The longest river

Chapter 104 1996 NBA Draft
After hugging Iverson and stating in front of reporters that he believed Iverson would become the number one draft pick, Yang Shuai had completed half of his official business.

He can make the other half by showing his support during the Reebok interview segment.

After saying hello, Yang Shuai returned to his seat in the stands.

He specifically chose a spot near the one he had last time, because the view from there was exceptionally good.

However, as soon as he sat down, many people came up to him and asked for his autograph.

Although he has only finished his rookie season, he has already begun to experience the life of a celebrity.

He didn't have a moment to rest until Stern came out from behind the main stage.

The 76ers have the first overall pick in this year's draft.

Although the team order was marked on the backdrop, Yang Shuai still couldn't help but laugh when Stern announced it.

Rondo had previously told Stackhouse that he would lead the 76ers to a glorious future.

He did just that, because he's about to bring Iverson to Philadelphia.

The five-minute wait felt a bit long, and Yang Shuai's gaze swept around the small green room.

In fact, Yang Shuai is more familiar with the people who entered the Green Room this year than he was with them in his own year. For example, Marbury and Raheem are from the same class as him.

However, this also shows that the trend of top players entering the NBA as early as possible is becoming increasingly obvious.

As he scanned the area, Yang Shuai spotted a face that surprised him greatly.

Is that Steve Nash with his long, flowing hair?

He, a member of the post-00 generation, only knew the term "Golden Generation of '96," but didn't really know who exactly they were.

I didn't expect Nash to be from this class too.

And it was at this moment that he remembered the Pacers' draft pick this year seemed pretty good.

In the previous trade that brought him to Mark Jackson, there was also a first-round pick swap.

Ultimately, the Pacers had the 21st pick, while the Kings had the 14th.

I don't know if this draft position is enough to select Nash.

It's worth noting that after the season ended, with Robertson announcing his retirement, the Pacers' point guard position became very weak again.

For a fleeting moment, he even considered sending Bird a text message.

But think about it and forget it.

Leaving aside whether Bird would listen to his opinion, he probably wouldn't even be able to answer why if asked.

After all, Nash and he had no prior connection whatsoever.

Five minutes later, Stern came out and announced the 76ers' selection.

As expected, Iverson was elected, and the crowd erupted in thunderous cheers.

After Iverson was drafted, there were a lot of interviews on the sidelines, and Yang Shuai continued to watch the draft.

Rasheed went to the Grizzlies with the third pick, and then there was a trade with the Bucks, who selected Marbury with the fourth pick and then traded him to the Timberwolves for Ray Allen with the fifth pick.

When Yang Shuai saw this, it was... hard to say.

He never imagined that Ray Allen would have the opportunity to be teammates with Garnett in his early years.

Moreover, Ray Allen is clearly a better fit for Garnett than Marbury.

I don't know what the Timberwolves' management is thinking.

The draft was still ongoing, but Yang Shuai had already gotten up and gone downstairs; the Reebok event was about to begin.

Allen Iverson was the star of the event, while Yang Shuai played a supporting role on the side.

Basically, reporters will ask him about his experiences with Iverson.

"Yes, we were in the same dorm at Nike training camp, along with KG and Chauncey. We talked a lot about the future, and it was a really great memory."

It's nothing more than some fabricated stories to make the media think they have a good relationship.

The event was not over when a huge commotion suddenly broke out at the scene.

That was really big; the whole place erupted in cheers.

Because he's some distance from the main stage, Yang Shuai can't hear the announcements from the talent show.

However, he could see the image on the big screen when he looked up.

Kobe has already taken the stage.

What's this number again?

Yang Shuai squinted and looked over.

eighth?

Brooklyn Nets?

No wonder the reaction at the scene was so strong, because this is the Nets' home court, and naturally the New Jersey fans are the most numerous.

This... isn't right?
If he remembers correctly, Kobe was selected 13th overall by the Hornets and then traded to the Lakers.

How come the Nets picked it directly?

Is this "Lakers Kobe" just gone like that?

The "OK Duo" is gone just like that?!
But upon closer reflection, it seems quite reasonable.

Given his emergence and strong performance, it would be unreasonable for the Hornets to still select Kobe with the 13th pick.

Is this a good thing?
This is fucking a good thing!
When Kobe played in the Western Conference, he could only meet him on the court twice a year. But when he played in the Eastern Conference, even though they were in different conferences, he was guaranteed at least three times a year.

This doesn't even include the playoffs. If they face off in the playoffs, that would be seven times!
However, Yang Shuai could see that Kobe's expression wasn't too good when he went on stage.

The Brooklyn Nets haven't moved to Brooklyn, New York yet; New Jersey isn't even as good as Indiana. After about ten minutes, the event finally ended, and Yang Shuai was finally able to return to the stands.

He went straight to Kobe.

He really needs to have a good talk with his top fan.

At least you should pretend to comfort the other person.

