NBA: Miracle Workers

Chapter 457: The God of Draft! (Daily Chapter)
On Monday, June 2006, 6, New York fans who want to attend the championship parade must plan their routes early due to traffic restrictions on Broadway and nearby areas.

Having too many champions also has its problems. The parade routes in the past two years have begun to be complained by some fans. Not everyone likes the City Hall ceremony, and the narrow streets are indeed not suitable for carnival.

Unfortunately, ever since the Dolan family ruined the Olympics, MSG has begun to compromise in order to repair relations.

The promise to fans in previous years to stroll through the downtown area was put on hold, and this year the Knicks had to board the bus at Battery Park and parade along Broadway.

Winning championships year after year has not worn off the fans' enthusiasm, and fans in neighboring New Jersey and Boston who like to join in the fun will not miss such a big event.

Fans of Philadelphia, which is not far away, have also defected in recent years. Although there are many die-hard fans of their hometown team, there are also many fans who love winning.

As long as you put aside your prejudices, you can enjoy the fun brought by the championship. If you are a young fan, becoming a "noble" Knicks fan can also bring you blessings online!

Allen Iverson is about to be sent away, Philadelphia is starting to rebuild, and the championship is nowhere in sight. Feeling the championship atmosphere in advance is just a way to gain experience.
The Knicks team and most of the staff just returned from Las Vegas yesterday, and the trophy also officially arrived yesterday.

The fans who went to the airport to pick him up saw Artest, shirtless and shouting excitedly while holding the O'Brien Trophy, while the FMVP trophy was held in the hands of Grant Hill.

After a season of hard work, the championship is a perfect reward.

At 9 a.m., confetti began flying on Broadway, huge cheers broke out among the surging crowd, and crews from local New York radio stations and ESPN began circling the float.

Artest, wearing an orange championship hat, was still the same as before, shirtless, holding the O'Brien Cup, and shouting with a hoarse voice:
"champion!"

Three family members surrounded Artest, stood on the float, and waved their arms to the fans below.

Grant Hill and Tamia were also in the same car, but they just smiled and waved. Looking at the lively scene, Tamia, wearing a white championship T-shirt, couldn't help but whispered:
"If you still want to play, stay in New York."

Others rarely talked about this topic before. Tamia didn't want to see Hill being a substitute. It was a matter of face.

Tamia shook her long brown hair and continued to smile at the camera. Then she leaned close to Hill's ear again and whispered:

“The salary cannot be too low.”

Having already decided to exercise the player option, Hill was in tears and laughed when he heard his wife's words. He would not enter the free market at all. The media reports were all false. He had never thought about proving himself again:

"I've said a long time ago that I'm going to exercise my player option and we're not going anywhere next year."

Fisher and his wife Candice also stood at the edge of the float, with smiles on their faces, waving to the fans, but Fisher looked to the side from time to time with a somewhat erratic look in his eyes.

Gloria tied the large championship T-shirt in front of her body, revealing her slender waist. The shorts underneath could not even cover some of her outlines. She was the most beautiful girl on this float.

The whole person hung on Barnes, and the two showed their affection in front of everyone. Gloria would smile and kiss her naked boyfriend from time to time.
Gasol didn't pay attention to the other side's movements. At this time, he was bragging to Dio next to him. The two have already confirmed their participation in the national team:

"I don't care if you have more NBA players. Team USA will still lose. I will win another championship this year!"

Looking at the FMVP trophy in Gasol's hand, the championship was easier than he thought. Dio, who was sitting by the fence, laughed and continued to joke:
"I have said it before, it is not a good thing for you to start training too early. Look around, some people are calling for you to withdraw from the national team."

There are indeed some New York fans holding white boards and singing a different tune from the Spanish Basketball Association. Since the news of starting the training camp early was revealed, some fans have strongly opposed it.

Not only Spain, the US team will also start training camp earlier this year. After training in Las Vegas, they will start warm-up matches in early July.

The relevant news was confirmed after the finals. In order to prepare for the World Championships in Japan in August, Gasol had to return to the team early after participating in the championship parade.
Gasol waved to the fans and didn't care. The finals were easier than expected and he believed in his physical condition.

