Basketball Legend: When Pride Still Matters

Chapter 193 No One Can Take It Away



Before the draft, the Bucks' first move was to announce the renewal of head coach George Karl's contract.

The championship not only made up for many people's regrets but also saved Karl's future in Milwaukee.

The Bucks offered Karl a 4-year, 30 million US Dollar contract extension, making him the highest-paid coach in the league.

Yu Fei wasn't idle and was constantly following the Bucks' draft efforts.

Based on Yu Fei's advice, the Bucks team tried out Zaza Pachulia. The result was neither surprising nor disappointing, he was exactly the player whose pros and cons were all stated in the scouting reports.

He was slow, had short arms, and lacked athleticism, but his sense of positioning and awareness in the paint were quite good, he had playmaking traits, and he could make a few shots. His mental toughness was also beyond reproach.

Compared to Pachulia, Karl preferred the Polish player Maciej Lampe.

When general manager Larry Harris focused their draft pick on Pachulia, Karl thought this GM, who didn't get along with him, was deliberately causing trouble, "You have to give me at least three reasons for choosing the Georgian."

"Certainly," Little Harris said, "This was Frye's suggestion, Frye likes him, Frye wants him."

Karl didn't know what to say for a moment.

He wanted to say that Frye was just a lousy player, what did he know?

But this lousy player had led the team to be the first in the league and won a championship within a year.

So even if he said, "You George Karl are a dog, only fit to eat shit," Karl would have to grit his teeth and say that shit tastes good if he wanted to keep his job here.

"But the Georgian has no athleticism at all, he can't even shoot threes, I really don't know what he can bring to the team!" Karl said angrily, "It's crazy that such a player has such a high draft stock (from early to middle of the second round)!"

Little Harris looked at Karl as if he were a fool. He didn't care whether Pachulia or Lampe was more suitable for the Bucks; all he knew was he worked for the boss, and the boss demanded that he satisfy all of Yu Fei's needs.

"We have another second-round pick," said Karl, realizing he couldn't resist, and thus decided to go with it, immediately turning his attention to the 29th pick of the second round, "I have someone in mind."

Little Harris smiled slyly as if seeing a fish take the bait, "Frye has someone in mind too."

"He might as well retire and become a president!" Karl exclaimed.

Karl complained a few times, but didn't insist that Little Harris draft someone according to his own ideas. Since Yu Fei had his own ideas, let him be. After all, it was just the end of the first round and the end of the second round; it wouldn't matter much if they made a bad pick.

"Travis Knight must get the hell out!" Karl and Little Harris settled old scores, "I didn't want him to come in the first place, and he really turned out to be useless!"

Little Harris sighed, "If we hadn't taken on his contract, New York wouldn't have moved Sprewell."

"Now that his contract is in its final year, we can use the waste!" Karl said uncompromisingly, "I want to take charge of this trade!"

One advantage of being champions is that it can ease internal conflicts.

Karl and Little Harris were originally at loggerheads, but after winning the championship, Sprewell's value was proven, making Travis Knight, a thorn in their side, acceptable. Moreover, Mason had proven his worth this year, so Little Harris no longer had to bear responsibility for the operations during the off-season the year before—if he had to take on anything, it would be a part of the championship glory; without signing Mason to hold off Duncan (which he actually didn't), the Bucks could never have won the championship.

The championship cooled the atmosphere between Karl and Little Harris.

They could finally exchange opinions through face-to-face communication, and Little Harris agreed with Karl's desire to trade Travis Knight, "I have no objections."

"Oh, right!" Karl asked curiously, "Isn't our second-round pick the very last? Who did Frye recommend?"

If there was anyone to blame, it had to be Pat Riley.

The night after the championship, Yu Fei extended his radio show to four hours to make up for the fans' deprivation during the playoffs. That's when he heard many strange questions, one of them being about Riley's suggestion that the league retires the number 23 jersey.

This question abstractly led Yu Fei to think of Miami Heat's team spirit, Udonis Haslem—who was also a rookie in 2003, right? If he remembered correctly, Haslem was undrafted.

Meaning the Bucks could use their own "priceless" reverse number one pick to select him and cause the Miami Heat to lose their team spirit.

The team was short on forwards, picking Haslem would also indirectly retaliate against Riley, and at the same time make that reverse number one pick worthwhile—killing three birds with one stone.

