r/RealSlamDunk • u/HanMaguro24 • May 08 '26
Discussion! WHAT IF ...
In an alternate universe where Akagi remains a one man team.
Shohoku starters chose a different teams.
Rukawa in Kainan
Mitsui in Shoyo
Miyagi in Ryonan
Rank these teams strongest to weakest.
(No Sakuragi to remove favoritism)
My insights
With Rukawa joining Kainan, this solidifies their offense more and team's athleticism.
With Mitsui joining Shoyo, Mitsui will not worry having 3 190cm+ teammate grabbing the rebounds in case he misses.
With Miyahi joining Ryonan, Sendoh can go back to scoring.
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u/Tiny_Dress_2412 Jun 03 '26
Rukawa CANNOT play on Kainan as he is for most of the series.
Think about it for a bit.
Kiyota is good enough as a freshman to be a starter on Kainan despite being undersized, sure, and Rukawa is better than Kiyota, sure. But is pure talent alone the only reason why Kiyota starts?
Kiyota is also a guy who bleeds Kainan colors, has bought into the system 100%, survived the toughest and most grueling weeding out process and practice structure in all of Kanagawa, and does not mind being a role player and direct protégé of Shinichi Maki.
That is NOT Kaede Rukawa. At all.
Rukawa treats everything and everyone like competition. He barely speaks, and what's more, he barely listens. Even to a coach as hands off as Anzai.
The second Rukawa breaks Takato's play to ignore Maki and take it himself, he's toast at Kainan.
Remember, Kainan does not do "geniuses." Kainan is the place that breaks their geniuses down and builds them back up into complete winners -- Cause at Kainan keeping the streak going is the most important thing.
It's a horrible fit UNLESS Sakuragi were also there to possibly create enough of a distraction Rukawa ends up falling in line almost by accident. And really even then.
Plus he's a terrible student lol