David Lee participated in the championship parade for the first time and had an excited expression on his face. In fact, most fans didn’t care who was waving at them, they just wanted to cheer.

On the float at the back, the coaching staff and team staff gathered together. Li You was chatting with Blomburg and others at this time, and the topic revolved around the newly appointed chairman of the meeting.

New York City Council Speaker Christine Quinn, who took office in January, was on the float at the back.

As a member of the Donald Trump Party, 40-year-old Christine Quinn is also a lesbian and has a lot of supporters. In recent years, she has been protesting the St. Patrick's Day parade in New York.

Li You is not a US dollar, and it is impossible for everyone to like him. Christine Quinn once criticized Li You's private life in the media, believing that he objectifies women and lacks respect for independent women.

Most New Yorkers didn't care about this at all. Those who liked to see the life photos of celebrities turned around and criticized the lesbian:
"I advise you not to be nosy!"

Some people who like to be different have begun to support her. Her election as Speaker of the City Council is the best proof of this. The Irish Echo is the number one bootlicker of this Irish American.

Because Georgina was recently injured in an equestrian competition, Blombug was in a bad mood and talked about this feminist fighter, giving a veiled reminder:
"Don't speak out in public about these sensitive topics. We are all aware of the changes in New York!"

Bloomberg smiled at the camera, but his eyes were looking at a special group of people holding white boards. Whenever there is a large-scale event, you can always see these homosexual people protesting.

Li You was too weak to complain. Fortunately, he was still single, otherwise the female fighter would have criticized him:
"I won't even march in the St. Patrick's Day parade, so I don't have time for her activism!"

James Dolan on the side also dislikes the new speaker, or rather, he doesn't like most of the current city hall officials, who caused him to lose more than $800 million:

"Boring little trick, she should focus on this year's city budget, she is not welcome at MSG."

The curly-haired boss tugged at his championship T-shirt and glanced back with a hint of disdain in his eyes.

These people who are trying to get attention have no self-awareness. Not only do they not help to brag about him, they sometimes call him a "lucky billionaire." James Dolan doesn't like others to attribute his success to luck.

The three of them talked in low voices with smiles on their faces. Later, when they arrived at City Hall, Christine Quinn had to speak. This year, she secured 18000 bulletproof vests for New York police.

Some of the police officers who were maintaining order on the scene will also join the event later. The march will also be an opportunity to make a public statement before announcing this year's city budget.

A large amount of confetti fell from the buildings along the way, and it was a carnival moment for New York fans.

The newbies who were invited to the Green Room this year will answer questions at the media day held at the Westin Times Square Hotel tomorrow, and take this opportunity to participate in the championship parade.

The University of Connecticut has several players participating in the draft this year, with Rudy Gay being the most promising and his spot in the top ten basically secured.

During his time at university, the name Rudy Gay heard the most was Li You. The first thing freshmen did was to follow him on Facebook.
The scene of being surrounded by people made Rudy Gay look envious. Marcus Williams, also a guard, was wearing a Knicks championship T-shirt. Five people all came to join in the fun.

Noticing the expressions of his teammates, fellow defender Marcus Williams couldn't help but say excitedly:

"Winning the championship isn't hard. Coach Calhoun said we can be successful after we enter the league!"

None of the big guys said anything. Rudy Gay stood on tiptoe and watched the bus going away and responded casually. If possible, he would rather play in New York.

Not far from the group, Brandon Roy from the University of Washington listened to the chattering of the fans around him, looked in the direction of the bus, and a resolute look appeared on his face:

“I will succeed”

On the morning of the 20th, the New York Times continued to report on the championship parade, and the fans also saw the popular X-blowing segment:

"In the next six years, no one will be our opponent! Lee has already surpassed Michael Jordan. Even if he is 6 years old, he can still dominate the league!"

Artest never stops talking, and his speech in front of the city hall made the fans at the scene very happy.

