NBA : Formidable Center

**

"Charles, so you really believe the Kansas Jayhawks will secure the win today?"

"Of course!"

Barkley's confident response made Kenny Smith slightly hesitant. After all, his commentary partner was notoriously unreliable with predictions. Still, Kenny himself leaned toward the Jayhawks' victory.

Kansas had several first-round-caliber players. According to ESPN and NBADraft.net, the Jayhawks' top stars had high projections.

The team's interior powerhouse, **Nick Collison**, who averaged 18.5 points and 10 rebounds this season, was predicted to be a lottery pick, falling between the 7th and 15th slots.

Their perimeter leader, **Kirk Hinrich**, had even better odds—consistently ranked as a top-10 pick by both sites. With a deep bench backing their star power, it wasn't surprising the Jayhawks were the favorites to win it all.

On the other side, the 9th-seeded North Carolina Wolfpack had undoubtedly captured hearts with their underdog story, but most experts agreed that their Cinderella run would end here.

---

**At the Venue**

As both teams warmed up, the atmosphere in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome was electric. The fans were loud, passionate, and—for the Wolfpack players—hostile.

The sea of Jayhawk supporters vastly outnumbered the Wolfpack faithful, and even the neutral fans seemed to lean Kansas' way. The disparities in fanbase sizes were evident; Kansas, as an NCAA powerhouse, boasted a following that dwarfed the Wolfpack's.

Yet, the presence of a Chinese player on the Wolfpack roster added a layer of tension to the event.

In recent years, as more Chinese players began participating in American basketball, certain factions of fans started questioning the state of American basketball.

"Has American basketball declined?"

For some fans, the thought of a Chinese player being the face of NCAA success felt like an insult. Their resentment manifested loudly.

As the Wolfpack players took the court, the jeers began.

"Chinaman, go back to your homeland!"

"This isn't your place. Go play in the CBA, loser!"

The abuse was relentless.

The security personnel on-site did little to intervene, turning a blind eye to the overtly racist chants.

Even the Wolfpack's head coach, **Herb Sendek**, who had initially tried to ignore the noise, eventually snapped. Spinning around, he glared at the hecklers and shouted:

"Shut your filthy mouths, you clowns!"

Assistant coach **Jim**, typically the peacemaker, decided to let his boss vent. He, too, was fed up with the abuse and understood how damaging such experiences could be—especially for someone as young as Wang Song.

Instead of trying to calm Herb down, Jim encouraged him, reasoning that a fiery response might actually boost Wang Song's morale.

---

**Wang Song's Perspective**

The taunts were vile, but they didn't break him. In fact, they strengthened his resolve.

"These fans hate me because I'm winning," Wang thought to himself.

The louder the jeers, the clearer the message: his success was their frustration. If anything, it was validation of his abilities.

Wang decided he would use their hatred as fuel.

---

**Kansas' Bench**

The noise caught the attention of the Jayhawks as well.

"Nick, it's such a shame we spent all that time scouting this guy's tendencies," Kirk Hinrich said with a smirk. "Looks like he's already crumbling under the pressure."

Nick Collison didn't respond immediately but reflected on the situation.

As a white American, he had rarely faced discrimination. He couldn't fully grasp the weight of such abuse but knew it must be devastating—especially for someone as young as Wang Song.

"If that kid's confidence is already shattered, this game's going to be a snooze fest," Nick remarked.

He'd been looking forward to using the NCAA Championship as a stage to prove his NBA readiness, especially by outshining a player like Wang Song, whose recent performances had captivated scouts. A dominant performance today could cement his draft stock as a top-7 pick.

---

**Commentary Booth**

Even the commentators, Charles Barkley and Kenny Smith, were bothered by the unruly fans.

"Can we get the security to do their jobs?" Charles barked. "This is the NCAA Finals, not a circus."

Kenny chimed in, "Honestly, I've seen better security at a high school game. This is embarrassing."

Their banter, though lighthearted, carried an edge of seriousness.

---

**In the Stands**

Sitting in the VIP section, Miami Heat President **Randy Pfund** and scout **John** couldn't help but notice the commotion.

"These New Orleans fans are a disgrace," John muttered. "Attacking a freshman like that? Pathetic."

Randy, however, was unfazed.

"John, this is just part of American basketball culture. You'll see it everywhere."

John didn't argue. He knew Randy was right—this was far from the first time he'd witnessed such behavior. Still, he couldn't help but worry about how it might affect Wang Song's performance.

"Can he still play at his best under these conditions?" John wondered aloud.

Randy didn't answer, his eyes fixed on the court as the game was about to begin.

Check out my P@treon for advance chapter on [email protected]/Twilight_scribe1

*(Chapter End)*