Draft Predictions, Charging into the Lottery!

[Michael Jordan Announces Retirement]

The news had barely broken before the entire world was shaken.

Everyone thought it was fake news.

Danzi had just completed a Three-Peat, reaching the Finals three times without ever missing the championship.

And in last season's grueling battle against the Phoenix Suns, he had delivered the greatest Finals performance ever, averaging 41 points per game.

To date,

Jordan had won three regular-season MVPs, three Finals MVPs, and two Olympic gold medals.

Seven scoring titles, three steals titles, eight All-NBA selections, six All-Defensive selections, and one Defensive Player of the Year award!

It was no exaggeration to say

Danzi was the one true god of this era.

Yet,

he had chosen to retire at the peak of his powers!

Why?

At the press conference, Jordan gave this reason for his retirement before the cameras:

"Now, I had nothing left to prove. I no longer had the motivation to keep fighting, so I chose to say goodbye. I would challenge MLB."

But everyone knew Jordan's retirement had never been about just one reason.

This July, just one month after Jordan led his team to an NBA Three-Peat, his father, James Jordan, was brutally shot and killed.

Old Jordan had gone to attend an old friend's funeral and parked his car by the roadside to rest. No one expected that while he was still asleep, two young men looking for money would strike, taking Jordan's phone and two NBA championship rings in the process.

Ten days later, the police found Old Jordan's body and quickly arrested the two criminals.

But no matter what punishment those two criminals received, it could not change the fact that Jordan had permanently lost his father at the most glorious moment of his life.

The incident affected him deeply. It completely took away his emotional pillar, pushing him to the verge of collapse and leading him to retire.

Even though then-NBA commissioner David Stern fought desperately to keep Jordan.

Jordan's determination to retire could not be dragged back even by nine dragons pulling a coffin.

"Li, this is insane."

When Kidd saw the news, he was so shocked he barely dared to breathe:

"The Bulls had just won a Three-Peat. Without MJ, who would even watch Bulls games?"

Li Fei shrugged.

Just the Bulls?

How great was the impact of Jordan's retirement on the NBA in the 1990s?

It was simply unimaginable!

The plunge in Bulls ratings was only a small part of it. The entire NBA's ratings would fall by 35%!

Ticket sales would decline by 20%, while average ticket prices would plunge by 15%. Advertising and merchandise revenue would each drop by 15% to 20%.

NBA stock prices, as well as those of commercial partners associated with the NBA, such as Adidas, Nike, Gatorade, Coca-Cola, Pepsi, and Air Jordan... would all be heavily affected, their stock prices crashing.

At the same time,

the impact on global sports culture and fans' emotions would also be unimaginable.

Jordan was one of the most popular athletes in the world at the time. His retirement left countless fans feeling lost and disappointed in the NBA, and large numbers of Basketball fans turned to other sports instead.

"Li, do you think the NBA will have a lockout this season? MJ's retirement has too great an impact."

"Don't worry, there won't be a lockout."

Li Fei said with a smile, "Not only will there be no lockout, but the NBA's All-Stars are probably celebrating like crazy right now. This is their best chance to make a run at the championship."

Kidd nodded.

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Jordan's retirement

was equivalent to the biggest boss disappearing from an NBA where all the heroes were competing for supremacy.

Li Fei said, "Whoever wins the championship in the two years Jordan is retired and carries the ratings will become a future superstar."

Thinking of that, Li Fei grew a little excited.

He would not make it in time for this season.

But next season, he would enter the NBA. It was not like he had no chance.

Forget about championships for now. As long as someone could bring the ratings back up, "hold the line," or even "make up for" the NBA's ratings during the period without Danzi,

that person would surely become the league's savior and new darling.

They would receive the highest level of "special attention" from the league.

No matter the era, a generational superstar needed the league's enthusiastic backing.

Even Jordan was no exception.

Without the league's star-making plan, Jordan could not have reached such terrifying heights.

"Li, how did you know MJ would only retire for two years?" Kidd asked doubtfully.

"Want to make a bet?"

Li Fei said with a smile, "MJ will return within two years, maybe not even that long."

The fiasco of his baseball career, the Bulls management's active efforts, the hopes and expectations of fans worldwide, Magic Johnson's plea on his knees,

and most importantly, the 1995 negotiations over the NBA's new collective bargaining agreement, along with Danzi's special contract, which allowed Danzi to receive a super contract worth over 30 million in 1996.

In the end, accompanied by that declaration that echoed throughout the world—"I'm back"—

Michael Jordan returned like a king at the end of the 1995 regular season, saving the NBA and the United States economy!

So Danzi would be gone for less than two full years at most. Moreover, Li Fei had every reason to believe that once he entered the NBA and the China market opened ahead of schedule, the butterfly effect would begin to flap its wings.

It was entirely possible Jordan would return even earlier.

The news of Michael Jordan's retirement was so sensational that it became the focus of every fan's discussions.

As a result, NBC's newly released 1994 draft projections were drowned out by the flood of news.

Big Dog Robinson still ranked as the projected number one pick in NBC's evaluation.

Although Big Dog had suffered the most humiliating game of his career by getting blocked repeatedly in the exhibition match, his tough regular-season performance of 35 points and 10 rebounds per game over several games still made him a caliber number one pick.

Still ranked second was perennial runner-up Jason Kidd.

And since Tim Duncan and Keith Van Horn had announced they would not enter next year's draft, neither of them appeared on the projection list at all.

The projected third pick was Duke University's gentleman, Grant Hill, as clean as the waters of San Jose Lake.

The muscular Juwan Howard and high-firing Donyell Marshall ranked fourth and fifth respectively.

Lamond Murray of UC Berkeley held onto the projected tenth pick in the first round with his consistently steady scoring efficiency.

And Li Fei had entered the lottery in his first appearance on the list, landing right behind Lamond Murray.

The eleventh pick in the first round.

"Li, you entered the lottery with only two games."

Kidd was extremely excited when he saw Li Fei's name on the draft projection list. "I told you, gold will always shine."

"Even eleventh isn't your true ranking."

Lamond Murray, standing nearby, also said with a smile, "After the next game, your draft position will probably surpass mine."

However, Murray still underestimated the speed at which Li Fei's draft stock would rise.

After the California derby against the Bruins,

Li Fei would charge directly into discussions for a top-five pick!

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