Opening Scene – Chicago, 2020 NBA Draft CombineThe air inside the Wintrust Arena crackled with energy.
Reporters packed the sidelines. Scouts whispered. Cameras panned over every sweaty, twitching prospect.
Every dribble. Every jumper. Every wingspan measured and recorded.
But all eyes kept drifting to two names.
KYLE WILSON.
ANTHONY EDWARDS.
Kyle sat quietly on the sideline, hoodie up, watching the other players.
Anthony?
He was the opposite.
Wearing diamond studs, gum in his mouth, loud as ever.
"Hey, y'all know I'm going top 3 right? Might as well cancel the rest of this sh*t."
A few guys laughed. A few rolled their eyes.
Kyle didn't even look his way.
Combine Drills – Tension BuildsFirst was the vertical leap test.
Anthony launched like a missile—44 inches.
The room gasped. He slapped the top of the square and grinned at the cameras.
Kyle stepped up, quiet.
He hit 41 inches. Impressive.
But the crowd murmured.
Anthony walked past, bumping Kyle's shoulder.
"Cute. But the league don't pay for quiet kids."
Kyle said nothing.
His eyes locked forward.
3-on-3 Scrimmages – Kyle UnleashedKyle's team got matched with Anthony's in the first scrimmage.
Kyle's squad:
A pass-first Euro PG
A 6'10 stretch big from Texas
Kyle at the 3
Anthony's squad:
Him at the 2
A high-flying dunker from UCLA
A flashy, erratic ball handler
The first few plays?
Anthony dominated.
Step-back threes. Drives through traffic. No-look passes.
Commentators murmured:
"He's box office."
But Kyle didn't react.
Instead, he locked in on defense.
He stripped Anthony on a crossover.
Then blocked him at the rim on a transition attempt.
Then hit a smooth corner three off a backdoor cut.
Coach Montgomery watched from the stands, whispering to a scout:
"That's the difference. Flash versus foundation."
Trash Talk Turns RealMid-scrimmage, Anthony caught the ball and isolated.
"You ain't built for this, Kyonic."
Kyle smirked.
"I've seen kids like you flame out in summer league."
"I'm goin' number one, bro. You just a YouTube mixtape."
"We'll see when the lights hit."
Anthony drove hard—Kyle stonewalled him.
Forced a travel.
The gym buzzed.
Off the Court – Brand vs. BrandThat night, a private Nike event hosted select prospects.
Anthony showed up in a custom gold Jordan jumpsuit.
Kyle walked in wearing the unreleased Kyonic "Reaper II: Black Ice" prototype.
The room stopped.
Photos were snapped.
A reporter whispered:
"This kid's really betting on himself."
Anthony walked over, holding a red cup.
"Man, all that Kyonic sh*t look like Target heat."
"Yet here you are staring at it."
"Because it's loud. Loud don't mean good."
"Same could be said about your game."
They stood inches apart.
The air? Toxic. Electric. Competitive.
Ari stepped between them.
"Save it for the league. Both of you."
Private Scout Interviews – The ShiftOne scout from the Charlotte Hornets asked Kyle:
"You don't talk much. Why?"
Kyle replied calmly.
"Because when I talk, it's to say something real."
"And your brand? Kyonic?"
"It's not just apparel. It's identity. Legacy. Rebirth."
"We love your defensive versatility. But do you have the ego to lead?"
Kyle's gaze sharpened.
"You call it ego. I call it destiny."
Draft Stock Update – Rising TideAfter combine week, ESPN updated their mock.
Anthony Edwards: Still projected top 3
Kyle Wilson: Climbed from 25 → 14th overall
The league took notice.
Marcus texted Kyle:
"Stay locked. Wolves smell noise."
Ari's Rising EmpireAri landed her first solo client: a French guard projected mid-second round.
She negotiated a NIL deal with Puma on her own—no senior agent oversight.
Then she got a DM from a major rep firm.
"We want to buy out your Kyonic stake. Name your price."
She didn't even respond.
Later that night:
Kyle: "You good?"
Ari: "Better than good. Just busy."
Kyle: "How's the storm handling the clouds?"
Ari: "Making lightning."
Final Scene – Mirror ReflectionBack in the hotel, Kyle stood shirtless in front of a mirror.
Scars on his knee.
Tension in his muscles.
But no weakness in his eyes.
He replayed Anthony's words.
"You just a YouTube mixtape."
He grinned slightly.
"You gonna learn."
He slipped on the Kyonic slides, tied his dreads, and walked to the window.
Chicago lights blinking below.
The draft was two weeks away.
And Kyle was ready to set the world on fire.