At noon, Li Ao and Trepaganier went to lunch together.

The two share common hobbies – basketball and eating.

However, if he hadn't made an appointment a long time ago, he really didn't want to meet his teammates now.

Because he already has a tendency in his heart, the reason for hesitation is these teammates who have been fighting together for more than half a year.

The little shop I found today tasted good, but Trepaganier couldn't eat it after a few bites.

Blind people can see that Li Ao is not willing to give up today, he usually talks a lot, but he doesn't have a few words of today.

He asked, "Leo, are you not feeling well?" I heard that you have been training hard every day since the end of the season, you don't have to push yourself like that, you are good enough, and you will definitely get better. ”

Li Ao shook his head and didn't speak for a while.

Trepaganier was rough looking, but soft at heart, and saw that the other party should be struggling with something.

Li Ao didn't seem to want to say, if he was willing to tell him, the other party would definitely tell him, and if he didn't want to say, he wouldn't continue to ask.

After a while, Li Ao suddenly said, "I want to play in the NBA." ”

Trepaganier waited for a long time, but he didn't expect to wait for such a sentence, and he froze for a while......

…

In the afternoon, Li Ao went to class normally, and finally told his teammates what he said, if one person knew, the whole team would definitely know, even if Tree Paganier didn't say it, at least he told his teammates.

But he said he wanted it, and he hadn't decided yet.

If his teammates don't want him to leave, there's a good chance he'll decide to stay.

It's still a long time, and it will take him a little longer to make this decision.

Because it's out of your control, once you decide to play professionally, you won't be able to decide where he's going to go, you don't know what's going to happen.

And staying in college, at least two years, he can live in the comfortable environment he is used to, and after two and a half years of practice, he will definitely be more sure that he will be able to gain a firm foothold in the NBA than if he has practiced for more than half a year now.

How comfortable the comfort zone is, why do you want to jump out of the comfort zone to find it unhappy.

But there are decisions that have to jump out.

After school, he went to the Memorial Stadium to continue his training.

No matter what decisions are made, training cannot be left behind.

Now is the crucial stage in the development of the three-point shot!

The three-point shooting training method was quickly learned, one method is all over the world, and he is already quite good at shooting in the middle of the shot, and it is very simple to learn how to practice three-pointers.

The difference lies in the shooting distance, force, angle, etc., which requires shooting training over and over again to make the body remember that feeling, and there is no other way.

In such a long offseason, he doesn't have high requirements for three-point shooting, and he can use it as a regular shooting method in the new season.

For such a long time, if he can't even achieve this goal, he will retire on the spot.

When he arrived at the training ground, he heard voices talking inside, which made him feel strange.

In the past two weeks, except for Saturdays and Sundays, when teammates came to train, he usually came here, and those teammates were still worried about how to get 2 points.

Enter and have a look...... Good guys, the whole team is here! And team manager Steve Brown is also here.

Li Ao entered the training ground, and the voices of his teammates suddenly stopped, and everyone stared at him.

Although he is so handsome that he is stared at everywhere, he still feels hairy when he is stared at by a group of big men.

"Uh...... Why are you all here? Are you going to fight in a group? ”

Teammates: (-ω-!) -ω-!) -ω-!)

Some teammates haven't seen him for a while, but they are still familiar with him.

Shelby Jordan stepped forward directly and asked, "Leo, are you ready for the NBA draft?" ”

It seems that Trey Paganier's choice is to tell everyone that this is expected by Li Ao.

