Jayden Booker

Sweat is a good sign

The chains on the net set a nice ring to my ears. After shooting only threes for hours, the sun had started to slowly set.

- Are you gonna play alone or are you just afraid to lose? - Josh came up, smiling. - Come on, let's play, nobody else is coming.

- What took you so goddamn long?

- It's my pops, man. He keeps lecturing me about college. Glad I can escape for a bit here.

- Well you know, he cares about your stupid ass. - I threw the ball to him.

- Shut your NBA ass up. - He laughed and threw it right back.

As Josh said, I had a good chance at joining the NBA. I grew up with Josh, we used to play basketball with all the kids around the neighborhood, now most of them are either working or studying at various colleges. I come back for my mom from time to time. Josh taught me how to play basketball - that was before I was whooping his ass every time we played. At age 15 I was still only 5'8, while Josh was standing proud at 6 feet. Unluckily for him, now he's 6'2, while I had a growth spurt...To 6'7. Oh, right, how did I get into the NBA draft? Simple, we swept the country with the Tigers. Averaging 23 points I managed to get in (I really wanted to make it 25, but it is what it is). 

The sun had set for a long time when Josh and I stopped playing.

- Who won? - Josh was sweating from head to toe.

- You weren't counting?

- Bitch, I thought you were counting.

- Oh my god. - I sat down.

Neither of us wanted to go home. The following morning I had to catch a plane and hopefully get drafted into a good team. We both sat in silence, drenched in sweat for a couple of moments.

-  I have to go. - Josh helped me up. - Good luck tomorrow, I'm gonna be keeping a close eye. When you get drafted and signed, get some new jordans for your games.

- You know damn well I don't have money for no goddamn Jordans.

- Whatever. Good luck tomorrow.

I came back home to my mom. She couldn't fall asleep - neither could I. We were both nervous. I caught an early plane and made it to the event. It was nothing I've ever seen before. Most people I've only seen on TV, while others I had played against in college.

- And the first pick for the Pistons is... - My palms were sweating. - Cade Cunningham.

I never expected to be the first pick, there's a lot of pressure being in that position.

- Second pick for the Rockets...Jaleen Green. - I've seen Green on the court before and wasn't surprised one bit that he got picked so early on.

- Third pick for the Cavaliers...Jayden Booker. - That's my name? That IS my name. The Cavaliers? Third pick? 

I could barely pick up my legs to stand up. I didn't expect to be picked for a much longer time.

- Booker, Jayden, have you heard the news? - Some person I've never seen before asked me.

- I don't think so, no. - The state of shock hadn't settled.

- You will be traded with Evan Mobley.

I had no idea who picked Evan Mobley in the first place. Eventually, I found out - the spurs.

For the 2021/2022 season, I would be playing for the spurs. I really had no idea how to feel until the first practice session.