On The Rebound

by Alexandra Warren

  Outside of them, it was nice having some of my teammates’ families and friends now in the crowd too, making things feel a little bit more normal as we got ready for tip-off. And of course, it was always a blessing having Bleu on the sidelines, the sight of her in front of the camera giving a preview of tonight’s matchup giving me some additional confidence as I tucked my jersey in and got in position to eventually receive Zeb’s winning tip.

  Quarter one, we were on fire, Zeb having the hot hand after we got Milwaukee’s starting center into some early foul trouble which meant the paint was wide open for our guy to do his thing. But quarter two, Milwaukee came back at us tough, taking us into halftime with a tied ball game that I still felt good about since it wasn’t like we were by any means out of it.

  Quarter three only proved that, the rookie Travis coming in to replace me halfway through and going completely off when he went on a 10-0 run by himself to end the quarter. And with that, we were going into the final stretch with a lead that Milwaukee just couldn’t quite overcome, sending us out with a much-needed victory to tie the series.

  That shit had me hyped, clowning when I joined in on Zeb’s postgame interview with Bleu to brag on how well he’d played. And with an off-camera kiss to her temple, I was literally bouncing back to the locker room, feeling good until I checked my phone and saw a very rare text from Ms. Jeanine.

  “Hey Kage. Call me as soon as you can, please.” - Ms. J

  Her texting me was already enough to have me on edge as I stepped out of the locker room the second Coach Kirkwood finished giving his postgame remarks so that I could give her a call. And when I bumped into Bleu who was already standing right outside of the door like she was waiting on me, I only became more concerned, frowning when I asked, “Yo, did Ms. J get in touch with you about somethin’?”

  “She did,” Bleu answered somberly, the worried look in her eyes making it clear that something really must’ve been up as she quietly added, “It’s Coach Joe.”

  “What about him?” I asked, my heart already racing as I pressed, “Is he aight?”

  “He… had a bit of a scare, but he’s stable right now,” Bleu responded. “You should really call Ms. Jeanine. She’ll be able to tell you more than I can.”

  With that, I wasted no more time, leaving Bleu so that I could dial Ms. Jeanine up to see what exactly was going on. But when she didn’t answer, it only made my anxiety skyrocket as I started to send her a text until her callback interrupted that.

  “Ms. Jeanine, what’s going on?”

  Her tone was confusingly casual when she replied, “Hey Kage. Great game tonight.”

  “Thank you,” I told her before asking again, “Now what’s going on? What happened to Coach Joe?”

  For some reason, my instinct was telling me it had something to do with the virus, especially since Coach Joe was considered more vulnerable for a number of reasons. But to my surprise, it had nothing to do with that at all, a hint of amusement in Ms. Jeanine’s tone when she answered, “Your ol’ man couldn’t handle me.”

  Frowning, I repeated, “Couldn’t handle you? What you mean?”

  “Joe Joe and I were foolin’ around, and I gave his ass a heart attack,” she explained, the fact that she was giggling about it like a heart attack couldn’t kill somebody only making me more confused as I tried to piece it all together.

  “You gave him a heart attack? While y’all were…”

  “Mmmhmm,” she interrupted. “Just a mild one. And we got him to the hospital with more than enough time for them to figure out what was going on, so he should be fine.”

  Again, her casual energy was confusing. But the fact that she was so calm about it also brought me a little peace of mind as I asked her, “Can I talk to ‘em?”

  “I’m actually not in the room right now since they’re still runnin’ tests and everything.”

  “But you’re at least at the hospital with him, right?”

  “Only because I told these hospital folks that you were my son,” she answered, that response making me chuckle even as I asked, “You did what?”

  Her using me made more sense once she went on to explain, “With the virus, everything around here is still on quite a bit of a lockdown in terms of who can be where. But once I told them who I was, I got me some special permissions.”

  “Well I’m just glad that everything’s okay,” I told her, my shoulders finally relaxing a bit as I shared, “Once I saw that you’d text me, it was easy for me to assume the worst.”

  “I only did that cause I knew you were out on the court taking down that ol’ French Freak,” she responded, once again making me laugh as I corrected, “You mean, the Greek Freak?”

  “Him too.”

  Shaking my head amusedly, I said, “Aight, Ms. J. Well whenever you get back to Coach Joe, have him give me a call if he’s up for it.”

  “You know I will, hun,” she confirmed. “And I’m sorry for stressing you out like this during such an important moment in your life. I just thought you’d wanna know.”

  Brushing her off, I insisted, “No need to apologize, Ms. J. You did the right thing. I appreciate you looking out for him.”

  “Did you really think I was just gonna let that man roll over and die in my bed?” she asked. “Nu uh. Not on my Sleep Number.”

  “You wild, Ms. J,” I laughed. “But let me get back before they start lookin’ for me. I’ll talk to you soon, aight?”

  After exchanging a few more words, the call was ended as I headed back towards the locker room to find a concerned Bleu who immediately asked, “Is everything okay with Coach Joe?”

  “Should be,” I told her. “Ms. J just rode his old ass right into a mild heart attack.”