He didn't hide it, and said directly: "I'm thinking about this matter, and I haven't made a final decision yet, and I will tell you in advance if I decide." ”

Shelby Jordan laughed and said, "Haha, you can go if you want, I'm going to the draft too!" Maybe no team chooses me, so I should accompany you and help you strengthen your courage, anyway, I graduated from college, and participating in the draft has no effect on me, maybe I can still rub your lens. ”

Granville stepped forward and said: "I'm so envious, I also want to run early, I have no regrets about my college dream, and the year I played with you was the happiest year since I played basketball, but unfortunately even if I graduated from college, I may not be selected, and no team wants me to run early." ”

Brushenthal said: "Brandon, you at least have any hope of hitting the NBA, I don't have any hope at all, isn't it worse?" I'm in my senior year next semester, and my parents wanted me to go out for an internship, so I managed to convince them to let me play for another year, and after graduation, I was going to go to Europe to see if I could continue to play, and if not, I would go to work in a car factory. ”

Sandy Fletcher also lamented: "I'm the same, I'm a senior next semester, but I'm not going to continue playing, my neighbor introduced me to the company where he works for an internship, and now I have to study hard, and they won't sign a formal contract with me if I don't get my diploma...... I envy Leo, I heard that you are either the first or the second in the whole department in the exam...... By the way, Kostas, you're about to graduate from college, what are you going to do? Venture into Europe like David? ”

Evanisko, who was called by name, said: "Me? I got a job last summer, in an investment bank in New York, and they heard that I was playing on the Division I varsity team and told me to finish the year before I went to work, and I was going to work in New York at the end of the month after my thesis defense. ”

"Vako!"

"I'll go! You actually carried us behind our backs to be a school bully! ”

"Leo betrayed the organization, forget it, he's new, I've known you for so many years, I didn't know your grades were so good......"

“NO！ You've got a job! ”

The Trojans rioted throughout.

Li Ao's academic performance and basketball talent are far away from them, and they will be envious and jealous, but they will not substitute their own situation.

But Evanisko is different, everyone is an ordinary person, he has already found a good job, everyone else is just starting to worry about the future, and their mentality is blowing up.

There were three who did not wail.

One is the white mamba who is inferior to Li Ao in the minds of his teammates, but is still a 'man on top'.

When his teammates complained around Evanisko, Bai Mamba still looked like a patriarch, patted Li Ao's shoulder and said, "Go if you want, we support you!" When I heard that you wanted to run early, I had that idea, but now I only have the second round expectation, and I am going to play for another year, polish my skills better, and then run again, maybe I can enter the first round, and I am sorry that I can't run with you. ”

"You and I run together, I say, if I want to be elected, I will elect you together, maybe we can still be on the same team?"

Bai Mamba knew what Li Ao meant by this, "We will be on the same team in the future", and he smiled: "There may be a chance, after all, there are few NBA teams, and it is not bad to be an opponent, I really want to play against you." ”

It was too boring to chat with the white mamba, and Li Ao leaned over to Trepaganier and asked, "What about you?" You've only been in college for two years, what are you going to do in the future? Going to a construction site after graduation? ”

"You just went to the construction site, you dropped out of school, I am going to take the postgraduate entrance examination and continue my studies in architecture."

"I'm not dropping out of school, and I don't plan to drop out, I still have to get my graduation certificate......" Li Ao felt that he was still chatting happily with Trepaganier.

As he spoke, he turned to his teammates and said, "Don't surround Frankie, there is a top student here who is preparing for the graduate school entrance examination!" ”

Granville exclaimed, "Vaco! Another betrayal of the organization! ”

Looking at the teammates who came around, Trepagnier had a black line, and he didn't speak just now, just because he was afraid of this situation.

Leo who kills a thousand knives!

Li Ao was satisfied and looked at Sam Clancy, but the goods moved a few meters to the side.

Li Ao was very surprised, could it be that this product is also a scholar? Seeing Trepaganier's next place, don't you want to scold him?

Sam Clancy's side, a top student? Of course he wasn't.

He was having a headache about how to score 2 points.

He has mixed feelings right now.

Ranbier Jr. graduated from college, and the handsome little guy he hated is going to participate in the draft, as long as he signs up, he can't return to the school team to play, so that the coveted main force or even the starting position will most likely belong to him next season.

But he didn't know why he wasn't happy at all.

Maybe it's because they haven't really started to compete with these two people yet, and these two people have left.

However, his frustration came and went quickly.

The guy is gone, he's got to take the team better than when the guy was there!

He's going to be the boss!

