"Is it really like that…?!"
Curry grew even more confused.
At that moment, Steve Nash walked over, exchanged a look with Blake Su, and then pulled Curry aside for a private talk. Blake Su didn't hesitate—while the iron was hot, he sent Austin a text.
Glancing at Curry, Blake Su narrowed his eyes and thought to himself: Stephen Curry, tonight I blew you up on the court, hyped you up, and now I'm going to talk you into joining me.
...
40 points, 11 rebounds, 4 assists, 5 blocks.
With yet another dazzling 40+ performance, Blake Su led the Suns to victory. Their record improved to 5–8, climbing one spot to 12th in the Western Conference.
The next day.
"Defending champions Lakers massacre Philadelphia. Kobe Bryant pours in 38 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists, fully displaying the dominance of an FMVP."
—Fox Sports
"Phoenix Suns rookie center Blake Su scores 40+ in consecutive games. Is he the Suns' savior? The next Yao Ming?!"
—The Sacramento Bee
"Rookie center Blake Su posts back-to-back 40+ games, putting up Rookie of the Year–level numbers and overpowering the No. 1 pick John Wall and last year's top pick, the 'Beast' Griffin."
—The New Orleans Animal
"Drives and pull-up jumpers, perimeter mid-range shots—the 'guard-type' center Blake Su is storming the league with his one-of-a-kind offensive style."
—The Los Angeles Major News
Early in the morning, basketball headlines flooded in from all directions. Every major outlet was covering last night's thrilling games, with Kobe and Blake Su at the center of attention.
Among them,
Blake Su—with two straight 40-point games and such an unconventional offensive style—slightly stole the spotlight from Kobe, becoming the focus of even more media and fans.
As for Wall and Griffin,
two top picks overflowing with talent and solid stats, there was barely any buzz at all. In head-to-head comparisons, they had completely faded into Blake Su's background.
It made people sigh in amazement—Blake Su was truly strong.
Wizards locker room.
John Wall, resting inside, flipped through the newspapers. His body trembled slightly as he stared at Blake Su's photo and snorted,
"Blake Su, next time we meet, I'll blow you up."
Around the same time.
Clippers practice facility.
"What? Blake Su?"
"I got outshined by a center who didn't even enter the draft?"
Blake Griffin, who had been seriously practicing free throws, was stunned when he heard the news. After his teammate finished recounting Blake Su's recent performances,
Griffin stopped shooting, the corners of his mouth lifting into a smile.
"A center who loves shooting from the perimeter stole my spotlight? Blake Su… you're going a bit too far."
Meanwhile, inside the Lakers' practice facility.
"Swish!"
"Swish!"
"Swish!"
Kobe Bryant was drilling threes. After more than three hours of training, his touch was scorching hot, shot after shot dropping cleanly, leaving the younger players who had just arrived staring in awe.
"Swish!"
Another perfect three.
Kobe took a deep breath, finally satisfied, and walked over to the rest area. Pau Gasol came over with a towel and water, along with a basketball newspaper.
"Gulp, gulp~"
Kobe drank deeply, feeling refreshed, and opened the paper.
He shouldn't have looked.
The moment he did, his expression shifted slightly.
After torching Philadelphia for 38 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists the night before, he'd assumed today's headlines would be all about him.
Instead, Blake Su had taken a large share of the spotlight.
"Blake Su? Rookie?! Back-to-back 40+ games?"
Kobe's eyes flickered as he scanned the keywords.
Beside him,
Pau Gasol said, "Kobe, this rookie is a 'guard-type' center. He's fast, shoots accurately, and his style is really unique—he's very impressive."
"'Guard-type' center?"
Kobe smiled faintly, clearly intrigued. "Interesting. I'd really like to experience what it feels like to match up with a 215-centimeter guard."
...
The Suns' next game would be at home, so after beating the Warriors, the team flew back to Phoenix overnight.
Daytime rest.
4:00 p.m.
Austin came looking for him and met Blake Su at a café.
"Blake Su!"
Austin placed two contracts on the table and slid them over, getting straight to the point.
"Your first three games in the NBA were like a super center suddenly descending from the heavens.
You've already caused a huge stir around the league.
News that you're only on a short-term deal with the Suns has spread, and after you dropped back-to-back 40+ games and led the team to three straight wins, I've already received four calls.
All from NBA teams—every one of them wants to sign you."
Blake Su looked over the contracts as Austin continued.
"After filtering them, I think these two offers suit you best right now.
One is a four-year, $20 million offer from the Hornets.
The other is a three-year, $14 million offer from the Spurs.
The Spurs' offer is a bit lower, but they're a strong team—currently first in the West—and with Popovich's team-oriented basketball,
you'd have plenty of chances to perform and a real shot at winning a championship.
The Hornets' offer is already close to a No. 1 pick's level, and… they have an elite point guard in Paul. His passing could maximize your potential.
The downside is that the Hornets' championship prospects are a bit weaker.
Of course,
I think you can wait for now. With how you're playing, I'm confident even more teams will come calling, giving you more options."
"Mm."
Blake Su nodded slightly, agreeing, then asked,
"Austin, what kind of team do you think suits me best?"
"Uh…"
Austin thought for a moment. "Your ability speaks for itself. Better to be the head of a chicken than the tail of a phoenix—you shouldn't go to a powerhouse or a ready-made championship team.
But.
you do need a good point guard to support you."
"Right."
Blake Su nodded. "So the Spurs are off the table."
"Not exactly."
Austin shook his head. "The Spurs are strong, but they play team basketball. With them, you'd grow quickly, still have plenty of opportunities to perform, and you could win a championship.
That's why I kept their offer."
"With 'GDP' there, how much room would I really have to shine? And besides… winning a title alongside 'GDP' isn't that interesting. Winning it myself—that's perfect."
Buzz!
Austin froze, stunned for a few seconds, then laughed.
"Winning a championship as the sole star? Blake Su, your ambition is huge. It'll be extremely difficult—but I'll support you fully.
The Spurs really aren't the best choice."
"Exactly."
Blake Su took a sip of coffee and continued,
"The Hornets are a decent option. But the Suns, where I am now, have Steve Nash—one of the best passers there is. That's not bad either.
So there's no rush. Let's wait and see what other offers come in."
"Makes sense."
Austin nodded, looking at Blake Su with a hint of added admiration.
...
(40 Chapters Ahead)
p@treon com / GhostParser