Y13 [EN]: Chapter 74

Y13-74 Regular Season 2010-11
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[First in NBA History! Y13 Selected for Rookie Challenge]

On January 31, 2011, Yoon Young-jae (20) was selected for the 2010-2011 NBA All-Star Weekend ‘Rookie Challenge,’ marking the first time a Korean player had been chosen for the event.

The Rookie Challenge members, selected through a media vote, consist of teams of ten first-year (rookies) and second-year (sophomores) players competing in an exhibition game. Yoon Young-jae, drafted 25th overall in the first round by the Dallas Mavericks, has been averaging 27.2 minutes, 15.8 points, 5.6 assists, 4.3 rebounds, 1.7 steals, 0.5 blocks, and 1.8 turnovers. His standing within the Dallas Mavericks is steadily improving. The voting results defied expectations of a three-way race between Blake Griffin, John Wall, and DeMarcus Cousins, instead becoming a two-way contest between Blake Griffin and Yoon Young-jae, surprising even the experts. Yoon Young-jae is now being considered Blake Griffin’s main competition for the Rookie of the Year award.

(Omitted)

Rookie Team

Yoon Young-jae (Dallas Mavericks/Guard)

DeMarcus Cousins (Sacramento Kings/Center)

Derrick Favors (Utah Jazz/Forward)

Landry Fields (New York Knicks/Guard)

Blake Griffin (LA Clippers/Forward)

Wesley Johnson (Minnesota Timberwolves/Forward)

Greg Monroe (Detroit Pistons/Center)

Eric Bledsoe (LA Clippers/Guard)

John Wall (Washington Wizards/Guard)

Gary Neal (San Antonio Spurs/Guard)

Head Coach: Mike Budenholzer (San Antonio Assistant Coach)

Coaches: Amar’e Stoudemire (New York Knicks Player), Kevin McHale

Sophomore Team (2nd Year)

DeJuan Blair (San Antonio Spurs/Center)

DeMar DeRozan (Toronto Raptors/Guard)

Stephen Curry (Golden State Warriors/Guard)

Taj Gibson (Chicago Bulls/Forward)

James Harden (Oklahoma City Thunder/Guard) – Replacement for injured Tyreke Evans

Jrue Holiday (Philadelphia 76ers/Guard)

Serge Ibaka (Oklahoma City Thunder/Forward)

Brandon Jennings (Milwaukee Bucks/Guard)

Wesley Matthews (Portland Trail Blazers/Guard)

*Tyreke Evans is out due to injury.

Head Coach: Lawrence Frank (Boston Celtics Assistant Coach)

Coaches: Carmelo Anthony (New York Knicks Player), Steve Kerr

The NBA All-Star Game, the biggest event of the regular season, was approaching. Thanks to his performance, Young-jae proudly earned a starting spot on the Rookie Team for the Rookie Challenge, part of the All-Star Weekend. Young-jae was stunned upon learning he was in the Rookie Challenge, but his teammates, the Aztex members Meli, David, and even Steve, congratulated him on his participation.

Young-jae’s heart fluttered at the thought of participating in the All-Star Game for the first time in his life, including his past life. To repay those who had supported him, Young-jae made a simple request to Duffy.

That request was to get All-Star Game tickets, including for the Rookie Challenge. Young-jae wasn’t one to spend a lot of money, but this time, he wanted the people he wanted to invite to see the All-Star Game up close, so he was expecting a considerable expense. The good news was that Duffy managed to get the number of tickets Young-jae needed.

“Hoo.”

After working out at home for the first time in a while, Young-jae sat on his bed and began packing. It felt like going on a long road trip for an away game. There wasn’t much to take, but he made sure to pack his smartphone’s power bank, charger, personal toothbrush, and underwear. After quickly packing his things in a backpack, Young-jae tossed it aside and flopped onto the bed.

“Are they doing well?”

