All the players had arrived. K-Vibe pulled them together.
"Two quarters," he said. "Keep it real. Play hard. Give the cameras something undeniable."
Ankle Reaper locked eyes with Cameron, a grin spreading. "Been a minute since we threw down, huh? I'm coming for you."
Cameron chuckled, thinking back. "What, five, six years?"
Ballet Bear turned to Ryan, his massive frame looming. "I'm hyped to ball against this year's hottest rookie. I'm not holding back."
Ryan flashed a grin. "Same here, big man."
Ballet Bear laughed, patting his 330-pound frame. "Don't let the size fool you—I move like a cat."
"I know," Ryan said. "Caught your highlights."
Truth was, Ryan had only scoped out clips of his opponents during dinner, prepping for the matchup. Ballet Bear's tape was unreal—crossover dribbles, spin moves, all silky smooth despite his size. No way Ryan was sleeping on him.
The ref's whistle cut through the noise. Yeah, K-Vibe had even brought in a ref to keep things legit.
