The familiar Barclays Center in Brooklyn.
By his third draft, Chen Yilun was no rookie—he was ready to own the room.
"Don't run! I'm not gonna eat you—why are you running?"
Chen Yilun's booming voice froze Wizards General Manager Ernie Grunfeld in his tracks just as he was trying to slip away.
"Ernie, we've got no bad blood. Why are you hiding from me?"
Chen Yilun strolled over, slung an arm around Grunfeld's shoulder, and grinned.
"Stay back—I've got nothing left for you to steal."
At the sight of Chen Yilun's cheerful face, Ernie Grunfeld felt a chill crawl down his spine.
He couldn't help recalling how he'd happily brought Cousins back last season. The memory alone made him feel the walls closing in.
Even though the team's record had improved this season, Bradley Beal's contract extension—a five-year, $128 million deal—had completely jammed the Wizards' newly freed-up cap space.
Now the team was stuck: trying to climb higher with no salary room and no draft picks.
Tanking wasn't even an option—every one of their first-rounders was in someone else's hands.
The Wizards were caught in limbo, barely staying afloat.
Grunfeld's visit here was mostly ceremonial anyway; the Wizards only held a single second-round pick this year.
"How can you say that?" Chen Yilun feigned offense. "When have I ever stolen anything from you? I was even thinking of sharing a pick with you since you've got none left… Hey, hey! Don't walk away!"
By now, Ernie Grunfeld had developed full-on PTSD when it came to Chen Yilun. Whenever Chen mentioned a trade, Grunfeld bolted as fast and as far as he could.
"What a bore."
Seeing that Ernie wouldn't bite, Chen Yilun lost interest and headed back to his team's room.
The surroundings were familiar, as were the staff. Only the guests seated in the green room had changed.
Tonight, some would soar to glory while others would leave in disappointment. The beauty and brutality of competition were about to unfold.
Adam Silver, in a perfectly pressed suit and with his polished bald head gleaming under the lights, stepped up to the podium.
"Ladies and gentlemen! Welcome to the 2016 NBA Draft."
The crowd erupted in applause and cheers, each person waiting anxiously for the fate awaiting them.
As the noise faded, Silver opened the envelope before him.
"With the first pick in the 2016 NBA Draft, the Philadelphia 76ers select Ben Simmons from LSU!"
Applause roared through the arena. The tall point forward smiled, embraced his family, then took the 76ers cap, put it on, and stepped up to shake hands with Silver for the photo.
"The god of the offseason," Chen Yilun muttered under his breath.
This top pick would soon give fans plenty to talk about.
Once hailed as the next LeBron James and compared to Magic Johnson, Simmons entered the league and, years later, still couldn't master a simple jump shot.
Then came the injuries, the mental breaks—and the trail of disappointed teams.
Every team he joined ended up getting played.
But for now, Simmons was still the darling of the nation, and his arrival marked the nearing end of Philadelphia's "Trust the Process" era.
Adam Silver returned to the stage.
"With the second pick in the 2016 NBA Draft, the Los Angeles Lakers select Brandon Ingram from Duke University!"
Ingram, modeled after Kevin Durant, hadn't yet bulked up—his thin frame and full lips were his most defining traits.
"With the third pick in the 2016 NBA Draft, the Boston Celtics select Jaylen Brown from the University of California!"
"Bull Grandpa" Jaylen Brown was the first big prize from the Boston-Brooklyn trade package and marked the Celtics' first real step toward resurgence.
Watching familiar faces appear on screen, Chen Yilun smiled with interest as scenes from his memory replayed before his eyes.
When the Pelicans selected Oklahoma University's prodigy Buddy Hield with the sixth pick, a long-forgotten name surfaced in Chen Yilun's mind.
"This is Hield's year. Those Villanova wildcats must be up soon."
His thoughts drifted back to the NCAA.
The "little wildcats" referred to the powerhouse Villanova University. Since their logo featured a roaring wildcat, their players were often nicknamed "kittens" by fans.
That year's NCAA tournament was one for the ages. Buddy Hield, winner of the John R. Wooden Award, faced a loaded Villanova squad in the Final Four.
And who did Villanova have?
Their senior leaders were Josh Hart and Ryan Arcidiacono.
The roster also featured Jalen Brunson, Mikal Bridges, Omari Spellman, and Chris Jenkins. On the bench, redshirting in a suit, was Dante DiVincenzo.
Sound familiar?
Almost the entire core of the future New York Knicks' "farm team" lineup was there.
And if you followed college basketball, you'd remember the championship game between Villanova and North Carolina—the one where Chris Jenkins hit that impossible, game-winning three off Arcidiacono's assist.
The very shot that left Michael Jordan wearing an expression of pure agony.
Time to start making moves.
The thought sharpened Chen Yilun's focus. Villanova was a goldmine—he needed to act early and grab those iron men for himself.
As names were called one after another, the draft order crept closer to the Kings' turn.
"Mm-hmm, that's right, go ahead and submit it."
Beside him, Peja was on the phone, coordinating nonstop. "Okay, okay, I'm sending the request now."
After hanging up, Peja exchanged a glance with Chen Yilun, nodded, and stepped out of the room.
When Adam Silver took the stage for the twentieth time—
"First, we have a trade to announce. The Indiana Pacers have traded their 20th pick to the Kings in exchange for the Kings' 23rd and 45th picks."
"With the 20th overall pick, the Indiana Pacers select Caris LeVert from the University of Michigan!"
...
(40 Chapters Ahead)
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