Even though James had previously taught him many relatively gentle methods for establishing dominance, when it came to practical application, Zack, who grew up reading biographies of Jordan, found he still preferred Jordan's old-school approach.
Anyone who deeply understood Jordan's story would agree that the so-called "Basketball God" was, in fact, a complete jerk.
After all, this was Jordan, who would casually insult teammates with words like "faggot."
But no one could deny that Jordan did establish his dynasty in Chicago in the 1990s through a series of bloody and violent games.
Zack knew very well that upon entering the NBA, if he wanted to make a name for himself, if he wanted to achieve something, he would have to, as Grover said, shed his old ways of thinking and adopt his own winner's mentality.
When did Zack start to change?
It definitely wasn't during his sophomore season.
Even though he made the "listening" gesture to Duke fans during his sophomore season, it was clearly more about him letting off steam.
To be precise, Zack's real transformation began in his junior year.
Ever since he was personally helped onto the throne by Commissioner Gray of Wake Forest, Zack had been learning how to act as a team leader.
So, gradually...
He began to grow into the "perfect leader" in the eyes of old man Prosser and his teammates.
But college basketball is, after all, just college basketball.
Compared to the NCAA, the NBA is much more brutal and bloody.
At the Oracle Arena, watching Zack directly call everyone "useless," the original "Big Beard" (Baron Davis), whose whiskers were trembling with rage, took the first step forward.
This step was called:
—War!
Seeing this, head coach Montgomery immediately arranged for staff to seal off the entire arena.
The next second, Zack, standing close to Davis, gestured to the original "Big Beard," as if to say, "Please."
This "please" meant:
—Do you want to fight, or do you want to play?
On the court, Davis quickly responded.
He threw a basketball from the floor to Zack.
The moment Davis decided to take that step, he was already prepared to teach this arrogant rookie a lesson with his six years of valuable NBA experience.
Undoubtedly, Zack had just incurred everyone's wrath.
But so what?
On the court...
Facing the original "Big Beard," whose face was etched with anger...
Zack, completely unfazed, immediately dribbled the ball and attacked.
In response, the original "Big Beard," weighing over 220 pounds (100 kilograms) and known as a human tank among point guards, exerted all his strength and, with a definite illegal move, roared at Zack.
However...
The next second, Baron Davis's anticipated scene didn't happen.
Because Zack not only withstood his shove, not only resisted his intentional elbow aimed at him, but Zack even launched a more ferocious counterattack!
Clutching the ball, Zack used a decidedly illegal shoulder drop to directly drive Davis out of bounds, and then...
Clang—!
"Is this all an NBA All-Star guard is capable of? You're softer than the cupcake I ate this morning."
In the paint, after completing that powerful two-handed dunk, Zack, who had left the entire basketball hoop shaking, looked down at Davis and said.
Tough, incredibly tough!
At that moment, the 2001 NBA No. 1 overall pick, Kwame Brown, watched in stunned silence.
So this is the demeanor an NBA No. 1 overall pick should have when entering the league?
Next, it was Davis's turn to attack.
However, this offensive possession ended before it even began.
Because Zack, who wasn't there to play basketball in the first place, directly tackled the original "Big Beard" and the ball onto the floor.
On the court, Davis didn't act like a wimp and argue with Zack about whether it was a foul after getting up.
Instead, when it was Zack's turn to attack, he immediately adopted an even larger-scale tackle to try and stop Zack.
Then...
A terrifying scene unfolded in the arena:
After easily bringing down the original "Big Beard," Zack threw down a one-handed tomahawk dunk, scoring again.
"How many points do I need to win against you?" Zack asked, looking at Davis with a mocking expression.
Davis responded, "Three more, and you win."
Following that, in this one-on-one "duel" that started as a fight and then involved some basketball, Zack defeated the original "Big Beard" with a score of 5-2.
After the game, although Zack and Davis didn't say a word to each other, from that moment on, a new hierarchy began to form between them.
This was the NBA's most primitive, most brutal law of the jungle.
Where in this world is there fairness?
When has there ever been true equality between people?
Zack defeated the still-proud Davis with his harder fists, but not content with that, Zack quickly turned his gaze to Troy Murphy.
