NBA Skills: Dominating Kuroko no Basket

During Shūtoku's offensive, Takao passed the ball directly to Midorima.

Midorima caught the ball and immediately raised it over his head.

"Is Midorima going for another shot?"

"Another ultra-high-arc three-pointer!"

The audience erupted with excitement as they anticipated Midorima's signature move.

Meanwhile, Kuroko moved under the basket, clearly preparing for a full-court pass if Midorima attempted his three-pointer.

Seeing this, Midorima hesitated, gritted his teeth, and passed the ball back to Takao.

"Midomimacchi, you could've just taken that shot!" Kise said in confusion from the stands.

"I get it now" said Kasamatsu, explaining to Kise. "Just being able to suppress his presence to the point of invisibility is impressive enough. But Kuroko has another skill — he's completely disrupting Midorima's game."

"Huh? he is being suppressed?" Kise still looked puzzled.

"Think about it" Kasamatsu continued. "Midorima's advantage is his long hang time on three-pointers. It allows him to quickly transition to defense and shut down fast breaks. But with Kuroko's pinpoint long-distance passes, the same hang time gives Kagami enough opportunity to outpace Midorima on the break. Midorima knows this and can't afford to shoot."

Kasamatsu added with admiration, "Even so, Kuroko's judgment to time his passes perfectly and his courage to take such risks… You can't underestimate him. He's deceptively unremarkable but lives up to his status as a former starter for the Generation of Miracles."

"You've got to be kidding me!" a bemused player muttered.

Takao smirked as he dribbled. "If they think they can shut us down that easily, they're in for a surprise."

Facing Izuki, Takao made a swift double crossover, leaving him behind. "So fast!" Izuki exclaimed but quickly gave chase.

Takao's speed was unmatched, though. He bypassed Izuki and charged toward the basket. Mitobe stepped up to help defend, but Takao, smirking, executed a no-look behind-the-back pass. The ball zipped to Ōtsubo, who finished with an easy layup.

"Damn it!" Seirin's players gritted their teeth in frustration.

It was Seirin's turn to attack. Hyuga passed the ball to Kuroko, who, with a quick glance, spotted Mitobe under the basket and delivered a precise pass. Mitobe finished with a smooth layup, earning cheers from his teammates.

On Shutoku's bench, their coach issued new orders. "Takao, switch assignments and mark No. 11!"

The decision confused spectators. "Why send Takao to guard Kuroko? Isn't it the same no matter who defends him?"

Takao didn't let the doubts faze him. He focused entirely on his new task. When Shūtoku regained possession, Takao once again executed a no-look pass to Miyaji, who scored easily, sparking a wave of applause.

Izuki, reflecting on Takao's passes, felt a sense of familiarity. "So that's it…" he muttered.

Takao confronted Kuroko directly. "You know" he said with a sly grin, "ever since our first meeting, I've been itching for this matchup. We're alike — you and I. Freshmen. Pass-first players. Two sides of the same coin. So, naturally, I can't let myself lose to you."

Kagami, watching from a distance, frowned. "What's their plan? Takao's quick, but Kuroko isn't someone you can shut down like that."

Midorima responded cryptically, "You'll see soon enough."

On Seirin's next offensive, a pass went toward Kuroko. Takao read it perfectly, intercepted the ball mid-air, and passed it to Kimura. Kimura quickly relayed the ball to Miyaji, who scored another basket with a clean floater.

Takao turned to Kuroko with a mischievous smile. "I have to admit, you're something else. You've got an aura about you that's hard to ignore."

Kuroko remained calm. "You're the first person to say that to me. It's a bit perplexing."

"Really?" Takao chuckled. "Well, you've got my respect."

Just as Takao finished speaking, Kuroko vanished from sight. "Huh? Hey! Don't disappear mid-conversation!" Takao yelled in mock annoyance before smirking. "Classic."

When Seirin regained possession, Izuki passed to Kuroko, who aimed to deliver a no-look pass to Hyuga. But just as Kuroko flicked the ball, Takao appeared out of nowhere.

"Smack!"

In a flash, Takao intercepted Kuroko's pass.

"What?! No way!" Seirin's players were stunned. Kuroko's pass had been stopped — by Takao.