"Pure talent overload!"
The draft analyst Chatford didn't hesitate. "Westbrook's dunk? Talent overload. And the #10 player, Snoopy, with that block? Talent overload as well. It may sound absurd, but I have to be honest, Snoopy's vertical speed surpasses the projected #1 pick, Beasley, and his strength is superior too."
Even Dennis Rodman and Shawn Kemp, he said, flashed in Snoopy's leap, though neither was known for shot-blocking.
The statement shocked even Reggie Miller, UCLA's legendary sharpshooter. "Talent overload? That sounds extreme…"
"I mean vertical explosion and raw power," Chatford clarified. "On those metrics, Snoopy clearly has the edge. Everything else, Beasley remains superior."
Miller nodded. "Fair. Snoopy won't get another easy block, though. If he stays planted in the paint, the offense has multiple ways to attack him…"
Before he could finish… BAM!
Bill Walker, storming the paint for a soaring dunk, was smacked mid-air by Snoopy's palm.
It was as if a sparrow's wings were snapped, helpless, suspended, then slammed to the hardwood.
The arena gasped.
ESPN immediately cut to replay.
Walker had dribbled upcourt, taken the ball at the free-throw line, faked his defender with a ruthless spin, then exploded into the lane. Both hands aimed for a violent dunk. He believed his strength exceeded Snoopy's, and wanted to restore pride after Beasley's earlier humiliation.
But at the apex, Snoopy leapt, a hand descending like a divine hammer. Walker's balance evaporated. The dunk attempt ended in chaos; he hit the floor hard, back pounding, gasping.
Reality hit.
"I… got blocked!"
A moment ago, he had aimed to impress scouts, now he was humbled.
Meanwhile, Westbrook finished a thunderous dunk on the other end, the crowd erupting in approval.
On the sidelines, Nina cheered loudly, waving her arms for her boyfriend.
Jennifer, sitting beside her, looked uneasy. "Isn't he a bit… rough? Could the coach dislike him for that?"
Nina laughed. "How could he not love Snoopy? He just created three defensive-to-offensive transitions in a row. Since he came in, the game changed. Right now, he's UCLA's best player!"
"Best player?" Jennifer's eyes brightened, but her mind hesitated. "But wasn't the dunk all Westbrook?"
"Westbrook benefited from Snoopy. The real MVP is Snoopy!" Nina emphasized. She knew basketball.
Jennifer tilted her head. "MVP?"
Nina groaned, swearing off explaining new terms again.
"Look, the gap is only five points now," Coach Holland said, turning toward the bench, hands on hips. "Snoopy isn't as bad as you think. He's a natural defender."
Luke Bamotte lowered his head. Facts didn't lie.
An economics major, trained for less than two weeks, was outperforming a fully trained center.
Assistant Coach Cole was equally frustrated. Why did Beasley and Walker still challenge the paint knowing Snoopy's shot-blocking prowess? Especially Walker, trying a leap-step, two-handed dunk? Who did he think he was, Tracy McGrady or Kobe Bryant?
"Write down his name," Pat Riley ordered to VP Leonard before Walker could be helped up. "Scout him immediately. If he declares, I want more info than any other team. Got it?"
Two blocks revealed Snoopy's potential. Riley was willing to use a second-round pick if the rookie kept producing like this.
Leonard was skeptical. Snoopy's defense relied on standing in the paint, safe in NCAA's no-three-second rule. Could he replicate this in the NBA against stronger, more athletic players?
He doubted it. But orders were orders.
Beep!
Kansas State called timeout.
"They'll adjust," Reggie Miller said, voice grave. "Coach Martin won't let a sub-6'4" kid dominate the paint. If UCLA expects Snoopy alone to drive defense-to-offense transitions, it's naive."
Miller's words sounded anti-UCLA, but he secretly hoped for a win. Inverse psychology, he told himself, would bend fate in their favor.
Chatford agreed: "Snoopy's weight and mobility are limitations. He can't leave the paint. If I were Coach Martin, I'd put Beasley on him directly."
Beasley versus Snoopy?
Miller froze. This rookie won't survive that.
The draft room and scouts collectively held their breath.
This was no longer an experiment. Snoopy's talent wasn't just noticeable, it was disruptive.
And the NCAA arena had just witnessed a small, untrained rookie shake the game in ways even the top prospects couldn't anticipate.