The two came to the training hall, where there was a large group of people, including rookies trying out and their agents, as well as Suns staff.
Head coach Westphal and several assistant coaches are still there. They have not left the team yet and need to complete their work for this season after the draft.
The Suns did not open the workout to the media, and the same goes for other teams, otherwise their draft intentions may be exposed.
"Too thin?"
After the staff introduced the identities of the rookies, Colangelo frowned a little.
When he saw Kidders, he secretly shook his head. It was more intuitive to observe the real person than the data on paper. He was about the same height as Kobe Bryant, but two times thinner.
Looking at Kobe again, at four years younger, his body has not matured yet, but now he looks much stronger than Kidders, and his bones look thicker.
"Paul, let's test it first, and then arrange for them to have a fight," he said to Westphal.
Lao Wang sat on the edge and watched the excitement. Many rookies glanced at him from time to time. It was obvious that his presence distracted these young people.
At this time, the cell phone rang, and it was Hawksman's call.
The two chatted for at least a quarter of an hour, arranging their next itinerary before ending the phone call.
He planned to send Yu Feihong back to China first, and then go to Japan to make money, so as to save her from having to accompany her on a trip to Japan.
This year's offseason is still very busy, including banquets, the construction of Fengshen Street, the Olympics, and training...
By the way, thinking of this, he suddenly remembered that he didn't pay attention to the reward for winning MVP last time. He opened the system and looked at it. The stingy guy only gave 1,000 points, so now he only has 1,200 points on hand, which is too few. This point
Don't spend it indiscriminately.
He feels that Plum Blossom Step has made some progress recently, and there should be a breakthrough in the near future. If he can reach the third level, he will be close to completing the task.
While he was thinking wildly, someone came up to him and sat down next to him. He saw that it was lightning.
"Kevin, has the contract been negotiated?" he asked with concern.
Lightning glanced at Colangelo who was not far away, and whispered: "We talked about it, and the management is ready to give me a two-year, 15 million contract. I agreed."
"15 million in two years?"
Lao Wang muttered for a moment that his life span was a bit short, but it was a pity that the lightning did not catch up with the good times. Now his salary has increased significantly, but he has entered the late stage of his career.
The Lightning were also unlucky. He was injured during the regular season and again in the Western Conference Finals. Otherwise, this contract might have been longer.
"How's your shoulder now?" he asked.
Kevin Johnson touched his right shoulder, shook his head and said: "It's not a big problem. Doctor Carter said he will recover after resting for a while. I plan to go on vacation first, and then do some training to maintain my condition."
Lao Wang was startled. Do you want to practice more?
Kevin Johnson smiled and said: "I hope the management can find a good guy this time. In the last two years, I still plan to give it a try."
"I hope."
The two chatted while watching the rookies test. An hour later, a game among the rookies began.
Westphal arranged for Kidders and Kobe to face off so that they could make a direct comparison so that management could observe and make decisions.
Although Kobe and Kobe didn't know the management's intentions, they also knew each other. Their predicted positions were not far apart, and they were both shooting guards. They were absolute competitors, so the game started fiercely.
duel.
"A little soft!"
Lao Wang murmured.
Kevin Johnson nodded. Kidders, who looked very thin, kept evading Kobe's confrontation. His shots were not decisive when facing defenders, and he rarely reached the paint area with the ball.
On the other hand, Kobe took the initiative to increase the intensity of confrontation. When facing defenders, he struck decisively and had a bit of a blacksmith spirit. He also dared to throw randomly when double-teamed.
"Old K, your apprentice is like a basket case." Kevin Johnson complained.
Lao Wang laughed, nodded and said: "There is something wrong with the rationality of the action."
"I heard that our choice range is not large, who do you like?" Kevin Johnson asked.
"If you choose one of them, of course it's Kobe." Lao Wang said without hesitation.
Lightning nodded. Confrontation ability is very important. After these rookies enter the league, they will know what real confrontation is.
If the confrontation ability is not strong, then you can only be an open shooter. The main shooting guard of a team must have the ability to attack with the ball. An open shooter cannot beat the main shooting guard.
"Why don't you communicate with Brian?" Lightning asked.
"Is it useful?"
Lao Wang shook his head. Colangelo Jr. is not an incompetent person. He does not need to interfere with the management's work. It will only affect the relationship between him and the management. No management likes his players to interfere with them.
rights and responsibilities.
