For The Love Of The Game (Book 1)

Chapter 1: Getting Cold

I blinked my eyes, as my eyes hurt a bit from staring at the TV as to just what it felt like to be all day, as I was waiting for my favorite player from DePaul to have his name called, all at the exact same time as well, on the draft day announcement, as he had nearly taken his team single handedly to the conference championship, all at the exact same time as well, and it had simply been his freshman season none the less, as I knew that DePauls conference was insanely stacked never the less, all at the exact same time as well.
I blinked my eyes, as I let out a bit of a heavy sigh, all at the exact same time as well, as I saw that it was now on pick 30 of the first round of the NBA draft, all at the exact same time too, and I still had not heard the name of Dashawn Glass called out just yet, as it was now starting to get me quite a bit worried that he still had not had his name called out just yet, as I saw that the Cavaliars we're on the clock right now, all at the exact same time too.
I did not want him to get drafted to the Cavaliars, as I knew that was one thing that I did not want for sure. I felt like I would rather him get drafted in the 2nd round, all at the exact same time as well, rather than hear his name get called to a team that had traded their #1 player, Collin Sexton, to the team that had just won the championship, once again, for their 1st round pick, all at the exact same time as well.
Not only that, but the Cavaliars did not have any of their 1st round picks either, due to the fact that they had traded them all, in a blockbuster trade for Ben Simmons, who in the end had decided that he did not want to play for that team, and that he would much rather just play over seas, all at the exact same time as well, as I felt like I could not blame him for it, for having to play for such a sorry ass team.
They had traded Collin Sexton to shed the salary to get Ben Simmons, and whilst in the end, they had traded for Ben Simmons from the Spurs, as it was clear that the GM could not handle him any more, now they had all of the salary in the world, as their team was terrible, as they had just gone off from a 14-68 season, and as far as it seemed to be, it was only going to get even worse for them, all at the exact same time as well.
Unless DeShawn Glass got drafted by them of course, as I knew that he was going to be a force to be reckoned with, and that he was going to be the next super star of the league, all at the exact same time as well, too. I felt like a part of me was only saying that, due to the fact that he played for my favorite college, which was in my home city of Chicago, as I knew that my father had played for that team, all at the exact same time too, as far as my mother had told me at the very least.
I felt like I knew my father, even though I knew that I had never got to ever meet him, due to the fact that he had got in to a lot of street stuff, and a lot of gang stuff when I had been very young, and he had got him self killed, I knew that he had dreams of going to the NBA, and being a star there, along with his best friend, who was for sure a super star, all at the exact same time as well, as his friend had held him self back so that he could get drafted in the same draft class as my father.
In the end, the both of them had been killed in gang shooting, all at the exact same time as well, as it had been on draft night, some odd 12 to 13 years ago, all at the exact same time too, as it kind of made me sick to even think on all of that none the less, as I then all of the sudden dipped my head quite a bit low to the ground, all at the exact same time too, as I then felt quite a bit sick to even think on all of that, never the less, as I knew that I hated to think back on a father that I did not know at all.
My mother had told me that he would have been a good father if he had the chance, and that was all that I could have ever hoped, and all that I could have ever wished for, all at the exact same time too, as it made me feel a bit better when ever it was that she told me as such a thing like that, all at the exact same time as well, as I let out quite a bit of a sad grin on my face, all at the exact same time too.
Speaking of my mother, all at the exact same time as well, I then all of the sudden heard the voice of my mother from the kitchen, all at the exact same time too, as she then began to start to speak up to me, all at once, as I let out quite a bit of a heavy sigh to my self, all at the exact same time as well, as I did my best to try to keep my self calm and cool, and I did my best to try not to get all too angry with my mother all at once, as I knew that she loved me, but some times she did not under stand at all, it seemed to be.
Like right now, as it was clear that she did not seem to get what it was that I had meant when I had told her that I was going to watch to NBA draft, and I was going to wait til I heard the name of DeShawn Glass get called, all at the exact same time too, as I then all of the sudden blinked my eyes a few times, as I shook off all of those thoughts all at once, and I then turned my head, and I got my eyes over to the kitchen, all at the exact same time too.
I smelt quite a good smell from the kitchen, all at the exact same time too, as I could tell that my mother had made some thing good for supper, but right now, if I was not going to lie to my self, I really did not care at all right now, as I simply just wanted to watch til the end of the 1st round at the very least, as I knew that I could take a break when ever the first round was over, as I knew that there was a break in between the rounds.
