Time flew, and it was finally June 25th. At 7:00 PM, the 2009 NBA Draft was set to take place at the Theatre in Madison Square Garden.
"Let's go, fellas. Tonight is the starting line of your professional careers!" Jeff Austin slapped the backs of both Curry and Luke. He walked into the arena flanking the two of them; though Austin stood over six feet tall—high for a normal person—he looked tiny sandwiched between the 6'3" Steph and the 6'8" Luke.
The sight was somewhat comical, but the agent had a resume that commanded respect. A former pro tennis player, he had won Wimbledon in 1973 and multiple championships at UCLA.
Inside the theater, Steph headed toward the "Green Room" with his parents and his girlfriend, Ayesha. The Green Room isn't an actual room; it's a designated area right in front of the stage where Commissioner David Stern stands. It features about fifteen tables for elite prospects to wait for their names to be called.
Thanks to Luke's "God-tier" move of leaking the Melo video and his massive Chinese market appeal, the NBA had extended a last-minute invitation to him. They added an extra table just for Luke in the elite section.
Luke's parents hadn't been able to secure visas in time to make it to New York, so he sat only with Austin. Perhaps by intentional design of the NBA officials, Luke's table was right next to Steph's. After greeting Dell, Sonya, and Ayesha, Luke leaned over to chat with his friend.
"Luke, do you hear that? Listen to the Knicks fans cheering!" Steph was visibly vibrating with excitement. Since the draft was held at Madison Square Garden, local fans always packed the venue, alternating between cheering for their targets and raining down boos on David Stern.
Luke didn't have the heart to tell him the truth. He knew that Jeff Austin had received word that Golden State planned to snag Steph, but Knicks GM Donnie Walsh refused to believe it. Walsh assumed the Warriors wouldn't draft another guard since they already had Monta Ellis. But Don Nelson was the "Mad Scientist" for a reason—he didn't care about traditional logic.
David Stern walked onto the stage. "Welcome to the 2009 NBA Draft."
Immediately, the New York crowd erupted in a chorus of boos. The Jewish commissioner simply smiled, waiting for the noise to subside before congratulating the Lakers on their championship and declaring that tonight marked the beginning of a new era.
"I hereby declare the 2009 NBA Draft officially open! The Los Angeles Clippers, holding the first pick, have five minutes to make their selection!"
Ricky Rubio had been a favorite for the top spot, but his Spanish club refused to release him, so he had announced he would stay in Europe for another year. This left the Clippers with an easy choice: Blake Griffin. Luke knew, however, that the Clippers would still have to wait a year for Griffin, as he would suffer a season-ending injury in the preseason.
Next were the Memphis Grizzlies. Holding the number two pick, they were paralyzed by indecision. They had Mike Conley at point guard, O.J. Mayo at shooting guard, and Rudy Gay at small forward. They didn't want a backup for their stars, so they followed the old-school rule: "When in doubt, pick the big man."
They chose Hasheem Thabeet. Luke winced, knowing the Grizzlies were about to endure the agony of a massive bust.
When it was the Thunder's turn at number three, GM Sam Presti didn't hesitate. He took James Harden. Luke had to admire Presti's eye for talent—the man would go on to draft three future MVPs in three years, though he wouldn't manage to keep a single one of them.
As the top picks rolled by, the tension in the Green Room began to thicken.
"It's getting close, Luke," Steph whispered, his eyes fixed on the stage. "The Knicks are on the clock soon."
"Just be ready for anything, Steph," Luke replied, his voice calm but his mind racing. "The draft never goes exactly how people think it will."
"You think I might go higher?" Steph asked with a grin.
"I think some teams are crazier than you realize," Luke said.