On the 15th, Guo Xu and Richardson were approved by the league and entered the list of candidate rookies.

There are two ways to participate in the draft.

The first is to automatically obtain draft qualifications. Any of the following conditions can be automatically selected: after playing for 4 years in college, after graduating from a high school in the United States (but not entering a university in the United States), signing contracts with professional teams outside the NBA and playing on the court (non-international players), and international players are over 22 years old.

The second way of running is to apply. Any player who is not automatically qualified must apply if he wants to participate in the NBA draft. Two ways are: one is to write a letter directly and mail it to the NBA headquarters, and the other is to send an email to the NBA draft office. There will be a dedicated staff responsible for receiving the email. If the player meets the standards, the NBA will reply to a draft form, and the player fills in it and then reply.

From now on, the two can accept separate trials from NBA teams. This arrangement can not only let the team understand the players, but also allow the players to have a better estimate of their draft prospects. If the trial situation is not ideal, they can withdraw from the draft, which is particularly important for NCAA players.

NCAA players whose application is revoked can retain their university qualifications as long as they do not hire an agent.

Richardson did not hire an agent. The rookie contract was signed according to the NBA labor-management agreement, and there was no need to give the agent a commission. If he didn't want to draft, there was room for regret.

Guo Xu is off school, he doesn't have to get a diploma, and there is no pressure to take the exam. There is no joint trial in this era, and strong teams are playing in the playoffs, and suitable teams will not ask him to try out for the time being. But he is not idle, practices basketball five days a week, and pays attention to diet.

He dared not practice his physical fitness as hard as he did during the time cycle. At that time, his body had bugs and was not afraid of being injured. Now, once he was seriously injured before the draft, everything would be ruined. Therefore, he mainly practices shooting, and the feeling of trying out should not be bad. If the opponent asks him to increase his strength, it will not be too late to exercise again.

On April 22, the NBA playoffs began.

Guo Xu quickly entered the sight of a team, and the one who was most interested in him was the Charlotte Hornets, who wanted a speed-type point guard.

The Hornets' lineup is strong, and the star is All-Star swingman Eddie Jones. He has played for the Lakers and has put Kobe on the bench for two years. He averaged 20.1 points, 4.8 rebounds, 4.2 assists and 2.7 steals per game. He is 28 years old this year and is in his peak period.

The Hornets' starting lineup was Derek Coleman, Anthony Mason Jr., and Elden Campbell. The three of them were players who averaged averaging double-double and could attack and defend. This combination was ranked in the top ten in the league.

The Hornets have excellent young players such as Brad Miller, Byron Davis, Ricky Davis, and other substitutes. The lineup depth is significantly better than the opponent's Philadelphia 76ers, but they were eliminated 1-3 in the first round.

The reason is very simple. The Hornets' No. 1 position is flawed and cannot prevent the 76ers' star Allen Iverson.

The starting point guard David Wesley is 183cm tall and weighs 90 kilograms. His arms are as thick as many people's heads. He moves slowly and his defense is better than the control guard at the second position and cannot keep up with Iverson's speed. His nickname is "Mickey Mouse". Who has ever seen such a strong Mickey Mouse?

In 1999, Byron Davis was also a tough guy, 191cm tall and weighed 95 kilograms, and was so strong that he didn't look like a point guard. He could keep up with most defenders on the defensive end, but Iverson belonged to that small part.

In the first game, Iverson scored 40 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists and 3 steals, leading the 76ers to a good start. After that, he made the Hornets' two point guards frequently fouled, and his advantage was obvious.

After being eliminated, the Hornets scout submitted Guo Xu's information. The management decided to invite him to try out and sent an invitation to his agent Hapi. Even the project to be tested was clearly explained. Guo Xu could train in a targeted manner. If he did not perform well, he would have no excuses and just leave.

Many teams in the Eastern Conference regard the 76ers as imaginary opponents in the playoffs, and choose a fast-speed small defender to defend Iverson. This is just like all Western Conference playoff teams will strive to sign a meat shield blue-collar center to deal with O'Neal, otherwise they will not win.

Hapi immediately called Guo Xu to explain the situation.

Guo Xu thought for a moment and replied: "Let me refuse directly. I won't go to Charlotte for a tryout, and I'm not interested in joining the Hornets."

"What? Are you crazy?" Hapi shouted from the other end of the phone.

"Is there anything strange about this?" Guo Xu asked.

Happy shouted: "Do you think you are Steve Francis? You are not a big name, and you will be finished as soon as the media exposed you."

Francis refused to try out in Vancouver last year. After being forced to score by the Grizzlies with the second pick, he refused to report it. He was later traded to the Rockets. He didn't expect to play in Canada in the snow and ice and stay away from his family. The only thing he did in Vancouver was that the Grizzlies had contributed the most rude press conference in NBA history before they traded him.

Before a NBA game was played, Francis became the league's number one thorn and had a nickname - privilege!

In Guo Xu's previous life, many NBA players refused to try out alone, all of which were big-name rookies that were favored by the past, and their arrogance required capital.

For example, Stephen Curry favored the Knicks very much in the 2009 draft, and the Knicks also intended to win Curry at the eighth pick, so he directly refused the Warriors' trial. As a result, the Warriors chose Curry at the seventh pick to win love, so he had to report to the team obediently, and as a result, a dynasty was established.

"Brother Ball" Langzo Ball was determined to go to the Lakers in 2017, but only participated in the trial training between the Lakers and the 76ers. He refused the Celtics who signed in Tanhua, almost hurting the face of the giants.

Ben Simmons was even more awesome in the draft and refused all teams' trials, proving that being talented can really do whatever he wants. Simmons was finally won by the No. 1 pick of the 76ers.

Guo Xu is different. He is unknown before the semi-finals. If he refuses to try out, it seems to be very unfavorable for future development.

He thought about it for half a minute and decided to stick to his own opinion. "Turn it off, I really don't want to go to the Hornets. I have confidence in my strength and will never lose the election because of it. You know that my goal is only the Lakers."

Hapi now feels that Guo Xu has been too decisive and has reached a point of arrogance. "Jason, I know the Los Angeles market is very good, but what if the Lakers don't want you? There are three point guards in the team."

Guo Xu smiled and said, "As long as you win me the opportunity to go to the Lakers to try out, I will definitely impress the management. As long as I join the Lakers, I will definitely rise next season. I firmly believe that is the most suitable place for me. I think it is too passive to wait for the Lakers management to find it, so I will just send a statement for me, saying that I just want to play for the Lakers."

“…”

Guo Xu followed the routine of "Brother Ball". Before the draft, "Brother Ball" Laval had stated several times that his son must play for the Lakers, saying that he would be the Lakers' "savior". In the end, the Lakers really chose "Brother Ball". Relying on consecutive hypes, "Brother Ball" also gained a very high exposure rate and became popular before the battle.
Chapter completed!