Volume One: Seattle Glory

Chapter 0001 My Name is Yes

On the evening of January 29, 2005, at the Alaska Airlines Arena in Seattle, the ten-thousand-seat stadium was packed to capacity.

The ongoing game was a highlight matchup in the NCAA Pacific-10 Conference, with the University of Washington hosting the University of Arizona.

The University of Arizona has always been a powerhouse team in the Pac-10.

Meanwhile, under the leadership of Nate Robinson and Brandon Roy, the University of Washington has risen at an astonishing pace over the past two years.

Last year, the two led the team to the finals of the Big Ten Conference divisional championship.

But in the end, they lost to Stanford University, led by 2004 first-round sixth pick Josh Childress.

However, with Josh Childress entering the NBA, and the growth of Nate Robinson and Brandon Roy,

Fans of the University of Washington now have even higher expectations and greater enthusiasm for this team.

Compared to the excited University of Washington fans filling the arena, two teenagers—one Black, one Asian—sitting in the front row stood out even more.

Most of the University of Washington fans are locals from Seattle, so these two teenagers were naturally familiar to them.

The Black teenager, Martell Webster, is a senior at Seattle Preparatory School and a member of the All-American high school first team.

He also represented Team USA at the Nike Basketball Summit.

He was also selected as one of USA Today's top ten high school basketball players in the country.

The Asian-faced teenager, Yes, is a senior at Seattle's James A. Garfield High School and a star player on the Washington State high school league championship team.

Although Yes isn't a nationally known prodigy like Webster, his popularity in Seattle is in no way less than Webster's.

As the two most famous high school basketball stars in Washington State, Webster and Yes coming to watch a University of Washington home game naturally sparked a lot of speculation.

It's likely that the next day, basketball-focused media across the country would report: Top high school prospect Martell Webster attends University of Washington game in person, accompanied by Garfield High's Yes. According to previous media reports, both have already committed to joining the University of Washington next season.

"Amazing! This year's University of Washington is really amazing! Yes, I swear, as long as we join, the University of Washington will definitely dominate the NCAA next year!"

The Black teenager was very excited, while the Asian teenager's eyes kept flickering as he watched the University of Washington's No. 2 and No. 3 players on the court, Nate Robinson and Brandon Roy.

After studying in Seattle for four years, joining the University of Washington would naturally be the best choice.

But he was different from Webster.

Webster is a swingman, while he is a guard!

Robinson and Roy are also guards, and both are juniors this year. If he joins, he would have to play as their backup for a year.

Although Roy is his senior, and in his freshman year he also played as a backup to the team's star player Roy, that was just an insignificant freshman year!

But now, if he wants to make it to the NBA, he must showcase himself at every moment.

Webster's talent has already been recognized.

But what about him?

His scouting report reads: A well-rounded, average-talent, speed-type player, can be a sharp backup for a top NCAA team, but the chances of making it to the NBA are extremely low!

With the powerful play of Nate Robinson and Roy, and the solid performance of the other University of Washington role players, the University of Arizona put up a tough fight but still lost to the home team, University of Washington.

"Yes, Seattle's first NCAA championship trophy will be born in our hands!"

"Yeah, Martell, I'm not a Seattle native, I don't have the same sense of mission as you. Alright, the game is over, I'm heading home."

"Home? Yes, aren't you going to say hi to Brandon and the others? There are four of your high school seniors here!"

Lately, Yes has been acting strange. Is he reluctant to graduate from high school?

The Black teenager was puzzled, but still followed after him.

"Brandon, where are Martell and the others?"

"They left."

"Left? Now?"

"Yeah."

"Those two, we agreed to celebrate together!"

Seattle is a big city, a city of bright lights and nightlife. After leaving the arena with Webster, Yes felt no attachment to Seattle's nightlife.

As a minor celebrity in Seattle, if he wanted, he could be like Webster, sleeping with a different 'Easy Girl' every night.

But that's not the kind of life he can enjoy right now.

He doesn't have the kind of talent Webster can afford to squander.

He didn't come to the U.S. to study for those things, either.

Garfield High School, one of Seattle's four major private boarding schools, and as a recipient of a full scholarship for four consecutive years, his dorm room has always been quite nice.

And it's a single room!