Basketball Legend: When Pride Still Matters

Chapter 500: Chapter 343 Madmen Laugh Like This

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The night the Bucks swept the Cavaliers, James’s announcement on ESPN about his decision to sign Ira Newble’s letter was countered by Yu Fei’s statements during the post-game press conference.

Despite the fierce competition between Nike and Reebok, for nearly four consecutive years (up until last year), a message had been conveyed to the public: LeBron was my little brother.

When something is emphasized repeatedly, people begin to have a fixed impression of it.

Even though many signs suggested that the relationship between Yu Fei and James had soured since last year, some diehard fans still firmly believed they were close friends.

However, Yu Fei completely shattered this illusion.

When reporters mentioned James in front of him, he acted as though he did not know the person.

He denied it three times in a row.

And when a reporter reminded him that “LeBron is your little brother,” he coldly denied it.

“He is no longer.”

This statement, as the concluding headline of the entire event, appeared on the front page of major media sports sections.

The breakdown of the relationship between Big Fei and LeBron prompted widespread discussion.

Yet, in the end, no one could figure out exactly what had happened between them.

Regarding the matter, Yu Fei did not reveal any information to the public.

But some clever people were still able to pinpoint reasons based on the various moves James made.

The day after the Eastern Conference Finals ended, George Karl decided to give the team a day off and held a barbecue party at Yu Fei’s house.

Today also happened to be the day of the draft lottery.

Yu Fei had already decided to watch the live broadcast of the lottery draw; at the same time, other Bucks members also gathered around.

This wasn’t because they cared as much about where Oden and Durant would end up, but because this year’s lottery draw still involved the Bucks.

Last year at the lottery draw, the Bucks turned their first-round pick from a Michael Redd trade with the Knicks into LaMarcus Aldridge through deals, and this year, the Bucks had another first-round pick from the King.

As for this pick from the King, it originated from the Ray Allen trade the year before last.

Even the King themselves couldn’t have imagined that in just a few short years, they would fall from the top of the Western Conference to be guests in the lottery zone.

In the summer of 2005, the King renewed their contract with Ray Allen, while Old Cat Mobley, who came to Milwaukee through the trade, transferred to the Clippers as a free agent. At that time, the Bucks were seen as the clear losers of the trade.

No one expected that Kevin Martin would rise in his second season, and the King fell into the abyss by trading Peja Stojakovic to the Pacers for Artest.

It is well known that Ray Allen is extremely disciplined, does not tolerate nonsense, and is strict with both himself and others, while Artest is the opposite of these traits.

The two of them sparked an unexpected fire, burning down the chemical reaction of the King’s team as their record plummeted, bravely advancing to the lottery with a 33-win, 49-loss record.

Adding to their misery, this lottery pick was destined to be a dowry for the Bucks.

According to predictions, the King’s lottery pick was most likely to be in the 8-10 range of the first round, but there was also a less than 2% chance it could bring the number one pick to the Bucks.

Even though it wasn’t a very high lottery pick, scouts called the 2007 draft a super year.

ESPN’s draft expert Chad Ford said this draft class was the deepest in talent since 1985.

Note: The 1985 class was Ewing’s, which produced 10 All-Stars.

Therefore, the value of this draft right was comparable to a top five pick in a weak draft year, giving the Bucks the option to trade it or continue to absorb young talent.

Before the lottery draw officially began, the camera panned to the host.

It was a person Yu Fei would have never guessed before watching the show.

Adam Silver?

At this time, less than seven years remained before Silver would take his position at the top of the league, but he already looked no different from the man in Yu Fei’s memory.

Bald head, wearing glasses, his tone of speech gave a bizarre impression as he announced today’s first unlucky team.

The team that drew the fourteenth pick in the first round was the Clippers.

The process was quick as the results of the draw had already been determined, and Silver was responsible for reading the names of the teams one by one.

Milwaukee did not receive any extra luck, as predicted before the draw, and Silver announced the Bucks at the eighth position.

“The eighth pick?” Karl felt okay about the position, not good but not bad. “I remember Big Fei was the eighth pick, wasn’t he?”

Yu Fei nodded, “I am honored to have been chosen by the Cleveland Cavaliers as the eighth pick in 2001.”

Kevin Martin asked with a laugh, “Is that a good omen?”

Then Lawson joked, “Not necessarily unless Michael Jordan calls to say he’s spotted a player with a great character.”

Laughter filled the room, while Kwame Brown was reminded of some unpleasant memories.

However, when the Trail Blazers landed the fifth pick.

Yu Fei’s face changed.

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What’s the situation? The Trail Blazers, with the second-highest odds for the top pick, ended up with the theoretically worst draft spot?

History had changed.

In that moment, Yu Fei truly felt the power of the “Wings of the Traveler.”

As a representative of the Seattle SuperSonics, Brandon Roy, who had freed the Trail Blazers from their “jail team” reputation, was unable to save Portland’s fate, and they could not save themselves with their current roster either; they could only continue to decline.

