Y13 [EN]: Chapter 33

Y13-33. Induction Ceremony

[Yoon Young-jae, Second Korean to Enter the NBA!]

Yoon Young-jae (19), the second Korean NBA player after Ha Seung-jin, has officially joined the Dallas Mavericks. Yoon Young-jae, who has been consistently impressive since his NCAA [National Collegiate Athletic Association] days, earned the nickname “Y13” during his time with the Aztecs.

Yoon Young-jae, initially projected as a late second-round pick, steadily improved his draft stock with outstanding performances for the Aztecs. He was named the conference’s best player and consistently topped various statistical categories. He delivered a standout performance in the national tournament, March Madness, against the formidable Maryland team, but his season was cut short due to a broken nose.

Based on his performance, Yoon Young-jae’s draft ranking steadily rose, culminating in the 31st pick in the final Mock Draft. He received workout invitations from ten teams and was highly sought after, described as an ‘attractive card’ and ‘a player with a complete skill set.’ Ultimately, the Dallas Mavericks selected him with the 25th pick.

Yoon Young-jae expressed his gratitude, stating, ‘I am deeply moved. I am committed to playing for the team.’ He also declared his ambition to become a dominant player, adding, ‘I will work tirelessly until my opponents are sick of seeing only Y13,’ which captured the media’s attention. His induction ceremony is scheduled for June 25th, and he plans to participate in the Summer League in Las Vegas in July.

Re: He went 25th? Wow, that’s amazing! Is he the first Korean in the first round? Awesome!

Re: He’s too sincere. Is he going to be a boring player?

Re: Now they’re even criticizing sincerity, lol. Shouldn’t you be praising him for having a good head on his shoulders? And did you even read the article? He said he’ll work hard until he overwhelms them! Are we about to see a new Bad Boys era?

Re: I wasn’t interested in the Summer League, but now I have to watch it. Any recommendations on where to stream it?

Re: Watch it at www.nbayogiser.nom ~ Guaranteed high profits with 부담없는 배팅! [Betting with no pressure!]

Re: 아, Please refrain from posting advertisements. Report it, report it.

In Korea, far removed from the NBA’s epicenter, the news of Young-jae’s arrival rekindled the league’s fading popularity. While terrestrial broadcasting stations showed limited interest, cable sports channels were already calculating relay rights fees and other expenses to quickly dominate the NBA broadcasting market.

Public opinion was divided. A mix of excitement and skepticism arose, fueled by both high expectations and perceived arrogance in his interviews. As a result, the Dallas Mavericks, the NBA, and Young-jae’s name consistently trended in the top search terms.

“Ugh…”

Regardless, Young-jae had stayed up all night celebrating his draft day with the Aztecs. Consequently, his head was pounding. Despite living a perfectly regimented life since his regression [reincarnation or time travel], his past life’s nightlife habits proved surprisingly potent. He hadn’t anticipated that staying up all night would disrupt his rhythm so severely, especially since he used to play games even after all-nighters and naps.

In a way, it was a good thing. Maintaining a regular life with a consistent rhythm would prolong his playing career, and his body’s rhythm would stabilize, leading to consistent performance.

“Still.”

As a man, he felt a twinge of pride at being so exhausted after a single night, but Young-jae brushed aside such 잡념 [雜念; 잡념 means “idle thoughts” or “雜念” which means “various thoughts”] and checked the time. Today was the Dallas Mavericks’ induction ceremony, so he needed to quickly get ready and fly to Dallas with Duffy.

He chose black jeans and a white shirt, wearing a white tank top underneath and unbuttoning a couple of buttons at the neck. Standing before the full-length mirror, Young-jae exuded a dandy and neat impression. His features were sharp, and his face could easily pass for that of a high school student, but the faint scar across the bridge of his nose from the nasal bone fracture added an intensity to his look.

“Not bad!”

Young-jae straightened his collar one last time and left the hotel. A car with Bill Duffy already inside was waiting in front, and Young-jae got in, shook hands with Duffy, and greeted him.

“You’re dressed very sharply. First impressions are important, and your appearance will make a great impression on the reporters, the media, and the club officials.”

Young-jae smiled and thanked Duffy before leaning back in the car. Feeling slightly dizzy, he closed his eyes, trying to sleep.

“You look tired.”

