The Best Point Guard-Chapter 93 - 21: [Draft Night, One Mountain, Two Tigers]

Chapter 93: Chapter 21: [Draft Night, One Mountain, Two Tigers]

Word of their argument reached the owner, Reinsdorf. In the end, he brought the hammer down, ending the dispute by choosing Kosinrich.

Five minutes after Reinsdorf’s decision, Jerry Krause announced his resignation. He told everyone in the draft war room, "The Bulls will regret this decision."

When Su Xi heard the Bulls had chosen Kosinrich—a rival he had previously defeated—he felt a pang of disappointment.

He looked up at the arena’s rafters.

Just then, his eyes met Kosinrich’s. The other man’s gaze was filled with smugness and hostility.

Su Xi narrowed his eyes, returning the glare with equal intensity.

Kosinrich donned the Bulls cap and strode onto the stage, the very picture of a victor.

Su Xi turned to O’Connor and said, "Mike, go get me a bottle of water."

Mike O’Connor quickly got up and headed backstage to grab some water.

He had to weave through a few areas before he finally found it.

Just as he was heading back, David Stern took the stage once more.

He announced the New York Knicks’ pick.

"With the eighth pick in the 2003 NBA Draft, the New York Knicks select... Su Xi, a sophomore point guard from Syracuse University!"

O’Connor froze. The four water bottles he was holding slipped from his grasp and clattered to the floor. Su Xi was just as shocked.

He couldn’t believe it.

An ecstatic Huang Xiaoman nudged him from the side, while Qin Xing leaped to his feet, grabbing Su Xi. "Jack! Jack! You got picked! You were picked by New York!"

Huh?

’I got picked by New York?’

Su Xi was completely dumbfounded.

Meanwhile, in the Pacers’ draft war room, Larry Bird was completely blindsided. He found it unbelievable. The Knicks had always been an oddball organization, but this was beyond comprehension. ’They already have so many guards, and they still pick Jack? What are they thinking? Get on the phone! Now!’

Larry Bird urged his assistant.

But the assistant told Bird the line was busy.

At the same time, the Nike camp erupted in cheers. Their executives were thrilled. Su Xi going to New York was one of the best possible outcomes.

This was fantastic news for their sneaker promotion.

However, founder Phil Knight had a different take. "Knicks fans are notoriously picky," he said. "If Jack has even one bad game, they’ll pile on the pressure. And their media has zero patience. It’s not a good destination—at least, not for a rookie like Jack."

Still in a daze, Su Xi put on the Knicks baseball cap and walked onto the stage.

His mind gradually cleared as he walked. He wasn’t thinking about his upcoming career with the Knicks anymore. He had something more important to do.

At that very moment, across the Pacific, Chinese fans watching the live CCTV broadcast were going wild.

Finally, China had another lottery pick.

Yao Ming, sitting in the broadcast booth, commented, "This is absolutely incredible. For an Asian guard to get the eighth pick is, in many ways, harder than me being picked number one."

By now, Su Xi had reached the center of the stage.

David Stern broke into a brilliant smile, the corners of his mouth turned up almost as high as when James was announced as the number one pick.

Twenty years ago, this shrewd businessman had crossed the ocean, carrying NBA videotapes to pitch to the CCTV Sports Channel. He provided them to the Chinese media completely free of charge. Now, those long-ago efforts were finally bearing fruit. After Yao Ming was selected number one last year, another Chinese guard was entering the NBA. He had every reason to believe that the NBA’s market share in China would soon surpass that of the domestic market in the United States.

"Congratulations, Jack. I’ve watched you play, and I’m very impressed. I’m sure you’ll have a wonderful career."

David Stern said to Su Xi, "I hope you become a role model for Chinese players."

Su Xi thanked David Stern. Then he said, "Sorry, but I’m about to do something a little unorthodox."

With that, he took off his suit jacket.

Underneath, he wore a custom-stitched jersey. The front was a Syracuse University No. 24.

