Capítulo 109: System Tasks Released Again - Help the Dream Team Win the Championship?
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"4:2, the Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Detroit Pistons, and the OK combination secured their fourth championship. They are the greatest partnership in the league since Jordan and Pippen!"
"The most dominant center in league history, Shaquille O'Neal, averaged 26+11 and won his fourth Finals MVP!"
"He was a standout in the 2003 class. He won the championship in his rookie season, averaging 18+5 in the finals. Wang Chong has become the strongest right-hand man of the OK combination!"
Overnight, the news of the Lakers winning the championship spread around the world.
Not only was it widely reported in the United States, but the news also reached China.
Although Wang Chong is a Chinese American, he became the first Chinese player in NBA history to win a championship as a starter.
Unlike Battelle, who won a ring with the Spurs the previous year, Wang Chong was a true core player, the third most important on the team after O'Neal and Kobe.
Wang Chong's championship ring carried a completely different weight compared to Battelle's. To put it simply, he earned a championship ring that he truly deserved.
Countless Chinese fans celebrated Wang Chong's victory but also felt regret. Why was such a talented player a Chinese American? If only he were a full-fledged Chinese player. With Wang Chong and Yao Ming playing together, Chinese basketball would surely rise. It may not surpass the American Dream Team, but it would certainly hold its own internationally.
In two months, the 2004 Athens Olympics would take place.
Earlier that year, the Chinese men's basketball team finalized its Olympic roster, led by Yao Ming. The lineup included players like Battelle, Zhu Fangyu, Li Nan, Du Feng, Guo Shiqiang, and others.
The Chinese team had high ambitions for the Olympics, aiming to make a strong impact.
However, the Olympics had nothing to do with Wang Chong at the moment.
As a Chinese American, Wang Chong would only be able to play for the United States in the Olympics.
In fact, due to his exceptional performance in his rookie season, Wang Chong had caught the attention of the U.S. men's national basketball team.
A few days after the NBA Finals, Wang Chong received a call from Larry Brown's assistant, the head coach of the U.S. men's basketball team.
"Hello, Mr. Wang Chong. Coach Larry would like you to participate in the tryouts for the U.S. Olympic basketball team."
Hearing this, Wang Chong raised his eyebrows.
It seemed his Finals performance had left quite an impression on Brown, who also coached the Pistons. Brown was now extending an olive branch to him.
However, Wang Chong was about to decline the offer without hesitation.
Who didn't know about the infamous 2004 U.S. Dream Team? They lost to Argentina in the Olympics, only securing the bronze medal, which was seen as a massive failure compared to previous Dream Teams.
From a future perspective, the 2004 Dream Team had a pretty luxurious lineup, led by Iverson and Duncan, with players like James, Wade, Anthony, Marbury, and Stoudemire.
But in 2004, James, Wade, and Anthony were just rookies with limited skills. Moreover, they were under Larry Brown, who was notorious for not trusting rookies. Their chances of getting significant playing time were slim.
The other players weren't much better. Of the 15 players selected for the 2003-04 All-NBA Team, only Duncan participated in the Olympics.
Imagine that! Of the 15 All-NBA selections, even after excluding a few international players, only Duncan made the Olympics.
Sure, with Wang Chong's current ability, if Larry Brown were willing to trust him, Wang Chong was confident he could help the U.S. Dream Team beat Argentina and win the gold.
Even when the Dream Team fell to Argentina in the semifinals, the final score was 89:81—a relatively close game.
Wang Chong's growth template was based on Kevin Durant, an NBA superstar known for being extremely effective under FIBA rules. His shooting ability was a nightmare for FIBA zone defenses, particularly his mid-range shots. Since FIBA's three-point line was shorter than the NBA's, Wang Chong's long two-point shots in the NBA would count as three-pointers under FIBA rules, making him nearly unstoppable.
If Larry Brown trusted him and gave him the same opportunities as Iverson, Wang Chong believed he could help the Dream Team defeat Argentina. And once they cleared that hurdle, beating Italy in the final would be a breeze.
But what was in it for Wang Chong?
Though he was a Chinese American, he still identified as Chinese before his time-travel experience. He was planning to renounce his U.S. citizenship and reclaim his Chinese citizenship. But before that, he needed to elevate his NBA status further to ensure that when he returned to China, his influence would be so strong that no one could ignore or underestimate him.
This was critical. He didn't want to end up like Wang Zhizhi.
Just as Wang Chong was about to decline, the system's voice suddenly rang in his ears.
"Ding! System task activated."