The second chance came like a gift from heaven. But Young-jae felt the house was too quiet. His wish to go all-out with basketball without regrets was still ongoing, but as human desires are endless, Young-jae felt a sense of emptiness in his heart.

“There’s still a lot to improve.”

Young-jae thought he still had a lot to improve as a player. He knew best that his growth had slowed down compared to his time in the NCAA [National Collegiate Athletic Association], and he was constantly doing physical training to compensate for his weaknesses, but he had felt his lack of athleticism more than once. That’s why Young-jae didn’t give up and could work even harder, because there was so much to improve.

‘Should I think of it the same way… as a player and as a person, there’s still a lot to improve…’

Someday, this quiet house will become noisy, and there will be a scent of people living here, Young-jae thought, stopping his useless thoughts and pulling the blanket over himself.

February 4, 2011, Boston, Massachusetts. TD Garden.

TD Garden, the home of the Boston Celtics. The Dallas Mavericks members finished their last team practice before the game and were listening to Coach Carlisle’s final instructions.

“As you all know, the Boston Celtics are the champions from two years ago and the runners-up from last year. They don’t have any weaknesses in any position, and they are especially strong on defense.”

At Coach Carlisle’s words, the players couldn’t help but feel tense. Dallas had a record of 36 wins and 12 losses in 48 games so far. However, the Boston Celtics also had an excellent record of 36 wins and 11 losses, and experts considered them to be contenders against the LA Lakers and the Miami Heat, the strongest teams in each league.

“Rajon Rondo, Ray Allen, Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, Kendrick Perkins. It’s a great combination with no weaknesses. But don’t be intimidated. Even though the overall combination looks good, there is no player without weaknesses. If you look at yourselves objectively, you all know what your weaknesses are, right?”

At Coach Carlisle’s words, the players nodded in agreement, saying, “That’s right.”

“We will relentlessly exploit those weaknesses. The opponent will also do their best to exploit your weaknesses. Then the game will be decided by teamwork. If each one of you supports each other’s weaknesses, you must overcome those weaknesses with teamwork.”

Coach Carlisle was not one to make empty promises or uncertain assurances. The players knew this, so they simply nodded silently at Coach Carlisle’s instructions.

“Alright! Let’s go!”

“Yes!”

Coach Carlisle clapped his hands to encourage the players, and the players answered briefly and boldly as they went onto the court.

[Hello! This is TNT broadcasting the game between the Boston Celtics and the Dallas Mavericks. I’m the announcer, Marv Albert, and the commentator is Reggie Miller. Reggie? It’s great to have you.]

Marv Albert. His signature ‘YES!!!’ shout was a magical shout that amplified the dramatic tension of the game by 200%.

And next to him, Reggie Miller, holding a microphone instead of a basketball and watching the game. The legendary 3-point shooter who spent 18 seasons with the Indiana Pacers. His incredible 3-point shooting ranked first in NBA history in both 3-point attempts and makes. Of course, Ray Allen was expected to break Miller’s 3-point record within the month, so he would soon be pushed to second place. But he was a player who shined even more in times of crisis, with his clutch performances, which always came when the team was losing at the end of the game, even giving rise to the term ‘Miller Time’ [referring to Reggie Miller’s clutch performances in the final moments of games].

[Here’s the jump ball! Kendrick Perkins wins the jump ball.]

[Kendrick Perkins jumped at the right time. It’s a shame for Tyson Chandler, who has been showing good form lately! Perkins passes the ball to Rajon Rondo and moves forward.]

[Rajon Rondo. He has weaknesses in his jump shot, but on the other hand, he is a point guard with good overall skills except for shooting. He is a player who boasts fast and flashy drives to the rim, brilliant passes, steals, and decent rebounding ability despite his height of 6-1 (186cm)!]

