The rest is just noise

June 28, 1995

Toronto, Ontario, Canada, Skydome

In order to welcome the two new Canadian teams joining the league, the NBA will host the draft abroad for the first time in its history.

"Welcome to the 1995 NBA Draft." Stern stood in the center of the stage as usual. "First of all, I would like to welcome Toronto and Vancouver to our big family. This year is a landmark year for professional basketball.

, we have two Canadian teams, and at the same time, it is also the first time in the history of the draft to be broadcast live on two TV stations. Here I wish our fans and friends in the north (referring to Canada) to come to the Rainbow Stadium to witness this special event.

Happy Hour viewers!”

"I'm sure you all know the rules, so let's get right to it."

"In the 1995 NBA Draft, the Houston Rockets, with the first pick, had five minutes to make their decision."

Before the draft officially begins, the scene focuses on outside the draft.

Although labor and management reached a brief agreement last year, they did not reach a long-term agreement. After the season, they had another dispute.

The players' union, under the leadership of new president Patrick Ewing, has been greedy, and the owners don't want to make any concessions in their interests.

The current relationship between the two parties is very stiff. If no agreement is reached in the next two days, the alliance will be suspended.

Far away in the draft war room in Los Angeles, Louis and the others watched the game live on the TNT channel.

This year is the first time that TNT will broadcast the NBA draft live. Louis chose to watch TNT instead of NBC because he has a better impression of TNT's host Ernie Johnson.

Everyone who follows the retirement lives of O'Neal and Barkley must know that TNT is a super team composed of four middle-aged men. Ernie is the only white man and his voice is quite recognizable.

"What are the odds that Houston will draft KK with the first pick?"

Jerry Buss asks Louie.

"It should be 0."

Although Louis didn't know why Smith was favored, TNT introduced the player as "future superstar" before the draft began.

Will anyone miss "Future Superstar"?

"So sure?" Buzz asked. "What if they don't choose Joe?"

Louis laughed and said: "They won't choose KK. If they want to take a different approach, they can only use the first pick to select Jerry Stackhouse."

As soon as he finished speaking, Stern walked out.

Without any surprise, the Rockets selected Joe Smith with the first pick.

If you want to know whether the No. 1 overall pick was the consensus pick when he was selected, you don't need to spend much time checking. You just need to listen to the reaction on the spot when he was selected.

Even Canadians who knew nothing about college basketball applauded Smith.

He stood in the center of the stage and shook hands with Stern.

The two guests invited by tnt are Hubie Brown and famous college coach Rick Pitino.

Brown has messed up every year, and Pitino's assessment is the same cliché, saying Smith is a great competitor with a great work ethic and the passion he needs to fulfill his potential.

It sounds nice, but this kind of evaluation can obviously be copied to every high-ranking rookie.

"Yes, he is very enthusiastic and has professional ethics, but he doesn't have the consciousness to gain weight." Louis complained in the war room.

"Is this a bad choice?" Jenny didn't say this to oppose Louis, she just wanted her voice to exist in the war room, "He looks good."

Jim scoffed: "Sister, I really hope you never make draft decisions for us."

"Then you should tell me why Joe Smith is so bad!"

"I don't know, but I firmly agree with Coach Lu's point of view!" Jim hugged his thigh decisively, "Do you think you are more professional than our president?"

Bass said displeasedly: "Jim, show some respect to your sister."

Louis's expression was very wonderful. He really wished that Buzz could be there when Jim told "The Secret History of Buzz" in the office.

He will know that compared to what is happening now, those "Secret History of Bath" are the real disrespect.

After the Knicks got the third pick, the Trail Blazers and Heat stopped pursuing the second pick.

The Spurs were forced to make their own choice.

They didn't need Stackhouse, and they didn't trust Wallace, so the choice they made was a bit unexpected.

They selected the safest Antonio McDyess.

The draft positions of Smith and McDyess have not changed, and Louis feels that going to the Spurs may allow McDyess to develop better.

Next it's the Lakers' turn.

"For the first time since 1987, the Lakers have a top-five pick."

"This pick was hard-earned and they sent Scottie Pippen for it."

"Pippen's departure and David Robinson's injury brought the tragic era of the Lakers to its final end. This is the first draft that leader Lu has personally controlled since he took over the Lakers. We all know that leader Lu Lu is a draft master who always hits the mark. Let us wait and see who he will select with the third pick."

"KG is still in that position, right?" Louis joked.

This may be the first time West has responded to Louis' joke with a joke: "Looks like we have to pick him."

"Can I call Kevin?" Louis asked. "Can you answer the phone on site?"

Although there are mobile phones now, they are difficult to carry, and high school students like Garnett can't afford them. If you want to call the scene, you have to call a dedicated phone booth.

That meant Garnett left the green room and dashed to the phone booth.

"It might work?"

Regardless of whether it works or not, Louis wants to give it a try.

At this time, in the small green room at the draft, Garnett was surrounded by several women with resolute faces.

That's his mother and two sisters.

He sat nervously in the seat assigned to him. Although his sister kept comforting him, it didn't help.

He has a physique that sweats easily. When he is nervous, he cannot wipe the sweat off his forehead.

“Son, trust the Lord to take you where you want to go.”

kg's mother, Shirley Garnett, recognized her son's anxiety.

"Mom, I have no draft commitment." Garnett shook his head and said, "No team has guaranteed to draft me."

At this time, a staff member came over and said, "Kevin, I have your phone number."

"Call?" Garnett thought to himself. It must be his high school coach.

Although Garnett didn't think he would be selected with the third overall pick, he didn't like waiting for others, let alone making others wait for him, so it took him less than ten seconds to run from the green room to the phone booth.

"Hey, who are you?"

"Kevin, we met in Los Angeles two days ago."

Louie has the best voice in Garnett's mind. Although they only met once in Los Angeles and didn't have an in-depth conversation, he still remembered Louie's voice.

"Coach Lu?"

"I'm glad you still remember me." Louis spoke faster, "Before you rush back to the little green house, I have something to tell you——"

Garnett's heartbeat accelerated.

"In two minutes, you will hear from Mr. President that the Lakers selected you with the third pick." Louis paused for a second, "Are you ready to become a Laker?"

Garnett covered the phone in excitement, stamped his feet and shouted in a low voice: "Yes! yes!"

"It's my pleasure, sir!"

"I will do my best. I...

"Okay, Kevin, you still have one minute to return to the Little Green Room." Louis joked, "If you would rather miss the moment when Mr. President reads your name and continue chatting with me, I will be very touched.

of."

"Thank you very much for your call. I, I don't know what to say anymore. I won't let you down. I...

Garnett hung up the phone, thanked the staff member who notified him that he was on the phone, and quickly ran to his mother and sister.

"Kevin, whose phone number is it?"

Shirley didn't know what happened, but his son's face was full of excitement.

Garnett has liked to look directly at the sun since he was a child. His mother always said that if he looked at it a few more times, the sun god would burn his eyes out, but he still did it.

In this way, he would make a wish to Jehovah, asking him to take care of his family and bless him to leave the chaotic streets of Chicago and go to a better place one day.

Today, "God" responded to his wish.

"Mother...

The rest is history.

"In the 1995 NBA draft, the Los Angeles Lakers selected with the third overall pick in the first round...