Chapter 499: 80s Basketball Stars Have No Fuel‑Saving Lights

When your team holds five draft picks and many teams are looking to make more trades involving picks, as the team owner you can only grit your teeth and sit in the office, watching reports and analyses sent by scouts, as well as player highlight videos.

Fan Xi has been having a headache lately; he turned down two movie contracts because he doesn't want to wear himself out.

He spends most of his time in the training facility with Stephen Curry; Fan-x Brand has set up a training camp that widely invites international players and domestic American players to train, some of which charge fees, others are fully sponsored. The biggest purpose of such a camp is to build close ties with future potential players, a broad‑net, loss‑leading publicity stunt.

This year's draft is being held at the new home of the Brooklyn Nets, the Barclays Center.

The Nets' owner is willing to spend money; they have built the league's most luxurious, most modern new arena, hoping to create a new basketball hub in New York.

However, this Russian owner may not know much about Li Ka‑shing. The old man once said, "What's most important in real estate? Location! Location! Damn location! Qian Qian …"

Madison Garden Arena sits at the center of the universe in Man han dun, with prime wind and water, every inch worth its weight in gold.

Does Brooklyn compare with Man han dun?

Fan Xi has decided to go to New York and personally attend the draft venue.

Although he doesn't have high expectations for this year's rookies, he still wants to make more trips to New York City.

This year Kuaisuan holds the fourth pick, the fifteenth pick, the twenty‑seventh pick, two forty‑ninth picks, and the fifty‑second pick.

This year's draft market is like opening a blind box; even the most hyped Benet, Fan Xi thinks, is just so‑so.

Michael Jordan even told Fan Xi in a call, "This year's draft is like 2001; I hope you don't select a player like Kuameibulang."

Kuameibulang?

To Fan Xi, it's already a distant name. Even though they have only been separated for one season, after Fan Xi lifted the water‑goods No. 2 pick Mili Xiqi, Kuameibulang has become a bit watery with the Timberwolves… his stats are still average, near double‑digit, a ten‑million‑dollar salary isn't a big issue. But overall it's a player that's bland to eat and a pity to discard.

Still, why are centers scarce in the league today?

Kuaisuan isn't lacking centers; the three‑tall lineup of Mili Xiqi, Huaiti Seda, and Little Jordan can withstand the interior onslaught of most teams.

But with Nowitzki and Fan Xi leaving, Kuaisuan's draft goal this year is to secure a shooting‑oriented big man and a backup point guard, preferably also a shooter.

Currently, the NBA has visibly entered a golden age of point guards.

Fan Xi, Rosa, Russell Westbrook, Wall, Paul, Stephen Curry, Kyrie … a whole gang of super‑stars or near‑super‑stars are all point guards.

However, the disappointing thing is that this year's draft has no standout point guard.

Shooting‑oriented big men are also scarce.

So Fan Xi personally goes to the Orlando training camp; he plans to stay in Florida for two days, then head to New York. He goes to Florida because he received concrete news from Zhan Mu Si Duo Lan that Jennifer will travel to Miami with her family for a vacation.

Americans don't seem to do confinement after birth.

This makes Fan Xi a bit nervous.

Fan Xi wants to swing by Miami to take a look.

…

Fan Xi's arrival at the Orlando camp caused a sensation.

Although he came as the Kuaisuan club owner, since the finals showdown he has become the only demigod in today's basketball world.

Over the past three years he has built a towering image in the minds of basketball fans. Among these kids, Fan Xi's legendary story is already well‑known; who doesn't want to be a player like Fan Xi?

Even though Fan Xi's age may be younger than some older rookies, because of his many over‑level exploits—suppressing the '96 golden generation, sweeping the '03 Super Platinum Generation—his seniority has risen invisibly.

Amid cheers, Fan Xi took a seat on the camp's bleachers.

The rookie players below immediately became active, training harder than ever, especially in some scrimmage drills where they gave their all.

A scout walked over and said to Fan Xi, "Jie Ke, your arrival has raised the arena's dunk rate by two hundred percent."

Fan Xi smiled and said, "Actually, I'm here to scout shooting‑type players."

It's unclear when this sentence spread.

When Fan Xi arrived in the afternoon, the kids who were flying high that morning immediately retreated beyond the three‑point line, taking all kinds of shots. The sound of missed rims kept ringing.

Fan Xi's eyes were half‑closed with sleep.

He really feels weary of this rookie class.

