He didn’t know what choice Detroit would make. Even though the second pick was higher, he still hoped to go to Denver.
In reality, the Detroit Pistons’ draft war room was in a state of chaos.
Their phones were ringing off the hook. General Manager Joe Dumars frowned, hesitating to write a na down on the paper.
Carron Anthony, or Milicic.
He consulted with the head of the scouting departnt and the executive president.
Then, he asked the team’s newly appointed head coach, Larry Brown.
Larry Brown rubbed his temples. "I have no interest in rookies," he said. "Neither Carron Anthony nor Darko Milicic appeal to . If it were up to , I’d just pick Little Sheep Su Xi. This second pick was a windfall anyway."
Larry Brown’s nonchalant and indifferent attitude made Dumas frown.
’How can we just use the pick carelessly just because it was a windfall?’
He weighed his options again and again. His final decision: "Pick the big man from Europe."
Five minutes later on TV, David Stern walked onto the stage. He announced that the Detroit Pistons had selected the genius center from Serbia, Darko Milicic.
This drew so boos from the crowd.
But that didn’t stop the young, white teenager Milicic from putting on a Pistons baseball cap and walking up with a smile plastered on his face.
Another 5 minutes passed.
David Stern announced the Denver Nuggets’ pick.
Without any suspense, Carron Anthony.
Anthony’s smile was sweeter than a sweet lon. After hugging his family and agent, he deliberately took a detour to Su Xi’s table. He hugged Su Xi. "Jack, it’ll be your turn soon."
"Thanks. Congratulations, Antonio. You’re going to have a perfect career," Su Xi said, patting the back of Anthony’s head as he spoke into his ear.
Antonio put on the Nuggets cap and walked onto the stage.
The whole process took another five minutes.
David Stern went up and announced the Toronto Raptors’ decision: Chris Bosh.
Su Xi lowered his head and rubbed his temples. He could feel his heart starting to race. He was getting more and more nervous, like the anxious monts before report cards are handed out.
Huang Xiaoman reached out and patted his thigh, telling him to relax.
At that mont, Pat Riley was pacing back and forth in his room. He was known as the "Divine Calculator." He was currently conflicted, unsure whether he should pick Dwyane Wade or Su Xi.
Although Su Xi had never been in contact with Pat Riley, nor had he worked out for Miami, he had been on Pat Riley’s radar.
Pat Riley wasn’t just a brilliant executive; he was also a legendary head coach. He had initiated the magnificent "Showti" era with the Lakers and built iron-willed defensive lineups in New York and Miami.
The reason he was wavering between Wade and Su Xi was that he coveted both Wade’s flashy dribble-penetration skills and offensive talent, and Su Xi’s mature, steady defense and tenacious fighting spirit.
Both players ca with risks. Wade had an injury history; he had suffered a major injury in his sophomore season and had his niscus removed. But he hadn’t shown any signs of physical decline in any of his gas.
Su Xi, on the other hand, was too much of a mystery. Besides his strength and explosiveness, his other talents seed average. Last night, Pat Riley had seen Su Xi’s promotional video on channel 974. He sensed that Su Xi had gotten much stronger, both in talent and offense, but he wasn’t sure if it was just because the footage was sped up.
The Divine Calculator closed his eyes and thought for the final 35 seconds. Finally, he made his decision: "Dwyane Wade."
’Because, as things stood, the Heat lack a defensive foundation. To carry out a drastic overhaul would be a painful, disruptive process.’
After making the decision, he started to feel a pang of regret. ’Why don’t I have two lottery picks?’
On television, David Stern announced the Heat’s selection: Wade.
Before going on stage, Wade also hugged Su Xi and said to him, "Jack, it’ll be your turn soon."
Su Xi smiled. He congratulated Wade and wished him a perfect career.
Three friends chosen one after another, and Su Xi was the one left behind.
His anxiety was mounting.
Five minutes later, the Clippers selected Chris Kaman.
Soon, it was the Chicago Bulls’ turn with the seventh pick.
The Bulls’ general manager had t with Su Xi.
Su Xi clenched his fists unnaturally.
’Will Chicago pick ? If I go to Chicago, it’ll be more convenient to train with Grover. But I wonder if the Bulls have any super-talented players. And can the Bulls win a championship within 5 years?’
In the Bulls’ draft war room, Jerry Krause and President John Paxson were in a heated argunt. "Don’t hesitate, just pick Jack! Trust , he’ll beco a superstar. He can lead the Bulls back to glory," Kraus told Paxson.
Paxson had a long history of service with the Bulls. He had been the color analyst for the Bulls’ radio and television network for a long ti, providing expert analysis for viewers. He had also been an assistant coach for the team in 1995-96, helping the Bulls achieve their then-NBA record of 72 wins and 10 losses.
Therefore, he had great faith in his own objective, calm analysis. "Jack can bring strength, he can bring defense, but he can’t bring top-tier decision-making or the playmaking ability to control the whole court. Hinrich has all of that."
"But Hinrich can never beco a superstar. His ceiling is a fringe All-Star at best."
"But Hinrich would never go and shoot a comrcial for an adult channel, either. He’s controllable. Think about Jay Williams. Do you really want to pick another guy from New Jersey and make the sa mistake all over again? Don’t forget that motorcycle crash last year. Jack Su was also in the vehicle. He just got lucky and escaped. As for what the police found in the vehicle... need I say more?"
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