  “So that was the health scare she was talking about?” Bleu asked, the amusement all in her eyes as I pulled her into a hug and nodded.

  “Yeah. Why you ain’t never do me like that?”

  “Me do you like that? You should be doing me like that,” she giggled, finding my eyes to suggest, “But there’s always tomorrow.”

  Another day in the Bubble with her expanded access meant another opportunity to make good on what she was talking about, the mention exciting me as I made it through all the postgame presser stuff, got treatment, and then headed back to the hotel with my team just in time to receive Coach Joe’s call that confirmed he was really on the rebound. But even knowing that, I was still motivated in a special way to make him proud, locked in on doing everything I needed to to ensure I’d be able to finish out the series.

  I was especially focused during our team walkthrough the next day, and receptive to all the different treatment options the training staff presented to me right after. I made sure I got some time in with Bleu, sexing her somethin’ crazy as a means of relaxing and confirming we were still solid since she was just as important to me as any of this shit. And then it was back to more treatment as we headed into game day, the routine of it all a little strenuous but definitely worth it since it was the only thing keeping my season alive as I prepared for game five.

  Knowing it had the ability to put a team in position to only need one more win to advance to the Eastern Conference Finals, it was easy to see how important this game was. But I was still treating it like any other day, going through my normal warm-up routine the same way I would if we were back in Nashville before entering into another battle with Milwaukee.

  No lie, I had a lot of respect for these niggas cause they weren’t just letting us have anything. They truly made us work for it, pressing us to earn every bucket to the point that shit unsurprisingly got extra chippy going into the fourth.

  Lucky for my squad, that was the exact kind of energy I thrived in, taking me back to my days of hooping at the different group homes when there was never a referee meaning there were never any rules. But not everybody was built like me, making it less of a shock when a hard foul against the opposing team turned into a full-blown shoving match that had to be broken up by coaches fr
om each bench.

  As we waited on the court to see who would get in trouble, I could only laugh as I thought about how shit had turned hectic so quick. But once things got sorted out and technical fouls were distributed, I was right back locked in, making something of that electric energy as I went off for a career-high of forty-five points and we eventually got the W.

  “One game closer,” I thought, making my way over to Heather Cannon who was working the sidelines of our game tonight. And while I wished it was Bleu cause I knew she’d be hyped about my forty-ball, I was excited to head over to the game she was working at another arena so that I could not only get a live look at what was going on in the Western Conference semis, but also watch Bleu in action.

  Nobody looked better on a sideline than my baby.

  Nobody was better on a sideline than my baby.

  And I knew it was only a matter of time until her name would start being mentioned with the greats like Lisa Salters and Doris Burke, making me hopeful that I’d still be around to see it all happen from the front row.

  But really, I wasn’t even planning on leaving that up to chance.

  Bleu Taylor was it for me.

  Twenty-Three

  “So tell me… what’s it like being God’s favorite?”

  Giggling at Katianna’s question, I finished straightening my hair in my hotel-home bathroom mirror as I asked, “What are you talkin’ about, Kat?”

  “Your vlog series is a smash hit. You’re killing the coverage of every game you’ve worked in the Bubble with your name constantly trending online because of it. And now you’re back to getting dicked down on the regular by a virile young man who’s not broke and loves the hair on your currently overgrown pussy,” she listed before concluding, “That’s nothing but blessings, Bleu.”

  Truthfully, I agreed that everything she was talking about had to be God’s work. But considering I wasn’t the only one being blessed as of late, it was easy for me to challenge, “The same kinda blessings that has your team down in the Wubble killin’ it right now even with your star player being out?”

  “One win to your many, my good sis,” Katianna insisted, making me giggle again as I groaned, “Anyway. I gotta get on the good foot so I can catch this bus and make it to the arena on time.”

  Even after being in the Bubble for months now, I still hadn’t quite mastered the transportation system, making it imperative that I get down to the lobby earlier than necessary just in case I had my times mixed up. And as I gathered everything I’d need for tonight’s broadcast and stuffed it into my backpack, I knew it was also important for me to double-check what I was packing since it wasn’t a simple trip getting from the arena to the hotel and then back again in the event that I’d forgotten something.

  While I was doing that, Katianna inquired, “Going to support your man?”

  “I wish,” I sighed. “They have me working a Western Conference game tonight, so I’ll be watching on my phone.”

  Of course, Kage understood how all of this worked, so he wasn’t trippin’ about me not being able to physically be there to support him. But knowing how crucial this game was, I still felt a way about it, Katianna seeming to agree with that when she responded, “That’s annoying. They’re some haters.”

  “Tell me about it,” I groaned as I grabbed my mask and badge, putting both in their proper places before I threw my bag over my shoulder. Then, after wrapping up my chat with Katianna, I was headed down to the bus, grateful to be one of very few people on it since it gave me a chance to get some vlog footage as we made the trip over to Court 1.

  The Trojans game was already underway as I prepared for tonight’s broadcast. So with my notes in one hand and my phone in the other, I went back and forth between the two, choosing to watch the live box score instead of watching the actual game since I already knew I’d be too engrossed, and furthermore, stressed.

