Chapter 15 Accident
There is a place at the draft called the Green Room.

Of course it doesn't really refer to a small green house, but to an area at the draft venue.

This is done by the league based on the selection intentions of the teams holding lottery picks this year, and then inviting at least 14 players to gather here.

When they are selected, the staff will give them a baseball cap of the team they chose, and then they will go on stage to shake hands and take photos with NBA Commissioner David Stern.

It can be said that this is a recognition of the draft players.

This year, Zheng Yang also received an invitation from the league and entered the green room to wait. He was accompanied by Eric Fleisher and his aunt Zhang Lin, both of whom were nervous about this draft.

"Mr. Fleischer, Auntie, don't be nervous, it's okay! No matter which team I go to, I will become an NBA superstar, I promise!"

Zheng Yang smiled at the two of them and said that he was not that nervous about which team he would go to, but he was a little excited because after all, he was really going to play in the NBA.

This is the dream of every teenager who loves basketball!
He turned his head and glanced around. Wade, Bosh, James...

A lot of them were people he was familiar with.

At this moment, James is chatting with Anthony in front of him. The two met in the previous game and have always had a good relationship.

"Cameron!"

"what?"

"Why are you sitting so far forward?"

"It's to make it easier for me to go on stage later."

The two equally young men looked and spoke a little unnaturally. Although their prospects for the draft were very good, they still felt nervous as they sat here waiting for the final result.

Not long after, Stern, dressed in a suit and tie, slowly walked onto the stage. He smiled and looked at the young people below. He knew that they would all be the hope of the league's future.

David Stern's importance to the NBA is self-evident. It can be said that without him, the NBA would not have developed as prosperously as it is today. Therefore, both team owners and players respect him very much.

Fans also like to affectionately call him "Mr. Stern".

This is his 1984th time hosting the draft since his first time in 19.

So whose name will you hear from him this year?

let us wait and see.

After a brief opening speech, Mr. Stern took out the first envelope.

"In the 2003 NBA Draft, the Cleveland Cavaliers selected 18-year-old LeBron James with the first pick."

As soon as he finished speaking, the whole audience applauded James. This was a choice that everyone expected.

James stood up, hugged the people around him, took the hat handed to him by the staff, and walked onto the stage.

The Pistons, who had the second pick, selected Milicic. They liked this big man more than Anthony.

The Nuggets quickly selected Carmelo Anthony.

The Raptors selected Bosh with the fourth pick, and the Heat selected Wade!
Next up is the Clippers...

The Bulls, who hold the seventh pick, are relieved at this moment. After a long period of consideration, they have decided to use the seventh pick to select Zheng Yang.

Bulls general manager John Paxson believes Zheng will be the Michael Jordan selected from him, and he will become the new basketball god in the hearts of Chicago fans.

But something unexpected happened!

David Stern's eyes flashed with surprise as he opened the Clippers' envelope, but his expression remained calm. After a pause, he spoke slowly.

"The Los Angeles Clippers used the sixth pick to select the talented teenager who is about to turn 18 - Zheng!"

As soon as these words were spoken, the whole audience was suddenly shocked, and Bulls general manager Paxson even slammed the table.

"Impossible! How is it possible?

Why did the Clippers choose Zheng? Didn't they want Chris Kaman?
Why did they choose Zheng? "

They were just one pick away from selecting Zheng Yang, but they were snatched away by someone else, the Clippers, a team that no one had ever noticed.

No one could answer his question because this was a result that no one had expected.

What exactly is going on?

Zheng Yang, who was sitting in the green room, was also confused. He had never tried out with the Clippers, and the Clippers had never contacted him.

Why did they choose him?
He cast a questioning look at Eric Fleischer, who also shook his head.

"I don't know. They never got in touch with me."

So what's going on?

Zheng Yang wasn't sure, but when he saw the staff had handed him a hat with the Clippers logo, he had no choice but to stand up and go on stage.

When David Stern saw him, he smiled gently and extended his hand.

"Kids, welcome to the NBA!"

Zheng Yang also stretched out his hand and smiled.

The photographer below moved his finger and captured this moment forever.

When she returned to her desk, Eric Fleischer was gone. Aunt Zhang Lin said he had gone to make a phone call.

Zheng Yang guessed that he should go to find out the details.

After losing Zheng, the Bulls had no choice but to select Kirk Hinrich, whom they originally wanted, but they did not feel any joy in their hearts.

Wanting to select Zheng may be the best idea that Bulls general manager Paxson has ever had in his life, but he is not the protagonist in the novel, and not all good luck will happen to him.

Once he missed, he missed.

Zheng Yang didn't have much interest in watching the following draft. Although he was confident that he could succeed wherever he went, he never thought that he would be selected by the Clippers.

He knows nothing about this team at this moment.

He really didn't like this state of uncertainty.

Not long after, Eric Fleischer came back, but his face was less confused and more smiling.

“Zheng, I have good news for you, you are going to the Dallas Mavericks.

Just now, they made a deal with the Clippers. They sent away the tough guy on the bench, Nick Van Exel, the All-Star substitute in the 97-98 season, and next year's first-round pick in exchange for you.

Although you will get more exposure playing in Los Angeles, you will improve faster by playing for the Mavericks.

I will talk to the team about your first contract later. What you need to do now is to be prepared. There will be a lot of media interviews when you go out later."

Zheng Yang nodded, but he was still thinking about it. Mavericks? I'm going to the Mavericks?
Zheng Yang knows much more about the Mavericks than the Clippers, and he watched all the games of this year's Western Conference Finals.

