Chapter 21: Just a Few Words: Please Don’t Doubt Zack’s Handsome Looks, Which Are Just Like Yours, Esteemed Readers.
First off, to those few esteemed readers who might not be reading carefully, please don’t let your mind wander when you see the words "Air Charles." The setting clearly states that "Air Charles" is simply a badge designed to increase Zack’s knee endurance. (Think of it as a cheat to reduce injury risk.)
Secondly, to enhance immersion, I, the author, have repeatedly emphasized in the book that Zack’s looks after his weight loss will definitely be as handsome as yours, esteemed readers. So, how could any esteemed reader imagine such a muscular, handsome guy as "fat-headed and big-eared"?
Moreover, it’s been explicitly stated many times in the book that Zack’s other great talents include having sufficiently wide shoulders and a sufficiently large frame.
Think about Michael Jordan in his later years—how solid were his arms? Think about Kobe Bryant during the period he wanted to post up—how thick were his arms? Even Charles Barkley in his prime could only be described as robust, far from "fat." If you don’t believe me, look at the pictures; where is Barkley fat?
Here, I must speak fairly for Barkley: his "fat-headed and big-eared" appearance only existed during the offseason and after his retirement.
It’s important to remember that for the sport of basketball, being strong does not equate to being fat.
Are some esteemed readers perhaps of the opinion that playing basketball nowadays must prioritize thinness, preferably a physique with a slender waist, thin arms, and thin legs, like some popular young idols?
But can that kind of body really play basketball? Given the intensity of inside play in the NBA, wouldn’t such a physique mean immediate bone fractures upon debut?
Also, judging by the shoulder width and wingspan I’ve described for Zack, a "mantis-like" physique like Kevin Durant’s wouldn’t suit him either! (Surely no one genuinely thinks Durant is a super handsome guy with an amazing physique, right? That would be absolutely bizarre.)
In short, given that Zack’s height will gradually increase to 208 centimeters when he activates the system after acquiring the model fine-tuner, even if—and pay attention, this is a big "if"—he gains muscle and weight to over 125 kilograms in the future, he will still be a muscular handsome guy whose looks are no less than yours, esteemed readers.
This is because he is a full 10 centimeters taller than another "Barkley successor" in real life, Zion Williamson.
You see, Zion’s weight gain is primarily due to his true weight, at his heaviest, reportedly reaching 140 kilograms while being only "198 centimeters" barefoot, with an extremely high body fat percentage.
But can our Old Zack be as undisciplined as Zion?
Based on the descriptions of Old Zack’s mindset and self-discipline across these twenty Chapters, if I were to make him undisciplined, I’d be contradicting myself.