“Ugh, yeah, well. I think it’s a good thing. Living regularly is a good thing.”

Young-jae couldn’t help but laugh at himself, imagining how his past self would react to such a statement.

“I’m embarrassed to even say it.”

“It’s okay. If you were perfectly fine after staying up all night, it might raise concerns about you falling back into your old habits.”

Young-jae smiled contentedly at Duffy’s reassurance, thinking, ‘That’s right,’ and was about to close his eyes when,

Zzzing-

“Perfect timing for the phone to ring.”

“Haha, I guess it’s telling you not to doze off.”

Young-jae straightened up, leaned back in his seat, and pulled his smartphone from his pocket.

“Hello. This is Yoon.”

– Wow~ NBA player! –

A familiar voice. Only a few people regularly called Young-jae: Bill Duffy, the Aztecs members, or Meli.

“Meli, what’s up?”

– Wow, you sound grumpy~ –

“I’m tired.”

– Come on~ Just one night? Don’t exaggerate~ –

“It’s called self-management. Self-management.”

– Okay, Yoon Young-jae, a player with thorough self-management and a slight tendency to exaggerate. Congratulations on joining the Dallas Mavericks! –

Young-jae smiled at Meli’s teasing and 받아넘겼다 [accepted and deflected] the joke.

– Actually, I was just calling to congratulate you, but David really wanted to talk to you. Would that be okay? –

David was the young fan who claimed to be a fan of Young-jae, the first to recognize him as an Aztecs fan. There was no reason to refuse a fan who genuinely wanted to talk.

“Of course! David is welcome.”

As soon as Young-jae finished speaking, David shouted, ‘Yoon!! It’s David!’

– Yoon, Yoon! You’re really amazing! The Dallas Mavericks! That’s a powerhouse in the Southwest! –

“Haha, yeah, yeah. Thank you.”

– If it’s Dallas, my parents promised to take me to see the games sometimes, though not often. Yoon! The ankle band I gave you looks pretty worn out, but I’ll send you another one later! –

“Wow, really? Then I’ll send David a nice gift too.”

– Ah! And my cousin, he was surprised when I mentioned Yoon! My cousin is an NBA fan, and he asked if I had a T-shirt signed by Yoon. You should have taken it when I gave it to you! –

– And, and, my cousin really wanted to meet you once. Isn’t that amazing? My cousin is busy filming something these days, so he doesn’t play with me or see me every day. –

Young-jae listened to David’s story without interrupting, smiling. Duffy, watching Young-jae, simply smiled and organized the materials for the induction ceremony, not wanting to disturb the call.

June 25, 2010.

American Airlines Center, the home stadium of the Dallas Mavericks. Inside the prepared interview hall, Young-jae and Bill Duffy were seated on the platform, along with club officials including owner Mark Cuban, general manager Donnie Nelson, and coach Rick Carlisle. As Dallas only drafted one rookie this season, Young-jae was the sole focus of the induction ceremony.

“Today is the day our new rookie joins the team. It is a 기념적인 [commemorative] day as we welcome a young talent to the Mavericks.”

As the induction ceremony began, the reporters’ camera flashes erupted.

Cuban continued.

“Yoon is a player we have coveted for a long time. He achieved remarkable results in college and is already prepared for the NBA. He possesses excellent abilities in all aspects of the game – shooting, driving, passing, leading, and defense – and he will be able to demonstrate his skills in the NBA immediately. He proved himself the best among the players we invited for workouts, and Yoon’s work ethic guarantees future success.”

Following Mark Cuban’s enthusiastic introduction, Donnie Nelson, in a rare display of excitement, briefly explained the process of recruiting Young-jae.

“After Yoon’s workout, we dedicated all our efforts to acquiring him. We investigated whether teams with higher picks intended to draft Yoon. If any such team existed, we were prepared to trade up. Fortunately, other teams viewed Yoon as a slightly lower-ranked prospect, and we successfully drafted him with the 25th pick. We believe Yoon is a player who is worthy of a lottery pick, making this draft a great success for us.”

