Mountain Peak System: a Path to NBA-Chapter 746 - 266: The Abandoned Child, The Old General Who Desires to Cling to Powerful Coattails

June 29th.

The 2012 NBA Draft is held on schedule at the theater of Madison Square Garden.

In the center of the stage, as usual, David Stern faced a storm of boos during his speech.

However, unlike previous years.

This year, Stern was booed primarily because the public believed he manipulated the draft pick that ultimately went to the New Orleans Hornets.

As Qin Yue remembers, because the league did not allow any new owner of the Hornets to relocate the team from New Orleans, which still hasn't recovered from the hurricane.

Therefore, after the Benson family agreed to take over this devastated team, rumors quickly spread that the Hornets would receive compensation from the league.

To quell the rumors, Stern explained: "The NBA draft lottery has always been fair, open, and just."

But considering that this year's top favorite was "America's First Son" Anthony Davis.

Even if the league didn't actually manipulate the outcome, the Hornets, already in the spotlight, were bound to attract the envy of fans from other teams.

"Will Anthony Davis be the next Messiah?" — ESPN Real-time News Feed

At the draft site, no surprises.

With the first overall pick in the first round, the Benson family unsurprisingly selected "Brother Nong Mei" Davis, who led the University of Kentucky to the championship in March Madness this year, for the New Orleans Hornets, soon to be renamed the Pelicans next season.

As a young player with a draft template as the GOAT.

Although, compared to the mature Qin Yue back then, nineteen-year-old Davis had many details to improve in his scouting report.

But Davis, who had just decided to enter the draft, was already widely supported by the public due to his similar physical test data to Qin Yue, even before his participation, receiving a massive 5-year, $55 million deal from Nike.

Moreover, it should be noted that Davis, who is still developing, has not yet reached the limit of his dynamic and static talents.

From the future, Qin Yue was fortunate enough to see Davis's physical test data at twenty-one years old.

Barefoot height 208 cm.

Height in shoes 211 cm.

Wingspan 233 cm.

Standing reach 284 cm.

Standing vertical leap 75 cm.

Running vertical leap 91 cm.

And before gaining weight, his 3/4 court sprint time of 3.3 seconds, and four-point movement in the three-second zone under 11 seconds.

No exaggeration...

This is a physical test data that would be considered monstrous in any era.

In addition to having historically unparalleled dynamic and static talents, during his college years, Davis also showed scouts his potentially exploitable Human-Ball Integration and already foundational defensive awareness.

Therefore, the high expectations people have for Davis, hoping he could become the next himself, in Qin Yue's view, is definitely not unrealistic.

"Do you think Anthony can surpass you in the future?"

As someone close to the GOAT, Evansi, now eagerly wishes Qin Yue could wipe them out on the court whenever a rare talent appears, curiously asked.

Upon hearing, Qin Yue said: "Apart from myself, I don't think anyone can surpass me in the next fifty years."

As someone who has been through it, Qin Yue fully understands people's hopes for a young genius to surpass him in the NBA.

After all, before he crossed over, one of Qin Yue's life's pleasures watching basketball was anticipating the emergence of young players who could surpass Jordan.

But unfortunately...

Not even the current Davis, and even the future "C-James" incredible Davis, is nothing more than this in Qin Yue's eyes today.

In these two years, Qin Yue has already felt a loneliness that probably only Jordan felt back then.

"You know, Ronnie, in fact, I am more eager than anyone for Anthony to grow quickly, beyond everyone's expectations." At this moment, turning his gaze to Evans, Qin Yue said.

"Why?"

"Because being invincible is a very lonely thing."

At the draft site, Davis, wearing the crown of the first pick, attracted enough attention with his eyebrows that seemed filled with wisdom.

And next, the Blazers with the second overall pick, made what Qin Yue viewed as a sure-win trade.

Sending out the second pick Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, the Blazers not only traded with the Kings to acquire Damian Lillard, who was selected sixth in the first round by the opposing team, but also by adding two no-name players, the Blazers used their acquired seventh overall pick from the Kings to select the "Black Hawk" from North Carolina, Harrison Barnes.

Although from this trade result, the Kings indeed acquired Kidd-Gilchrist, who was outstanding before the draft and hailed as an all-around swingman.

But losing Lillard and Barnes, the Kings unbelievably missed out on two correct answers.

With the Kings' support, Qin Yue believes that the Blazers' resurgence is only a matter of time.

Besides, the third, fourth, and fifth picks in the first round, Bradley Beal, Dion West, and Thomas Robinson were selected by the Timberwolves, Wizards, and Knights, respectively.

And while Qin Yue was still pondering the great trade made by the Blazers...

Having lost his crown and recently been dubbed the "Destined Child" with a new nickname, LeBron James received news that drove him crazy.

Knicks general manager Donnie Walsh struck the Minnesota Timberwolves.