Prince, who has signed a big contract, will become the most expensive backup forward in the league and will play in New York for the next few years. This honest man has also begun to cater to the fans:
"It's dangerous! Lee has changed basketball. In the next few years, everyone can still maintain a very high level of competition. The road to the championship is not over yet."

In contrast, D'Antoni, who has been promoted to a historical coach, did not completely inflate, but the mustache did not spoil the fun, and he bragged like crazy as if he had drunk fake wine:

"Cheer up for the Knicks! I love everyone's praise for the combination of a "tactician and a superstar" that will lead to greatness!"

"."

D'Antoni was reveling in his party with his family, and although he had restrained himself, his blatant boasting still aroused the disgust of some people in the industry.

In the afternoon TNT program, in addition to warming up for the draft, Mike Krzyzewski was also invited. The men's basketball training camp started early, and fans also began to pay attention to "revenge".

After the 2004 Athens Olympics, Tim Duncan announced his permanent withdrawal from the national team. As the team leader at the time, Duncan was undoubtedly unqualified.

This time the men's basketball team recruited Kobe, but unfortunately, due to the confirmed knee surgery, Kobe will be absent for 8 to 12 weeks, which will undoubtedly make him miss this year's World Championships.

In this situation, who will lead the team has become a hot topic among commentators. ESPN is still bragging about Li You's historical data this year, and TNT has seized the opportunity to bring up another topic.

In the studio, Kenny Smith showed a regretful expression when talking about Kobe's retirement from the men's basketball team due to injury. After a brief comment, he quickly changed the subject:
"I remember that in an interview not long ago, you thought the team lacked experienced veterans. Who would you choose to lead the team in this current team?"

Two months ago, Mike Krzyzewski and Kobe appeared on an ESPN show together, and the Duke head coach publicly expressed his admiration for Kobe's fighting spirit.

Now that Kobe is out due to injury, Mike Krzyzewski has not changed his opinion, saying with some regret:
"The team does have good talent, but I still prefer veterans to lead the team, and Kobe is undoubtedly the best candidate."

"Young people need to step up now. I may give this task to multiple players. In this year's playoffs, LeBron James and Dwyane Wade both performed well."

"As long as we unite, I believe we can win the gold medal."

Wearing a black suit and with his black hair combed neatly, Mike Krzyzewski looked confident as he said this.

Charles Barkley seized the opportunity and immediately turned to the head coach next to him and asked:
"Why is Kobe the best choice? We all know that Lee is the real winner. Although I don't want to admit it, he is undoubtedly the real GOAT."

Barkley's serious question was not well-intentioned. Perhaps after reading the recent reports, Krzyzewski had some opinions in his mind: "The NBA and the international arena are very different. I have been following Lee. After entering the league, his playing style has changed dramatically."

"The usage rate is high, and I'm not saying that's a problem, but it's a phenomenon that is easily limited in college basketball and international competitions."

"I don't want this men's basketball team to be built around a superstar. That's not the right path."

Ernie Johnson showed a look of surprise on his face. He really didn't expect that there are still people who deny Li You's playing style these days. He instinctively said:
"Does the high usage rate affect the team? I mean, why are the Knicks so successful given this situation?"

Although Li You has added more off-ball segments this season, his usage rate remains high, with a usage rate of 36.4%, ranking second in the league.

"The playing environment is different, there are more star players on the team, and everyone has different playing habits. What we need to do at this time is to sacrifice for each other."

"The changes that coach D'Antoni made to Lee were undoubtedly successful. They won four consecutive championships, but there is no perfect player in the world. Everyone has limitations."

After saying this with a slight frown, Shashevsky paused to adjust his thoughts, then continued:

"Compared to Kobe, Lee now lacks a desire to win. Kobe will lead by example and motivate his teammates in training, but Lee will not do that."

"I have communicated with Mike. I understand the training environment of the Knicks. The two have different ways of leading the team. Lee is the best in history, but Kobe is more suitable for this team."

D'Antoni was an assistant coach before, but recently he withdrew from the coaching staff due to health reasons.

