Chapter 12: Kobe and Vanessa.

Daniel did not immediately argue with the coach. Instead, he took out his notebook and pushed it toward him.

“These are the shooting percentages Li posted during training over the past few days. His weaknesses as a point guard are obvious, but his strengths are very clear—he can create space for Kobe.”

“And space is exactly what Kobe needs the most.”

“We don’t have much tactical organization right now, but with Kobe and Lamar handling the ball, the issues aren’t too severe. Also, Li’s defense is stronger than Parker’s at the moment.”

“So, I believe he’s suitable for our current starting point guard position.”

The coach skimmed through the notebook. According to the statistics, Li’s shooting percentage in training was the highest among Lakers players, surpassing even Kobe and Vujacic. Li was clearly the top shooter in practice, and the coach had no reason to doubt his old friend Daniel.

Daniel shrugged and continued, “I know Li’s strengths and weaknesses best. Although he’s a rookie, his mental toughness is very stable, and he rarely makes basic mistakes under intense defense.”

The coach looked at Daniel seriously, then suddenly laughed. “Daniel, if I didn’t know you well enough, I’d suspect you’re related to this kid.”

“Ha ha!”

“Daniel has a daughter, right? I think she’s two years older than Li. Honestly, Li’s a pretty good kid...”

The assistant coaches began joking with Daniel.

Daniel waved his hand. “Cut it out, all of you. My daughter isn’t interested in Li. Let’s be professional at work. I’m just giving my opinion.”

He was anxious to stop the gossip.

“Ha ha ha!” The assistants laughed again, knowing Daniel was a devoted father.

The coach signaled for quiet and then said, “Li has improved a lot. If he can maintain his performance from last night in the next game, I’ll consider promoting him to the starting point guard.”

“Okay!” Daniel nodded.

...

After receiving the scout’s report and edited video footage, Li prepared to head to the parking lot to drive his Ferrari home.

Just as he arrived at the parking lot entrance, Kobe pulled up in his car and stopped in front of him.

“Rookie, I’ve got a court at my place. If you want extra training, you can come over,” Kobe said.

Kobe’s invitation stemmed from hearing Li’s request to the coach for additional practice.

Hearing Kobe’s offer, Li thought it was early to go home and he didn’t have much to do there. His stamina was sufficient and he could study the videos and scout report later that night. So he asked, “That won’t bother you, will it?”

Li, polite as a Chinese person, worried about intruding on others’ lives.

“Cut the crap. If you want to come, just follow me.”

“Oh, okay.”

...

Li quickly got into his car and followed Kobe.

As he spent more time with Kobe, Li began to understand why Kobe was so irritable during practice.

After winning championships alongside Dwyane Wade in Miami, many questioned the true value of Kobe’s three consecutive titles.

Did Kobe need Wade to win championships?

Kobe was eager to reclaim a title to silence those doubts.

But the Lakers’ teammates lacked both talent and work ethic in training, dragging him down.

As a result, the Lakers seemed unlikely even to make the playoffs, let alone win a championship. That’s why Kobe would explode when he saw teammates slacking off in practice.

His thirst for victory showed both on and off the court. Li believed this was one of the key traits behind Kobe’s success.

About twenty minutes later, following Kobe’s car, they arrived at a mansion in an upscale community in Orange County, Los Angeles.

Kobe owned several luxury homes and had bragged about them while trash-talking Li.

He often boasted about his money, championship rings, and skills to intimidate opponents.

Li had figured out the basis for Kobe’s trash talk.

Kobe had only a high school education, so he was justifiably proud of his achievements.

This Orange County mansion was the Black Mamba’s residence.

It featured a gym and swimming pool, but Kobe didn’t show Li around. Instead, he led him straight to the indoor training court.

Each took half a court to train individually.

Kobe practiced mid-range shots, while Li worked on his two-handed ball handling.

“Bang!”

“Bang!”

“Bang!”

After an hour and a half of advanced dribbling drills, Li sat down on the sidelines to rest.

His stamina was not unlimited; his efficiency dropped as he grew tired.

Fortunately, his ball-handling attribute had increased to 52.

Compared to Klay, Li’s ball-handling training was clearly more efficient.

Of course, Li knew that improving an attribute almost a point per day was only because his base was so low.

Once his ball-handling reached a certain level, it would be much harder to improve so quickly.

That was where his “cheat code” could break through natural limits.

Indeed, dribbling required talent. Take the original Klay Thompson, for example. No matter how hard he practiced dribbling, his ceiling probably wouldn’t be very high—he couldn’t reach the level of players like Curry or Irving.

But after merging with Li, his potential ceiling was raised. He could gradually see his progress and knew how to train more effectively to break through his original limits.

Li took his Nokia phone from his backpack and checked the time.

6:31 p.m., dinner time.

Just as Li was about to say goodbye to Kobe,

“Kobe, Li, dinner’s ready!” Vanessa’s voice called out.

“Don’t waste Vanessa’s kindness,” Kobe said.

Li hesitated but ultimately stayed for dinner.

Kobe and Vanessa had two daughters. Their eldest, Natalia, was three and a half and very adorable. The youngest, Gianna, was born in May.

Both little girls smiled warmly at Li, showing no shyness at all.

Kobe often wore a scowl in the locker room and training facility, making Li wonder if he ever smiled. But at home with his daughters, Kobe smiled often, looking more like a normal person.

In the two years since the Eagle County incident, Kobe and Vanessa had gradually repaired their relationship, which led to Gianna’s birth.

Vanessa made Mexican tacos for Li.

During the conversation, Vanessa learned Li was single and that his parents were no longer alive. Her heart immediately overflowed with kindness.

“Li, come eat at our house whenever you have time. Don’t be so polite with me.”

“If you ever face difficulties, tell your sister,” Vanessa said warmly.

“Okay!”

Kobe looked at Vanessa affectionately and said, “Li, a man must make himself strong to withstand all risks. My parents didn’t support many of my decisions after I entered the NBA, but I proved through my actions that those decisions were right because I was strong enough.”

Kobe spoke with great confidence and contempt for all doubts.

Li nodded. “I understand.”

He had little emotional attachment to his original parents and quickly moved past the topic.

At that moment, Kobe seemed like an older brother opening up a conversation, sharing life lessons with Li.

Vanessa even tried to set Li up with a girlfriend.

The couple’s enthusiasm was a bit overwhelming for Li, so he left Kobe’s house soon after.