However, when he got to Kobe's side, he noticed that Kobe had a big smile on his face.

Has Kobe's mental resilience become that strong?
He went up to greet Kobe, and Kobe excitedly hugged him again.

"I'm going to Los Angeles!"

However, his very first words stunned Yang Shuai.

Yang Shuai: Wait, was I just having auditory and visual hallucinations?

Kobe immediately offered an explanation after seeing Yang Shuai's expression.

He participated in many tryouts with lottery teams this year, including teams like the 76ers who had the number one draft pick.

The Bucks, Celtics, and Clippers were all teams that were very interested in him and that he would have liked to join, but none of them chose Kobe.

However, the Nets were the only team Kobe disliked.

It wasn't that his tryout performance was bad; in fact, it was very good, and Nets head coach Calipari liked him very much.

However, the management did not have high hopes for him. Even with the success of Yang Shuai, they still did not have high hopes for Kobe, and even said to reporters that Kobe was not good enough.

Therefore, Kobe rejected all subsequent offers from the Nets.

Kobe even made the bold statement that "if the Nets draft him, he will go straight back to Italy."

"Why did the Nets insist on drafting you?"

"It was the great Mr. Logo who was worried that I would be selected by Dallas with the 9th pick, so he made a trade with the Nets."

So no matter how high Kobe's projected draft position is, will West try to trade for Kobe?
Well, I was just happy for nothing.

From Kobe, Yang Shuai also learned more specific details about the trade.

In order to acquire Kobe, the Lakers not only traded Vlade Divac but also their first-round draft pick for next year.

Although the Lakers finished fourth in the Western Conference last season, they traded away their starting All-Star center and brought in a high school player who needs time to develop. In the highly competitive Western Conference, they may not make the playoffs.

If they fail to make the playoffs, the first-round pick they gave up will become a lottery pick.

The so-called lottery draw has a certain probability of yielding the top scorer.

The Nets simply couldn't refuse such an offer.

You should know that next year's draft will feature that man, Tim Duncan!

Is this the kind of boldness and decisiveness of a great trader?

In comparison, the Pacers' trade of Mark Jackson for Kevin Young and a first-round pick last year doesn't seem so surprising.

Moreover, the Lakers' roster on the wings is actually no worse than the Pacers'.

The starting small forward is Cedric Ceballos, the team's leading scorer for the past two seasons, averaging 21+ points per game.
The starting shooting guard is Eddie Jones, the 10th overall pick in last year's draft;

Then there's Anthony Peele, the 15th pick in 1992, and George Lynch, the 12th pick in 1993.

Only Jerry West could make a deal like that.

After finishing his conversation with Kobe, Yang Shuai did not leave immediately, but instead returned to his seat in the audience.

Kobe's experience has piqued his curiosity about the Pacers' selection process.

The Hornets selected Kerry Kittles with the 13th pick.

After that, it was the Pacers' turn to make a decision.

Nash was still not selected at this point.

"The Indiana Pacers selected Jermaine O'Neal with the 14th overall pick in the first round of the 1996 NBA draft. He was a 6-foot-11 center from Oakley High School."

Ok?
Ah!
The Pacers didn't choose Nash, but instead chose Jermaine O'Neal!
Yang Shuai is certainly not as familiar with Jermaine O'Neal as he is with Nash, after all, Nash was the head coach of the Nets, but he has heard of the name before, and it seems that he is also a future All-Star player.

It's a pity that Nash wasn't selected, but it's understandable.

Even if Bird wasn't as obsessed with defense as Brown, if you put together a starting backcourt of Nash and Miller, Jordan would say he wanted to experience what it felt like to average 60 points per game in the playoffs.

In addition, the Pacers have enough depth on the wings, so choosing a center is the most suitable option.

Jermaine O'Neal is extremely talented, making him a worthwhile investment.

The Pacers have essentially used their first-round draft picks for two consecutive years to select high school players, which is quite unusual and a record that will likely be difficult to break in the future.

Yang Shuai originally wanted to go down and say hello, since they were both high school rookies and would have a lot in common. However, Stern then added that Jermaine O'Neal was not present.

Well, it looks like we won't see each other until training camp this season.

After waiting for the Pacers' draft results, Yang Shuai got up and left the arena.

However, not long after he left, Bird called him.

Bird was operating inside the draft house, unaware that Yang Shuai was there. He called to ask Yang Shuai if he wanted to participate in this year's Summer League.

Theoretically speaking, given Yang Shuai's performance in last year's playoffs, he shouldn't need to participate in the Summer League at all.

The problem is that his rookie season was suspended, and he hasn't played in the Summer League yet, so Bird asked him this question.

Yang Shuai's answer was, of course, "Go!"
He was just looking for a way to earn points, and this was exactly the opportunity he needed.

Moreover, the Summer League is not an amateur league like the Sonny Hill League; many of this year's draft picks will be participating.

That includes Kobe Bryant, who is number one on the list.

(End of this chapter)