He also has a business of his own, and if his subordinates interfere in his affairs at every turn, he will be annoyed and will be fired immediately if they get annoyed.
From the perspective of being the boss of the team, he would not be happy if someone were to steal his ball rights and take his shots on the court.
The game only lasted for half a minute when Colangelo called it quits. He had seen what he wanted to see and no longer wasted time.
At 4:30, the trial ended and all the other rookies left. Lao Wang kept Kobe.
"Old K, am I doing well?" Kobe asked excitedly.
He felt very good about himself and took the initiative to confront Kidders throughout the whole process. He had the upper hand in the singles, knocking over his opponent once and successfully overtaking his opponent three times.
"Wait a moment."
Lao Wang gave an order and went to Colangelo Jr.'s side. He was going to ask about the situation and give Kobe an attitude.
He didn't have an attitude before, that's because it's not his business. The team hasn't tried out Kobe yet, so he can't give his attitude. Now that he's tried out, the management will definitely come to a conclusion, so he has to have
Only in this way can he explain to Kobe that the two of them have an extra level of relationship and cannot completely ignore it.
"Brian, coach, have you come to a conclusion?" Colangelo Jr. was discussing the results of this trial training with the coaching staff. He asked after passing by.
"Old K, the preliminary training is over, I am more optimistic about Kobe."
Colangelo Jr. said something, and then added: "But he is still too young, and I can't make a final decision. But among the rookies, we can't find a better shooting guard than him near our lottery picks."
, Iverson and Ray Allen will definitely not fall into our pick."
"Then can you give him an answer now? The Lakers have promised that if they cannot select him, they will find a way to trade him." Lao Wang said.
"real?"
Colangelo Jr. pondered for a moment, glanced at Kobe in the distance, and said: "If we choose Kobe, I'm afraid it will take at least three years to train him. His body, skills, and game experience will all need time to grow."
Westphal nodded and said: "He is only a high school student. He is under eighteen years old. He certainly cannot play the main role directly. That is unimaginable. So if we choose him, we will also need a transitional main shooting guard."
"Return Wilkins to the main lineup and let him lead Kobe?" Danny Ainge said.
Lewis said: "In the game just now, his back-fighting skills were very similar to yours. It seems that he really learned your skills."
"A little bit." Lao Wang smiled.
Colangelo Jr. also nodded. The reason why he was attracted to Kobe was also very important.
He said: "The main lineup for next season, center K, power forward Rasheed Wallace, small forward Horry, shooting guard Wilkins, point guard Lightning, the first and second positions are aging, focus on training Kobe, you guys
What do you think?"
Danny Ainge said: "Rashid Wallace replaced Ben Wallace. He can pull to the three-point line and create breakthrough openings for Wilkins. The same will be true for Kobe in the future."
Lewis added: "For a shooting guard, the ability to make a pull-up jump shot is very important. He can break through the defender and then shoot in an open position, or he can go outside the paint area, pull out the opponent's penalty area defender, and then pass it in.
We need to strengthen Kobe's shooting training, especially his pull-up jump shot ability. Wilkins' pull-up jump shot ability was not very good, so we put him on the bench."
However, he said with some doubts: "If this is the case, wouldn't it be back to the original situation? If Wilkins burst in, he would also bring the defender in, causing more trouble for Old K?"
Westphal said: "This is indeed the case. Moreover, after Wilkins is transferred to the main lineup, the substitute lineup is also short of people. I think we still need to find a way to find a main shooting guard who can shoot well and defend well.
.”
"It's too difficult!" Colangelo shook his head and said with a bitter smile.
Nelson Jr. smiled and said: "There is actually only one shooting guard that is most suitable for Old K."
"Who?" Several other people asked at the same time, even Lao K was very interested in knowing.
"Michael Jordan."
Little Nelson said a name that made everyone stunned.
Colangelo Jr. said helplessly: "That's true. Jordan is good at shooting, and he has the best match with Old K."
"Kobe's idol is Jordan, and his skills are also imitated by Jordan. In fact, he can also pull up jump shots, but his body has not grown up yet, and his skills have not been completely finalized." Danny Ainge said.
