36 Meeting My Idols
*Sound Effects*
**Language**
'Thoughts'
"Dialogue"
(Point of View)
[System]
A month had flown by since I was introduced to Coach Pop's boot camp. To be honest, it wasn't as much fun as I'd initially hoped. Instead of focusing primarily on my shooting skills, I found myself delving deep into the intricate tactics of the game. I immersed myself in the various terminologies for different plays, learning to decipher the complex strategies that Coach Pop had ingrained in the team.
But it wasn't just about understanding the game on paper. Pop had me pushing my body to the limits day in and day out. Endless running, grueling drills, and conditioning exercises became the norm. Thankfully, I was able to keep up, thanks to my unique abilities, however, even though I didn't feel pain, didn't mean I didn't feel the exhaustion. I didn't have to worry about pain, and my body healed remarkably quickly, often leaving me ready for the next day's punishment.
[Finishing: 79 -> 81]
[Shooting: 79 -> 82]
[Playmaking: 81 -> 83]
[Defense: 68 -> 74]
[Physical: 69 -> 77]
[Overall: 75 -> 80]
[Status: Normal]
Examining my stats, I could see that most of my progress had come in the areas of Defense and Physical attributes. This filled me with pride, knowing that I was making significant strides in these important aspects of my game which I was lacking in. However, I was also aware that such rapid improvement was likely only feasible in the early stages. As I advanced, the road to achieving the next stat increase would become more challenging.
I had done the simulations while I could as I didn't want to miss out on any rewards, I was able to play a few regular games which only had a difficulty of C and I was able to earn around 400k gold from all of them and I earned all uncommon or higher cards: 1x Gary Payton, 1x Bob Cousy, 1x Isiah Thomas, 1x Oscar Robertson
I couldn't wait until I could open all the packs, I had decided to go after point guard cards from the simulation games to better help my current situation.
From the simulations I discovered that it went as such for the pack rarity:
??? (???)
SSS (Mythic or higher)
SS (Legendary or higher)
S (Legendary or higher)
A (Epic or higher)
B (Rare or higher)
C (Uncommon or higher)
D (Uncommon only)
E (Common only)
F (Common only)
It seemed that the C tier was the best choice since it had the potential to be better compared to the lower tiers.
During my training, I made an interesting discovery about the system. Through observation, I concluded that a player's performance could be significantly influenced not only by physical injuries but also by factors like exhaustion, illness, and more.
What was even more fascinating was that these effects weren't limited to physical conditions; they extended to mental aspects as well. For instance, if an opponent managed to get in another players head and unsettle the player, their overall performance rating could drop substantially, from, say, an 80 to a 74, impacting their effectiveness on the court.
As for injuries, I had initially assumed they would have a negative impact on my performance. I even experienced shin splints at one point, which I thought might hinder my abilities. However, to my surprise, it didn't seem to affect my stats at all. Perhaps it was due to my pain resistance, which allowed me to push through discomfort and maintain my performance levels. On the other hand, exhaustion did have a noticeable effect on my stats, [Status: Exhausted - reduces all stats by 10].
Initially, it would result in a -1 to all stats, but as I pushed myself to the brink of exhaustion, it surprisingly surged to a remarkable -10. So I needed to pay attention to my status when playing to see if I needed to rest or whatnot to make sure I was playing to my best as much as possible.
The boot camp was proving to be an invaluable learning experience, not only for honing my physical skills but also for understanding the mental and psychological aspects of the game. It was a challenging journey, but I knew it was preparing me for the upcoming season with the Spurs.
Later on today, I was meeting with the rest of the team, which meant I would finally have the chance to meet my basketball idols, Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, and Manu Ginobili. We were gearing up for training camp ahead of the preseason, set to begin in mid-October. It was September 1, 2005, and we had slightly over a month to get acquainted with each other's playing styles and prepare for the upcoming season.
'Back-to-back camps are brutal,' I thought, but I understood the necessity of the additional practice to catch up before the training camp.