"Do you want to fight or play?"
Hearing this, Murphy was first surprised, then stunned.
Then, pointing at himself, the long-faced Murphy said in a trembling voice, "I... I don't need to, right?"
Seeing this, Zack didn't stand on ceremony with Murphy.
He stepped forward and knocked Murphy to the ground with a powerful "cannon punch" he'd secretly learned from Chris Paul.
On the floor, seeing blood trickle down his cheek, Murphy cursed F-words and looked at Zack, questioning his life.
Why?
I clearly didn't want to be your enemy...
Why did you still throw that heavy punch at me?
On the court, looking down at Murphy, Zack called him a "softie" with a relatively gentle word, then said, "If you're not convinced, I can keep playing with you, even if it takes all day."
At that moment, Murphy, who was furious but dared not speak, ultimately didn't get up to continue the duel with Zack.
After receiving a towel from an assistant coach, he swallowed the blood and, with the help of the team doctor, began to stop the bleeding.
"Damn, that bastard hits hard."
Applying an ice pack to his wound, Murphy said sullenly from the sidelines.
And on the court, having dealt with Troy Murphy, Zack immediately turned his attention to Jason Richardson.
Looking at Zack, Richardson, who was usually a jokester, realized the seriousness of the situation and was about to pick up the basketball from the floor to accept the new No. 1 pick's "torture."
But Zack didn't give him a choice; instead, he charged at him like a tiger.
At this point, Murphy, still receiving treatment, was completely dumbfounded.
Especially when he saw Zack pinning Richardson to the ground and relentlessly punching him...
Without a doubt.
This was absolutely the most brutal scene Murphy had ever witnessed in his professional career.
When Zack got up from Richardson, Richardson's practice uniform was even torn to shreds by Zack.
"You worthless trash, do you even deserve the right to choose? Since the Warriors drafted you with the fifth overall pick in 2001, in which year did your performance live up to the fans' expectations and your own talent?"
At this moment, Richardson, who was almost beaten unconscious by Zack, fell silent.
Because he clearly possessed the athleticism to soar freely in the sky, yet he had never showcased his star quality on the court.
In Zack's previous life, Richardson, whose talent was even considered comparable to Vince Carter's, never made an All-Star team.
On the court, in his youth, he loved fancy streetball moves and was constantly thinking about how to showboat in games.
Off the court, he was humorous, loved to joke around, and never put on airs with people.
If Richardson, with all these characteristics, were just an ordinary player, Zack would think it was his own business how he chose to play.
But precisely because...
The Warriors had invested Kobe Bryant-level superstar resources in him.
Anthony Lester, a reporter for the San Francisco Chronicle, once evaluated Jason Richardson during this period: "The Warriors' terrible situation... Jason Richardson certainly played a significant role.
Hey, Jason, we saw you as Vince Carter, but you told us you just want to be a happy kid?"
"Son of a bitch!"
On the floor, after struggling to his feet, Richardson, standing directly in front of Zack and unable to bear it any longer, threw a punch at Zack's handsome face.
However, to Richardson's surprise, the next second, Zack not only didn't dodge but actually took the punch head-on.
In fact...
Richardson might not believe it, but if he hadn't punched Zack at that moment, Zack would have been even more disappointed in him.
Because what's more terrifying than a happy kid who just wants to play happy basketball is...
Richardson had already lost the crucial fighting spirit and beastiality in Zack's eyes due to his disappointing leadership over the past four years.
Of course, after taking Richardson's punch to the face, Zack immediately threw him to the floor and walked away without looking back, heading towards Mike Dunleavy Jr.
At this moment, if he could, Dunleavy Jr. really wanted to punch himself.
But since he couldn't...
Dunleavy Jr. could only force a smile and puff out his chest, his expression and demeanor seemingly telling Zack:
"Hit me, no matter how hard you hit me, even if you kill me, I will never fight back."
But...
To Dunleavy Jr.'s surprise, Zack didn't punch him; instead, he kicked him directly in the groin.
"You idiot."
On the floor, clutching his lower body and writhing in pain, Dunleavy Jr., who never expected Zack to play dirty, screamed in anger, "Bastard... Scumbag... Son of a bitch..."
