Without a doubt, Russell Westbrook was the most excited about the upcoming championship game, he couldn't wait to unleash his fire on the court.
After eliminating the University of Memphis, his draft position was locked firmly inside the top five. ESPN even ranked him third. He was the only point guard this season who faced Derrick Rose head-on without being outplayed, and even walked away with the win. Although some criticized his shot selection in the final moments, many basketball legends praised him for it, saying he dared to take the last shot and had the mentality of a killer, including Kobe Bryant.
In fact, besides Russell, Kevin Love's draft projection had also moved into the top eight for the first time, and Luc Mbah a Moute was hovering around the lottery range.
As for Snoopy, his projection had risen to around 22nd in the first round.
For NBA teams, Snoopy still had too many uncertainties, and the strengths he displayed might not necessarily translate well in the NBA. That was what kept him out of the lottery range.
During lunch, Westbrook mysteriously dragged Snoopy to a Western restaurant outside the arena and grandly introduced his agent, Sam Foucher.
"Nice to meet you, Snoopy. I'm your senior, I also graduated from the Anderson School of Management." Sam shook Snoopy's hand warmly and introduced himself. "I currently work for WMG (Wasserman Media Group). Our main business covers football, basketball, golf, baseball, and soccer. Last year, our total contract value reached $2.73 billion, with $116 million in commissions. We rank third globally, just behind CAA and RS."
Snoopy immediately understood Sam's intentions.
"So… are you trying to recruit me to work at WMG?"
"Hahaha!" Sam laughed heartily. "You're funny."
"Alright, let's talk seriously." Snoopy put the jokes aside and asked, "Why did you come to see me?"
"My team and I believe you will become an elite player, one whose commercial value could surpass that of other stars, even superstars. The market behind you is something every agency dreams of. And the qualities you possess are unique, you're a fascinating blend of contradictions that makes you addictive to the public eye. You were born for the spotlight."
Sam spoke with total conviction.
But Snoopy didn't get carried away by the flattery. He asked directly:
"With your representation, where do you think I can be drafted? And should I declare for the draft this year, or stay in the NCAA for another year?"
A practical question.
Sam was prepared. He pulled a thick folder from his briefcase.
"This is a detailed analysis based on your performance and the data published in the Orange County Chronicle special report last Saturday."
He handed the report to Snoopy and continued:
"You've made remarkable progress in just two months. Your improvement peaked last game, your footwork and lateral movement during the block on Derrick Rose were stunning. I believe you're capable of giving Kansas frontcourt a nightmare in the paint tonight."
"As for draft position, I can't give you a fixed number before the lottery. But I can guarantee your draft spot will not fall outside the top 20, and I can help you secure a rookie contract equivalent to a lottery-level deal."
"As for timing, of course you should enter this year. The NBA doesn't just look at immediate ability, potential matters even more. Right now, you arguably have the highest ceiling of any rookie in this class, and the NBA loves that imagination factor."
"If you stay another year at the NCAA, that imagination decreases. Yes, if your progress skyrockets, you might reach the lottery. But what if it doesn't?"
"And frankly, the NCAA isn't more professional than the NBA. You'll get better training in the NBA even if you don't play a minute, internal scrimmages alone are a hundred times more valuable than NCAA games."
Snoopy nodded, Sam was clearly professional, and his reasoning made sense.
So Snoopy extended his hand and said:
"You're sure you don't want to recruit me to work at WMG?"
Sam was confused.
Snoopy explained with a smile:
"I appreciate all the work you put into this. But you know the honors I received at Anderson. If I hand over everything business-related to you and spend my days just watching the numbers in my bank account go up, my mentor Professor Nelson would beat me with his cane. I can't abandon my field of study just because I play basketball. It would make the full scholarship and the President's Special Award meaningless."
"I hope you can understand, senior."
Snoopy was courteous.
Sam was persuaded by the reasoning. He wasn't offended by the rejection—he even smiled.
"As your senior, I completely understand and respect that. If you ever need help, call me anytime."
"Maybe you don't know this, I was part of Professor Nelson's first class when he joined UCLA after graduating from Harvard. We were like friends. Honestly, I miss the heather in his backyard, we planted it together."
Snoopy's eyes widened.
"So… you're the one who planted that stuff that smells like… bodily fluids?"
Saying it, he felt all his past resentment surface, every time he helped Professor Nelson trim that garden, he cursed whoever planted those flowers. Now the "culprit" stood in front of him.
The two alumni then happily shared stories about Professor Nelson.
Meanwhile, Russell sat awkwardly beside them, suddenly feeling like he was the outsider.
After meeting Sam, Kevin Love also introduced his agent to Snoopy in the afternoon, Jeff Schwartz from ESM (Excel Sports Management), the 7th-ranked sports agency in the world.
Jeff and his company were also very interested in Snoopy, but once again, Snoopy politely declined.
He didn't plan to sign with a major agency, not yet. He wanted to test his own ability first. In the future, he wouldn't mind poaching one or two top agents from these companies to build his own agency team.
After meeting his roommates' agents, Snoopy felt, for the first time, the true business scent of the NBA.
Professional basketball was getting closer, almost within reach.