"MVP, MVP, MVP, MVP," the crowd's chant still resonated in BJ's mind as he slowly emerged from the haze of sleep. Those three letters had become somewhat of a motivation for BJ, a constant reminder of the heights he aspired to reach.
BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP The obnoxious blaring of the alarm ringing on his phone jolted him fully awake. BJ groggily wiped the drool from his mouth, staring at the poster on his wall that stated, "In the silence of preparation, champions are born; in the arena of determination, legends are forged." his mind transitioned from the arena of dreams to the realm of reality. He gave his balls a nice scratch before stretching his arms high above his head.
With a deep yawn that came from the depths of his soul, BJ swung his legs over the edge of his bed. His room was like a sanctuary of dedication to the sport. Trophies gleamed on shelves, basketball posters on the walls, and sneakers were neatly lined up by the door—each pair worn down by countless hours spent on the court. The morning light streamed through the window, casting a warm glow across the room. BJ's tired eyes slowly adjusted to the brightness as he rubbed the sleep from them.
He left his room and headed into the bathroom across the hall. He grabbed his toothbrush and looked into the mirror. He was standing around 5'9 as a 14-year-old. He was taller than most at his age. Bj had brown skin and tiny twists in his head. Today was the day his real career began his first game. Bj had been attending Gary West High School for a few months now and it was finally time for basketball season.
Bj was born and raised in Gary, Indiana. "BJ, hurry up and get dressed and make sure you don't forget your bag and shoes," BJ's father said the one and only Benny "Buckets" Saint. Benny is a man well-known throughout Gary he has coached Gary West High School Basketball for about 10 years now. He played for Indiana State during the 1998-2002 season then he went overseas to play in Spain Benny also played a few seasons in Italy and a few seasons in Puerto Rico and even won a ring over there.
That's also where he met BJ's mother. "Hold up, pops, I'm coming," BJ replied back, heading to his room. Today was officially game day well for BJ his first JV game. He'd been waiting for this day ever since he started high school. Life seemed boring without basketball. BJ grabbed his school bag and his basketball bag. He had a custom bag that said "Indiana Elite" with a basketball net imprinted on it.It was from his AAU team he plays on during the summer.
He then grabbed the rest of his gear and his Gray basketball hoodie that stated "Gary West Basketball" It was the first time the high school team didn't have to wear a suit and tie on gameday now they got a jumpsuit to wear during the day before games after putting on his matching sweatpants and his Birkenstock sandals. He headed out the hallway to the kitchen, where he saw his pop's bald head glistening, the reflection of the kitchen light painted on his head.
"Alright, you ready," Benny asked, stuffing a banana in his mouth. "Yeah, let's go," BJ replied, yawning as they exited the house and Headed to Benny's white 2022 Cadillac Escalade.
"You ready for the game? I'm not about to cut you any slack because you're Mini Benny," Benny said, smiling.
"Yeah I know pops" BJ responded as they pulled up to the large brick building with a large sign at the front of the school that stated, "Gary West High School Home of the Bulldogs." BJ hopped out of the car, closed the door, and headed into the school with his father following right behind him.
BJ walked into school to see a familiar scene the clusters of students chatting and the shuffle of feet against the concrete pathways.BJ headed to class. He entered the classroom just in time, the bell chiming its familiar tune as he found his seat. The teacher began the attendance, and BJ's mind wandered for a moment. Images of the basketball court flickered through his thoughts—the sound of sneakers squeaking on the polished surface, the thud of the ball hitting the hardwood, the exhilaration of a perfectly executed play.
The morning classes passed in a blur, lessons, and assignments filling his mind. BJ was eager to get to the gym the bell finally signaled the end of his last class before lunch. BJ walked into the cafeteria and met up with some of his childhood friends. "Yo BJ, what's up, my boy." BJ walked over to a black kid with nappy hair. It was Xavier BJ who grew up with Xavier and played on the same AAU team, the same middle school, and everything.
They were practically brothers."Yo X, you ready for the game," BJ said, putting a fry in his mouth. "Hell yeah, I'm locked in," he replied, his voice filled with excitement. "North Bloomington should be light work." Just as they were discussing their upcoming game, another one of BJ's childhood friends approached the lunch table.
Tyreek walked over with his thick dread cascading down his shoulders. He had deep brown skin. "What's up," Tyreek said, dapping up both BJ and Xavier before taking a seat. "Talking about the game, I'm guessing?" He leaned back in his chair."Hell, Yeah," BJ replied, sipping his drink. "I ain't settling for nothing but greatness." Xavier Laughed"Dawg you not dropping more than 10." "We'll see," BJ said smiling Tyreek smiled, his dreads shifting slightly as he leaned forward.
"We've been working towards this for years. High School is where it really matters." Countless hours spent on the court together. They had grown up with a basketball in their hands, each one pushing the others to excel and succeed from pick-up games in the local park to late-night practices.
As the conversation flowed about 20 minutes later, the bell rang, signaling the end of lunch. BJ had two more classes to go before he could finally step onto the basketball court as a high school player. His next class was English, a subject that he often found a bit tedious. He made his way to the classroom and settled into his seat at the back of the room, where he knew he could catch a quick rest. Mrs. Hannah, the English teacher, had a reputation for being understanding when it came to her students needing a moment of reprieve.
And BJ took full advantage of that he let out a sigh as he leaned back in his chair, resting his head against his hands. After about an hour BJ's face was comfortably sprawled across the desk, his hands tucked inside his shirt. The sound of the bell snapped him out of his doze, and he stirred slightly.
Next to him, was a familiar figure Charlotte, a girl he had known since their middle school days. Her presence beside him was as reliable as the sunrise, always there to pull him from his naps during class. Charlotte's chestnut hair framed her face in soft waves, and her hazel eyes sparkled.
She had a thing for navigating the academic world effortlessly, and her smile was warm and inviting. Though their personalities were quite different, BJ and Charlotte had formed an unspoken bond over the years.
As the bell chimed, Charlotte nudged BJ gently. He blinked and straightened up, his gaze meeting hers with a hint of sheepishness. "Damn, it's time to go already. Appreciate it, Charlotte," he muttered, a faint smile tugging at his lips. BJ's last class of the day rolled around.
Mr. Anderson, the history teacher, began the class with his usual enthusiasm. "How you doing BJ," Mr Anderson asked with a smile on his face "Same as always Mr A" BJ responded walking into the class around the end of the class, as BJ grabbed his phone and started scrolling through Instagram.
"Damn, he got another offer," BJ thought to himself Mr. Anderson's voice seemed to reach his ears more clearly. "Now, class, I hope you've all been paying attention. There's going to be a quiz on this material next week." As the bell finally rang, signaling the end of the school day, BJ packed up his belongings and headed out of the classroom. As BJ stepped out of the classroom, he felt relief wash over him. The school day was over, and the prospect of his high school legacy loomed closer on the horizon.