Where the noise did not reach

Chapter 55 2007 NBA Draft
The day before the 2007 NBA Draft, ESPN broke the news: "Eli Tsui plans to sign with Adidas, and they have reached a multi-year contract worth a total of $6000 million!"

This can be considered a settled matter.

However, the price is still shocking.

The exact duration of Xu Ling's contract is unclear to outsiders, but those with some inside information know that it is a 4-year, $6000 million deal.

What does this mean?

The endorsement fee Adidas paid Xu Ling was larger than the 7-year, $8600 million contract Nike gave to LeBron James in 2003.

Moreover, within Adidas, no one has a higher endorsement contract than Xu Ling. When Yao Ming of the subsidiary Reebok jumped ship from Nike, he only signed a 10-year, $7500 million contract.

This is an astronomical price for a rookie who has not yet proven himself in the NBA and is not considered a player with unlimited potential and the ability to sell shoes like LeBron James.

Criticism is inevitable.

It's inevitable that you'll be envied.

Even more surprisingly, it wouldn't be surprising if some of Xu Ling's peers became hostile because of the exorbitant size of her endorsement contracts.

Then, in the blink of an eye, it was draft day.

That morning, Xu Ling was woken up by a phone call from overseas.

He reached for his phone, not even glancing at the caller ID, and answered sleepily, "Hello?"

"Ah Ling! Are you awake yet? Have you had breakfast?" Her mother's voice came through the phone. "Your dad has a big business deal to discuss in Macau right now. It's very important. He said he might not be able to make it there."

Xu Ling held his phone, remaining silent for a moment.

As a time traveler, his feelings for his parents in this life were always tinged with a subtle ambiguity. They were the closest people to this body, giving him unconditional support, but to him, they were more like familiar strangers who needed his care. For the past six months, he had devoted himself entirely to the college season and draft preparations, and the few routine phone calls he made each month were the only contact he could maintain.

Hearing this, he even secretly breathed a sigh of relief, it seemed that he didn't need to be distracted by playing the role of a perfect son during one of the most important moments of his life.

"Okay, I understand. Business is important, let Dad handle it." Xu Ling's tone was calm and evenly matched. "You can stay home and watch the show too."

"Be careful all by yourself over there! Eat well and sleep well! Don't be stressed, we are all proud of you."

Listening to the rambling instructions on the other end of the phone, a strange emotion mixed with guilt and alienation spread through Xu Ling's heart.

He finally replied softly, "Okay, Mom."

He hung up the phone, and silence returned to the room. New York City outside was awakening; this was the biggest day of his life, and he had to face it in top form. So, the faint sense of loss he felt was quickly suppressed and replaced by a clearer sense of purpose.

In the afternoon, Xu Ling, along with his agent and team members, arrived at Madison Square Garden. This is the mecca of countless young basketball players' dreams and one of the league's grandest stages each year. Outside the arena, crowds thronged, with fans wearing jerseys from various teams holding banners, and media reporters with their cameras pointed at every slowly approaching black limousine.

"Is it him? Eli Xu?"

"It's Eli Xu!"

As Xu Ling stepped out of the car, a series of flashes went off, and the cacophony of shouts drowned out the traffic noise in Manhattan.

Some chanted "MOP of the Final Four," some shouted his Chinese name, and others simply jeered, "Hey, Eli, are you ready to play for the Memphis Grizzlies?"

Guided by a staff member, Xu Ling and her agent passed through the security area and entered the candidate lounge, which everyone tacitly referred to as the "little green room." The furnishings inside were not luxurious: a dark carpet, a long row of leather chairs, a table covered with water and energy bars, and an LCD TV that continuously played ESPN live broadcasts.

The players wore all sorts of suits, some resting with their eyes closed, others chatting quietly with their relatives and friends.

When Xu Ling appeared, the little green house fell silent.

As this year's NCAA national champion, Xu Ling defeated most of the representatives in the room.

