Snoopy executed a mid-range jumper and then, without moving forward, launched a thunderous alley-oop dunk.
Even the basketball god, Michael Jordan, was captivated, his mind racing, as if he wanted to hand over a contract on the spot.
On the sideline, Coach Holland smiled broadly. Snoopy's coordination was still imperfect, he needed to pull hard on the rim after a dunk just to keep his balance, but the strategic goal had been achieved. Next, it was Stanford's turn to sweat.
"An Anderson College graduate really knows how to think through problems," Holland muttered to himself. He noticed Snoopy leaning close to Luke Bamotte, whispering something.
Everyone on the bench raised eyebrows. Weren't they on opposing sides? Why were they chatting? Trash talk? Strategy? Nobody could tell.
Meanwhile, Snoopy swapped defensive assignments with Kevin Love and moved toward Brook Lopez.
Brook Lopez was bigger than his brother Robin and, unlike Robin, had a complete offensive arsenal.
Snoopy, less than 6'4", was going to try to stop him?
"Crazy! Holland is crazy, and Snoopy is crazy too!" Bill Walton nearly lost it in the commentary booth. "This is nonsense! At his height, Snoopy can't even reach to foul!"
Brook Lopez, backing Snoopy down, sneered:
"Are you a showman? Do you like hearing the crowd go 'wow, look at that clown'?"
The Lopez brothers shared the same haughty attitude. In their eyes, Snoopy was just a laughable, hopping grasshopper, good for jumping, nothing else.
"Soon, you'll see why height is the number-one talent. Your so-called jumping is useless against my back," Brook Lopez said, taking the ball from point guard Jones and lowering his center of gravity.
Thunk!
He pressed against Snoopy with his massive frame. Snoopy barely budged. Thunk! Another shove, and Snoopy's back foot shifted slightly.
The two were nearly equal in strength. Brook Lopez was slightly stronger, at 123 kg versus Snoopy's 96 kg, but Snoopy's lower center of gravity and balanced upper-lower body strength made him immovable. Brook's upper body was stronger than his legs, so repeated pushes did nothing.
"Wow," Phoenix Suns GM Steve Kerr muttered, instructing his assistant: "Write down this kid's name. If he enters this year's draft, we need to invite him to Phoenix for a pro workout."
Net manager Vandeweghe gave the same order.
By this point, Snoopy had showcased three attributes: vertical leap, shooting, and strength. NBA scouts could no longer ignore him.
Brook Lopez, frustrated after two failed post moves, backed up slowly. Snoopy followed closely, eliminating any chance of a jump.
He didn't care about the height difference, he trusted his timing and instincts.
Brook Lopez attempted a slight fade-back shot, confident he'd outmatch Snoopy.
Whoosh!
But a black shadow shot up like an eagle, obliterating the ball with a forceful swat… smack!
The ball ricocheted into the crowd. Cheers erupted.
Luke Bamotte landed, arms raised, basking in the crowd's roar. He moved like a black eagle from the African savannah.
Snoopy calmly addressed Brook Lopez:
"You've got two things wrong. First, I'm not the showman, you are. Second, my jump isn't useless, at least your shot just got swatted to row eleven."
He paused, eyes steady.
"And finally, at your level, you can't talk down to me. I can dunk over your head, and you'll never do the same."
Snoopy's tone remained even and composed.
Brook Lopez's temper ignited. "What did you just say?"
"Oh, sorry, no offense," Snoopy corrected smoothly. "I meant neither of you brothers could dunk over me. To me, you're just… 'the essence of human wriggling.'"
Kevin Love stared in awe. Trash talk, it seemed, could be executed with sophistication.
Brook Lopez, however, wasn't in the mood to appreciate sophistication. He was humiliated. He swore he would slam-dunk Snoopy with both hands next possession, he would posterize him, literally put him through the floor, dunk him back to his grandmother's womb.
Whistle!
The referee handed the ball to Robin Lopez. Stanford still had possession.
"Check if we have a second-round pick," Kerr muttered.
Even though Luke Bamotte had just made the spectacular play, both NBA GMs, Kerr and Van Der Veer, were more focused on Snoopy. They were already strategizing how to bring him to their teams if he declared for the draft.
Snoopy's combination of skill, timing, and poise had made him impossible to ignore.
Brook Lopez now received the ball outside. His eyes narrowed.
This time, he wanted to dunk.