One Guard

Christmas is almost the most important holiday of the year for Americans. In a commercial league like the NBA, some unlucky professional players will have to fight Christmas battles on this day of family reunion.

But for student players playing in the NCAA, Christmas is a rare holiday in their season. The school will be on holiday for Christmas, and naturally the teams affiliated with the school cannot require the students to practice or compete.

The day before Christmas Eve, the Bulldogs had their last practice before the Christmas break. The players have all changed their equipment, but Stevens has not been seen for a long time.

From when Stevens was still an assistant coach at Butler University until now, this young coach has never been late. On the contrary, he is often the first person in the locker room.

Therefore, in the face of this rare situation, the players are at a loss when you look at me and I look at you.

Although under the leadership of assistant coaches and other special coaches, training can still be carried out. But without Stevens calling the shots, no one dared to act rashly.

Just as the locker room gradually became commotion, the door of the home team locker room at Hinkle Arena was slammed open.

Yes, it was knocked open. Stevens, who still had some snowflakes on his head, couldn't even free his hands to open the door.

"Merry Christmas! Guys! Huh...I can't carry enough of this pile of things!" Stevens appeared in front of the crowd with a smile, and in his arms was a bunch of specially packaged Exquisite Christmas gift!

"Coach, you are..." Shervin Mark hasn't figured out what's going on.

"What are you still doing in a daze!? Come and get your gifts, this pile of things is not light!" Stevens smiled kindly, and in the next second, everyone flocked to him!

There is no doubt that receiving presents at Christmas is one of the most exciting things. The performance of the Bulldogs this season is very dazzling, so Stevens also bought a lot of small gifts out of his own pocket to reward his players.

Everyone excitedly unwrapped the presents, and they got different things. Each one is carefully selected by Stevens according to different people.

Only Yiyang, he sat blankly in front of his locker, seemed out of tune with this happy atmosphere.

How does it feel to receive a Christmas present? Yiyang has never experienced it before. In the past Christmas, he and his mother could spend the day warmly, thank God. Yiyang still remembers that when he was 11 years old, because the dilapidated apartment had a power outage and all heating facilities were unavailable, Yiyang and his mother were frozen in the small house for a whole night.

So suddenly faced with such a situation, Yiyang was really in a daze.

"This is yours, too." It wasn't until Stevens handed the gift in front of Yiyang that the expressionless Asian defender came back to his senses.

"Thank you, coach." Yiyang slowly took the gift and carefully opened it.

Inside the package is an authentic white Lakers baseball cap. Stevens knew that Yiyang, who grew up on the streets of Wood District, was deeply influenced by hip-hop culture. This guy with yellow skin was extremely obsessed with rap music. Yiyang usually dresses in a street hip-hop style.

The baseball cap is an integral part of hip-hop culture. Coincidentally, Yiyang is also a fan of the Los Angeles Lakers, so Stevens chose this hat as Yiyang's Christmas present.

"Like it?"

"Huh... this gift is great." Yiyang raised his head, and Stevens saw a rare smile on the boy's face...

With such a small episode of giving gifts, the players' training in the afternoon was naturally very active.

This group of young people did not become impetuous at all because of the approaching holiday,

They take practice seriously because they know that's why the Bulldogs are No. 1 in the Big Ten right now.

"Merry Christmas!" Finally, everyone shouted in unison. Today's training is officially over, and the Christmas vacation for the players has officially begun.

Yiyang's mother had already come to Indianapolis to spend Christmas with her son. As the head coach, Stevens also invited Yiyang and his mother to have dinner at his home a few days ago.

After all, other players can go home to reunite with their families, but Yiyang and Wen Xue, these two people have no relatives in Indianapolis, it is impossible to let them spend Christmas in a hotel in the cold.

Originally, Yiyang wanted to refuse directly, because he was really not used to eating at other people's homes. But Yiyang's mother decided to go no matter what after hearing the news. She said that she wanted to take the opportunity of Christmas to thank Stevens who made Yiyang take a different path.

Just like that, Yiyang wore the white baseball cap and got into the car side by side with Stevens, ready to go to the train station to pick up Yiyang's mother.