Brandon Wright, whose fortunes had plummeted to the brink of the lottery after the first six rounds of betting, saw Xu Ling, snorted angrily, and turned his head away, refusing to look at him.

“Hey, Eli!” Ashley Law waved and said, “Come on over here!”

Xu Ling went over to say hello, and then found Kevin Durant sitting next to them.

"Is this the base of the BIG 12 alliance?" Xu Ling asked jokingly.

Durant faced Xu Ling twice in the BIG 12 league regular season and lost both games. In one of those games, Xu Ling hit a game-winning three-pointer from far beyond the arc, and it was that game-winner that propelled Xu Ling from the edge of the lottery to the top ten.

Speaking of game-winning three-pointers from beyond the arc
The guys from the University of Florida were getting restless. Xu Ling had single-handedly shattered their dynasty dream, and now, seeing this bastard, Joakim Noah was equally furious.

Then there was Oden, who also spotted Xu Ling, but just nodded with a smile.

Xu Ling nodded in response.

“It seems like a lot of people really don’t like you,” Durant said.

Do you expect everyone to like you?

Xu Ling looked at Durant with a strange expression. As a former Durant hater, he found it hard to reconcile the innocent and carefree young Durant in front of him with the future Durant who surfed the internet intensely, used smurf accounts to criticize former teammates, joined a 73-win team when he couldn't win, claiming it was the most difficult path, left after riding the championship wave, continued to copy LeBron James and form high-profile super teams, only to have them quickly collapse due to personnel incompatibility, and immediately requested a trade every time the team encountered problems, only to make a mess of the new team and then continue to request trades, and transformed into a top-tier troll on social media to confront all doubters.

The innocent Durand nodded: "Don't you want that?"

“No, if everyone likes you,” Xu Ling looked at him mockingly, “that only means you’re not a threat. Only a fool like Forrest Gump would be liked by everyone.”

Later, Xu Ling discovered Yi from China in the small green room. He was very silent and completely shut himself off.

Xu Ling went over to greet him, and he simply replied with a nonchalant remark.

Then, Xu Ling returned to her seat and waited for the talent show to begin.

At exactly 7 p.m., the lights in the Madison Square Garden arena, at the center of the talent show, suddenly dimmed and were immediately replaced by spotlights that shone on the podium set up on the stage. Amid cheers and applause, David Stern, dressed in a dark suit, strode onto the stage.

The league commissioner surveyed the room, flashed his signature smile, and spoke in a steady voice through the microphone: "Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the 2007 NBA Draft. This is Madison Square Garden in New York City, a place steeped in history."

“Tonight, dreams will come true. Tonight, the next generation of stars will begin their journey. For some of these young men, this is the result of years of hard work and sacrifice. For all 30 teams, this is an opportunity to shape the future.”

The loudest boos Xu Ling had ever heard erupted from the crowd.

Stern was used to this kind of scene. He just smiled and said, "The Portland Trail Blazers have the first overall pick in the 2007 draft. They have five minutes to make their decision."

At that moment, inside the little green room, Greg Oden, who knew exactly what was going to happen, casually asked, "Who could it be? It's hard to guess."

"It's definitely not the MOP in the semifinals." Finally, Noah got his chance from Conor McGregor.

This remark elicited a burst of laughter from the little green room.

That's too cruel. How can you say that about the MOP of the semifinals?

Xu Ling glanced at Noah. Since the other party was determined to persist, there was no need for him to show any goodwill. Goodwill should be reserved for those who deserve it, such as the innocent and guinea pig-like Xiao Du.

As for Noah? What right does this Frenchman, who was trampled to death in the championship match, have to whimper here?
Xu Ling feigned a relaxed demeanor, but his response was sharp and jarring: "You're right, some decisions do require foresight. For example, someone who should have been the NBA's number one draft pick last year chose to stay in college basketball, preferring its sheltered environment, and ended up not only failing to defend their championship but also failing to even make the top five in the draft. Who is this person?"

