Basketball Legend: When Pride Still Matters

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11 to 2

Yu Fei didn't give Haywood a second chance to attack, and the tryout with the Wizards Team ended quicker than expected.

"That's my brother!" Kwame Brown tossed a towel to Yu Fei.

Yu Fei was dumbfounded; since when were he and Brown brothers?

Then, Yu Fei walked up to Collins and Jordan, simply intending to say hello.

Jordan, putting on airs of a senior expert, said, "You played well, a couple of dribbles and then a shot, that's what I wanted to see."

Yu Fei appropriately showed the arrogance and cockiness of youth, "Will you pick me first overall?"

Everyone knew that wasn't going to happen.

But Jordan still had to maintain the possibility on the surface, "It depends on Kwame and Tyson's performance."

Yu Fei walked away.

Collins, watching his back, said to Jordan, "He doesn't resemble Scottie at all."

Jordan didn't respond; he was seriously considering drafting Yu Fei at the NBA Draft.

He was a man who believed in first impressions, and several months ago at the ABCD Camp, Yu Fei had made a deep impression on him, and today, his performance had intensified that impression.

However, the tryout wasn't over yet, and the showdown between Kwame Brown and Tyson Chandler was today's main event.

Yu Fei sat on the side, not very interested, because it was known later on that the Wizards had picked Brown, so the outcome of this matchup was clear.

And Yu Fei thought Brown's victory was without any suspense.

Chandler had a body that was a treasure; even if he never became another Kevin Garnett or a Marcus Camby with a better shot, with his natural talent, as long as he was willing to spend time on the court to improve himself, becoming a top-tier blue-collar player in the NBA was no challenge.

But for now, his physique was too lean compared to Brown's.

And, Brown possessed offensive skills far beyond Chandler's.

Both being big men, Chandler couldn't compete in strength or skills, so where did he stand a chance?

Before their confrontation started, Chandler tried to be friendly and, smiling, extended his hand, hoping for a fist bump with Brown.

However, Brown kept a cold face; he had no interest in fist bumping a competitor who might snatch away his number one spot.

Therefore, he rejected Chandler as a way to show he wasn't there to make friends.

Their contest of strength then began.

Like Brendan Haywood, Chandler had the option to start the offense from the low post, but Brown declined the offer, believing he had enough skill to initiate the offense from outside.

If the scouts thought him to be the second coming of Webber, there had to be a reason for it.

As a big man, Brown's ball-handling was indeed not bad, but his actual ball-handling threat came from an unmatched physical advantage in high school basketball.

At this time, Brown weighed 250 pounds (113KG), while Chandler was only 233 pounds (105KG).

In terms of weight, both were inadequate for the NBA because it was the era of Shaquille O'Neal's dominance, where heavy big men were the norm; however, if we're talking same age group comparison, Brown had a significant advantage.

On the first play, Brown pushed past Chandler and forcefully dunked under the basket.

Then came the shots, moves under the basket, various low-level offensive skills filled with high school flavor.

Brown had offensive skills Chandler couldn't match, but these skills might not work in the NBA.

Nevertheless, they were enough for Brown to dominate this confrontation.

Tyson Chandler was thoroughly defeated in the one-on-one challenge.

This wasn't the most exciting display from Brown that day, nor the moment that solidified his status as the first pick.

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After the one-on-one match ended, Brown, just like Kevin had done earlier, approached Jordan and Collins.

People thought he was just going over to say hello.

Yet, to everyone's surprise, Brown spoke to the deity who had banished him from the basketball court with the demeanor and tone of a competitor, "If you pick me with the first pick, I will never let you down."

What shocked people most was Brown's final statement, "If you ever come back to basketball, I will defeat you!"

If the Wizards were set on using their first draft pick on a player, Jordan wanted a competitor akin to himself.

Before Brown spoke those words, the player Jordan admired the most was Kevin.

However, using the first pick on Kevin was too extravagant a move.

Because of this, Jordan had considered trading away the first pick more than once.

Then, Brown came before him and said those things.

Plus the way he had beaten Chandler.

Jordan knew that Brown had a long way to go. He knew that Brown's skills as they were wouldn't cut it in the NBA, he knew that it would take Brown at least three years to find consistency in the NBA.

But Jordan trusted his first instinct.

Just like how he thoroughly enjoyed watching Kevin play, once this feeling appeared in his heart, it wouldn't fade away.

Essentially, Jordan's drafting strategy was simple: he valued his gut feeling above all.

In the future, when he saw Adam Morrison crying over his loss in March Madness, he believed this vintage-style Caucasian player was the next Larry Bird because he valued victory above all else; a man who cried over losing a game couldn't possibly fail. Jordan sincerely admired those who truly desired victory; this admiration went beyond reason and allowed Jordan to disregard all negative factors.

Brown represented a different case, unrelated to the desire for victory or the emotions involved; it was a matter of confidence and a competitor's mindset. Didn't Brown know that his words and actions were a disrespect to the divine? 22 years later, Brandon Miller would do the same, and Jordan, who had lost faith in his NBA executive career, still chose him against all odds.

Miller was lucky; he didn't have to endure divine discipline after having openly blasphemed.

22 years before today, Kwame Brown started this history; he spoke those words from the depth of his heart, believing he could achieve it.

Jordan seldom expressed his fondness for someone openly, but he genuinely liked Brown now.

As for Brown's transgression, Jordan merely smiled gently, his brown eyes filled with tolerance and anticipation for the young man. They began to engage in a deep conversation, while Chandler was completely ignored.

Kevin could be sure of one thing, Brown was about to secure the first draft pick just like in his previous life.

However, he would soon find out that not everything was going as he wished.

Big Fei was not the kind of senior who would generously step aside for the youth, admitting his own inadequacy.

Kevin hadn't expected that that same night, Jordan would invite him, Brown, and their agent Trem to dinner together.

At the dinner table, representing the Wizards, Jordan promised Brown that, when the draft began, his name would be called first.

For Kevin, Jordan had no promises, although the Wizards had no other first-round picks. He very much wanted Kevin to play for the Wizards in the future, so he intended to make a trade to acquire a draft right to get him.

This wasn't a promise; it was a possibility.

It was possible for Kevin to play for the Wizards in the future, but the situation was still unclear; he needed to continue going to trials.

That night, when Kevin returned to the hotel, he didn't know whether to be happy or worried about not getting a direct draft promise from the Wizards.

Being selected by the Wizards would undoubtedly be the worst possible start to a career for any rookie from the class of 2001, but up until now, he had tried out for several teams, even getting two draft promises, none of which were within the top ten picks.

As for the trial with the Wizards, although he completely outperformed Brendan Haywood, Haywood never had the prospects of a lottery pick to begin with, making it much easier for the Wizards to select Haywood through a trade than to pick Kevin.

The next day, Kevin awaited the plans after Trem's arrangement.

"Next stop is Cleveland, and New Jersey has formally extended a second tryout invitation to you."

PS: Got the news; heading to Sanjiang on the 23rd, launching on National Day, thank you all for the support.