Anthony wore an expression of deep intrigue as he looked at Luke. "So, how about coming to Denver?"
The Nuggets held the 26th pick in this year's draft. If Luke was truly projected as a second-rounder, the Nuggets had a 99% chance of snagging him if they were willing to use their first-round pick.
"Not interested."
Luke shook his head without hesitation. "Denver is too high up. I'm afraid the altitude would kill me."
The Nuggets' home court was a notorious "Mountain of Terror." Unlike the Utah Jazz, who relied on a hostile crowd to create a home-court advantage, Denver didn't have to do anything at all. The thin air at nearly 1,700 meters above sea level automatically applied a debuff to most visiting teams. Because the Nuggets players lived at that altitude year-round, they possessed incredible stamina, earning them the nickname the "Denver Track and Field Team."
Anthony was momentarily stunned by the sheer absurdity of the reason. This kid's logic is exhausting!
"I've been in Denver for six years and I haven't died yet!" Anthony retorted. "In fact, my stamina has skyrocketed—and for the record, it's extended my time in other areas of life, too!"
"Haha, kid, it's not up to you anyway!" Anthony wasn't about to give up. He found Luke's personality refreshing. "I'm going to call the front office. You're worth the 26th pick just based on those stops!"
In Melo's eyes, the Nuggets were desperate for a defensive wing like Trevor Ariza. He had been suffocated by the duo of Kobe and Ariza in the WCF, while Denver had no one capable of even slowing Kobe down. The Nuggets' starting backcourt—Billups, J.R. Smith, and Anthony—featured two defensive sieves and two ball hogs. Only a blue-collar FMVP like Billups could keep that volatile mix together.
"Come on, again!" Anthony's competitive streak was fully ignited. He didn't believe Luke could stop him forever.
Luke didn't waste breath. He checked the ball to Anthony. This time, Luke didn't press as tight, and Anthony rose immediately for a jumper. Luke's hand snapped up to cover Melo's eyes again, but this time, Anthony was prepared. He maintained his focus through the blindfold and released a clean shot.
Swish!
The ball snapped the net. Anthony let out a long breath of relief. Finally, a bucket. After that make, he didn't ask for any more 1v1s. Instead, he and Ravin moved to one half-court to begin formal training, while Luke occupied the other half-court for his own drills.
Every so often, Anthony would glance over at Luke. Eventually, he whispered to Ravin, "Idan, what's the kid's offensive game like? I only know his defense is legit."
Ravin gave a playful, mischievous grin. He winked and pointed toward the other side of the gym. "See for yourself."
At that moment, Luke was attempting a high-level coordination drill: tossing a tennis ball with one hand while dribbling with the other. He was supposed to toss the ball, perform a crossover, and catch it. Instead, the basketball bounced off his toe and went flying toward the bleachers.
"Goddammit!" Luke cursed.
Watching the clumsy display, Anthony suddenly remembered what Luke had told him during their 1v1: "Your defense is so trash, I have no interest in scoring."
It was a total bluff! If Anthony actually played defense, he could shut this kid down so hard he'd forget his own name.
Luke, oblivious to Melo's epiphany, continued to grind. He was determined to squeeze every second out of Anthony's presence. As long as the All-Star was in the building, Luke's 80x multiplier was active. Opportunities like this were rare, and he intended to capitalize.
Anthony stayed at Ravin's for ten days. Despite being an elite talent from the "Platinum Class of '03," he wasn't exactly a gym rat. After ten days of work, his restless nature took over, and he headed off for vacation.
By then, the NBA Finals had concluded. The Lakers had dispatched the Magic 4-1. Kobe had finally secured his first ring and Finals MVP post-Shaq, allowing him to proudly tell the Big Aristotle, "I've got four now!"
In those ten days, fueled by the 80x boost, Luke had racked up a massive 8,000 skill points. Combined with the 3,000 points earned during his two weeks with Steph, he now sat on a total of 11,000 points.
That night, back in his hotel room, he opened the system store. He was looking for another Grade B skill to take his game to the next level.
But then, a Grade C skill caught his eye...