When the Demon Deacons returned from St. Louis triumphant, every player unconsciously puffed out their chests, watching the students and townspeople on both sides of the street waving and cheering at them along the pre-arranged bus parade route.
However, on the day of the parade, every ti Zack high-fived the pretty college girls around him, he felt a pair of intensely murderous eyes staring at him.
"I’m just expressing my joy to my supporters," Zack said righteously, turning to look at Rachel, who was standing right behind him.
But the next second, Rachel rcilessly tore off his mask. "Great Final Four MOP, if you’re expressing joy to your supporters, then why are you only high-fiving the young and pretty girls?"
Seeing this, Zack didn’t bat an eyelid and said, "You know, I’ve always been good at finding beautiful things... just like right now, I only have eyes for you."
Hearing that, Rachel playfully punched Zack, then suddenly whispered, "Lynn rritt wants to et with you."
Zack nodded. "I definitely need to et this important figure who’s been pushing from behind."
After March Madness concluded, since both Zack and Paul publicly announced their intention to declare for the draft this year, the NCAA’s various regulations regarding college players naturally beca void. Of course, before proceeding to hire an agent, Zack could still choose to stay in college for another year.
However, considering the NBA teams’ current eagerness to acquire him, Zack absolutely wouldn’t choose to imitate his senior. Zack knew very well how difficult those years were for tanking NBA teams from 1995 to 1997. In short, it was a tough period where half the league was praying for Duncan to enter the NBA quickly and stop torturing each other.
Moreover, compared to continuing to hone his skills in college basketball, having already tasted the sweetness of a championship and showcased his potential as a franchise cornerstone to NBA teams, Zack currently had an urgent need to enter the NBA and continue improving himself. Because in the visualized data of the [Summit] System, there was a clear prompt:
As the host’s current ability value continuously increases, only higher-level gas and training can help the host better realize their potential.
On the 14th, Zack, gradually settling down from the joy of winning the championship, t with the Nike executive who had been secretly building hype for him, at a coffee shop in Winston-Salem. Although this was rritt’s first official eting with Zack, rritt had already established a partnership with Zack last year through Rachel, his "undercover" contact.
Therefore, at the beginning of the eting, rritt, skipping the pleasantries, went straight to the point. "We hope you can beco a Nike endorser."
Since Zack hadn’t yet hired an agent, rritt didn’t discuss too many specific details about the partnership with Zack during this eting. Instead, he directly showed Zack Nike’s sincerity.
On the coffee table, a pair of red-and-white sample shoes with-style patterns embedded on the side of the sole imdiately caught Zack’s eye. This was a tactic Professor Vacarro had given rritt: when recruiting a sure-fire money-maker like Zack, don’t just talk about future promises; put genuine sincerity directly in front of him.
"I haven’t thought of a na for these shoes yet, but I believe they will definitely beco an excellent aid for you in the future," rritt told Zack.
It truly was an excellent aid. Zack knew very well that at the end of his sophomore year, when he was just a lottery pick in mock drafts, the reason he beca viewed as a potential No. 1 pick at the beginning of the 2004-05 season was definitely due to Nike’s relentless promotion behind the scenes.
Through Rachel, this "undercover" channel, Nike first had Ira Berkow, a highly influential New York Tis reporter, create an image for him as a "prodigal son" who had turned over a new leaf, with imnse untapped potential. Then, as the season progressed, the nurous news reports that praised him to the high heavens gave Zack a montum comparable to Duncan’s back in the day.
Although, based purely on his on-court performance, Zack absolutely deserved the "potential No. 1 pick" title, Nike’s behind-the-scenes promotion greatly accelerated this process, giving him comrcial value comparable to star players even before entering the league.
Yes, a "son of ###" with extrely high comrcial value before entering the league was Nike’s ideal partner. Especially after experiencing the loss of Yao Ming.
