Chapter 30: The Draft Lottery

Two possessions later, Christian Laettner found space off a screen and pulled up for a jumper just outside the right block.

"You dare shoot from this close? Don't you know how much I love swatting your shots?"

Tang Bei didn't intend to waste such a golden opportunity. He lunged a step out from under the basket, gathered himself, and soared through the air like a giant bird.

"Whack!"

Covering a distance of three meters, he swung his massive hand and swatted Laettner’s freshly released shot into the stands.

"What?"

To be blocked from at least five meters away from the basket—Christian Laettner’s eyes nearly popped out of his head.

After the block, Tang Bei glared at his opponent with a ferocious look, forcing Laettner to grit his teeth and turn away in a hurry.

"Clap, clap, clap..."

The brilliant defensive play drew applause from the professionals in the arena.

Tang Bei logged six minutes of playing time in the first quarter, which was significant considering there were over seventy rookies waiting for their turn. After he checked out, the professionals in attendance began their discussions.

"Although Tang has made some spectacular plays on both ends, he has many flaws. I believe we should be cautious about his future."

"He lacks awareness of what's happening behind him and shows poor ability in weak-side help defense; he's easily beaten by back-door cuts."

"His rebounding for longer misses is insufficient; he lacks anticipation."

"For instance, his technical and tactical skills are poor. He rarely coordinates with teammates and lacks playmaking and facilitating abilities."

"His offensive repertoire is also very limited; his finishing is almost exclusively driving to the rim."

"His free-throw shooting is even worse than O'Neal's, and he struggles to control his turnovers and fouls."

"True. By comparison, O'Neal has a much richer offensive arsenal—nimble footwork, and besides dunks, he has close-range floaters and little hook shots. His free throws are slightly better, too."

"Mourning’s defense is the best of the three; whether it’s man-to-man or help defense, he’s top-tier."

"Mourning’s individual offense is lacking. His hook shots and jumpers are inconsistent, and his offensive footwork isn't great—not as good as O'Neal’s, or even Tang’s. He usually just forces his way in."

"Mourning’s isolation game is weak, and his ability to break down a defense isn't as good as Tang’s, let alone O'Neal’s. In other words, his low-post dominance on offense is lacking."

"Agreed. Mourning’s offensive versatility isn't as good as O'Neal’s, but it is better than Tang’s."

Over the final three quarters, Tang Bei played a total of eight more minutes. However, his opponents were no longer the likes of Mourning, Laettner, or Gugliotta, but rather less talented rookies. While he performed well, the quality of the competition was lacking.

Across the Pacific, just before ten in the evening, CCTV-1 aired its sports news segment. At the time, CCTV did not yet have a dedicated sports channel, and sports news had previously been folded into general news broadcasts. It wasn't until 1989 that CCTV established a dedicated sports news segment, airing from Monday to Saturday at 9:55 PM for a duration of only five minutes. Tang Bei’s participation in the NBA was featured in this segment. With it being nearly ten o'clock, the ratings were modest, but the domestic sports community and many related professionals watched the show religiously to keep up with domestic and international sports developments.

Tang Bei had officially entered the vision of the domestic sports scene, particularly the basketball world. Yang Boyong, a famous basketball player from the 1950s and the director of the Second Competition Department of the State Sports Commission, naturally saw the news. In this era, although CCTV had aired some NBA highlights and All-Star games, the domestic audience remained largely unfamiliar with the NBA. Not just domestically, but internationally as well, the league was still an enigma, and its true strength was poorly understood. Upon seeing the report, Yang Boyong did not pay much attention to it, only instructing Liu Yumin, the head of the basketball division and the men's national team leader, to investigate Tang Bei.

"I am very sorry. I don't know the meaning of that word; I only heard others say it. So, I am truly sorry!"

On the 14th, following backlash from the media over his use of a severe racial slur against Tang Bei, O'Neal was forced to issue a public apology.

"Tang, do you accept O'Neal's apology?" a reporter asked during an interview.

"No. He definitely knows what that word means. This isn't over; we'll see each other on the court," Tang Bei replied, his face expressionless.

The rookie camp continued that day with three games, but Tang Bei played only 11 minutes in total. Shaquille O'Neal did not appear; media reports suggested he had already left Chicago with his agent.

