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Jahbari Micheals - 2:22 AM - Sunset Park, Brooklyn I was on the court where my love for basketball formed. When I lived with Khalil and Shawn, we would always used to come down here to play ball. I'm wondering where that passion went.
Because as of late, I've been taking advantage of the sport I loved.
I've been here since after practice, redoing my move over and over again until I mastered it. I had another game today.
I wasn't going to give up, ever. This is something I'm serious about, and I have too many people to prove wrong to be slacking off.
I've only missed once in the eight hours I've been here. But I'm gonna keep going until failing is something I physically cannot do.
"If you keep going like that, you'll kill yourself" I hear someone say, just as I'm about to run the drill again. "Take a break for me?" Sapph says. I already knew it was her before she said anything.
I could smell her perfume. "Why are you awake" I run the drill again. "Worried about you" she responds, holding a take out tray.
"Brought your favorite" she says and places the plate on the bench, taking a seat next to it.
"Not hungry" I say, shooting some three pointers. "Come sit" she suggests and I shake my head. "Can't. Gotta run my drill again" I catch my rebound. "Wasn't asking" she replies.
I sigh, going over and sitting down at the end of the bench. She scoots closer to me, dropping the plate in my lap. I open it, seeing a slice of my favorite pizza from over here.
"Let me show you something" she pulls out her phone and clicks on a video of me at practice, doing my spin move dunk, and making it. The video slows down and I watch my steps and my form. Not bad.
She swipes on her phone, and I already know what the next video is. The last play of the game. "I'on wanna watch that" I say, bringing my attention off her phone.
"Just look" she says and I look down, watching me attempt my spin move and failing.. in front of all of those people. The video slows down and I watch my steps and my form.
I see myself look down, and that's when I fail.
"You were gonna make it, Jah. But you looked down, and you panicked. You were gonna make that basket, baby. It's not anything about skill, or endurance, or your footing. It's your mentality. Don't let the expectations get to you. They're there for a reason. You're an amazing player, Jahbari. You're the only one doubting yourself, everyone else knows you can do it" she says and kisses my forehead.