Historically, to redy the consequences of losing Yao Ming, Nike almost always included agreents requiring their NBA star collaborators to promote products in market. For example, LeBron Jas, whom Nike signed for an exorbitant price in that three-way battle, accepted this agreent when he signed with Nike (Note ①).
"I really like these shoes, but right now, I still need a reliable agent. Do you have any good suggestions?" Zack asked rritt that day.
Hearing this, rritt initially wanted to recomnd Aaron Goodwin, who had always maintained a good working relationship with Nike. However, recalling LeBron Jas’ recent complaints about Goodwin’s overly controlling nature, rritt, knowing that Zack had already started planning his future through people around him since his junior year, imdiately thought of another excellent agent.
"How about Jeff Schwartz? He just recently went solo and started a company called Excel Sports."
Jeff Schwartz? Perhaps he wasn’t famous yet, but Zack knew that in fifteen years, he would beco the most powerful agent in the entire NBA.
As an articulate agent who was extrely skilled at marketing his players’ images, Schwartz’s future classic achievents included marketing Anthony Bennett as a No. 1 overall pick and convincing all NBA managent that Jas Wiseman was the undisputed second overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft.
Indeed, those NBA general managers who were sweet-talked by Schwartz probably wished they could skin him alive afterward. But for players, a talent like Schwartz was absolutely a rare and valuable ntor and friend. Moreover, despite hating Schwartz’s manipulative tongue, many teams still had to be grateful to him. For example, in the future, after the Lakers and Russell Westbrook had irreconcilable differences, Westbrook was able to escape Los Angeles through Schwartz’s maneuvering. Furthermore, knowing that Westbrook at the ti desired honor more than salary, Schwartz never demanded excessive amounts from teams that wanted him.
"Whatever my clients want, I give them. If they want a big contract, I’ll fight for it. If they want to compete for a championship on a minimum salary, I’ll imdiately help them contact teams that can contend for a championship."
In this life, Zack indeed planned to build his own team in the NBA. However, for now, both Rachel and Evans needed ti to grow. So, shortly after rritt introduced Schwartz as an agent, Zack imdiately decided to interview Schwartz.
Although Schwartz wasn’t as well-known at this ti as he would be in the future, having worked as a sports agent since 1992, he was no longer a novice. Having a good relationship with rritt, he had already accumulated a certain network within the industry.
"If I sign with you, what can you give ?"
"I can’t take care of your every need like so player managers do. But when you need , I will always stand behind you."
With that, Schwartz directly presented Zack with his past success stories.
"Many NBA teams currently want to accept their tryouts. What do you think about that?"
"Reject them. Reject all of them."
"Why?"
"Because we’ll only try out for the team that gets the first overall pick."
It must be said that Schwartz truly left an excellent impression on Zack during this interview. Throughout the interview, Schwartz was logical and never made empty boasts. Additionally, judging by the existing successful cases he presented, he had already established good working relationships with several dia outlets. For Zack, who was about to enter the comrcial league that is the NBA, this was definitely a plus.
So, after asking Schwartz about his future business plans for him, Zack successfully reached an agreent with Schwartz. The two signed a four-year contract. In it, Schwartz would collect 4% of Zack’s player contract as compensation. As for comrcial endorsents, Schwartz would take 10% of Zack’s comrcial contracts as his fee.
Overall, it was a fair and equitable contract where the player and agent were on equal footing at the ti. Although Schwartz would deduct the highest percentage allowed by NBA regulations (4%) from Zack’s player contract, in reality, given Zack’s current comrcial value, his comrcial contracts were clearly the larger portion. According to industry standards, Schwartz could have demanded a maximum of 20% of the comrcial contract remuneration.
But Schwartz, believing in earning his keep, felt that since Zack’s current comrcial value had nothing to do with him, and it was their first collaboration, he didn’t want to leave Zack with the impression of being a leech.