That evening, during dinner, Eric Fleisher looked puzzled. "Tang, it’s strange. Since yesterday afternoon, aside from the news triggered by O'Neal, your positive coverage in mainstream media has dropped significantly, and your playing time in the rookie games has also decreased."

"Eric, what do you think is the reason?" Tang Bei asked anxiously after John Liu translated.

Eric Fleisher frowned. "Such a sudden change can only mean someone is moving against us and doesn't want to see you hogging the spotlight." He speculated, "There are many people with the motive to do this, such as the agents of your competitors in the draft."

"Eric, is there a way to solve this?" Tang Bei asked.

"I don't have enough power to resolve a blacklist that spans both the rookie camp and multiple mainstream media outlets," Fleisher said helplessly.

"Then what should we do now?" Tang Bei asked.

Fleisher replied, "Don't worry. This kind of person can only influence things temporarily. Once you put on an excellent performance during team workouts, they won't be able to exert any more influence."

"I understand. You have to rely on your own strength to forge iron." Tang Bei nodded. A sharp awl in a bag will eventually pierce through; if someone wants to suppress it forever, they'd better be careful not to get stabbed.

That night, the Bulls lost 86-100 on the road in Game 6, setting up a Game 7 showdown in Chicago.

On the 15th, the morning was reserved for official lectures, and the afternoon was set aside for one-on-one meetings between teams and rookies. Eric Fleisher had already scheduled meetings with thirteen teams. These thirteen teams were all those that had failed to make the playoffs and held lottery picks this year. He would only select teams for future workouts from this group. However, the general managers and owners of these teams were not present, having traveled to Portland for that evening's draft lottery. In the afternoon, Tang Bei held one-on-one meetings with three teams: the Hornets, the Nuggets, and the Timberwolves.

That evening, at the Portland Memorial Coliseum, the annual NBA draft lottery began. David Stern had arrived in Portland to oversee the proceedings. At eight o'clock, the lottery commenced. As the team with the league's worst record, the Timberwolves were the first to draw. Having joined the NBA only three seasons ago, the Timberwolves had a complex ownership structure with no single owner, so General Manager Jim Brewer performed the draw. He looked nervous, pulling a small bottle from his jacket pocket to pour some water onto his hands before rubbing them together repeatedly.

The host, league executive vice president Russ Granik, saw Brewer's actions and asked with a smile, "Hey, Mr. Brewer, what are you doing?"

Jim Brewer said earnestly, "This is holy water I requested from the Washington National Cathedral. It can ward off bad luck and help me draw the first pick."

"Your preparation is truly meticulous," Granik said with an impressed look.

Unfortunately, Jim Brewer's holy water was of no use. He failed to secure the first pick and slumped back into his seat, looking dejected.

"God bless!"

When it was the turn of the Magic, who held the second-worst record, Pat Williams walked onto the stage full of confidence, his face beaming. Thirty seconds later, his laughter left the owners and GMs in the audience feeling completely disappointed—he had actually drawn the first overall pick.

Next came the draw for the second pick. Jim Brewer went back on stage and walked off disappointed once again. This time was different from the first pick; not only did the Timberwolves miss out, but the next five teams all failed to land the second pick. It wasn't until the Hornets, the seventh-worst team in the league, stepped up that the second pick was claimed.

"My God..."

Finally, for the third pick, Jim Brewer knelt in public and prayed to God. It wasn't just him; many Timberwolves fans back in Minnesota were praying in various ways with great devotion.

"I got it! I got it..."

A minute later, Jim Brewer shouted in excitement.

And so, the lottery concluded. The Magic won the first pick, the Hornets the second, and the Timberwolves the third. From the 4th to the 27th, the draft order was determined by record; the Mavericks, with the third-worst record, received the 4th pick, while the Bulls, with the best record, took the 27th.

"Mr. Williams, can you reveal who the Magic will select with the first pick?" a reporter asked during the interview session.

Pat Williams smiled and said, "Shaquille O'Neal is the best choice, without a doubt."

"No, don't!"

In Chicago, at the Hampton Inn, O'Neal let out a miserable shriek, as if he were mourning the dead. His agent, Leonard Armato, had hoped for O'Neal to join a major market team to maximize his commercial income and, by extension, his own cut. With the Magic set to draft him, he was equally disappointed.