Chapter 1 [Kobe’s choice]

Author: Can play the harmonica

Chapter 1 [Kobe’s choice]

2006, June 28.

Madison Square Garden, New York.

The NBA Draft is about to begin!

This draft will be broadcast live by ESPN to 202 countries and regions around the world.

Although the draft officials create momentum every year.

But this year is recognized by everyone as a small year (there are not many potential rookies).

Therefore, the attention is not high.

But no one expected that just an hour later, a shocking news unexpectedly broke out in this draft, which instantly attracted the attention of the world!

This breaking news comes from the Lakers.

When NBA Commissioner David Stern opened the draft envelope with the Lakers logo and saw the content, his eyes obviously paused, and then he said, "The Los Angeles Lakers, with the 26th pick of the first round, selected...

University of Florida point guard Lu Yusheng.”

The media and the audience who were drowsy for a while suddenly became energetic!

They searched for each other, looking for this Asian player whose name they had never heard of!

What surprised them was that this guy didn't even arrive at the draft!

"Oh my God! The Lakers actually used their first-round pick to select an Asian player!"

"This is not the most shocking thing. The most shocking thing is that he is actually an Asian point guard!"

"Is the Lakers front office crazy?"

…

Everyone is well aware of the NBA's attitude towards Asian players.

Although Wang Zhizhi and Yao Ming successfully landed in the NBA, their attitudes towards Asian players have changed.

But at the point guard position, it's still difficult for them to trust Asian players.

Regardless of speed, explosive power, technical level,

In this position, black players have a huge talent advantage.

No Asian player has ever succeeded at this position before.

In fact, no Asian player has ever reached the level of a qualified substitute in this position!

there has never been!

The live broadcast footage immediately cut to the Lakers' management.

They also looked panicked.

General Manager Kubchak pretended to be calm, but in fact, he was panicking.

He had already expected everyone's reaction.

He himself didn't want to choose this Asian guy named Lu Yusheng, but he had no choice.

It all started with an unexpected phone call he received before the draft started.

Just five minutes before the draft started, Kubchak was still chatting leisurely with the management and coaching staff.

In this draft, the Lakers did not have a good pick. Their first-round pick was only No. 26, and they were still young. They had no hope of picking any great rookies.

The team is short of players at the point guard position. When the time comes, just pick any point guard among the remaining rookies.

At this moment, Kubchak's cell phone suddenly rang.

He found out that the call was from the team's star player, Kobe Bryant.

"Hey, Kobe."

“Where is our draft pick?”

Kobe Bryant's phone calls were always straight to the point and rarely polite.

But Kubchak has long been used to it.

"Oh, the location is not very good, it's on the 26th."

Kobe: "Man, help me pick someone with this pick."

strangeness.

Kobe never interfered with the team's operations, especially matters like the draft.

One is because Kobe never pays much attention to these things.

Secondly, as a traditional giant, owner Jerry Buss has clearly stipulated that no player may interfere with the team's operations.

This is a strict rule that Buss has set since he took the helm of the Lakers. Even Lakers legends such as Chamberlain and Magic did not dare to go beyond the rules when they were playing.

Kobe, who has been with the Lakers for so many years, naturally knows it well.

But this time, Cook didn't know why, he actually crossed this red line.

Of course, even so, Cook patiently asked, "Who do you want to choose?"

"University of Florida, first-year student, Lu Yusheng."

"who?"

Cook looked stunned.

He thought for the first time that he had heard wrongly.

Because he has never even heard of this strange name.

Kobe repeated it again.

Kubchak mobilized the coaching staff and hurriedly found Lu Yusheng's information from a pile of rookie information.

"Asian players?"

"Yes, that's right."

Kubchak was even more surprised.

The team's star player made an exception for the first time and spoke out, risking his own interference in the team's operations, and actually...

He actually asked him to select an Asian player?

This really made him a little bit unbelievable.

"Hey, Kobe, no disrespect to you, but isn't it a bit too risky to use a first-round pick to select an Asian point guard? Can we consider using a second-round pick to select him?" Cook

He said with some embarrassment.

"If the second round pick doesn't work, he will be cut off." Kobe said firmly.

Seeing that Kubchak was in trouble, Kobe asked, "Man, do you believe me?"

"certainly."

"Do you trust my judgment? It's like I said at the beginning of the season that Smushpark was no good."

"Um...of course..."

Kubchak was ashamed. When he signed Smush Parker last season, Kobe did stop him, but he and other coaches were very optimistic about this big point guard with great physical talent.

But after one season, reality slapped them hard in the face.

Smushparker's performance was a disaster, especially in the playoff round against the Suns. It could be described as undercover.

Kobe continued, "Since you took over as the team's general manager, I haven't made any requests to you and the team, right?"

"This...it really doesn't exist."

"That's okay, I'm waiting for your good news."

After saying that, Kobe hung up the phone directly.

Cook: "..."

He had already thought up a perfect rejection statement in his mind, but this guy Kobe didn't give him this chance at all.

A series of clearly logical and interlocking questions made it difficult for him to resist.

This damn oppressive feeling!

Kubchak had to look at Lu Yusheng's information carefully.

Name: Lu Yusheng

Age: 18 years old
To be continued...