The Trail Blazers dropping to fifth meant that the league’s worst Memphis Grizzlies, SuperSonics, Celtics, and Atlanta Hawks moved into the top four.

Subsequently, the Grizzlies with the highest odds for the number one pick secured the worst fourth pick, in theory.

The Hawks got the third pick.@@novelbin@@

The moment the third pick was revealed, ESPN’s cameras turned to Tom Heinsohn, the representative for the Celtics.

You could see this portly old man clenching his fists in excitement, his lips trembling, as if he wanted to give Adam Silver a hundred “Tommy Points.”

In the end, the SuperSonics drew the first overall pick, while the Celtics drew the second.

Tonight, neither Seattle nor Boston were losers.

Because Greg Oden was touted as the most gifted center since Duncan, and Durant was seen as the surest small forward to succeed since James, the teams with the top two picks just had to choose one of them and could not go wrong.

“Will Seattle pick Oden?”

Lin Kaiwen asked.

“100% no,” Lawson replied, his humor surfacing. “Missing out on Frye was their biggest regret; now, there’s no reason to miss out on KD who has a 50% chance of becoming another Frye.” Lawson continued playfully, “Of course, if Frye were to descend upon Seattle, and then Oden blew KD away in a workout by saying to Frye, ‘One day I’ll surpass you, just pick me and you’ll never be disappointed’, maybe Seattle would change their mind.”

Kwame Brown blushed with embarrassment, “Tony, if you keep talking about this, I’m really going to get mad!”

The room returned to a cheerful atmosphere.

Yu Fei turned off the television, trying not to think about how the Supersonics getting the first pick and the Celtics getting the second pick could add variables to the 2007 draft.

Late into the night, some who had eaten and drunk their fill left.

Some teammates who were close to Yu Fei chose to stay over.

Like Kwame Brown and Sprewell.

“Big Fei, what are your plans for the summer?”

Despite the Finals not yet starting, Brown’s thoughts seemed to already be drifting afar.

Yu Fei replied indifferently, “Don’t you already know?”

It was one thing to guess, quite another to have it confirmed by the person in question.

Surprised, Sprewell asked, “You’re really going?”

“Not sure yet,” Yu Fei said, “but I do feel like there’s nothing left for me here.”

“What do you mean there’s nothing left?” Sprewell said, “If we win the championship this year, that’s two in a row. We’ll have a chance to make up for 2005 next year. Don’t you want to go for a three-peat?”

If Yu Fei did end up staying in Milwaukee, this would surely be a major reason why.

As Yu Fei was left speechless by Sprewell’s question, Brown suddenly had a thought: “Does leaving Milwaukee mean you can’t get a three-peat? Sprewell, you better not let your outdated ideas hold Big Fei back.”

Sprewell glared, sending a chill down Brown’s neck, “Don’t look at me like that. I mean, it’s not only by staying in Milwaukee that one can achieve a three-peat.”

Sprewell retorted, “Are you suggesting that Big Fei could quickly form a championship team in Seattle and complete a three-peat? I admit, it’s possible, but how many years down the line would that be? And who can be sure of such things? What if he never has good teammates again?”

“You’ve got me wrong,” Brown explained, “What if Big Fei wins the championship in Seattle next season? Indeed, it won’t be the Bucks’ three-peat, nor the SuperSonics’, but it would be Big Fei’s three-peat. That’s even greater than Michael Jordan, for he never proved he could be successful outside of Chicago.”

Now it was Sprewell’s turn to be at a loss for words.

In his mind, the standard of a dynasty set by Jordan was winning three consecutive championships with the same team.

He had never imagined someone accomplishing a three-peat across two teams within three years.

“The current Seattle team roster…” Sprewell thought for a moment, “Impossible!”

“It might be a bit tough with just Big Fei,” Kwame Brown said with an air of arrogance, “But with me, the Eastern Conference’s top center, it’s entirely possible!”

Sprewell looked helplessly at Yu Fei, “Big Fei, is there something wrong with your barbecue? This guy starts talking nonsense after eating it!”

Hearing this, Yu Fei couldn’t suppress his laughter. Then Brown joined in, and Sprewell, unable to hold back, laughed along until their laughter roared so loudly that it disturbed some teammates. Aldridge, intending to do something with his date on the balcony, was so scared his “BBC” shriveled back up.

Raja Bell frowned and said to Karl, “If I were Big Fei, I’d want to move too. Even someone like him can’t choose a good place to live.”

Perplexed, Karl asked, “What do you mean by that?”

“George, didn’t you hear?” Bell said, “There might be an asylum near Big Fei’s place. Didn’t you hear that laughter? Only lunatics laugh like that!”

Hmm, was that just now the laughter of a lunatic? Yet why did it sound vaguely like Big Fei’s voice?

Karl burped; he might have really been drunk.

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