The NBA's Twilight Star System

Following his original plan, Jay Sun had completed workouts with the Nuggets, Grizzlies, and Hornets. Up next were the Clippers and Suns.

In terms of locations, both Phoenix and Los Angeles were attractive options. But when it came to teams, the currently struggling Suns couldn't compare to the Chris Paul-led Clippers.

Although the Clippers were infamous for underperforming in the playoffs, they were still a playoff team. The expectations and goals were on a different level.

If given a choice, Jay would definitely prefer the more successful Clippers in the glamorous city of Los Angeles. But, as always, the draft is out of the player's control.

After workouts with both teams, Jay noticed distinct differences in their approaches. The Clippers seemed focused on his immediate readiness, with much attention given to his three-point shooting. They showed a genuine interest, even having a brief conversation with him afterward, though they stopped short of making any promises.

The Suns, on the other hand, were more interested in his potential. But potential is a tricky thing to measure. They tested Jay's ability to create off the dribble, which, unsurprisingly, didn't yield stellar results. Still, they seemed intrigued by his shooting and defensive capabilities.

After all the traveling and workouts, Jay felt more exhausted than he had after playing in the NCAA finals. When he finally returned home, he took two full days to rest, letting his body and mind recover.

As Jay continued his relentless training, the days flew by, and the much-anticipated draft night arrived.

Back in China, Jay's success in winning the NCAA championship had already been reported in the media. However, there hadn't been any interviews or extensive coverage—until now. The draft provided the perfect opportunity for Chinese media to dive in, and even the beloved commentator Coach Zhang had flown to the draft site.

"Coach Zhang, hello! I'm Jay Sun," Jay greeted him warmly and respectfully.

"Hello, hello!" Coach Zhang beamed. "Jay, you're something special. How's the draft looking? Any guarantees yet?"

"I'm not sure," Jay replied, shaking his head. "I can't say for certain. I just hope I don't go undrafted."

"Don't worry. Keep your head up. Back home, 1.4 billion people are rooting for you. Stay calm!" Coach Zhang reassured him with a pat on the back.

After their brief chat, Jay returned to his seat. He hadn't been invited to the green room, so he sat further back in the theater.

The event began with a speech from newly appointed commissioner Adam Silver, who had taken over from David Stern earlier that year. Jay had mixed feelings about Silver's leadership, but he set those thoughts aside.

As Silver finished his remarks, the Cavaliers, holding the first overall pick, were ready to announce their choice.

Unsurprisingly, they selected Andrew Wiggins.

Watching Wiggins on stage with his trademark bright smile, Jay couldn't help but feel uplifted. Wiggins' grin was infectious.

For Jay, the first 20 picks were irrelevant. He paid little attention, as most of the selections aligned with his predictions. His Kentucky teammate Julius Randle was picked 7th by the Lakers, while Nik Stauskas, his NCAA opponent, went 8th to the Kings.

At 17th, Jay's other Kentucky teammate, James Young, was selected by the Celtics. As the picks crept closer to the 20s, Jay began to feel nervous.

The Nuggets, holding the 19th pick, chose Gary Harris. Jay consoled himself: "It's fine. Denver's too cold anyway."

At 22, the Grizzlies picked Jordan Adams. "No big deal," Jay thought. "The Grizzlies have a small market, not much money to make there."

But despite his self-assurance, Jay's legs began to shake nervously.

At 24, the Hornets selected Shabazz Napier, Jay's opponent from the NCAA finals. "Well, it's Jordan making the pick," Jay thought wryly. "That can't be good."

Then came the Suns at 27. By this point, Jay was sweating profusely.

"Am I really going to go undrafted? I didn't even work out for any second-round teams!" Jay was starting to regret following Bill Duffy's advice.

"Phoenix Suns select… from Partizan Belgrade, Bogdan Bogdanović," Silver announced.

Jay buried his head in his hands. No way… I'm the MOP! Do you know what that means? I was the best player in the NCAA tournament! And nobody's picking me? Why?

What Jay didn't know was that being named MOP didn't guarantee a high draft position. Recent history was full of low-drafted or undrafted MOP winners. For example, the 2013 MOP went undrafted, the 2010 MOP was picked 33rd but later cut, and even future MOP winners like the 2015 recipient were selected late in the first round.

Jay felt like he was back in school, waiting anxiously as the teacher handed out graded papers, his name still uncalled long after half the class had received their results.

He was starting to lose hope.

"And with the 28th pick, the Los Angeles Clippers select… Jay Sun, from the University of Kentucky!"

It was the most beautiful sentence Jay had ever heard in his entire life.

After the emotional rollercoaster of waiting, Jay stood up, unable to contain his emotions. As he walked to the stage, he realized his back was drenched in sweat.

It wasn't until after the ceremony that it hit him: I'm going to Los Angeles?

Coach Zhang came over with a camera crew to interview Jay.

"Jay Sun, congratulations on being picked by the Clippers! Do you have anything you'd like to say?" Coach Zhang asked, grinning.

"Uh, this result really surprised me," Jay admitted with a wry smile. "Honestly, I thought I was going to go undrafted for a while there. I was even starting to doubt myself. But now, I just want to focus on working hard and securing a spot in the NBA."

"Great to hear! On behalf of everyone back home, we wish you the best of luck in the NBA!"

After the interview, Bill Duffy came over to congratulate Jay and told him to prepare for Los Angeles. He also reassured Jay that draft position didn't matter as much as the team and city.

Jay understood, but he couldn't help feeling a little disappointed. Still, he followed Duffy to meet with the Clippers' coaching staff and front office for brief introductions.

Later that night, as Jay lay in bed, he couldn't sleep. His mind raced with thoughts of life in Los Angeles, playing alongside Chris Paul, watching Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan throw down monstrous dunks, and maybe even competing with JJ Redick for a starting spot.

But just as he was starting to drift into a dream of his NBA future, his phone rang.

It was Bill Duffy.

Jay answered, only to be hit with a bombshell:

"Jay, you've been traded!"