Chapter 34: Title
*Sound Effects*
**Language**
'Thoughts'
"Dialogue"
(Point of View)
[System]
// Time Skip //
[Would you like to equip the 'Champion' title?]
'Title?' I thought questioningly, I didn't see any new tabs so I was confused on why this was showing.
I selected yes and on top of my stats I saw [Title - Champion] equipped.
I clicked on it and saw that only one title could be selected at a time. I tapped on the champion title to see what it did.
[Title]
[Champion (Epic) - When Equipped:
* Boosts all stats by 5
* 2x Gold (Stackable)]
[Upgradable]
'I definitely wasn't supposed to receive these things this early' I thought while shaking my head. As I thought about it, I become confused as to why the Title wasn't a legendary since winning a championship was extremely difficult, some players going their entire careers chasing it but never achieving it. However, when I looked at the 'Upgradable'.
'Maybe that's why...' I thought.
I wasn't sure how many championships it would take to get to legendary or above, however, I just hoped I would be able to find out. I moved on from the title and took a glance again at my stats.
[Finishing: 74 -> 79]
[Shooting: 73 -> 78]
[Playmaking: 76 -> 81]
[Defense: 63 -> 68]
[Physical: 64 -> 69]
[Overall: 70 -> 75]
[Status: Normal]
"It's game over," I thought with a sense of excitement. The prospect of my newfound prowess on the basketball court, combined with the Bird's Motivation skill and the stat-boosting shoes I had acquired, was enough to send a thrill through me.
With these enhancements, I could reach a staggering 85 in shooting. The mere thought of it brought a wide smile to my face. If I had access to these advantages early in my career, I couldn't even fathom how skilled I would become by the end of my rookie year let alone my career.
'Only time will tell.' I thought.
// 3 Weeks Later //
Weeks had passed and I was able to finish the first requirement of the Bird's Motivation skill, I just needed 18 more games to fully integrate the skill.
In the meantime, I was able to speak with Coach Will about the news of me getting a 1 year contract, he was speechless at first, however, he congratulated me while also saying that the legendary duke coach Mike Krzyzewski had offered him a position as an assistant coach/trainer. I couldn't help but smile knowing that Coach Pop had come through on his promise.
I was curious why Coach Will referred to the Duke Coach as legendary so I decided to ask.
"What sets Duke's coach apart as a legendary figure?" I asked him.
He went on to emphasize Coach K's, his nickname, transformation of Duke into a college basketball powerhouse. According to him, Coach K possessed an exceptional talent for recruiting top-tier players, although nowadays, scouts usually handled that task on his behalf. Additionally, he made sure to mention Coach K's service in the U.S. Army, highlighting how his military background had shaped him into a disciplined leader with a strong work ethic.
'Ah, so he and Pop have a similar background. I wonder if that's how he had enough influence to connect with Coach K,' I pondered. From what I've observed, there was a strong sense of brotherhood that came with being a part of the military. Even if they hadn't met each other personally, the shared experience and relatability were enough to forge a bond of friendship between them instantly.
I offered my congratulations to Coach Will, ensuring he knew he deserved the recognition. I even playfully suggested that he might become an NBA coach one day, perhaps even for the Bulls. He chuckled at the idea but appreciated the sentiment.
As for my AAU team, I decided to keep my contract news a surprise. I wanted to surprise them by having them watch the spurs game, just to see me running out of the tunnel. I chuckled at the thought.
// 4 days Later //
A few more days flew by, and I managed to connect with the Spurs' staff. They informed me that our training would commence in just a couple of days. Interestingly, most of the players were still on vacation. However, Coach Pop had a different plan for me. He specifically instructed that I hit the ground running, considering my contract had already begun. He wanted to put me through an intensive boot camp since I was lagging behind in terms of experience.
However, this didn't scare me. I knew that Coach Pop was extremely strict and blunt, however, I also knew that he did so to get the best out of every player. Plus, now I had something that would help me...
[Legendary - Bird's Motivation (Conditional Passive) - Increases shooting by 5 for the remainder of the game when being trash talked.]
[Condition: Only activated in response to trash talk from opponents; Can't be instigated]
[Integration Complete]
I smiled looking at the newly acquired skill. It became a pain to get near the end, I had become somewhat famous in the park when trying to accomplish it. To the point that nobody wanted to trash talk me and I had to go to a different park to finish the task off.
Over the past two weeks, I had been in regular contact with an agent assigned to me by Coach Pop. With his assistance, we successfully relocated, and we had just settled into our new house yesterday. While everything was inside, not everything had been unpacked yet. However, just being in our new home brought me immense happiness. I had plans to upgrade and personalize the house in the coming weeks.
Marky and Andrew were ecstatic when we settled into our new home, and their joy reached new heights when I pledged to get them an additional gaming console so they could each have their own. However, I emphasized the importance of them not staying up too late to ensure that Mom could get the rest she needed.
Initially, they were reluctant to move, but once I assured that they would still attend the same school, their hesitance disappeared, and they became more accepting of the change.
Our new home was a 4-bedroom 3-bath house that we were renting. I hadn't made any immediate plans to purchase a house, especially given the current state of the housing market. Moreover, I valued the flexibility of potentially upgrading or even having a custom home built if I ended up getting a contract increase in the future.
Fortunately, this house came fully furnished, which did add a bit to the cost, but it turned out to be a practical choice since we didn't have much furniture to begin with.
Next week, I had plans to visit a local dealership and purchase my first car. My agent assured me that they had a contact at the dealership, so I could simply select a car from the lot, and they would handle all the necessary paperwork behind the scenes. The relief I felt upon hearing this was palpable, as I had little knowledge of negotiation and the car-buying process.
With that, the day quickly drew to a close. I decided to treat us to some Chinese takeout for dinner until we could stock up on groceries. Then, it was time to call it a night and get some well-deserved rest.
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A/N: Hope you enjoy the story so far. As always, let me know your thoughts so far! If you'd like to support the story, consider leaving a review and dropping some stones below.
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