Chapter 16: Meeting Greatness Learning to Be Great

Today’s drama was when coach McCarter walked over to me and asked to see me at 2:30 today in the boy’s locker room. I went to lunch wondering why coach wanted to talk to me. I was deep in thought, so I was given space to think. We left and went to Arby’s today, and I was dropped off in time to see coach.

“Teddy I asked you in here because I have a problem I intend to solve this weekend; I already know what I am going to do about you. As I have told you, and you have heard, I don’t put freshmen on the varsity team. However, you and I both know I have no choice about you, as you will be the starting center on the varsity team. I don’t want you advertising that fact.

I would like for you to meet me here at the gym a 9:00am on Sunday morning, I want to see what you got, but I don’t want a group of who’s who in here looking at us. Expect to be here two to three hours. Get some rest as you will need it. Lastly bring you’re A game you will need it and then some. I asked coach could my dad come as he likes to play basketball as well, coach said yes. I left to go watch the girls’ basketball games.

We all went to Wendy’s after the games as Cathy was just beaming; she scored 30 points, had 10 blocked shots, 15 rebounds, and 5 assists. The team was 6-0 and each game brought the words going undefeated more and more, scouts from colleges both near and far. And the word was also out about me as well. Some scouts saw me talking to her and when she kissed me; they asked if I was a student also. You can guess the reactions after they got that answer.

As we were eating I asked my dad if he felt like getting up early on Sunday and taking me to school to meet with Coach McCarter. At his nod, I told him what the coach told me. I made his day he couldn’t wait for Sunday morning.

And then the teasing started between Cathy and me as to who would have the best stat line. And at the shoot around we knew we would be under pressure to match or better their season record. I said, “Damn who has the better record for the season, is it the playoffs I am most interested in. If we don’t win the City League Trophy, the season is a bust. However, a State Championship is the goal I really want.”

We had been working all this time for the guys to have shots that they could hit all night preferably more than one shot not to be predictable as they would be collapsing on me to try to take me out of the game.

The rest of the week was on autopilot, nothing major happened including, any mall dramas, which were shocking in itself. The whole family was up and dressed Sunday. Shelly, Regina, and Tina went to my Grandparents house as they would be bored in no time if they went. Both my Granddads wanted to crash the show as well as Uncle William.

Coach just looked and said. “I knew some extras would get in, but you don’t keep a secret worth a damn.”

“Coach you see my parents, and three brand new aunts, who have never seen me play, my Granddads, and my mom’s brother who has helped my game long ago, Cathy my girlfriend is the captain of the girls’ varsity team, and the rest, Coach, not for rebroadcast, are also my girlfriends, need I say more?”

“Mason you expect me to believe that group of more than ten females, all have eyes for you,” Coach asked laughing.

“Just ask any one of them,” I countered.

“Man half those girls look like full-grown women.”

“Very observant yes more than a few are grown women, in fact, more than one of them is somebody’s grandmother that is why I asked you to keep it quiet.”

“Well then let’s get this show on the road I will be right back, warm up.” When Coach came back both Wilt Chamberlain and Bill Russell was with him.

My dad, Cathy, and I walked over and introduced ourselves. Afterwards, Mr. Russell let me know, “Until we leave this court, we are just Bill and Wilt, two guys from the playground; you got it Rookie?”

“Yes sir!” I said.

Coach sat down and watched the first game to 21 while Bill refereed the game Wilt, and I went at it. I tried to beat Wilt off the dribble I thought I was clear he blocked my shot from behind. Now I was pissed and embarrassed not only had I forgot who this man is, I forgot he was taller and as big as me, and much more experienced than me. Bill walked over and simply said. “Now that you are in the club just go on. Nobody who ever faced him hasn’t got his shot blocked or altered often.

Wilt just smirked it was his ball, and he tried to muscle me; I learned later from my dad it looked like two brick walls running into each other. His first move was to drive and try the finger roll on me, and he found out I like to keep the painted area to myself exactly like him as I managed to get a finger tip on his shot as well. It was harder for me to block his shot, but I did it, and then managed to get the ball and dribble it back to the base line. When Wilt got close to defend against me, I put my forearm in his chest in the process of shooting the skyhook shot, nothing but net.

We both opened up our offenses, and did our best on defense; I lost 21 to 19 and Wilt Chamberlain shook my hand, “You ain’t no rookie kid.” Next came the Russell test 21 to 13 that man disturbed every shot but the hook shots.

Wilt, Bill, and Coach talked to me about what they saw as we played that morning, we ate lunch on some deli products Pam picked up. We played different teams, including dad, Cathy, and Uncle William. At the end of the day, I was told to finish growing up, and to call either of them anytime if I needed basketball advice. And they would see me when I got to the NBA, as I was as good as many of the centers there right now.

Wilt took a liking to Karen and tried to ask her out on a date. Karen thanked him but let him know. “My boyfriend’s party line is he don’t share. And you have been beating up on him all day so you know him well.”

“I thought Ted was married to Marilyn?” Wilt asked.

“He is; young Teddy is who I was referring to.” She got him to bend down and kissed his cheek, and she whispered, “All the women here are spoken for.”

Wilt came over to me and asked how many of those girls were mine. My answer was “Seventeen.”

“Kid you got game on the court, no need to dress it up by showing off those beautiful women. Some of those women are closer to my age than yours; you are now my hero, I want to be you when I grow up.” My Uncle William was standing near enough to hear him, as was Bill.

“Wilt take it from me who has tried to hit on a few of them, they are with my nephew believe it or not. I know what you’re thinking, just trust me on this.

I called to my crew; they all came to stand around us. So I introduced all of them. “Yes Wilt some of us are older than you are. It is a family thing as you are famous thus not one to spread gossip the four of us here are cousins, and are all pregnant with his children. It is a family thing you wouldn’t believe if I told you. These two are my daughters and this one is my granddaughter. You two just became family members ask around about the Mason Trust, it is quite famous in big money circles.” Pam said. With that we all cleaned up behind ourselves and left to go our separate ways.

My uncle William called Uncle James to tell him what he missed. “Maybe you should think about moving back to Michigan as hanging around, our nephew is becoming the thing to do. By the way, your nephew lined up some Super Bowl passes as the Trust gets a Skybox each year. It will be standing room only as we are crashing and sharing with some folks who may not like us being there. Take no shit, but don’t start anything either. Make sure Jimmy is on his best behavior please.” Uncle James thanked William for the call to invite them from me, as well as all of the heads up. He would be here to fly out from Grand Rapids to Miami.