CHAPTER 46: CHAPTER 32 I REFUSE! (NEW BOOK SEEKING COLLECTION, MONTHLY TICKETS, RECOMMENDATION TICKETS!)

Two days later, Qin Yue met with Grover and his team.

At Grover’s request, Qin Yue demonstrated his shooting, dribbling, passing, and post-up techniques on the training court.

"Your shooting release point is high enough, but the way you jump doesn’t fully capitalize on your explosive speed," Grover commented on Qin Yue’s shooting.

Next, Grover sharply critiqued Qin Yue’s dribbling: "You have a habit of staring at the basketball while dribbling, in my opinion, even my grandma could stop your breakthrough."

After a pause, Grover added: "Of course, I must praise your balance while dribbling.

It’s truly incredible, do you have a secret to training coordination and flexibility?

Even Kevin Garnett couldn’t match your coordination while dribbling.

Your dribbling feels like that of a... 6-foot-11 Grant Hill."

When it came to passing and post-up, Grover didn’t have much to advise Qin Yue on.

Because the former isn’t something that can be easily taught.

As for the latter, Grover noticed that while he could nitpick many flaws in Qin Yue’s post-up techniques, his grasp of rhythm was already quite polished.

"Why would ESPN use Andrei Kirilenko as your template?

I mean no offense to ’AK,’ but based on my first impression of you...

Charles Barkley’s assessment of you is actually more accurate."

In the training hall, after feeling Qin Yue’s arms, which seemed as though they were made of steel, Grover, who had an obsessive admiration for perfect muscles, said: "Judging by your muscle lines, you certainly spend a lot of time in the gym."

Grover truly admired Qin Yue’s muscular physique.

At this moment, examining this handsome oriental man with eyebrows as sharp as swords and eyes like stars, Grover smiled and said: "Even a 20-year-old Michael Jordan wasn’t as handsome and upright as you are today."

That day, after spending several hours thoroughly understanding Qin Yue’s basketball skills and both static and dynamic talents, Grover didn’t rush to devise a training plan for Qin Yue.

Because typically, Grover takes some time to understand the character and ambition of his clients.

As a legendary trainer, Grover has guided hundreds of top athletes from the four major sports leagues in the United States.

His past experiences have long taught him that to help an athlete grow, you must not only understand their talents but also what kind of athlete they aspire to be.

Back then, Grover saw Michael Jordan’s insatiable hunger for basketball in his fiery gaze.

Now, after half a day of interaction, Grover could confirm that he had found another young player similar to Jordan.

At this moment, just the thought of torturing Qin Yue through various high-intensity training to push his limits made Grover immensely excited.

Of course, before tormenting Qin Yue, Grover didn’t forget his other mission.

"My boss, or should I say my former boss, has already set the time and place."

Although Qin Yue already knew through Rachel, this ’inside source,’ that Jordan wanted to meet him, hearing Grover mention the specifics of when and where this meeting would occur still struck him to some extent.

"When does he want to meet me?"

"Tomorrow." (Note ①)

...

In 1998, after once again leading the Chicago Bulls to three consecutive NBA championships, Jordan told the world: "For me, retiring has no burden. I have nothing more to pursue, otherwise, I wouldn’t think about retiring."

Yet soon, Jordan discovered that the world after retirement was completely different from what he imagined.

Though he had been quite generous in stating that there are no perfect players in this world, and he didn’t believe he’s the only "greatest player,"

when the media compared emerging NBA stars with him, he still couldn’t help his inner feelings.

It was like that when he first retired.

Outwardly, he was Michael Jordan, who had left the basketball world.

But those who knew him understood that whenever there was a chance, Jordan would inquire about the emerging NBA stars from his Bulls teammate BJ Armstrong.

Even, when Armstrong praised those emerging stars, on the phone, Jordan would have Armstrong compare these up-and-comers to himself.

And only when he heard satisfactory answers would he stop this endless inquiry.

This is Michael Jordan.

He never hides his competitiveness.

In the future, there are many explanations for Jordan choosing to return with the Wizards.

But there’s one reason, which even Jordan himself admitted.

That is, as people saw it, this God of Basketball must have been spurred by young players like Kobe and Carter to make his second comeback.

However, looking back on his Wizards career...

If time could turn back, Jordan would definitely give himself a slap in the face.

In the future, NFL star Ray Lewis revealed in interviews that Jordan had privately expressed regret multiple times about wearing the Wizards jersey.

Now, with a deep gaze gazing out the window, no matter how many more cigars he lights, just thinking of the pain 2003 brought him makes Jordan feel like that invisible scar on his chest will never heal.

Yes, it will never heal.

On the court, the only thing his Wizards career proved was that he was no longer the invincible Michael Jordan of the past.

And off the court, it was even more of a mess.

After completely falling out with the Wizards, Jordan tried many ways to ease his mind.

But whether it was the calming golf games he used to enjoy, the all-night parties, or the unrestricted gambling at casinos, none could soothe Jordan’s mood.