The current main players of the Mavericks are "German Tank" Nowitzki, "Son of the Wind" Nash, and All-Star guard Michael Finley.

There isn’t much negative news about the three of them, and they all have nice personalities, so it’s easier to get along with them.

The head coach, Nelson, nicknamed "Mad Scientist", is very bold in selecting and employing players.

Later, when he became the head coach of the Warriors, he went against all odds and snatched away Curry, which ultimately led to the Warriors' rise.

He is also a very good coach, having won the NBA Coach of the Year Award three times. He also invented the famous "Hack-a-Shaq" tactic. In the 06-07 season, he led the Warriors to complete the "Black Eight Miracle", thus putting Nowitzki on the "softie" list of shame.

If it weren't for the NBA strategist James's "80% release of military power", Nowitzki might never have gotten rid of the title of "softie" in his life.

When Nelson left the league, he was the head coach with the most wins in NBA history.

So his strength is definitely beyond doubt.

And he is not racially discriminatory. The Mavericks once offered a contract to Hu Weidong from China, but due to various factors at that time, Hu Weidong was ultimately unable to enter the NBA.

But later when old Nelson came to China, he brought him his jersey.

Combining all the above factors, it is definitely more suitable for Zheng Yang to go to the Mavericks than to other teams. Moreover, the other team spent such a huge price to trade for him, so they will definitely value him enough.

All he needs to do is enhance his own strength, help the team win, and let them know that this trade is worth it.

Of course, are there any disadvantages to going to the Mavericks?
Of course there are. After losing in the Western Conference Finals, they made a lot of moves in the offseason and finally traded for two other All-Stars to form the star-studded "Five-Star Mavericks", but the team's chemistry has always been poor.

The final outcome was a first-round sweep by the Kings.

Then it disintegrated during the offseason!

Zheng Yang didn’t know whether history would repeat itself, nor did he know whether he would be affected by this incident, but he had no choice.

Only if he is strong enough can he influence and change some things.

……

After the draft, Zheng Yang was interviewed by countless media outlets. ESPN also sent out their beautiful reporter Erin Angelus, who was the one who was secretly photographed with a pinhole camera from behind.

"Zheng, we meet again!
As you predicted, you were selected at No. 6, and I mean, you're such a pleasant surprise.

I believe you have received the news that you have been traded from the Clippers to the Mavericks.

Can you tell us your first reaction when you heard the news? "

Irene Angelus asked with a smile. I have to say, she is quite charming, especially when she smiles, she has the maturity of an older sister.

"Of course, well... when I first heard the news, I was thinking that the Mavericks management is definitely much smarter than the management of the other five teams.

Because they selected the most talented player in this rookie class.

Haha, you know, I have always been so confident. Maybe everyone thinks I am arrogant, but in the end everyone will find out that what I said is true.

Getting back to the point, I'm really excited to join the Mavericks family. Everyone on this team is excellent. They all work hard and are very united. In the just-concluded playoffs, they made it to the Western Conference Finals.

I can’t wait to fight alongside them.”

Irene Angelus smiled and nodded.

“Yes, I know you are a very confident player, and I like that confidence in you.

Can you tell me what role you will play when you join this team? "

“Sorry, I’ll have to ask my coach about this.

You know, I'm a very versatile player. I can score on a lot of people, I can defend a lot of people, I can grab rebounds, I can assist...

So I have to ask my coach what he needs from me and I will play the role he gives me."

Zheng Yang behaved very modestly, he knew he was just a rookie. Even Jordan had to carry other people's bags when he was a rookie, so it was okay for him to lower his posture a bit.

"So what are your goals after entering the NBA?"

Irene Angelus asked again, and Zheng Yang replied after a pause.

"You know, the only mission of the team right now is to win the championship, and I think the team traded for me so that I can help the team win the championship.

I will do my best to help the team win the championship.

You know, we have great players, coaches, and a great team, so...anything is possible!"

"Okay, Zheng, thank you for accepting our interview today. I look forward to meeting you next time. I believe you will already be playing in the league by then."

After the ESPN interview, other reporters asked a lot of other random questions, but Zheng Yang, who was mature and had high emotional intelligence, gave every answer flawlessly.

……

When Zheng Yang was being interviewed, old Nelson, who was in control of the deal regarding Zheng Yang, received a call from Nowitzki.

"Coach, were you the one who wanted to pick the rookie named Zheng?
Why, I don't understand, why would you trade Knicks for a rookie? You know, we wouldn't have made it that far in the playoffs without Knicks."

Nowitzki, the core of the team, knew nothing about the deal. He only found out about it when someone called him to ask about it.

"Dirk, even if the Knicks didn't trade for this rookie, he would have been on the trade shelf.

The boss has talked to me and he wants to find two more All-Stars to help you. He firmly believes that five All-Stars can win the championship.

But Dirk, you know, he's just a businessman, he doesn't understand basketball at all.

Basketball is not a sport where 1+1 is greater than 2. Although I firmly believe that we can win the championship through offense, it does not mean that I need five All-Stars with no chemistry.

So in order for us to have more possibilities in the new season, I chose to make this deal."

After hearing Nelson's answer, Nowitzki was silent. After a while he asked again.

"But he's just a rookie. What can he change?"

"Dirk, once you see that kid play, you'll know what the magic is about him."

Old Nelson kept it a secret and then hung up the phone.

He knew that no one would understand his deal, and if it weren't for his qualifications, Cuban would never allow him to make this deal.

But he still wanted to make the deal.

He believed in his own judgment that the child named Zheng would give him a surprise in the future!

　Forget it, there will only be two updates today, so I’ll stay up late and write more!
　　
　
(End of this chapter)