Life as NBA Rookie (SlamDunk System)-Chapter 194 - 202: The Time of Harvest! When the GOAT’s Vision Is Questioned!

Chapter 194: Chapter 202: The Time of Harvest! When the GOAT’s Vision Is Questioned!

After lifting the championship trophy for the first time in two years, Zack thought he’d matured quite a bit. But he quickly realized he still couldn’t contain the overwhelming joy that came with winning it all.

This time, though, things were different from his previous two championships. As Zack led the Warriors to a jaw-dropping 75 wins in the regular season and marched all the way to the Finals, he strolled around the court with his hands in his pockets, per tradition. In the past, people saw him as the epitome of youthful swagger—"If you’re not cocky, are you even young?" But now, with whispers of him challenging Michael Jordan’s legacy, the vibe he gave off could only be described as, "How lonely it is to be invincible."

In this Finals series, Zack averaged a monstrous 42 points, 14.8 rebounds, 10.8 assists, 3.4 blocks, and 1.2 steals per game for the Warriors. And in Game 2, the one that shifted the series’ momentum, he dropped a staggering 70 points—a performance so unreal it smashed his own records for single-game scoring in both the Finals and the playoffs.

Sure, compared to the old-school GOAT, Zack still has a ways to go. He needs more championship rings, MVPs, Finals MVPs, All-NBA selections, and All-Defensive Team nods to truly surpass Jordan in every way. But after leading the Warriors to reclaim the title this year, even the most diehard Jordan fans couldn’t deny it: Zack is now the tallest mountain in the NBA.

Why is Zack the NBA’s highest peak? Because, as of now, no one in league history has ever had a season as dominant as his. At just 26 years old, Zack didn’t just lead the league with untouchable stats, jaw-dropping performances, and a historic team record—he flat-out bulldozed the entire NBA. His on-court impact, visibly greater than any legend before him, left every peer from his age group eating his dust.

ESPN’s Brian Windhorst asked, "After coming back from injury and achieving such a phenomenal season, what do you want to say to your supporters?"

"You know I love my fans forever," Zack said with a grin. "They want to see me win, and honestly? I freakin’ love the feeling of being a winner. Past, present, future—my only goal every season is to be the ultimate winner. I want to keep winning until the world runs out of trophies!"

At TD Garden, the Warriors’ celebration was electric. The two most hyped players on the team? Steve Nash and Grant Hill, no question.

After 14 seasons of grinding, Nash’s moment of triumph finally arrived. Tears in his eyes, he said, "This is hands-down the best day of my life. Thank you, ’God’!"

"I feel like my life’s complete now," Hill said, his voice thick with emotion. "I owe it all to Messiah. If he hadn’t talked me out of it, I would’ve retired last summer."

"Grant, now that you’ve got the ring, are you still thinking about retirement?" a reporter asked.

Hill chuckled. "I think I’ve still got some gas in the tank. I can probably give it two or three more seasons."

Retirement? No way! For Hill, who’d carried years of regret and unfulfilled dreams, finally winning his first championship made hanging up his sneakers unthinkable.

At the award ceremony, Zack hoisted the Larry O’Brien Trophy—the ultimate symbol of NBA team glory. Warriors owner (and former Celtics minority stakeholder) Joe Lacob didn’t try to steal the spotlight. Only when Zack turned around, satisfied, did Lacob kneel before him to accept the hefty championship trophy.

The American media dubbed Lacob’s gesture the "Kneel Heard ’Round the World." The New York Times wrote, "Joe Lacob’s kneel was a tribute to his gratitude for Messiah. The Bay Area’s savior deserves every bit of this honor!"

Later, Zack unsurprisingly received the Finals MVP trophy from Bill Russell himself.

"You earned this, kid," Russell said. "Congrats to you and your team."

Zack flashed a smile. "I think we’ll see each other again next year."

Next year? Honestly, if Russell had his way, he’d rather not see Zack again. Because after tonight, the Celtics—where Russell played 13 seasons and won 11 titles—had cemented an embarrassing legacy as the NBA’s "runner-up dynasty." For three straight years, Boston made it to the Finals, hoping to honor the late Red Auerbach with a championship. And for three straight years, they came up short as the NBA’s second-best.

At TD Garden, as the Warriors reclaimed their throne and the Bay Area went wild, Celtics fans were left grappling with their heartbreak.

---

That night, the Warriors didn’t stick around in Boston. They hopped a red-eye back to Oakland. Too amped to sleep on the plane, Zack opened his [Peak] system to tally up the spoils of his season.

First up: the rewards for the [Path to the Peak] mission. By completing it, Zack earned the final piece of the [The.Zone] badge, unlocking the legendary perk he’d been dying to explore.

"[The.Zone]: This badge grants the host the ability to freely enter ’The Zone,’ though the duration depends on the host’s in-game condition."

Next, another reward from the [Path to the Peak] mission: "[Iron Body]: This badge significantly reduces the host’s risk of injury due to wear and tear."

Finally, the combined rewards from the [Path to the Peak] and [Zack’s Double Life] missions included two random skill attribute packages. Before opening them, Zack washed his face, hoping for a boost to his three-point shooting potential—his biggest obsession.

"Congratulations! Host gains +3 mid-range shooting potential and +3 fadeaway potential."

"Congratulations! Host gains +3 post-up skill potential, +2 fadeaway potential, and +1 three-point shooting potential."

