Chapter 328: First Encounter (Complete Book)

“My most memorable game? Probably the first time I played against Michael Jordan in my rookie season.”

25 years later, Ken Kaneki, who has won a three-peat, a four-peat, a five-peat, a total of 12 championships, nine consecutive MVPs, nine FMVPs, was selected to the All-Defensive Team 12 times, and was selected as the best defensive player six times in the NBA, said this in an interview.

“Why did you choose that game?” the reporter in charge of the interview asked curiously.

“Because that game was the first time since I started playing basketball that I had to give my all. Michael was very strong, even though he was a year older than when he won his sixth championship.” Kaneki Ken said with a nostalgic look in his eyes, “In fact, he always said that I was his most proud disciple, and that’s true. I participated in his training camp when I was very young, and spent my entire junior high school career under his careful guidance. But thank God, I beat him in that game. After that game, I knew that I was strong enough to conquer the entire NBA. Speaking of that game, I also shot a high-arcing three-pointer over Scottie’s head, using Midorima’s famous stunt. I still remember how ugly his face was after I made that shot, haha.”

“Speaking of your junior high school career…” The reporter flipped the card in his hand and said, “After the millennium, a group of Asian players with relatively unique looks joined the NBA… According to rumors, they were all your junior high school teammates, right?”

“Yes, we had a resounding name at that time, called the Era of Miracles. Except for Sakuragi Hanamichi, who has been with me until the end of my life in the Lakers, the rest were my junior high school teammates.” Kaneki Ken said with a smile, “In fact, there was another friend among my junior high school teammates who could have joined the NBA, but due to the involvement of his family business, he did not choose to enter the NBA in the end, but sadly became a chaebol.”

“So, if you go back to the past and meet your former teammates again, what would you like to say to them?” the reporter asked curiously.

“I want to say something else…” Kaneki Ken sat there and pondered for a moment, then suddenly smiled and looked at the reporter in front of him and said, “It’s very complicated. I don’t know how to say it for a while, but I always feel that it’s more appropriate for me to leave these words for my teammates to hear.”

“Okay, thank you for accepting the interview. Today’s interview ends here.” The reporter on the other side also noticed that Kaneki Ken didn’t seem to want to say anything more. After saying a few simple words, he hurriedly ended the interview.

“Ken-kun, what’s wrong?” At this time, the middle-aged Momoi Satsuki came to Kaneki Ken’s side with her daughter, looked at Kaneki Ken with a puzzled look and asked, “Didn’t you check the list of questions with the public relations department before the interview started? Why did it end early?”

“Nothing, I’m just a little tired…” Kaneki Ken gently picked up his confused daughter Kaneki Ichika, took a long breath and shook his head and said, “I’ve played basketball for 25 years… no, 31 years. Now I don’t want to play basketball anymore, and I don’t even want to hear anything about basketball anymore.”

“Okay, whatever makes you happy…” Taoi Satsuki looked at Kaneki Ken hesitantly and said, “Then what shall we do next… go home?”

“Well, let’s go home.” Kaneki Ken nodded thoughtfully and said, “I won’t go back to Beverly Hills. Book the fastest flight. I want to go back to Tokyo as soon as possible.”

“Okay!” Upon hearing that she was about to return to her hometown after a long absence, Tao Jing Wuyue also excitedly planned the next itinerary. “This time when I go back, I must arrange to meet Xiao Huang and A Da together. When Xiao Huang and the others retired a few years ago, they did not stay in the United States and chose to return to Japan… I heard that Xiao Huang became a model again and now has his own agency! And A Da and the others, if they knew you would return to Japan, they would definitely be very happy!”

“Okay, I’ll listen to you.” Kaneki Ken gently rubbed Kaneki Ichika’s head, smiled and looked at Momoi Satsuki and said gently.

……

“Hey, why are you all here?” The next day at Tokyo Airport, Sakuragi Hanamichi looked at the Miracle Generation in front of him with a puzzled look and said, “Did Gilgamesh tell you too?”

“Sakuragi, you look down on Akashi’s superpowers.” Kise Ryota smiled and shook his head. “And don’t you see what Kaneki is now? He is the greatest basketball god who has surpassed Michael Jordan. Those paparazzi would rush into the toilet to take pictures even if Kaneki goes to the toilet. How can such a big thing in Japan escape the pursuit of sasaeng fans?”

“That’s right~” Sakuragi Hanamichi nodded thoughtfully.

“Hey, what are you guys doing there?” Just as Sakuragi Hanamichi and the others were talking to each other, a familiar voice of Kaneki Ken suddenly came from behind them.

“Kaneki-chan!”

The people who came to pick them up greeted them excitedly.

“How is it? Are you coming back just to take a look, or are you planning to settle down here?” Akashi Seijuro, who is already middle-aged, said with a smile while looking at Kaneki Ken.

“Let’s talk about these things later… Now I just want to see Coach Shirogane and Coach Anzai.” Kaneki Ken looked at his teammates in front of him with emotion and said with a sigh.

……

“Old Shirogane… and dad, I’m here to see you.” The next day, Kaneki Ken brought Momoi Satsuki and Kaneki Ichika to the tombstones of Shirogane Kozo and Anzai Mitsuyoshi and placed a bouquet of flowers. After wiping the dust off the photos of the two coaches, Kaneki Ken slowly squatted down, looking at the two old men who had served as mentors and helpful friends in his early life, and continued, “I once promised you that I would become the best basketball player in the world… Now I have done it… If you were still here, you would be able to brag to your peers.”

“Ken-kun, don’t be too sad. Coach Shirogane and Coach Anzai would be very pleased if they could see your current results.” Momoi Satsuki looked at the gloomy Kaneki Ken and spoke to comfort him.

“Hey, I say, how long are you going to stay there and be sad?” Just as Kaneki Ken was squatting there feeling depressed, a lazy voice suddenly came from behind him.

“Aomine?” Kaneki Ken looked back at Aomine Daiki in surprise, and was speechless for a moment.

“Not just Aomine, everyone is here.” Kise Ryota also walked over at this moment.

“I say, although we have never won the championship with you and have never beaten you before, I still refuse to accept your claim that you are the best basketball player.” Qingfeng Daihui spun the basketball in his hand and said, “How about it? Do you want to try again in front of the two coaches?”

“Then I will definitely beat you to death, Aomine.” Kaneki Ken looked at Aomine Daiki in front of him, and in a trance he seemed to have returned to the scene when he first met Aomine Daiki.

“Ah, ride slower, there’s someone in front of you!”

“I saw it!”

–

Complete book.

(End of this chapter)