Rajon Rondo dribbled the ball calmly, looking at Kidd in front of him. Kidd, standing in front of Rondo, was skillfully blocking Rondo and keeping his distance. It was common to use a sagging defense (keeping distance from the opponent) against point guards whose jump shot success rate dropped significantly when the distance increased, and Kidd was sagging off Rondo, keeping his distance as a textbook example.

“Shit.”

Rondo’s expression was slightly distorted by the feeling of being ignored, but he brushed it off, as this was not the first time, and glanced to the right wing. Kevin Garnett was wandering around the wing, and as soon as he turned his back on Nowitzki and immediately set a screen, Rondo rushed to the right wing without hesitation.

‘If I break through here, Kidd will follow. And if I go over the screen…’

“?!”

But Rondo couldn’t help but be surprised. Kidd didn’t follow Rondo. Garnett also had a slightly embarrassed expression. Rather, Dirk Nowitzki pushed Garnett’s back hard, preventing him from entering the paint, and Garnett was busy trying to shake off Nowitzki in a hurry. Rondo turned his head to the left, wondering what had happened while breaking through, and in front of him, a certain Asian player blocked his path with his chest.

Kidd, who could be seen vaguely behind him, was already sticking to Ray Allen. In other words, Kidd had no intention of blocking Rondo’s drive from the beginning, and Young-jae, who was closely guarding Ray Allen, had been assigned to cut off Rondo’s penetration.

“Ugh!”

With a crisp sound, Young-jae lightly tapped the ball out of Rondo’s hand, who was panicking. Even though Young-jae’s wingspan wasn’t long, Young-jae was a whopping 6-5 (196cm). Rajon Rondo, at 6-1 (185cm), couldn’t break through with strength. Leaving Rondo in a panic, Young-jae rushed to the ball, dribbled it with his left hand, and sprinted forward quickly.

At the same time, Shawn Marion, Tyson Chandler, and Dirk Nowitzki began to rush fiercely to the rim, following Young-jae. Early offense through fast transition. Young-jae felt a chill down his spine as he watched Rajon Rondo, who was catching up at an incredible speed. His expression was very cold, and his man-to-man defense was so skilled at side steps, back steps, and various footwork techniques that it could suffocate the opponent, and he could read all the paths of the drive. Among the guards he had faced so far, his defense was unmatched. Young-jae had a lot of thoughts in an instant and glanced back. He had penetrated from the high post to the low post, but Rondo had already followed to the point where his hand could reach the ball if he reached out.

Terry and Nowitzki and Chandler were running behind him, but it was difficult to say that they had completely separated from Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, and Kendrick Perkins. What is the most perfect way to attack? Young-jae had all sorts of thoughts about what choice to make.

You shouldn’t reveal that you’re having all sorts of thoughts. That’s a sign of hesitation and an act that gives Rondo a chance to knock the ball out. Young-jae relentlessly drove to the basket as if he wasn’t hesitating.

“Got him!”

The moment Rondo’s body tried to block Young-jae’s path, Young-jae immediately turned his body and backed into Rondo. Rondo, caught off guard by the extremely short post-up, had no choice but to take a step back, and Young-jae quickly rotated his body again, facing the rim, and quickly stepped back.

Rondo thought he would definitely shoot a jumper and rushed forward rashly. Of course, Rondo, who had rushed out so quickly that he couldn’t think he had been pushed back, stretched his right arm up to interfere with the shot.

“?!”

At that moment, Young-jae flicked the ball to the right, blocked Rondo’s left, and set a screen.

“Uwaaaa!!!”

Kwang!!!

[YES!!! Tyson Chandler’s two-handed slam!!]

[Oh, oh! This is really a great play! Young-jae Yoon, amazing! Dribbling against Rajon Rondo, a lockdown defender, without being pushed back at all, and using a skillful spin move to create distance from Rondo, and using a step-back fake to trick Rondo into thinking he was shooting! In that situation, any player’s vision would be narrowed! As for Rondo, I think he defended in a way that befits his reputation! But Young-jae Yoon’s sly play is really something, it doesn’t seem like he’s a rookie!]

