"First-year, Class 5, Nango Koichiro. Height: 192 cm, weight: 89 kg. Graduated from U.A Middle School. Position: Point Guard. Please take care of me!"
"Huh?"
The gym fell silent for a moment. The new team members stared at Nango in disbelief—how could someone that tall be a point guard?
"First-year, Class 10, Rukawa Kaede. Height: 187 cm, weight: 75 kg. Graduated from Tomigaoka Middle School. No fixed position."
Normally, Rukawa's cool indifference would have drawn all the attention. But with Nango's unusual self-introduction, the spotlight stayed on him instead.
"Sakuragi Hanamichi. Height: 188 cm, weight: 83 kg. Graduated from Wakko Middle School. My hobbies are—"
Before Sakuragi could finish boasting, Akagi cut him off and began organizing the team for practice.
That same afternoon, however, chaos erupted outside the gym. The noise grew so loud that the team had to pause training and investigate.
The scene unfolded just like in the original story—Sakuragi Hanamichi, the red-haired delinquent, insulted Akagi's beloved basketball. In response, Akagi challenged him to a one-on-one duel, a true clash of pride between men.
Nango watched with barely contained laughter. Seeing the "rookie" Sakuragi going head-to-head with Akagi Takenori was surreal. And when Sakuragi, who thought he had won, learned that Haruko's older brother was none other than Akagi himself, Nango nearly doubled over, his stomach aching from laughter.
Over the next few days, Sakuragi stubbornly tried one trick after another to win Akagi's approval. Finally, one morning, he managed to move the captain's heart and officially joined the basketball team as Shohoku's newest member.
Just as practice was about to begin again, the side door swung open.
"Sorry I'm late!"
A cheerful girl ran in, carrying a first-aid kit. She paused to catch her breath before smiling brightly.
"Hello everyone! I'm Ayako, the Basketball Team's manager, second year. Please take care of me!"
The first-years froze at the sight of her. A beautiful upperclassman? Most of them immediately grew shy and awkward.
"Hey, hey, I'm greeting you all. Aren't you supposed to say, 'Please take care of me too?'" Ayako teased, playfully poking and pinching the new recruits.
When she stopped in front of Nango, she tilted her head and grinned. "Wow, you're tall. What's your name?"
Nango resisted the urge to laugh. Trying to tease me, huh? Sorry, but I won't fall for it.
He bowed slightly and answered respectfully, "Hello, Senior. My name is Nango Koichiro. Please take care of me!"
Ayako stretched onto her tiptoes to pat his shoulder. "Haha, what a polite junior! I'll be counting on you from now on!"
She then spotted Rukawa Kaede and, of course, the infamous Sakuragi Hanamichi. Her smile widened.
Rukawa was familiar, but Sakuragi was unforgettable. After his clash with Akagi, the red-haired freshman had already become a celebrity at Shohoku. Even those who didn't know his name remembered that hair.
With the influx of new members, the team could finally run more drills: offense-defense transitions, half-court setups, and more. Still, most of the practice time was spent on fundamentals.
Akagi's training plan was strict and basic, something Nango suspected came straight from Coach Anzai. As a former national player, Anzai valued fundamentals above all else.
But fundamentals were monotonous. Boring. Exhausting.
Nango handled them fine, but many newcomers struggled to keep up. Bent over with hands on their knees, they gasped for air between every set.
Shohoku was just a public high school. To most, basketball was supposed to be a casual club activity. They wanted fun, not grueling practices. But Akagi and the veterans weren't just aiming for fun—they were aiming to dominate Japan.
That gap in ambition was exactly why Shohoku's roster was always so thin.
Coach Anzai, known now as the "White-Haired Buddha," allowed Akagi to drive the team this hard. But Nango could tell—behind that calm smile, Anzai still hungered for victory.
Yet strangely, ever since the school year began, Nango hadn't seen the coach step into the gym once. Everything had been left in Akagi and Kogure's hands.
Nango shook his head. What a carefree old man.
"I'm home!"
After practice, Nango stayed behind for extra drills. Shohoku's training was solid, but he needed to sharpen himself in ways it couldn't provide.
His mother greeted him at the door, frowning in concern. "You're home so late. You must be starving. Go wash your hands, dinner's ready."
"Alright," Nango replied, slipping off his shoes. "Mom, I joined the basketball club, and practice officially started today. From now on I'll be home late. Don't wait for me—just leave some food."
His father lowered the TV volume and spoke seriously. "Club activities are fine. They build character. But don't let them interfere with your studies. First year is the foundation. Don't neglect it."
"Okay, I know."
His reassurances seemed to ease their worries. Nango's behavior had already surprised them. He went to school on time, his grades improved, and even his once-dyed hair had grown back to natural black.
More than that, he now spoke with maturity and thoughtfulness that made his parents feel like their son had suddenly grown up. Their home, once filled with arguments and tension, was peaceful again.
Of course, Nango himself was deeply moved. In his past life, he had thrown away his studies for basketball—and when his dream failed, he was left with nothing. He had struggled in society, rejected and powerless, finally understanding too late why parents and teachers always stressed education.
It wasn't just about a piece of paper. It was about choices. A safer, more secure future.
This time, he wouldn't make the same mistake.
In this life, he would chase his basketball dream with all his might. But he would also study hard. He would cherish his family—even if they weren't truly his family—and seize every opportunity.
He wouldn't let anything slip through his fingers again.