As for Granville, White Mamba...... He's the new boss! I will definitely be able to beat these two!

Li Ao was pondering whether this teammate who was not good at looking at it was a hidden scholar, but he saw the other party's expression of frustration and silly joy for a while.

Although he didn't know why the other party was like this, he was sure that this guy was definitely not good at reading.

Looking at the laughing and struggling teammates, Li Ao calmed down.

He already has a decision.

Before that, his teammates were his fetters and the reason why he was reluctant to leave.

Now, the bond between him and his teammates is still there, but the attitude of his teammates has become the motivation for the kick he wants to take!

…

At noon the next day, Li Ao had lunch with Aunt Assistant, Dean Teng, and Liam, and he made his decision.

"You have that talent, you have that ability, if you feel that you want to go, you should go, seize the opportunity, don't feel that there are opportunities in the future, there are not so ......many opportunities," Dean Teng said very realistically.

But none of the three refuted.

Just say that you missed this time and catch it next time, it's all comforting or self-comforting.

What Dean Teng, who has lived for decades longer than them, experienced more and seen more, is the reality.

Dean Teng may have heard Aunt Teng say that this is a draft year, and the media caught Kenyon Martin to blow to death, but if you watch the ball for two more years, you know that there are no top talents in this year's draft, and I think he should seize this year's opportunity and have a greater probability of being selected...... Although Li Ao's own situation was not quite the same as others, he also felt that what Dean Teng said was right.

Li Ao made this decision, and the three closest people all expressed their support.

Vivien excitedly asked, "Leo, when are we going to have a press conference?" ”

Li Ao was puzzled: "Press conference? ”

"yes, of course, you have to hold a press conference to tell the NBA team that you want to participate in the early draft, otherwise they won't know that you are running, they won't invite you to tryout, and maybe on the day of the draft, there will be teams that don't know that you are running.

And you announce that you are out, and those agents only know that you are going to leave college early to find you. ”

Liam interjected: "When choosing an agent, I called our in-house counsel so that you wouldn't be cheated." ”

"yes, I forgot about that."

"By the way, I'll help you write the draft application, lest you forget, there was a fool in 97 who held a press conference to announce his candidacy after graduating from high school, but he didn't submit an application, and he didn't participate in the draft."

"Chris Anderson? I've heard about him, so I'll leave the draft application to you, Auntie, you're good at writing forms. ”

"What do you mean I'm good at writing forms?"

Vivien was furious when she heard this, and her face puffed up.

Teased the aunt of the hospital assistant, refreshed, Li Ao suddenly had an idea: "There is no need for a press conference, I have a better idea!" ”

Vivien immediately forgot about being angry and asked, "What's the idea?" ”

"Auntie, you'll know when the time comes......"

After eating, the four of them went back to school, and went to class, and went to work.

After school in the afternoon, Li Ao came to the Memorial Stadium to train as usual.

It's not that you don't train if you want to participate in the draft, but you have to train harder.

In the NCAA, he has a place, but the NBA, where the weakest, is the existence of the NCAA, and the weakest one is pulled out at random, and he is the boss of a team when he is in college.

After arriving at the venue, he didn't go to training immediately, but found the old man first.

The old man was playing cards with the young employees again.

Seeing Li Ao coming, the old man said, "Yo, Leo, do you want to fight two too?" ”

He knew that the Trojans had hired a trainer for Li Ao, and that his sparring time was only Saturday morning.

Li Ao glanced at the old man, who understood and said to the young employees, "You go out first." ”

After everyone left, the old man said, "What do you have to say behind someone's back?" Are you going to borrow money from me? I don't have any money, I'm just a hard-working old man. ”

"......" Li Ao was speechless for two seconds and said, "McHale, I'm going to the NBA draft." ”

As soon as these words came out, the old man stayed for a few seconds before he said, "So fast! I thought you'd be in college for another year! ”

After being stunned, the old man sighed: "I thought I could accompany you to practice for a year more, hey, you went to play professionally, I don't know when the next time I will play with you, maybe when you want to find me, my photos have been hung." ”

Li Ao rolled his eyes and said, "There is an old saying in our country. ”

"What old saying?"

