Time flew by, and it was already June 20th, with less than 5 days remaining until the 2009 NBA Draft.
"Kayce, your flight ticket for tomorrow is booked. Do you need me to arrange a hotel for you?" Chapman had been helping Kayce with draft matters, and now it was finally all taken care of.
"No need for a hotel. Britney should pick me up and I'll stay with her. Are you really sure the Los Angeles Clippers will pick Griffin?" Kayce asked curiously.
"Of course, this is information I paid a hefty price to get. It's said that Dunleavy and the general manager even had an argument over this, but the owner stepped in and finalized Griffin's selection."
Chapman proudly shared his inside information.
"Old Dunleavy is a good man. Honestly, I really like Los Angeles. Any news from Memphis?" Kayce sighed, then asked.
"Hard to say, but they might pick Thabeet, or they might pick you. However, Presti called me and said that even if Memphis picks you, he can handle it."
Hearing this, Kayce understood. It was basically settled: the Thunder would select him!
"Alright then, you've worked hard during this time. I'll probably still need your help looking over the contract later." Kayce thanked his agent, as this was a friendly service.
"It's no big deal. I have professionals here, and your rookie contract shouldn't be complicated. Most likely, it'll be a 3+1. Don't forget to come to Big Machine Records in New York to record your single!"
Chapman, afraid that Kayce would flake on him again, quickly reminded him.
"Don't worry, Britney is even more invested in this than you are. I definitely won't forget this time." Kayce waved his hand, preparing to continue reading at the library and enjoy his leisurely campus life.
The next day, when Kayce arrived in New York, he was picked up by James Harden, accompanied by his good friend DeRozan.
"Kayce, you're finally here! We haven't had any fun these past few days without you!" Harden warmly welcomed Kayce's arrival.
Kayce stepped forward and fist-bumped the two in greeting. Today was the day for him and his superficial brothers to gather.
"Didn't Griffin take you guys out to have fun? He's not unfamiliar with New York!" Kayce didn't believe these guys had been cooped up in a hotel all day.
"That guy only likes white girls. Going out with him is no fun at all." Harden complained to Kayce about Griffin's taste.
"Alright, I'll lead the way tonight. Considering Steph Curry's baby face, I'll take you guys to a private place. Don't worry, you'll have all the hot girls you love!"
James, the big-butt enthusiast, Harden declared that Kayce was his true brother. DeRozan watched Harden, who was constantly losing his integrity, feeling speechless.
The nightlife in the Big Apple was colorful. The place Kayce went to was opened by a partner of the Dutton Family, and he had super VIP treatment there.
His superficial brothers completely relaxed after arriving, chugging down drinks.
"Steph, have you settled things with New York? Don't let anything go wrong tomorrow." Kayce looked at Curry, who was drinking heavily with his head down, and asked about the draft situation.
"No problem, New York will definitely pick me. My intentions have always been clear, there won't be any surprises."
Curry replied with a smile. His father had been working on this for him, and he had also publicly expressed his desire, so everyone would generally give him some face, especially since he wasn't the first pick.
"That's good. Next time you come to New York, this will be your home court, so you'll have to treat us well!" Kayce immediately raised his glass, signaling everyone to toast Curry.
"I should be going to Los Angeles. My agent has already informed me. It's a pity, Kayce, that you won't be there anymore. It won't be as much fun!"
Griffin said to Kayce, raising his glass while embracing a white girl.
"Los Angeles is a good place, but the Los Angeles Clippers' locker room has a lot of old guys. Just be careful!" Kayce advised, then clinked glasses with Griffin.
"Alright guys, no more talk about that! It's party time, let's get hyped!" Harden was already a bit tipsy, hugging a girl with a big butt and starting to shout.
Tonight was their last indulgence. Even DeRozan joined in, singing and dancing. Kayce and his superficial brothers partied until dawn.
When Kayce woke up in Britney's house, it was already the afternoon of the next day. He rubbed his throbbing head, slowly got up, and observed the room.
"Wow, Brtiney is indeed a rich girl. This is so close to Central Park!" Kayce felt a bit conflicted, feeling like he was leaning towards becoming a kept man.
"Are you awake? I was almost exhausted yesterday. Why did you drink so much?" Britney, in loose pajamas, came to Kayce's side.
"I promise this is the last time. The house is amazing! The night view from here must be beautiful!" Kayce quickly changed the subject.
