The first was young Samuel. Ecko picked him up at the dorm early on a Friday morning and drove to a diner in downtown Durham. As they took their seats at a table Ecko said, “Good grief, son, are you still growing?”
“Feels like it,” Sooley said with a grin. “Haven’t been measured lately.”
“How much do you weigh?”
“Not enough. Guess who I had a long talk with last night?”
“Niollo?”
Sooley laughed and said, “How’d you know?”
“You told me to guess. I guess I got it right. What did he say?”
“Take the money and run. Said my stock might never be higher. Said there’s always the possibility of injuries and so on. He played one year at Syracuse, entered the draft at the age of nineteen and was the seventh overall pick.”
They ordered coffee, juice, and eggs. Ecko nodded along. This was old news. He had known Niollo for fifteen years.
Sooley continued, “He said the first year is pretty rough, but it’s the same for everyone. It takes a while for your body to adjust to an eighty-two-game schedule, but he thinks I’m mature enough physically to handle it.”
“Rumors are he’s leaving Miami.”
“We didn’t talk about that. Figured it was none of my business. I asked about agents and he didn’t say much. I got the impression he’s not too crazy about his.”
“Well, Samuel, I guess that settles it. If Niollo says go pro, then that’s what you’ll do. Right?”
“What’s your opinion?”
“I have a bias in favor of education. I’m very proud of my degree from Kent State because it’s the first in my family. If I had things my way, I’d like to see you go to medical school and become a doctor, then go home and build hospitals.”
“They would just burn ’em down. That’s ten more years of study, Ecko, then I’d make a good living, but not millions.”
“So you’re dreaming of millions?”
“That’s what the game pays now. Crazy money, isn’t it?”
“Indeed. I prefer education, Samuel, but let’s be honest. I did not have the option of playing in the NBA. My amazing talents were not appreciated. To the surprise of no one, I went undrafted. So, I became a coach.”
“And I’m so glad you did. What if we’d never met?”
“That’s too awful to think about.”
“I know. I read an article about myself last night. These days there are enough of them. Guy writes for ESPN, good writer, and he said that in the history of basketball no player has ever come so far in twelve months. Size, skill, maturity, mileage, all the yardsticks. Along with the tragedies. A year ago I stood six feet two and was playing on dirt courts in the African bush. Now I’m six feet eight and headed for the first round.”
“So, you enjoy reading about yourself?” Ecko was amused.
“Sometimes. I like to see what they get wrong. Some guys just make up facts, you know? And Murray scans the internet collecting stories.”
“As I say too often, Samuel, savor the moment.”
“It wouldn’t be wise to turn down the money, would it, Ecko?”
“No. You gotta do it, Samuel. Everybody says you’ll go in the first round. I certainly think so. You can’t turn down the money.”
“I know. The best way to help my family is to make the money and meet important people. That’s not going to happen here at Central.”
“I’m with you, Samuel.”
* * *
·?·?·
Lonnie closed and locked his office door. He sat behind his desk and stared at Ecko, who was smiling.
Finally, Lonnie said, “I don’t want to leave. I love these kids. I recruited them, made them promises, watched them grow up, had a helluva ride with them last month. How am I supposed to tell them I’m leaving?”
“Every coach has to do it, Lonnie. It’s just part of the business. It’ll be rough and everybody will have a good cry, then the new guy’ll come in and they’ll forget about you. That’s life.”
“I know, I know.”
“This is what you’ve dreamed of and worked for. You’ve earned it, Lonnie. It’s time for a big promotion.”
“Have I earned it? Sooley was a once-in-a-lifetime miracle. Take him away, and we were headed for a losing season. I didn’t develop the kid. He turned into some sort of freak who got hot and almost conquered the world. The rest of us were just along for the ride.”