June 26th.

The day before the NBA Draft.

Li Lei's family of three got on a plane to New York.

Also accompanied by Su Qun.

"Stone, about to enter the NBA, how are you feeling?"

On the plane, Su Qun asked with a small notebook.

After getting acquainted, Su Qun directly called Li Lei's nickname.

"I'm excited, I'm nervous."

Li Lei picked up the instant coffee served on the plane, took a sip, and replied unhurriedly.

Su Qun: "......"

How can I not feel your excitement and nervousness?

Dear, you know what?

Is your entry into the NBA a cross-generational significance?

You are not the first Chinese player to log in to the NBA, but you are the first Chinese outside player to log in to the NBA.

Your success proves that small Chinese players can also play in the NBA, which has huge implications for Chinese basketball!

Su Qun had countless emotions and snackish words in his heart, but he couldn't confide in them.

"Brother Su, it's not yet time for the draft."

Li Lei reminded him, and then quietly looked at the clouds outside the window, floating quietly and quietly.

Su Qun's heart gradually calmed down.

"Alas, people in their 30s, and their concentration is not as good as an 18-year-old little guy."

Su Qun decided to go back and read more books and cultivate his temperament.

But he glanced at it inadvertently, but found that the corners of Li Lei's mouth with his head turned sideways were raised high, it was obviously a smile, and he couldn't hide it.

“……”

Su Qun was suddenly, yes, Shi Shi is a child after all, how can he not be excited?

Good guy, you actually deceived yourself.

When he arrived in New York, as soon as he got out of the airport, Li Lei saw Alstom.

He has already negotiated a contract with the Heat, and he will only sign a contract when the free agent market opens this summer and the freeze period ends.

With nothing to do, Alston went home, near Rock Park, the mecca of New York Streetball.

"Hey! Man, I knew you could. Welcome to the NBA. ”

Alstom and Li Lei hugged and said.

As the host, Alstom received Li Lei's family and Su Qun.

For dinner, five people chatted while eating.

Alston chatted about some interesting facts about the draft.

"Stone, if you're drafted by an NBA team, what do you do when you're interviewed?"

Su Qun hurriedly replied: "Of course, it is blowing the home team, blowing to death!" ”

Li Lei also thinks so.

But he noticed that the corners of Alstone's mouth were curled up and he smiled evilly.

Is there something wrong with this?

Alston said with a smile: "Then you may be miserable, maybe you will be traded to another team as soon as you blow the home team." ”

Li Lei imagined this scene, he had just been selected by Team A, and then he blew wildly, saying that he wanted to play for Team A, and if he didn't play, he would die. As soon as the words fell, Stern brought a message: Lee, you have been traded to Team B!

Belch...... I want to die.

Alston saw that Li Lei was stunned, and said proudly: "So there must be a limit to bragging, otherwise you will be careful and you won't be able to take it back, and you will really die of embarrassment." ”

Su Qun was also educated, but his mouth was a little hard: "Don't worry about this." The Mosaics have already given you the draft promise that this won't happen. ”

Alstom disagreed: "There is no such thing as impossibility in this world, anything is possible." ”

Su Qun argued: "But Morey also called Yao Ming, he may deceive the stone, but he will not deceive Yao Ming." ”

"I hope so."

Alstom was reluctant to argue and immediately changed the subject.

The next day.

Li's father, Li's mother, and Su Qun accompanied Li Lei to Madison Square Garden, the venue of the draft.

It's also home to the New York Knicks.

Outside the stadium, several Chinese stopped Li Lei and his party.

"Coach Zhang!"

Su Qun took the initiative to say hello to the leader of the group.

Subsequently, Su Qun introduced in the center.

It turned out that the leader of the team, who was not young, was Zhang Weiping, a famous basketball commentator in China.

He led the CCTV team to broadcast this year's draft live.

Both sides say hello to each other.

Zhang Weiping asked: "Li Lei, can you say hello to domestic fans and friends?" ”

Li Lei naturally agreed.

Facing the camera, Li Lei waved his hand and said with a smile: "Hello everyone, I am Li Lei, you can also call me Stone." ”

Subsequently, Li Lei and Zhang Weiping had a brief interaction.

Zhang Weiping asked, and Li Lei replied.

But it's all simple questions, such as whether you're nervous? Which position to play? Some experience of playing basketball in the United States and so on.

Subsequently, the two groups separated.

The CCTV team had to go to the designated media area to set up the equipment.

And Li Lei also has a prescribed position as a candidate.

The site is divided into upper and lower floors.

There are five areas on the ground floor.

One is the rostrum, where NBA commissioner David Stern will announce the results of the first-round draft.

The second is the "Little Green House".

Players who are expected to enter the lotto area can sit here, and everyone has a small round table where friends and family can sit together.

The third block is the media area.

The fourth is where players and their families who have not had a good draft pick sit down.

The facilities here are much worse, there are no special small round tables, only row of seats.

The fifth block is the location of the live audience, and most of the fans who come here are New Yorkers, the hardest fans in the world to serve.

On the second floor, there are a number of offices that are assigned to the draft teams of the various NBA teams.

Each team selects their rookies in the office.

After Li Lei and the four of them sat down, Su Qun took out a small notebook and recorded something from time to time.

After a few more minutes, the draft teams of each team began to enter the court.

Li Lei is familiar with three.

First up is the Pistons, led by Joe Dumas and Larry Brown.

Then there's the Heat, led by Pat Riley, followed by Stan Van Gundy, Eric Spoelstra and others.

Finally, there is the Mosaic team.

Carol Dawson led the team, followed by Darryl Morey and Jeff Van Gundy.

After Coach Xiao Fan entered the field, he also swept the candidate area, and showed a kind smile after seeing Li Lei's family.

Li Lei bowed his head slightly and smiled back.

Su Qun clenched his fists excitedly and shouted, "Steady! ”

Coach Xiao Fan's greeting is to reassure Li Lei that the previous draft promise is still counting.

Su Qun patted Li Lei on the shoulder: "No problem, stone." You will enter the mosaic team and fight alongside Da Yao. ”

Li Lei just smiled, he was still a little nervous.

Looking at his watch, Li Lei only felt that time passed so slowly, and it was difficult to endure every minute and second.

I don't know how long later, there was a sudden loud boo at the scene, and the New York fans rioted.

Stern stepped up to the podium.

He's already a sixtieth old man.

"Good evening, ladies and gentlemen! Welcome to the 2003 NBA Draft. Fans and friends in front of the TV......"

With Stern's speech, the fiery 2003 NBA Draft kicked off.