The rest is just noise

The moment he convinced Ralph Sampson, Louis was filled with adrenaline.

He was so excited that he couldn't help himself.

Sampson's phone call showed that he had changed the course of history.

According to the original history, Sampson rejected Auerbach, so the Celtics adopted Plan B and made a trade with the Warriors in exchange for Robert Parish and Kevin McHale.

This is the Big Three frontcourt that Celtics fans are most familiar with.

It has completely changed now.

No Parrish.

No McHale either.

On the contrary, there is Bill Laimbeer and Ralph Sampson, who is known as a once-in-10-year genius.

Louis stayed in a high-end hotel near Jesse's Express Restaurant and ordered expensive food that he would never touch. He had to treat himself well.

He did not call to tell Auerbach the latest situation. This kind of thing had to be said face to face. He was looking forward to Auerbach's reaction.

Flying back to Boston from Charlottesville, Louis went straight to Greek College.

In the finals, the Lakers and 76ers are playing fiercely, and the Celtics are already preparing for the draft.

Many players come here for trial training, and they are all popular figures in this draft.

After all, the Celtics hold the first and 13th picks in the first round.

Watching their first round game, Detroiters could only cry.

If they knew the Celtics had convinced Ralph Sampson to enter the draft, they might even be tempted to kill Dico Vitale.

"Lu, you look good."

"Kid, what are you so happy about?"

"road?"

Louis ignored the greetings from his colleagues and had only one destination - Auerbach's office.

In the general manager's office, Auerbach ate fried dough sticks and milk with Mexican chicken tacos.

This combination of Chinese and Western breakfast is his favorite.

Louis knocked on the door.

"Come in!"

"It's you," Auerbach said, not optimistic about Louis staying in Harrisonburg and continuing to lobby Sampson.

Therefore, he believed that Louis had failed.

If he has succeeded, why not call him and tell him?

"Reed, I don't think you should eat alone." Louis' eyes were aimed at the Mexican chicken tacos on the table.

Moreover, he took out a bottle of Coke from the refrigerator.

"Damn it, the team owes you wages?" Auerbach didn't like this man's behavior of taking advantage of others.

Louis drank Coke and snatched Auerbach's chicken roll.

He took a few bites, nodded with enjoyment and said, "You don't understand, other people's food tastes better."

"What a bad behavior!" Auerbach was used to this.

Louis put down the Coke, ate the chicken roll and took out his consumption list for yesterday to ask Auerbach for reimbursement.

"Eight bottles of Coke?"

"Why don't you eat so many hot dogs?"

"A three-star hotel?" Auerbach slammed the table, "Do you think you're working for the Yankees?!"

Auerbach didn't expect Louis to be so bold in spending, "The funds you used yesterday were enough for K.C. and them to spend half a month!"

"Because I have accomplished something big, I must reward myself this way."

"What's the big deal?"

There was one last bite of chicken roll left in Louis' hand. He looked at Auerbach and said slowly: "I've got Ralph."

"What did you do... WTF!!!!!?"

Something Auerbach knew was impossible happened, and his reaction was much slower than usual. He watched Louis eat the last bite of the chicken roll and drank the rest of the Coke before digesting Louis' words.

His cheeks twitched a few times, and the light in his eyes changed from anger and confusion to excitement that hit his scalp.

"Has he changed his mind?" Auerbach asked loudly.

"Well, if my understanding is correct, he has decided to participate in this year's draft and be a freshman who will defy the world."

Auerbach's face changed into a variety of expressions.

It's not that he doesn't believe in Louis' ability, he just feels that Sampson's family has too much influence on him, and no matter what, it's impossible to influence him.

But Louis really did it!

"How did you do it?" Auerbach wanted to know eagerly.

"My eloquence is not better than yours," Louis said modestly, "I just know what Ralph wants better than anyone else in the world."

Auerbach asked: "What did you promise him? Damn it! You didn't promise him a million-dollar annual salary, did you?"

"I think they can refuse 650,000, but they may not be able to accept 1 million. This method is too clumsy. This is not what Ralph wants."

"Then what does he want?"

"He wants to change basketball, and that's my promise to him." Louis came to Auerbach not just to tell him the good news.

Auerbach couldn't understand.

Changing the game of basketball?

What is this!

"Be more specific."

"Simply put, I promised him that he would not develop like a traditional center. I would have a higher degree of freedom on the basketball court. I would be his guidance coach, develop his potential and improve his shortcomings.