The 2nd round usually went quite a bit faster than the 1st round, all at the exact same time too, thankfully enough, as I then all of the sudden shook off all of those thoughts all at once, as I then shook my head all at the exact same time too, as I then got my focus on just what it was that was even going on in the kitchen right now, as I then began to start to remember, all at the exact same time as well, that my mother was in fact speaking to me right now, as I nodded a little bit to my self, all at once, as I then all of the sudden began to start to listen as to just what it was that she had to even say to me in the very first place any ways, none the less.
"Come on Travis! Dinner is ready, I worked hard on this one tonight!" She said to me, all at the exact same time as well, as I rolled my eyes all at once, as I knew that was just what it was that she said to me every single night that she spoke to me in such a tone, from the kitchen, all at the exact same time as well.
Though I knew that she was not lying, as I knew that my mother was a hard worker none the less, and I knew that she was a busy bee, all at the exact same time as well, as I blinked my eyes a few times, and I then all of the sudden began to start to remember as to just how much it was that my mother loved me in the very first place any ways, none the less.
I knew that she did not work 2 jobs, and also some how come home and work hard to make me dinner every single night, for no such sort of reason at all, never the less, as well, as I cracked quite a bit of a grin on my face, all at the exact same time as well, as I blinked my eyes a few times, and I then got my focus on the fact that I knew that I had to go ahead and go in to the kitchen to get my dinner, as I knew that my mother had in fact worked quite a bit hard on it for me, all at the exact same time as well.
I blinked my eyes a few times, as I was in fact about to get my self up from off of the sofa, all at the exact same time as well, when I all of the sudden began to start to hear the voice from the TV, all at the exact same time as well, as I began to start to listen as to just what it was that was even going on right at this very moment in time, in the very first place any ways, none the less.
It was time, as I saw that from the bottom of my screen, it was clear as all day, that it said 'The Cavaliars have now made their selection'. I gulped quite a bit of some spit down my throat, all at once, as I was quite a bit scared to see just what it was that Adam Silver was about to say, all at the exact same time as well, as I saw that he was walking over to the podium right now, all at the exact same time too.
A part of me did not want to hear his name called, but at the exact same time too, a part of me did in fact just want to hear his name called, so that he would not be a 2nd round pick, as I knew that most 2nd round picks did not get much of a chance in the NBA, all at the exact same time as well, never the less.
Sure, you had your Manu Ginobilis, and you had your Khris Middleton's, and your Isiah Thomas's, but at the exact same time too, I also knew that they were not Hall Of Famers, all at the exact same time too.
DeShawn Glass, I felt like he had a hall of fame potential, all at the exact same time too, as I had thought on just what it was that could go wrong with all of that, as I did not think that this season could be a fluke for him, all at the exact same as well, as I breathed in quite a bit to my self, all at once, as I then all of the sudden saw Adam Silver stop at the podium, all at the exact same time as well, as I saw him open the note paper, all at the exact same time as well.
I stared at the bald man with quite a bit of a blank look on my face, as I knew that he was not looking at me at all, so there was nothing at all that I even needed to be worried about in the very first place any ways, as I sighed just a bit to my self, all at once, and I then heard the loud cough of Adam Silver, as it was clear that he was trying to get the attention of the crowd, as it was clear that he was about to speak.
I prayed to hear the name of DeShawn Glass get called right now, as I knew that I wanted him to have a chance, and I wanted him to have a 4 year contract, all at the exact same time as well, so that he could prove that he was a force to be reckoned with in the years ahead of him in the NBA, all at the exact same time too, as I just stared at him, as Adam Silver then lifted his head up, all at the exact same time too.
He opened his mouth, as it seemed like he was taking longer than it felt like I could ever imagine it to be, all at the exact same time too, as I then all of the sudden let out quite a bit of a soft sigh to my self, all at the exact same time too, as I gulped quite a bit to my self, all at once, as I felt quite a bit of some sweat dripping down from my forehead right now.
Not just that, but it felt like I was filled with quite a bit of some adrenaline right at this very moment in time, never the less, as it felt like blood was pumping through out my entire body right now, which I felt like a lot of that had to do with the fact that my hear was beating ever so fast, as it was at a speed that you could never fathom, all at the exact same time too.
As I stared at Adam Silver, for quite some time, it seemed like he had his mouth open for seconds, which seemed to turn in the minutes, which then seemed to turn in to hours, and then days, and weeks, and so on and so forth never the less, all at the exact same time as well, until finally, all of the sudden, all at the exact same time too, I then heard the words begin to spill out of his mouth.