There was no doubt about the authenticity of Krzyzewski's words, which immediately made the three people in the studio happy. In the next few days, they didn't have to worry about the ratings.
Although Charles Barkley doesn't like Excel, he has been paying attention to various data rankings in private. He should have stopped there, but his instinct to argue made him subconsciously refute:
"This season, Kobe Bryant's usage rate is as high as 38.7%, which is the highest in the league, but the Lakers were eliminated in the first round."

“Does this mean that high usage also depends on the quality of the players?”

"In my opinion, Kobe this year is the cancer of the team. Maybe he performed well in the regular season, but without O'Neal, he failed to achieve anything in the playoffs."

The studio suddenly became quiet. The data slapped him in the face. Krzyzewski felt a little embarrassed. He was just sour. Li You refused to recruit him, which made him unhappy. As a result, someone really took it seriously:
"You know, the two teams have different configurations, Kobe has to play like this!"

"."

The unintentional double standards almost made Kenny Smith on the side laugh out loud. He knew the reason. Li You's lack of face did hurt Krzyzewski's self-esteem.

Listening to the defense of the men's basketball coach, Ernie Johnson also smiled. For the first time, he began to look forward to complaints from fans. As for the national team, the championship was actually not a suspense:
"If I offend New York fans, I don't know what kind of joke I will make in the future!"

On Friday the 23rd, the NBA held its media day at the Westin Hotel in Times Square, and the invited newbies also made their appearance again at this time.

Li You has been a bit busy recently. Last night, he accompanied Jin and Katherine to Bruce Springsteen's concert at Madison Square Garden.

The World Cup quarter-finals are about to begin this weekend, but he has no time to watch the game live. The league invited him to attend this year's draft and announce the new gifts for next season.

This thing has been hyped for months, but it's actually a brand new Spalding basketball.

The difference from previous game balls is that the new basketball is no longer made of leather. Instead, it is made of a microfiber composite material for better grip.

When he first joined the league, Li You also worked with Spalding, but now his value is too high and the other party can no longer afford the endorsement fee.
Dressed in a well-fitting dark blue suit, Li You and the Knicks staff arrived at the hotel in a low-key manner.

He did not steal the limelight from the rookies. For the rookies, this is also the highlight moment in their lives.

In addition to promoting the league, the main reason for coming here was to visit old friends. Michael Jordan, who officially participated in the operation of the Bobcats, also came to New York in a low-key manner.

In the suite, the Bobcats staff was still communicating with Michael Jordan, and the two sides had some differences on this year's draft.

“Uncle Lee!”

Marcus Jordan immediately greeted Li You happily when he saw him. The little guy who used to circle around his aunt has grown up now. Jeffrey Jordan on the side pretended to be cool and stepped forward to bump fists before calling him "Uncle".

No longer arguing with the staff, Michael Jordan, wearing a gray shirt, put his two sons aside and called Li You to go next door to "have a cigar".

Li You unbuttoned his shirt and took a look at the new item in his hand. He pretended to sniff it and then said jokingly:

"Hook gives you a large sum of US dollars every year. You should treat me with better goods!"

Michael Jordan, who was smoking, had a nonchalant smile on his dark face. He sank into the sofa and complained about the Hook's management again:
"They will regret it sooner or later. I am the most suitable person to manage my own brand. Look at the signature shoes they made for me in recent years. The sales have never been as good as the old ones."

"Remember to bring professionals with you when settling accounts. You know, business is business, and personal friendships don't work at this time."

"This is my treasure, remember to savor it well!"

For dividend settlement, Li You chose Deloitte Accounting Firm. The two sides established some friendship when they first joined the alliance, and they have been cooperating happily over the years.

He simply responded, then followed the puffing Li You to look at the staff leaving the suite, and asked curiously:
"What are you arguing about? The second pick, there is no need to choose, LaMarcus Aldridge, this big man is the best choice. Of course, you have to pray that the Raptors will not choose him."

When talking about his work, Maikou showed a confident smile on his face again, shook his head, and said proudly with an expression of "You are too pretentious":

"I know him, but I have a better candidate. I have been paying attention to the NCAA, and Adam Morrison is the player the team needs."

