NBA: Basketball Legend.

Chapter 15: Original Skill [Hot Start], 30+ in the First Half!

The scoreboard read 13–4, and the Texas Longhorns were off to a blazing start.

Chen Yan? Man was cooking.

He came out on fire—5 for 5, dropping a smooth 10 points without even breaking a sweat. Whether it was driving through traffic, pulling up mid-range, finishing on the break, or cutting backdoor for easy buckets—he had it all in his bag. Dude wasn't just an iso scorer; his whole offensive package was solid.

And the scary part? His jumper was still getting better. Once that part caught up with the rest of his game, he was gonna be a real problem on the court.

During the timeout, fans along the sidelines started chanting his name.

"Chen Yan! Chen Yan!"

That energy hit different. It wasn't just noise—it felt like recognition. He could feel it... the beginning of a star-level presence. For the first time, he actually felt like a celebrity athlete.

When they came back from the break, Kansas didn't swap out any players, but their tactics definitely changed.

They switched defenders—Brandon Rush was now guarding Chen Yan.

Rush wasn't just anyone; he was Kansas's best perimeter defender. He'd been glued to Durant the whole game. But with Chen Yan torching them early, Coach Bill Self had no choice. Dude had to switch it up.

On offense, Kansas stuck to their playbook—team-first basketball.

Chalmers ran a clean pick-and-roll with Sasha Kaun. Sasha caught the ball, but Damian James had already rotated on help defense. Without panicking, Sasha kicked it to Rush on the wing.

Rush hit a hesitation move, drove inside, and dropped in a soft floater.

13–6.

Every Kansas starter had either been drafted or had the potential to go to the NBA. Stopping them every single possession? Not realistic.

Texas didn't waste time—they inbounded quick from the baseline.

DJ Augustin touched it for a split second before it swung straight to Chen Yan.

He took it coast-to-coast.

Kansas started to collapse for a double team, but Durant casually drifted across the court and drew one defender away. Even if Chen was on fire, nobody in their right mind would ignore Durant.

"Bang! Bang!"

Chen faced Rush one-on-one, hit him with two nasty crossovers, then exploded right.

As their bodies collided, he spun off—clean.

Chen found himself at the left 45-degree bullhorn area.

"Bang!"

Darrell Arthur stepped up to help. Chen slammed the brakes, crossed again, and spun—back-to-back moves with pure sauce.

Silky. That was the only word that fit him right now.

When hoopers say they're in the zone—when it feels like every move just flows—that's what Chen was experiencing. He was hooping for fun at this point, just vibing.

Shook Arthur off just enough for space, rose up, and—

"Bang!"

The release was clean, the form was smooth, but...

Too short.

The ball clanked off the front rim—but the bounce was kind. The rock kissed the front iron, bounced straight up, and dropped back in.

Bucket.

Arthur and Rush looked at each other like, seriously? Even that went in?

Chen just smiled.

That's basketball. You don't control every bounce. Sometimes, it's skill. Other times, it's just good ol' luck.

The crowd lost it. Chen's point total now? 12.

And then...

[Ding! The host has triggered a "Hot Start." The original skill [Hot Start (Passive)] has been unlocked!]

[Hot Start (Passive Skill): From the beginning of the game, every made shot increases the host's shooting percentage. At max, it provides up to a +20% hit rate bonus. This buff remains active until the host misses a shot.]

Chen's eyes lit up.

Let's go!

The skill's floor was low—as in, if you miss your first shot, it's gone.

But the ceiling? Massive.

Hit after hit, and his shooting percentage would climb higher and higher. At full power, an extra 20% bump in shot accuracy? That's borderline game-breaking.

And the best part? No honor points, no side quests, no fancy achievements needed. It just... unlocked on its own.

This was tailor-made for freeloaders like him.

Now that [Hot Start] was active, Chen just wanted one thing—to keep riding this high 'til the final buzzer.

But... this ain't a web novel. This was real life.

No script. No author giving him plot armor.

"Bang!"

Three possessions later, he pulled up for a mid-range jumper—clank.

Missed.

And just like that, the [Hot Start] buff vanished.

At the 10:47 mark of the first half, Kansas assistant coach Tim Jokovic stared up at the big screen, scanning the technical stats.

All five Kansas players had scored—but none had more than six points. It was a balanced team effort.

On Texas' side, only three players had put up points: DJ Augustin, Durant, and Chen Yan.

But Chen Yan? He had already exploded for 20 points!

Tim Jokovic leaned over and whispered urgently into head coach Bill Self's ear.

"Coach... this kid might drop 80 tonight! I'm not kidding—he's gonna score 80!"

Though he tried to keep his voice down, the shock in his tone was impossible to hide.

This wasn't some pick-up game or amateur league. Chen Yan was going off against a starting five full of future NBA players!

Final 30 seconds of the first half. Score: 49–36.

Texas had the lead, and the final possession of the half.

DJ Augustin brought the ball across half-court.

Mario Chalmers picked up his intensity on defense, trying to force a turnover, but DJ held his own. He kept his back to the defender, calmly changing hands and shielding the ball as he crossed midcourt.

Durant came up to take the ball.

No rush. The Longhorns planned to milk the clock. NCAA offensive possessions last 35 seconds—no need to give Kansas even one shot before the buzzer.

Durant gripped the ball one-handed, waiting as the clock ticked.

Twelve seconds left.

Just as everyone thought Durant was about to iso, Chen Yan cut hard from the baseline!

—

"Don't let him touch the ball!"

"Stop him! Don't let that guy shoot!"

Kansas fans were nearly crying in the stands. Every time Chen Yan touched the ball, their hearts clenched.

But the game doesn't bend to the crowd.

Durant dished it to Chen Yan without hesitation.

No doubt. Chen Yan had been the best player in the first half. It was the obvious choice.

8 seconds on the clock!

Rush stepped up, ready to lock in on defense. One-on-one. No help.

Chen Yan caught the ball and immediately threw in a crossover. The tempo shifted—his dribble went from tight and slow to wide and fast.

Suddenly—bang!—a huge crossover!

Rush had expected it. He was mentally prepped for Chen Yan's signature move.

But anticipation didn't help. Chen's timing was too clean. Rush was still a step too late!

Chen Yan didn't pull up immediately. Instead, he paused.

He was reading Rush's movements now—reading his mind.

As Rush lunged forward to recover—

Boom! Another crossover!

Double cross!

Rush was completely broken. Ankles gone.

Chen Yan casually stepped forward to the free throw line and rose for the jumper.

"Swish!"

Perfect release. Clean as glass.

The buzzer sounded the moment the ball dropped through the net.

The first half was over.

Kansas fans slumped in their seats, covering their faces or letting out long sighs.

They already knew this was coming.

"Ohhh man! Buzzer-beater!" Barkley roared in the studio. "That's 30 points for Chen in the first half! There is NOTHING stopping this guy tonight!"

He clutched his bald head and turned to the camera, his voice full of disbelief.

"Viewers at home, listen to me. You might not even realize it yet—but you are witnessing the CRAZIEST one-man show in college basketball history!"

Now, Barkley's mouth was known for exaggerating—but tonight, no one dared argue.

30+ in one half. Chen Yan had turned this Sweet Sixteen game into a solo act.

At the beginning of the game, many fans had guessed he might crack 30 by the end.

Nobody thought he'd hit that number before halftime.

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