One Year Left to Play-Chapter 94 - 30: Cutting In!
And so, after the draft trials ended, the NBA Headquarters provided a special area for Chinese media during the draft. They offered perks, and during tomorrow’s draft, whenever Imperial Channel and Xinhuanet want to interview a player, they will fully cooperate to ensure the player is brought over. If they want to interview a team, that team will absolutely cooperate wholeheartedly.
Of course, Xu Jicheng revealed to Zhang Hao that the league officials have been eyeing Zhang Hao for a long time, but didn’t say much else. He only added that the league is highly attentive to his selection this time.
Faced with reporters, Zhang Hao is already quite experienced; during previous trials, there were some reporters at each stop interviewing him.
However, with the two domestic media giants coming together, Zhang Hao was still surprised. Considering the information he gathered, he speculated whether the numerous team invitations to trials were due not just to his performance in the Dunk Contest and Adidas Training Camp, but more due to him being a Chinese player?
Although unsure about how much positive influence this condition could bring to his draft, he certainly benefited from it.
Initially, due to the era, Zhang Hao didn’t expect any perks just because he’s a Chinese player. At this time, the NBA overseas market was still undeveloped, unable to enjoy the benefits the market brings, but now it seems he has indeed enjoyed some perks.
After meeting Zhang Hao, those editors-in-chief and directors left. They came today to discuss cooperation matters with NBA officials. After the talks, they visited the workspace arranged by the league and happened to meet Zhang Hao.
Originally planning to interview Zhang Hao tomorrow, those "officials" wouldn’t personally appear.
In China, even a neighborhood office head has some official authority...
In this regard, Zhang Hao felt relieved; athletes like him typically interact with frontline media personnel rather than those officials. It’s best that such officials aren’t involved; neither conflicts nor alliances are desirable. It’s better not to know them.
"Aix, this is my office phone number in the United States. Besides reporting on your draft this time, we’re also establishing our first office in New York in cooperation with the NBA. Here’s my number in China..."
Xu Jicheng was truly exhausted lately; he was the first to report on Zhang Hao. Later, Zhang Hao became famous, and the higher-ups at Xinhuanet Sports News thought he had a way to contact Zhang Hao, but he really couldn’t reach him. Last time, he didn’t leave any contact information; in those years, ways to contact someone were limited...
This time, Zhang Hao also provided the address of his apartment and the shared phone number of his landlady to Xu Jicheng, to update if there are changes in the future.
Although the interview was scheduled for tomorrow, upon meeting today, Xu Jicheng interviewed him briefly to gather some material for his new book.
Xu Jicheng mainly asked Zhang Hao why he came to the United States for high school and about his previous basketball experiences.
Zhang Hao answered concisely, without revealing much about his family. He mentioned his father’s love for basketball, participating in an unofficial youth basketball game, and being noticed by the Inglewood High School coach, leading him to the United States.
Later on, they naturally discussed tomorrow’s draft.
"As a high school student entering the draft, during interviews, I learned some teams are considering picking you. But they think you’re still a high schooler, the risk is too large; this should also be a risk for you. Do you think you’ll be selected tomorrow?"
This question pinpointed Zhang Hao’s current predicament. Indeed, high school students entering the draft pose risks to both teams and himself, and the risk is significant.
"I’m very confident in myself, but how they choose is beyond my control. All I can say is, I’m ready to step onto the NBA court..."
The impromptu interview quickly ended. In the special Chapter "Dreaming the NBA" of his book "NBA 50 Years," Xu Jicheng added a note: he doesn’t exhibit excessive modesty like domestic athletes; he’s confident yet very courteous...
The domestic journalists coming for an interview was just a minor interlude for Zhang Hao, with no effect on his draft tomorrow. Though he felt he might have enjoyed some benefits of being a Chinese player, the Chinese market’s impact on NBA teams was very small at this time. So small that most teams don’t care at all, only giving him trial opportunities and that’s all.
The night before the draft passed uneventfully, with nothing out of the ordinary happening, just as during Zhang Hao’s trial tests.
The next morning, Zhang Hao woke early. Seeing the text "365 days left to live" flash by, he knows a new day has begun.
Tonight’s draft will decide his future destiny!
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On the evening of June 27, 1995, at 8 PM, the NBA Draft at Madison Square Garden in New York began promptly.
Big news broke at the start when the Warriors actually picked Joe Smith, and the Nuggets, having traded for the Clippers’ second pick, selected Antonio McDyess.
Zhang Hao sat in the players’ lounge... he wasn’t invited to the event. The NBA invited 16 players into the "green room" this year. Those green room members, selected by team managers’ votes, didn’t include him.