[Tyson Chandler, who runs behind him, is a center with good mobility! Even if Kendrick Perkins followed, there would be a difference in speed!]

Tyson Chandler hung on the rim for a while, enjoying the creaking sound, and then came down. Rondo’s expression was already distorted like he had eaten something foul, and Young-jae glanced at Rondo and turned away without regret, as if ignoring him, and quickly backtracked, giving Tyson Chandler a light high-five.

============================ Author’s Note ============================

★Thank you to those who gave advance reservations, recommendations, comments, and coupons!!

※Miller Time: In the 94-95 season, the New York Knicks and the Indiana Pacers faced off in the Eastern Conference Semifinals. In the first game, at the end of the 4th quarter, at the point when everyone thought the game was decided at 105-99, Indiana Pacers player Reggie Miller scored 8 points in 18 seconds, leading Indiana to a dramatic come-from-behind victory of 107-105 on the road.

It’s a really unbelievable but happened in front of your eyes..

Before and after that, Reggie Miller scored a lot of points in the 4th quarter as if by magic. So the 4th quarter is called Miller Time.

※Early Offense: Fast Break

※Jump Ball: At the very beginning of a basketball game, one representative from each team receives the ball that the referee throws high in the middle of the court.

※Screen: An act of blocking the path of an opposing player for the attack of a teammate.

＠Thank you for the opinions of the readers for the past two days. I think it would be better to finish this survey today because it seems like it will take too long. As of 23:00 on May 23rd, a total of 130 people participated in the survey. 6 people chose option 1, 58 people chose option 2, and 66 people chose option 3. Options 1 and 2 are similar in context, so it’s half and half between naturalization and staying in Korea. Some readers mentioned naturalization in the middle, so I started the survey with the intention of modifying the plot if the naturalization opinion was overwhelming.

As a result, it was divided in half, so I will go with option 2. As mentioned in the comments of those who supported option 2, I also saw one baseball novel and one soccer novel that chose naturalization, but the writers didn’t solve it neatly. In addition, option 3 is bound to be severely divided in terms of likes and dislikes. There are many obstacles to putting Korean-related stories in the future development of the novel, and I have to naturalize through conflicts with associations and the media, and it is difficult to describe this part naturally and it is likely to be long.

So I will proceed with option 2. I will minimize stories related to the national team as much as possible through flashbacks, media, and conversations. National team games have poor records and are full of difficult battles to describe. While posting this survey, I watched the 2002 Asian Games game again, and it seems that Korean basketball is less skilled than before. Lee Sang-min, Kim Seung-hyun, Moon Kyung-eun, Jeon Hee-cheol, Hyun Joo-yeop, Seo Jang-hoon… They are all star players. It is a famous game that defeated China, which was supported by Yao Ming at his peak. If you haven’t seen it, you’ll be surprised if you watch even the highlights.

And Young-jae hates the national team, but I think there is room for compromise. Of course, it will be difficult to compromise neatly. He doesn’t have much affection for Korea, but he doesn’t have much affection for the United States either, and he is just comfortable because he has lived there for a long time.

I sincerely thank the many readers who responded to the first survey, which could be a turning point in the work. Have a nice 3-day holiday~ See you tomorrow.

＠Young-jae’s skill improvement is still possible in various aspects. There is still a lot of room for improvement in dribbling and shooting skills, and he can grow a little more physically. If you make a body optimized for yourself, it will get a little better. It’s hard now because it’s in the middle of the season. And Young-jae’s athletic ability is not very bad.

＠There are still many comments about nationality issues until today, so I will re-comment from the next time.

＠I usually put basketball terms on the yard and write them in the afterword, but there was an opinion that this was inconvenient. So I also posted it in the work settings. Thank you to Human Ryu for your opinion!! Sorry for the late application ㅠ.ㅠ