allendalepharm Chapter 1 Draft
Chapter 1 Draft
June 28, 2007, Madison Square Garden, New York, Lotto section.
The air was filled with a mix of fragrances. The new students, dressed in freshly ironed suits and sporting slicked-back, fashionable hairstyles, chatted and laughed amongst themselves in the audience, looking quite respectable.
The spotlight and the cameras of sports media from around the world made the young men in the small green room tense, and their faces occasionally showed a shy and stiff smile as they spoke.
Below the stage was a sea of people, cameras flashing incessantly, all coming with expectant eyes to witness this annual basketball extravaganza.
This is the gateway to the NBA. Once drafted, there's a great chance to become a player in the strongest basketball league on the planet, reaping both fame and fortune. The prospect of millions or even billions of dollars is not just empty talk.
Du Xiaoshuai's gaze lingered on the reflection of a camera on the table in front of him.
In this situation
Just like,
That time and that scene.
His current identity is Kevin Wayne Durant.
In his past life, his nickname was "Bookbag Du," a construction foreman, the god of losers, and also known as the Grim Reaper!
He was wearing a gray striped suit that was a bit too big, which made his skinny frame stand out even more. His familiar features were exactly what I liked: thick lips, a flat nose, high brow bones, single eyelids, and long legs. Well, to be honest—he was handsome!
His youthful face carried an air of "keep away," and he remained silent like a young, domineering CEO feigning deep affection.
Since his soul transmigrated here last night, Du Xiaoshuai has gradually accepted the identity of this body.
There was no sadness, but rather a hint of secret joy.
Having been a foreman and a pseudo-football fan for twenty years in his previous life, Du Xiaoshuai still greatly admired this handsome, rich, and successful guy who was both a loser and a loser. He didn't feel any burden or exclusion when he occupied his idol's body.
After the draft, Durant became a multi-millionaire overnight. His original self had already endured all the hardships for him over the past ten years, so now all he could do was enjoy life, except play basketball.
What surprised Du Xiaoshuai even more was that the fan system also came to this body along with his soul.
The saying goes, "Time travel without a system, and your anus will be stabbed by ten thousand men!"
With the system in place, what's there to be afraid of!
The best is yet to come!
He stretched his hunched shoulders and lowered his neck. Beside him, his dark-skinned, plump mother, Wanda, had a resolute face. She held his hand tightly, her palms slightly sweaty, like two pieces of chocolate stuck together, and prayed softly in a Washington, D.C. accent.
Agent Rich Kleiman maintained a professional smile, but his eyes kept glancing to the side of the stage, as if he could foresee the answer in the envelope in President Stern's hand.
"Ladies and gentlemen..." The league president David Stern's signature, slightly hoarse yet authoritative voice resounded throughout the arena through the microphone, and the draft officially began.
The first name, even if repeated a hundred times, would be the same without any suspense:
"The Portland Trail Blazers have selected... Greg Oden from Ohio State University!"
Amidst the deafening cheers, fans wearing Trail Blazers jerseys bought tickets and stood together to shout and cheer.
This year is a banner year for the NBA draft, and the Portland Trail Blazers, having secured the number one pick, are brimming with ambition and confidence...
As the saying goes, "One general's success is built on the bones of ten thousand," but who knew that the veterinarian would be the one to succeed, while the players would suffer injuries and even death...
May Buddha protect you!
Oden, the only one in the small, dark room whose face showed no signs of immaturity, stood up. His physique was like a center straight out of a classical sculpture—broad-shouldered, with a mature and composed demeanor....
This child has the bearing of a great emperor!
Oden hugged his family, put on the Trail Blazers hat, and walked onto the stage.
Du Xiaoshuai looked at Oden, who was taking a photo with the short, Jewish old man. It had been over a decade since he'd seen him. The last time he saw the old man in China was when an old woman publicly berated him...
After a segment of reflections by an older man, it was time for a break.
"Next up is the Seattle SuperSonics' second overall pick in the first round. You have five minutes to consider."
A moment later, Stern came to the podium from the sidelines, picked up the envelope, unfolded it, and glanced at the small green room, seemingly looking for the corresponding player.
Du Xiaoshuai's heart began to beat faster uncontrollably.
He certainly knew history and knew he would definitely be chosen, but the uncertainty of this fateful choice and the anticipation for the future still made him nervous for a moment.
"The Seattle SuperSonics have made their choice..."
Even more nervous than Durant was his mother, Wanda Durant, who felt as if her hand was being held by pliers, her brightly colored manicured nails digging almost into his flesh.
The agent leaned forward slightly. He himself held his breath, his eyes fixed on Stern's lips.
