Seijō City.
The Universiade Arena of Civil Affairs Vocational and Technical College.
"Beep—beep—beeeeeep!!!"
With a long, piercing whistle, the 19th CUBA Men's National Championship Final officially came to an end.
Yanda University's men's basketball team defeated the host team, Waseda University, 81–68, claiming the ultimate championship title.
Within the Yanda squad, their most lethal weapon—Ogawa Tetsuya—rightfully secured the tournament's MVP honor.
At that very moment
Standing atop the championship podium, basking in victory, a long-forgotten mechanical chime echoed inside Ogawa Tetsuya's mind.
[Congratulations to the host for leading Yanda University to the national championship and earning Finals MVP!
The "Supreme Dominance System" has been successfully activated!]
[Reward granted: Master-level English proficiency!]
[Reward granted: Los Angeles Lakers Training Camp Contract!]
[Reward granted: Peak "Great Shark" Talent and Abilities!]
[Would you like to integrate?]
Peak Great Shark?!
Ogawa Tetsuya's pupils contracted violently.
"Yes!" he confirmed without the slightest hesitation.
In the next instant
A terrifying surge of power flooded every muscle fiber in his body.
At the same time, an immense volume of NBA basketball knowledge poured into his mind
court awareness, positioning, footwork, post moves, timing—
Along with the brutal techniques and real-game experience of the Great Shark himself.
Simple.
Savage.
An absolute interior annihilation machine.
If you have Jordan, choose Jordan.
If not—choose the Shark.
Three days later.
Inside Yanda University's student gymnasium.
Yanda's team leader—and the newly crowned CUBA MVP—Ogawa Tetsuya, stood before Coach Ishida to say goodbye.
"What?! What did you just say?!"
"You're going to… chase the NBA?!"
"That's right. And I've already received an invitation to the Lakers' Summer League."
"Oh—just Summer League?"
"Hah, you scared me. I thought you were stubborn enough to force your way straight into the NBA."
Ogawa Tetsuya shook his head.
"If I'm going, then I'm staying.
And I'm not just playing—I'm going to make a name for myself."
With the Peak Great Shark talent empowering him, Ogawa Tetsuya's gaze was unwavering, brimming with confidence.
Coach Ishida—who had been counting on him to help Yanda defend their CUBA title next year—began earnestly persuading him.
"Ogawa Tetsuya, are you messing with me?
It's been four or five years since a player from our country last appeared in the NBA!"
"And now the league is all about small ball.
You're a seven-footer—trying to survive there will be extremely difficult!"
"If you'd been born ten or fifteen years earlier, I'd believe you could stand firm in the NBA with your talent and work ethic."
"But times have changed.
Traditional centers are being reduced to blue-collar players—or outright liabilities."
"My advice? Go play in the CBA instead.
Less physical punishment, fewer injuries, and the pay is way better than being an NBA fringe player."
Ogawa Tetsuya understood that the coach meant well.
But stepping onto an NBA court had always been his dream.
Whether in his previous life
or now, being reborn again.
"That's only because the league doesn't have a truly dominant center anymore."
The moment the words left his mouth, Ogawa Tetsuya started dribbling—then exploded forward like lightning.
One step inside the free-throw line
He planted hard, launched upward, and smashed the ball through the rim with both hands.
BANG!
The rim screamed as he yanked it downward, the entire stanchion swaying violently.
Fast.
Overbearing.
Every movement was fluid, seamless—completed in a single breath.
Coach Ishida stood frozen, eyes bulging in disbelief.
This… this…
Since when did Ogawa Tetsuya's strength become this terrifying?!
And those dribble moves just now—he moved like a guard!
"Coach," Ogawa Tetsuya said calmly,
"This is my confidence.
This is why I'm going to the NBA."
One week later.
With everything arranged, Ogawa Tetsuya boarded a flight to Las Vegas.
Invited by the Lakers, he would participate in the Summer League
provided he passed the tryout.
Over the past few days, Ogawa Tetsuya had thoroughly studied the Lakers' roster and organization.
Though he had been a die-hard Lakers fan in both his past life and this one,
watching a legendary franchise and playing for it were two entirely different matters.
Thanks to his Master-level English, Ogawa Tetsuya had no trouble finding the hotel listed on the invitation.
The team assistant in charge of reception was a cheerful, chubby middle-aged man who greeted him with a broad smile.
"Tetsuya! Welcome! Here's your room key."
"Oh—great. Thank you very much."
The man was a chatterbox, talking nonstop as he escorted Ogawa Tetsuya to check in.
He rambled about why basketball players from Japan were always so tall,
and whether all Chinese people—like Jackie Chan—knew kung fu.
He clearly had a deep impression of Big Yao, believing that people from the same country must all be humble and polite.
"Hey, Tetsuya—this is the address of the gym where you'll meet the team tomorrow.
Best of luck with the tryout."
Before leaving, he offered an extra word of encouragement.
He had a very positive impression of this towering young man, thinking that even if Ogawa Tetsuya made it to the NBA, he'd surely be a gentle, well-mannered big guy.
But would someone who had fused with Shaquille O'Neal's peak talent and abilities really become a harmless presence on the NBA's cutthroat stage?
Absolutely not.
The next morning, 9:00 a.m.
After receiving the assistant's notice, Ogawa Tetsuya headed straight to the Lakers' Summer League tryout gym.
Upon arrival, he was surprised to find nearly twenty young players of different skin colors, chatting and waiting inside.
Whoosh
The moment Ogawa Tetsuya entered, he instantly drew everyone's attention.
A tall guy with yellow skin and black hair?
Damn—he's built. That physique doesn't look Asian at all.
Their expressions varied
surprise, confusion, indifference, coldness, disdain, and outright contempt.
At that moment, a bald Black man with a trimmed mustache approached.
It was Brian Shaw, the Lakers' lead assistant coach.
He looked Ogawa Tetsuya up and down and asked in an even tone:
"You're Ogawa Tetsuya, from Japan?"
"Yes. This is my invitation."
Ogawa Tetsuya handed it over, standing tall—neither humble nor arrogant.
Brian Shaw casually flipped through it, then pointed toward the warm-up area.
"Go warm up over there.
The tryout will start shortly."