  Seeing the Trojans lead and that Kage’s points and assists were going up was all the information I needed. And when both of those things stayed consistent through halftime, I was feeling a lot more relaxed until I noticed Kage wasn’t in to start the third quarter.

  “What the hell is that all about?” I wondered, clicking over to Twitter to see if anyone was saying anything about it. And while my mind didn’t even go to something being wrong right away, my heart literally dropped to my stomach once I saw tweet after tweet talking about his ankle again.

  “Damn. Kage Steele rolled the fuck outta his ankle on that last three-pointer.”

  “Is Kage’s ankle made out of paper mache or what?”

  “Bro, Kage needs to get on that Steph Curry ankle plan cause whatever the Trojans got him doin’ ain’t it.”

  “Shit,” I hissed, continuing to scroll until I saw the actual footage of Kage shooting a three-pointer to end the half only to land right on his defender’s foot which caused his ankle to twist just slightly. And even though a flagrant foul had been assessed since defenders were responsible for giving shooters enough space to land safely, that did nothing to ease my concerns regarding Kage since it was obvious something must’ve really been wrong if he was choosing to sit out.

  Or maybe it wasn’t his choice.

  Maybe it was more of a protective measure since game six wasn’t necessarily a must-win, and they were trying to preserve him in the event that the series went to game seven. Or maybe... the Trojans were just experimenting with a new, taller line-up to put some defensive pressure on Milwaukee’s bigs since, according to the box score, they were the only reason this game was even competitive.

  By the end of the third, it was clear that hadn’t worked. But at least Kage had made his way back into the rotation, proving that the whole ankle thing must’ve looked a lot worse on camera than it actually was. And for that, I was grateful even though Milwaukee’s monstrous third quarter had yet again put them on track to end the game with a win, the Trojans battling back but still not quite able to overcome the deficit in the end.

  I knew Kage would be disappointed.

  But lucky for him, this whole thing was far from over, the quick turnaround for games in the Bubble meaning he had a day and some change to make sure his mind was in the right place - to make sure that his ankle was straight - and then it was back to the court for a win-or-go-home game against the same team they’d found themselves in this scenario with last season.

  This time, I was in attendance.

  With the morning spent filming stuff for the vlog and an afternoon spent doing a variety of network television spots from my hotel room, I was honestly pooped by the time I had to work the sidelines later that night. But seeing Kage out on the court warming up ignited me in ways I couldn’t explain, his drive giving me a much-needed energy boost that helped me be able to push harder as I prepared to give my on-camera pregame report.

  Truthfully, Milwaukee had the momentum after their game six victory, and I was honest about that as I gave the keys to tonight’s matchup. But I was also clear about the different ways the Trojans had been able to beat them so far this series, noting that if they were able to stick to those plans, then they’d be onto the Eastern Conference finals.

  Of course, it was very onbrand for Coach Kirkwood to not stick to those plans. And for that reason, the Trojans found themselves down early. But after a second-quarter run led by Kage who was both putting up buckets himself and finding all his teammates in their sweet spots with assists, they’d at least been able to make up some of the deficit, going into halftime down but not completely out since the momentum had now swung their way.

  Talking to both coaches at half, they each seemed confident about being able to pull out the victory. But I knew only one would prevail, on the edge of my seat as I watched my man single-handedly keep Milwaukee from going on their usual third-quarter run when he added another fifteen to his point total for the game.

  I was so damn proud of him.

  He was giving it his all, being there for his team, trying to finish what he’d starte
d just like he said he would. And that energy was admirable as hell, only making me want it for him that much more as I watched the Trojans finally take the lead late in the fourth quarter after Kage went on a fast break that ended in a dunk.

  “There you go, babe!” I yelled, catching a couple side eyes and giggles from those standing within six feet of me. But quite honestly, I didn’t care, easily getting caught up in the intensity of it all that made it less of a surprise when the final quarter of regulation ended in a tie.

  We were going to overtime.

  It was only five minutes. But those five minutes felt like a lifetime as I watched the two teams trade baskets back and forth up until the final thirty seconds when Milwaukee took a two-point lead. Though that didn’t mean it was over since the Trojans now had possession of the ball, draining the shot clock as much as they could before running a pick and roll with Zeb and Kage that sent Zeb flying to the basket for a pass that was never thrown since Kage had decided to attack the surprisingly open lane for an easy lay-up that ended with him tying the score.

  He was hyped.

  In fact, they were all hyped as Milwaukee called a timeout in hopes of setting up a final play that would prevent them from going into a second overtime. And since the timeout also allowed them to advance the ball to half court, that only extended the possibilities of how they’d choose to handle the seven seconds that were left on the clock, the arena tense as we all watched them prepare to inbound the ball before the Trojans called their final timeout.

  It wasn’t an unusual move since seeing the play Milwaukee had set up now allowed Coach Kirkwood to implement some specific strategies on how to defend it. But I also knew Coach’s plans hadn’t been working at a high percentage as of late, making me nervous as I watched both teams make their way back out to the court and sent up a quick prayer that this moment wouldn’t be the end.