As I walked into the training facility, I couldn't help but feel a mix of excitement and nerves. This was a dream come true for me, and I was determined to make the most of this opportunity.
After 20 minutes or so, I heard the door open and watched as Manu Ginobili approached the me with a warm smile, extending his hand. "Hi, nice to meet you," he greeted, his enthusiasm evident.
I shook his hand, trying to contain my excitement as I replied, "Likewise, Manu. It's an honor to meet you."
Manu then handed me a basketball and asked, "Hey, do you mind holding onto this for me for a moment? I'll be right back."
"Of course," I replied, taking the basketball from him.
With a friendly nod, Manu Ginobili hurried off to attend to something, leaving me with the basketball in hand.
(3rd Person)
Manu walked over to a nearby wall where Tim Duncan and Tony Parker had been watching the interaction. They had a mischievous glint in their eyes as they placed bets on how long the new rookie would hold onto the basketball for.
"I've got 13 minutes," Manu stated confidently, a twinkle of challenge in his eyes.
"Only 13? Come on, Manu, did you see his look? I'll say 15," Tony responded with a playful laugh.
"1 minute," Tim Duncan chimed in, his calm and composed demeanor contrasting with the others' banter.
(1st Person - Javi)
"That's strange," I thought, perplexed by Manu's sudden departure instead of simply taking the basketball with him. I waited for a moment, my curiosity piqued, before I noticed Bruce Bowen passing by the window. He had a quizzical expression, which soon turned into one of understanding. He glanced at me like a deer caught in headlights before slowly making his way toward the left.
"These guys," I thought with a playful smirk, knowing that something was off. I decided it was time to exit the gym.
As I turned the corner, I found Tony, Tim, Manu, and Bruce all frozen in place, like statues. Manu couldn't resist a quip, "If you don't move, he can't see you."
I joined in the jest, replying, "I can see and hear you, you know," before letting out a chuckle.
There were some mock groans of disappointment as the prank clearly hadn't gone as planned. Tony playfully blamed Bruce, saying, "Bruce, look what you did," while Tim Duncan simply smiled slightly having won the bet.
I couldn't help but laugh, realizing that despite the initial nervousness, this moment reassured me that things were going to be great with this team.
I met the team formally from then on, my mood a lot better after the ice was broken. We were still waiting on Rasho who I had played in a mock game during my 10-day contract. I still chuckle thinking about when he called me a make-a-wish kid.
As I got ready and began to warm up, I heard Tony say "I heard pop said you were alright, that's some good praise coming from he" he stated.
"Oh yea? Did he say that after I almost blacked out from his workout routine?" I asked jokingly.
"Do you want us to call you Javier?" he asked.
"Javi is good, that's what everyone usually calls me" I stated back.
Manu made his way over like he had gotten the greatest idea
**In Spanish*
**You speak Spanish?** he asked in Spanish.
**Yes, of course** I said.
He chuckled and continued, **Finally, I can speak normally,** relieved to have someone to converse with in his native language.
Curious, I inquired, **Nobody else speaks Spanish?**
Manu responded with a touch of sadness, **Not really**
But his face lit up with enthusiasm as he added, **This is good! You can help me learn English better** expressing his eagerness to improve his English.
**Sure, I don't mind** I agreed willingly.
Tony looked over, raising an intrigued eyebrow. His gaze shifted between Manu and me as the conversation unfolded. He sighed and ran a hand over his forehead, contemplating the mischief that Manu and I might get into, especially when nobody else could understand us.
I couldn't help but chuckle looking at him, deducing what he was thinking. 'This is gonna be a great time' I thought.
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A/N: Hope you enjoyed the comedy! I plan to have it be a more integral part of it as Tony, Tim, and Manu were known for playing their pranks on each other, having a good time. Let me know your thoughts on the story so far!
This is the 4th chapter for this week. Next Monday's chapters will start getting into the Rookie year, stay tuned!
