Chapter 16: Excel’s Unchallenged Lead

The main campus of the University of Connecticut is located in the Storrs district of Mansfield, while the law school is situated in Hartford, the state capital. Founded in 1881, this venerable institution received a state government grant in 1995, with a billion dollars earmarked for comprehensive campus development.

Construction has already begun in parts of the main campus, but Li You hasn’t visited often over the past two years, spending most of his time at the law school. Connecticut’s proximity to New York has fostered a booming financial and insurance industry, with many of the nation’s insurance companies headquartered in the area.

Unlike some African-American athletes who put all their eggs in one basket, Li You has kept his options open, planning to specialize in insurance law. The University of Connecticut’s law school ranks first nationally in this field. Even if his basketball career falters, furthering his studies could secure him a respectable position in the insurance industry, allowing him to rise above humble origins.

On the afternoon of April 2nd, after attending the championship celebration on the main campus, Li You returned to the law school, muttering under his breath: “Damn capitalism! Winning the championship and still stuck with loans!”

The law school’s dormitories are quite distinctive; originally the site of the Hartford Theological Seminary, the Gothic architecture is much admired. Poor Li You relies on partial scholarships and help from friends to cover housing, and the double room he shares is comfortable, well-furnished, and private.

His roommate, Evan Mason, hails from New York and comes from a middle-class family with parents in the financial sector. Law students tend to be a bit flashy and arrogant, and upon seeing Li You enter, Evan immediately teased loudly: “I finally believe you’ll make it into the NBA, Li. When you make big money, don’t forget about me!”

With his buzz cut, Evan fits the archetype of a high school bully straight out of an American TV drama. He also loves baseball jackets and excels at football; aside from lacking a convertible car, he’s practically a carbon copy of those clichéd TV bullies.

Li You sank into the sofa, accepting the coffee Evan handed him, and sighed: “Even if you get picked last, the salary isn’t as high as people imagine. Two hundred thousand a year? After all the taxes, you might earn less than working a regular job.”

Having known Li You for two years, Evan was aware of his plans. Yet, he remained skeptical about Li You’s NBA prospects, seeing skin color as the biggest obstacle.

“Worst case, you play a few years and retire. With our talents, we’ll definitely find good-paying jobs!”

“Trust me, the future belongs to finance and insurance. We’re standing at the turning point of an era!”

Watching Evan rise and launch into an impassioned speech, Li You took a sip of coffee, unfazed, and said, “Working a regular job? No way. I never want to punch a clock again in my life.”

Evan shrugged, dropping the subject before grinning mischievously and urging, “A few girls from Columbia University are coming over tonight. The men’s basketball team finally won the championship—time to party hard!”

Hosting lavish parties every now and then, Li You thought Evan might lose steam once he hit his thirties.

...

Last year, the University of Connecticut’s women’s basketball team won the NCAA championship, and this year the men’s team matched that feat, claiming their first-ever title.

Celebrations rolled through the campuses in succession. For young people who love a good time, such grand parties were not to be missed.

The fervor lasted nearly a week before the championship buzz finally began to fade. Li You planned to take courses in insurance company law and insurance litigation and has been cramming over the past few days.

On Friday, April 12th, Li You completed his planned courses, while junior Ray Allen was notably relaxed—he just needed to await the draft.

At this time, the NBA regular season was winding down, and Michael Jordan’s Chicago Bulls were on a rampage!

Li You heard daily discussions about the Bulls’ record, and even casual NBA fans, just to join the conversation, caught a few games and ended up marveling, “Michael Jordan is truly incredible…”

Ray Allen was nearly turning into a fanatic. At lunch, he couldn’t help praising the dominant Bulls:

“67 wins and 9 losses—winning so easily. This is the most dominant team I’ve ever seen!”

The hapless Brooklyn Nets stood no chance; Jordan played only 26 minutes, scored 17 points, and the Bulls still clinched the victory.

Li You watched the game last night too, impressed by the Bulls’ defensive strength. When those veterans ramped up the intensity, no team could stand their ground.

“Of the remaining games, maybe only the Pacers can pull off a win. Seventy-two wins—just as I predicted!”

Their agent, Mark Bartelstein, was in high spirits, smiling as he watched the two young men debate last night’s game.

Ray Allen was almost certain to be drafted by the Celtics, and since Li You had entered the tournament, his stats had soared, making it unlikely he would be overlooked.

Though the finals slightly lowered his shooting percentage, his numbers still dwarfed those of other point guards:

Playing 21 minutes per game on average, he scored 13.4 points, grabbed 3.1 rebounds, dished out 5.1 assists, made 0.7 steals, and committed just 1.0 turnovers per game.

He averaged 9.0 shot attempts with a shooting percentage of 59.7%, took 3.6 three-pointers per game with a 46.7% success rate, and had 1.4 free throw attempts per game, converting 100% of them.

After the Big East Conference finals, this stat line put Li You far ahead of every other number one guard.

Mark Bartelstein always felt elated when he saw these numbers.

The only debatable point was that during the tournament, Li You hadn’t faced any truly gifted star players...

“Li, no need to wait for the joint workouts in mid-May. I’ve already received tryout invitations from several teams these past few days.”

“I plan to start with the nearest teams—the Knicks and the Nets. You’ve got a fan base here; New York is a big basketball city!”

The draft prospects were better than he’d anticipated, and Mark raised an eyebrow, eager to gauge Li You’s intentions.

Hearing the Knicks’ invitation wasn’t a surprise to Li You. Being close to home was an advantage, and he had prepared for this when choosing Connecticut.

“You’re the professional—I’ll follow your lead. I hope to land a big contract!”

Li You’s straightforwardness pleased Mark, who nodded in approval. Their interests aligned perfectly; securing a big contract first, then dealing with other matters.

Ray Allen knew his friend’s draft stock had risen considerably. Stats directly reflect a player’s strength. Raising his juice glass, he smiled and wished:

“Hope we both get big contracts and play for the teams we want!”

Li You immediately raised his glass, revealing a flicker of hope:

“We’re definitely going to make big money!”

The two budding money trees were flourishing. Mark was all smiles, already dreaming of a bright future, when Li You added:

“Mark, I might need a professional nutritionist or trainer. Once I enter the league, I’ll have to adjust my body condition.”

Mark didn’t bat an eye at these minor requests and readily agreed.

As he ate his vegetable salad with big bites, Li You sighed inwardly:

“To fully realize this newfound talent, am I going to have to train for another two and a half years...?”