As the draft gradually approached, the NBA 95-96 season finally came to an end.
On June 16th, the sixth game of the NBA Finals began.
Hailed as the final battle, this game ended without any suspense.
Michael Jordan, who retired for two years and returned last year, had shown a strong desire to win since his comeback. From the regular season to the playoffs, he gave his all without any slack.
When God decides to work, others can only play supporting roles.
Seattle was the worst victim. They fought through the tough Western Conference only to face Michael Jordan, who had transformed into a god.
Failure was their only outcome.
And once again, Michael Jordan showed who the true leader of the league was.
When I'm not here, you can divide the world!
When I'm back, the throne is still mine!
This day was unforgettable for all fans.
It was also a meaningful day for Lin Tianhui.
On this day, he signed with the agent who would shape his entire career.
Lin Tianhui had planned for this since deciding to enter the draft. Being a time traveler, he knew the abilities of various agents well and had no trouble finding a satisfactory one.
After leading the University of Massachusetts to a historic championship, many well-known agents approached him.
However, Lin Tianhui had one ideal candidate in mind: Bill Duffy.
Greed, cunning, scheming, and unscrupulousness had become synonymous with agents. Many people accepted this and didn't see it as biased.
In some people's eyes, interests were above all else.
But Lin Tianhui valued character highly.
There were still many agents who were upright and honorable. Bill Duffy was one of them, sincerely serving his players and even compensating clients out of his own pocket.
He hoped his players also had good character, refusing to represent those with bad reputations.
Such an agent was the ideal candidate for Lin Tianhui.
In normal history, Duffy was also Yao Ming's agent and a member of Yao's team.
All of these factors made Lin Tianhui value him highly.
Duffy's business abilities were also not to be underestimated.
While not necessarily stronger than other agents, he was certainly not weaker.
Today, Lin Tianhui took the initiative to meet Bill Duffy.
They hit it off immediately, had a great conversation, and soon signed a contract.
Their mutual appreciation of each other's character was a crucial factor in their cooperation.
After signing, they made preliminary plans for Lin Tianhui's career.
Bill promised to do his best to secure the best interests for Lin Tianhui.
Lin Tianhui believed in him unconditionally.
One should not doubt those they employ, and trust is essential in cooperation.
Now, their biggest concern was the upcoming draft.
Lin Tianhui's draft placement would determine his starting point in the NBA.
This was beyond their control, and they could only wait.
Meanwhile, the rest of the league was busy.
With the 95-96 season over, teams were preparing for the new season.
The draft was the most cost-effective way to improve.
Each team focused on selecting players that best suited their style.
In the next few days, Lin Tianhui and Marcus Camby tried out for the teams with the top 14 picks.
Every team showed great interest, but even Lin and Camby didn't know where they would end up.
Auerbach and Jerry West had targeted conversations with the Celtics and Lakers during workouts.
They hinted at future cooperation, hoping Lin and Camby would consider their teams if not drafted by them.
This confirmed the ambitions of these teams.
Even if they couldn't secure the players now, they would try in the future.
Lin Tianhui and Camby gave ambiguous answers, choosing to keep their options open.
It's too early to say what will happen, and avoiding commitment is the best strategy.
Everyone eagerly awaited the draft.
And as time passed, that day was drawing near!