"Karl Malone’s Elbow (Bronze) (Exclusive: Bad Boy Zhang Hao) (Unofficial King?): Only exclusive contract player Zhang Hao can wear it, and it’s automatically equipped.

Passive Bonus: During the game, elbow strength can reach a maximum of 90 strength rating + 127 kg weight level.

Upgrade Method: Unofficial King?

Upgrade Bonus: Silver (elbow strength can reach a maximum of 94 strength rating + 127 kg weight level), Gold (elbow strength can reach a maximum of 99 strength rating + 127 kg level)."

"90 strength rating with 127 kg weight, only Campbell in our team can compare, right?

kg weight bonus... Cool, mind-blowing!

Maximum? What’s that supposed to mean? Only when swinging the elbow does it have a 127 kg effect?

It might not work for pushing under the basket on defense?

Or does it only work when swinging the elbow?

Whatever, I’ll find Jason during the practice game to test its effect..."

"What does upgrade method mean? Unofficial King... does it mean I have to not win the championship to upgrade? Then it’s better not to upgrade, but there’s a question mark..."

Unable to figure it out, Zhang Hao decided not to think about it, went to sleep, entered study mode, and reviewed the game against the Utah Jazz...

After entering study mode to review, Zhang Hao received a prompt, with 579 days of life remaining and 578 days available.

... 𝒻𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝘯𝘰𝑣ℯ𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝘮

...

On the morning of January 2nd, when Zhang Hao returned to Los Angeles with the team, he saw the airport was in a controlled state!

The Los Angeles fans actually came to meet them at the airport! Usually, there are some fans greeting them, but just a handful of die-hard fans. This time, there were so many people, and the arrival area was already in a state of congestion! Zhang Hao had been with the Lakers for a month, and it was the first time he’d seen so many fans coming to meet the team!

This is the kind of situation that only occasionally happens when popular rock bands, idols, or singers come to Los Angeles for public events.

Looking at the "X" support signs visible everywhere, and some T-shirts with the "X" printed on them, which were either homemade or made by small workshops... Although Zhang Hao knew he was popular, he never imagined it would be this overwhelming!

"Luckily, I registered the ’X’ trademark early on, had Aprile get a few college students studying design to register patents for over 100 conceivable designs... let Pelinka see if there are any clothing brands interested in collaborating..."

Accompanied by the security personnel prepared in advance, Zhang Hao and the team boarded the bus arranged by the team, taking them back to the training gym. The players who drove themselves to away games handed their car keys to the team staff, who would drive them back to the training gym.

As the team bus entered Inglewood Town and passed down a street, Zhang Hao saw a billboard of himself and couldn’t help but nudge his teammate next to him, saying, "Hey, look, a big star."

The Magician glanced at Zhang Hao and let out a snort of laughter.

Zhang Hao then remembered that since the Magician returned to the team, he had proactively sat beside him, to keep the veteran company...

"Damn! I’ve become the clown again!"

Zhang Hao was frustrated, rare for him to want to show off a bit...

The Magician looked at the frustrated emotion showing on Zhang Hao’s indifferent face, sensing such feelings from his own rookie for the first time.

"Finally acting like a young person!"

...

Thanks to Zhang Hao’s 18 shots with 8 baskets, including 1 out of 2 three-pointers, and 7 out of 9 free throws, scoring 24 points, grabbing 8 rebounds, making 2 assists, and blocking 3 shots, and thanks to the Magician’s 17 points, 8 assists, plus the game-winning Celestial Hook, and the whole team’s relentless efforts... the Lakers barely beat the Utah Jazz by just 4 points. Zhang Hao once again amazed the basketball world. Without having time to enjoy such attention, upon returning to Los Angeles, after a short rest in the afternoon, in the evening, the Lakers faced the second game of their back-to-back home-and-away series, hosting the Philadelphia 76ers.

Jerry Stackhouse, after the draft and before the start of the regular season, was thought to be the strongest scorer in the ’95 rookie class.

This junior of Jordan, during his high school senior year, won the title of "Best High School Player in America," and in college, he earned the title of "Next MJ," entering the NBA as the third overall pick in the draft, selected by the well-followed Philadelphia 76ers, garnering enormous attention.

But...

Watching the opponent who casually stood at the free-throw line, holding the ball without moving, with an indifferent expression yet causing fans at the scene to cheer, the 9th draft pick, Jerry Stackhouse’s jealousy was evident!

An average of 24.86 points per game is simply astounding!

Having twice defeated Jordan, which made his name famous, during the early phase of gaining fans, beating David Robinson and Karl Malone and John Houston Stockton of the Utah Jazz consecutively, and in the game against the Utah Jazz yesterday, where he stood strong against Malone and brutally fouled him, earned Zhang Hao a huge fanbase, while also sparking tremendous controversy... but no matter which one, they were all things Jerry Stackhouse wanted to have!

Compared to the obviously talented Garnett, the extremely effective Damon Stoudamire, and Zhang Hao, who was outstanding in both talent and immediate impact, Jerry Stackhouse was almost in a state of utter unattention.

Among them, Zhang Hao, who outshone everyone in the same draft class, was whom Jerry Stackhouse was the most envious of.

On Zhang Hao’s side, he felt the biting gaze from Jerry Stackhouse... "Not being envied means being mediocre."

He was used to this kind of situation.

Now he was thinking about how to use Malone’s Elbow effectively.

Soon, at 7:58 pm, the game was about to start, and the referee signaled for both teams’ starters to take the court.