Rebound: A 2nd Chance

The gym was full of people as at least sixty boys all stood around waiting. David had been confident until he saw the number of people trying out for the team.

'I thought that even if I couldn't join the varsity team I would at least be able to join the junior varsity team. But with this many people that might not even happen.'

He had transferred to Jefferson along with some of his friends because of how much he admired Jason.

As he was nervously thinking about the possibility of not being able to join the team at all he felt a hand pat his shoulder.

He turned his head and saw that it was the leader of their friend group Sam. He smiled as he looked at David "What are you so nervous for David?

Sure there are a lot more people than we expected but we are all have something that they don't." Sam took a second to look at David and his friends.

Sam continued "We're Asian. Jaya will definitely let us join the team." David Sam and their other friends were all 7th grade Asian kids that lived in the same community.

David hesitated for a moment before responding "I don't know Sam.

Jaya seems like the kind of guy that's all about hoops." Sam wagged his finger side to side at David "You might be the one with the best grades out of all of us David but you need more worldly knowledge.

It's just human nature to want to be around those that are similar to yourself. Think about this. Jason has mentioned a ton of times in his interviews that he always has to deal with racists shit whenever he plays ball.

You don't think he would want to have more Asian guys on his team that can understand where he's coming from?"

David thought about what Sam had said. It did make some sense but something about it didn't sound right to him.

"What you said makes sense Sam but Jaya doesn't look like he cares about that. Whenever he talks about the racist stuff that people would say his face always looks calm."

Sam chuckled "His face always looks the same David. How would you be able to tell if he was happy or angry?"

David thought differently from Sam. He had watched everything that had Jason in it. From his episodes of Through the Hoops, to his parts in the Nike docu-series, to even his commercials.

And David felt that although it was hard to tell Jason definitely did show some emotions on his face.

All the talking and chatter went silent as soon as the doors to the gym opened. All of the boys attention was turned to that direction.

Jason and all the boys were dressed in their game gear as they wore the new jerseys made by Nike. All of the boys gulped as the intimidating air from Jason and the rest of the guys hit them.

David saw the camera guy following Jason and got even more nervous 'Is this going to show up on Through the Hoops? Oh man, I hope I don't embarrass myself on TV.'

The boys walked over to Coach Swendel and greeted him. After talking for a bit he instructed Jason to go up and say a short speech to all of the boys.

Jason walked over until he was only ten feet (3.04m) away from the crowd. He looked at all of them "Thank you all for showing up.

It's an honor that so many of you want to play with us on the court. And I know that a lot of you transferred to Jefferson over the summer for the sole reason of joining the team.

Unfortunately for a lot of you, you will have done that for no reason." The mood in the gym instantly became heavy after they heard Jason say that.

Jason scanned the crowd before continuing "There are six people on the varsity team currently including myself.

That means that there are only nine spots available on the varsity team. The principal has just given us permission to start a junior varsity team so there are 15 spots available there.

All in total there are only 24 available on the team and there are currently 65 applicants here today trying to fight for a spot.

I don't want to sound harsh but a lot of you should be prepared to not make the team." He then turned around and walked back to the boys and Coach Swendel.

Kyle looked at Jason with a worried expression "Wasn't that a little harsh?" Jason shook his head. He then thought back to his previous life.

"Failure will hurt no matter what Kyle. But when you don't even consider it a possibility and it hits you out of nowhere it hurts ten times worse.

All I did was remind them that the cards are stacked against them and that the odds aren't in their favor.

If doing that is enough to crush their spirits and destroy their will to fight then they weren't meant for sports.

Basketball isn't just a competition against the players on the other team. Basketball is a fight against yourself.

If you get fouled hard once on your way to attack the basket will you start shrinking away and settle for jump shots or will you put your hard hat on and get to work?

When you've been missing shots all night and it's close to the end of the game with your team down by one will you take the shot or pass it up?

Sometimes the worst opponent isn't the player guarding you. It's yourself. And if you want to get anywhere you need to be able to overcome that."

He then smiled as he looked at Kyle "Just like how you did." Kyle scratched the back of his head in embarrassment after hearing Jason say that.

Coach Swendel had given Jason permission to conduct the tryouts in whatever form he found suitable.

Jason had the boys line up in groups of ten before asking them to do ten push ups "If you can't even do ten push ups then joining the team is nothing but a pipe dream.

Whoever fails to do ten push ups automatically fails the tryouts." Some of the boys began to complain but as soon as Jason turned his gaze toward them they all fell silent.

The first trial of the try outs proceeded smoothly. As they moved on to the fourth group it was finally David and his friends' turn.

Up to this point only five people had been eliminated. Sam was easily able to finish the ten push ups while David and some of the others struggled.

Two of their friends ended up getting eliminated. Jason looked at the two of them "Thank you for your time and effort."

He then pointed to the door leading out of the gym. The two friends furrowed their brows as they had seen Jason do the same things to other eliminated people but they never thought that it would happen to them.

Sam walked over to Jason and smiled. He then began to speak in a somewhat low volume "Come on Jaya.

Can't you just close your eyes this time? We're all Asian here. We need to look out for one another. You know what I mean?"

Jason looked at him as though he were a person with arms growing out of the top of his head "What does that have to do with anything? These are basketball tryouts."

He then turned to the two boys who had failed to do ten push ups "You've been eliminated. Please exit the gym so that we can get ready for the next part of the tryouts."