Was Chris Paul kidnapped?
On the court, facing Deron, who was trying to post him up, Paul looked helpless, turning into a "golden hamster" at Deron's mercy. Thump, thump. Honestly, it's hard to accept, but in Zack's eyes, Deron's second bump on Paul was probably even unnecessary. The moment he made his first bump, Paul had already completely lost his defensive position.
On the right side of the court, Deron spun into the paint and scored with a layup. This isolation bucket from their star player greatly energized the Illinois fans still fighting with their team inside the Edward Jones Dome.
But before the Fighting Illini fans could celebrate for even ten seconds, Zack sank a mid-range jumper after a continuous between-the-legs dribble on the very next offensive possession.
A Star's Approval
On the sidelines, LeBron James, who had been joking about Paul, mimicked Zack's shooting motion and said to Carmelo Anthony, "Melo, did you notice that Zack has a jump shot as smooth as yours?"
Hearing this, Anthony quickly tidied his hair and replied, "I feel the same way... especially his jumping form, he's practically another me."
His vertical jump, his perfectly balanced upright leap, was Anthony's signature move. This technique was incredibly effective whether it was for a strong pull-up shot from a triple-threat stance or a fluid shot after dribbling. In the NBA, the difficulty of many technical moves isn't about how hard they are to execute. It's about whether the person using those techniques possesses the necessary physical attributes.
Just now, Anthony probably didn't even realize he had inadvertently given Zack an extremely high compliment.
"He's probably the best player I've ever seen, who's 6'11" and has that kind of ball-handling," Barkley, far from Anthony in the VIP stands, summarized.
Powerful core and back strength were certainly key to Zack's vertical and balanced leap. But to quickly connect a shot after dribbling... Zack's 6'11" frame had to possess far greater balance, coordination, flexibility, and fluidity and stability in his ball-handling than average.
To put it in the most intuitive visual data provided by the "Summit" system: a 6-foot player and a 7-foot player having the same agility attribute are two completely different concepts.
"Just with that shot, he has a chance to be the next Keith Van Horn," Jordan, sitting next to Barkley, commented on Zack's shot.
At this moment, Barkley, in a rare moment of agreement with Jordan, said, "His talent is evident. I think even the most foolish NBA general manager would unhesitatingly consider him a cornerstone player."
After that, Barkley immediately began enjoying Jordan's expression.
Heard you, Michael Jordan, have officially become a minority owner of the Bobcats?
Heard you've always favored Zack?
But Michael... given Zack's current stock, and with no chance of getting the #1 pick, how are you going to get Zack to play for you?
At this moment, Barkley, who didn't even have a single ring, officially delivered this "dagger" to Jordan, who had six.
And on the court, the very next second, Zack, unknowingly, almost sent a heartbroken Jordan to the hospital:
Leaning his back into Augustine, he hit a fadeaway jumper that made Jordan reminisce about his own glory days, softly sending the ball through the hoop.
Jordan vs. Barkley: The Battle Continues
Meanwhile, in the stands... looking at Jordan, who was clutching his chest and panting, Barkley's lips curled into an arc similar to the Nike swoosh.
"Michael, do you need me to take you to the hospital?"
"..."
Jordan admitted that he had indeed been careless, having been busy acquiring Bobcats shares recently. But after calming down, looking at Barkley's infuriating face and suppressing the bitterness in his heart, Jordan stubbornly put on the six championship rings he had brought to the game that night, one by one.
"NBA championships are always the best medicine."
"..."
In the VIP stands, the love-hate relationship between the two NBA legends continued.
And inside the Edward Jones Dome, as the magical Evans hit his 5th three-pointer of the game... Illinois's final comeback attempt in the second half also came to an abrupt halt.
In the first half, it was Luther Head; in the second half, it was Chris Head. His 1-for-6 shooting performance in the second half made Deron question everything.
Deron couldn't understand why Head would disappear along with that "Stuart Little" (referring to Paul) from the other team. Was getting "lost on the court" contagious too?
Actually, as the game progressed, the entire Illinois team was clearly affected by their previous grueling battle with the Tar Heels. It was just that because he was facing Paul on the court, Deron inexplicably seemed to get stronger as the night went on.
Before the game, Bruce Weber had hoped to wear down Zack through a war of attrition. But even the most sound strategy needs to be executed by the players on the court.
Zack, who was giving his all on both ends of the court, was indeed nearly exhausted. But Wake Forest's relatively easier schedule earlier in the tournament provided Zack with the most crucial "assist" at the critical moment of this game.
On the court, by the time Zack hit his physical wall... the Illinois players had already lost the energy for a comeback.
Of course, Evans, who stepped up big tonight, truly became the most refreshing oasis for Zack as he struggled through the desert.
Championship Celebration
Edward Jones Dome, 89-71.
As the clock on the scoreboard ticked down to zero, Zack, who had tallied 40 points, 17 rebounds, 7 assists, 4 blocks, and 1 steal for the team, was instantly mobbed by his teammates in the center of the court.
Despite his less-than-stellar performance in the final, Paul, who had 8 points, 4 rebounds, and 6 assists, was quicker than anyone else, jumping onto Zack's back first.
"We really did it! We won the NCAA Championship!"
In the stands, the joy of their first championship soon sent Wake Forest supporters into a frenzy. Many fans immediately rushed onto the court to celebrate the victory with the players.
Even Duncan, who had been in the stands, joined the revelry. He stealthily slipped two ice packs, meant for chilling champagne, directly into Zack's jersey, looking both happy and wistful.
At that moment, Duncan was happy because Wake Forest was his "roots." The reason for his disappointment was that in his legendary and glorious four years of college, he had never tasted the sweetness of an NCAA championship.