After saying that, Xu Ling gave Noah a smile: "It's so hard to guess."

Given Noah's fiery temper, if it weren't for the special occasion today, he would definitely have had an offline showdown with Xu Ling. But now, he can only swallow the bitter pill after bringing shame upon himself.

Then, Oden began to straighten his collar.

Stern announced from the podium: "In the 2007 NBA Draft, the Portland Trail Blazers have selected Greg Oden from Ohio State University!"

Oden stood up, and his classmates around him congratulated him.

Oden gave them a high-five one by one.

The last person to high-five Oden was Xu Ling.

"Congratulations," Xu Ling said. "Take care of yourself."

"Thanks!" Oden replied. "See you in the NBA."

As Oden walked toward Stern amidst cheers from the crowd, Trail Blazers general manager Kevin Pritchard solemnly stated in an on-site interview: "We're not looking for the regular season MVP, nor the Rookie of the Year. What we value most is the player who can lead us to a championship. I'm not talking about winning a championship in the next ten months, that's not what I mean. I'm talking about the person who will ultimately lead us to the top."

He outlined a long journey to glory. Unfortunately, the one who truly led this team to the finish line wasn't Oden, nor Lillard, nor anyone else to date. The road was long, and Oden ultimately failed to become the one destined to walk it.

Just after the Trail Blazers unsurprisingly selected Greg Oden, David Stern returned to the forefront, announcing that the Seattle SuperSonics, holding the second pick, had five minutes to make their decision.

Everyone knew that the next name to be called would be Kevin Durant.

Meanwhile, a silent tension filled the Memphis Grizzlies' draft tactical room. From Jerry West, who was in charge, to his assistants holding their breath in the corner, everyone was on edge.

Holding the third overall pick, they theoretically considered Xu Ling their sole target. But draft night can be unpredictable, and who can guarantee there won't be any surprises? What if the Atlanta Hawks aren't content with the fourth pick and try to trade up to a pick ahead of them, or what if a blockbuster trade occurs between Portland and Seattle?

Just as West was deep in thought with a furrowed brow, the phone in the war room suddenly rang sharply. The name on the caller ID made the air freeze instantly—it was Hawks general manager Billy Knight.

"Jerry, how's everything going? How's your day?"

West took a deep breath, answered the phone, and said in his usual calm tone, "Billy, draft night is not the time for idle chatter."

Knight on the other end of the phone laughed easily, as if it were just a friendly chat: "Relax, Jerry, I just suddenly thought you might be interested in making a trade. We're willing to trade our fourth pick and two future first-round picks for your third pick."

West reacted with lightning speed, without any hesitation, his voice as cold and hard as iron: "No. Absolutely not. Goodbye, Billy."

With a click, West abruptly hung up the phone, his resolute "no" still echoing in the room, as if slapping Knight silently across the face.

Before anyone could recover from the crisp rejection, the phone rang on another line. The assistant answered, his expression becoming incredibly interesting, and covered the receiver as he said to West, "Sir, it's Isaiah Thomas from the New York Knicks."

A barely perceptible hint of annoyance flashed across West's face, but he still gestured for the call to come in.

“Jerry! My great, legendary, Midas touch 'Logo Man'!” Isaiah Thomas’s voice was like a horn that had gone out of control, filled with frenzied passion and excessive praise. “Jerry, you are my most respected predecessor. I will always be proud of you. I want to talk to you about a deal. I promise I will offer you a price that will satisfy you!”

Before West could even respond, the Smiling Assassin continued his aria like a bard: "Believe me, for this! The New York Knicks are willing to give anything! Listen up, Jerry, everything! Jamal Crawford! Nate Robinson! David Lee! And Channing Frye! Plus our first-round pick next year! The first-round pick swap rights the year after! The 2010 first-round pick! All of this! Jerry! All! We just want your third pick! We want Eli Xu! You know what? Jerry! Do you see the divinity within him? It's not just basketball, it's art! It's the key to the East! It's the savior Madison Square Garden has been waiting for for thirty years!"

