Snoopy sat quietly in the locker room for ten minutes before standing and heading to the court.
He had spent his entire life under his parents' protection, every detail, from clothing and food to education and career planning, was meticulously managed.
But that didn't mean he would panic in the face of sudden changes.
On the contrary, he was calm. Ten minutes were enough to map out a plan in his mind. He decided not to return home, for now, going back wouldn't help. Staying in UCLA, however, gave him the opportunity to earn money quickly, depending on his performance on the court.
Previously, he had treated the NBA draft with casual indifference. The massive sums described by Russell Westbrook and Kevin Love were just stories to him.
But now, after two phone calls, everything had changed.
He wanted to do something for his father, for his family. His desire for money had suddenly outstripped that of any UCLA player.
His studies at Anderson College had taught him about financing, but now he had to build fame and declare for the draft, leveraging brand effects.
At the sideline, Coach Holland was discussing with defensive coach Nolan whether Luke Bamotte should start at forward alongside Kevin Love to counter the Lopez brothers. Luke's mobility and height were better suited.
"No. I'm starting tonight. I'll find a way to handle the Lopez brothers myself," Snoopy said firmly.
Holland looked at him. For the first time, he saw fire in Snoopy's normally lazy eyes.
Without hesitation, he nodded. "Okay, you're starting."
Nolan was puzzled. He liked Snoopy but knew that at his height, he couldn't match Brook Lopez, the so-called "White Duncan", and Robin Lopez would dominate the boards.
"Why?" Nolan asked.
Holland smiled. "Because I saw the fire in his eyes."
Fire? What?
…
ESPN chose this matchup for national broadcast, with Time Warner covering California. Commentators included draft expert Chatford and UCLA legend Bill Walton.
During UCLA's scrimmage, Walton approached the court. The coaching staff and executives greeted him, but Holland didn't. Walton didn't either, they had a long-standing feud dating back to Holland's first day as UCLA head coach, when Walton publicly criticized him.
Yet Walton's personal grudge didn't stop him from speaking to Snoopy. As the players returned to the bench, Walton approached:
"Hey, Snoopy. I've watched your games. Your positioning under the basket is excellent, but you need to improve your footwork on both ends. After the game, if you have time, I can demonstrate some moves for you."
The players gasped.
Bill Walton, an NBA Hall of Fame center, was offering to teach footwork, a rare honor and a mark of distinction.
Snoopy didn't know Walton personally, but hearing his teammates' excitement and the coaches' barely-contained joy, even a fool could see Walton was a major figure.
Snoopy realized he needed to learn more about basketball techniques; relying on instincts alone wouldn't suffice.
"Sure, I'll make time," Snoopy said politely.
"Hope you can handle the Lopez brothers. This game will truly impact your draft stock," Walton added, patting him on the shoulder.
Snoopy smiled and nodded.
…
Although not as flashy as Michael Beasley, the Lopez brothers had attracted two NBA GMs: one from the Phoenix Suns, one from the Brooklyn Nets.
The Suns, after three seasons of run-and-gun chaos, were finally rebuilding. They even brought Shaquille O'Neal from Miami, but Phoenix's heat and Shaq's size limited their effectiveness, the chemistry with Steve Nash was minimal. Still, the management remained committed to change and turned to the draft. Brook Lopez reminded scouts of Tim Duncan, classic post moves, solid fundamentals, but slower.
The Nets, meanwhile, wanted a reliable inside partner for Vince Carter. Many teams saw combinations like OKC or Yao-McGrady as ideal championship formulas, classic inside-outside duos.
Other scouts were present too. As the NCAA entered the Sweet Sixteen, NBA teams intensified their talent search. Shoe sponsors like Adidas and Nike sent senior managers, primarily scouting Russell Westbrook, whose explosive play had him projected in the lottery. Sponsors knew dynamic players sold shoes.
The biggest name arrived five minutes before the game: surrounded by bodyguards, he entered the arena. Everyone, including bench players, screamed.
"Michael Jordan!"
Even Snoopy could recognize the legendary figure. The true Goat of basketball had arrived.