"And with the 30th pick in the 2027 draft, the Cleveland Cavaliers select, DeShawn Glass!" He said, as my heart then all of the sudden stopped, all at the exact same time as well, as I was not all too sure as to just what it was that I should think right at this very moment in time, if I was not going to lie to my self, all at the exact same time as well, as I was not all too sure if I should be happy for him, or feel bad for him that he had to get drafted to such a garbage organization.
Perhaps he could save that organization for all that I knew, as I felt like I had to think some sort of positive right now, as I knew that my favorite player in all of basketball, had just been drafted, all at the exact same time as well, as not only that, but he had been drafted in the first round, as I knew that he was a sleeper pick, as I knew that some mock drafts had him in the late 2nd round, if any at all, even though he had scored 40 points a night on 12 assists in the conference tournament, all at the exact same time too, only to get knocked out in the round that led to the finals.
I cracked a bit of a smile on my face, all at the exact same time as well, as I saw a smile on his face, as he began to start to walk up on stage, all at the exact same time as well, as this seemed to be the happiest day of my life, all at the exact same time as well, if I was not going to lie to my self, never the less, as I was so happy right now, and I was not all too sure what to think, as I then all of the sudden began to start to see DeShawn, as he began to start to head over to the podium, such as Adam Silver had just been on, all at the exact same time as well.
I smiled at him, almost as if he could see me doing as such a thing, as if we had a special bond, and we had a special connection, even though I knew damn well that he did not have a single clue as to just what it was that was going on right now, nor did he have a clue as to just who it was that I even was in very first place any ways, as I felt like I could do nothing but dream at this point.
I was about to lift my self up, and start to clap my hands, to cheer my self on, all at the exact same time too, when I all of the sudden began to start to notice, all at the exact same time too, all at once, that the crowd that was at the NBA draft place right now, was booing at him for some odd reason or another, as I was not all too sure as to just how it was that I had not noticed that at first, all at the exact same time as well, as I was not all too sure as to just what it was the the booing was for in the very first place any ways.
I was not all too sure if it were due to the fact that the fans of the other teams were booing due to the fact that their team had not drafted him, sadly enough for them, as they did not know that he was going to be the next super star in the NBA, all at the exact same time as well, never the less, as I let out quite a bit of a heavy sigh to my self, all at the exact same time as well.
I dipped my head quite a bit low to the ground, all at the exact same time too, as I felt quite a bit bad for poor DeShawn, if I was not going to lie to my self, as it was clear that the people that were booing at him, and throwing trash on stage right now, were clearly the rotten Cavs fans, all at the exact same time as well, as that felt like it was also a lot of the reason that I had hoped that he had not been drafted there none the less, as it seemed like they had the worst kind of fans.
I sighed a bit to my self, as I felt like they would soon learn to regret what it was that they were doing, all at the exact same time as well, as I had seen it happen, what it was that was happening right now, to a bunch of different players. It felt just a bit crazy to me that they were getting upset at the pick, at pick 30 none the less though, as I was not all too sure how they could not see how fast, and how young he was, as he was 18, and he had a lot of potential, and a lot of room to grow still.
I suppose that it was the only pick in the draft that the Cavs had, but I was not all too sure as to just what else it was that they thought that they were going to get with that pick how ever, as there just was not all too much left on the board, all at the exact same time as well, as I then all of the sudden blinked my eyes, all at once, as I then saw that DeShawn was now at the front of the podium, all at the exact same time as well, none the less.
I sighed just a bit to my self, all at the exact same time too, as I then all of the sudden got my focus off of all of that, and I got my focus on just what it was that he had to say to all of the Cavs fans in the very first place, as I felt like if I was him, I would pull a Ben Simmons, and just give them all a big 'Fuck You', all at the exact same time as well, none the less.
I sighed just a bit to my self, as I knew that it would be a bit disrespectful for him to do as such a thing, as I knew that they simply would not sign him if he did as such a thing, as I was fairly certain that no team would sign him if he was to do that. I blinked my eyes a few times, as I got my focus off of all of that, all at once, as I then all of the sudden began to start to listen as to just what it was that he had to say to every one that was even here right at this very moment in time, all at the exact same time as well.
