How did Li Yiru, the No. 1 draft pick who led the University of North Carolina in the NCAA, go from a dream start to becoming a superstar? With a Jordan Poole-style player template, will he follow Poole down the same path?
Curry: “Even though we were teammates for only one year, I still think he’s the best piece you could add to a championship team.”
LeBron James: “The league has someone ready to carry it forward.”
Yao Ming: “The only reason I couldn’t win a championship was him.”
A boy who came to America at twelve and lost both his parents at sixteen showed off his talent in high school, earning a five-star rating and ranking first in the country. At the University of North Carolina, Jordan’s alma mater, he was once again made the centerpiece of the team.
After playing for just one year, he won a championship and declared for the draft. Could he really make a name for himself in the NBA at only eighteen and a half?
He soon proved himself with 42 points in his debut, the second-highest total in history.
With him as their third-leading scorer, the Warriors went on to win the championship.
But after a falling-out with Draymond Green, he chose to confront the front office: “Pick Green or pick me.”
The front office didn’t think he was worth more than Green, so it decisively chose Green and traded him to the Washington Wizards.
At the time, the Wizards were a respectable team that had just made it to the Eastern Conference semifinals.
Now it was up to him to lead the Wizards to the top and win a championship.
Consider yourself good
Too innocent and too licking, too chaotic and too quick.