On the night No. 23 retired, Lu Ran inherited the legendary No. 23 template.
That night, he had just $12.46 left in his account.
Old injuries plagued him, he was behind on rent, and his career was on the verge of being cut short.
Everyone thought he would never make it to the NBA.
Then the legend’s abilities began awakening in him, one by one.
Fadeaways.
Drives.
Help defense.
Control of the game.
For the first time, the door to the NBA cracked open for him.
But the stronger the template became, the less he felt like himself.
Because this template had never been a gift.
Every time he used it, he pushed his body past its limits, spent more of his potential, and lost a little more of the chance to become himself.
Everyone wanted to see “the next No. 23.”
But Lu Ran had to decide:
If reaching the summit meant
living as a shadow of a legend,
should he keep walking this path?
I am also a fan of Lao Zhan. I pay tribute to Lao Zhan and pray for Xiao Yang. Come on, author, I hope you write better and better!