“Yeah, Jackie told me,” Tanika said. “She said he’s ready though. Nice of you to fill in for her. I know she wanted to be here, especially since I practically bribed her into the interview.”
“No problem.” Antonio shrugged. “Just doing my part as a colleague.”
“Just a colleague?”
“I mean—” Antonio stuttered.
Tanika peered at him and adjusted her glasses at the temple before stepping closer to him. “Let me keep it real with you, Antonio. Jackie is my best friend. I’ve known her since college when we had to split a cup of ramen noodles because we were that broke. She tells me everything. And Idomean everything. I don’t know whatever strange connection you two got going on, but something is there.”
So, Jackie was talking to her friends about him? Antonio was low-key flattered.
“My friend likes you,” Tanika continued. “A lot. More than she’s ever willing to say. Jackie isn’t one to show her emotions. The weird thing that’s happening with her voice sort of…amplified that limitation of hers. But when she goes all in for someone, she goes all in. So, if you hurt her, I’ll come find you and go Draymond Green upside your head. Understand?”
Antonio nodded. “I got you. Trust me, Tanika. Hurting Jackie is last thing I want to do.”
“Good man.” Tanika gave him two quick pats to his shoulder. “Holler if you need me,” she shouted at Sara before heading to the production booth.
The director yelled for quiet on the set. PJ took a few sips of water just before the cameras began to roll. They counted Sara down, and she began.
Sara smiled her perfect, megawatt smile at the cameras. “Hi, I’m Sara Taylor, here with a WWSN exclusive. An interview with none other than rookie phenom, PJ Dawson. He’s hot and putting up major numbers across the boards. Sources are saying he’s the one to beat for Rookie of the Year. PJ, welcome.”
“Thanks…” PJ cleared his throat and started again. “Thank you for having me.”
“So, PJ, you’ve been on the national radar since your days of AAU ball in North Carolina as a middle schooler. When did you realize you had a real talent for basketball?”
PJ moved in his seat. “Uhm, I guess around that time. Before then it was just all fun. Then, I really developed a passion and had coaches to pour into me. I guess that’s when I knew I had something special.”
“After high school, every major college in the country wanted to recruit you, but you stayed in your home state of North Carolina. What drew you to playing for the home team?”
“Uhm.” PJ scratched his neck. “I guess because in North Carolina we live, eat, breathe, and sleep basketball. I just knew that would be a good fit for me. Coach was amazing and just felt like home. Plus, I wouldn’t be too far from my mom.”
Sara smiled. “Speaking of your mom, I know you have a super special connection to her. She was a single mom, making tremendous sacrifices to get you the best schooling, the best opportunities…”
Antonio rolled his eyes.Here they go with that again. He was sure Marilyn was going to love that part of the interview. As for Antonio, it just made him feel guilty all over again.
PJ nodded. “Yeah, she did a lot for me. Got me into a great private school. Took me to every camp. Every doctor’s appointment. She was with me every step of the way.”
“What about your father? You mentioned your athletic ability came from your dad.”
PJ chuckled. “I guess I did say that, huh? I mean, I didn’t get it from my mom. She can barely throw a ball.”
Antonio smiled. Seemed like he was easing into the interview. Thank God.
Sara laughed. “Right. So, your father was an athlete, but you’ve never really talked about him. Why is that?”
“Because…” PJ quickly cut his eyes toward Antonio. He cleared his throat. “He just wasn’t around, that’s all.”
“I see,” Sara said, briefly looking down at her notes. “Was he a basketball player too?”
“No,” PJ said a little too curtly. He grabbed the cup of water next to him and took a sip. “He didn’t play basketball.”
Antonio sighed. He’d actually lettered in both basketball and football in high school. He got scholarships for both but picked football. He’d never shared that with PJ, so the kid had no clue.
“What sport did he play?” asked Sara. “Did he go pro at any point? It’s interesting how genetics work. It’s amazing that his talent stayed in the family, even if he didn’t raise you, isn’t it?”
“Aye, yo.” PJ ran his hand down his face. “Can we get off the father thing?” His leg bounced rapidly. “Listen, I hardly know the man. I mean, we cool and closer now, but I still don’t know him like that. And he doesn’t want to be in the limelight.” PJ looked over at Antonio, who gave a nod. “Yeah. It’s not his thing. He’s not in the public eye like that.”
Antonio thought that was a good answer. It was clear PJ was agitated by this line of questioning. Antonio hated it too. He was embarrassed. It was his fault that PJ didn’t have answers to these basic questions.
