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Chapter 546 - 236.2007 NBA Draft

Chapter 546: 236.2007 NBA Draft

Just after 7 PM, the draft broadcast began.

First up were the images of the Green Room invitees and their friends and families entering Madison Square Garden.

Harden asked, "Jack, why didn’t I see you entering the basketball Mecca during your draft year?"

Zhang Yang replied, "I want to kill you with a stool."

Harden said, "Why hit me? I haven’t provoked you guys lately, have I?"

DeRozan immediately steered the conversation back on track, "Jack didn’t get into the Green Room."

Harden asked, "Oh... cough cough, DeMar, do you think we’ll make it in the future?"

DeRozan said, "Yes."

Zhang Yang said, "I curse you to pull a groin on the day of the draft."

DeRozan: "..."

Harden said, "Jack, of all things to curse us with, a groin pull? I’ve had that injury before, and it’s very uncomfortable climbing stairs. The way I walked right after the injury was so embarrassing. How do you expect me to go up on stage and shake hands with Stern?"

DeRozan said, "I also want to kill you with a stool!"

Amid their banter, the draft ceremony began.

This year, Zhang Yang was quite eager to see who his team would pick.

Having been knocked out early last season, he was fully involved with the team’s tryout work and already knew who the candidates were. Although they had the unexpected delight of snatching Muhammad from the Spurs, making him a key part in defeating the Spurs’ team, the draft still consisted of players discussed and agreed upon beforehand.

This year, the team started their draft work in mid-June, but because they played in the playoffs until June 23, Bickerstaff and Jordan didn’t let the players get involved with the tryouts. Zhang Yang knew very little about it and was curious who his team would pick in the first round with the 27th pick... They had only that one draft right, as their second-round pick was traded away last year.

Without any suspense, the Trail Blazers used their first pick to select Oden.

The highlight reel showed Oden single-handedly dominating over Horford and Noah... Truly, they had no regard for the other two lottery picks’ dignity, did they?

The SuperSonics picked Durant with the second pick.

Yang Jing commented, "The SuperSonics got lucky, landing the second pick with a very low probability, and then picking Durant, who in any other draft year would certainly have been a first pick."

Harden asked, "Jack, is Durant that good?"

Zhang Yang replied, "Very strong, definitely stronger than me in my rookie year."

Harden asked, "What about compared to you now?"

Zhang Yang said, "I’m stronger."

Harden said, "Oh, greater than rookie Jack, but less than second-year Jack... I’ve got my freshman year goal! To be like Durant, better than the rookie year Jack!"

DeRozan: "..."

Big Ro felt a huge pressure; the talents of Harden and Zhang Yang were just too great; he must work even harder...

With the third pick, to everyone’s surprise, the Hawks team chose Al Horford.

Yang Jing said, "Weird, weren’t they talking about strengthening their Point Guard position? Another forward? Horford is under six-foot-nine barefoot, are they still infatuated with a six-forward lineup?"

Zhang Yang said, "Probably like you, Mom, you said you wouldn’t buy high heels anymore but when you see pretty ones you still want to buy. Dad doesn’t want to go out with you anymore because when you wear heels, you’re almost as tall as him, and it’s embarrassing for him."

Yang Jing narrowed her eyes, "Yangyang, is that something your dad told you to say?"

Zhang Yang nodded, "No, Mom, don’t talk nonsense, Dad definitely didn’t bribe me, he didn’t say he’d get me a new computer, he didn’t tell me to hint at you."

Yang Jing said, "Yangyang, you’re such a good boy, a credit to your mother."

DeRozan, Harden: "..."

Zhang San really is a troublemaker!

With the Hawks picking Horford at the fourth spot, the Grizzlies were happily surprised to grab Mike Conley.

In the finals, Horford and Noah failed to handle Oden together, and their draft expectations suffered, making Conley a hot prospect for the third pick. The Grizzlies definitely got a steal in this draft.

However, it was rumored that the Grizzlies’ original target was Durant. Not having secured a top-two draft pick, the Logo Man had already resigned, and his general manager consultant, Chris Wallace, became the new general manager of the Grizzlies.

At the fifth pick, Zhang Yang started getting nervous, hoping the Celtics wouldn’t foolishly select Yi Jianlian. Tellem had already rejected Ainge’s workout invitation, but Ainge had been indicating interest in Yi Jianlian all along.

Fortunately, Ainge didn’t take a risk and used the fifth pick for Jeff Green.

At the sixth pick, Zhang Yang felt anxious again; Tellem had also declined the Bucks’ workout invitation... but the Bucks didn’t risk it either, selecting his junior from North Carolina, the talented forward Brandon Wright.

Wright was a fierce high school player, winning four consecutive championships in Tennessee, outperforming players who were a few years older than him when he was in the ninth grade. Like Jordan Farmar, he was an early bloomer; from tenth to twelfth grade, he won Tennessee’s Mr. Basketball three times in a row, and ultimately was ranked fourth in the nation’s high schoolers for the 2006 class before joining North Carolina.

Zhang Yang had some knowledge of this junior; Wright’s freshman season was somewhat unimpressive, not bad but not as good as people had expected, especially compared to Oden, Durant’s college performances, and Zhang San’s NBA performances. If he were to spend another year or two in college, he’d likely fall out of the lottery.

With the seventh pick, the Timberwolves selected the newly crowned MOP, Corey Brewer.

At the eighth pick was the Chicago Bulls with the Knicks’ pick.

Zhang Yang watched the television screen intently, and three minutes later, David Stern, smiling broadly, opened the envelope and read out Yi Jianlian’s name...

...

The Chicago Bulls was the ideal team chosen by Zhang Yang, Tellem, and Yi Jianlian after their discussions; since there was no chance for the third pick, there wasn’t much difference between the fourth pick and a top-ten pick. Instead of gambling on a higher pick, better to choose a team with more opportunities.