To be honest, Thomas's behavior makes it hard not to suspect that he's taken a serious hit.

But West could somewhat understand Thomas's feelings.

He was probably the first NBA general manager to realize Xu Ling's value. Months ago, he was already working on a trade, but no one was willing to deal with him because the Knicks really didn't have any assets to trade for a top-five pick this year.

Until draft day, Thomas finally went completely insane.

“Isiah,” West’s voice was completely flat, “None of the players you mentioned are what I want. The third pick you mentioned is an untouchable player that Memphis will never sell. Goodbye.”

Before the frenzy on Thomas's end could cool down, West hung up the phone again, as if he had merely dusted off a speck of dust.

He looked around. The operations room was silent. Everyone was looking at him, their faces relaxed or even slightly smiling. In their eyes, the man with the logo had just easily dismissed two absurd offers, rejected two "clowns," and made up his mind to choose Xu Ling.

Thomas's maniacal praise of Xu Ling, which revered him as a god, now echoed in West's ears like a curse.

"The Mysterious Key to the East. The Savior. The King's Arrival."

These exaggerated words, far from making West feel proud, acted like a blinding spotlight, illuminating the deepest darkness in his heart.

If Thomas is right, and if Xu Ling truly possesses such immense, almost divine potential and market value, then Memphis, this dilapidated little city repeatedly mocked by fate, is indeed unworthy of him.

Several years ago, West rejected an opportunity to completely change the history of the Grizzlies because he held this same idea.

It was the summer of 2004. The Lakers, with their "F4" lineup, were defeated by the Pistons in the Finals. The conflict between Kobe and Shaq was irreconcilable, and Kobe decided to leave. His first choice was the Memphis Grizzlies. At that time, the Grizzlies had won 50 games in the regular season, but completely collapsed in the playoffs. Kobe believed that he could immediately put the team into championship contention, and he also believed that West could build a great team around him.

At that time, Kobe was just one promise from West away from joining the Grizzlies.

As a result, West, as the president of the Grizzlies, told Kobe: "This is not a place to play basketball. The Grizzlies are not good enough for you. You belong in Los Angeles."

West pushed away a superstar who was within his grasp, simply because he firmly believed that this small town did not deserve a player like Kobe.

A year earlier, before the 2003 NBA Draft Lottery, the entire hope of Memphis rested on that minuscule odds. They had to win the number one pick because of a legacy of a trade dating back to the 90s: if they didn't get the first pick, even if they got the second pick, they would have to hand it over to the Detroit Pistons.

The results of it?
They drew number two.

They were just one step away from playing for LeBron James, and also lost the second overall pick.

The helplessness and absurdity of that moment, like a sudden blow from fate, still sends chills down West's spine.

At this moment, the shadow of history once again loomed over West. There were no barriers between them and Xu Ling. He firmly believed that the Chinese man possessed all the qualities to achieve greatness, yet he also deeply doubted whether the land of Memphis truly had the nourishment to nurture great athletes. Just as he doubted whether someone as mediocre as himself truly deserved a life far more absurd and glorious than he had dreamed of as a child.

Meanwhile, at the NBA draft, Kevin Durant was being interviewed by courtside reporter Craig Seger, his smile youthful yet radiant.

David Stern walked back to the podium, opened the now different envelope in his hand, and announced loudly: "In the 2007 NBA Draft, the Memphis Grizzlies selected Xu Ling with the third overall pick in the first round—from Texas Tech University!"

Inside the small green room, Xu Ling stood up in response.

He high-fived and hugged Roderick Craig next to him, then hugged Leon Rose tightly, before nodding to the other rookies around him and walking steadily toward the podium to greet his moment.

All that's left is noise.

(1) West shared this story on a podcast in 2022, and he lost all the respect of Grizzlies fans as a result.

(End of this chapter)