"In the future, if I successfully elevate your comrcial value, then in our next collaboration, I will definitely demand higher comrcial remuneration, but that is not now," Schwartz said after signing a series of agreents with Zack and obtaining his relevant authorizations.
"Ronnie is my close comrade-in-arms from college. Next, I plan to have him shadow you and handle my affairs during NBA gas. What do you think about that?" Zack asked Schwartz.
Hearing this, Schwartz smiled. "That’s a good thing. Your foresight fully demonstrates that you’re ready for the NBA. Once you’re drafted, your friend can not only learn from , but I’ll also help him apply for a Player Liaison position with your team. This way, he can make all the arrangents for you when you’re playing or traveling."
Unlike Goodwin, who always disdained the people around his star clients, Schwartz knew very well that with changing tis, every NBA star needed a few absolutely trustworthy people around them. Since Evans was soone Zack trusted, Schwartz naturally found a way to help Zack train Evans.
"Regarding your dia liaison, do you also want to arrange soone you trust?"
"I already have soone in mind for the dia liaison, but she won’t graduate until next year."
"Then, before she graduates, I’ll select a reliable assistant from my company to help you deal with the dia."
Since the internet had already beco a crucial platform for NBA stars to promote themselves, even though Zack trusted Schwartz’s marketing abilities, he still needed Rachel, who was close to him, to oversee things. This sumr, Zack planned to have Rachel intern at Nike headquarters again. After all, when it ca to promoting and building sports and images, Nike headquarters was the best "university."
However, that day, when Rachel saw the dia liaison Schwartz had arranged for Zack, she, who was still wondering how to "educate" Zack that evening, was suddenly dumbfounded. The beautiful young lady, with Slavic ancestry and a striking resemblance to Marina Aleksandrova, the actress in Catherine the Great from Zack’s mory, had a pair of "peaks" on her chest that Rachel couldn’t hope to match, no matter how much she tried to "turn over" them.
Honestly, Schwartz, true to his word, indeed arranged a very "reliable" assistant for Zack. Hearing this, Rachel, having swallowed a whole jar of jealousy, sighed and said, "This is the most complete defeat I’ve ever had."
Hearing this, Zack chuckled. "Who says you lost? How do you know I only like the big ones and not the cute ones?"
Seeing his expression, Rachel blinked her big eyes and asked, "Really?"
"Really," Zack said without batting an eyelid.
With the agent confird, the details of Zack’s collaboration with Nike would now be handled by Schwartz. As for tryouts? Before the lottery results were announced on May 25th, Schwartz had already officially announced that Zack would not participate in this year’s NBA Draft Combine or accept individual team workouts.
At this mont, Zack didn’t need physical test data or ga performances from the Combine to prove himself. Historically, many future No. 1 overall picks would make the sa choice. For example, Victor Wembanyama, famous before Zack’s transmigration. Of course, compared to Ben Simmons, who was so arrogant that he even rejected all team tryouts before his draft, Schwartz still hoped Zack would accept the invitation to try out for the team holding the No. 1 pick after the lottery results were out, as was customary.
In short, Zack’s current reputation and popularity dictated that he would be the one interviewing the team that won the No. 1 pick, not the other way around.
May 25th. ESPN had been hyping it for almost a month as the Day of Destiny. That day, the teams with a chance to win the No. 1 pick were quietly waiting for the answer to be revealed. And Zack, Rachel, and Evans were eating hotpot while waiting for the team that would win the No. 1 pick.
Before the lottery ceremony began, Evans asked curiously, "Which team do you hope wins the No. 1 pick?"
Hearing this, after scanning the teams that had a chance to win the No. 1 pick, Zack replied, "Would you believe if I said none of these teams are to my liking?"
Evans nodded. "Of course, I believe you. But that’s how it is for NBA players; you don’t have a choice, or rather, you can’t decide which team you play for early in your career."
Zack, who didn’t deny this, mused, "So, let’s see which team will be the lucky one to take my ’first blood’ in the NBA..."
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