Colangelo Jr. finally made his decision and said: "I will continue to look for a suitable immediate shooting guard, but in terms of the draft, I decided to give the No. 13 pick to Kobe. His talent and potential are still worth cultivating.
Let’s hold him in our hands and train him for a while first.”
Lao Wang nodded. The second position will be weaker next season. Wilkins is old and does not match him well. Kobe still needs time to grow, but there is nothing you can do. Take your time.
He turned around and told Kobe the management's decision. Kobe seemed very happy. Although the Lakers were good, the Suns had K. where he could learn the skills he wanted to learn most. He still hoped to join the Suns.
That night, the Bulls defeated the Magic with a score of four to one and advanced to the finals.
The finals will start on June 1st. The Bulls have home court advantage, with a two-three-two home and away system.
On May 29, the NBA lottery draw ceremony was held in New York. Thirteen teams that failed to make the playoffs participated in the draw ceremony.
The scene was in a five-star hotel. A business conference room was rented and properly decorated. It was broadcast live across the United States by TNT TV station.
The Suns own the Hornets' lottery pick, so Colangelo Jr. also participated in the lottery ceremony, but I'm afraid he didn't have the chance to go on stage to draw the lottery.
At eight o'clock in the evening, Lao Wang switched the channel to TNT channel on time.
The first team to be drawn was the Vancouver Grizzlies, who were last in the regular season in the 1995/96 season, with a record of 15 wins and 67 losses.
The Grizzlies' probability of winning the No. 1 pick is as high as 25%, followed by Philadelphia with a probability of 19.9%, and then teams such as the Raptors.
Draw the No. 1 pick first and wait until it is drawn, then draw the No. 2 and No. 3 picks.
Only the top three picks will be drawn, and the rest will be ranked in reverse order of record.
After Stern gave a speech, the lottery began, and the Grizzlies general manager walked onto the stage in a very nervous mood.
TNT commentator Dort laughed: "As a newly established team, the Grizzlies need this No. 1 pick, but sometimes things go against expectations..."
"..."
Three meters away, Grizzlies general manager Stu Jackson turned around and glared at Dortmund angrily, with a look that could kill people.
"Shh!"
Letem quickly raised his index finger to signal his partner to shut up.
"Hehe...I didn't say he couldn't smoke? Haha..." Dot couldn't help lowering his head, his shoulders shaking non-stop.
Stu Jackson rubbed his hands. These hands had been washed repeatedly with holy water and maintained with goat's milk. He believed that God would bless him.
With trembling hands, he pressed the button, and the fourteen ping-pong balls jumped, and his heart beat loudly.
"Guess there is still a half chance of winning. This is only a 25% chance. I don't think he can get the No. 1 pick." Phoenix, Lao Wang muttered.
"No matter what happens, it won't be the Suns' turn, right?" Yu Feihong said.
"That is, we are the last one. If the No. 1 pick is given to us, Mr. Stern will not be scolded to death?" Lao Wang said with a smile.
Far away in Los Angeles, Lakers boss Buss Sr. was also watching the lottery ceremony. At this time, he said to his daughter Jenny Buss beside him: "I think this No. 1 pick will belong to Philadelphia."
"Why?" Jenny Buss asked puzzledly.
Buss said thoughtfully: "Because God hopes that Philadelphia's football market can be sustained by this No. 1 pick."
Jenny Bass was startled, God is too free, so he still cares about this?
At the drawing site, a few seconds later, four balls were drawn, and the results came out.
Stu Jackson's face was neither green nor white, and a little dark. He looked back at his boss, Arthur Griffith, and spread his hands with a wry smile. There were 250 combinations, but unfortunately he couldn't draw any of them.
Griffith is a local sports giant in Vancouver. His expression is calm and his face is normal, but his eyes reveal disappointment.
On the contrary, Philadelphia was all smiles. Now it was their turn to try their luck.
The owner of Digital Team is Erne Sneijder. He just took over Digital Team this year and spent 12.5 million US dollars. Digital Team failed to rebuild the year before last. The previous owner simply sold the team because he lost confidence in the team.
Sneijder rubbed his hands and stood up. He believed that he had better luck, so he decided to draw lots himself.
"yeah!"
"well!"
Twenty seconds later, his cheers rang out, followed by the disappointed sighs of other teams.
"Look, God is in charge of this tonight. I hope He can take care of us Lakers this time next year." Old Buss said with a smile in Los Angeles.
