Each year, the NCAA has a poll that is voted on by the coaching staff, and it is also an important basis for the NCAA organizing committee to select wild card teams.

Before the start of the season, Sandke and his players analyzed the list.

UCLA is at number two on this list.

They have won all four games so far in the regular season, and they have averaged 20 points per game!

Whether it is the evaluation of the outside world or their own performance, they are absolutely worthy of the name.

UCLA has two cores this season, Russell Westbrook on the outside and Kevin Love on the inside.

Westbrook was still playing off the bench for Darren Collison in the regular season last season, and he did the same thing that Xu Yong suggested for Cooks, the team's defensive snail.

But since the game made it to the playoffs and the tournaments since, his playing time has increased and he has become an integral part of the team.

Westbrook has been the natural starter this season, and in addition to maintaining an elite level of defense, he has also shown a terrifying impact and is already considered a top 10 player in this year's draft.

Love is a freshman, the second high school student in the United States in the class of 2007 after OJ Mayo, and he can contribute a terrifying 20+10+2 per game in the invitational stage, showing dominance under the basket while also shooting nearly 40% from three-point range. Considered to be the existence of the top five in this year's draft.

In addition, UCLA has two players with NBA prospects, one is Darren Collison, a third-year student who used to press Westbrook to the bench, and Luke Richard Bamot, the "Prince of Cameroon" who is known for his defense on the front line.

In fact, in addition to UCLA, Stanford University (10th), Washington State University (12th), the University of Arizona (17th), the University of Oregon (18th), and the University of Southern California (23rd) were shortlisted in the original list.

Because the list only takes the top 25, Arizonada State University does not appear on that list.

Of course, this is not the other time, and in the latest survey, with the excellent performance of the invitational tournament and the opening of the regular season, Arizona State University has jumped to the ...... 25th position.

Although 25th hit 2nd, it still doesn't look like much of a chance.

Against strong opponents, the mentality of the players is not the same as before.

Before training, the players played table tennis in the locker room, which was also a way to relieve pressure.

However, Xu Yong found that Harden did not go up to play.

"Why don't you go up and try it?" Xu Yong sat next to him and turned his head and asked.

Harden looked at the ping-pong table in front of him and shook his head: "I gave up, it was too hard for me." ”

This answer made Xu Yong stunned, in ancient times, the first emperor did not start a business and jumped in the middle of the road, and now there is Harden who gave up after practicing for less than a week.

But Xu Yong didn't ask, after all, this is just a form of entertainment.

"The next one will be more difficult for us than that." Harden said, pulling his gaze away from the ping-pong table.

Xu Yong nodded, even if he was as confident as him, he knew that it would be difficult to wrestle with UCLA with their strength.

"It's not like we're completely out of the picture." But Xu Yong is Xu Yong, and then added after nodding.

Harden looked at Xu Yong suspiciously.

"James, what do you think UCLA's goals are for this season?" Xu Yong then asked.

"Overall Champion." Harden replied crisply.

UCLA has been in the elite four for the past two consecutive seasons, and this season they have recruited Love, and there are no weaknesses from the outside to the front to the inside, and the championship is their only goal.

"Then the people they will spend their time researching should be schools like North Carolina, Kansas, Memphis, and they will indeed look at us, but it will be more of a routine than a UC Berkeley." Xu Yong nodded and said.

The three schools he said were the top four clubs that had long dominated the top four with UCLA this season.

Harden suddenly understood: "You mean we can get started?" ”

'Yes, the game is on our home turf and once we get the momentum of the game, you know what to expect. Xu Yong nodded, it was easy to talk to smart people.

With that, he also handed Harden a "you know" emoji.

Of course, Harden understands that on the NCAA stage, because there are few mature superstars, and because of the long rounds of the game period, it is very difficult to turn the game around once you lose ground.

He nodded, didn't speak again, but looked back at the ping-pong table, his eyes full of anticipation.

If nothing else, the game against UCLA will attract scouts, and if they do win, it will help him in the draft.

What kind of "experience in the NCAA and then enter the NBA" is pure nonsense, as long as you can ensure that you are selected with a high pick, the sooner you enter the NBA, the better, because age represents potential, as for the rest, the NBA produces players much more professionally than universities.

Of course, there are still benefits to studying in college for a year, because there is also cultural education in college, and many high school players are missing this link, resulting in a lack of cultural quality.

League President David Stern understands this, so in 2006 he implemented a draft age rule, and under the age of 19 are not allowed to run.

Therefore, the most popular one now is "one&done", which translates to "play for a year and leave", that is, to run for election after the freshman year.

But the prerequisite for doing so is to show your talent and attract the attention of NBA scouts.

Otherwise, the order is low, and the fool will play what one&done.

As a gentle and reserved person, but actually very smart, Harden knows the importance of this game even more.

……

A few days later, Tempe City was unusually lively.

Although the distance from Los Angeles to Phoenix alone is more than 600 kilometers in a straight line, there are still many UCLA fans who fly in to support the Bruins.

On the morning of the game, Xu Yong and Harden sat in the aisle on the second floor with their backs to the bench in the audience.

After a while, a group of people entered the arena amid a commotion.

Arizona State University did not make any small moves in the arena like the original University of Arizona, and according to the normal process, the visiting team warmed up in the morning and the home team warmed up in the afternoon.

The warm-up for the visiting team is generally closed, which is why the two of them are sitting here.

They hadn't played against UCLA before, so this was the only chance to get an eye on their opponents in advance.

Harden turned around and peeked out, and when he came back, he made a set of prayer gestures: "Silence for Jeff." ”

Xu Yong looked puzzled, and then turned around and leaned out.

Then he quickly understood why Harden was doing that, because he saw Kevin Love.

His impression of Lefu basically stayed in the knightly period, debuting as a male model, handsome to the point of scum.

But the Le Shiqi in front of him, the huge size, the first thing he thought of was not Lefu himself, but Jokic.

This guy is too big!

You must know that in terms of height, Lefu is only 2.03 meters like him.

But soon, this impression of him disappeared, because Lefu, who was like Roshan, came directly to a heavy clasp of his hands during the warm-up.

Xu Yong sat back and also learned that Harden did a set of prayers for Ayers.

The giants who can be selected by James as teammates have absolute strength.

And if Love can grow six or seven centimeters taller, then he will be in the same class as Nowitzki and Garnett in the NBA.

Of course, this assumption is not really needed in the NCAA, because with his size and athleticism, he is enough to dominate the interior in the NCAA.

Xu Yong, who is also a high school student in the class of 2007, has of course heard some of Lefou's deeds before, such as breaking the basket with a gentle jump, .gif.

But what I just saw confirms the saying: it is better to see than to hear.