warrior godfather

Chapter 673 That would be a beautiful thing
After the Warriors returned to the Bay Area, they have been immersed in the joy of winning the championship.

With the support of the San Francisco city government, the Warriors held a grand championship parade, and more than 100 million people participated in the celebration in San Francisco and Oakland.

This day is a carnival day for all Warriors fans.

During the championship parade, several interesting things happened.

A Warriors fan named Ronnie once took a toaster to get Clay's autograph during the regular season. Since then, until the end of the playoffs, the Warriors have achieved a record of 23 wins and 1 loss.

This toaster was considered lucky by Clay. After winning the championship, he specially invited Ronnie to participate in the championship parade.

After the Warriors achieved a record of 12 wins and 1 loss in the playoffs, Clay once joked that if the Warriors could sweep the Cavaliers to win the championship, he would buy each team a toaster.

After returning to the Bay Area, he fulfilled his promise and gave everyone, including the coaching staff, a toaster. This was also a parting gift from Clay before Cole left the Warriors.

In addition, a modified parade vehicle was very eye-catching in the parade. It was a snail-shaped parade vehicle with a unique shape and two tentacles that could breathe fire, which attracted a lot of attention.

Since 2012, this parade car will appear in every championship parade. The Warriors did not win the championship the year before, so the "fire-breathing snail" had no chance to show up. In the past two years, it has finally been able to show off in front of the fans in the Bay Area.

The most interesting thing is that a fan led a goat wearing Curry's jersey to the Warriors' parade bus, lifted the goat high, and took a photo with Curry.

Goat's English is GOAT, and GOAT generally refers to "The Greatest of All Time" in the sports world, which is the best player in history. This means that Curry is the GOAT of the NBA.

Curry, who was celebrating on the bus with the FMVP trophy, saw the goat at a glance.

He stopped the bus, got off the team bus, walked up to the fan, took a photo with the fan and his goat, then got back on the bus and continued the parade.

Curry's move was caught on camera and uploaded to the Internet, sparking heated discussions.

"Goat: What's the noise, it's so noisy! Who is this? I don't know you well, so go away!"

"Hahahaha, this is the real GOAT!"

"Curry is not GOAT this year, in another two years, hehe..."

Many episodes added a lot of color to this championship parade, but the highlight was the championship speech.

From top to bottom, the Warriors have expressed their determination to defend their title, aiming at three consecutive championships. Zhang Yu even emphasized that "next season we must win the championship at all costs, and we will never let the tragedy of two years ago repeat itself", which made the fans excited Unceasingly, thunderous applause.

In the end, Zhang Yu's speech ended with deafening cheers, the Bay Area fans reluctantly dispersed, and the championship parade came to a perfect conclusion.

But for the Warriors, the season isn't over yet.

On June 6, Zhang Yu, Wirtz and Larry set off for New York to participate in the 24 NBA Draft.

This is the closing ceremony of the 2015-2016 season and the opening ceremony of the 2016-2017 season.

……

New York, Barclays Center.

When the draft was held last year, Zhang Yu was meeting with Cai Chongxin in the Bay Area and introduced Wertz to him. This year, he and Wertz met Cai Chongxin again in the box at the Nets' home court.

After Cai Chongxin received Wirtz's guidance, he immediately launched an operation, inspected many teams, and finally decided to acquire the Nets.After long-term negotiations, Tsai Chongxin acquired 3% of the shares in Prokhorov’s hands for US$9 million in March this year, and the remaining 49% of the shares and Barclays Center still need to be negotiated.

In Zhang Yu's previous life, Cai Chongxin spent US$2018 billion in 10 to acquire 49% of the Nets.

But now, he was stimulated by Zhang Yu's success in the Warriors, and after Wirtz's guidance, he saved a full $1 million.

Cai Chongxin certainly didn't know this, but he knew very well that if it wasn't for Wiltz's guidance, it would be impossible to reach a deal with Prokhorov in less than a year, and all of this was because of Zhang Yu's willingness to help.

Knowing that Zhang Yu and Wirtz are going to participate in the draft this time, Cai Chongxin arranged the best box for them. Last night, he also invited Zhang Yu and the three of them to be guests at the most high-end restaurant in New York, and prepared generous gifts for them.

