Michael Jordan raised his arms to the roaring crowd, waving as the arena erupted once again.
"Why is Jordan here?" Chatford furrowed his brow in surprise, glancing at Bill Walton. "Isn't his draft strategy usually focused on North Carolina players?"
"Don't you know? The three core North Carolina players announced that if they don't win this season's championship, they will skip the NBA draft. So maybe the Bobcats are planning a B-scenario," Walton replied, rolling his eyes. "Leaving aside MJ's alma mater ties, perhaps he'll find a decent first-round pick this way."
The basketball god had never made consistently correct choices regarding the draft. Forget his pick of Kwame Brown in Washington, just his decisions with the Charlotte Bobcats had been frustrating.
In 2005, he picked Raymond Felton and Sean May (North Carolina) with the 5th and 13th picks, passing on Danny Granger, David Lee, and Andrew Bynum.
In 2006, he used the third pick on Adam Morrison, bypassing Brandon Roy, Rudy Gay, and Randy Foye.
In 2007, he selected Brandan Wright with the 8th pick, overlooking rookie first-team selection Joakim Noah.
Who knew what would happen this year?
Yet today, Jordan wasn't here to pick a draft player. As the founder of the Jordan Brand, he had been semi-officially barred from participating in draft selections for the Bobcats. He was here to scout Russell Westbrook, his mission aligned with Nike and Adidas.
Westbrook was unusual. His high school and freshman seasons had been quiet; brands had never preemptively courted him, nor had he joined elite sponsorship camps or the McDonald's All-American festivities.
But in the latter half of this season, he had exploded onto the scene, his athleticism outshining countless prodigies. Shoe brands loved explosive guards, and Westbrook, unclaimed and untapped, became a hot target.
Russell had recognized this. He had spent the past days contacting managers and even sought Snoopy's advice on economics. Snoopy had given him valuable guidance.
"Tonight, Snoopy, you're the power forward. Your main defensive assignment is Robin Lopez," Coach Holland instructed before the game.
Snoopy nodded.
For UCLA, Stanford's most dangerous player was Brook Lopez, clearly superior to his twin, highly skilled offensively, mastering the full array of post techniques. Holland ultimately assigned Kevin Love to guard him. Though not defensively gifted, Love's near-seven-foot height gave him a distinct advantage over Snoopy.
As the starters took the court, the ESPN commentary team raised eyebrows.
Walton and Chatford had agreed that UCLA should have paired Kevin Love with Luke Bamotte inside, better suited to Westbrook's DDM-led strategy.
"Coach Holland always thinks he's visionary," Walton said sharply. "Everyone knows what he's thinking. He assumes Snoopy won't play in the NBA, so he's willing to sacrifice his development. But, now is our chance to reach the Sweet Sixteen or even Elite Eight. Why not maximize Westbrook, Love, and the others to fight for the championship?"
"Selfish!" Walton added.
Meanwhile, Snoopy walked to midcourt, facing Robin Lopez.
The height difference between the two was staggering, even the referee frowned. The crowd laughed, it was the most comical jump ball they had ever seen.
Holland had originally planned for Kevin Love to jump, yet Snoopy smiled at the referee:
"I'll do it for UCLA."
Robin Lopez, standing at 7'0", barely looked at Snoopy, thinking the little guy was staging a joke.
Buzz!
The whistle blew, the ball tossed into the air.
Robin Lopez jumped, but his speed was too slow. Snoopy had already soared above him.
Smack!
His long arms swatted the ball to Westbrook.
The arena erupted in astonishment.
Previously, commentators had praised Snoopy's rebounding leap, but seeing him soar over a seven-foot reference like Robin Lopez was a visual shock.
"That vertical!"
Even the basketball god inhaled sharply, recalling Dennis Rodman. Snoopy's knee bend was less than Rodman's, yet he shot upward like a rocket, no leg folding required.
"A monster!" Jordan muttered under his breath.
Westbrook charged into the paint and threw down a thunderous dunk. The arena ignited, the crowd erupting at the sheer dominance.
Jordan Brand's VP whispered to him:
"Westbrook's athleticism rivals that of Memphis's point guard. We've heard Derrick Rose reached a verbal deal with Adidas. To compete, we need a similarly explosive point guard."
Michael Jordan nodded thoughtfully.
Currently, the biggest name under the Jordan Brand was Carmelo Anthony, but his style wasn't explosive, and shoe sales reflected that, barely a third of Jordan's peak.
Lately, Jordan had considered poaching one or two super guards from Nike. But Nike was no charity; brand competition mattered.
So, instead of waiting for others, Jordan came to the NCAA himself.
"I like that Snoopy kid," Jordan said suddenly.
The VP froze. He trusted the basketball god's judgment… but now doubted it completely.
"Michael, we're looking for guards, not big men," he whispered.
"Don't underestimate him," Jordan said seriously. "With his athleticism, he could easily transition."
The VP panicked internally, he remembered how Jordan once touted Kwame Brown in similar terms. Seven years later, Kwame still struggled with basic passing and catching fundamentals.
Snoopy had just caught the full attention of the basketball Goat.