Instagram gave Jake plenty of attention. Once the deal was finalized, they secured prime advertising space on their most prominent page for a week, alongside heavy promotion. Under Jake's subtle influence, ins staff scheduled the live broadcast for Christmas evening.
"Boss, what should we wear tomorrow?" CJ and LaVine had been training in the gym despite the team being on break after their last pre-Christmas game on the 22nd. They cornered Jake at his office door, looking anxious.
"Wear whatever you want," Jake thought for a moment, then added, "How about you guys wear your training clothes tomorrow? We'll be streaming from the training facility, and if the vibe is right, you might need to show off some skills. No suits, for sure."
Seeing their nervousness, Jake chuckled. In a few years, both CJ and LaVine would be league stars. They weren't leaders yet, but they were well on their way to being popular and recognized. They were still so young and fresh to the league.
"Relax," Jake said, offering reassurance. "I'll be on camera with you. If anything comes up, just follow my cues."
The next morning, Jake drove to the Kings' training facility. Initially, ins staff wanted to stream from Arco Arena, but Jake shut that idea down immediately. The game venue wasn't free to use—you had to pay extra for that! When Jake arrived, he spotted a few chairs set up in the center circle of the gym. This would be their broadcast spot. Unlike earlier low-budget attempts, Instagram had clearly splurged on this one. There were all kinds of professional camera setups and a swarm of busy staff.
Two hosts—a man and a woman—were prepping near the camera. When they saw Jake enter, they rushed over.
"Manager Jake, we're today's live stream hosts. We'll handle the flow of the show," the male host greeted with enthusiasm.
"Oh, great to meet you both. Thanks for all the hard work," Jake said, shaking their hands. He didn't recognize their faces, guessing they were Instagram's in-house hosts.
"No trouble at all! In fact, we fought hard to get this gig!" the male host laughed, diving straight into conversation. "You wouldn't believe how many of us at the company are Kings fans. Everyone wanted to be here for this interview and get some face time with you and the players."
"Really? Half the company?" Jake was surprised. The Kings had been under slump with very few old-school fans. Even though they were picking up steam, they'd only been in the spotlight for half a season. Jake had assumed their real fan base would form next season after they had some results under their belt.
The host clarified, "It's all because of you! Fans back home know that one of their own is running the Kings now, and that's drawing them in. There's never been a so young general manager in the NBA, so it's something new and exciting. Take me, for example—I've been watching the Kings improve, and it feels like nurturing a team from scratch. It's a special feeling!"
Jake couldn't help but laugh at the novel description. "Well, in that case, I better keep engaging with the fans! The more support we get, the higher we'll climb."
While they were chatting, CJ and LaVine arrived at the training hall and met the hosts. The Christmas special live stream kicked off soon after, and viewers flooded in from all directions. Within moments, over 500,000 people had tuned in, and the number was still rising. The chat exploded with comments:
"Oh my god, it's Jake! My last connection to the NBA!" "CJ! I'm a huge fan! You've been on fire lately!" "LaVine is so handsome! Love from mom!" "Get out of here, mom fans!"
The male host, trying to keep his cool, took a deep breath and plastered a professional smile on his face. "Good evening, Instagram users! Welcome to our Christmas special live stream. Today, we're joined by three special guests: Kings General Manager Jake, CJ McCollum, and Zach LaVine!"
There was some polite applause from the staff as Jake smiled and waved at the camera. CJ and LaVine followed suit, greeting the viewers as well.
Once the introductions were done, the hosts dived into their planned questions.
"The Kings have been the hottest dark horse in the league recently," the female host began. "Manager Jake, would you mind sharing with us the secret behind your team's rise?"
Jake paused for a moment before answering. "I think the most important factor is that we're a young team. Our new owner, Mr. Vivek, has given us the freedom to make bold moves and showcase our talents. With so many rookies and sophomores on the roster, we have nothing to lose. So we just go for it!"
The host continued chatting with Jake before shifting focus to CJ and LaVine, as the viewers were more interested in hearing from these rising stars.
"CJ, how would you rate your performance this season?" the female host asked.
After a brief pause, CJ replied thoughtfully, "I think my progress this season is entirely thanks to Jake and Coach." He glanced at Jake with gratitude. "They've both been crucial in my development, giving me the greatest trust. I also want to thank my teammates—they pushed me hard during offseason training and always encouraged me to take shots confidently. My growth is largely due to the support and opportunities my teammates gave me."
Jake nodded approvingly. That was exactly the kind of response he had hoped for—loyalty and appreciation.
The male host then turned to LaVine. "Jake, I've heard that drafting LaVine was one of your first major decisions, despite some opposition. He's been performing incredibly well for the team and has stayed on the rookie leaderboard for a while. Can you tell us your thoughts behind selecting LaVine?"
Both hosts and even LaVine were curious about Jake's response—this question wasn't part of the script. Realizing this was an impromptu moment, Jake's mind raced. The male host must have added that question on a whim! He couldn't exactly say he had foresight into LaVine's future potential.
After clearing his throat, Jake said, "Well, we'd been tracking LaVine for quite a while. His playing style and mentality aligned perfectly with our team-building philosophy."
"And what is the Kings' current team-building philosophy?" the male host asked, seizing on the key detail.
Jake smiled. "It's pretty simple. My mentor, Coach Popovich, taught me that every mature team needs its own identity. Look at the Spurs—they emphasize team basketball and passing the ball multiple times before taking a shot. The Kings are still young, and we have a long way to go, but our priority is building a winning culture. When the team embraces a culture of victory, players are driven by more than just the job—they develop a hunger for honor."
He glanced at CJ and LaVine. "CJ, I'm hoping you win the Most Improved Player award this season. I'm really optimistic about you. As for LaVine, he's still a rookie, so there's plenty of time to chase accolades. But this year, he'll be in the All-Star Rookie Game and the Slam Dunk Contest. Don't miss this chance to shine."
Before anyone could respond, Jake switched gears. "Speaking of the All-Star Game, voting is underway. Both CJ and Cousins have a shot at making the team."
Jake then dramatically pulled out two posters—one of Cousins and one of CJ—and flashed them to the camera with a grin. "To everyone watching, please help us out by voting for my players! I appreciate it!"
This sudden shift into promotion caught both the staff and live stream viewers by surprise. The number of people watching had soared past one million, and the chat was filled with comments like:
"????" "Is he really plugging players right now? Love it!" "Jake is dedicated to the cause, even in a live stream!" "Brother Jake is a real one, always looking out for his team!"
The live stream director quickly gave the hosts a signal to continue.
"Jake really cares about his players," the female host added. "For those watching, you can vote for CJ and Cousins right now!"
The male host chimed in, "Actually, we've just received word that Instagram will pin the All-Star voting link to the top of their homepage starting tomorrow, helping funnel more votes to Cousins and CJ. But in return, Jake, we have a trade offer!"
Jake raised his eyebrows. "A trade?"
"Well, the viewers would love to see some action from the players. So how about this: Instagram boosts the voting links, and LaVine gives us a little preview of his dunk contest skills, right here, right now!"
Before LaVine could respond, Jake jumped up, "Deal! You're in for a treat tonight!"
He pulled LaVine toward the court, barely giving him a chance to protest.
"But Boss, I haven't even warmed up!" LaVine said, towering over Jake, who grabbed him like a coach pulling a rookie into action.
"Warm up? Just do a couple of stretches and show everyone a dunk!" Jake said, not giving LaVine a chance to escape.
If you didn't know Jake was the general manager, you'd never believe he was—he was treating this like a scrappy showman who knew how to keep the crowd engaged!