章節 109: Who Is It?
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Although D'Antoni is one of the best coaches in the NBA, famous for leading the Suns to the top, and Liam is a rookie head coach who has never coached an NBA team, in Curry's heart, Liam is the coach who understands him the most. Playing under Liam feels effortless; he wins games and enjoys every moment on the court.
Even if you put Liam next to legendary coaches like Phil Jackson and Popovich, Curry would still choose to play for him.
Liam joked, "Didn't Jeff already break it down for you? The Knicks have a huge market, and the Thunder have great teammates. You could go to New York and be a lone hero, or team up with Durant and Westbrook to form a Big Three. You might even reach the Finals quickly."
Curry shook his head quickly, "Boss, stop messing with me. I don't want to join the Thunder just to be a backup for a losing team!"
Liam laughed, "Alright, relax. I know the draft plans of most teams. They won't screw this up."
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June 25, Madison Square Garden, New York.
Today, the 2009 NBA Draft was being held, and ESPN was broadcasting it live to 203 countries and regions across the globe.
Despite the grand stage, many experts saw this year as a weak draft class. Other than Blake Griffin and James Harden, most players failed to capture much attention, especially after Curry's stock seemed to decline.
As the draft time approached, players, team executives, and spectators began to fill the venue.
The moment Curry stepped into the arena, all eyes were on him.
This was his first public appearance since the NCAA March Madness Finals in April.
Walking briskly alongside his family, Ayesha, and his agent, Jeff Austin, Curry entered Madison Square Garden.
From one of the suites, Thunder GM Sam Presti and Knicks president Donnie Walsh watched closely, studying Curry's every move. They noticed he showed no signs of injury, which caused both men to frown.
Curry isn't hurt!
But then why didn't he participate in any tryouts?
Unless… he already has a firm commitment from a team!
Presti's thoughts raced. At first, he considered the Clippers, but immediately dismissed the idea. The Clippers were locked in on drafting Blake Griffin with the No. 1 pick. If Presti had the top pick, he would choose Griffin too.
Griffin, with his explosive athleticism, post-up game, and mid-range shooting, was a surefire star, despite his short wingspan. Every team wanted him.
Next up were the Memphis Grizzlies with the No. 2 pick, but honestly, no one wanted to play in Memphis.
The Knicks, who had secured the No. 5 pick after a trade with the Timberwolves, had expressed strong interest in Curry. But the No. 5 pick didn't pose a real threat to the Thunder.
Presti couldn't shake the feeling something was off. To be safe, he pulled out his phone and called Kenny Williams, the GM of the Grizzlies.
"Sam, what's up?" Williams answered quickly.
"I wanted to know if you're interested in trading the No. 2 pick," Presti asked.
He heard Williams chuckle. "Why is everyone after my No. 2 pick? Sorry, Sam. It's already been traded."
Presti felt a cold wave rush over him. He took a deep breath and barely managed to stay calm as he asked, "Was it the Knicks?"
"No. Donnie Walsh came to me first, but he was also late. You'll find out soon enough… I've got other things to handle, Sam. Talk next time."
Presti hung up, his hand clenched into a tight fist as anger surged through him. He had been outmaneuvered.
Thinking back to his conversation with Jeff Austin, Presti realized he'd been played. Jeff had casually mentioned that Curry would be fine playing for the Thunder, making it seem like Curry's camp was open to the idea. Presti had taken that to mean Curry was okay with coming to Oklahoma City.
But now it was clear—Jeff Austin had been testing him, making sure Presti didn't see Curry as a real priority.
Presti had been too ambiguous in his response, allowing Austin to report back to another team that Curry could be taken before the Thunder's pick. In doing so, the Grizzlies had made a deal with that team to select Curry before Oklahoma City even had a chance.
Presti's mind raced. Why was this team so convinced of Curry's potential that they didn't even need a tryout? Why did Curry trust them so much that he skipped the tryouts, risking a drop in his draft ranking?
Before, Presti had been wary of Donnie Walsh, thinking the Knicks were the biggest threat to drafting Curry. But now it was clear the Knicks weren't the team. If they were, Walsh would have traded for the No. 2 pick the moment he sensed Presti's interest in Curry, not settled for the No. 5 pick.
So, who is it?
Who had teamed up with Jeff Austin to trick the entire league?
Meanwhile, in another suite, Donnie Walsh was seething with fury.
Less composed than Presti, Walsh immediately called Jeff Austin after hearing the Grizzlies had traded the No. 2 pick. But Austin didn't answer.
From across the room, Walsh glared at Austin, who was seated calmly next to Curry. His blood was boiling. He stood abruptly, ready to storm out of the box to confront the agent.
D'Antoni grabbed Walsh's arm. "Donnie, don't lose your head," he urged.
"That scumbag! Jeff Austin promised me Curry would come to New York, but now he's cut a deal with another team! How dare he play me for a fool!" Walsh snapped angrily.
D'Antoni was just as frustrated but remained composed. "Donnie, think. Austin told us Curry would play for the Knicks if we drafted him. But what if he's already made an agreement with another team, and they draft him before us?"
Walsh froze, suddenly understanding. "You mean… he's testing our reaction? Curry already has a deal with another team?"
D'Antoni sighed, "Yeah. We underestimated them. Curry must have gotten a commitment from another team, which is why he refused all tryouts. We weren't prepared for this."
Walsh sat down in defeat and slammed his hand on the couch. "I want to know who has the guts to pull this off. I refuse to believe Curry has a better option than the Knicks!"
End of this chapter
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Chugamc
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