The Speech

Houston

Texas

USA

The ball hit the rim, and it ricocheted off the hoop. It flew up in the air and hit the top of the backboard, and it flew up again.

Lokesh collapsed to his knees and stared up at the ball, as did millions of others. They knew, that if the ball rolled away now, Baltimore would win the NBA championship.

Millions watched and prayed.

The final buzzer sounded, signaling the end of the game. But, Lokesh had gotten the shot off before the buzzer. Hence, if the ball went into the basket, the shot would count…

The ball came gliding down and hit the rim again. It then started rolling around the edge of the rim. It rolled one round, two rounds, and three rounds as the spectators’ mouths hung open in anxiety and suspense.

The ball took a fourth round around the ledge of the hoop. Then, it stopped, remained suspended it its position for a moment, and gently, slowly, and deftly, rolled into the basket.

A shockwave of sound exploded from the stadium as the shocked, relieved, and ecstatic crowd yelled their happiness out. Eighty long years of the Houston Spacewalkers. Eighty long years of continuous disappointment. Regular season failures. Playoffs disasters. Players quitting on the team. The most useless team ever, they were the joke of the NBA.

Not anymore.

The section of the crowd where Lokesh had landed crowded their Indian Basketball God and hugged him. They couldn’t express how they felt for Lokesh Kumar at that moment. Words betrayed them. The entire crowd just sat, cried its eyes out in joy, and hugged each other. They couldn’t praise what this team had just done. They were beyond praise.

The Houston Spacewalkers had won the 2028 NBA championship.

And the team had finally ended the championship drought.

They had rewritten history. They were the first eighth seed to win a championship, and the only team to come back from an 0-3 deficit to take the victory.

*

Multiple staff members of the Houston Spacewalkers carried out the championship t-shirts and caps. The caps said 2028 NBA CHAMPIONS in big bold letters. The t-shirts were Lokesh’s favorite. They read:

CURSE ENDED!

SPACE CITY

2028 NBA CHAMPIONS

Lokesh and his team had well and truly ended the curse.

Fireworks exploded outside the arena. Streamers popped inside the building and released a mountain of confetti all over the players. Lokesh slowly came out from the area he had landed. The crowd there was determined to show him their love by hugging him so hard he almost suffocated. But, he returned their affections gracefully and stepped out, where he was immediately jumped by his teammates and coaches. They piled on top of him like a confused heap of bodies, screaming in delight. Words defied them. They could only yell themselves hoarse in appreciation of what their franchise player had done for them.

Lokesh finally pulled himself out of the pile of his allies and sat down in a corner. He then started to tear up. He couldn’t believe that this was actually happening. His entire life and journey now seemed like a very pleasant dream. His whole life’s work had finally borne fruit, and it was because he’d worked to turn that pleasant dream into a fairytale reality.

He then rose off his chair and hopped onto the announcers table. He proceeded to draw a box around the HOUSTON written on his jersey and pump the air in delight, causing the fans to roar with approval. He then gestured to the 64 on his back.

This was his tribute to his idol, Terry Parker.

He then fell into his teammates’ embrace, screaming in ecstasy.

The Baltimore Barrage couldn’t believe it. They stood there, transfixed, for a while. Then, they walked off the court without shaking hands.

The four draft picks they’d traded for Josh Okongo had returned to destroy them.

*

Lokesh went back to the locker room alone and took his phone out of his locker. He called his mom, who answered almost instantly.

“Oh my God! I don’t know what to say! Congratulations!” she screamed.

“Thanks, ma.”

Lokesh then saw his father sitting there. He didn’t have his usual stoic expression. Instead, his face was drenched with tears.

“Come home soon, son,” he said in Lokesh’s native language, Kannada. “We’ll be waiting for you!”

Lokesh stared, then grinned at his dad.

“For sure, dad!” he replied back in Kannada.

*

Odai, Kobayashi, Dan, Keon, Steven, and Marcello were waiting for Lokesh to join them at the awards ceremony the rest of the team. Marcello was handed the NBA Championship trophy, which he stared at, filled with emotion, before handing it to his team. Another shower of confetti was followed by a spray of champagne in the air as the players and coaches screamed in joy.

Then, it was Lokesh’s turn.

“The NBA Finals MVP Award goes to, Lokesh Kumar! The Indian Basketball God!” announced the NBA commissioner as Lokesh collected his award.

