Domestically.
The news of Zeng Xingyang becoming a member of the Kentucky Wildcats has spread within a small circle on Tiger Board.
Although Jeremy Lin, an Asian-American, has done quite well in the NBA, his identity and upbringing make it hard for many fans to relate to him.
If a homegrown player like Zeng Xingyang succeeds, it would give fans a new point of pride.
Currently, Chinese player Zeng Xingyang is the only one in the NCAA Division I league.
Playing for the Wildcats, he has a future opportunity to enter the NBA.
However, since he hasn't officially started playing in the NCAA yet, and there are no videos sent back to China, even seasoned fans are only aware of Zeng Xingyang through various rumors.
"Actually, given the physical conditions of Asians, it's very hard to excel in the high-flying NCAA."
"Don't underestimate the NCAA as just a college league; the intensity of competition in Division I over there is fiercer than the CBA. It will be tough for Zeng Xingyang to get opportunities."
"Hey, maybe he's just going there to gain some prestige, then come back to the CBA for a high salary."
"That's unlikely. The Kentucky Wildcats is a super strong team with many Five-Star high school players from last year and this year. I guess Zeng Xingyang won't get much playing time and will spend most of the time on the bench."
"But if he can stand out in the Wildcats, getting into the NBA shouldn't be too hard."
"Anyone want to guess what Zeng Xingyang's average points per game will be in the new season? Will it be a strange 3+2+1 stat line?"
"You guys still don't know how strong the Wildcats are. Stop expecting Zeng Xingyang's stats; let's see if he can get into the rotation first. If he's too weak, it's hard for him to get on the court."
"I've heard that Zeng Xingyang's playing style leans towards 3-and-D, which makes him a functional player, destined not to be a superstar."
"Even being on the court, I'd be grateful."
"If Zeng Xingyang wants to be drafted by the NBA, he'll need to average over 10 points per game in the NCAA to have hope."
"Even averaging over 10 points, many people aren't drafted. Some Final Four MOPs have gone undrafted. The competition in the NCAA is more brutal than you think."
"In any case, daring to go out and compete is a good thing, keep going!!"
"The Kentucky Wildcats' debut game is about to start. Does anyone have a link? I want to watch."
"I want to watch too, asking for a link."
.....
The internet is buzzing with various fan voices.
In recent years, Chinese basketball has been on the decline, with various defeats in the Olympics and the World Championships, making many fans see no hope when talking about Chinese basketball.
Though the name Zeng Xingyang is not enough to make seasoned fans confident, they have a glimmer of expectation, hoping this young man is different from domestic players.
....
On November 26th, the University of Kentucky welcomed its debut game, hosting the University of Kansas for an invitational match at home.
In the history of Kansas University basketball, there are two legendary figures: Dr. Naismith, the first head coach of the Kansas University basketball team, and basketball superstar Chamberlain.
This has made recruitment at Kansas quite easy, as they have always been considered an NCAA powerhouse, having won the title three times (1952, 1998, and 2008).
However, this season they've suffered significant personnel losses. Both Andrew Wiggins and Joel Embiid participated in the draft this past June, being picked first and third by the NBA, respectively.
But under head coach Bill Sheff, Kansas remains resilient and should not be underestimated.
Currently, Kansas still has many players with NBA prospects, such as small forward Kelly Oubre, shooting guard Wayne Selden, point guard Devonte' Graham, shooting guard Mykhailiuk, power forward Cliff Alexander, and center Landon Lucas. These players all have NBA potential.
Of course, apart from Oubre, most of these players are on the draft fringe, poised between being selected and going undrafted, and they lack the talent compared to Kentucky's Towns, Koulistan, and others.
....
On the evening of the debut game.
The arena, which can hold 22,000 people, was packed to the brim.
When Zeng Xingyang entered the arena with his Kentucky University teammates, he was extremely excited.
Unlike his teammates, who were used to the big stage since high school, it was his first time seeing so many fans coming to watch him play.
This grand scene made Zeng Xingyang inevitably excited.
Among the crowd of fans, the Kentucky Wildcats supporters made up the majority; then, among the player supporters, Towns, Booker, and Kansas' Oubre were the most popular.
Oubre, who was quite handsome, could be considered a good-looking guy among African Americans.
Seeing Oubre, Booker immediately felt a bit irked: "I don't know why, but I really want to punch that guy."
Zeng Xingyang glanced at Oubre, and seeing Jenner in the stands also staring at Oubre, he understood something and said, "You're jealous that guy is more popular among female fans than you are, and he's better-looking, right?"
Booker's face darkened, and he spread his hands: "Just tell me, are you going to help me take him down or not?"
Zeng Xingyang said, "Of course, I'll help you create space, and you handle him one-on-one."
With Booker's ability, he could confidently beat anyone one-on-one in the NCAA.
Zeng Xingyang and Booker quickly started discussing strategies to deal with Oubre.
After a brief warm-up, the players from both sides took to the court, and the starting lineups were announced.
Kentucky Wildcats: Andrew Harris, Devin Booker, Trey Lyles, Willie Cauley-Stein, Karl-Anthony Towns
Kansas Jayhawks: Devonte' Graham, Wayne Selden, Kelly Oubre, Cliff Alexander, Landon Lucas
Physically, the two teams were about the same, but in terms of talent and fame, the Kentucky Wildcats overshadowed their opponents.
Of course, NCAA games have never been about comparing fame. Even completely unknown players could upset many powerhouse teams on the court. What's more, Kansas University itself is not weak.
The game started quickly.
Towns easily won the jump ball for his team.
With Harris dribbling the ball forward, the on-site fans continued to cheer, constantly supporting the Wildcats.
Harris passed the ball to Booker, who called Lyles for a screen. In the first possession, Booker targeted Oubre for a one-on-one play.
But Oubre's defense was not bad. After a series of fakes, Booker drove to the right, stepped in, faked once without getting a reaction, then took the shot on his second attempt.
"Clang!"
Booker's mid-range shot was disrupted, but Towns grabbed the offensive rebound and scored on the second attempt. At 2.08 meters tall, Lucas seemed too slow in front of Towns.
Kansas pushed their offense to the front court, with Graham passing to Oubre, who then transferred the ball to Alexander.
Unlike the Wildcats, who went for one-on-ones right away, the Kansas Jayhawks focused more on ball movement, constantly passing, positioning, and cutting.
Finally, during their second tactical setup, they found an opportunity. Lucas passed the ball to Selden cutting into the lane, and Selden made a floater to score.
The game started intensely between the two teams. The Wildcats relied on their strong individual abilities for various isolations, with Towns and Lyles in good form, continuously attacking Kansas Jayhawks' inside and scoring.