And in the arena, as Zack finished dealing with the Warriors' four main starters from last season, the entire training facility fell silent.
At this moment, head coach Montgomery hurried forward and said, "Let's rest for an hour, and then... and then we'll train."
During the break, in the Warriors' locker room, Murphy, who had already treated his injuries, slammed his fist on the cabinet in front of him and said, "That damned rookie, does he think he can just beat up his teammates just because he's the number one pick?"
Hearing this, Dunleavy Jr., who was almost neutered by Zack, clutched his lower half and said, "I swear to God...
When training starts later, I will never pass that jerk the ball, not even once!"
Meanwhile, watching Murphy and Dunleavy Jr. still cursing...
Richardson and Davis had already fallen into deep thought.
The former was recalling why Zack could take his punch without batting an eye.
The latter, although not entirely agreeing with Zack's methods, still...
"Damn, that arrogant kid's beating was damn good."
Yes, in fact, as early as last season, Davis had already lost patience with this group of Warriors players.
Because they had been tanking every year.
After more than a decade of repeated tanking, this Warriors team no longer deserved to be called an NBA team.
In 2005, this was a team widely regarded by the world as unsalvageable, even if Jesus himself came down.
On the training court, an hour later, the Warriors officially began their first joint practice.
And then...
Dunleavy Jr., who had just sworn in the locker room in God's name, immediately passed the ball to Zack.
Murphy: "..."
Davis: "..."
Richardson: "..."
You're really...
The ultimate wimp!
So, you can only be tough for a little while?
The moment he proactively passed the ball to Zack, Dunleavy Jr. clearly noticed the looks his teammates were giving him.
But so what?
In the NBA, not everyone is a tough guy like Charles Barkley.
What's wrong with being a little more accommodating, like Shaquille O'Neal?
Besides, Dunleavy Jr. knew better than anyone that if Zack had truly intended to sideline him earlier, how could he be standing perfectly fine on the training court now?
However, to Dunleavy Jr.'s surprise, Murphy, who had been mocking him with his eyes just a second ago, actually started setting a screen for Zack on the court the next second.
Dunleavy Jr.: "..."
Davis: "..."
Richardson: "..."
Troy Murphy, where did all that fierce anger you had against Zack in the locker room go?
Where's your dignity as an NBA veteran?
In truth, Zack couldn't make the entire Warriors team submit to him based solely on that unique "welcome ceremony."
But in Zack's view, this was already a very good start.
After all, Rome wasn't built in a day, right?
On the training court, the atmosphere of the Warriors' first joint practice could only be described as harmonious and joyful.
After practice, looking at Jarrett Jack, who had consistently stood behind him during the welcome ceremony, Zack smiled and said, "Want to grab some food with me later?"
Hearing this, Jack, knowing he had gained Zack's approval, immediately nodded, "Gladly, my king."
Being in the same ACC conference in college, they both knew each other well, so there wasn't much formality between Zack and Jack.
And, truth be told...
Jack was one of the few players who had actually beaten Zack during his college career.
"From now on, in Oakland, I've got your back," Zack told Jack after they had reminisced about various interesting stories from their ACC college days.
Seeing this, Jack immediately expressed his loyalty to Zack.
At this moment, if Jarrett Jack's words were translated into more eloquent , they would roughly be:
—"Your humble servant Jarrett is willing to be the Overlord's vanguard for generations!"
Meanwhile, Brown, who usually didn't know what to do in such situations, grew anxious.
Having never played college basketball, Brown found he couldn't join the conversation at all.
No temper, lack of assertiveness.
Although Brown had provoked Michael Jordan during a tryout with the Washington Wizards, gaining Jordan's approval, at this moment...
This young player, once touted to surpass Chris Webber, had already lost his former brilliance due to the beatings and verbal abuse from Michael Jordan during his time with the Wizards.
Fortunately, Zack hadn't forgotten this "silly, dark, sweet" guy who had been following Mr. Jack all day.
In the training facility, after tossing his training bag directly to Brown, the "inverted" Zack said to him, "We're going to eat. Do you want to come along?"