"The scourge is a thousand years old!"

"Oh? Then you may have to live for tens of thousands of years. ”

After scolding each other for a while, the old man said, "Are you here to talk about this?" Knowing that, you will always finish college and go to professional basketball, and I have been prepared for it for a long time, so I don't have to comfort me. ”

"Ah, no, I'm not here to comfort you, I have something to ask you to help with."

"Vako! Do you have a conscience...... Is there anything I can help with? ”

"You should know someone from the TV station, right?"

"Of course, we have a lot of media cooperation, what's wrong?"

"I have a decision that I need your help with...... So, so......"

The old man's eyes lit up when he heard this: "I will definitely help with this help!" But ......"

"But? Are there any difficulties? If it's too much trouble, it's okay not to do that. ”

"Nope! No difficulty, I only have one request......"

……

……

The time came to May 8, 2000.

Last night, the first round of the NBA playoffs was all played.

This is another series in which the Lakers suffered a critical hit by public opinion, facing the Kings with a record of only 44-38 and losing eighth in the West, they hit a tie-break to 5 before narrowly winning 3-2 to advance.

In fact, everyone who watched the game knew that it wasn't the Lakers who didn't play well, Kobe Bryant's 49.6% shooting rate averaged 27.8 points per game, and if those few ultra-long-distance shots at the end of the quarter chose to hold them in their hands and not throw them, the shooting rate was over 5.

Although O'Neal's shooting percentage is average, and the shooting rate is 10 percentage points lower than that of the regular season under the pinching of Divac and Webb, his average of 29.4 points, 17.8 rebounds and 2.6 blocks per game is still invincible.

Glenn Rice also averaged 16 points, 4.8 rebounds and 3.4 assists per game.

The performance of the three stars is not bad.

was dragged to a tie-break, mainly because Webb was too tough, averaging 24.4 points, 9.6 rebounds, 5.4 assists, 1.6 steals and 2 blocks per game.

Under Webb's leadership, the Kings showed amazing strength with all the people.

The only player in the Kings' nine-man rotation who has a sluggish performance is the leading point guard White Chocolate.

Jason Williams averaged 2.4 assists and 3.2 turnovers per game by Fisher, and he averaged 7.6 assists per game in the regular season, and the playoffs were seriously delayed.

Fisher has shown his 'playoff big court player' traits, with solid defense and consistent key shots.

But with 67 wins and no sweep in the first round, the Lakers are the regular season team.

The Jazz, another team that advanced to the second round 3-2, are still the top favorites for the championship......

The Spurs were beaten by Kidd in the first round, 1-3 in the first round, Kidd only played 31 minutes per game, averaging 9 points, 10 assists and 3 steals per game, and Popovich drooled.

This point guard is fantastic!

After the first round, the hottest topic in the media is not how the second round will be, but the annual draft draw is about to begin.

Although if you watch the ball for two more years and learn more about the draft, you will know that the quality of this year's draft will not be too high, and it is completely incomparable with the 6 sessions from 94 to 99 during the outbreak of genius, but more fans just have a lively gathering, and they will believe whatever the media says.

And understand the football emperor, the mentality is actually the same as watching the lottery draw, who said that the draft can't produce a superstar in a young year?

In case he predicts in advance which player who is not favored now will become a superstar in the future, he will have the capital to show off when he brags.

Predicting which team will get the top pick is also one of the most talked about topics among fans right now.

Various TV stations also seized on this hot topic and engaged in some basketball programs, and the ratings were good.

Tonight, Time Warner Cable Sports has a live show about this year's draft.

This show has been promoted for a few days and has attracted the attention of a large number of basketball fans, mainly the invited guest - the new NCAA Final Four MOP Li Ao.

33 consecutive wins to win the NCAA basketball championship, the sophomore talent who came into contact with basketball led the team to win the championship and won the semifinals MOP, most basketball fans have at least heard of Li Ao's name.

