Durant sat before a large screen, listening as the segment’s director explained the rules.
There were thirty names on the screen.
During the show’s planning phase, Chen Yu had intended to create two age brackets.
One was for 14- to 16-year-olds.
The other was for those under 14.
However, the younger age bracket was later dropped due to the show’s scale.
During the initial planning stages, however, the production team had already scouted a number of potential participants from across the country.
There were 74 in total.
In the end, these individuals didn’t make it to the taping of the show.
The thirty names now on the screen had been chosen from that group of 74.
The director explained, "Kevin, we selected thirty kids and had them write down their dreams. Your job is to randomly pick one and help them achieve that dream."
"You won’t know who you’ll pick."
"And you won’t know what dream he wants to achieve."
"We’ll give you ten thousand US dollars to help your target achieve their dream. If you go over budget or fail to complete the task before time runs out, the mission will be considered a failure."
Durant frowned.
’It’s all down to luck, then.’
"Are you ready?" the director asked.
Durant took a deep breath, offering up a silent prayer.
’Right now, I’m really hoping these little brats’ dreams are just to have a big meal, buy an expensive game console, or some other piece of tech.’
’If that’s the case, with ten thousand US dollars in my pocket, I could finish the task easily.’
’I’m just afraid I’ll get some wild, crazy dream, like Little Jordan wanting a dinner date with Meryl Streep.’
’I might as well just give up if that happens.’
He nodded at the director, and the names on the screen began to flash by.
A full half-minute later, Durant finally gritted his teeth and pressed the red button in front of him.
The name on the screen froze.
"Kyrie Andrew Irving!"
Durant committed the name to memory, silently praying the kid’s dream would be a simple one.
’After all, my own dream is riding on this.’
The director quickly pulled out a golden envelope.
"Kevin, the first stage of your mission is..." He tore open the envelope. His brow furrowed the moment he read its contents.
Seeing the director’s reaction, Durant’s heart sank. ’This can’t be good,’ he thought.
’It’s probably not a simple dream.’
The director shot Durant a strange look. "Kyrie Irving, from the New York Bronx District, just turned 12. His first dream... is to sweep his father 11-0 in a one-on-one matchup."
"His father?"
Durant repeated, almost thinking he’d misheard.
The director nodded, confirming that Durant had not misheard.
Durant’s brow furrowed deeply.
He couldn’t understand it. ’Does this kid have some kind of vendetta against his father? Why would his dream be to beat him?’
’Still, it seems like my luck is pretty good.’
Durant had never heard the name Kyrie Irving, let alone who his father was. But Irving was twelve, which meant his dad had to be at least thirty, maybe even pushing forty.
’A middle-aged guy in his thirties or forties who didn’t make the NBA... he’d be years out of college, busy supporting a family. At best, basketball is just a hobby for him.’
’Maybe he’s even some out-of-shape, pot-bellied guy.’
’A guy like that? I could handle him with my eyes closed. Sweeping him will be a piece of cake.’
’This challenge is no sweat for me.’
"Is this the only mission? When do I leave?" Durant was already getting impatient.
When he called his mother last night, he had already told her that he was going to give her a big surprise.
’When I get that hundred thousand US dollars and put the check in front of my mom, she’s going to be ecstatic.’
The director shook his head. "This is just the first stage of the mission. I don’t know how many more stages there are. We’ll only find out after you’ve completed this one."
Durant nodded and didn’t think about it anymore.
’My luck is holding up. I just got a rebellious kid. Even if there are more dreams after this, they’ll probably just be about pigging out on a huge meal or spending a crazy day at an amusement park.’
’With ten thousand US dollars in hand, it’s no big deal.’
’I might even have a lot left over after I’m done.’
Early the next morning, Durant was on a plane to New York.
Meanwhile, on the same day, Chen Yu—far away in Athens and still preoccupied with the Chinese Men’s Basketball Team’s performance—received a call from Ernest.
He needed Chen Yu’s help contacting Kobe to see if he would cooperate with the show’s filming.
"Durant?"
After listening to Ernest’s explanation, Chen Yu understood the reason.
Out of the ninety kids, seven had chosen to go for the hundred-thousand-dollar prize.
Seven people, seven different missions.
The issue was Durant. The boy he’d picked, Irving, had a dream that involved Kobe.
Chen Yu had some recollection of this Irving kid.
He’d gotten in through connections.
Kyrie’s father, Dredrick Irving, had also been a professional basketball player. During college, he was Boston University’s leading scorer.
He’d tried to make it to the NBA, even participating in a tryout for the Celtics, but he wasn’t selected. He ended up having to go all the way to Australia to play in their professional league.
Crucially, the elder Irving had a childhood best friend.
None other than the league’s former assists leader, Rod Strickland.