Seeing this, Brown, picking up Zack's training bag and then grabbing Jack's and his own, completely unaware that he was carrying bags for two rookies, smiled and said, "Sure!"
At that moment, Zack felt that Brown was completely beyond help.
However, for this "silly, dark, sweet" guy...
Zack couldn't believe that for a moment, he had felt a sense of protectiveness towards him.
Perhaps, as an NBA player, Brown had various shortcomings.
But in the future, after retirement...
Kwame Brown was one of the few players who dared to stand up for Michael Jordan, believing that it was never Jordan who ruined him, but rather he himself who didn't cherish the opportunity.
"I'm not his (Jordan's) fan, but I admire him wholeheartedly."
"He might have been gambling the night before, but at six in the morning the next day, he'd be at the training facility. His passion for basketball is something many young people, including myself, lack."
"Playing with him was really stressful, but what truly broke me down back then was myself."
The enjoyable first day of joint practice ended, and two days later, the Warriors held their media day at the Oracle Arena.
On media day, Zack naturally stood in the center.
However, as the players were interviewed one after another, the reporters present that day were all disappointed.
Because there wasn't a single veteran Warrior who came out and said, "I thought the team drafted Zack to assist me..."
Even the original "Big Beard," in his interviews, subtly implied that this Warriors team belonged to Zack.
No way!
Did Zack have horns growing out of his head or something?
How could he be so popular everywhere he went?
What kind of extreme succubus physique was this?
"I think we made a perfect choice in the draft. You know, I've been following Zack's college basketball performance for a long time. The impression he left on me in practice was simply omnipotent. I can't wait to play with him." On the sidelines, Mike Dunleavy Jr., who still felt a faint ache recalling Zack's flying kick, said this while being interviewed by Anthony Lester.
Seeing this, and noticing the noticeable bruises on the faces of the Warriors players today, Lester's intuition told him that things were definitely not as simple as they seemed.
So, he immediately turned his attention to others, trying to pry out some juicy information about Zack and the Warriors.
However, to Lester's regret, on media day, no matter which Warriors player he interviewed, they almost all gave the same answer.
But the more this happened...
The more Lester felt that something must have happened within the Warriors team in the past few days.
Otherwise, how could their "testimonies" be so consistent?
"Listen up, we all know we're pissed off at that lawless kid.
But since he defeated us fair and square, whoever dares to reveal even half a word about that day to reporters on media day will become an enemy to all of us."
Before media day began, the original "Big Beard" gathered his teammates and warned them.
Pissed off at Zack?
Of course.
After all, who could still give Zack a good look after being beaten?
Do you really think everyone is like Dunleavy Jr. and Murphy?
But some things...
Are meant to be dealt with internally, not through external means.
In this regard, Richardson, a Warriors veteran, also expressed his stance before media day began: "I know you might usually think I'm just a jokester...
But I agree with Baron; if any of you object, I will punch him."
You see, since even Richardson, who usually gets along well with his teammates, had spoken, who else in the Warriors team would dare to make trouble?
It's worth noting that during the media day's core photo shoot, when Davis and Richardson, smiling, stood Zack in the middle...
Dunleavy Jr. and Murphy also cast disdainful glances at them.
Maybe we are softies.
But Baron, Jason, you don't think...
Your performance was very tough, do you?
After the core photo shoot, Zack, as the focus of attention on media day, also accepted interviews from multiple media outlets.
"Do you think the Warriors can turn things around this new season with you joining?"
"Absolutely."
"You seem very confident. But last season, the Warriors only won 13 games. Do you think the Warriors need to make trades to strengthen the roster?"
"I have a great group of teammates; they're all unique and extremely friendly, and we get along great. But if the team has its own ideas, I'll follow the team's arrangements."
"This new season, you've given up the No. 10 jersey you wore in college. Can you tell us why you've switched to the No. 30 jersey in the NBA?"
"I think I wasn't diligent enough in college, so upon entering the NBA, I plan to work three times as hard to improve myself. And 3 multiplied by 10 is exactly 30, which is why I chose the Warriors' No. 30 jersey."
Throughout the interview, Zack was flawless.
