David Stern looked at Dunleavy on stage, as if it was some kind of advance communication: "Hey, kid, get ready."
Opening the envelope, David Stern began to announce the results: "With the third pick in the first round of the 2002 NBA draft, the Golden State Warriors select... Amar'e Stoudemire, from Cypress Creek High School."
The crowd gasped in surprise; it was an unexpected name.
Mike Dunleavy's expression froze; even if he was going to fall out of third place, it shouldn't have been Amar'e Stoudemire pushing him out!
Amar'e Stoudemire was consistently in the lottery in mock drafts, but never in the top three.
Indeed, even though there had been a series of successful high school rookies before him, Stoudemire was clearly different from those successful predecessors.