In ’88, one entered the draft while the other left for Australia, their lives taking completely different paths. But they had always stayed in touch and remained very close.
Strickland was also the younger Irving’s godfather.
He was in the league for many years, and was teammates with both Ewing and Jordan.
During the show’s planning phase, he had asked Ewing and Jordan to put in a good word, recommending the younger Irving and praising his outstanding talent.
Chen Yu normally wouldn’t pay any mind to these kinds of nepotistic recommendations.
But after sending someone to scout him, they discovered the younger Irving really did have some talent.
Since the elder Irving hadn’t made it to the NBA himself, he had clearly pinned all his hopes on his son, training him with everything he had since he was little.
That’s how he ended up on the standby list.
But when the younger age bracket was ultimately scrapped, the matter was dropped.
And among his dreams, one of them was related to Kobe.
Ernest couldn’t get Kobe on board, so he had to turn to Chen Yu for help.
"Fine, I’ll give Kobe a call."
Kobe had spent the summer in Phoenix training, only returning to Los Angeles at the beginning of the month.
His son was about to be born, so he needed to start preparing and was likely very busy.
But he’d still do it as a favor for Chen Yu.
After a flight of several hours, Durant landed in New York.
Time was tight, so he and the film crew headed straight for a streetball court in the Bronx.
According to their information, Irving was there.
The Bronx is in northern New York. It’s a diverse area with large Black communities, and it was once notorious for having one of the highest crime rates in the country.
At the same time, it also boasts countless streetball courts, which, like Rucker Park, are home to many hidden streetball legends.
It was Durant’s first time in New York, and as he looked at the skyscrapers, his eyes filled with awe and envy.
Soon, under the guidance of the production team, he came to a streetball court behind an office building.
The area was not large, with only three courts.
It was almost noon when they arrived.
The sun blazed overhead, but the courts were still packed with people.
"There."
The director pointed to a half-court at the far end of the playground.
A crowd had gathered around that half-court.
Durant glanced at his cameraman, who, holding a small camera, had already pushed through the crowd to secure the best filming angle.
A one-on-one match was happening on this half-court.
It was two kids.
Neither was particularly tall, and their faces were still boyish.
But they played with real skill, enough to even impress Durant.
"Kyrie, watch closely. I’m going to go past you on the left."
The kid in the Phoenix Suns No. 1 jersey dribbled on the wing, then pointed cockily at his opponent.
With that, he initiated a hang dribble, his movements explosive. He executed a sharp hesitation and crossover, blowing past his opponent on the right at incredible speed for an easy layup.
Durant raised his eyebrows slightly.
’That crossover was insane.’
’It was like watching a young Iverson!’
The director tugged on Durant and whispered, "Let’s wait until they’re finished."
Then he started introducing the two players.
The other teenager wearing a Brooklyn Nets jersey was Durant’s target for this trip, Kyrie Irving.
His opponent, the kid in the Phoenix Suns No. 1 jersey—Hardaway’s jersey—was named Kemba Walker.
"Did you know, we once invited Walker? He’s only 14 this year, very talented. Two years ago in an AAU game, he even dropped a full 80 points!"
"If he had come on the show, he might have even become a captain."
"It’s just that he turned us down."
Durant raised his eyebrows slightly.
Kemba Walker might be undersized, but his speed was definitely astounding.
And to be able to drop 80 points, even in an amateur game, was very impressive.
Durant wasn’t worried about any of that, though. He wasn’t here to play against Kyrie, but his dad.
He still hadn’t figured out why Irving had such a strange dream.
Back on the court, Kyrie ended up losing the one-on-one.
At this moment, someone had already noticed Durant.
Even though Durant was wearing a hat and sunglasses.
Thanks to Chen Yu’s show, and especially his shocking decision, he had become quite famous across the country.
Many people remembered his face.
Irving squeezed in front of Durant, raising his head to look up at him.
He knew Durant was here to help him complete his challenge.
"Are you even any good? You think you can beat my dad?" he asked, his eyes filled with doubt.
Durant didn’t offer any grand proclamations, just replied gruffly, "You’ll see when I play."
Irving nodded and said, "Then let’s go. We can go to my house first. My dad doesn’t get off work until five in the afternoon."
"By the way, can you treat me to a meal first? I lost my lunch money to him."
He pointed at Kemba Walker behind him.
"Of course."
Durant nodded without hesitation.
Clutching an amount of money he’d never held before, he had spent the whole trip over wondering how he could use this chance to get a taste of what it felt like to be rich.
But just then, Kemba Walker, not far away, suddenly called out to Durant.
"Since you’re here, don’t you want to play a game before you go?"
he challenged, spinning the basketball in his hands.

Comments

Loading...