Acquiring the shares of the Nets is just the beginning. Cai Chongxin's goal is to completely acquire the Nets and build them into a strong team.

To do this, he must gradually eliminate Prokhorov's people and re-appoint the management he trusts.

However, Cai Chongxin lacks contacts in the NBA. If he wants to find a trustworthy general manager and head coach, he still needs to rely on the guidance of Wirtz and Riley, that is, Zhang Yu.

However, Cai Chongxin is not in a hurry. Prokhorov will not easily sell the remaining shares and Barclays Arena. He still has a long time to consider candidates for the Nets management.

This time, he just consolidated his relationship with Zhang Yu and acted with discretion. Although he had been by Zhang Yu's side for the past two days, he left the box before the draft began and did not disturb the Warriors' draft.

This made Wiltz and Riley have a very good impression of Cai Chongxin. Zhang Yu also sighed. No wonder Cai Chongxin has been able to stand in Alibaba for nearly 20 years. He has a very high emotional intelligence. A born businessman.

However, being the owner of an NBA team is completely different from doing other businesses. If Cai Chongxin still likes to get involved in the team as before, the result will definitely not be as he wishes.

……

After Cai Chongxin left, the draft officially began.

The Warriors were the last pick in the first round, and the previous picks had nothing to do with them. Zhang Yu sat leisurely in the box, chatting with Wirtz and Riley.

Before coming to New York, Zhang Yu and Riley determined the draft strategy. To be precise, Zhang Yu arranged the draft goals, and Riley made plans based on this.

According to Riley's estimation, the Warriors' goals should not be intercepted by other teams, and they can even intercept others.

This is what Riley admires most about Zhang Yu. Zhang Yu always makes decisions before making moves. The rookies he likes are either unappreciated by others and can be selected without any effort, or they are made after decisions and arrange deals in advance. Don't look at other people's faces.

This time, Riley arranged a deal according to Zhang Yu's instructions to select a rookie he liked.

Although Riley didn't think it was necessary to do so, he didn't think anyone would compete with the Warriors for this rookie, but Zhang Yu gave instructions, and he could only follow them.

While the three of Zhang Yu were chatting, Xiao Hua on the high stage read out the names of the selected rookies one by one.

The 76ers selected Ben Simmons with the No. 76 pick, the Lakers selected Brandon Ingram with the No. 29 pick, the Celtics selected Jaylen Brown with the No. [-] pick, and the Suns selected Dragan with the No. [-] pick -Bender...until the [-]ers selected Furkan Korkmaz with the No. [-] pick from the Thunder.

Then came the Warriors' No. 30 pick.

Xiao Hua took the envelope with the Warriors logo from the staff, opened it, glanced at it, raised his head, and said in a steady tone:
"With the 2016th overall pick in the 30 NBA draft, the Golden State Warriors selected Malcolm Brogdon from Georgia who played for the University of Virginia!"

Brogdon's predicted pick is in the middle and early stages of the second round. He himself did not come to the draft conference, but this result has attracted the attention of other teams.

The reason is simple. He was selected by the Warriors and is a rookie that Coach Z fancy.

The general managers of each team immediately ordered the scouting department to pay close attention to Brogdon's performance in the summer league.

After the first round of the draft, Silver's work was over. He nodded to the fans at the scene, turned and stepped off the stage. NBA Vice President Mark Tatum shook hands with Silver and walked onto the high stage.

According to the usual practice, the president announced the list of first-round draft picks, and the vice president announced the list of second-round draft picks.

Without wasting time, Mark Tatum opened the first envelope and read:

"With the No. 2016 overall pick in the 1 NBA second-round draft, the Celtics selected Dejanta Davis from Michigan who played for Michigan State University!"

This is followed by a second envelope:

"The 2016nd pick in the second round of the 2 NBA draft, the Los Angeles Lakers selected Ivica Zubac from Croatia, who played for KK Mega Leks in Serbia..."

The second-round draft is faster than the first round. The lottery picks will come to the stage to shake hands with Xiao Hua, but the second-round picks are generally not on the scene. Mark Tatum only needs to read his name.

In the magnetic voice of Mark Tatum, the rookies who were selected one by one, but those whose names were not read, became more and more nervous as time passed.

Zhou Qi, who is training with the China Men's Basketball Team in Italy, is one of them.