"Kevin Durant, from the University of Texas!"
boom--
The sound seemed to come through a layer of water, then was amplified instantly.
The spotlight suddenly turned and shone on him, making him squint.
The surrounding area was instantly flooded with congratulatory applause, hugs, and excited shouts.
Wanda's mother jumped up suddenly, hugged Du Xiaoshuai, tears streaming down her face, and kept saying, "This is my son, my son."
Agent Rich Kleiman also breathed a sigh of relief and patted him hard on the shoulder.
Driven by this enthusiasm, Du Xiaoshuai stood up, his body somewhat stiff.
He subconsciously straightened his large, yet neat, suit and strode onto the stage.
My footsteps felt somewhat unreal as I walked on the smooth floor.
He could feel the gazes coming from all directions: curiosity, scrutiny, expectation, doubt, and—amazement!
Yes, I'm absolutely certain!
There was also a banner held up by Seattle fans: Welcome to Seattle, Kevin!
As he stepped onto the stage, the Jewish man extended his hand with a kind expression.
Du Xiaoshuai extended his hand to shake hands with him, and put on a baseball cap with a supersonic green logo and a yellow lightning bolt on his other hand.
A faint "ding!" sounded in his ear, but Du Xiaoshuai had no time to pay attention. He steadied himself, leaned closer to the microphone, and fluent English flowed out instinctively:
"Um... First of all, thank you to my mom, Wanda Durant, she's everything to me, I wouldn't be standing here without her. Thank you to my brother, my big family of over two hundred, and everyone who has helped me grow up. Thank you to the University of Texas..."
"I'm thrilled to join the Seattle SuperSonics. I'm eager to work, eager to learn, and eager to win games for the team. I will give it my all..."
It's just average, nothing special!
This was Du Xiaoshuai's first statement in the league, and it was completely different from his online style in his previous life. There was no way around it; he had only been in this world for one night, and even with the help of the system, he was confident that his future achievements would surpass those of the original body, but he was completely unaware of his current basketball abilities.
Their strength is unknown, so they naturally lack the confidence to cause trouble in reality.
No rush, let's sign the second overall pick's contract first and earn him a small fortune!
In the summer of 07, the Seattle SuperSonics had just traded Ray Allen, and Rashard Lewis was about to leave as a free agent. It was a team in the midst of rebuilding, and even on the verge of relocation...
The team's second overall pick—doesn't that mean he'll be the team's core player and have unlimited shooting opportunities?
The new season holds great promise!
Back then, the team environment was indeed quite good during Durant's development period.
His speech was brief, befitting a rookie's caution, and also displayed a level of restraint and maturity rarely seen in Black people.
Polite and enthusiastic applause erupted from the audience. Du Xiaoshuai nodded again to the audience and to Stern, and then, guided by staff, walked backstage.
After stepping off the main stage's dazzling area, Du Xiaoshuai was led to a temporarily partitioned backstage interview area.
He was instantly surrounded by more flashing lights, a dense barrage of recording equipment, and a barrage of questions from reporters.
"Kevin, how does it feel to be the second overall pick? Do you think you should have been the first?"
"What are your expectations for the SuperSonics after joining them? Are you aware that the SuperSonics are preparing to trade Ray Allen? What are you going to say to him?"
Do you think your current weight will be a problem in the competitive environment of the NBA?
How do you feel about people comparing you to Greg Oden?
The questions were sharp and direct, typical of interview topics in the NBA Vanity Fair, and not friendly to newcomers in their teens and early twenties.
"It feels amazing, my dream has come true."
"You know, Greg is a great player. I wish him all the best in Portland."
"As for myself, the SuperSonics selected me, and I will focus on how to help the team. The team's training staff will help me improve my physical weaknesses, and I will actively cooperate to face the intensity of the NBA. I will train hard and increase my strength..."
.......
Use the A-Tan formula to easily deal with the media.
So easy!
The draft continued. Stern's voice once again echoed throughout the hall:
"Next up is the Atlanta Hawks, who have selected... Al Horford from the University of Florida!"
The third pick, the third overall pick, was born. Al Horford, with his solid physique and honest face, stood up, carrying the glory of the Florida Alligator's two-time champion.
"A future All-Star, a piece of the puzzle for a top team, one of the answers for the center position... Unfortunately, he'll have to endure a while in the early stages with the Hawks."
Du Xiaoshuai, standing in the crowd, found himself able to observe these future opponents and teammates from a prophetic perspective, a rather peculiar feeling.
Of course, this kind of foresight will also be the biggest advantage for the next ten years or so, besides the system itself.