The back, a Georgetown University No. 4.

As Su Xi made this gesture, a murmur of shock rippled through the crowd, quickly followed by cheers and screams. New York fans follow the Great East District conference closely, so they were very familiar with Syracuse University and Georgetown University.

No. 24 was the number of Reggie Williams, a top prospect from Syracuse University who had passed away unexpectedly last year. No. 4 belonged to Georgetown University center Dennis Scott.

Su Xi stepped up to the microphone. "Reggie, Danny," he said, his voice thick with emotion. "We did it. RIP!"

Su Xi pointed both index fingers to the sky.

The entire audience rose to their feet, applauding thunderously.

At that exact moment, the large screen to the side lit up with a trade alert.

’What?’

The Cleveland Cavaliers have traded forward Darius Miles, center Chris Mims, and a 2004 first-round pick to the New York Knicks in exchange for Shandon Anderson and Su Xi.

The moment the trade was announced, the venue erupted in an uproar.

But Su Xi was already stepping off the stage.

He still had no idea what had just happened.

But the ESPN anchor desk was already in a frenzy. "Oh my God, why?!" one of the anchors screamed. "The Cavaliers gave up that much? The talented forward Miles, plus Mims and a first-round pick, all in exchange for the eighth pick, Little Sheep Su Xi, and a junk contract?"

Greg Anthony was in disbelief. He thought the Knicks had absolutely fleeced the Cavaliers in this trade.

Meanwhile, in the Pacers’ war room, Larry Bird was just as stunned. He never thought the Cavaliers would be willing to pay such a steep price.

’No wonder the Knicks weren’t picking up.’

"What do we do now? Should we try to make a trade with the Cavaliers?" the assistant asked Bird.

Bird closed his eyes, thinking for a full thirty seconds. Then he said, "Keep the lines of communication open, but don’t propose a trade."

"Why?"

"They’re definitely not trading him now."

"You mean they might trade him later? Why?" the assistant asked, confused.

But Larry Bird was confident. "Because I know Jack, and I know LeBron," he said. "There’s an old Chinese proverb: one mountain cannot contain two tigers."

"But isn’t Jack’s nickname ’Little Sheep’?" the assistant asked naively.

Larry Bird just smiled. "You don’t get it."

Unlike the now-composed Larry Bird, the Nike executive team went from wild celebration to stunned silence. They had never dreamed that the two players they had invested so heavily in this year would end up on the same team.

From a sponsorship perspective, this was clearly a case where one plus one equals less than two.

Seeing his subordinates sink into despair one after another,

founder Phil Knight just laughed. "This is great news," he declared. "This is the beginning of a legendary story. Two chosen ones, from East and West, starting out fighting side-by-side until... hahaha! This is going to be so much fun."

"Get the media on this immediately. We want stories everywhere about Jack’s tribute to his two deceased friends tonight. The more fans who know his backstory, the better. You can’t become an NBA superstar without a moving personal story!"

Phil Knight was delighted.

He was happier than he’d been in a long time.

...

...

20,000 characters updated today. 4,000 more to go. We’re at 1,400 first Chapter subscriptions, just 400 away from the goal.

P.S. All the more reason for the LeBron haters to read, right?

Besides, he has to go get those talents!

[This was foreshadowed from the moment Su Xi was nicknamed ’The Law.’ The Law arises because of the King, and it will eventually be the King’s undoing. In this book’s setting, James is the Chosen One, and Su Xi must unlock some of his ultimate talents by taking them from LeBron, creating a situation where ’the East Wind prevails over the West Wind.’ It’s meant to evoke a sense of destiny and a cyclical plot. Therefore, he will definitely be on the Cavaliers for a period of time to set the first stage of the story in motion. But it won’t be for too long.]

[Finally, I think readers who can follow a story’s logic will understand what I’m trying to express. They won’t be looking for cheap gags, banter, or superficial satire.]