Chapter 466: Chapter 401: Seventh Pick, Wade
Not to mention, he hasn’t even proven himself yet.
If you want to make it in the NBA, you have to dominate the league and be practically unbeatable, right?
"Don’t worry about him. His agent is very close with the Mavericks, so even if he’s going to be drafted, the Mavericks will be the ones to pick him. We won’t get a chance," Chen Yu said.
Xue Yuyang’s agent is also Bartel’s agent. He has connections with the Mavericks and the Nuggets, so this is like the Mavericks doing a favor.
Besides, according to Yao Ming, the Mavericks didn’t initially plan to draft this Xue Yuyang. They went to China to scout a player named Tang Zhengdong. But Tang Zhengdong performed poorly and had an injury, so they set their sights on Xue Yuyang instead.
Brian said, "Oh," and immediately dropped the subject.
"Brian, aside from the Grizzlies’ first-round pick, you should also pay attention to our second-round pick. Seriously, I strongly recommend you pick Kovol. He’s exactly the type of player we need the most," Chen Yu added, remembering something else.
During the potential evaluation camp, Kovol had left a deep impression on Chen Yu.
Even though he was older, he was hardworking and smart. And when it came to shooting threes, he was exceptionally talented and had a great touch.
He’s definitely not qualified to be a starter, but he could come off the bench occasionally and knock down some threes, just like Wash Leonard.
He’s a second-round pick anyway, so he won’t be expensive. Even if he really can’t adapt in the end, it won’t be much of a loss.
Brian nodded and said, "I have him on my radar, don’t worry. It’s almost certain he’ll be a second-rounder. Even if we don’t draft him, we can just trade for him later. A second-round player isn’t worth much."
As they chatted from afar, the draft began.
The fans in New York were always top-tier when it came to creating an atmosphere. The camera cut to the live scene, and even through the screen, Chen Yu could hear them chanting in unison, denouncing Scott Leiden.
Under Leiden’s management, the Nicks were once dubbed "the worst team in sports" by ESPN.
A promotional video for the draft began to play on the big screen at the venue.
As expected, it ended with a powerful dunk from James.
Without a doubt, he was the center of everyone’s attention.
Stern walked up to the podium and, with a touch of humor, reminded the Knight that they had five minutes to consider their choice.
The camera cut to James, and even he couldn’t help but chuckle.
Nelson commented in a sour, faintly mocking tone, "If the Knight doesn’t pick James right now, it’ll absolutely be the biggest news of the year."
Chen Yu laughed to himself. ’Obviously, something like that would never happen.’
Stern quickly announced the result. James, dressed in a white suit, was already on his feet, eagerly putting on a Knight cap and walking to the podium.
"What a shame we don’t have the first pick," Brian lamented.
With a physique like James’s, he wouldn’t have to play point guard at all; he could play shooting guard or even small forward.
For the Phoenix Suns, he would be the absolute best addition.
"Stop daydreaming," Chen Yu teased.
Next, the Pistons selected Milicic.
The Pistons needed a tall center. Although Ben Wallace was the rebounding champion, the Pistons’ team rebounding ranked near the bottom of the league. And Milicic was tall, agile, technically well-rounded, and young—by all accounts, the best choice.
Immediately after, the Nuggets selected Carmelo Anthony.
J Kidd, Anthony, Nikoloz Skitishvili, Marcus Camby—that lineup’s talent was astounding. With a seasoned veteran like J Kidd at the helm, Chen Yu could already foresee the Nuggets’ rise next season.
Then it was the Raptors. Before the draft, they had worked out TJ Ford, so they were clearly interested in the talented guard.
They also needed a great point guard, as Elvin Williams was getting older.
But in the end, they still chose Chris Bosh.
It wasn’t surprising. When in doubt, you can’t go wrong picking a big man.
Besides, in the potential rankings Chen Yu had provided, Bosh was ranked higher than TJ Ford.
Next up was the Heat.
"From what I’m hearing, Moning is confirmed to be leaving the Heat," Brian suddenly interjected.
The Fast Ship, picking sixth, also needed an inside player.
Kaman was the best choice after Bosh, so if the Heat didn’t pick Kaman, the Fast Ship would definitely take him.
If that happened, Wade would smoothly slide to the seventh pick, allowing the Phoenix Suns to get their man.
So, the key was the Heat.
If they picked Kaman, it would be more favorable for the Phoenix Suns. The Fast Ship would then have to settle for their second choice, and would probably pick Nick Collison.
If the Heat picked a point guard, their choice would be between TJ Ford and Wade.
"Chen, you ranked Wade’s potential too high," Brian complained faintly, turning his head.
Once potential like that is discovered, it should be kept secret, not publicized.
Chen Yu ignored him.
At that very moment, Riley was also at the draft, and even now, they still hadn’t made their final decision.
They were agonizing over their choice between Kaman, TJ Ford, and Wade.
The seconds ticked by. Fender’s patience was nearly exhausted. He looked directly at Riley and said, "Pat, no more discussion. Right now, just give me a name."
Riley knew he couldn’t delay any longer, his mind racing with different scenarios.
Finally, Riley grit his teeth and gave a name.
Back at the venue, Stern immediately smiled and announced the result.
TJ Ford!
On the screen, Brian was already jumping for joy. They were one step closer to Wade.
He grabbed his phone, about to call Jerry West.
"No, I have to wait. Wait for him to call me." Brian sat back down.
Chen Yu chuckled to himself.
In truth, whether or not the Phoenix Suns ended up with Wade wasn’t a huge issue.
Their current roster was already very strong.
Chen Yu had told Old Kolangelo before that Wade might not even be a good fit for the Phoenix Suns.
Unfortunately, Miller was gone, having given up on the Phoenix Suns. So now, for Brian, Wade was simply the best remaining option.
The Fast Ship was much quicker, selecting Kaman without hesitation.
Even without the risk of a knee injury, Wade still had significant flaws.
The other teams didn’t necessarily buy into Chen Yu’s set of predictions.
’Just because you say he’s Hall of Fame material, does that automatically make him so?’
"Damn it, why hasn’t he called me yet?" As Kaman walked up to the podium, Brian was on the verge of losing his mind.
The seconds ticked by, and it was the Grizzlies’ turn.
They didn’t make their selection right away.
And Brian’s phone remained silent.
All eyes turned to Brian.
Just as Brian couldn’t resist calling anymore, Stern, back at the venue, received the Grizzlies’ selection and announced it with a smile.
Dwyane Wade!
Brian froze for a second, then was overcome with ecstasy.
The Grizzlies, who already had Jason Williams, obviously didn’t need a point guard. That meant they could only have picked Wade in order to trade with the Phoenix Suns.
"Everyone, we did it!"
Brian excitedly high-fived Skiles in celebration.
Chen Yu opened his mouth, wanting to pour a bucket of cold water on his excitement.
’The Grizzlies picking Wade means they know they’ve got you right where they want you.’
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