At the draft, He Ximeng also met old friends McGrady and Billups.
Billups appeared mature beyond his years, possessing a composure that surpassed his age.
McGrady, on the other hand, still had that sleepy, unfazed demeanor, as if he had never known what nervousness felt like.
Before the draft officially began, He Ximeng took the initiative to approach and greet these two rookies.
Billups was clearly surprised that He Ximeng recognized him. As a fellow point guard, Billups had been following the rookies who entered the league last year, observing how they adapted to the NBA's pace. Therefore, he was not unaware of He Ximeng. He had even watched the Western Conference Finals between the Lakers and the Jazz, and knew about He Ximeng's inspiring performance.
McGrady, however, had a "who are you?" look. As another highly talented high school player after Kobe, McGrady clearly didn't pay much attention to when the league gained another Eastern face like He Ximeng.
Those who didn't know McGrady would definitely think he was arrogant and impolite.
But He Ximeng knew McGrady's personality well. He knew he wasn't deliberately being aloof, but was naturally laid-back. He didn't really care about many things in the league.
On-site in Charlotte, He Ximeng witnessed Duncan being selected first overall by the Spurs, Billups going third overall to the Celtics, and McGrady being chosen ninth overall by the Raptors.
After witnessing the 1997 draftees being selected by the teams one by one, He Ximeng took a detour back to his alma mater, Wake Forest University, to visit his former college mentor, Dave Odom, and Bobby Jones, with whom he had a good relationship.
"Unbelievable, Ximeng! You've only been in the NBA for one season and you've already established yourself. And that's the Lakers, mind you..." Dave Odom said, looking at He Ximeng with emotion.
"Speaking of which, Ximeng only spent one season in the NCAA, and won a championship with Tim, didn't he?" Bobby Jones retorted without hesitation from the side.
"Uh..." Dave Odom was momentarily speechless.
Bobby Jones and Dave Odom were both instrumental figures in He Ximeng's growth.
The former had given He Ximeng a fair opportunity to showcase his skills at the Nike Peak Summit, while the latter had granted He Ximeng considerable freedom to play during his time at Wake Forest. Without their help, He Ximeng wouldn't have been able to transition from a high school student in China to an NBA professional player in just two years.
Gratitude was a virtue He Ximeng had always held dear.
However, the current He Ximeng had nothing substantial to offer them. For now, he treated them to a meal to express his gratitude. He also promised that if they ever wanted to watch a Lakers game, they could contact him anytime, and he would prepare VIP tickets for them as a token of his appreciation.
But Dave Odom and Bobby Jones lived in North Carolina, making it highly unlikely for them to travel to Los Angeles to watch Lakers games. He Ximeng's promise was more symbolic than practical, a way to express respect.
Moreover, Dave Odom and Bobby Jones were successful individuals in society and were not lacking in Lakers tickets, even playoff tickets.
After concluding his trip to Charlotte, He Ximeng flew with John to Oregon. At the invitation of Mr. Tinker, He Ximeng visited the Nike headquarters to finalize the design of his first signature shoe.
According to the agreement between He Ximeng and Nike, once He Ximeng became an All-Star player, the "Ximeng Dynasty" series would become an independent brand spun off from Nike, with He Ximeng owning 3% equity and becoming a co-owner of the series. However, before that, "Ximeng Dynasty" would be tested in the market as a Nike series. He Ximeng would not be entitled to profit sharing, but if the shoes sold well and reached a certain sales target, he would receive corresponding bonuses.
But no matter how substantial the bonuses were, they paled in comparison to profit sharing.
He Ximeng didn't pay much attention to the bonuses. However, as the first shoe in the "Ximeng Dynasty" series, he took it very seriously, hoping to gain the recognition of fans and lay the groundwork for subsequent shoes.
For the second shoe in the "Ximeng Dynasty" series, He Ximeng planned to draw inspiration from the Qin Dynasty, with a primary focus on black.
For the third shoe in the "Ximeng Dynasty" series, He Ximeng planned to draw inspiration from the Zhou Dynasty, with a primary focus on red.
...
After the Nike headquarters visit, He Ximeng had just returned to Los Angeles when Jill arrived at He Ximeng and Keira's cozy apartment with the script for "Pirates of the Caribbean 1." The couple had to hastily clean up the remnants of the previous night's activities before hosting Jill at their only dining table.
Logically, He Ximeng was now a small millionaire with a net worth exceeding a million dollars. Keira's family, while not immensely wealthy, was at least upper-class American, residing in large villas in affluent neighborhoods.
But Jill couldn't comprehend why these friends, who seemingly didn't lack money, were content to live in this small apartment.
Was it truly just because of its proximity to the film academy?
When Jill entered, the room had been superficially tidied, but a peculiar scent, like that of chestnut blossoms, still lingered in the air.
Popovich's household enforced strict discipline, and Jill had only ever had one boyfriend and no cohabitation experience. Thus, she was unfamiliar with this chestnut blossom-like aroma.
"Did some food go bad in your place?" Jill asked directly, frowning. This was typical of the straightforward girl; she was most unreserved with those she considered friends.
He Ximeng quickly opened the windows and turned on the kitchen exhaust fan to speed up air circulation, then replied sheepishly, "We ordered some seafood pizza yesterday, and some of it is in the trash..."
"No wonder..." Jill, with her straightforward nature but pure heart, was thus easily fooled by He Ximeng.
The script itself had no major issues. During the process of writing his novel, He Ximeng had largely referenced Jill's original script structure. Most of their discussion revolved around the upcoming copyright sales.
Jill had already registered the script on the Film Association's website, obtaining a copyright number. Simultaneously, she realized the script was entering the selection pools of major film companies worldwide.
Through Jill's mentor, who was also Keira's mother, two film companies had expressed interest in acquiring the script's rights outright.
Jill was proficient in scriptwriting but lacked experience in selling scripts, so she came to He Ximeng for advice.
He Ximeng, experienced in such matters, unequivocally advised Jill not to sell the copyright but to use it as equity, sharing the final profits with the film company.
A good script is priceless, especially a super IP script that is certain to be a massive hit.