Benchwarmer’s system:Rising through Global Hoops

In the clatter of weights, Lin Mo's left hand kept fumbling the dribble, sending the ball skittering to the edge of the court. Retrieving it, he ran into Old Chen, the janitor, who nodded at the red marks on his palm: "Kobe used to practice left-handed here ten years ago. Said right-handed smoothness is talent; left-handed is smarts." Old Chen mopped up sweat stains, the mop leaving arcs on the tile. "He also said the bench has brighter lights than the starters' spot—you see clearer from there."

The teenager texted: "Do you get insomnia before playoffs?" Lin snapped a photo of his left palm, newly calloused, but before he could type, the kid replied with a picture: his prosthetic arm wrapped in thick elastic, caption: "Practicing left-handed layups. Hit the rim 17 times." Lin deleted "I'm fine" and sent: "If you can't sleep, practice till dawn."

The third quarter whistle shrieked as the starting point guard crumpled, clutching his ankle. While the trainer's diagnosis was passed to the coach, copies of Lin's "training camp plays" were being handed out. In the creases of the paper, hidden in red ink, was his early-morning note: "If you panic, look at the hoop. It's always there." The water cooler at the end of the hall gurgled, counting down to the sudden turn.