At this moment, the European head of Fan-x Brand walked over, chatted with Fan Xi, and said, "Jie Ke, there's a kid here you should watch closely. We've already signed a contract with him; he's full of energy, his athleticism is unforgettable, and he improves every month, like a raging beast."

Fan Xi frowned.

The head added, "I see a James‑like wildness in him."

Fan Xi immediately became serious. "Which one?"

"Number 132," the head pointed at a skinny tall kid on the court and said. "He played with you last year, attended two Fan-x training camps, we've been monitoring him and have a long‑term contract with him."

Fan Xi thought for a moment, had a vague recollection. The name is long, he's of European descent.

This youngster named Adetokunbo entered Fan Xi's view, and Fan Xi began to scroll through the player's physical measurements: extremely impressive.

He is already a professional player, though very young. Last season he played in a second‑tier league, averaging 8 points and 5 rebounds per game, a modest performance. Yet he's already listed as a potential lottery show. In this draft mini‑year, some teams are willing to pay for his physical qualities.

Adetokunbo's height is 208 cm, weight 95 kg, wingspan an astonishing 2.23 m, standing reach an astonishing 2.85 m.

His position on the court is defined as small forward.

Fan Xi looked at other players; this year's top‑pick favorite, as a big man, is a bit shorter than him and has a smaller wingspan, the only advantage is weight.

But weight… is precisely the least important thing.

Fan Xi watched Adetokunbo's games for a while; the guy's real shooting ability is terrible, his technique hasn't been systematically refined, it's rough. Though he has good defensive attributes, his defensive fundamentals still need work.

However, his athletic talent is indeed good; if he can develop it, his ceiling will be high.

Fan Xi asked the head, "What's his personality like? Does he train hard?"

"His personality is excellent; he comes from a very poor family, sees basketball as his only way up, and is one of the most diligent players I've ever seen—that's why we reached an agreement. Also, he idolizes you greatly," the head said.

Fan Xi nodded; with talent and diligence, the probability of polishing it up will rise greatly.

Adetokunbo's prototype is Batum.

A French player, a strong 3‑D guy, currently with the Trail Blazers.

Fan Xi thought, this Giannis Adetokunbo, once he awakens, at least won't be worse than Batum.

Thus, it's worth using a fifteenth‑round pick to secure him.

Fan Xi made a checkmark on the notebook.

Then he began to continue observing the players.

The other players he was interested in were Dennis Schroder and CJ McCollum.

They are both combo guard‑shooters; Kuaisuan currently lacks shooters. Schroder is a bit younger, while CJ McCollum is a top NCAA scorer. He had a lottery projection last year, but he was injured in his senior season, so his draft stock this year is somewhat volatile.

Schroder, born in 1993, has already played three years of professional leagues, in the German professional league. He is highly regarded by German fans and is thought to have the chance to become the best German player since Nowitzki.

However, his height is a bit short, only 1.85 m. His style leans toward scoring; he likes to drive, and his mid‑range jump shot is above average, though he hasn't yet adapted to the NBA three‑point range. Fan Xi thinks he can develop it. Moreover, his playmaking is average—he can pass but isn't brilliant, and his desire isn't especially strong. He could complement Rubio, though.

McCollum is an older rookie who played four years in college. Historically, players who spend four years in the NBA rarely develop, especially guards. Looking back over the past decade, perhaps only Brandon Roy rose to fame, but he also fell quickly.

Like Brandon Roy, McCollum also suffered injuries in his senior season, which is an uncertainty. If he had entered the draft last year, the situation might have been completely different.

McCollum is a player with a legendary aura; in high school he was only 1.57 m, but soon surged to 1.91 m, a sudden growth like a novel plot. He was also voted Ohio's Basketball Player of the Year upon high school graduation.

In his first NCAA season, he helped the little‑known Lihai University reach the NCAA tournament, and his scoring average that season was close to 20 points per game.

Considering that the average NCAA team scores only about 70 points per game, his share was roughly one‑third.

That scoring figure has risen year by year.

In his senior year, he even reached an astonishing 23.8 points. However, that year his team missed the tournament, and he also suffered injuries.

An older rookie with an injury history.

Moreover, his stature is not large; his ball‑handling damage in the NCAA may not translate to the NBA. His off‑ball movement and ability to receive assists are strong, but they might not work at the NBA level.

By the way, his draft model is Stephen Curry.

In Fan Xi's mind, he must secure either Schroder or McCollum.

