The Wizenard Series by Kobe Bryant & Wesley King

Author:Kobe Bryant & Wesley King [Bryant, Kobe & King, Wesley]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Granity Studios
Published: 2020-03-30T00:00:00+00:00

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PINE

The world is not always ready when you are. It rewards only those who stay ready.

WIZENARD PROVERB

REGGIE WALKED INTO the gym two hours before tip-off. He had already been there before school that morning. He had been there all day, even when he was sitting at his desk, daydreaming in class. Reggie had worked harder than ever this week. He had outworked the rest of the team. He had outworked his own expectations of himself. He felt he had earned his chance to redeem himself.

Reggie spent the two extra hours shooting, along with warm-ups, stretching, and visualization—something they had worked on with Rolabi throughout the summer. He knocked down the rest of his five hundred makes from the corner and mid-range, and then hit some more. When the rest of the team arrived, he joined the team warm-up and worked so hard that he was dripping sweat in the layup line. His uniform clung to his skin like a banana peel.

And when the Trenton Titans strutted inside, he copied Rain and just kept shooting.

“This is my day,” Reggie whispered to himself. “This is my time.”

He barely heard the crowd filing in. It was background noise. The only sounds that mattered were the heartbeat of the ball on the floor and the breeze of a perfect swish. He walked to the locker room when it was time and took his seat on a bench and felt his knees bouncing beneath him.

“We need this one,” Rain said.

“Bad,” Twig agreed.

Lab was tossing a ball between his hands. “They’re good, man.”

“So be better,” Rain countered, looking around the room. “We aren’t losing again.”

Rolabi ducked into the locker room, then straightened until his short salt-and-pepper hair was brushing the ceiling.

“You all know the situation today. We are O and four this season, and we are about to face improved competition. The type of team that we must defeat if we are to reach our own aspirations. This is a test of your commitment.”

“I’m ready—” Peño started.

“Words don’t matter,” Rolabi cut in. “Show me on the court. If you face your fears and play despite them, if you fight for every possession, and if you want it, if you really want this, then we have a chance to change an old narrative.” He turned to the door. “Let’s see if you do.”

They threw their hands up with a cry of “Badgers!” and followed him out to the cheers of their home crowd. Reggie sat on the bench, situating himself right next to Rolabi. He fought the urge to chew his nails as the starters took their spots around Twig at center court and the Titans came out to meet them.

Their chalk-white uniforms and matching shoes gave them the impression of being carved from ice and snow, and they were notoriously coolheaded to match. They were less boastful and brash than the Eagles, and relied on strength, organization, and an obvious self-belief. To Reggie, it was more intimidating than the high-flying Eagles or loudmouthed Devils—these boys had come to do their job and go home.

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