"Hehe, actually, I also prepared a little surprise for you. I redesigned the bathroom. Do you want to go see it together?" Brtiney beckoned to Kayce.
"Of course, Princess, I can't wait." Kayce embraced Britney and slowly walked towards the bathroom.
Ball-handling skills shouldn't just be practiced with a big ball; a small ball also needs practice. After another intense round of sparring, Kayce ended the game feeling refreshed. Brtiney still needed to work on her sparring; stamina was her weakness.
On June 24th, Kayce received his family. The Dutton Family had all come today.
"I missed you all so much, Li, Joanna. How has everything been at home? Every time I call, you both say everything's fine!" Kayce stepped forward to hug his adoptive parents.
"Everything is fine at home. The Indian reservation is still the same old story. I will deal with them." Li Dutton was still the same tough old man who knew no compromise.
"Don't listen to him, it's not that serious at all. Daniel's real estate company has already made concessions, and the reservation will eventually settle. Let's not talk about these things. Congratulations, Kayce, you are truly our pride!"
Seeing that Joanna didn't want to say more, Kayce followed suit and changed the topic. He knew he couldn't help, so he could only keep the kindness in his heart.
"Jamie is our pride, the Attorney General! You'll definitely win the election!" Kayce immediately praised his brother.
"Haha, Roy is the pillar of the family, Kayce. Congratulations, I always thought you'd go into music!" Jamie shrugged, immediately redirecting the conversation to Roy.
"Alright, Beth just returned from London. Let's go home first, and then we can talk slowly." Roy was the most stable child in the Dutton Family; he would take care of everyone's emotions.
"Let's go, Kayce, let's eat first, we're all starving!" Beth immediately gave Kayce a look, signaling that they would discuss family matters later.
That evening, Roy, Jamie, and Beth took turns recounting the family's events in detail. Kayce had a sleepless night.
"It seems I need to advance my music plans. Only money can solve problems!"
On June 25th, Kayce, relying on the B-grade energy drinks from the Dream Space, was fully recharged and full of vitality. The Dutton Family had all changed into formal attire. Today was the Draft, and the whole family was accompanying Kayce in the green room, waiting for the draft results.
"Are you nervous? You don't need to worry about family matters. Manchester United has already started making money, and our funds are currently fine!" Beth walked to Kayce's side and whispered.
"I'm not nervous at all. The draft results were already out. Actually, I also have some small plans that can alleviate some financial pressure in a couple of years." Kayce first glanced at Joanna, then explained to Beth.
"You focus on your own affairs first. Anne and Britney should be arriving soon. I'll go help you pick them up." Beth patted Kayce's shoulder and turned to leave.
New York, Madison Square Garden. Many New York Knicks fans were present today, and of course, there were many reporters. After all, the NBA was a minor hot topic, and media people thrived on chasing hot topics.
"Your family members all have such great physiques, so imposing." Britney quietly whispered to Beth.
"I think it's fine. What, are you more nervous than Kayce today?" Beth teased Brtiney, who immediately rolled her eyes at her.
Anne and Joanna, on the other hand, were chatting together, though it was unclear what they were discussing. Kayce quietly observed the situation, and when his superficial brothers entered, he went over to greet them.
When David Stern walked onto the main stage, the venue immediately became noisy. Kayce even saw media from China at this moment.
The broadcasters continuously focused their cameras on Griffin, Thabeet, and Kayce. These three were all hot contenders for the first pick!
After David Stern's brief speech, a staff member handed him an envelope. Kayce noticed that Griffin was somewhat nervous at this moment.
Stern calmly opened the envelope and read into the microphone:
"With the first pick in the 2009 NBA Draft, the Los Angeles Clippers select forward Blake Griffin from Oklahoma University."
Griffin immediately breathed a sigh of relief, hugged his family, and went on stage for a photo.
Stern favored Griffin, as his explosive playing style was more likely to attract an audience.
"With the second pick in the first round of the 2009 NBA Draft, the Memphis Grizzlies select center Hasheem Thabeet from the University of Connecticut."
Kayce breathed a sigh of relief. He really didn't want to go to Memphis.
"With the third pick in the first round of the 2009 NBA Draft, the Oklahoma City Thunder select forward Kayce Li from UCLA."
"Thankfully, there were no mistakes!"
Kayce felt a sense of relief, first embracing his family, then waving to his superficial brothers, and finally walking onto the stage.
Kayce, wearing a hat, smiled as he posed for a photo with Commissioner Stern. His NBA basketball career officially began at this moment!