The rest is just noise

June 27, 2001, draft day.

This year, the NBA Draft returns to Madison Square Garden in New York. This is because the NBA finally realizes that draft night is also a business. If it is moved around to take care of the emotions of each team, it is obviously not conducive to commercialization.

There's no better place to make draft night a profitable business than in New York. The draft will be broadcast live on TNT.

This summer, the TNT team led by Ernie Johnson suffered a seismic collapse. Louis came back, Laimbeer followed, Magic did not renew his contract, and he was the only one left in the entire team.

Fortunately, EJ is a very media-sensitive person. He found Kenny Smith and Charles Barkley directly from retirees and asked them to join the team, plus tonight's guest Rick Pitty

No, a temporary group of four has been formed.

Pitino's appearance on TNT as the president, general manager and head coach of the Trail Blazers is the most bizarre thing.

But there is nothing the Blazers can do about it.

Because this was the agreement when Pitino signed the contract. He will continue to participate in media programs as always, and the team has no right to interfere.

Four years have passed, and the Trail Blazers have long withdrawn from the ranks of competitors. Jordan is getting older day by day, Kidd can't see the future, and the entire team is sluggish with no hope of revival.

Pitino's actions only made Portlanders more certain that he is the worst management person in Portland history.

Before the draft started, Ernie Johnson asked: Do you think it is possible for Boston to skip Yao?

Before others expressed their opinions, Pitino first expressed his own opinion: It is very possible that I believe Yao is the strongest immediate combat force in this draft, but his future is not clear. He is not Ralph Santos.

Posen is a unique player.

Hearing this, Barkley couldn't help but ask: So who is the real No. 1 pick?

Kwame Brown Pitino swore that this kid has everything. At this time, in the Celtics draft war room, Louis looked at the time.

It's almost time for Stern to take the stage.

Within seconds Stern appeared in the front office, repeated what he had said in previous years, and then gave the Celtics five minutes to make a choice.

Lu Xi only needed a second to tell his answer.

JD, inform the front line, Louis said. Maschin immediately called the scene.

Five minutes later, Stern returned to the front desk, picked up the Celtics draft envelope, and said loudly: In the 2001 NBA Draft, the Boston Celtics selected Yao Yueban! From Wake Forest University!

At the draft, Yao Yueban came on stage wearing a slightly loose suit and greeted Stern with a trademark emoticon smile on his face.

In the TNT studio, Pitino said regretfully: Coach Lu played a safety card after all. This is not like him.

Barkley has tolerated him for a long time. This Pitino has no ability but just pretends to be competitive. People who don't know better think that he and Louis are coaches of the same level.

Hehe, you can't say that. Yao is basically recognized as the number one pick and no one can challenge him. Coach Lu just chose a person who is popular among the public. Barkley thought he was being polite.

Pitino seems to be unhappy with his life and insists on coming to the studio to find a sense of presence. He said arrogantly: Just because people expect him to do what he wants does not necessarily mean he is right.

Barkley really doesn't know where this idiot got the confidence to show off in the draft. You can pretend to others, but are you worthy of pretending to Louis?

Barkley had put up with him twice and he wouldn't put up with it this time.

Rick, you know so much about the draft, you must have done a great job drafting in Portland, right?

Pitino's face turned dark immediately. It was not that he had hit a sore spot, but that he had pointed out something he didn't want to mention. After he took office that year, he checked the accounts and discovered that the Blazers' draft picks in the next few years had already been taken by Pat Lai.

Leigh sold that bastard.

In the years since he took over the Blazers, he has never had a chance to perform well in the draft.

Barkley successfully silenced Pitino.

TNT began to broadcast Yao Yueban's college highlights, and well-known sports reporter Greg Sager wore a purple suit to interview the No. 1 pick.

Yao Yueban possesses the typical humility of East Asians, also likes to joke, and understands American laughter very well. In just a few words, Sager's impression of him improved by several levels.

