Chapter 41:

Rivalry, Punishment, and Resolve.

64


Baltimore

Maryland

USA

Lokesh was late, and he knew it.

The shower in his hotel room didn’t work, and he had to call a member of staff to fix it. The rest of the team had already left for some practice before the match, but he was still trying to wash himself.

“Aghh! Why?” he cursed.

“He was going to be late for his first ever practice with the team.

After what seemed like forever, he bolted towards the car sent for him to take him to the practice venue. The drive between the hotel and the practice venue lasted only about ten minutes. But to Lokesh, it felt like ten long, dreary hours.

On reaching the arena, Lokesh thanked the driver and shot towards the court like a bullet. Suddenly, he ran into someone blindly. “Ow!” the guy yelled. But, Lokesh felt that he had taken the brunt of the impact. It was like running into a brick wall.

“Sorry!” he apologized profusely. He looked up to see who he had hit and recognized him instantly.

The best player in the NBA, and former Houston Spacewalker Josh Okongo bared down at him. Lokesh looked him dead in the eye. “I’m really sorry, man,” he said again.

Josh frowned and then waved his hand. “Nah, it’s alright. Watch where you’re going.

“Yes, sir.”

“You’re the guy that averaged 40 points in the G-League, right? What are you doing in a team like this?” asked Josh.

“Pardon?”

Josh breathed in. “Hate to break it to you, man. But, the team you’re on, it’s useless, to the point of being cursed never to win a championship! Take my advice, and move teams when you can. You’ll probably win a ring before the end of your career!”

Lokesh shook his head. “These guys gave me an opportunity to be here, man. I’m not turning my back on them!”

“Typical rookie way of thinking,” said Josh. “You’ll change as you grow up.”

“No, I won’t,” said Lokesh firmly, now staring down Josh. “I’m not leaving this city. I’m not leaving this team.”

Lokesh paused.

“And I’m not leaving without a championship either!”

Josh burst out laughing. “I love your zeal man, but what exactly are you trying to pull? Winning a championship in Cursed City? And that jersey number! 64? Do you even know who owned that jersey?”

“Sure I do!” said Lokesh. “My idol, Terry Parker!”

Josh was now incredulous. He roared with mocking laughter. “Terry Parker? Boy, you make me laugh!”

“Why?”

Josh stared, wondering if this kid was being serious. “You know why exactly you’re even being allowed to wear that jersey, kid?”

“What do you mean allowed?”

“Listen well, man. If an NBA player is really great, at the end of his career, his jersey number will be retired from the team forever. Meaning, you’ll never be able to wear that number as long as you’re in the team! That number is forever his!”

“I see.”

“Terry Parker’s jersey number 64 was never retired for one reason, kid. It was because he was a failure of an NBA player! He would cling on to useless ideals like loyalty, team chemistry, and unselfish play! That’s the reason he could never, ever, win a championship! You don’t need loyalty, team chemistry, and unselfish play to win! All you need is a bunch of all-star caliber players with high individual talent! That’s the only way to win in this league!”

Josh finished his speech and looked at his listener. He hoped that the child now understood the harsh reality of the league and accepted Josh’s words.

Instead, we was shocked to see the guy returning his angry glare.

“Terry Parker, a failure?”

At that moment, Odai Beckham Jr, Chad Brown, and Kobayashi Ichikawa came to the spot. They had heard Lokesh’s voice and was wondering what on earth he was doing wasting time talking to someone in the hallway. But the moment they showed up, they froze, petrified.

A vindictive, terrifying flame of a vibe was coming off Josh Okongo as he glared menacingly at the much shorter Lokesh Kumar. But Lokesh was unfazed, glaring back at him. The exchange was so scary that Odai, Kobayashi, and Chad couldn’t move. Not even a single inch.

“Terry Parker would often put up a show where he displayed the city’s name to the audience by drawing a box around it and pumping the air to hype up the fans,” snarled Josh. “But that was all a farce. Terry Parker was a fake who could never win! That’s the reason that he went into hiding after his retirement! That’s the reason he’ll never make an appearance again! That’s the reason he now lives in some run-trailer in God-knows-where!”

“What?” Lokesh growled back.

Josh Okongo wasn’t the tallest guy. Standing at 6’8 (203 centimeters), he was just slightly above average for an NBA player. But the vibe of terror coming off of him was way bigger. It made him look like a towering giant.

“That guy Lokesh,” thought Kobayashi, sweating like crazy. “How is he still unaffected by that vibe of terror?”

Suddenly, Danny Reynolds appeared from a door at the side. He was pretty furious.

“Mr. Lokesh Kumar,” he said angrily. “You’re an hour late to practice. On your first day, nonetheless! Move from here and meet Coach Steven Walker! He demands an explanation!”

Lokesh broke away from the spine-chilling staring contest he was having with Josh Okongo. “My apologies!” he said. “I’ll go at once!” he yelled, bolting from the area.

Dan followed Lokesh back to the practice area. Odai, Kobayashi, and Chad followed behind him.

“Dude,” said Odai, his voice shaking. “How did he even stand up to that monster?”

But nobody knew.

Only one franchise-caliber player could stand up to another while being unfazed.

*

“You’re an hour late, Lokesh Kumar. And on your first day!” said Steven Walker.

“I’m sorry, sir. But the shower…”

“You’re blaming the shower?”

“No! I mean, no! But…”

“On top of coming at your own leisure, you picked a fight with Baltimore’s best player?”

“But sir, he…”

“You’re going to have to deal with the repercussions of your actions,” said Steven Walker plainly. “From now on, until I say so, you will be required to shoot ten three pointers in a row from the door! And then run ten rounds around the court in five minutes!”

“But sir, I can’t shoot three pointers!”

“Well, it’s about time you learn!” said Steven. “Once you’re done, you may join the team!”

Much to everyone’s surprise, Lokesh didn’t get angry or upset. He called for a basketball, shot it, and missed badly. Then, he called for another one.

“Wait,” said Steven. “He’s willing to run ten rounds in five minutes?”

*

Danny Reynolds walked up to Lokesh as he missed another three pointer. “Hey kid, what are you thinking right now?”

“I’ll fix it!” replied Lokesh.

Dan didn’t get it. “You’ll fix what? The shower?”

“Josh Okongo,” said Lokesh angrily. “He insulted the man I admire! He insulted Terry Parker! He called him a fake!

“Look here,” said Dan. “Terry Parker was a great basketball player and a better human being! So don’t let his words get into your head!”

“I’ll never let him get away with that, sir. I’ll prove him wrong!”

I’ll fix Terry Parker’s legacy!

*

Odai Beckham Jr, Chad Brown, and Kobayashi Ichikawa watched Lokesh Kumar miss shot after shot.

“Just how was he standing up to that terrifying aura of Josh Okongo?” they thought. “We were stupefied!”

The three remembered exactly what that aura felt like. What the vibe felt like.

The chilling feeling that a franchise player had marked you for destruction.

They’d felt it before, but not from Josh.

They’d felt it from the Las Vegas Decks’ center, Lewis Ronald, in their debut game last year.

And they were unable to score, or even do anything against it.