So after finishing his radio show, Yu Fei sent Little Harris a text, vividly expressing his fondness for Haslem, and if he hadn't already made it clear he was heterosexual, people might think he had other intentions for Haslem.

Since all the draft picks the Bucks held were towards the end, once they decided on a player, they were free of distractions.

Karl then set his sights on the Los Angeles Clippers in the trade market.

This summer, eight players on the Clippers' roster will enter free agency, and it's certain that Sterling will at most offer Elton Brand a long-term contract.

Karl's gaze fell on Clippers' third-year guard Quentin Richardson.

As a shooting guard, Richardson had strong penetration but a low shooting percentage, and his defense depended on personal motivation. Last season, he had a poor competition with Andre Miller, and both played poorly.

This made the Clippers determined to let go of Miller and, at the same time, they were half-hearted about Richardson. The only reason he could stay on the team was that his rookie contract hadn't ended and it was very cheap.

Karl sent Travis Knight and the seasoned point guard Kevin Ollie to the Clippers, along with second-round draft picks in 2004 and 2006, hoping to acquire Quentin Richardson.

While Knight might be toxic to other teams, his expiring contract next season was still appealing to the Clippers, who were desperate for cap space in 2004.

The Clippers had set their sights on the 2004 free agent market, when Lakers' superstar Kobe Bryant would become a free agent. If the rumors of his irreconcilable issues with Shaquille O'Neal were true, they spotted an opportunity to swoop in.

Besides, the Bucks actually wanted Quentin Richardson?

When Baylor heard the offer, he thought the world was full of fools.

The day before the draft, the deal between the Bucks and the Clippers was done.

The Clippers traded away an unremarkable youngster and got an expiring contract, a veteran, and two rather insignificant second-round picks, while the Bucks acquired a high-scoring guard shooting 38% who thought they had scored big, both sides assuming the other was an idiot.

Upon hearing that Karl got a high-scoring guard in exchange for Kevin Ollie and Travis Knight, Yu Fei's mood remained unchanged.

He and Ollie and Knight were just regular colleagues; their departure meant nothing more to him than offering verbal well wishes.

But who was this Quentin Richardson?

He didn't know him.

However, it didn't require further investigation, as anyone they got in exchange for Knight and Ollie who could contribute on the court meant they weren't at a loss.

That night, Yu Fei received a voice message from LeBron James at home.

"Frye, will you be representing the Bucks at MSG for the draft tomorrow?"

Generally, players don't attend the draft in person, as it's a stage for management, and he wouldn't want to steal the limelight.

After all, they've been waiting all season to get some exposure; he has no business adding to the commotion.

But as James's "big brother," when his little brother needs him, how could he not be there in person to show his support?

Though it might not be appropriate to support James as a member of the Bucks, being there for him as his big brother to cheer him on was definitely possible.

This is what a big brother should do.

How else to be The Chosen One without showing brotherly respect?

June 26, 2003

The night before the draft, LeBron James had a long dream.

He dreamed he was back in his small room in Akron, hungry and cold, with no father, his mother working outside, and the occasional sound of arguing followed by a woman's pleading, then gunshots, and soon after, alarms and cries resonated throughout the community.

James woke up from the nightmare.

He was now staying in the Marriott Hotel arranged by Nike, where his life would no longer face such uncertainty and danger. He had enough talent to create a better world for his mother and friends.

That was his motivation to move forward. He wouldn't allow his family or his children to live in that kind of environment.

He glanced at the clock; it wasn't even six o'clock.

James received a voice message reply from "big brother."

"I'll definitely be there, LeBron. You're going to be the first draft pick in history to have an MVP as part of your entourage."

James smiled, Frye always liked to joke.

He would often laugh, but sometimes he felt Frye joked too much.

You know, joking too much might erase certain boundaries.

As far as James knew, his big brother often made those limitless jokes on the court.

For a year, the media's portrayal of Frye made James doubt if he even knew that man at all.

In the narrative of the fourth estate, Frye was a frightening thug, a rebellious junior disrespectful to elders, and a radical equal rights activist. But James really couldn't associate these labels with Frye, the man he knew.

Upon hearing that Yu Fei was going to support James in person, Maverick Carter, who was close to the Little Emperor, had some thoughts: "Today's your big day, Bron, Frye might steal all your thunder."

James replied with a light chuckle, "Don't worry, MC, no one can take my draft spot."

(1) Bron's pronunciation is closer to Brown, but that name lacks distinction, so I've chosen to use Bron instead.


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