During the driving, Yiyang and Stevens did not communicate much. Yiyang just kept looking around through the car window. Today's Indianapolis is really different from the past.

Christmas trees were decorated at the door of every household, and smiling people rushed into the shopping mall crazily. There were houses with colorful lights on the walls and "Merry Christmas" signs sprayed on people's windows.

Compared to the "garbage dump" in the Wood District, Indianapolis obviously made Yiyang feel a strong festive atmosphere.

After a while, the two arrived at their destination. Stevens saw Wen Xue in the crowd at a glance, because this woman was so special compared to everything around her.

For this Christmas trip, Wen Xue specially changed into her best-looking winter clothes, and rarely put on light makeup on her face. Since Yiyang got on the right track, Stevens could clearly feel that this young mother seemed to have regained her brilliance.

Yiyang and his mother stepped forward to hug, and Yiyang, who was stronger than before, gave Wenxue a sense of security. Yes, my son has grown up, and now he can bring himself a sense of security.

"Hello! Mr. Stevens!" After that, Wen Xue shook hands with Stevens respectfully.

"Hello madam! I hope the crowded journey didn't make you exhausted. Let's go, my wife is already preparing dinner at home." Stevens said, and opened the car door for Yiyang's mother.

Stevens took out the key and opened the door, and a child who seemed to be only two or three years old came running over with slow steps.

"Is Dad back? Brad?" A woman asked loudly deep in the house.

"It's Dad, and there are two strangers!" The little boy threw himself into Stevens' arms happily. This little guy was Stevens' three-year-old child.

"Oh, do you need my help?" Seeing that the master was still preparing dinner, Wen Xue rolled up her sleeves.

"No! Ma'am! Just rest, it's almost finished!" A very energetic woman with short blond hair walked out of the kitchen wearing an apron. Trish Stevens, Brad's wife. A woman on the sidelines of the basketball court, smitten by Stevens.

Cui Xi shook hands with Wen Xue and Yi Yang cordially. This hostess seems to have an inexplicable affinity, which makes you fall in love with her instantly.

Yiyang was a little embarrassed and said hello. Compared with the cold place in Wood District, the warmth and warmth of Stevens's house really made Yiyang a little unaccustomed to it.

Although Trish said that the dinner was almost finished, it was not until eight o'clock that the five people finally gathered around the dinner table and had this sumptuous Christmas dinner.

In one corner of the Stevens family's living room, there is a small fake Christmas tree in a pot, covered with lights and greeting cards. ??The ribbons were drawn diagonally on the ceiling, and an old-fashioned candlestick was placed in the center of the dining table, and a white candle was lit and inserted on it. Although they are not a family, Wenxue and Yiyang still feel at home on such a night.

At the dinner table, Wen Xue gave the three gifts she had prepared to the Stevens family. Wen Xue also got a scarf carefully selected by the Stevens couple.

The five people seemed to be in harmony, they ate and chatted at the dinner table, even though they had different skin colors and different births. But that doesn't stop the five from becoming true friends.

"Also, it seems that your shooting training is going very well. In recent days, your three-point shooting percentage has also been getting higher and higher. Next, I plan to train your body in particular so that you can better adapt to high-speed shooting. How about a strong confrontation?" Naturally, the topic of Stevens' chat finally returned to basketball.

"Very good." Yiyang's tone remained flat. This kid didn't know what to do, but just his personality.

Stevens nodded, he had long been used to Yiyang's way of speaking. "By the way, about the NBA thing... have you decided? If you play one more year at Butler, I can make you better! But if you want to play professional basketball now , I think it’s okay.”

Speaking of this topic, Yiyang put down the knife and fork, and looked at his mother.

"This is your decision, son." Wen Xue held Yiyang's hand, and Wen Xue couldn't help Yiyang refer too much to this kind of matter.

"I...I want to participate in the draft this year! Because our family really needs the income brought by a professional contract." Yiyang bluntly said that money is something that his family can't get around no matter what A factor to consider.

Stevens nodded and raised his glass. "Your son is going to be a real professional soon! Madame!"

"Boom!" Everyone's wine glasses collided together, and a decision that might change the structure of the NBA league was quietly born on this warm Christmas Eve.