May 20, 2014 – NBA Draft Lottery Night
Michael Schmidt sat alone in his dorm room, lights off, phone flipped screen-down on the desk.
The rest of the team was watching the lottery in the lounge. The TV was loud enough that he could hear Adam Silver's voice echoing down the hallway.
But Michael didn't move.
Not until the top three.
He stood. Took a deep breath. And walked to the doorway.
"Number 3… the Utah Jazz."
Cheers erupted in the hallway.
Michael leaned against the frame, arms crossed, heart pacing slightly faster.
"Number 2… the Milwaukee Bucks."
Someone screamed in disbelief.
"Which means… the number one pick in the 2014 NBA Draft belongs to… the Cleveland Cavaliers."
Dead silence.
Michael didn't flinch. Didn't sigh. Didn't smile.
He just stared.
Cleveland. Of course it was Cleveland.
Back in his room, he closed the door and sat back down. Opened his phone. Twitter was exploding:
"Cleveland about to get their LeBron replacement." "Michael Schmidt + Kyrie? Scary." "Can't wait to see the King vs. the Shadow King."
But Michael only scrolled until he hit one post:
"LeBron expected to opt out of Heat deal. Cavaliers front office confident they can bring him home."
He locked the screen. Stared out the window.
"Of all the teams…"
[System Notification: Draft Lottery Outcome Confirmed][Cleveland Cavaliers Hold #1 Pick]
[Warning: Environmental Fit Analysis Triggered][Projected Conflict Detected: Ball Dominance Clash – Legacy Overlap Risk High]
Michael raised an eyebrow.
"Legacy Overlap?"
[Explanation: Multiple generational talents within overlapping timelines may inhibit long-term dominance. Proceed with caution.]
He leaned back.
It wasn't that he didn't respect LeBron. He admired him.
But he knew what LeBron's return would mean.
Control. Structure. Limited airspace.
And Michael? He needed freedom.
Later that night, he joined Jamal in the gym. Lights dimmed. Just the echo of bouncing balls.
"You think they'll actually take you?" Jamal asked.
Michael shrugged. "They'd be stupid not to."
"And if Bron comes back?"
Michael stared at the rim.
"Then we'll find out if the league has room for two kings."
He rose up. Drilled a corner three.
[Template Progress: 74.91% → 75.00%][Trait Unlocked: Post Scoring Package II][New Legacy Milestone – National Spotlight Tier Achieved]
[Note: All future upgrades will now require league-altering performances.]
Michael exhaled.
The world had seen the lottery.
But he already knew:
The real draft had started the moment they said his name.