After the draw, Zack wasn’t sure if his luck was good or bad. The good news? Both legendary random skill packages maxed out at six total points—the highest possible. The bad news? His coveted three-point potential only got a measly one-point boost.

Still, that one point was enough to bring tears to his eyes. After nearly five years, his three-point potential had finally budged. It might just be a small step, but for Zack’s dream of becoming a legendary shooter, it was a giant leap.

No question about it—that single point in three-point potential meant as much to him as an Finals MVP trophy.

---

At dawn, the Warriors, fresh off their championship win, were greeted like royalty by the Bay Area. At the airport, frenzied Warriors fans chanted their heroes’ names.

"Hear that?" Brown said, strutting ahead of Zack, practically buzzing with excitement. "Those are my fans!"

Zack couldn’t hear anyone shouting Brown’s name. Because when he stepped out as the grand finale, the crowd erupted in unison, chanting, "MVP! MVP!" 𝑓𝓇𝘦ℯ𝘸𝘦𝑏𝓃𝑜𝘷ℯ𝑙.𝑐𝑜𝓂

Veteran Randy Foye, set to retire after the season, teared up during the homecoming. "There’s no moment sweeter than this," he said. Though Foye’s role in recent years had shifted to mentoring the Warriors’ bigs on rim protection, the former franchise block leader was still a key piece of this championship puzzle.

Zack deeply respected Foye’s defensive expertise and, at his suggestion, Foye would join the Warriors’ coaching staff next season as a defensive assistant.

Meanwhile, Anthony Morrow, who’d started making a name for himself, was looking to move on. He wanted more playing time—something the Warriors couldn’t guarantee.

"Anthony, you didn’t make our playoff roster, but next season, we’ll make sure you get a championship ring," Lacob told him at the homecoming.

Morrow, touched, replied, "That’ll be something I treasure forever."

Funnily enough, as Zack planned the championship party for the next day, he completely forgot about one Warriors player: Danny Green.

"Boss, you forgot to invite Dan," Brown pointed out. "He’s part of the team too."

"Dan?" Zack said, puzzled. "We’ve got a guy named Dan?"

If every Warrior contributed to this championship run, Danny Green was the odd man out. Thanks to Brown’s reminder, Zack finally recalled the guy’s existence.

"You handle inviting him," Zack told Brown, desperate to get home and crash.

---

The 09/10 season wrapped up in storybook fashion. Before the team’s championship parade, head coach Mike Malone suggested Zack’s personal trainer, Tim Grover, hand him a vacation plan that drove him up the wall. Calling it a training plan was generous—it was more like a vacation itinerary.

"Tim, you’re not seriously telling me to sit out all summer, are you? I’ve got the World Championships to play!" Zack said, staring at the plan that barely allowed for light workouts.

"Mike’s right," Grover replied. "If you’re serious about building a dynasty with this team, we need to rethink your summer routine."

This was the most Grover had ever backed Malone. Everyone knows teams that reach the Finals get, at most, a three-month break. Add in Zack’s international commitments with Team China, and his window for rest was razor-thin. With his skills nearing mastery, Grover believed Zack’s priority should shift from grueling summer workouts to recovery during the short offseason.

"Oh, and Mike also said he doesn’t want you at next season’s training camp," Grover added, glancing up at Zack.

Zack’s eyes widened. "He’s banning me from training camp? Does he expect me to find my rhythm during the regular season?"

Grover nodded. "That’s exactly what Mike thinks. He said with this Warriors roster, it doesn’t matter if you’re rusty at the start. They’ve got time to let you find your groove through games."

Malone, it turns out, was a coach who learned from past failures. The Warriors’ botched three-peat attempt still haunted him. To avoid another injury-plagued season, Malone decided to give his key players a full break until the regular season—and encouraged them, Zack included, to live it up during the offseason. Only then could they recharge and reduce injury risks for the next campaign.

What about the team’s slow start in the regular season? Malone had an answer for that too. "We just pulled off a 75-win championship season. What’s left to chase in the regular season?" he said. "If we’ve got nothing to prove, why not let our stars ease back into form when the games start?"

Malone knew giving his stars a summer off might lead to some early-season losses they could’ve avoided. But for a Warriors team aiming to build a dynasty around Zack’s prime, it was the smartest play.

"Fine, I’m on board," Zack said after weighing Malone and Grover’s advice. Even with his new [Iron Body] badge, he knew injuries couldn’t be entirely dodged. He reluctantly agreed to embrace the decadent offseason life.

But just as he was about to call Malone to discuss the Warriors’ draft strategy, Grover cut in. "Oh, and Mike said the front office would love it if you started your vacation now and left the draft to them."

Zack froze. He knew what Malone was hinting at: the front office no longer trusted his eye for talent. Sure, Zack had handpicked Stephen Curry, who’d blossomed this season. But since Curry was already a highly touted prospect before the draft, the front office chalked up Zack’s "genius" to Danny Green—a pick that, in their eyes, proved his vision was shaky.

"I’ve bled for this team! I’ve carried them to three championships!" Zack fumed in his East Bay mansion. "They can’t just sideline me from team-building over one bad call!"

Thankfully, Malone’s "stay out of the draft" comment turned out to be a joke.

"Mike, that wasn’t funny," Zack said, annoyed.

"I know you’re not one to hold grudges," Malone replied over the phone. "But seriously, there aren’t many draft prospects this year that fit us. Me, Chris, Larry—we’re all leaning toward making a trade to bolster the roster."

Zack’s frustration melted into curiosity. "What kind of trade are you guys thinking about?"