Tonight, all Wake Forest players were destined to be etched into history, becoming legends whispered among future generations of students.
Ronnie Evans, knowing he would soon follow Zack to the NBA in a different capacity, held a bottle of champagne and addressed the crowd: "Listen up, everyone... Traditionally, it's my honor as a senior to cut down the first strand of the net, symbolizing our championship, for the Demon Deacons.
But tonight... I want to give this honor to our Zack, because in my eyes, we wouldn't be here without him! So, if you agree with me, let's open the champagne together and show the world how amazing our Zack is with our actions!"
In the center of the court, the Wake Forest team immediately "voted" on Evans's suggestion by spraying Zack with champagne.
Then... the staff member who had just brought a ladder to Wake Forest's half of the court looked embarrassed.
Because for Zack to cut the net... did he really need a ladder? Just standing on his tiptoes would be enough, why bother?
"Zack, can you give me a lift?"
On the court, after Zack cut down the net, Paul looked up at him, realized the ladder had been moved to the other half by the staff, and said helplessly. Seeing this, Zack simply picked Paul up and chuckled, "My pleasure."
Next, the Wake Forest players took turns cutting down the nets on both ends. Meanwhile, Rachel, who was responsible for distributing the pre-ordered championship hats and t-shirts to the team, quietly stood behind Zack.
Zack had noticed his soulmate earlier. After placing his championship hat on Rachel's head, Zack told her, "You'll have to tutor me well for the next few months. I want to get my bachelor's degree when I graduate as a junior, like Emeka Okafor."
Hearing this, Rachel, knowing Zack had already completed enough credits, smiled, "Then you'll have to attend class diligently. I'm a very strict teacher."
The celebration of the Demon Deacons at the Edward Jones Dome continued until the last drop of champagne was gone. On the court, Coach Prosser, who thought he could escape by hiding in a corner, was caught by Gray, first doused with two buckets of ice water, and then tossed into the air by the players.
"I'm old! Can't you guys be nicer to seniors?"
After landing, wiping what might have been tears or water from his eyes, Prosser said tearfully to everyone. Looking around, Prosser felt his life could only be described as perfect. As the head coach of the Demon Deacons, as the college mentor of Zack and Paul, at this moment, he had truly reached the pinnacle of his life.
"Regarding the NBA, I have nothing more to teach you. But I believe you will definitely carve out your own path in the NBA," Prosser said, patting Zack's back with one hand and Paul's shoulder with the other.
Then, after a pause, Prosser continued, "No matter where you go in the future, Wake Forest will always be your home."
A Bittersweet Farewell
Tonight was destined to be a night filled with laughter, but also lingering sadness. In the stands, as the defeated side, most Illinois fans had already left heartbroken, except for a few who were unwilling to depart.
After the game, sitting in the players' tunnel, Deron Williams personally witnessed Zack cutting down the net and then carrying Paul to cut down the net. Deron's emotions at the time were incredibly complex. Although he had dominated Paul in their matchup that night with 27 points, 7 rebounds, and 8 assists, Paul was ultimately the winner.
For a moment, Deron admitted he was indeed jealous of Paul.
And in the players' tunnel, looking at Head and Brown walking towards him, one after another... the next moment, Deron, unable to hold back anymore, tightly embraced the other two. At that moment, Illinois's three backcourt stars were sobbing, unwilling to accept defeat. This was the cruelest side of NCAA. Many teams participate in NCAA Division I games, but there can only be one winner each year.
The MOP and The Speech
Immediately after, on the court, during the championship trophy presentation ceremony, the team's most senior player, Evans, once again relinquished the honor of hoisting the trophy to Zack.
This time, Zack didn't put on a show of politely refusing three times. Instead, he readily accepted the championship trophy that countless people yearned for from the awards presenter.
On CBS, the moment Zack lifted the trophy, the commentator's passionate voice announced to the entire nation, "Let's congratulate the Demon Deacons! They claimed this year's March Madness title with an undefeated record!"
Next, after everyone else successively received their trophies and delivered brief acceptance speeches, Zack rightfully earned this year's Final Four MOP (Most Outstanding Player) award.
The next second, taking the microphone from a staff member and flashing a smile that could drive countless people crazy, Zack held the MOP trophy and said:
"Even though this season, I've always believed no team deserved the championship more than us... it wasn't until the victory horn sounded, looking back at the past two years, with all the memories flooding in, that I truly realized what a great and amazing team I'm a part of.
I believe this will be a very special memory, stored in my mind forever.
Here, I have a few people I absolutely must thank.
First, my parents, because they gave me life and have been with me every step of the way.
Second, I want to thank my teammate, Chris Paul. Because in one of the toughest moments of my life, he told me, 'If you want to play basketball, I'll keep playing with you.'
Also, I must thank my coach, Mr. Skip Prosser. He taught me how to effectively use my talents. His strategies, his life philosophy, they have all benefited me greatly.
Then, my teammate, Ronnie Evans. Honestly, even now, I can't believe Ronnie actually hit 5 three-pointers tonight with 100% accuracy. Ronnie is a really fun person in real life, and we've always been close.
As for last... I want to thank all the Wake Forest fans. Without a doubt, they were absolutely our best sixth man on this championship journey."
At the awards ceremony, as Zack finished his acceptance speech, the entire arena erupted once again with deafening cheers.
At this moment, the valiant and tall Wake Forest #10, while emotionally bidding farewell to college basketball, also used his confidence and composure to tell the world:
He was ready to enter the NBA with a string of titles and accolades.
He was truly the best college basketball player since the 21st century.
Now.
Right now.
Those NBA teams that had been waiting for Zack for so long all turned their attention to that date.
The date of the NBA Draft Lottery.
Undoubtedly.
Whoever wins the #1 pick this year... will essentially own Zack!