Basketball Legend: When Pride Still Matters-Chapter 479 - 329: This Is Everything
Chapter 479: Chapter 329: This Is Everything
“With the addition of a local player like Brandon… perhaps he could change the fate of the SuperSonics,”
“Change the fate of the SuperSonics?”
Yu Fei looked towards Trem, wanting to know where this idea came from.
“You know that Howard Schultz (the SuperSonics’ owner) has been wanting to sell the team for years, right?” Trem asked.
Yu Fei nodded, aware that the news had been around for a while but with no concrete development.
“Recently, Schultz engaged in active negotiations with an Oklahoma investment group.” Trem said, “Although there are many details that haven’t been agreed upon, I feel like the SuperSonics will soon have new owners.”
This was something Yu Fei already knew.
The SuperSonics became the future Thunder Team.
Although he wasn’t sure exactly which year the SuperSonics moved, he could figure it out using the process of elimination.
Harden was a rookie in 2009, but he started off as a player for the Thunder.
As for Westbrook, he was a rookie in 2008, and Yu Fei had looked at his career stats— he never played a game for the SuperSonics.
So, the timeline for the SuperSonics’ relocation could be narrowed down to between 2007 and 2008.
“Will they move the team?” Yu Fei asked, feigning ignorance.
Trem said, “The only reason Schultz is selling the SuperSonics is that he feels the profit margins for running the team are limited, and the investment group from Oklahoma, they really want to move the team to their hometown. Last year, after the Hornets lost their home arena due to Hurricane Katrina, they played in Oklahoma to enthusiastic crowds. Both the league and the businessmen saw the market potential there.”
Yu Fei then asked, “Do you think Brandon could change this?”
“It’s difficult,” Trem said, “but at least he could offer some hope. If he rises quickly like you did, maybe he could bring considerable profits to the SuperSonics. By then, it might be possible to keep the SuperSonics in Seattle.”
Yu Fei didn’t ask any further.
Because what he and Trem were discussing was all in the future. Currently, the SuperSonics were still in Seattle, and Schultz remained the owner of the team. Although he wanted to sell, no deal had been struck. Until the team was truly sold, the SuperSonics wouldn’t be going anywhere.
Yu Fei returned to Seattle discreetly and met with Roy. Both of them felt somewhat sentimental.
Six years ago, they had chatted about basketball at Roy’s house; now, Yu Fei was the world’s most famous basketball player, and Roy was about to realize his dream.
June 28
Madison Square Garden
Yu Fei, as a member of Roy’s entourage along with his family, arrived at the green room, which caused a stir at the venue.
Very few knew about the relationship between Yu Fei and Roy, let alone that he would directly become a part of Roy’s entourage.
Years ago, when James entered the draft, Yu Fei was there to support him, but he did not sit by James’ side as they were not that close.
Many thus looked at Roy with new regard, including Michael Jordan who was remote drafting for the Charlotte Bobcats.
The Bobcats had the third overall pick this year, and Jordan had two choices.
One was to choose Bird II, Adam Morrison; the other was to take a risk on Roy, who he actually quite liked but felt was not worth the third pick.
Jordan appreciated Roy’s maturity, toughness, and well-roundedness.
But using the third pick on Roy would be a waste.
Now, seeing Yu Fei present in Roy’s entourage, a sheer hatred-driven distaste led Jordan to swiftly toss Roy into the trash can.
“We don’t need this health-hazard hillbilly!” Jordan said, “We don’t need him!”
The Bobcats’ general manager and head coach, Bernie Bickerstaff, asked, “So who do we pick?”
“Adam Morrison.”
Hearing that name made Bickerstaff’s skin crawl.
Not just because almost every Bird II since the 1980s had failed, but also because Jordan cited “health concerns” as his reason for passing on Roy.
Yes, Roy had health concerns, but those represent potential risks, whilst Morrison had a known issue — he was diabetic.
So were health issues truly the reason Jordan discarded Roy? Why couldn’t he be more honest and say, “I hate this imbecile who is chummy with Big Fei”?
Truth be told, even if Yu Fei had not been involved, Jordan would have chosen Morrison.
He trusted his gut, just as he once believed both Yu Fei and Kwame Brown could succeed.
Although Brown fell short of expectations, with the existence of Yu Fei greatly surpassing them, Jordan’s confidence in his own insight was reinforced.
He believed in his first impression.
When Jordan saw Morrison crying on the court after narrowly losing his last college game, he was charmed. He believed in the potential of a man who could cry over a game, allowing him to disregard all the negatives: Curse of Bird II? Diabetes? A soft player he could dunk on at will in his playing days? None of those were problems.
Then the draft began.