Cuban and Nelson stepped down from the platform, and Nelson called Young-jae to the side. They stood facing each other, each holding a Mavericks uniform. They exchanged uniforms and posed for photos. Finally, they completed the photo session by having Young-jae wear the uniform over his shirt and a snapback (a type of hat with an adjustable snap closure) emblazoned with a 멋드러지게 [stylish] wild horse, the Dallas Mavericks’ logo. After about a minute of photos, Young-jae, Nelson, and Cuban took their seats for the interview. Following Cuban and Nelson, coach Rick Carlisle began to share his evaluation of Young-jae with the reporters, without exaggeration.

“He is a player who can be the cornerstone of the Mavericks’ future. He has the potential to be like Kobe Bryant or Allen Iverson. He possesses most of the skills required of a guard and has the intelligence to quickly integrate into plays with his teammates. He will be an essential player for our team starting this season. I want to thank Cuban and Nelson for acquiring the first-round pick that allowed us to draft such a player.”

Carlisle praised Young-jae to the point of comparing him to Allen Iverson and Kobe Bryant, considered 역대급 [all-time great] shooting guards. Young-jae tried to discern Carlisle’s intentions but concluded it was impossible to read the mind of the 명장 [master tactician] coach. He simply gave a standard answer.

“I am grateful to the Dallas Mavericks for drafting me. The Mavericks valued me the most and showed the greatest interest. They dedicated the most time to my workout and engaged in numerous conversations. From that moment on, I wanted to join the Mavericks. And now I am here.”

Young-jae gave an answer that was close to ‘correct,’ and a club official announced, ‘We will now take questions,’ and began the process of selecting reporters to ask questions.

“Congratulations on joining the Dallas Mavericks. How do you feel today?”

The most basic question. Young-jae shared his honest feelings with a light heart.

“I feel like I’m flying. I’m thrilled to finally enter the NBA, a dream I’ve had since childhood. And I’m grateful to join a strong team like the Mavericks and play alongside great players like Nowitzki, Kidd, and Terry.”

Next, a reporter with a slightly sharp gaze introduced himself as ‘I’m 아이락 라이커 [Ira Liker], a reporter for the Dallas Morning News.’

“You’ve transitioned from being a freshman superstar in college to an NBA rookie. You will no longer be treated as an ace, and you will be the youngest member of the team. Do you anticipate any challenges in adapting?”

Young-jae was well aware that some reporters and fans would be critical. The fact that he was an unprecedented Asian guard and that the team had selected a player from a mid-major program after missing out on Dominic Jones or James Anderson were the primary reasons for the ‘negative reactions’ directed at Young-jae. However, Young-jae’s mental fortitude was stronger than in his previous life, and his media savvy was as 능구렁이 [sly as a snake] as swallowing a 능수능란 [skillful].

“Of course. A player who excels in college can fail in the pros, and a player who was 평범했던 [ordinary] in college can succeed in the NBA. I will be dedicated to my role and become one with my teammates. I believe I got along well with my teammates in college. Although it was initially challenging as a freshman, we were able to connect and execute our plays through communication. And I wasn’t an ace. The Aztecs were a team, and the Aztecs themselves were the ace. I was simply a necessary component, and without any member of the Aztecs, not just me, we wouldn’t have achieved as much. Just as in the NCAA, I will strive to be a necessary player for the team.”

The reporter who asked the pointed question was left speechless, and some reporters hesitated to raise their hands. Young-jae’s mental strength was exceptional, leaving little room for criticism.

Reporters from Dallas local media outlets such as the Fort Worth Star-Telegram and the Texas Tribune asked several more questions before the final question was posed.

“I’m Richard Powell from Culture Map Dallas. You were selected for All-America 2nd-teams and drafted with the 25th pick in the first round. How far do you believe you can develop?”

“I don’t want to limit myself. If I lack anything, I will constantly work hard and improve. If there is an opponent I cannot defeat, I will relentlessly pursue them until I do. If there are any shortcomings, I will strive to overcome them, and I will keep trying.”

Richard Powell nodded and 은근슬쩍 [subtly] slipped in another question.

“Now that it’s your first season, what are your expectations for this season?”

“It’s difficult to quantify. I will give my best effort without being fixated on playing time and become a valuable member of the Mavericks. I won’t complain about limited playing time. I believe that if I’m not playing, it’s because I’m lacking, so I’ll work harder to earn it. If I get the opportunity to play, I will make my opponents despair, living up to the name Y13.”

Young-jae thought of his past self, who was resurfacing, and nodded with a faint smile.

