One Year Left to Play-Chapter 275 - 97: The Despair-Inducing Three-Point Shooting Package

Since then, he and Chris Owen have made multiple adjustments to his three-point shooting stance, but the results haven't been very noticeable because the changes were mostly small tweaks to his shooting motion.

Changing the shooting motion is definitely not a good choice according to shooting coaches, and Zhang Hao has always thought so.

So it turned into another possibility... not suited for shooting threes?

Zhang Hao actually considered this; not every player is suited for shooting threes. There will be a player named DeRozan in the future who is precise with mid-range shots and extremely bad at threes.

Of course, the more likely scenario is that he's still not adapting to shooting spot-up threes from beyond the arc. People say mid-range shots are harder to master, and Zhang Hao also thinks so. The uncertainty with the distance and angle of mid-range shots... make them more difficult than threes. For threes, the three-point line serves as a reference, each area has fixed angles, and players can wait at the spot where they're most accurate, creating space more easily without the hassle of mid-range shots.

But getting used to mid-range shots from the start and then practicing threes is also challenging.

Mainly he's just too impatient; this is the "side effect" of using the Mid-range Growth Card previously. Chris Owen thinks taking a year or two to gradually introduce Zhang Hao to the three-point shot is already very fast, but Zhang Hao feels it's too slow. 𝓯𝓻𝓮𝙚𝙬𝓮𝙗𝒏𝙤𝒗𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝒐𝓶

Now there's an opportunity to change his shooting stance...

"Better try the shooting package!"

Subtitles popped up—"Michael Adams Three-point Shooting Package (Not Equipped): Averaged 2.5 three-pointers per game in the NBA 1990-1991 season, ranked first."

With a thought, the content on the subtitles changed.

"Host equips special contract player Zhang Hao with Michael Adams Three-point Shooting Package, demonstration activated. Host can observe and memorize Michael Adams's three-point shooting techniques to guide the contract player in better adapting to the shooting package."

A familiar player's image appeared in the training room—Michael Adams.

Then, a 3D hologram began showcasing his peculiar three-point shooting stance.

Right hand holding the ball by the right side of the chest, left hand in front of the ball, not supporting the right hand but protecting the ball with a shield-like motion.

Feet, knees, waist... in a continuous force application movement, the right hand pushes the ball from the right side of the chest to the right shoulder position, just to the right of the head, propelling it toward the basket like a shot put...

This was a spot-up shot, also including catch-and-turn shots facing away or sideways to the basket. The movement at the release is identical, pushing the ball out from shoulder position like a shot put.

"The motion is smooth, the ball protection is spot on, difficult for defenders to steal. The catch-turn-shoot speed is quick, no need to raise the ball to the head, pivot and shoot seamlessly, hard to be disrupted... but damn, does this look ugly!"

...

This guy is unlucky, even drinking cold water he gets bad teeth.

Zhang Hao's buzzer-beater against the Pacers won by one point, and last season's runner-up was avenged on the same night, with the Magic relying on Anfernee Hardaway's 28 points, 13 assists, plus a buzzer-beater layup to defeat the reigning champions 97 to 96.

His buzzer-beater also made it to the day's top five plays on various TV stations, but the media was all discussing Anfernee Hardaway's buzzer-beater.

Zhang Hao saw his buzzer-beater didn't make the hot news... "I think I should release an album to pay tribute, if no money for an album, at least wear some leather pants to the court."

Zhang Hao is somewhat familiar with Anfernee Hardaway but not deeply. During this era, the memories were focused on getting into college; the future memory mainly recognizes the NBA from the first decade of the new century when Anfernee Hardaway had already faded.

At this time, Zhang Hao finally realizes how radiant Anfernee Hardaway was before his consecutive injuries.

Besides Anfernee Hardaway's news, Zhang Hao also saw Duncan's news; the newspaper coverage surprisingly exceeds Mr. Zhang's buzzer-beater!

"That's too much! A college student makes the news for playing one game, is it necessary? This guy who keeps to himself won't even say he won't enter the draft this year. No way, I must train well, prepare a welcome ceremony for when he arrives... a bit tough though, he's hitting the NBA with a storm..."

Feeling depressed, Zhang Hao goes to train to relieve his sorrow.

At dawn, he takes his sadness to adapt to the newly acquired three-point shooting package, feeling as if he learned the shooting stance simply by equipping it, very comfortable, as if he originally practiced threes that way – smooth as silk.

Of course, familiarity with the motion doesn't mean accuracy, training is still necessary.

By 7:30, Zhang Hao is already at the gym, finding Chris Owen who is preparing for his shooting training, and says: "Chris, I've discovered a potentially better method for practicing three-point shooting; today I'll test the training effects first."

Zhang Hao occasionally has thoughts of improving his three-point shooting during practice, as does Chris Owen, so the latter isn't surprised.

Once training started, Zhang Hao no longer had the feeling of "embarrassment," after all, even Michael Kidd-Gilchrist has his own shooting motion, so what's the big deal? Having done a good warm-up preparation, he begins to showcase the moves he saw when he first equipped the Michael Adams Three-point Shooting Package last night.

Zhang Hao's mid-range shot is aesthetically pleasing, devoid of any flamboyance, no unnecessary movements, clean and brisk, matching his slender physique. For professional shooting coaches, his mid-range shot is the archetype they wish to create in a player.