knew that this conversation with Calipari was to clarify his position.
After all, from the outside perspective, an 18-year-old youth on the court is often arrogant, thinking he is like Jordan and can do everything, with many who don't listen and just play their game.
If the position is not clear and tactical arrangements are not followed, the head coach will have a headache.
During the previous period, Zeng Xingyang not only showcased his shooting but also his cooperation with the coaching staff and his maturity in handling matters, which was one of the reasons Calipari chose him.
Calipari's words made Zeng Xingyang feel that his judgment was indeed correct.
"Your maturity is beyond my imagination."
"Your shooting is good; keep it up. You need to strengthen your defense next, and other capabilities need to reach at least a minimum standard. I will also have the coaching staff prepare a new training plan for you."
"Once you meet the requirements, your playing time will increase."
"As always, everything depends on the game; I will try my best to arrange your playing time fairly."
Calipari indeed put thought into studying Zeng Xingyang's style, aligning closely with Zeng Xingyang's future training plans.
Zeng Xingyang nodded frequently.
Calipari then chatted with Zeng Xingyang for a while about life, asking about Zeng Xingyang's family situation.
All in all, Zeng Xingyang could feel Calipari's friendliness and professionalism; he was very good at maintaining good relationships with players.
Finally, before leaving, Calipari took out a "Kentucky Blue" Wildcats jersey from the drawer and handed it to Zeng Xingyang with both hands: "I hope the Kentucky Wildcats won't be the end of your basketball career but just the starting point."
Seeing the jersey, Zeng Xingyang was somewhat excited.
This was Zeng Xingyang's number 8 jersey with his name printed in Pinyin.
This was one of the goals his past self dreamed of!
To represent the Wildcats and compete in the NCAA!
Zeng Xingyang received the jersey with both hands and said earnestly, "I will give it my all."