JR Smith's childhood and teenage years were spent on the street basketball courts, where he saw all kinds of people every day. There were those with half their butts showing, those in ragged clothes, and even those in a clean white shirt with needle marks all over their arms.
After being exposed to it all, he developed a tough, gritty personality.
From a young age, the most common assessment people made about JR Smith was:
"This guy is really weird!"
Now, he really wanted to drag Su Wan in front of those people to show them what a real "weirdo" was!
"You can't be serious, you can't be saying you're going to show me some color in front of the cameras and then not dare to trash-talk to my face, right?" JR Smith's face was dark, but still, he refrained from trash-talking, leaving Su Wan no choice but to pull his big move, "Are you even a man?"
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The peak of cheekiness, combined with a soul-crushing question.
Forget JR Smith, even Su Wan wanted to punch himself after saying that: too damn low!
As expected, JR Smith took the bait, unable to contain his rage as he said, "Damn it, I'll make you, this frog in the well, understand what real basketball is. Just wait until I make you cry!"
"..."
This guy really graduated from high school, not kindergarten?
Su Wan knew that JR Smith wasn't a "master of trash talk," but he didn't expect him to be this bad at it. Between him and Larry Bird, there was at least a Michael Jordan's worth of difference. But who cares, at least the goal was achieved.
As soon as Smith's voice faded, Su Wan heard a system notification in his mind:
"Ding, host detected being subjected to trash talk, system activated, opening 'The zone' function!"
"Ding, 'The zone' function is now open, please host choose when to activate it!"
Right now!
"The zone," activate!
Without a second's hesitation, Su Wan immediately activated "zone" mode. — He knew his physical fitness couldn't support a full game, but hey, this was his only card to play right now, wasn't it?
He felt a surge of commanding power, his whole body instantly revitalized, his eyes sparkling with energy, almost making him want to shout out loud: I, Hu Han San, have returned!
Is this...
Because I let him cuss me out?
Watching him bursting with satisfaction, JR Smith was even more convinced that he was dealing with a supreme weirdo.
"The ball!"
A confident shout, one that could be used to sing baritone.
This time, the teammate dribbling the ball across half-court showed no displeasure on his face, he quickly approached Su Wan, ensuring he received the ball comfortably – a world of difference from his attitude at the beginning of the game. —That's basketball for you, the identity of a first-round number 10 pick can force a teammate to pass the ball, but it doesn't automatically mean they hold you in high regard. However, once you put on a good show, their respect will be evident in their actions.
Otherwise, why would some "team leaders" constantly get chirped by former teammates behind their backs? It's because deep down, they remain unconvinced!
With his eyes locked on Su Wan, JR Smith immediately stepped up, using his exceptional explosive power to rapidly close the distance, his hand soaring towards the basketball in Su Wan's right hand, attempting to slap it away.
Su Wan's eyes and hands were quicker, spotting JR Smith's move, he guessed his intention and shifted the ball behind his back to his left hand. —Before the game, he had specifically read JR Smith's scouting report. Just like Allen Iverson, he loved gambling on steals. Such a defensive approach, when successful, would make the highlight reels, but if it failed, it would lead to complete disarray.
"Pop!"
The left hand wasn't Su Wan's preferred hand, but with no obstacles ahead, he made his way to the basket and, with a powerful, thunderous two-handed slam dunk, scored the opening points for the Cavaliers.
Cheers immediately erupted from the sidelines as if they had been waiting for a long time. If one got close to the stands, they could hear a few fans shouting to their companions:
"See, I told you you've never seen a Huaxia person play basketball this good!"
"I'm telling you, the show's just starting..."
"Last game, in the final 10 minutes, he scored 15 points, making the Lakers' rookie this year collapse onto the floor."
...
"15 minutes, JR, it takes me just 15 minutes to take care of you!"
Smith's father was also a professional basketball player, and his competitive spirit and fiery temper often led him to challenge the starters in a reserve role. Smith inherited his father's basketball talent and fiery temper. Su Wan's taunts only made him angrier. Originally intending to go solo with the ball straight from the backcourt, now he was reckless, seeing nothing but the basket.
And that's exactly what Su Wan wanted—his lack of calm and irrationality.
The scouting report rated Smith's dribbling abilities as above an A.
But in reality, on the NBA-level court, dribbling and breakthroughs had always been his weak spots. He was better at bombing the basket after catching alley-oops, not dribbling past the opponent continuously and finishing with a layup.
It wasn't that his dribbling skills were substandard; rather, his dribbling rhythm was too formulaic.
Su Wan's aggressive defense exposed another weakness of JR's: the common ailment of high school rookies—lack of physical strength in confrontations.
Compared to him, Su Wan's physical strength had reached the level of a League substitute, a solid mid-tier standard. In "The zone" mode, he had peak control over his body.
In a stumbling offense, JR Smith was having a hard time. At this moment, his mind was heated, and he had no intention of passing the ball. Forcing physical play, he got to the free-throw line and, under Su Wan's tight defense, took a difficult shot that missed.
Su Wan took the defensive rebound from his teammate's hands and, without a second thought, propelled the counterattack.
"Get back on defense, JR!"
Summer League head coaches generally don't coach during the game; they just watch the clock and substitute players according to plan. Their main task is to observe the status of the players on the court. Many players' contracts, whether they turn into guaranteed contracts or not, depend on their observational reports.
But now, looking at JR Smith who was still annoyed with his shot selection and completely unaware of the fast break on the other side, the Hornets' Summer League head coach reminded loudly.
It was a habit.
In his mind, he cursed:
Damn high school kid, why not learn some "defensive awareness" by playing in NCAA for a year or two first!
However, just 5 seconds later, another scene on the court made his blood pressure rise:
Back on defense and just finding his footing, JR Smith stood as Su Wan already crossed half-court with the ball, only two steps away. Thank heavens, this time JR didn't rush toward the ball.
But his poor defensive habits made his defense as flimsy as paper. With just a simple "Sam Gold," Smith, who only had eyes for the ball, "consciously" moved aside. To the unaware, it looked like he had run into a juggler.
With an open lane, Su Wan charged towards the basket "like shooting fire into the sky."
"Bang!"
Another slam dunk.
"JR, looks like I overestimated you, I'll solve you within 10 minutes and let you know what real basketball is!"
Returning the words exactly, JR glared at him angrily, speechless.
Su Wan had more to say:
"High schooler, welcome to the professional league!"