Sitting with teammate Zhao Jiwei, he leaned forward with his neck stretched out, staring intently at the iPad in his hand.

As Mark Tatum pronounced a name, Zhou Qi’s expression turned ugly. He was not good at English and couldn’t understand what Mark Tatum was saying, but he still couldn’t hear his own name. Worst outcome.

These incomprehensible English penetrated into Zhou Qi's ears like chanting mantras, and the advertisements that popped up between each position were like noises, stirring his already nervous mood and making him want to The urge to smash the iPad.

Before the start of the draft, in the 2016 first-round draft forecast updated on the NBA official website, Zhou Qi was ranked 30th in the first round.

Knowing the result of this prediction, Zhou Qi was very happy.

Because the Warriors' pick is the 30th pick, Yi Jianlian talked about his experience in the Warriors and Zhang Yu's care for him more than once in the locker room of the Huaxia Men's Basketball Team, which made Zhou Qi very yearning.

It would be a wonderful thing if he could be selected by the Warriors!

During an interview with the domestic media, when asked about the predicted 30th pick, Zhou Qi couldn't wait to say:
"If I can be selected by the Warriors, I am very happy to play for the Warriors. I hope to play for Zhang. He is the pride of China Basketball. I admire his achievements in the NBA. I will definitely work hard under his guidance. ..."

But now, the first round of the draft is over, Zhou Qi's name has not been read, and his dream of playing for the Warriors has also been shattered.

Zhao Jiwei comforted by the side:
"It's okay, Zhou Qi, there will definitely be a team to choose you later, you performed so well in the trial training..."

Zhou Qi's expression fluctuated, he sighed, and was about to speak, but was interrupted by the phone ringing.

"Ding……"

Zhou Qi picked up the phone, it was Yao Ming calling.

He quickly picked it up:
"Hey, Brother Yao..."

"Hehe, Xiao Zhou, you don't have to worry about the draft. The Rockets and I have passed the exam. If there is no accident, they should select you with the No. 43 pick." Yao Ming's hearty voice came from the phone.

Zhou Qi was overjoyed and said repeatedly:

"Thank you, Brother Yao, thank you! I thought I was going to lose this time, those predictions are really unreliable..."

A big stone fell to Zhou Qi's heart, and he thanked Yao Minghaosheng before hanging up the phone.

"Huh..." He let out a long breath, shook his phone at Zhao Jiwei, his expression relaxed a lot, "It's done! It has to be Brother Yao, give me a hand, the Rockets will use the No. 43 pick to pick me, If you can't go to the Warriors, you can't go to it, as long as you can go to the NBA..."

"Ding……"

Before Zhou Qi finished speaking, another phone call came in. He picked it up and saw that it was Yi Jianlian.

"Hey, Brother Lian..."

Yi Jianlian's Mandarin with a slight accent came from the phone:

"Xiao Zhou, you don't have to worry about the draft. Brother Yu told me that he will give you a position. Train well. Going to the Warriors is definitely your best choice..."

"Ah?" Zhou Qi asked in surprise, "Brother Lian, the Warriors want to choose me too?"

Now it's Yi Jianlian's turn to be confused:

"What do you mean the Warriors want to choose you? Are there any other teams that want to choose you?"

Zhou Qi explained:
"Brother Yao called me just now, saying that the Rockets are going to select me with the No. 43 pick..."

He glanced at the iPad screen. At this time, the second-round pick had reached the 41st pick. Zhou Qi stood up, holding the iPad in one hand and the phone in the other, walking back and forth in the room, and said in a panic:

"I have reached the 41st pick, and it will be the Rockets' turn later. What should I do, Brother Lian? I want to play for the Warriors! Can you tell Brother Yao not to let the Rockets choose me? No, it's too late, what's the matter?" Rectify! Hey..."

Zhou Qi was anxious and incoherent, but time would not stop because of this. The 41st overall draft ended step by step, and the Magic selected Stephen Zimmerman.

Under Zhou Qi's desperate gaze, Mark Tatum opened the envelope with the Jazz team on it and read:
"With the 2016th pick in the second round of the 12 NBA draft, the Utah Jazz selected Zhou Qi, who is from China and plays for the Wings of the Western Regions!"

(End of this chapter)