Chapter 7
In the basketball club's locker room, Shinji Koganei and Junpei Hyūga come across an edition of Basketball Monthly featuring interviews with the Generation of Miracles. They search for an article about Tetsuya Kuroko but discover that every player is featured except him. When questioned about it, Kuroko calmly explains that they simply forgot about him. He doesn't seem bothered by being left out, emphasizing that he is nothing like the other prodigies.
Fukuda enters the locker room and informs the team that Riko Aida has returned from scheduling a practice game. Although he doesn't know the opponent, he mentions that Riko was skipping with excitement, a sign that the upcoming game will be tough. During practice, Riko reveals that their opponent is Kaijō High, a strong team on the national level that recently acquired one of the Generation of Miracles, Ryōta Kise.
Prior to their game, Kise decides to visit Seirin High. Effortlessly drawing the attention of numerous students, he quietly observes the team's practice before the gym becomes crowded with fans seeking autographs or a glimpse of him. Apologizing for causing a disturbance, Kise asks the basketball team if they can wait for five minutes until the students disperse. Once they are alone, Kise introduces himself as Kuroko's friend from middle school.
Kōki Furihata takes the opportunity to read Kise's interview in Basketball Monthly, discovering that his exceptional physical abilities and rapid growth made him a regular player despite starting basketball in his second year of middle school. Kise dismisses the article as an exaggeration, claiming that he is the worst among the five and that the others bullied him for it.
Their conversation is interrupted when Kagami suddenly throws a basketball at Kise. Reacting swiftly, Kise catches it with his hand, avoiding a direct hit. Kagami sarcastically apologizes for the interruption and challenges Kise to a 1-on-1 match. After a brief moment of contemplation, Kise agrees.
Kise begins the match by copying a move he had observed Kagami using during practice, causing Kagami to lose his balance from sheer force. Kuroko, watching from the sidelines, states that he doesn't recognize this version of Kise and underestimates how much the Generation of Miracles have improved in the months since their time at Teikō Junior High. Disappointed with the match after scoring once, Kise taunts Kuroko, suggesting that he should join him at Kaijō instead, claiming that Seirin is wasting his talents.