With Philadelphia taking away the No. 1 pick, it was the Grizzlies' turn to draw the No. 2 pick.
This time, Griffiths owner Griffith decided to do it himself and learn from Sneijder.
Unfortunately, his hands were also smelly and he failed to win the second place lottery. The disappointment in his eyes immediately overflowed.
"He was really unlucky this time. He can't blame God." In Los Angeles, Bass continued to complain.
Later, after the Grizzlies, the Raptors won the second pick, and the Grizzlies once again went on the court shirtless to draw the flower lottery.
Griffith decided to do it on his own, to control his own destiny, and not to blame anyone if he lost.
Fortunately, this time he finally won the lottery and got the No. 3 lottery.
On the 30th, Wang Tiejun and Yu Feihong flew to Los Angeles and would stay there for more than ten days. Lao Wang also needed to participate in some business activities.
On June 1st, the finals began. The Bulls played at home and took advantage of their home court advantage to take the next game.
But the process was very hard. There was no winner after four quarters, and the game was won in overtime.
However, on the third day, the three mosaic giants worked together to win the game.
Then the two teams came to Houston to play again. Mosaic took advantage of the home court advantage to play another game, leading the Bulls by a big score of 2 to 1.
However, the Bulls were too strong. Jordan scored 44 points in the G4 game, shooting 65% from the field, breaking the mosaic and evening the score.
The G5 battle between the two sides continued in Houston. Mosaic performed better this time, winning the crucial third game and gaining match point in the finals.
Unfortunately, the Big Three were too proud. After arriving in Chicago, they lost the G6 game and the two sides reached a tiebreaker.
On the 13th, the tiebreaker begins.
At 9 a.m. that day, Wang Tiejun and Yu Feihong left the United States and boarded a plane to the capital.
At 10 a.m. on June 14th, Capital Time, the plane landed at Capital International Airport.
At this time, the tie-breaker had just ended. As soon as Lao Wang got off the plane and turned on his domestic mobile phone, Barkley called.
"Old K, we won! My second championship! Haha, second championship! That idiot Hakeem actually cried, haha, it's so funny..." Barkley roared excitedly.
"Charles, wasn't it the same when you won the championship?" Lao Wang said sarcastically.
"Have I ever cried? That's impossible, absolutely not." Barkley denied.
"Okay, I just got off the plane. I won't talk to you anymore. See you at the Olympics." Lao Wang said.
"Okay, I'll go watch your game at the Olympics." Barkley smiled.
At this time, at the Chicago United Center, Jordan was full of disappointment. After working hard for a season, he didn't even compete with Old K for MVP. In the end, he lost to the Big Three. He was really unwilling to do so.
But he has no complaints. Da Meng played very well tonight, with 36 points, 18 rebounds, 11 assists, 3 steals and 8 blocks. He almost had a quadruple-double in the finals. He scored 42 points.
Hakeem Olajuwon was not far away, hugging Drexler and Barkley, with tears streaming down their faces.
The three of them can be said to have been overpowered by Jordan. Defeating Jordan to win the championship means too much to them.
Especially Big Dream, as the No. 1 pick in 1984, after Jordan won a series of honors, he has never won anything. This has made the media continue to question the draft that year, thinking that he is not worthy of becoming the No. 1 pick in 1984, and now he has defeated him with his own hands.
Killing Jordan is the best response to the media.
Barkley, this is the second time he has defeated Jordan to win the championship. What kind of bullshit grouping does he refuse to admit? The grouping is a dream, not him. Winning the championship is the most real thing. In the future, his historical status will rise further.
Drexler once again defeated Jordan to win the championship. Like Barkley, he was so happy.
"You three guys are so shameless!"
When Jordan came over to congratulate him, he cursed unwillingly.
"Come on, Michael, you should think about how to deal with Old K in the future. He failed to defend his title after winning twice. You can play with him in the future." Barkley said with a smile.
"I won't let him defend the title." Jordan said through gritted teeth.
"Are you going to stay in Chicago?" Barkley asked.
"Let's talk about it later."
Jordan shook his head and walked away, leaving the United Center to the winner.
"Are we going to break up too?" Dameng said with some regret.
"That's for the future, now let's celebrate like crazy, haha!" Barkley said excitedly.