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It was an open secret that the Raptors, holding the first pick, wanted Andrea Bargnani.
Ironically, in the entire lottery zone, Bargnani would only be picked first if the Raptors got the number one spot.
Therefore, the Raptors had tried trading down but did not receive an offer they liked.
Just as the Raptors were about to make their decision, Yu Fei suddenly received a call from his team.
He was on vacation, and his company phone was not with him, but the team had his private number.
Unless there was an emergency, they wouldn’t call.
“I’ll take the call.”
Yu Fei said to Roy.
“Charlotte might pick me,” Roy said, “don’t miss out.”
Yu Fei snorted, “That old baldy won’t pick you.”
“Just hurry up anyway.”
Yu Fei waved his hand and walked into the hallway, answering the phone, “What’s happened?”
The caller was George Karl, he said, “Frye, we might not get Kyle Lowry.”
Yu Fei furrowed his brow, Lowry’s draft position couldn’t possibly high than the twentieth pick, what did he mean they couldn’t get him?
“Why?”
Karl said something that nearly blew Yu Fei’s mind, “Because we might get the second pick.”
“Wang Defa?”
“It’s true, we are talking with Chicago,” Karl said excitedly, “This year’s top rookies are all big men, but Chicago doesn’t need big men, as they have already reached a verbal agreement with Big Ben…”
What did the number two pick of 2006 mean?
LaMarcus Aldridge!
Is it really possible?
“What’s the cost?” Yu Fei asked.
“There are a few proposals,” Karl said, “Danny and our 2007 first round from the Kings (from the Ray Allen trade). Kevin and our future two first-round picks, or Trevor, Zaza, Penny, and the 2007 Knicks first-round pick (from the Michael Redd trade).”
“What?”
Yu Fei automatically ignored the proposals involving Granger and Martin, those two were untouchable for the Bucks.
But that last proposal, Pachulia + Penny + Ariza + 2007 Knicks first-round?
“Can we keep Trevor?”
Yu Fei asked directly.
“No,” Karl said, “Trevor is the center of this deal, just like the 2007 Knicks first-round pick, they are the foundation of the trade.”
Ariza was the one among all the young players on the Bucks that got along best with Yu Fei.
Martin got along fine too, but he was usually too reserved, while Ariza was the kind of deeply affectionate horseman.
Now, after two years, Ariza had gradually developed from a rough guy into a wingstopper, his shooting was still developing, but he was already showing the potential of a 3D player.
It was like a nurturing game about to succeed.
But getting Aldridge would make the Bucks’ inside and outside lines impenetrable.
“I understand,” Yu Fei said softly, “make a decision that’s good for the team’s future.”
Yu Fei hung up the phone, feeling a sense of loss for the imminent departure of Ariza, but then Stern came out.
He had already announced the first pick, and now, he was about to announce the second pick.
“In the 2006 NBA draft… the Chicago Bulls pick LaMarcus Aldridge…!!!”
A chorus of booing erupted from the Garden crowd, not because the New Yorkers hated Aldridge.
It was because Aldridge should have been selected by the Knicks.
The Bulls used the Knicks’ draft pick.
But this year, the Knicks didn’t perform well and sent the second pick to the Bulls.
Speaking of which, the 2007 first-round pick the Bulls were asking from the Bucks also came from the Knicks, and it was likely to become a lottery pick.
So, in the end, it was all related to the Knicks, it was the Knicks’ shenanigans that gave the Bucks the chance for a shotgun trade.
Aldridge stepped onto the stage and hugged Stern, unaware of his fate.
Yu Fei returned.
Roy asked, “Is everything okay?”
Yu Fei smiled and said, “All good, is it your turn next?”
“It’s possible,” Roy said, “Michael likes me.”
Then, the Bobcats selected Adam Morrison.
After that, as predicted by the mock drafts on major websites, Roy wasn’t picked by the top four teams, but with the fifth pick, he was chosen by his hometown team, the Seattle SuperSonics.
Roy, wearing an ugly suit and ill-matching pale yellow tie, teared up as he took the stage. After hugging Stern, he took an interview with Gregg Sager.
“Brandon, what does being chosen by your hometown mean to you?”
Roy was not Yu Fei, nor was he James, nor one of those braggarts. A few years ago, he was ignored by everyone, but now he had become a lottery selection for his hometown, like a fairy tale, unbelievable.
This humble fifth pick, who loves his hometown, looked earnestly into the camera and said, “Everything.”
It was something only those who have a home can say, something only someone proud of their hometown could say. Roy had only one root in this world, and that was Seattle. Now, he had formed an even closer bond with his roots, willing to give his all because it was a one-in-a-million stroke of luck.
That was everything.
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