Currently, the only thing comforting to Jordan...

might be the imminent addition of the Charlotte Bobcats to the league.

Although he hasn’t officially become a minor shareholder of the Bobcats yet, having already reached a private agreement with Robert Johnson, he at least had another basketball-related job in his leisure time.

Which is to use his unique vision as the God of Basketball to help the Bobcats, this new NBA team, scout talents all over.

In 2005, no one would doubt that Raymond Felton and Sean Mei were favored by the Bobcats because of their relationship with Jordan as alumni.

In 2006, similarly, no one would doubt that it was Jordan’s almost obsessive fascination with the identity of "Bird’s successor" that led the Bobcats to choose Adam Morrison.

In short, using his unparalleled insight to select one genius after another for the Bobcats was undoubtedly the most satisfying thing for Jordan in the foreseeable future.

"Hey, Michael, he’s here."

In a private basketball training facility in Charlotte, after being interrupted by an assistant, Jordan, already changed into his sports gear, slightly raised the corners of his mouth and said, "I hope he lives up to Henry James’s evaluation."

...

How would one describe Qin Yue’s first impression of Jordan?

From appearance...

Qin Yue noticed that he seemed to have gained twenty or thirty pounds since last year when he played for the Wizards.

His face was rounder, his waist broader, and even his thighs felt thicker.

And in the training facility, after scrutinizing Qin Yue for quite a while...

Jordan deliberately called Grover to his side first.

Soon after, the puzzled Qin Yue, wondering why Jordan wanted to meet him, quickly found out the answer.

"Lynn told me Henry James said you are an enhanced athletic version of Larry Bird."

After finishing his questions to Grover, Jordan looked up and continued to scrutinize Qin Yue.

At this moment, Qin Yue instantly understood why Jordan was so eager to meet him.

Because Qin Yue, as someone who’s been through it, knows very well that Jordan is still that curious Michael Jordan when it comes to promising young talents in the basketball world, especially fond of the "Bird successor."

In the future, as time progresses, Jordan might reduce his focus on these basketball geniuses.

But, not now.

Moreover, Qin Yue is very aware that during this period, whenever a talent emerges that could impress Jordan, he will spare no effort to personally verify it with his unique vision.

Especially when seeing those young talents flustered upon meeting him, Jordan would often show a satisfied expression.

For example, when LeBron James was 16 years old, Jordan deliberately planned a chance encounter during his game in Chicago.

While James was receiving guidance from Grover in Chicago, Grover suddenly told him that he needed to wait a while after the training session.

Then, James and his friend Carter were awestruck.

Because when a luxury car pulled into the parking lot, it was Michael Jordan who stepped out from it.

This encounter was absolutely one of Jordan’s proudest moments.

Although in James’s story, this encounter greatly motivated him when he was young and filled him with the drive to play basketball.

But in reality...

For Jordan, this encounter was more of a spontaneously devised "prank."

Jordan enjoys these exceptionally talented youngsters.

But he also deeply enjoys watching the incredulous, astonishing expressions they display upon seeing him.

However...

Contrary to what he imagined before meeting Qin Yue, after scrutinizing him for several minutes...

Jordan realized that the young man standing before him today wasn’t nervous about meeting him...

Furthermore... was there a hint of disappointment in his eyes?

In the training facility, Jordan was anxious.

It proved that Qin Yue indeed followed in the footsteps of Duncan.

Because in unsettling others, Qin Yue, like Duncan, doesn’t even need to speak.

"I know, your current reputation is very high, but some things need to be seen firsthand to distinguish their truth.

How about it, would you like to play a match with this retired old man?" Looking at Qin Yue’s calm expression, Jordan decided to unleash his big move early.

In Jordan’s eyes, although he’s retired, if he issued an invitation, probably half of the league’s young players would want to play a match with him.

But again, surprisingly for Jordan, Qin Yue didn’t show the expression he imagined but instead...

"Are you hoping to test my skills through a match?" Qin Yue asked politely and sincerely.

"Of course, as a match is the best way to test a player’s skills." Jordan replied, suppressing his inner displeasure.

"Then I refuse."

"Um... um?"

The next second, looking at the bewildered Jordan, Qin Yue gave his reason, "If it’s to test my skills, you should at least call a few players who match my skill level."

At this moment, Jordan could hardly believe his ears.

But immediately, he adjusted from his shocked expression, "Hey, kid, do you think I’m not qualified to test your skills?"

Qin Yue, after scrutinizing Jordan for a while, said, "If it were during your playing days, it would certainly be my honor to play a match with you.

But please forgive my bluntness, given your current status and position...

If I were to exert my full effort in a match, I genuinely worry that I might injure you."

Jordan: "..."

...

Note①: There were issues with the original version of Chapter 31; the original text was "to make himself go to Charlotte during the summer vacation," which has now been amended to "make himself take the time to go to Charlotte." This correction is to avoid any misunderstanding by readers following the book in real-time.

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