“Congratulations, kid,” he told Lokesh. “I never announced your name on your draft night, as you went in the second round. But your rise as a player has been nothing short of spectacular! The league needs more players like you!”

Lokesh smiled. “Thank you, sir.”

He picked up the mic, and addressed the crowd.

“I can probably never explain this feeling, guys!” he said. “But I’m thankful to each and every one of you guys for sharing this moment with me!”

He paused, and then continued.

“To my parents, who in the end supported me, and to the love of my life, who also taught me the game, I can never repay this debt. Not even with ten championships!”

“To my teammates, man what can I say? Each and every one of these guys has been through tumultuous adversity and tragedy! Each and every one of these guys has a story. A story in which they had to overcome all odds to get here! To everyone who supported my teammates, and my teammates themselves, I thank them all!”

“To my coaches, without your punishment, I would never have made that last shot!”

“To Parth Prasad and Jyot Singh. I wouldn’t be here without you convincing the BFI!”

Parth and Jyot blanched.

“He remembered? That we asked him to mention us in his Finals MVP speech?”

“To GM Marcello Rodriguez, I want to say that yours is another debt I can never repay! Thank you so much for putting your faith in a nobody from halfway around the world, and making him somebody!”

Tears were now pouring down Lokesh’s face. However, he went on.

“And lastly, to a very special person. To my role model and idol, NBA legend Terry Parker. My entire game and mentality are but an imitation of you! I get that you’re ashamed of never winning a championship, but there’s no need to be! You’re not, and will never be a failure! If you’re listening to this, please, come back to the basketball world! Because number 64 has won the championship for Houston!”

“What would you say is the biggest difference between yourself and Parker?” asked a reporter.

Lokesh smiled. “Terry played with teammates who never intended to play alongside him. But I am fortunate to be playing alongside my brothers who will never leave my side, no matter what!”

“That’s the difference!”

With that, he ran off to celebrate with his team.

Somewhere far, far away, NBA legend Terry Parker was watching the game. He’d just spilled beer all over his dog, Sky, in sheer happiness due to his old team finally ending its championship curse. As he cleaned Sky’s fur and stared at the screen, he heard the franchise guy mention his name and address him directly. Suddenly, realization hit him. He smiled.

“What do you know, Sky?” he chuckled, patting Sky’s head. “It’s that kid who asked me for a picture all those years ago!”

*

After celebrating all night, Lokesh called Neha, who had received an admission into a college to study neuroscience. The couple chatted for a few hours and hung up the call. Lokesh then turned back to see Odai Beckham Jr, Keon Jordan Jr, Danny Reynolds, and Kobayashi Ichikawa behind him.

“What’s up, guys?” he asked.

“Well, we’ve just won the NBA championship! What’s next?” said Keon.

“Some rest, hopefully.”

“The Olympics, guys!”

Lokesh felt a warm feeling in his chest.

“You’ll be playing for Japan, won’t you?” asked Odai to Kobayashi.

Kobayashi nodded. “Let’s go, Nihon!”

“And you’ll be playing for India?”

Lokesh grinned. “Yeah, go figure! Can’t wait to see Parth Prasad and Jyot Singh again! Though that dude Anuj Varma may be there too!”

“So we’ll be rivals,” said Keon happily. “Can’t wait!”

“You three will be playing for Team USA?” asked Kobayashi.

“Yeah!” said Odai.

“Not me,” said Danny Reynolds.

“Huh? Why?” asked the others in unison.

Dan smiled. “I’m retiring, guys!”

“I’m retiring a champion! I’m too old for this nonsense anyway!”

“Happy retirement, Dan,” said Lokesh. “We’ll miss you and your leadership!”

“Thanks!” said Dan. “Now, if you’ll excuse me. After the parade, I owe my family and wife a nice day out! Need to make dinner reservations!”

Dan walked away. Before he disappeared completely, he stopped and turned.

“Don’t worry about leadership, Lokesh. Because from here on, you will lead the team!”

“Wow,” said Odai. “So happy he has Eva back. He’s so cheerful he’s like a different person!”

Lokesh Kumar, Kobayashi Ichikawa, Odai Beckham Jr, and Keon Jordan Jr sat together, staring at the Houston skyline. They closed their eyes and thought about how their lives had led to this point, relishing their victory.

This would be the last few minutes of calm before they would get caught up in the fun of the victory parade.

It was thus that five men, with five stories, came together to become one legend.