"With the fourth pick, the Memphis Grizzlies have selected... Mike Conley from Ohio State University!"
"The fifth pick, the Boston Celtics, have selected... Jeff Green from Georgetown University!"
As the draft progressed, the media surrounding Du Xiaoshuai gradually left to interview other newcomers, while Du Xiaoshuai continued to follow the draft backstage.
Just like in the previous life, each team in the league selected their preferred players as if it were part of a script.
Upon hearing that the Celtics had selected his brother-in-law Green, Durant saw that this future teammate, known as the "King of the Game-Winner," the "Heart Disease Fighter," and one of the "Thunder Five," was still a spirited rookie. On the podium, Green passionately expressed his feelings to the Celtics' management.
However, the upcoming transaction should allow him to experience the deepest malice of the business alliance. Judging from the transaction results in his previous life, Angie and Sam Presti's offer should already be underway.
The arrival of Celtics' brother-in-law, the trade of Ray Allen, and the formation of the Celtics' Big Three were the catalysts for the next decade of the NBA's superstar era.
Before the Big Three won the championship in 08, the league had seen MVP-caliber stars team up at their peak, but most of these attempts ended in failure. The most successful team was Moses Malone's move to the East in 82.
He left the Rockets for the 76ers right after being named MVP and teamed up with Julius Erving, who had been named MVP the previous year. The famous "fo, fo, fo" declaration was uttered by this high school student.
This super team was truly phenomenal! And their record was indeed excellent; they won the championship that year and were nearly undefeated in the playoffs! They even swept the Lakers in the Finals!
But there was a reason for this super team. Moses Malone won the regular season MVP award twice, in 79 and 82, and was at his peak. He was arguably one of the top three players in the league at the time. However, when his contract expired in 82, the Rockets refused to match the $1320 million offer from the 76ers, letting an MVP-caliber player leave for nothing.
This is just as unbelievable as the Cavaliers' reluctance to match up with Aldridge in 10 and the Thunder's reluctance to match up with Shaquille O'Neal in 16. In terms of nature alone, the Rockets' actions are similar to those of the Orlando Magic when Shaq first went to the West.
To be fair, the team's management was largely to blame for this superteam's idiocy, and the Rockets' owners, Charlie Thomas, Alexander, and Fertitta, are all notoriously stingy.
"I absolutely cannot go to the Rockets in my lifetime!" Durant silently warned himself, "Just thinking about it is bad luck!"
Pooh!
After that, several attempts to form superteams at the tail end of their prime all ended in failure. Barkley went to the Rockets to team up with Olajuwon, but ended up becoming the team's star player. Malone fared even worse; the "F4" almost didn't make it to the Finals, and he practically lost his place as a historical power forward.
After the Lakers' "F4" failed, the league was quiet for two or three years, and now some people are starting to take shortcuts again.
The most crucial thing is that the Celtics succeeded in just one year. Who wouldn't be envious!
Hmph, you can leave now. Since Kevin Garnett can take shortcuts, why can't I, Kevin Durant, take them in my past life?
Even if you decide to never follow the old path again in this life, you can't let the path become too narrow!
Am I the only one in the entire alliance who sticks together? Why are you guys always chasing after your contractor?
Didn't that gorilla in the east do it too?
Isn't he the MVP?
That's just the way things are.
Who has the audacity to judge me?
"The Milwaukee Bucks selected... Yi Jianlian, from the Guangdong Southern Tigers in China, with the 6th pick!"
Another cheer erupted from the crowd.
A-Lian, the first Chinese player invited to the green room to witness the draft in person, was also in the lottery area. After being promised a spot by the Bucks, he shyly walked onto the stage with his dimples...
"With the 7th pick, the Minnesota Timberwolves selected... Corey Brewer from the University of Florida!"
It's another familiar role player, Corey Brewer, nicknamed "Company Commander," an elite role player with 819 NBA career games, averaging 8.7 points per game. He just won the NCAA Final Four Most Outstanding Player award. He was drafted 7th overall in a strong draft year, which is a bit low, considering he helped the Florida team win the NCAA championship last year.
Frankly speaking, any role player who can establish themselves in the NBA is a renowned figure outside of the league, and this statement is incredibly aptly exemplified by Corey Brewer.
"The Charlotte Bobcats, with the 8th pick, have selected... Brandon Wright from the University of North Carolina!" The old rogue still clearly has a soft spot for his alma mater's juniors; he might as well have picked Nick Young!
"The Chicago Bulls selected... Joakim Noah, from the University of Florida, with the 9th pick!" Another member of the Florida championship team, the passionate French center.
