Chapter 12: The Combine Results Shock the Basketball World
When Adrian Cross's physical testing data and scrimmage performance from the NBADraftCombine were uploaded to major sports databases, the basketball world erupted.
It felt like a bomb had detonated inside the scouting community.
Within ten minutes of the data release, ESPN pushed an emergency headline across its front page:
"A 7'1″ MONSTER ARRIVES — Adrian Cross Shatters Combine Expectations."
The article listed the numbers that had scouts scrambling to double-check the database.
Height: 2.16 meters (7'1")
Weight: 125 kg (275 lbs)
Wingspan: 2.30 meters (7'7")
Those measurements alone already rivaled many elite NBA centers.
But the athletic testing was what truly shocked everyone.
Bench press: 260 kg max
A number that seemed almost impossible for a basketball player.
Vertical leap: 125 cm
High enough to reach the rim effortlessly.
Shuttle run: 11.25 seconds
Faster than many guards.
And then came the scrimmage performance.
35 points
16 rebounds
5 blocks
All in just 20minutes.
The level of dominance reminded many analysts of a young ShaquilleO'Neal.
In a column published by SportsIllustrated, veteran reporter Frank Hambleton wrote:
"In thirty years of covering basketball, I have never seen a prospect with this combination of size, strength, and athleticism. Adrian Cross looks like a center designed in a laboratory. His 35-16-5 performance proves he can translate physical tools into pure dominance."
He ended the article with a bold prediction:
"He should be the number one pick in the 2015 NBA Draft."
On a live broadcast from TNT, former NBA champion KennySmith held up the stat sheet in disbelief.
"Look at this!"
"Two hundred and sixty kilograms on the bench press!"
"That means he can battle with any center in the league."
"A 125-centimeter vertical means he's dunking over people."
"And that shuttle run? He can run the floor like a guard."
Smith leaned toward the camera.
"If the MinnesotaTimberwolves don't draft this guy first overall… they're crazy."
Across basketball forums and social media, searches for AdrianCross skyrocketed.
Fans flooded comment sections with disbelief.
"260 kg bench press? That has to be fake."
"A 7-footer with a 125 cm vertical? That's ridiculous."
"35 points in a 20-minute scrimmage? Did anyone even stop him?"
Then the Combine released the official footage of the tests and scrimmage.
The reaction shifted immediately.
Comments began flooding in:
"Future superstar."
"Locked for the number one pick."
"The next dominant center."
In just one day, Adrian Cross had gone from a relatively unknown prospect to the most talked-about player in the entire draft class.
Sports networks replayed his highlights nonstop.
The shattered-backboard dunk spread across the internet like wildfire.
Analysts debated whether Adrian possessed one of the most powerful athletic profiles ever recorded for a player his size.
Even youth basketball courts buzzed with excitement.
Kids tried to imitate his explosive dunks.
Coaches replayed his Combine highlights during practice.
The upcoming NBADraft suddenly had a clear storyline.
AdrianCross.
Later that night, inside a quiet apartment in Chicago, Adrian finally had a moment alone.
His phone kept buzzing on the nightstand.
Notifications stacked endlessly across the screen.
Interview requests.
Media invitations.
Messages from scouts and agents.
He picked up the phone and scrolled through the headlines before setting it down again.
The sudden attention didn't surprise him.
Dominant performances always attracted attention.
But the Combine had only been the first step.
What truly mattered now was the NBADraft.
Becoming the number one pick meant more than prestige.
It meant the biggest rookie contract.
The brightest spotlight in the league.
However, Adrian knew something else.
If he really went first overall, the most likely destination would be the MinnesotaTimberwolves.
A cold city.
A rebuilding franchise.
Not exactly the glamorous destination most players dreamed about.
Adrian leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms.
Still, the decision wasn't his to make.
That was the reality of the draft.
Wherever he landed, one thing mattered most.
Winning.
Championships.
Legacy.
History.
Those were the things that defined a career.
Adrian glanced at his phone again.
Another headline notification appeared.
"AdrianCross — FutureFaceoftheNBA?"
He smiled faintly.
The Draft was approaching.
And the entire league was watching.