Thoren Knight's promising WNBA career was derailed by a devastating ACL injury in the final game of her college senior year championships.
Now 26, Thoren embraces a new role as the girls' Varsity basketball coach at Eastwood High School, which is kn...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
3 hours before All Star Tryouts
Thoren's POV
I just relapsed again... "Fuck, Thoren. No one fucks me the way you do," Carmen said as she got dressed. I had just slept with my ex-girlfriend again, and I blamed it on the nerves.
"You're welcome," I said flatly.
Carmen sighed and looked at me. "What's wrong?" she asked, stepping closer and trying to touch my face. I pulled away sharply.
"Don't," I said, a mix of regret and frustration in my voice.
"Thoren, just because we broke up doesn't mean you can't talk to me," Carmen said, looking hurt.
"We shouldn't have done this," I replied, pointing between us.
She scoffed and rolled her eyes. "You said that the other night too."
"We were both drunk. Look, we can't do this again. I broke up with you for a reason," I said, walking toward the bathroom.
"A reason you really never told me," she snapped back.
I stopped and turned around. "Because I saw you flirting with that dickhead reporter."
Carmen sighed and hung her head low. "Look, Thor..."
"I need to get ready, Carmen. And so do you," I said, cutting her off. The weight of our past hung heavily in the air between us.
She opened her mouth to say something but then closed it, seemingly thinking better of it. She gathered her things and headed for the door, pausing briefly before stepping out. "I'll see you later, Thoren," she said softly, not looking back.
I stood there for a moment, listening to the sound of the door closing behind her. I took a deep breath, trying to shake off the lingering feelings of regret and confusion. I needed to pull myself together for the tryouts today. With a sigh, I turned back to get ready, determined to leave Carmen and all the complications behind me.
Climbing into the shower, I let the hot water wash over me, trying to clear my mind. Today was the day I would see her, the first time up close in person in four years. I found out last week that she was trying out, along with the others. I guess you could say it's a reunion.
The anticipation gnawed at me. Memories of our time together flooded back—both good and bad. I had no idea how seeing her again would go, but I knew I had to stay focused and professional. Today was about moving forward, not getting stuck in the past.
A lot has happened in the last six years. From traveling all over the world and winning the Olympics, to being told a few months ago that I would still be the head coach for the next Olympics, which I was honored by. As you can see, I wasn't just with Sofia, but with my ex-girlfriend Carmen Lang, who happens to be Sofia's head coach. Carmen has no idea that Sofia is my ex, and I wanted to keep it that way since she found out she was the new head coach last year.