"When he lost to UCLA in the round of 16, I saw a superstar quality in him."

“Skills can be constantly honed, but the love and desire for basketball cannot be acquired later.”

Hearing this answer, Li You was stunned. Although Adam Morrison's role model was Larry Bird, he had been diagnosed with diabetes long ago, and his career was destined not to be very successful:

"Maybe you should listen more to the staff's opinions and form a double tower lineup to ensure the team's bottom line. This is not college basketball."

The bewildered McDuck showed an expression of "you don't understand" again. He firmly believed in his draft vision, waved at Jeffrey Jordan, and changed the subject:
"Lee, let Jeffrey go to your training camp to learn a few moves. He likes basketball. Although he may not be able to enter the league in the future, it would be nice for him to have a good experience in college."

Michael Dunk has informed all the sports media in Chicago. He doesn't want Haodaer to receive too much attention, so he has kept a very low profile over the years.

But children will eventually grow up, and Michael still hopes to give his eldest son the best resources. This trip to New York, apart from work, is the most important thing.

"Uncle Lee! I want to play basketball. This has always been my dream!"

Jeffrey Jordan failed to inherit his father's "superstar face". The first impression he gives people is that he is a role player. In fact, his talent is indeed mediocre, otherwise the sports media would have hyped it up long ago.

Looking at his eager nephew, Li You agreed with a smile. Marcus Jordan also seemed to be passionate about basketball and asked:
"I also want to go to the training camp. Aren't there a lot of talented players this year? I also want to compete with them."

Perhaps because he didn't want to discourage his second son, Maikou didn't agree to the other party's request. Instead, he waved his hand with a serious expression and simply said:
"Go talk to your high school coach. I don't want to hear about you missing practice and class again."

The two sons remained silent despite being scolded by Michael. Their wealthy life allowed their basketball skills to improve by leaps and bounds. Michael's pocket money was crucial, and the two did not want to be deprived of food.

“David can talk to Mark when he has time. We can work together. There is no need to clash over business.”

After Haodaer left, Maikou laughed again after hearing what Li You said, and then said meaningfully:

"I know Mark signed a lot of players, but he shouldn't get involved in North Carolina's resources, just like David wouldn't sign players from the University of Connecticut. This is the unspoken rule."

"Li, you don't need to care about this. Even if you want to open a brokerage company in the future, you should accept these rules."

Li You, who was puffing out smoke, curled his lips secretly. It was a free market, so why were there so many rules? Only then did he understand why Schwartz had been so successful in recent years. The other party was not the kind of person who played by the rules.

No longer talking about work, Maikou, who had not been seen for a long time, had a relapse of his gambling addiction. He clamored to play a few rounds and take a few swings, and then started talking about "small ball".

It seemed that his relationship with Juanita had come to an end. Michael did not hide the fact that he was about to be "single" again. He pulled Li You aside and talked enthusiastically about the beautiful girls he had seen recently.

The newbies who were still being interviewed were eagerly waiting for the two to appear on the scene. Many people were still imagining that the real GOAT and the deputy GOAT were confronting each other.
On Wednesday, June 2006, 6, the NBA draft was held at Madison Square Garden again, and ESPN was responsible for the entire live broadcast.

Before the draft began, Li You and David Stern, both wearing black suits, appeared in front of the camera together. Soon the staff brought up a black square box.

“This is our gift to everyone next season!”

Li You opened the lid, raised the basketball in his hand in front of him, faced the camera, and said with the same smile:
"Brand new basketball, thanks to Spalding's new technology. I have a feeling that the future superstar is right in the audience!"

"."

After a brief opening, Li You had to go to the ESPN broadcast booth to comment on the players. As a group of new players were eagerly waiting, David Stern announced the draft results:

“Toronto Raptors select Andrea Bargnani from Benetton Treviso”

“The Charlotte Bobcats select Gonzaga’s Adam Morrison with the second pick.”

"."

"The New York Knicks select Kentucky's Rajon Rondo with the 22nd pick"

(End of this chapter)