Chapter 7: Challenging Towns, Are You Awake?
Chicago, UnitedStates
UnitedCenter
The arena buzzed with energy. General managers, head coaches, and scouts filled the sidelines, their eyes locked on the court.
Today's scrimmage was highly anticipated—a preview of this year's top center prospects.
Two teams took the floor: RedTeam vs BlueTeam.
Red Team Starting Lineup:
Point Guard: D'Angelo Russell
Shooting Guard: Terry Rozier
Small Forward: Pat Connaughton
Power Forward: Larry Nance Jr.
Center: Adrian Cross
The moment Adrian's name was called, heads turned. Scouts remembered his explosive combine performance—but now it was time to see him in live action.
Blue Team Starting Lineup:
Point Guard: Emmanuel Mudiay
Shooting Guard: Devin Booker
Small Forward: Trey Lyles
Power Forward: Willie Cauley-Stein
Center: Karl-Anthony Towns
Towns, Booker, and Cauley-Stein had solid chemistry from their time at Kentucky, making this matchup particularly tense.
Adrian stretched under the basket, feeling Karl-Anthony Towns' eyes on him—sharp, appraising, and full of skepticism.
"You don't really think you can beat me, do you?" Towns' gaze seemed to challenge him silently.
Adrian smirked. Trashtalk was part of the game in America. He had no fear:
"You talk a lot for someone so average," he murmured under his breath, not loud enough for the crowd, just to himself.
The referee tossed the ball high. Both men jumped.
JUMP BALL!
Towns had a slight height advantage and incredible reach. He was used to dominating the jump ball.
But Adrian's explosivevertical was unmatched. Even jumping slightly after Towns, Adrian rose like a rocket, tipping the ball to the Red Team's side.
The arena fell silent, then erupted in disbelief.
"Did he just…?" muttered MitchKupchak.
Byron Scott, leaning forward, shook his head: "That vertical… reaction… explosiveness… this is not normal for a seven-foot center."
Towns landed, stunned.
For the first time, he had to lookupathisopponent during a jump ball.
D'Angelo Russell dribbled the ball upcourt. Adrian whispered quietly, "D'Angelo, want to improve your draft stock?"
Russell raised an eyebrow. "How?"
"Pass me the ball," Adrian replied confidently.
Russell gave a sly smile. "I won't."
Before Adrian could ask why, Russell attacked the basket himself. Mudiay stuck tightly on defense. Russell faked, changed direction, and went for a floater—the ball rimmed out.
"Rebound!"
Towns positioned himself under the basket, ready to use his strength. But Adrian, with a slighthipbumpandperfectcorecontrol, shifted Towns off balance.
He grabbed the rebound with one hand and thundered a dunk overCauley-Stein before landing.
Score:2-0.
Adrian turned to Russell. "Pass me next time, assists are easy."
Russell shrugged. "With you cleaning up under the basket, why would I?" He grinned: "I can shoot freely—if I miss, you'll get it."
Adrian paused, impressed despite himself.
Meanwhile, Towns' face shifted between disbelief and frustration.
He realized the game had started… and Adrian Cross wasn't just an obstacle—he was a force of nature.