Silent Love

Some exist with pride, others struggle with pride, some compete with pride, and there are those who fail with pride, but very few can walk away with pride. 
Congratulations, for as you read these lines, you have witnessed the whole lives of many great basketball players.
This pronunciation was embodied when Stephen Curry, after facing defeat in 2021, claimed that no one would want to face them the following season; When Tim Duncan was convinced before the start of the 2014 Finals that they would not mess up; When Kobe Bryant promised at Old Buss's memorial to take the Lakers to the playoffs; When Nowitzki, shedding his label as a soft player, retreated to the locker room in tears at night; When Kevin Garnett let out a skyward howl after holding the championship trophy; When the 2004 Detroit Pistons won and the F4 Lakers lost…

Our story begins in an era when pride still mattered.

Basketball Legend: When Pride Still Matters

The draft lottery's destiny was decided.


After that, Eric Bledsoe was selected by the Miami Heat.


The Supersonics' favored player, Quincy Pondexter, was snapped up by Houston at the 20th pick of the first round.


More surprisingly, Jeremy Lin, previously projected as a mid-second-round prospect, was selected by the Golden State Warriors at the 26th pick of the first round.


The Supersonics' top choices and backups were chosen before it was their turn to pick.


When the draft came to the Supersonics' turn, Presti reluctantly selected Lazar Hayward, a junior Small Forward from Marquette University.


The Supersonics' draft this year hastily concluded against the backdrop of labor disputes.


Presti didn't believe at all that Hayward could help the team in the short term, and the Supersonics needed to strengthen through free agency.


But now he wasn't really sure if they even had a free market, nor could he be certain if the next season would start as scheduled.


Chapter 532: The Longest Vacation_3