This kid is so good at talking. Kenny Smith praised him, even I want to be a teammate with him. Pitino immediately poured cold water on him. Sean Bradley also made him famous because of his decent interview performance.

People are full of expectations for their future. As a result, we have also seen that gentle giants cannot become talented.

Rick, I disagree with what you said. Yao has always been a nationally famous rising star. Why do you think he can't become a talent? Barkley asked directly.

Pitino said eloquently: I think he has a chance to develop into a center above the level in the NBA. This is the height he can reach, because he is very bulky and slow, and cannot cope with the pace of today's NBA games. It is also easy.

He became the main target of the pick-and-roll offense in positional battles. Moreover, from ancient times to the present, only Ralph was the only player of his height who could stay healthy.

Barkley didn't expect that Pitino would be so brazen and dare to deny that Yao Yue was just an above-average NBA center in the future? Is this an evaluation of a super talent who has been scheduled to be the No. 1 pick in the draft every year for the past four years?

Could this person be racist?

Barkley looked at Pitino like a thief, Rick, I want to make a bet with you.

The story that happened in the TNT studio was even more exciting than the draft itself, which the audience did not expect. Barkley and Pitino had a dispute, and the two were at loggerheads. In the end, they decided to make a bet. If Yao Yueqiu becomes an NBA All-American in the future,

Star, Barkley has to kiss anything designated by Pitino. If Yao becomes an All-Star, Pitino needs to kiss Barkley's butt.

Louis has no intention of caring about Pitino's madness. He cares about who the Clippers select with the second overall pick. Under normal circumstances, the Clippers should choose the highly anticipated young genius-Kwame Brown.

Then, Stern came back.

In the 2001 NBA draft, Stern said slowly, the Los Angeles Clippers selected Eddie Curry from Thornwood High School with the second overall pick in the first round!

As soon as the news came out, the whole audience was shocked.

Louis in front of the TV jumped up and grabbed Sampson's hand, who was sitting next to him, "Ralph, I want to thank you for Eddie!"

Well?

Mr. Weiyi hasn't figured out the situation yet.

Louis said to his colleagues: Thanks to Ralph, the pearl of Eddie Curry will not be covered in dust!

That's true, but why are you happy?

Laimbeer, who had just taken office, had a bold guess: Coach, is it possible that this kid has something ulterior to you?

Shut up Bill! Louis snorted, don't think so dirty, my idea is very simple, that is, let this rare talent enter the NBA with a draft pick worthy of him!"

Whether it was what Louis said to Sampson or what he said to Ranbir, Isiah Thomas would not believe a word.

Let’s not talk about whether he has such good intentions. If we take a step back and say that this person has really changed his mind and started doing good things, then he shouldn’t be sent to the Clippers.

Is that the team where people wait?

This is clearly a fraud! Moreover, there is definitely a big conspiracy!

Stepping onto the stage, Curry, the future star who had stirred up turmoil in the weeks leading up to the draft, wore a four-button cream suit, a red shirt and a bronze tie, looking like a wealthy superstar.

Curry like this made the smile on Louis' face become more and more evil.

The more Dumas looked at it, the more something was wrong. President Lu was obviously holding back some bad water.

Laimbeer also saw the problem, Thomas frowned, and only Sampson was still thinking, did he really help a young player improve his draft stock?

Five minutes later Stern returned to the scene

field.

The Seattle SuperSonics, holding the third pick, could only accept the recognized second pick in this draft, Kwame Brown, the No. 1 high school student in the United States, who is known as a combination of Webber and Garnett.

When the camera focused on Brown from the front and he stood up, Louis saw his biggest shortcoming.

As an inside man, his neck is a bit long, which will greatly affect his effective height.

What was unexpected was that in the TNT studio, Rick Pitino would suddenly say: I want to congratulate the Seattle SuperSonics front office. They used the third pick in the first round to select the most promising player in this draft.

player of!