Christmas is almost the most important holiday of the year for Americans. In a business league like the NBA, some professional players with bad luck will have to fight Christmas battles on this day when they are reunited with their families.
But for the student players who play in the NCAA, Christmas is a rare holiday in their season. The school will be closed on Christmas Day, and naturally the teams under the school cannot ask students to practice or compete.
The day before Christmas Eve, the Bulldogs' last training before the Christmas holiday. The players have changed their equipment, but Stevens has not been seen for a long time.
From when Stevens was still an assistant coach at Butler University until now, this young coach has never been late. On the contrary, he is often the first person to go to the locker room.
Therefore, in the face of such a rare situation, the players are at a loss for you to look at me and I look at you.
Although under the leadership of assistant coaches and other specialized coaches, training can still be carried out. But without Stevens giving orders, no one dared to act rashly.
As the locker room gradually became commotion, the door of the home team's locker room at Schinkel Arena was slammed open.
Yes, it was knocked away. Stevens, who still had some snowflakes on his head, couldn't even free his hands to open the door.
"Merry Christmas! Guys! Phew... This bunch of things makes me move!" Stevens smiled and appeared in front of everyone. In his arms, there was a lot of special packaging. Exquisite Christmas gift!
"Coach, what are you..." Shervin Mark hasn't figured out what the situation is.
"What are you doing in a daze!? Come get your gifts, this bunch of things is not light to hug!" Stevens smiled kindly, and in the next second, everyone flocked to you!
Receiving a gift at Christmas is undoubtedly one of the most exciting things. The Bulldogs' performance this season is very dazzling, so Stevens also bought a lot of small gifts out of his pocket to reward his players.
Everyone opened the present in excitement, and they got different things. Each one is carefully selected by Stevens according to different people.
There is only Yiyang. He sat blankly in front of his locker, seemingly out of tune with this joyous atmosphere.
How does it feel to receive a Christmas gift? Yiyang has never experienced it before. In the past Christmas, he and his mother could spend a warm day, thank God. Yiyang still remembers the year when he was 11 years old. Due to the power outage of the dilapidated apartment, all heating facilities were unavailable. Yiyang and his mother were frozen all night in the small house.
So when faced with such a situation suddenly, Yiyang was really in a daze.
"This is yours." It wasn't until Stevens handed the gift to Yiyang that the expressionless Asian defender came back to his senses.
"Thank you...Thank you, coach." Yiyang slowly accepted the gift and opened it carefully.
Inside the package is a white genuine Lakers baseball cap. Stevens knew that Yiyang, who grew up on the streets of Wood District, was deeply influenced by hip-hop culture. This guy with yellow skin is extremely obsessed with rap music. Yiyang usually wears a street hip-hop style.
The baseball cap is an inseparable part of hip-hop culture. It happens that Yiyang is a fan of the Los Angeles Lakers, so Stevens chose this hat as Yiyang's Christmas gift.
"Like it?"
"Huh...this gift is great." Yiyang raised his head and Stevens saw a rare smile on the boy's face...
With such an episode of giving gifts, in the afternoon, the players' training was naturally very active.
This group of young people did not become impetuous because of the approaching holiday. They take training seriously, because they know that this is why the Bulldogs are now ranked first in the Big Ten.
"Merry Christmas!" Finally, everyone shouted in unison. Today's training is officially over, and the Christmas holiday for the players officially begins.
Yiyang's mother had already come to Indianapolis to spend Christmas with her son. As the head coach, Stevens also invited Yiyang and his mother to have dinner at his home a few days ago.
After all, other players can go home to reunite with their families, but Yiyang and Wenxue, these two people have no relatives in Indianapolis, it is impossible for them to spend Christmas in a cold hotel.
Yiyang originally wanted to refuse with one bite, because he is really not used to eating in other people's homes. But after Yiyang's mother got the news, she had to go anyway. She said that she wanted to take the opportunity of Christmas to thank Stevens who made Yiyang take a different path.
In this way, Yiyang wore that white baseball cap and got into the car side by side with Stevens, ready to go to the train station to pick up Yiyang's mother.
