Chapter 401: Battle for the Throne (4)
“Jaylen Wells?”
Chen Yilun tilted his head slightly, searching his memory. A moment later, the name surfaced.
Wasn’t this the top second-round prospect from the Class of 2024—the Grizzlies’ promising young talent?
Why was this kid here now?
If Chen Yilun remembered correctly, Wells had indeed spent some time attending high school in Sacramento, but he’d always been relatively unknown back then.
It wasn’t until his senior year, after transferring to John Gayle High School in Texas, that he finally began to break out and earn a four-star rating.
If the timeline was right, Wells should have already moved to Texas by now. So why was he still here?
“When I lived in Sacramento, I was a die-hard Kings fan,” Wells explained. “I happened to have some free time these past few days, so I flew back to watch the games.”
“I see.”
Chen Yilun looked at Wells, who still carried a distinctly youthful air.
If his memory served him right, this future second-round pick from the Class of ’24 would shock everyone in his rookie season.
Wells’ story itself felt like something straight out of a novel.
At first, nobody believed in him. But through sheer effort, he clawed his way up—step by step—from NCAA Division II to Division I, and eventually into the NBA, where he was selected in the second round by the Grizzlies.
In what was widely considered a weak 2024 draft class, Wells forced his way into the top three of the Rookie of the Year rankings through pure hard work.
The only difference now was that, because of Chen Yilun’s presence, Wells seemed to have turned into a die-hard Kings fan.
That was… interesting.
Chen Yilun studied Wells’ face as his thoughts drifted.
It was still early, but this kid would be a solid steal in the 2024 draft. There was no harm in laying some groundwork ahead of time.
“Jaylen, right? I remember you.”
Chen Yilun nodded, his tone warm.
“You’re a good kid. I remember you. You’re a four-star prospect now, aren’t you?”
“Yes, sir!”
Hearing that Chen Yilun remembered him, Wells immediately grew excited.
“I’m about to start my senior year. I’m getting ready to push for NCAA Division I.”
“That’s great.”
Chen Yilun smiled. “Young people should be bold and willing to fight for what they want. I think highly of you.”
As he spoke, Chen Yilun turned, opened his car door, and took out a business card.
“This is my card. If you ever run into any problems, feel free to call me.”
Then he added, “Don’t feel any pressure. This isn’t some shady backroom deal, and you don’t need to worry about the NCAA committee coming after you. If you ever need professional advice, you can reach out. After all, you’re a kid who came out of Sacramento.”
After a brief exchange of pleasantries, Chen Yilun got into his car and drove away.
Too much enthusiasm could be counterproductive. Showing a bit of goodwill was enough—there was no need to overdo it.
Watching Chen Yilun’s car disappear into the distance, Wells stood there, momentarily dazed.
“You lucky bastard,” his friend said enviously, staring at the business card clenched in Wells’ hand. “You actually managed to get connected with the Asian Hyena!”
“I didn’t expect it either.”
Coming back to his senses, Wells looked down at the card and took a deep breath.
“This is basically like finding money on the street.”
“But then again, no wonder people call Chen Yilun the godfather of Sacramento basketball. His personal charisma really is something else.”
Replaying Chen Yilun’s words in his mind, Wells realized that from start to finish, Chen Yilun had only emphasized one thing.
Because Wells was a player who came out of Sacramento, as long as Chen Yilun knew about him, Wells had the standing to ask him for a small favor.
NCAA recruiting rules were highly subjective. Head coaches had enormous discretion. Aside from the handful of elite prospects everyone fought over, every coach still held onto a few special recruitment slots.
So no matter how his game developed, as long as Chen Yilun was willing to make a call or two, there would definitely be a place for him on one of those March Madness regulars.
“Brad, that stuff is all superficial.”
After carefully tucking Chen Yilun’s business card into his wallet, Wells spoke seriously.
“You might be able to squeeze into the NCAA through connections, but when it comes to the league, you need real skill. No shortcuts.”
As the rush of dopamine slowly faded, Wells regained his composure.
“Brad, this is my chance. A real chance—one that could change my life.”
His eyes gradually hardened with resolve.
“If I had any doubts or hesitation before, they’re completely gone now.”
“I’m going to the NBA. I’m going to reach the highest level of the game.”
What happened with Wells was nothing more than a casual gesture for Chen Yilun. As for how far this young man would go in the future, or whether he would ever truly intersect with Sacramento again, Chen Yilun himself didn’t know.
After all, when Chen Yilun first arrived in this world, Wells had only just entered the league as a rookie.
But the seed of ambition had already taken root in the young man’s heart. In time, it would grow—supporting Wells step by step as he moved forward.
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As the battle shifted, the series moved to Los Angeles.
As the league’s true dynasty franchise, Staples Center had never lacked bloodshed or drama.
“See? I told you—it’s not that easy to climb the throne by stepping over the Lakers’ bodies.”
Kobe Bryant, wearing sunglasses, sat in the best courtside seats and laughed as he spoke to Chen Yilun.
There was nothing especially noteworthy about today’s game. Back on their home floor and pushed to the brink, the Lakers united as one to suppress the Kings and secure their first home win, cutting the series to 2–1.
“Just a dying struggle.”
Chen Yilun replied casually from beside Kobe.
“You know basketball, Kobe. The Lakers can only steal a win like this under these circumstances. The final victory will still belong to Sacramento.”
“Still talking tough.”
Kobe snorted, then suddenly seemed to remember something.
“By the way, after the season ends, Crawford is planning to organize a semi-pro league in Seattle—give the kids there a platform to showcase themselves. He doesn’t have your contact info, so he asked me to invite you as a special guest.”
“Sure.”
Chen Yilun agreed without hesitation.
He was more than willing to show respect to Seattle’s basketball godfather.
“Good. Then stay in LA a couple more days. We’ll fly over together on my helicopter.”
Seeing Chen Yilun agree put Kobe in a great mood. He took a sip of his drink and said casually,
“Who wants to ride your helicopter?”
The moment Kobe mentioned helicopters, Chen Yilun suddenly realized that the opportunity he’d been waiting for had finally arrived.
“Those things are cramped and bumpy,” he scoffed. “One ride and your butt hurts for half the day.”
As he spoke, Chen Yilun pulled out his phone and showed Kobe a photo.
“See this? Now this is the standard equipment for successful people—a Gulfstream private jet. I just took delivery a couple days ago. You’re a big name in the league too. Don’t tell me you don’t want your own private jet?”
Author's Note
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