The University of Florida has been very strong in the last two years, bringing a lot of new talent to the league. Unfortunately, in the spring of 07, they encountered the NCAA version of Oden, who almost single-handedly upset the defending champion Florida Four. As a result, the team's draft stock dropped significantly.
The draft proceeded as planned, with names being read out one by one in the middle and later stages of the first round—names that would either shine in the future or gradually fade from public view:
The tenth pick, the King of Sacramento, chose Spencer Hawes.
...
The New Orleans Hornets selected Julian Wright with the 13th pick.
...
The Washington Wizards selected him with the 16th pick; let him be strong, I'll be Nick Young.
...
With the 18th pick, the Golden State Warriors selected Italian slugger Marco Belinelli.
With the 19th pick, the Los Angeles Lakers selected guard Gabriele Crittenton.
Well—I have to mention this rookie number 19 here, a freakish villain both on and off the court. He was later one of the main characters in Arenas' "Gungate," and in 11 he was imprisoned for shooting and killing a 22-year-old woman. Moreover, this shooting was accidental; he originally intended to kill the man accompanying the deceased, but his marksmanship was terrible…
Even more bizarrely, the motive for the murder stemmed from a previous robbery where the victim's male companion resembled the suspect in his mind.
...
The Charlotte Bobcats selected Jared Dudley with the 22nd pick.
The New York Knicks selected Wilson Chandler, Kobe Bryant's former teammate, with the 23rd pick.
...
The draft is in full swing, and as it enters the second round, attention has waned. The aging Stern is no longer holding back, prompting Vice President Adam to jokingly criticize the host.
With the 31st pick, the Seattle SuperSonics selected Carl Landry for the Rockets. He was an average forward who could serve as a useful fringe player for the Rockets and was instrumental in their 22-game winning streak the following season.
This kind of player is certainly economical in the regular season, but to be blunt, his height disadvantage and positional conflict mean he's destined to be targeted in the playoffs. If they want to win the championship, they'll definitely have to trade him away early, just like the Warriors did.
...
With the 35th pick, the Seattle SuperSonics selected "Big Baby" Glen Davis.
"Now for a brief announcement about a transaction." The joke paused for a moment before continuing:
"The Celtics traded Jeff Green (5th overall pick), Szczerbiak, and Delonte West to the SuperSonics' star player Ray Allen and Glen Davis (35th overall pick)."
"Whoosh—"
The audience erupted in cheers, with most feeling that the deal was both expected and unexpected.
After all, Ray Allen has been at odds with the team ever since the head coach left last year, and the team was already preparing to rebuild in a strong draft year, so a trade was inevitable.
But the trade went to the Celtics....
Those of you here are all long-time NBA fans. On paper, Ray Allen joining the Celtics is a major trade that could impact the league's landscape.
Although Ray Allen and Rashard Lewis missed many games last season due to injuries, causing the team to drop to the number one draft pick, they were still All-Stars in their prime. The current three-point king, and in terms of popularity alone, he could be considered the fifth shooting guard. He can drive, shoot, and run, and can adapt to any system. As the main player, his ceiling might not be high, but as the second option, he is simply too good!
Durant was not surprised by the trade. His focus was on the "retired emperor" Delonte West who was added to the trade. The Celtics originally planned to trade Tony Allen, but the SuperSonics may have felt that Tony's shooting guard position conflicted with their own, so they replaced him with the retired emperor.
To be honest, the retired emperor still had considerable power at this time, and it wouldn't be bad for a newcomer to serve as his unarmed bodyguard.
Wanda probably won't let me call him Uncle Wei, right?
The audience buzzed with discussion, and the reporters present didn't dare hang up their phones. The draft continued on stage, with jokes announcing the second-round picks and occasionally pausing to read out the trades from various teams. However, compared to the first big trade by the SuperSonics Celtics, it didn't cause much of a stir.
...
The Los Angeles Lakers selected Sun Yue, from China, with the 40th overall pick...
The Lakers selected Marc Gasol of Spain with the 48th overall pick.
......
For Du Xiaoshuai, who had been through the draft before, the three-hour process was like a large-scale exhibition of future players.
He tried hard to remember the names and faces that would make waves in the future, and at the same time, he truly felt the opportunities and ruthlessness of the NBA as a business league - some people were highly drafted and enjoyed great success, some were low drafted or even undrafted and then made a comeback, and many more disappeared quietly.
The 2007 NBA Draft came to a close with the selection of the final rookie, Milova Rakovic, by the Dallas Mavericks.
The crowd began to disperse, and the noise subsided. Accompanied by his mother and management team, Du Xiaoshuai left Madison Square Garden and got into a car heading to his hotel.