The only minor flaw was that no one in this era understood his joke about taking over the Warriors' No. 30 jersey.
After all, Stephen Curry was still a high school student at this time.
Even before entering college, as a three-star high school prospect, Curry didn't even know if he would be able to play in the NBA.
And compared to the quiet first half of media day...
In the latter half, when the Warriors players were divided into two teams for an exhibition game, Zack quickly ignited the entire arena.
Since there was a large number of fans present on media day, Zack naturally became the star.
On the court, he performed several spectacular dunks for the fans.
In terms of explosiveness, his between-the-legs dunk was definitely superior to Richardson, the Slam Dunk Champion.
Because when he soared through the sky...
With his body fully open, he looked like an ancient mythical beast.
Additionally, the original "Big Beard," who was on the same team as Zack, also reluctantly but genuinely made several good passes to Zack during the game.
Although every time he passed to Zack, Davis would be met with disdain from Dunleavy Jr. and Murphy.
But Davis, who had always been proud...
Clearly wanted to win more than he cared about power struggles.
Through several days of joint practice, Davis had already witnessed Zack's extraordinary strength.
So, even though he never officially announced a reconciliation with Zack, Davis's competitiveness still compelled him to accept Zack's command.
Before the regular season began, in Zack's eyes, this was already enough.
Because no matter how aggressive his methods of dominance were, he couldn't transform this Warriors team into his own in a short period.
In October, after media day, Montgomery shifted the team's training focus to tactical drills.
As a former head coach at Stanford University, Zack realized that the main reason Montgomery, in his memory, only lasted two seasons in the NBA before being forced to return to college basketball was his overly academic coaching style.
In college basketball, because the head coach has supreme authority, college coaches often emphasize tactical execution more.
Players in college basketball are like soldiers; they just need to obediently follow orders, and the head coach can execute the tactical content they desire.
But for this current Warriors team...
Their tactical execution, in Zack's eyes, could only be described as worrisome.
Although to ordinary people, as professional players, NBA players' tactical execution should be stronger than NCAA players.
However...
Due to the special nature of the NBA as a commercial league, NBA players often have more individual ideas than NCAA players.
And once players have too many individual ideas on the court, how can you ensure the tactics are smoothly executed?
For example, Montgomery wanted to directly copy the Flex offense that Zack had run in college.
But with this current Warriors team, except for Jack, Dunleavy Jr., and Murphy, no one else could run this offense effectively.
Because when executing this offense, everyone, including Zack, had to play off-ball and move actively on the court, so for the original "Big Beard," who wasn't used to playing without the ball in his hands, he simply couldn't grasp the essence of this offense.
As for Richardson...
Zack felt that this former college basketball star, who had once won the March Madness championship with the Spartans, had already lost his former brilliance.
In Zack's memory, whether it was with that "Run TMC" Warriors team or later with the Suns...
Richardson only shined in an up-tempo, run-and-gun system.
Those half-court offenses he used to run in college?
Sorry, they were probably long forgotten.
Zack knew very well that under the Flex offense, Richardson would undoubtedly be reduced to a space-out shooter responsible for standing in the corners.
So, based on his experience studying under old man Prosser in college...
One day, Zack found head coach Montgomery alone.
"Mike, the tactics we've been practicing lately haven't been working too well. Should we consider a simpler, more direct run-and-gun offense?"
This Warriors team, if they started with himself, Davis, and Richardson...
In Zack's eyes, their athleticism could only be described as astounding.
Plus, "Silly, Dark, Sweet" Brown also had excellent athletic talent...
So, in Zack's opinion, instead of wasting energy on tactical schemes that couldn't be mastered quickly, it would be better to just let this Warriors team run and play.
Hearing this, Montgomery said glumly, "But we can't run-and-gun every possession; there will always be times we have to play in the half-court."
Seeing this, Zack smiled, "If we're in the half-court, just give me the ball, and Baron and I will initiate the offense from the top of the arc."
After pondering the Warriors' recent practice footage, Montgomery, feeling a sense of despair, said, "In that case, I'll listen to you. However, if we can't get the offense right, we still have to practice defense."
At this moment, Zack could completely understand Montgomery's feelings.
