Chapter 42: The Contrast of Herb Sendek
**
*North Carolina*
Wang Song woke up to the vibration of his phone, now flooded with missed calls. Turning it on after a night of silence, he stared at the overwhelming number of notifications and felt a slight headache forming.
After a quick wash, he prepared to head out to the training facility for his daily grind. But before leaving, he accessed the system panel to review the steady experience points he'd accumulated from the last game.
To his surprise, as soon as he opened the panel, two notifications chimed in quick succession:
> "Congratulations, host, on completing the quest 'Rookie Awakening.' Lead the North Carolina Wolfpack to claim the 2003 NCAA Championship and become the MOP!"
>
> "Completion Reward: 10,000 EXP. The Badge Module is now unlocked!"
Wang Song's stats appeared on the panel:
**Name:** Wang Song
**Height:** 213 cm
**Weight:** 95 kg
**Attributes:**
- Athleticism: 99
- Rebounding: 99
- Interior Defense: 99
- Finishing: 87
- Post Moves: 70
- Mid-Range Shooting: 70
- Three-Point Shooting: 60
- Playmaking: 70
- Perimeter Defense: 70
- Steals: 70
**Available EXP:** 16,272
The sudden influx of experience points jolted him out of his groggy state. He had been so focused on "March Madness" games that he'd nearly forgotten about this primary quest.
He wasted no time. The final game had revealed the glaring importance of finishing ability under the basket, so Wang poured 12 points directly into "Finishing," maxing it out. With 4 points remaining, he decided to hold off on allocating them for now, opting to grind more steady EXP in upcoming training sessions.
Next, he turned his attention to the newly unlocked **Badge Module**—a feature that promised to revolutionize his gameplay.
> **Badge Module Unlocked!**
> Initial badges awarded: *Finishing Maestro, Fastbreak Initiator, Rebounding Elite (Silver)*
Wang Song inspected the badges, curious about their effects:
1. **Finishing Maestro:** Improves post-contact stability and increases finishing success rate by 30%.
2. **Fastbreak Initiator:** Enhances first-pass accuracy by 50% following a defensive rebound.
3. **Rebounding Elite:** Increases rebounding attributes by 12 points for better board control.
Seeing the dramatic boosts these badges provided, Wang couldn't hide his excitement. With these bonuses, his interior presence and transitional play would soar to new heights.
The system also introduced an intriguing progression system for badges. They were categorized into Bronze, Silver, and Gold tiers, with Silver being the default for new badges.
To unlock new Bronze badges or upgrade existing ones:
- **Unlock/Upgrade to Silver:** 10,000 EXP
- **Upgrade to Gold:** 20,000 EXP
Wang couldn't help but laugh at the absurdity.
"So, the system's grooming me to be the basketball equivalent of Thanos, huh?"
After organizing his thoughts, Wang set off for the training facility, ready to face another day of hard work.
---
At the North Carolina Wolfpack training facility, head coach Herb Sendek was in his office, looking utterly frazzled. His phone rang incessantly, buzzing with calls and messages. He glanced at it with disdain before decisively turning it off.
For the past few days, NBA teams had been bombarding him with offers, promising lucrative contracts if he could sway Wang Song toward their franchises. Some offers even included a potential role for Sendek as an NBA assistant coach.
But Sendek wasn't tempted. He knew his future hinged entirely on Wang Song's decision. Until the young prodigy chose his destination, Sendek planned to stay firmly planted at the college.
The sound of a door opening snapped him out of his thoughts.
"Coach!" Wang greeted warmly, stepping inside.
Sendek looked visibly relieved. "Wang, you're finally here. By the way, did you see that shabby-looking Italian guy at the entrance?"
Wang raised an eyebrow in confusion.
"He claims he's Michael Jordan's agent, but with that wrinkled suit of his? Not a chance! Don't let anyone fool you, Wang. Not everyone has your best interests at heart."
Jordan's agent? Wang's mind wandered briefly, recalling the faces he'd passed on his way in, but none stood out.
Sendek, however, was far from done.
"Listen, the real reason I called you here is... Wang, I've been bombarded with questions from NBA teams about you. They're all dying to know your next move. Some have even offered me a spot as an assistant coach if I can convince you to join them!"
Sendek's candidness elicited a hearty laugh from Wang.
"Coach, I never expected you'd have an NBA dream of your own. Don't worry, we'll figure it out. You've got my support."
Sendek, still slightly embarrassed, shrugged sheepishly.
Their conversation shifted. "By the way, Wang, I wanted to discuss something with you."
"Shoot," Wang said.
"If I leave the North Carolina Wolfpack, do you think Jim—the assistant coach—could take over as head coach?"
Wang pondered the request, then smiled. "If that's what you want, Coach, I'll back it. Jim's a solid choice."
Sendek, touched by Wang's loyalty, patted his chest in assurance.
"Consider it done! I'll make sure the university gives Jim his due chance."
Check out my P@treon for advance chapter on p@treon.com/Twilight_scribe1
*(End of Chapter)*