26 June 2002, Madison Square Garden, New York. Pen × fun × Pavilion www. ｂｉｑｕｇｅ。 ｉｎｆｏ

It was the day of the 2002 NBA Draft.

It's been a small year for the draft, and it seems that all the basketball talents identified by experts on all sides have given up on this year's draft.

The player with the highest demand for the top pick this year is Yang Long's teammate: Jay Williams.

Jay Williams, the undisputed All-American Collegiate Player of the Year. All-College Rookie, All-American All-American, NCAA Champion, Naismith Award and John Wooden Award winner.

Williams also thinks he's a good choice for the overall pick, and Dunleavy and Boozer also think their selection is a certainty. They invited Yang Long to the draft site to watch him participate in the draft. Yang Long was joined by their old friends at Duke.

Yang Long wanted to thank the three of them, knowing that it is not easy to enter the infield of the draft, especially for a foreign visitor like Yang Long. At the scene, Yang Long saw a lot of figures that could only be looked up in front of the TV before, coaches, players, team managers, and even entertainment stars!

"Mom, I love the vibe of being there!" There were several times when I almost wanted to ask for an autograph, but he held back...... He's got to keep his composure......

One thing that Yang Long couldn't bear to tell Williams was that he wasn't the champion because he didn't know that there was a giant in China named Da Yao.

Although the basketball world NBA has long gained the attention of the world, the NCAA, which is responsible for providing fresh blood to the NBA, has also gained enough exposure. In comparison, the CBA's influence around the world is even less than that of the NCAA. It's no wonder that many people don't know anything about Da Yao from the Chinese CBA League.

Da Yao's father is 208 cm tall and his mother is 188 cm, both of whom were basketball ancestors in the 70s. Thanks to this, Da Yao was born with great talent.

At the age of 9, Yao's height reached 183 cm, standing out among his peers. Influenced by his parents' basketball career, Da Yao has been passionate about basketball since he was a child. The parents realized that with Da Yao's current height and the genes of the two, this son would definitely be able to reach an extraordinary height in the future. So Da Yao's professional basketball training began.

13-year-old Da Yao is already more than two meters tall, and with his diligence, hard work and talent, he stands out in the sports school. Da Yao, who is invincible in the school, can no longer be satisfied with living in a corner, and with the help of his parents, he entered the Shanghai Institute of Sports Technology and embarked on the road of professionalism.

Before entering the CBA, Da Yao's basketball path was full of legends and inspiration.

17-year-old Da Yao's height broke through 220 cm to 222 cm, and participated in the Eighth National Games, as a secret weapon, Da Yao came off the bench and slashed 9 points, 17 rebounds and 5 blocks, and Chinese fans were shocked for a while.

After the Eighth Games, he joined the CBA Shanghai team, and encountered 216 cm in the first game, and Yu Pingle, a Zhejiang center in his prime. The 17-year-old Spider-Man, who was weak and couldn't help himself, was squeezed to the ground on the inside and fell 15 heels, and was squeezed away by Yu Pingle in the final stage of the game and hit a quasi-lore on the head. "Kid, welcome to the Pro League!" In his debut season, he averaged 10.3 points, 8.3 rebounds and 2.3 blocks per game, which was amazing enough for a 17-year-old, but Da Yao would not be satisfied.

The 18-year-old Da Yao has matured more and more after an offseason of training, averaging 20.9 points and 12.9 rebounds per game and is already the top center in the CBA. Won the Most Improved Player and was selected as an All-Star, but these are just appetizers for Da Yao, you must know that he is only 18 years old!

At the age of 19, he averaged 21.2 points, 14.6 rebounds and 5.3 blocks per game. 20 points + 20 rebounds, scoring rebounds and blocking triple-doubles, Shanghai entered the finals for the first time and also lost the finals.

20 years old, averaging 27.1 points, 19.4 rebounds and 5.5 blocks per game, 40 points + 30 rebounds, setting a single-game block record in CBA history 13 times, it is unceremonious to say that Da Yao is already CBA's Chamberlain, but this year Da Yao once again missed the championship.

21 years old, averaging 32.4 points, 19 rebounds, 4.8 blocks per game, shooting 72.1%, 21-of-21 shooting in the final game of the Finals, I just want to ask out loud: "Who else?!" After five years of sharpening his sword, Da Yao finally won the championship.

Williams is good enough, but in the face of a legend like Da Yao, it can be said that he is in the second place.

"In the 2002 NBA Draft, the Houston Rockets selected the giant from China, Yao Ming, with the first pick in the first round!"

There was an uproar at the scene, Yang Long saw Williams holding his head with both hands, he had also participated in the individual training of the rockets, and he couldn't find a reason why he was not the champion. Yang Long could only pat him on the shoulder, thinking to himself: You'll know why after a while.

There is one thing that makes Yang Long very heartbroken, in this most glorious moment in Chinese basketball, Da Yao, as the champion show, did not even come to the draft site, and could only get the news that he was selected as the champion on TV at home.

The reason why Yang Long did not seek to become professional in China is because he believes that anyone who wants to succeed beyond the system is either too stupid or too conceited.

Dazhi is a stark example, imagine if he could come to the NBA stage immediately after being drafted in 1999, what would be the height of Chinese basketball now?

In 2001, Da Yao also had the intention of participating in the NBA draft, but after the discussion of the basketball management center, the Shanghai sports community, Da Yao's parents and Da Yao himself, he made a difficult decision - to give up running.

There are many reasons for this:

1. The Chinese Basketball League is still in its infancy and needs the support of stars like Da Yao.

2. The national team has a major task, and the East Asian Games and the World University Games cannot afford to be missed.

3. The people of Shanghai begged Da Yao to lead the team to the 9th National Games.

4, Da Yao's physical condition and ability cannot gain a foothold in the NBA

……

In 2002, Chinese basketball shoes also had clear regulations that players could only participate in the draft if they reached the age of 22, and they must obtain an exemption from basketball shoes before the draft.

Yang Long knew the story of Da Yao, so he chose to come to the United States alone and start his career as an out-of-system player.

Yang Long must thank the Houston Rockets and Boss Fred.

Because of the basket shoe requirement, Da Yao cannot leave China unless the Houston Rockets select Da Yao with the first pick in the first round.

With the Houston Rockets selecting Da Yao with the first pick in the first round, Da Yao's NBA legendary career begins today!

Next, the Chicago Bulls selected Yang Long's Duke teammate Jay Williams with the second pick. Williams was unwilling to be snatched the first prize by the unheard of Da Yao, and said on the spot that he wanted to win the best rookie to prove himself......

Surprisingly, Dunleavy was drafted by the Golden State Warriors with the third pick. This gave Yang Long a little more confidence in his draft prospects, because Dunleavy is not a player known for his physical gifts, and Yang Long believes that basketball IQ, big picture, skill, and game attitude can make up for physical disadvantages.

Even more unexpectedly, Carlos Boozer was drafted by the Cleveland Cavaliers with the sixth pick in the second round. Yang Long must not lament that he always uses physical talent as an important indicator of the draft and misses out on a lot of basketball talent......

The three people who participated in the draft, although Williams was angry about missing the status of the champion, but the identity of the second pick was not unacceptable, Dunleavy was surprised, and the most bitter was the depressed Boozer......

Perhaps it was the loss in the draft that spurred Boozer to prove himself in the NBA in just one season, but that's a story for later.