JR's POV:
I got an entire week off before the finals game. Knowing Kat she'll probably have me doing some drills or something. As for the team, we're all in celebration mode. We wiped out the Hawks within 4 games not 5 but 4. It'll be cool if we brought a chip back to Cleveland. With the time off on my hands, i decided to just relax. The kids are with my brother Chris, until the series start. Yes I do miss my princesses and my lil mans but Katrina needs a break from our small but growing family and spend time with me.
Speaking of Katrina, she was passed out slumped from the game last night. After we won, we had a mini party in arena training room, before the press conference. I turned on the tv which was on ESPN and they were talking about us winning last night and then showing bits and pieces to press conference and the selfie I took with LeBron and Tristian. I looked on my chest to see Kat moving in her sleep before her really waking up. We both got out of bed and went into our master bath and began brushing our teeth together in our his & hers bathroom sinks. Once we were done, she kissed me. Which made me go into a smile.
Katrina: good morning babe.
Me: good morning.
Her phone started to ring. She quickly went to answer. I looked at her while she was on the phone. She seemed excited about whatever news she had just received.
Katrina: that was the comissioner.
Me: what happened?
Katrina: I was one of few trainers to be picked for the combine and sit as a representative for the draft and summer league.
Me: is this only for the Cavs or in general.
Katrina: in general this is just for the guys to see the training and treatments that they're going to receive. But the only issue is I have to leave in two days.
Me: so how am I going to tell the kids mommys leaving and she won't be back until October.
Katrina: I don't know but I'll find a way to tell. We'll fly out to Orlando tomorrow, I'll spend time with them tell them and then leave the next day.
Me: listen I know this is something that you want to do but what about the finals. This means a lot to me and the team and we need our favorite trainer there.
Katrina: if anything major happens like Kyrie gets his knee blown out, God forbid that happens, I'll be on that very first flight to Oakland or Cleveland but you guys got this win or lose you are my favorite Cavalier.
Katrina's POV:
*A Few Weeks Later*
I'm back in New York for everything NBA Draft related. We were now in Melos Gym holding a meeting and work out sessions with our top prospects and team leaders within the next year or two. The athletic trainers and I were sitting eating breakfast as the guys filled in. And four of them I knew personally. D'Angelo Russell, Jahlil Okafor, Justise Winslow, and Tyus Jones. They all came up to me and hugged me especially Jahlil.
Me: all my youngins decided to opt out early.
D'Angelo: I did cause I knew my stock was high.
Me: I haven't worked out with y'all since I was at Duke. How have y'all been?
Jahlil: I'm good just excited for the next few weeks.
Tyus: where you work at now?
Me: I'm under the Cavs organization. So I might be leaving whenever I get a call that somebody is out.
Justise: where's Quinn?
Me: somewhere in New York. He blew out his ankle in the series against Atlanta so he rehabilitating his ankle. But listen we'll catch up later over dinner or something. And I'll see if I can get you guys on my training roster.
They went to go take their seats while the comissioner took the stand.
Adam Silver. After he made his speech he passed the mic to the training staff all we had to say was the school we went to, if we played sports, what organization we work under and what training we're going to be under.
Me: I'm Katrina Smith, alumni from Duke University. I played varsity basketball and volleyball in high school but played it as a club sport in college. I studied Athletic Training and worked with the blue devils for my training portion while in school. I now work under the Cavaliers organization, but I may be leaving soon so I might at team near a few of you guys. As for today and probably the rest of the sessions, I'll be running drills, speed, strength and conditioning. If any of you have any injuries I'll do rehabilitation workouts too.
Adam Silver: thank you for giving your descriptions now we're going to open up for Q&A. State your name and what school your from.
??: Chris McCullough from Syracuse. My question is open to all the athletic trainers. To stay on top of your craft, what is that you guys do over the summer or when you guys have breaks?
We all thought for a quick minute or so and I decided to go first as to answering his question.
Me: I don't know about the other trainers but I have everything mapped out on a schedule. I spend at least two to three weeks with my family, I take my son and family on different trips. After those two to three weeks I go four to six weeks working with different injured players. Then I go 8 weeks running a sports camp after my sports camps is over a few college coaches call for me to work with guys like you. Once all that is over I'm back in Cleveland working with Kyrie, Lebron, Kevin and company to get the back up and running healthy.
As you can see I stay busy because kind of have no choice but to. And soon after that question our Q&A, we all had break for a small lunch. They only served sandwiches, chips, Gatorade or water. The trainers were told to walk around and get familiar with a few faces since we could be working with them. First table I went up to was my blue devil family.
Me: so how liking it so far?
D'Angelo: it's alright I'm just ready to start working out.
Me: be ready these guys and myself we don't play. All of that are in this room are subjected to 1st round draft picks.
Jahlil: I got a question.
Me: yes Jah.
Jahlil: heard you got an offer from Philly are you going to take it or still work under no contract in Cleveland?
Me: I mean I might take it. I have an offer coming from the Nets, Knicks, Milwaukee, Lakers, Clippers, Miami, Denver and hockey teams but you never know where I'm going to land to be honest with you.
Tyus: so how do you make those decisions though?
Me: I base it off of location and pay and how comfortable my family is with my decision. If it's DC or Chicago they're all for it. As long as your families happy then everything else shouldn't matter.
I realized that the conversation was done here and I walked to the next table and spoke to a few players and a few was flirting. I checked the time on my watch and it was 12:25 at 12:30 we'll start workout and drills. I had at least 25 people on my roster.
Adam Silver: now that lunch is over we are going to start work outs. For strength & conditioning and speed listen for your name to be called you'll be working with Katrina Smith and Tyler Collins.
Me: from my group I need Tyus Jones, D'Angelo Russell, Jahlil Okafor, Justise Winslow, Karl Anthony Towns, Kristaps Porzingis, Emmanuel Mudiay, Frank Kaminsky, Sam Dekker, Devin Booker, Cameron Payne, Kelly Oubre, Rashad Vaughn, RJ Hunter, Jerian Grant, Delon Wright, Nikola Milutinov, Chris McCullough, Kevon Looney, Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, Terry Rozier, Mario Hezonja, Willie Cauley Stein, and Cameron Payne.
As soon as we were running drills by the third and fourth drill these half of these guys were tired and calling for a break. Only guys that still had energy was Chris, Jahlil, Tyus, Justise, Mario, Frank, Nikola, Kristaps, Emmanuel, Sam and D'Angelo.
Me: you guys have to be kidding me, I know you guys are not tired we only did 3 drills and we got 7 more to go.
Tyler: go get a drink and be back in 5.
As soon as they came back we continued to our drills before he closed out practice we had a group meeting.
Me: I'm staying at the same hotel as half of you guys at the Westfield at Times Square.
Tyler: I'm staying at the the Marriott by Central Park.
Me: be up at 4:30 because at 5 we're going out to a run starting in Central Park ending down by the Intrepid. Don't stay out all night you guys can turn up but not all the way up.
Tyler: hardwork on 3, dedication on 6
Me: 1...2...3
Guys: HARDWORK
Me: 4...5...6
Guys: DEDICATION.