“I want to contribute to the team’s success rather than focusing on personal accolades. However, I admit that I am greedy for the Rookie of the Year award, which is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”

The reporters showed some excitement at the higher-than-expected goal.

“Your confidence is admirable. I’m eager to see if you can turn that confidence into reality. You’ll be participating in the Las Vegas Summer League soon. What’s your attitude towards the Summer League?”

“I view it as a battlefield for numerous invited players and rookies. I will demonstrate that I can stand tall there. I will prove my skills to the fans.”

Richard Powell smiled 만족스런 [satisfactorily] that he had 유야무야 [smoothly] elicited three questions and then sat down.

============================ Work Review ============================

★Thank you for the donation coupon from 착한상어! [Kind Shark]

★Thank you to those who gave 선작.추천.코멘.쿠폰!! [Pre-registration, Recommendation, Comment, Coupon]

@ There are many people who are disappointed with the salary because they were picked at the bottom of the 1st round. The pick order was carefully considered before the work was serialized. I presented the specs and situation to a few acquaintances and asked them, and most of them said more than the middle and lower picks in the first round. I decided that it was unreasonable to lower it to the second round. And there is a way to become a Rose Rule 대상자 [subject], and if you sign a 3+1 extension contract after the rookie scale, you can become a FA again right after the salary cap increases.

@ There are also ways to earn side income through various sponsorship contracts, CFs [Commercial Films], and model contracts. Dallas has a fairly large Korean population. The Asian market is also big. In addition, Dallas is in Texas, so the state tax is 0. For example, California is over 11%.

@In the rookie draft, MLB (baseball) has 50 rounds. NFL (American football) has 7 rounds, while the NBA ends with 2 rounds.

조아!님/// I’m glad the readability looks good. I’ll try to make it an attractive article that melts time 후후후… [hehehe]

론즈하트님/// I’m glad that the number of NBA fans is increasing. Paul will often 부딫힐 [bump into] in the novel.

베지밀군님///I considered that method as well, but there weren’t many teams to go to among the teams with the 상위픽 [higher picks] in the 2nd round. In addition, these days, the 상위픽 [higher picks] in the 2nd round tend to sign 3-4 year contracts. Since the rookie scale contract is a contract that you cannot go to another team unless you accept the team’s offer, the contract period is almost the same as the team gives, with only financial negotiations for the 2nd rounder. I’m also planning to earn money as a side income, and I’m 고민하고 [worrying] about the protagonist’s money and fame!

광환마룡님/// As you said, there is nothing more scary than a talent who works hard. So that Young-jae becomes more 독한 [vicious] than a viper! But I’ll be warm to my people…

성주성표동생들님/// Yes, it’s about 30% of John Wall’s, who is about 1 pick. Even if you go down only 4~5 picks, the salary will decrease 죽죽 [steadily].

우유동자님, 그림자소년님,단군조선님 ///Yep. It’s finally NBA entry. Let’s go straight out.

강자일님/// I’m glad our work is attractive. 2 parts have not been planned yet… Even part 1 is planning a feature film +_+

큐티동님/// We also had a game together today. Maybe my brother’s condition wasn’t very good today… I caught Brooklyn and Miami, but I lost. My brother is Dallas and um… I don’t remember. But I won Houston with Orlando 후후후 [hehehe] I lost 2:3, but it was fun.

까칠한괴물님/// Thank you for the compliment. You’re the best… I’m shy

라피르and진트님/// Summer League will start soon. Please look forward to the performance. (우적우적) [munch munch]

쿤다라님, AdYang님, 0000님/// Thank you. I will try my best to write consistent quality articles as much as Young-jae’s performance.

고기를먹자님///I’m glad it’s delivered vividly. 두근두근/ [heart pounding]

dydqlsl님/// Paul has passed his prime, but he is still top class. Since it’s the same west, we’ll face each other often.

퓨로타님///Yep, the 결판 [showdown] will be in the OKC vs MIN and NO vs SA games tomorrow.

STNㅣFㅣ레한님/// Thank you. I’ll be a 성실 [sincere] serial writer. 배, 백… 네? ㅋㅋㅋ [belly, white… yes? lol]

*P.S.: Today, Team Signature’s brother ‘slightly’ participated in the 후기 [afterword].