It's only been a month since the end of Crazy Three, and his personal popularity is still there, and his evaluation is polarized, some people think that he is just a great university student, and some people think that he has a bright future.

But in short, Li Ao was invited to participate in the show, which became one of the hot topics in the past two days.

Regarding this matter, some experts stood up and said that they did not comply with NCAA regulations and recorded the program, did Li Ao collect the notice fee?

If you accept it, can it be understood that you are accepting funding from the TV station?

But some people said that although NCAA players can't accept funding, they don't say that they can't work to make money, some players have poor family conditions and need to earn their own living expenses, while some players have very good family conditions and are helping their families do business early.

Controversial, it naturally sparked wider concern.

In the evening, many basketball fans stay in front of the TV after dinner to watch it.

At 8 p.m., the show begins.

At the beginning of the show, the host chatted with a retired player who has played in the NBA for some years and is not a star because fans think his name is familiar but is not a star, and said something about Chen Sesame and Rotten Grain, and then the two began to predict which team will get the champion this year, and each gave predictions.

After the opening remarks, the host said: "Next, I would like to invite our guest tonight, the new NCAA basketball semifinals MOP Leo ......"

Accompanied by canned applause, Li Ao, who was dressed in a white casual suit, entered the studio with an old man wearing a black suit with a good spirit.

"Leo, welcome to our show...... Who is this? ”

"One of my basketball teachers, I have social phobia, he is afraid that I will be afraid to speak on the show alone, so he will come with me, don't care about him, he doesn't like to talk."

The host and the retired player didn't know how to answer for a while.

You?

The Trojans' eyeball?

and this local wealthy businessman, if it weren't for the fact that the two of them smoked and chatted with this old man backstage for half an hour before the show started, they would have believed it!

The two of them and those who knew Li Ao in front of the TV had a new understanding of 'social phobia'.

The greetings prepared by the host choked on his mouth, so he simply went straight to the point: "Leo, do you pay attention to the draft draw?" ”

"Of course, I care about that."

"So which team do you think will get the No. 1 pick?"

"Maybe the Nets."

"Why?"

Why? This conversation has not been drafted, and Li Ao only followed his memory and said what he knew about the ownership of this year's champion.

After thinking about it, he responded: "The Nets have been rotten for so many years, if you don't give them a little sweetness, their owner may have to disband the team." ”

The host's eyes, who were speechless at first, lit up, this young man, can handle it!

Opening your mouth is a topic that can be hyped!

The host continued to ask: "Are you caring so much about the draft in preparation for your future participation in the draft?" ”

"Sort of."

"OK, you came to our show, it caused a lot of controversy, some people said that you participated in the TV recording through channels other than the team, violated NCAA regulations, and may affect your qualification for next season, what do you think about this?"

"I'll sit and watch."

"Watts?"

"Ahem, I mean, I don't need to worry about that right now."

"You don't care if you lose your NCAA qualification?"

"No, I care about that, I hope it's up to me to decide whether to continue or not, not that I've broken the rules and can't continue to compete.

I would love to play two more years in college, but I found that I didn't have anything to strive for in the collegiate arena, I had a group of teammates who were too good, I had the best coaching staff, and I had a great mentor like McHale to teach me how to play...... With everyone's efforts, we made it to the end and lifted the trophy.

But because we were so good this past season, I don't know how far I have to go to make it better than this past season.

So, I made a very selfish decision and hoped that my great Trojans fans would understand my decision. ”

The moderator interjected at the right time and asked, "Decision?" ”

Li Ao took a deep breath and said to the camera: "Hello audience friends, my name is Li Ao, currently 18 years old, from a flower planter, practicing basketball for 8 months, playing for the Trojans in college, male gender, female hobby......

I decided to leave the college game early and bring my talent to the NBA. ”

When he said this, his mind flashed the figures of his teammates, middle-aged, assistant coaches, manager Brown, old man...... Many of them pinned their dreams of basketball on him.

At this moment, he felt the responsibility.

He carried the dreams of those people and went all the way!

(End of chapter)