Because during these past few days of defensive drills...
The defense of these Warriors players, if not airtight, could at least be described as completely exploitable.
Richardson habitually let his man go on defense.
On the court, every time he noticed Richardson defending with his eyes, Zack even wished he could immediately give him a "pitaya fruit combo" (a beating).
No, buddy!
There's a reason why Dunleavy Jr. and Murphy can't defend: their physical abilities dictate that they simply can't play defense.
But at least they're trying to defend, and you?
Are you just going to stare?
In addition, the original "Big Beard" was also a ticking time bomb on defense.
Because he, like the equally proud Allen Iverson, always liked to make meaningless out-of-position steals on the court.
Zack felt that if he were to ever play small forward on the court, he would definitely be worked to death by Davis.
Believe it or not, the only reliable defenders on this Warriors team were Zack and his two sidekicks, Brown and Jack.
The former, due to his inherent qualities as a good defender, coupled with the extra attention Zack had been giving him lately, made him somewhat want to share the defensive burden. So, aside from occasionally losing focus, fumbling rebounds, or making some rookie mistakes due to nervousness, Zack could completely accept his defense.
As for Jack...
It must be said that the Warriors made a good trade in this year's draft.
Because the well-rounded Jack wouldn't be easily exploited, even when facing star guards.
In short, after this period of joint practice, Zack finally understood why the Warriors of this era were so bad in history.
"No execution on offense, no effort on defense. If you're not bad, who is?"
In mid-October, the new NBA preseason officially began.
In the preseason, when Zack, wearing the Warriors' No. 30 jersey, made his debut, he immediately became a fan favorite at the Oracle Arena.
On site, amidst the drumbeats of the Warriors fans, CCTV's commentator Zhang Weiping joked about Zack's preseason debut, "Wow, the Warriors fans are playing 'Overlord Breaks the Formation' for Zack!"
During the game, as long as Zack scored, the home fans would cheer him on with all their might.
This showed just how much the Warriors fans had endured over the past decade to be so fervent now.
After his preseason debut, in the team's next six preseason games, Zack's playing time was controlled at around 25 minutes per game.
Montgomery didn't want Zack to suffer an unexpected injury during the preseason, so throughout the preseason, he primarily focused on letting Zack adapt to the NBA game pace.
Additionally, because the Warriors still needed to further trim their roster before the regular season began, Montgomery also gave more opportunities to the team's fringe players.
However, regarding this...
Brown, who only received an average of 10 minutes of playing time in the preseason, began to worry about his future with the Warriors.
One day, looking at Zack, who had promised to look out for him, Brown said glumly, "Zack, I feel like there's no place for me in Coach Mike's system."
Hearing this, Zack looked at the "silly, dark, sweet" guy, patted him on the shoulder, and comforted him, "This is just preseason, and Coach Mike also needs to evaluate other players."
At this moment, Brown nodded hesitantly, saying, "But I'm still worried that Coach Mike will give up on me because of my butterfingers..."
Seeing this, and glancing at Brown's hands, which could only be described as tiny compared to his own, Zack actually knew better than anyone that the size of Brown's hands was definitely not the main reason for his frequent butterfingers on the court.
Because as a high school No. 1 overall pick who could impress NBA scouts with his talent, Brown's hands only looked small compared to a monster of Zack's caliber.
In fact, Brown could also easily palm the ball with one hand.
It just wasn't as stable as Zack.
Zack knew that the real reason for Brown's butterfingers on the court was primarily his mindset.
Unfortunately.
Even though Zack had a degree in psychology, he couldn't cure Brown's problem in the short term.
So, after thinking for a moment, Zack said to him, "Have you thought of a solution?"
"You mean my butterfingers? I've tried many methods, but..."
"It's definitely tough. Because of some of your mistakes, the team always faces problems on both offense and defense."
"Zack, you know what? Can I box out for you on the court, and you grab the defensive rebounds? Your hands are huge, even bigger than Michael's. I've noticed several times that you can actually grab the ball directly with one hand in the air."
At that moment, looking at Brown, who had fallen for it, although there was a hint of guilt in his heart...