Among interior players, Fan Xi has a strong impression of Adams and Gobert, but those two don't fit Kuaisuan. With Kuaisuan already having a Little Jordan and Huaiti Seda, acquiring one or two more of the same type offers no benefit and would hinder their natural development—a double loss.

Fan Xi hopes to get one or two stretch players, but none have particularly excited him.

So, at a certain moment, he decided to intensify training Mili Xiqi in the new season; although Mili Xiqi has played ten years in the NBA, he still possesses some offensive talent.

Just as Fan Xi was about to stand up and leave, a man walked over and greeted him warmly: "Hey, Jie Ke, I'm Tim Hardaway, glad to see you here."

He is a middle‑aged Black man in a suit, but round‑bodied.

Fan Xi recognized him at a glance.

Because Fan Xi had watched his tapes and highlight reels when he was very young; he was a well‑known NBA point guard in the late '80s and '90s, nicknamed Beetle, Tim Hardaway.

Though his fame wasn't as great as another Hardaway named Anfenni, he was still a capable player. His peak was in Miami, where he could average 20 points per game as a guard—a rarity in that era.

His signature move is the crossover; many kids born in the '80s would imitate it, but with Allen Iverson's rise, more started copying Iverson.

After all, the student surpasses the master.

Iverson himself admitted he was influenced by Tim Hardaway.

"Hello." Fan Xi shook his hand.

Tim Hardaway, a natural conversationalist, said: "Are you here scouting players, Jie Ke? I must recommend a truly excellent player—my son, Tim Hardaway Jr. He's also your fan, loves you a lot, but I think he'll never become a player like you in this lifetime; however, he could become your equivalent of a Pippen. Los Angeles needs him; Los Angeles Kuaisuan needs a player like that."

Tim Hardaway exuded a self‑promoting flair.

Fan Xi smiled; every father hopes his son has a bright future.

However, according to NBA lore, the higher a father's achievements, the more mediocre the son tends to be.

Fan Xi had heard the name Tim Hardaway Jr. and had read his scouting report; after all, Fan Xi holds five draft picks.

Tim Hardaway Jr.'s draft stock is average, not in the lottery, lingering at the end of the first round, possibly slipping to the second round.

Although he performed excellently in the NCAA, helping his team reach the NCAA final, he is an older rookie, and the NBA doesn't value NCAA results much; many older players who excelled in college may not succeed in the NBA.

And Tim Hardaway Jr.'s offensive technique is mediocre; he has a feel, decent height, and slightly above‑average physical quality, but his defense is average. He looks like the type who can do a little of everything, yet may become a player who can do nothing at the NBA level.

"We are indeed considering him. However, a more pressing issue is that our team lacks an assistant coach to teach those kids how to lower their center of gravity while handling the ball," Fan Xi said, showing little interest in his son but great interest in Beetle.

He hopes Tim Hardaway can go over to help Leonard make some adjustments; Rubio also needs his help, as Rubio cannot forever maintain a non‑scoring label.

Hardaway replied happily: "Jie Ke, of course I'm willing to work for you. I'm thrilled right now and delighted for you; you will get the two best Hardaways in the world."

Uh…

Fan Xi gave a slightly awkward smile. Still, he said: "If Tim Jr. falls to the second round, or to the end of the first, we will select him."

This is a draft promise.

It means Fan Xi must fulfill what he said.

For Fan Xi, it's merely a favor; he no longer expects to snag a treasure at this draft.

Tim Hardaway Sr. was overjoyed.

However, after Fan Xi left the court, the guy played a political game, venting to the media: "Jieke Fan didn't pick my son; he said my son is mediocre, and I'm furious. He's not omnipotent; like Michael Jordan, he may be a giant on the court, but off it his draft judgment is at a Bailey level."

Tim Hardaway Sr.'s words rang out.

His son's draft stock on the draft website plummeted straight to the second round.

Fan Xi's draft eye is not comparable to Jordan's; having unearthed so many low‑pick stars and junk, how could his judgment be off?

Tim Hardaway Jr. later complained to his father: "Why did you repeat Jieke Fan's words? It greatly affects my draft stock."

Tim Hardaway Sr. laughed heartily, saying: "Son, you're still too young; you don't understand what a draft is. Just wait, we'll be the biggest winners of this draft."

Upon learning of Tim Hardaway Sr.'s remarks, Fan Xi merely smiled; although his assistant couldn't grasp it, he said: "No star from the '80s was a low‑maintenance lamp."

…