While driving, Yiyang and Stevens did not communicate too much. Yiyang just kept looking around through the car window, Indianapolis today is really different from the past.
Christmas trees were decorated at the door of every house, and people with smiles rushed into the shopping mall frantically. There are colorful lights hung on the walls of some houses, and people's windows are sprayed with "Merry Christmas" slogans.
Compared to the "garbage dump" in the Wood District, Indianapolis clearly made Yiyang feel a strong festive atmosphere.
After a while, the two reached their destination. Stevens saw Wen Xue in the crowd at a glance, because this woman was so special compared to everything around her.
For this Christmas trip, Wenxue put on her best-looking winter clothes, and rarely put on light makeup on her face. Ever since Yiyang embarked on the right path, Stevens could clearly feel that this young mother seemed to have regained her brilliance.
Yiyang and his mother stepped forward to hug. Yiyang was stronger than before, giving Wen Xue a sense of security. Yes, my son has grown up, and now he can also bring himself a sense of security.
"Hello! Mr. Stevens!" After that, Wenxue shook hands with Stevens respectfully.
"Hello Madam! I hope the crowded journey doesn't make you tired. Let's go, my wife is already preparing dinner at home." Stevens said, opening the car door for Yiyang's mother.
Stevens took out the key and opened the door, and a child who seemed to be only two or three years old ran over.
"Is my father back? Brad?" Deep in the house, a woman asked loudly.
"It's Dad, and two strangers!" The little boy threw himself into Stevens' arms happily. This little guy is Stevens' only three-year-old child.
"Oh, do you need my help?" Wen Xue saw that the host was still preparing dinner, so she rolled up her sleeves.
"No! Madam! Just rest, you are almost done!" A woman with short blond hair and looking very energetic walked out of the kitchen in her apron. Tracy Stevens, Brad's wife. A woman who was fascinated by Stevens on the side of the basketball court.
Cui Xi shook hands with Wenxue and Yiyang kindly. This hostess seemed to have an inexplicable affinity, allowing you to fall in love with her in an instant.
Yiyang was a little embarrassed to say hello. Compared with the cold place in the Wood District, the enthusiasm and warmth of the Stevens family really made Yiyang a little uncomfortable.
Although Cui Xi said that the dinner was almost finished, it was not until eight o'clock that these five people finally gathered around the dinner table and ate this sumptuous Christmas dinner.
In the corner of Stevens's living room, there is a small fake Christmas tree with colorful lights and greeting cards hung on it. ?? There are also ribbons drawn diagonally on the ceiling, an old-fashioned candlestick is placed in the center of the dining table, and a white candle is lit and inserted on it. Although not a family, Wenxue and Yiyang still feel at home on such a night.
At the dinner table, Wen Xue gave the three gifts she prepared to the Stevens family. UU reading www.uukanshu. Com and Wenxue also got a scarf carefully selected by the Stevens.
The five people seemed to have a good time. They ate and talked at the dinner table, even though they had different skin colors and different births. But this does not prevent these five people from becoming true friends.
"Also, it seems that your shooting training is going very smoothly. In recent days, your three-point shooting percentage has also been getting higher and higher. Next, I plan to train your body to make you more adaptable. How about the intensity of the confrontation?" Naturally, the topic of Stevens's chat finally returned to basketball.
"Very good." Yiyang's tone still doesn't have any ups and downs. This kid doesn't know what is good or bad, but his personality is just like that.
Stevens nodded, he has long been used to Yiyang's way of speaking. "By the way, about the NBA... have you decided? If you play at Butler University for one more year, I can make you better! But if you want to play professional basketball now , I don't think it's a bad idea."
Speaking of this topic, Yiyang put down his knife and fork and looked at his mother.
"This is your decision, son." Wenxue took Yiyang's hand. In this matter, Wenxue could not help Yiyang too much.
"I...I want to participate in the draft this year! Because our family really needs the income from a professional contract." Yiyang bluntly said that money is something his family can't get around. A consideration for opening.
Stevens nodded and raised his glass. "Your son will soon become a real professional player! Madam!"
"Boom!" Everyone's wine glasses collided, and a decision that might make a big change in the NBA league structure was quietly born on this warm Christmas Eve.