The grand lineup was fully cataloged, and it was time for the 2001 NBA Draft.
He Xi Meng, as an unofficial member of the Spurs' draft team, accompanied Popovich, Budenholzer, Mike Brown, and others to Madison Square Garden in New York.
As per his prior agreement with Jordan, He Xi Meng immediately headed to the Wizards' draft team's temporary residence: The Rosewood Hotel!
The Rosewood Hotel was one of New York's most luxurious establishments, situated on Madison Avenue, surrounded by renowned art museums like the Met and the Guggenheim. However, its most famous attribute wasn't its opulence, but its reputation as the most romantic hotel in New York, and the most frequent spot for chance encounters...
Uh, He Xi Meng had no idea why Jordan wasn't booking at The Langham, Four Seasons, or Waldorf, but insisted on choosing the Rosewood. Could it be that he was hoping for a romantic rendezvous during the draft?
However, whatever Jordan was planning, and whoever he was meeting, was none of He Xi Meng's business. He Xi Meng just wanted to quickly confirm whether Jordan would agree to trade the Wizards' first overall pick or not.
On the top floor of the Rosewood Hotel, in the Presidential Suite.
He Xi Meng rang the doorbell, only to have a seductive woman dressed as a bunny girl open the door...
"Excuse me, does Mr. Jordan stay here?" He Xi Meng asked the buxom bunny girl with an awkward yet elegant demeanor.
"Wow! Are you Mr. Xi Meng?" the bunny girl asked with a charming smile. "Come in! Mr. Jordan is waiting for you in his study!"
"Uh... Did he not tell you I was coming?"
"He only said a friend was coming over. I didn't expect it to be you!" the bunny girl whispered. "I'm a fan of yours! Give me a call when you have time..."
As she spoke, the bunny girl magically pulled a pink business card from her chest, waved it in front of He Xi Meng, and tucked it into the breast pocket of his suit jacket. The card contained not only a phone number but also a very sexy selfie. Yeah, very sexy...
He Xi Meng couldn't figure out if this was a personal gesture from the bunny girl or a small test arranged by Jordan. But it didn't matter; this was small potatoes for He Xi Meng. Kayla was far more alluring when she walked the Victoria's Secret runway.
"Speaking of which, in this life, hasn't Kayla been booked for the Victoria's Secret fashion show yet? What's going on? Should I take the initiative?"
The thought of Kayla's Victoria's Secret show made the bunny girl in front of him seem rather pedestrian. However, unsure of the bunny girl's true intentions, He Xi Meng chose to proceed cautiously. He neither refused nor accepted, but instead raised an eyebrow and feigned surprise. He maintained the perfect balance of distance and tact. To put it plainly, it revealed nothing.
The bunny girl pushed open the study door for He Xi Meng and ushered him in before closing the door behind him.
In the dimly lit study, behind a massive desk, Jordan, dressed in a dark suit, was smoking a large cigar, flipping through a player's file amidst wisps of smoke.
This scene instantly reminded He Xi Meng of the movie "The Godfather." The aura, the demeanor, it was identical to the Godfather!
He had to admit, the scene immensely enhanced Jordan's already charismatic image.
Anyone with a weaker will might have been tempted to bow down before Jordan and obey his commands.
However, He Xi Meng was clearly not susceptible to Jordan's tricks. He had dealt with Jordan more than once in his previous life, having poached many players from him, so he didn't mind doing it a few more times in this life...
What truly captivated He Xi Meng's attention, however, was the player file in Jordan's hand. As He Xi Meng's eyes swept over it, he was immediately drawn in!
From the corner of the photo peeking out from the file's cover... it was unmistakably a scout report from He Xi Meng's draft year!
"Old Joe, why are you looking at my scout report?" He Xi Meng felt a sudden sense of foreboding.
"Want one?" Jordan casually picked up a beautifully packaged cigar from the table and slid it across the surface to He Xi Meng.
He Xi Meng took the cigar, pretending to admire its artful packaging, while his mind raced, analyzing why Jordan was holding his scout report.
"Could it be that Old Joe is interested in me? But that doesn't make sense!"
He Xi Meng shook his head, quickly dismissing the improbable thought. Being scouted by Jordan's genius draft eye was not a good omen.
While thinking this, He Xi Meng prepared to return the cigar to Jordan.
"I don't get the enjoyment out of this thing; I won't waste it..."
Jordan immediately stopped him, "I never take back what I give away!"
A display of raw dominance! Yes, this was the Jordan He Xi Meng was familiar with.
He Xi Meng had no choice but to raise the cigar, signaling his acceptance.
"Now, can we talk about that number one pick?"
"No, before that, let's talk about you!"
"What do you mean?"
"Simple! Come to the Wizards, and together, we'll sweep the league!"
Good heavens! He really had been targeted by Jordan!
The Spurs were just trying to steal a knight, and this guy was trying to raid their base!
While He Xi Meng wasn't the Spurs' number one star, he was at least their number two. The Duncan + He Xi Meng combination had already proven capable of competing for a championship, and both were still on the rise. In the coming seasons, they would only get stronger, not weaker. Only a fool would give up a super combination to gamble on a rookie who hadn't even entered the league... Even if that rookie had great future potential, it would take time to develop. The most pressing issue was what the Spurs would do next season. Therefore, the Spurs would certainly not use He Xi Meng as a bargaining chip for the first overall pick.
"I'm not sure how you heard about my decision to come back, but I know you know! After I make my comeback, I need help to lead me to another championship... Scottie is getting old, and his condition isn't what it used to be. But in you, I see the shadow of the old Scottie! I'm confident that if you come to the Wizards, we can form the league's strongest backcourt pairing again and win another threepeat without a problem..."
Listening to Jordan's grand pronouncements, He Xi Meng felt a cold sweat break out on his back.
He had seen his fair share of storms, but being singled out by Jordan and included in his third "threepeat plan" filled He Xi Meng with a profound and overwhelming sense of pressure...