"Mission: Help the U.S. Dream Team win the Olympic gold medal and be named MVP."
"Upon completion, you will be able to select two teammates and let them copy your signature skill package."
This reward left Wang Chong stunned.
What is a signature skill package?
The system had never offered such rewards before.
Sensing Wang Chong's confusion, the system provided an explanation.
"NBA superstars possess unique skills that make them dominant on the court. Olajuwon's dream shake, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's skyhook, Iverson's crossover, and Nowitzki's fadeaway all fall under the category of signature skill packages."
"Once the host acquires a signature skill package, they can enter a learning space to study it in depth. Depending on their style of play and level of understanding, the replication success rate can range from 80% to 100%."
Wang Chong was intrigued. This was something new and exciting, unlike anything in 2K games.
A signature skill package!
According to the system, if he helped the U.S. Dream Team win the 2004 Olympic gold and earned the MVP award, he could choose two players from his teammates to copy their signature skill packages.
Although the 2004 Dream Team wasn't top-notch, in three or four years, this lineup would be a force to be reckoned with.
By 2008, the U.S. Dream Team, led by James, Wade, and Anthony, would dominate international basketball with their fast-break offense.
In the 2008 Beijing Olympics, the U.S. Dream Team used fast-breaks to overwhelm every opponent. While the rise of the small-ball era was partly due to the decline of traditional centers, it was also the result of high-pressure defense and fast transitions, which minimized the center's role.
It didn't matter how dominant O'Neal was in the paint—if the defenders couldn't bring the ball past half-court, no center could make an impact. Even if you had five O'Neals, without possession, you'd be running behind the opponent all game.
This Dream Team also had two players with notable signature skills: Iverson and Duncan.
Iverson's crossover was flashy, leaving defenders in the dust, while Duncan's 45-degree bank shot was steady and reliable. Both skills were highly practical and valuable to Wang Chong.
After strengthening his game, Wang Chong had raised his overall rating to 91 and improved his dribbling to 90, which was impressive.
But Wang Chong knew that while he had Durant's growth template, their playing styles weren't identical. He hadn't fully mastered Durant's dribbling and driving techniques.
Durant's ability to drive to the basket was often overshadowed by his incredible mid-range game. His dramatic change of direction, combined with his broad shoulders and long arms, made his drives nearly impossible to defend.
Durant relied on this move early in his career to make a name for himself in the NBA. Even when he won scoring titles, this skill remained a key part of his game. However, after two major injuries, particularly the Achilles tear, Durant's explosiveness diminished, and his reliance on mid-range jumpers increased.
Wang Chong wasn't sure if it would be amusing to see a 2.10-meter player trying to replicate Iverson's crossover, but with the system's promise of an 80% success rate, he was confident.
Even achieving 80% of Iverson's breakthrough would be a powerful weapon. For Wang Chong, who aimed to have more opportunities with the ball next season, it was a move worth learning.
Duncan's bank shot and Wade's Eurostep were also valuable skills.
As for James and Anthony... probably not.
Wang Chong joked to himself that if he chose James, would he develop a six-step layup? That would be embarrassing.
James' greatest strength was his physical talent—his size, toughness, and athleticism were unmatched—but his skills weren't as polished.
Anthony, on the other hand, was an offensive powerhouse with a variety of moves, but his versatility often meant he wasn't exceptional in any one area.
Wang Chong figured it was too early to worry about this before even attending the national team trials.
Within seconds of the system issuing the task, Wang Chong had gone through an entire mental debate.
He hadn't been interested in the Olympics before, but with the system's new task and rewards, his attitude changed completely.
Wang Chong adjusted his response.
"Alright, once everything with the Lakers is settled, I'll report to the national team for the tryouts."
Winning a championship didn't mean an immediate vacation.
The Lakers would hold a celebration banquet, and the team would meet with upper management to discuss plans for the summer and next season.
For Wang Chong, there were two important things on the agenda.
First, the Lakers would be seeking to extend his rookie contract.
In the NBA, rookies signed on a four-year deal. After the third season, teams could negotiate a contract extension or keep the player on their rookie contract through the fourth year.
If Wang Chong were an average player, the Lakers would likely keep him on his rookie deal for another year to maintain salary cap flexibility.
But Wang Chong was no ordinary rookie. He had just helped the Lakers win a championship, so extending his contract early was a priority for the team.
It was also in Wang Chong's interest. If he didn't get an extension this year, he'd have to wait another year. Who knew what could happen in that time? What if he got injured and his contract value decreased?
Therefore, when it came to securing his contract, both parties were eager to lock it down.
End of this chapter
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