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JALEN HATED REPORTERS.
Every time he came into contact with one, he always left with the feeling that they had basically eaten him alive like vultures. Picking at his playing skills, his social media and his personal life until there was nothing left.
Jalen tapped the index and middle fingers from his right hand on the onyx colored plastic table in front of him and let his eyes scan every reporter that was sitting downwind from the stage he was settled upon. He tried to count the amount of times he heard the shutter of a camera as a calming mechanism but it was to no avail.
"Alright," The manager of the Staples Center stood from her chair and brushed off her blazer before directing her next question to Jalen, "Let's get started, shall we?"
He brushed back his curls, still a little wet from the post game shower, before nodding and shifting his gaze once more to the crowd below the stage.
"Jalen," A blonde woman quickly rose from her chair, a tape recorder in her extended arm, "There's been talk that the Lakers shot in the playoffs is next to nothing because of this losing streak. What do you have to say about that?"
Here it comes. Here we go. Here we fucking go.
Jalen resisted the urge to roll his eyes instead choosing to tap his fingers a couple more times before leaning back in his chair, "Well, I think that we still have a fair shot. We've been working just on defense and chemistry and by next month, we'll be ready for the playoffs."
The woman continued to speak, "But there's only a few more weeks left in the regular season. Are you sure that's enough time to turn it around?"
Another reporter, this time a man of East Asian descent with a pen in his hand, raised a dark eyebrow, "But you've hit a personal low in scoring points and some may say that it's connected to your personal life."
Jalen narrowed his eyes at the suggestion, "What does that have to do with the playoffs?"
The man shrugged, "Your emotional state is connected to how well you play, isn't it?"
Jalen had to take a deep breath before choosing his next set of words, trying to remind himself that they were just doing their job, that the verbal assault was just for a paycheck and wasn't personal, "I think that can be said for anyone who plays a sport, not just me."
"So, you agree then?" The first reporter chimed in once more, "That the loss of your girlfriend is contributing to this losing streak?"
