Chapter Two: The Talents They Threw Away

Lu paused. Too many people told injured athletes to be brave, as though fear were shameful. But the body remembered the sound of tearing. Spectators did not. He put the invitation away. “Then don’t jump. The Embers need a passing coach. Three hundred a day and meals included.” Han finally looked up. “You want a center to coach passing?” “I want someone who sees the whole floor to stop pretending he belongs beside a pool.” Han appeared at the gym that evening. Lu kept him away from the rim and stationed him at the foul line to feed Chen on cuts. The first pass hit the back of Chen’s head. On the sixteenth, Chen never slowed, yet the ball fell into his hands as if it knew the destination in advance. Chen finished and shouted, “Big man, again!”