"Reed, do you remember the scouting report I wrote for him? I said that his future is limitless, and at the same time,

Unpredictable, because he is too special and he should not be limited to those rules."

Tradition, changing basketball, are not what Auerbach values. What he values ​​is that Sampson will participate in the draft, which means that the Celtics are about to get the most talented player in the history of the team. At the same time, it may also be the most talented player in the history of the league.

The first three levels of talent.

"His coach is Bill Fitch," Auerbach reminded. "I don't think he can do what he wants to do in Boston."

Louis said with a smile: "His current weight is not enough to play center in the NBA. If we want to see him fall, of course it is best to let him play center. If we want him to grow smoothly, then the best one for him at this stage is

, is the fourth position, and he must stay on the bench for one or two years."

"He must have a special training plan and a coach dedicated to developing his potential - that is me."

Auerbach rolled his eyes and said, "I've never heard of an assistant coach having such responsibilities."

"When you were coaching, you didn't even have an assistant coach. Professional basketball is constantly changing." At this point, Louis' voice changed, "If Ralph can't be trained correctly, we might as well trade him away.

First pick."

Auerbach has not yet digested the joy of Sampson joining the draft. What did Louis say? Trade the first pick?

"Are you crazy?"

"If we cannot fully control Ralph's future, we should trade him before his value becomes infinite." At this moment, Louis seemed to have forgotten how he promised Sampson. "You are right, Lee.

"De, I'm not sure how Ralph will develop under coach Fitch, but I'm sure he'll let Ralph play like a traditional center, which is something he and I both want to avoid."

"The path of a traditional center is a dead end for Ralph. He will definitely be destroyed on this road. His body cannot bear it and his playing style cannot adapt."

"So, instead of letting him be ruined in their hands, it is better to realize his value now." Louis smiled, "Once other teams learn that Ralph is going to participate, as long as we propose a trade, the other 21 teams

The general manager will call here."

Louis came up with an unimaginable plan C in front of Auerbach: "We can ask for a starting player with good strength, and then ask for three to four first-round draft picks in the future. I believe there will be a team that agrees!

"

What Louis didn't say was that Sampson's current strength is completely unable to change a team's overall competitiveness.

Therefore, if there is really a team that sacrifices its future for him.

In the next three or four years, the Celtics will have a top-five first-round pick every year.

Leaving aside 1981, 1982, and 1983, who can be selected in the top five picks in 1984?

That is, one of the best players in history, the top five centers in history, the top six forwards in history, and the number one point guard in history...

"As for the use of Ralph, I will discuss it carefully with Bill. Don't think about the transaction, you kid!" Auerbach felt refreshed. "I originally planned to let him serve as a substitute for a few years. As for the

How to position his position on the field and his style of play requires communication with Bill. He is a very traditional coach. I am not sure whether I can convince him that you need to prepare Ralph to face difficulties.

"

"After all, no one can say who will sit in that position in the future."

For Louie, it was all over, and he changed Sampson's future.

It also changed the future of the Celtics.

If Sampson becomes a shooting star that once bloomed but quickly fell like in his previous life, it will seriously affect the pattern of the 1980s. Because, in another timeline, the draft pick that selected Sampson was traded for the Kays.

Vin McHale and Robert Parrish. Both played into the 1990s. Sampson disappeared at the end of the 1980s.

If Sampson still dies, can the Celtics compete with the Lakers? Therefore, Sampson's future will affect not only the fate of the Celtics, but also the situation of the entire league.

But he believes that he has tried his best.

Next, let’s see how he transforms Sampson, how he deals with Fitch, and how he sets up a bright future for Sampson.

Just as Louis was about to leave, he suddenly asked: "By the way, are my funds..."

"Okay, okay!" Even if Sampson hadn't happened, Auerbach would have had to swallow it, not to mention that Louis had made a great contribution. As he said, this little expense was a reward he gave himself.

Compared to getting Sampson, this is nothing!

The next day, Ralph Sampson unexpectedly announced that he would hire an agent, leave college, and enter the NBA early.

This decision shocked the NCAA.

Reporters from all walks of life swarmed in. For the first time, little Harrisonburg received such attention from the basketball world.

Reporters wanted to know what benefits Auerbach promised Sampson to make him choose this way.

"No, it's not Coach Auerbach, it's another person."

Sampson replied.

"He painted a beautiful blueprint for me, which is my lifelong wish. I believe in him and myself, and I will work hard for it."