"I know that you all might not like me right now, and you might have hoped to get the next LeBron, but I too have grown up in some shit, and I know what it's like to feel pain... I would not believe in me either if I was in y'all's shoes..." He said to all of the people that were in the crowd, at first, all at the exact same time as well, as I then all of the sudden began to notice that there was now no longer any more trash being thrown at him, all at the exact same time as well, as I then all of the sudden noticed that the crowd had all of the sudden silenced its self down, all at the exact same time as well, as it was clear that they had all heard as to just what it was that he had just said, as it was clear that they were willing to give him a chance all of the sudden, and it was clear that they were willing to hear him out, thankfully enough. I was glad for it, as I knew that DeShawn had in fact had quite a bit of a shitty life, and he had been through some tough shit in his life as well, as that was a lot of why it was that he had been my favorite player in the very first place any ways, as it felt like me and him shared quite a bit of a common story. I blinked my eyes a few times, as I then once again got my focus off of all of those thoughts, all at once as well, as I then all of the sudden began to hear him continue to speak to every one, all at the exact same time as well, and just like before, I did in fact continue to listen as to just what it was that he even had to say to every one that was in the crowd right at this very moment in time any ways, none the less. "If you put some faith in me, than I can put some faith in this city... It's time we brought back some faith to Cleveland baby!"
I stared at him, with quite a bit of a blank look on my face, all at the exact same time too, as I was not all too sure as to just what it was that he had been thinking with that one, if I was not going to lie to my self, as it felt like it was a very gutsy play call, as to just what it was that he had said, all at the exact same time as well, as I felt like, if I had been in his spot, than I would have just stayed silent, and I would have just accepted my fate, all at the exact same time as well.
That was where it was that we differed, as it was clear to me, as it was clear that DeShawn was a lot stronger, and a lot braver than I was, though I once again began to remember his story, as to just what it was that he had to say in the very first place any ways, as I then all of the sudden nodded to my self all at the exact same time as well, as I then once again began to start to remember that he too was just like me, as I knew that he too had always been to small kid that was always silent...
That was clearly not the case any more how ever, as it gave me quite a bit of some faith in to my future, as I felt like I could be some thing that my father could not be, as I knew that I could be a super star, just like DeShawn. So long as some one gave me a chance, as I knew that at first, no one had given me a chance in the recreational League that I had been in not too long ago, until I managed to get my hands on some plays on the defensive end, and I showed a lot of hustle.
That was when the coach seemed to want to start to give me a chance on the offensive side of the ball, as the season was practically over at that point, as we won every single game after that, in quite a bit of some high fashion, as it had not been due to the fact that I was such a good scorer at all either.
As short as I was, I was an amazing defender, as I could often stop big man at the exact same time too, as I knew how to find an open man, as I knew that I got a ton of assists, all at the exact same time too. I knew that I could shoot the ball, but I rarely did, due to the fact that I was scared of getting blocked, and getting laughed at for one thing, but also the fact that I was rarely open, due to the fact that I was so short.
My stats by the end of those games, were usually around the lines of 5-8 points and around 20 assists, and 6 steals every single game. I knew that I had talent, and I knew that I had game... I was just a little bit worried as to the fact that the coach would not give me a chance, kind of like the rec league coach had done to me at first, until he saw just how good I was.
I blinked my eyes a few times, as I then all of the sudden got my focus off of all of those thoughts, all at once, as I then all of the sudden got my focus on the thoughts which had to do with the fact that I had seen DeShawn on stage, talking to the crowd, but now when ever it was that I looked back up at the TV, all at the exact same time too, I then all of the sudden began to notice, that he was not on the TV, and that it had cut to a commercial, all at the exact same time as well, sadly enough.
I dipped my head a bit low to the ground, at first, as I was a little bit disappointed by it none the less, until I all of the sudden, all at the exact same time as well, then began to hear my mother start to speak up from in side of the kitchen, once again, all at the exact same time too, as I let out quite a bit of a heavy sigh to my self, all at the exact same time as well, as I was quite a bit annoyed by it, all at the exact same time as well, if I was not going to lie to my self either.
I groaned a bit to my self, as I then all of the sudden got my self up from off of the sofa, all at the exact same time as well, as I saw a bunch of dust flies fly through the air, as soon as I lifted my self up, all at the exact same time too, as I knew that the apartment that we were in was nasty. It was the only apartment how ever that could take me to a good high school that was not in the ghetto how ever, as I knew that my mother did not have much to work with.
I sighed a bit to my self, all at once, as I then all of the sudden dipped my head quite a bit low to the ground, all at the exact same time too, as I felt quite a bit guilty for the fact that I was getting upset with her none the less, as I knew that she was trying, and she was trying quite a bit hard for me, all at the exact same time too, as I then shook off all of those thoughts, all at once, as I then instead, all of the sudden began to listen as to just what it was that she even had to say in the very first place any ways.
"Come on Travis! It's getting cold!"