Zack still honestly said to him, "Your suggestion is excellent. Our chemistry in boxing out under the basket is great, and this can indeed effectively prevent you from having butterfingers when grabbing defensive rebounds."
After a pause, Zack added, "But what about when you're on offense? There will always be moments when you have to finish."
Brown said somewhat dejectedly, "I don't know what to do about that either."
Zack smiled, "It's okay. I'll try my best to pass you more catchable balls during games. You can practice more with me normally."
The next second, looking up at Zack, Brown teared up.
Because he never expected that Zack, the big brother he had just recognized, would be so kind to him.
As for Zack, who had tricked Brown and also earned a favor?
Indeed, Zack also felt that he had become somewhat unrecognizable...
But what he had said to earn Brown's favor was absolutely not a lie.
Because if Zack remembered correctly...
Brown's efficiency in scoring around the basket wasn't low for a period in the future.
So, as long as the pass quality could be fully guaranteed...
And combined with Brown's receiving habits, giving him some relatively easy-to-catch passes, Zack believed that Brown could completely avoid butterfingers on offense.
Moreover, as one of only two players on the Warriors roster currently weighing over 120 kilograms...
Zack really needed the equally tall and strong Brown to get his act together.
Otherwise...
The Warriors couldn't possibly expect him to guard Yao Ming and Shaquille O'Neal in the low post in the new season, could they?
"After leading the Jazz to a 5-2 preseason record, Jerry Sloan said that Chris Paul is the highest basketball IQ point guard he has ever seen at that age." — Salt Lake Tribune
"After acquiring Joe Johnson via trade, the Hawks seem to be on the verge of a turnaround this new season. Their No. 2 overall pick, Deron Williams, averaged 15 points and 7 assists in the preseason." — Atlanta News
"Kobe Bryant said in an interview that he had a great summer with Monta Ellis, and they would play one-on-one every day to decide who had to eat dinner standing up." — Los Angeles Times
"When asked about the Cavaliers' goals for the new season, LeBron James said he was ready for the playoffs and confident he could lead the Cavaliers back to the postseason this year." — Cleveland Plain Dealer
"Regarding Yao's three-point range showcased in the preseason, Jeff Van Gundy said he hates centers shooting threes, but he likes watching Yao shoot on the court." — Houston Chronicle
"When asked who would be the Rookie of the Year this new season, Tim Duncan unhesitatingly gave his answer: 'Zack'." — San Antonio News-Express
"Although the Warriors only achieved a 3-4 record in seven preseason games, the powerful dunks from the Overlord have already heralded the arrival of a new era for the Warriors. The Warriors have completed the coronation of their Messiah through the preseason's enthronement ceremony." — San Francisco Chronicle
That day, quickly scanning various preseason reports, Charles Barkley instantly found the news that interested him most.
However, noticing that the San Francisco Chronicle claimed Zack had already completed his coronation ceremony, Barkley shook his head in disdain.
Because in Barkley's opinion, merely the preseason...
Did it deserve to be called a coronation ceremony?
Not enough, not enough.
The preseason didn't carry enough weight.
In Barkley's eyes, Zack had to play a brilliant game in the regular season to truly have a coronation ceremony.
So, the next second, Barkley immediately turned his attention to the calendar:
—November 2nd.
That was the day the Warriors would have their regular season opener.
In that game, they would host the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Admittedly, the Wolves were not doing well recently.
But how much better were the Warriors?
As a team that only won 13 games last season, even though the Warriors drafted Zack with the No. 1 overall pick this summer, ESPN only ranked them 21st in their team power rankings before the regular season began.
And ESPN even stated with good reason, "If not for Zack, who is the perfect fit for the Warriors, they should be ranked last."
Barkley believed that when scheduling the Warriors' games, the league must have considered who to choose as their opening night opponent.
This opponent could not be too strong, nor too weak.
Yes.
The Timberwolves were the perfect opponent.
Because they had Kevin Garnett.
In Barkley's opinion, only by leading the Warriors to defeat this renowned superstar power forward could Zack truly be crowned.
"Remember November 2nd, 2005, mortals! That day will be the coronation ceremony of Overlord Zack!" At that moment, Barkley thought to himself with excitement.
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