+ 1
The soft beeping of his alarm filled the room as Lucas slowly opened his eyes. The soreness in his muscles was familiar now—a constant reminder of the grind. He stretched his arms and exhaled, letting the morning light settle over him.
Another day. Another chance to get better.
He swung his legs over the bed and sat up, rubbing the sleep from his eyes before pulling up his NBA System.
[NBA SYSTEM DASHBOARD]
Physical Attributes:
Height: 5'2" (157 cm) Weight: 102 lbs (46 kg) Strength: 27/100 Agility: 32/100 Stamina: 39/100 Vertical Jump: 25/100
Basketball Attributes:
Ball Handling: 31/100 Passing: 35/100 Defense: 21/100 Steal: 25/100 Block: 15/100 Rebounding: 20/100 Post Defense: 15/100 Perimeter Defense: 25/100
Shooting:
Free Throw: 45/100 Midrange Shot: 33/100 Layup: 41/100 Dunk: 0/100
3-Point Shot: 25 → 26/100 (+1)
Shooting off the Dribble: 30/100
Badges:
Bronze Catch & Shoot
Bronze Clutch Shooter
Lucas' eyes locked onto the +1 upgrade in his three-point shooting.
He clenched his fists. Finally.
His 100+ shot workouts were starting to pay off. The numbers in the system might only show a small change, but on the court? He felt it.
The ball felt better in his hands. The rhythm of his shooting motion was smoother. His feet were setting naturally, without thinking.
And soon? He wouldn't just be a decent shooter—he'd be a knockdown shooter.
But he still had a long way to go.
Lucas got dressed in a compression shirt and workout shorts, lacing up his sneakers before heading downstairs.
The house was quiet—his mom and dad were probably still asleep.
Perfect.
That meant no distractions.
He grabbed a protein bar from the kitchen counter, quickly scarfing it down before heading outside to Harrison Park for his morning session.
The air was crisp, the sky painted in soft shades of blue and orange. The court was empty, just how he liked it.
He set his bag down by the bench and started his warm-up routine.
Jump Rope (3 minutes) – Get the blood flowing.
Dynamic stretches – High knees, lunges, arm circles, hamstring stretches.
Footwork drills (5 minutes) – Quick lateral movements, agility ladder simulation with cones.
Once his body felt loose, he picked up his basketball.
Lucas wasn't just putting up shots—he was training with purpose. Every rep mattered.
Form Shooting (20 makes) – Close-range, focused on mechanics.
Midrange Work (20 makes) – Pull-ups, turnarounds, and fadeaways.
Three-Point Shooting (40 makes) – Catch-and-shoot, off-the-dribble, step-backs.
Game Speed Finishing (20 makes) – Floaters, reverse layups, high-arcing shots over defenders.
The last 40 shots from three were the most important. He focused on making every shot as clean and efficient as possible.
His biggest problem? Fatigue.
By the time he got to his last ten shots, his legs felt heavy, and his form started breaking down.
Lucas wiped sweat from his forehead and forced himself to stay disciplined.
Elbow in. Follow through. Land balanced.
Swish.
Swish.
Swish.
The last three shots all felt perfect.
That's how he knew he was improving.
After shooting, Lucas moved into his strength and conditioning routine. He had to get stronger—if he wanted to absorb contact in the lane and extend his shooting range, his body had to be able to handle it.
Push-ups (4 sets of 20) – Upper body strength.
Core Work (3 sets of planks, sit-ups, leg raises) – Better balance, stronger core.
Squats & Lunges (3 sets each, bodyweight only) – Building explosiveness.
Resistance Band Drills (3 sets of lateral slides, defensive stances) – Improving agility.
By the end of it, he was dripping with sweat, his shirt clinging to his back. His arms felt heavy, and his legs burned, but he didn't care.
This was the price of getting better.
As Lucas sat on the bench, catching his breath and drinking water, his mind drifted back to money.
If he wanted to train at a higher level, he needed resources. Better shoes. A gym membership. Maybe a shooting coach one day.
His parents were supporting him as much as they could, but he couldn't expect them to fund everything.
So how was he going to make money as a 12-year-old?
He had a few ideas:
Dominate the Middle School Championship. If he stood out, he'd get noticed. And attention meant opportunities—maybe even sponsorships in the future. Basketball Camps. If he performed well enough in the championship, he might get invited to an elite camp, where he could network with the right people. Social Media? It wasn't impossible. If he recorded his training and highlights, maybe he could start building a name for himself early. Streetball Challenges? Playing pickup for money was risky, but if he was smart about it, he might be able to earn some side cash.
Lucas exhaled.
It was a long road. But every star player had to start somewhere.
And he wasn't about to let this second chance go to waste.
Lucas stood up, stretching his arms and rolling his shoulders. He finished his workout with a slow jog around the park, letting his muscles cool down.
As he walked home, he felt different.
His body was tired, but his mind was sharper.
His jump shot was improving. His understanding of the game was evolving. And he was beginning to map out his future beyond just middle school.
The sound of rain lightly tapping against the window pulled Lucas from his sleep. He blinked, groggy but alert, as the gray light of an overcast morning filled his room.
For a moment, he just lay there, staring at the ceiling. One week until the season opener.
One week until all the hours of training, the late-night workouts, the scrimmages, and the sweat would finally be put to the test.
He took a deep breath before pulling up his NBA System.
Lucas frowned slightly. No changes today.
But he wasn't discouraged. The numbers weren't everything—he could feel himself improving, even if the stats didn't always show it immediately.
Still, he needed to keep pushing.
As he walked downstairs, the smell of churros and hot chocolate greeted him. His mom was at the stove, frying up the golden-brown pastries while his dad leaned against the counter, drinking coffee.
"Mijo, you're up early." Maria turned, smiling. "I thought you'd sleep in after all that training yesterday."
Lucas stretched his arms and shook his head. "Can't afford to. Season starts next week."
Steven chuckled, setting his mug down. "I respect it, but even the pros take rest days."
Lucas smirked. "Yeah, but I'm not a pro—yet."
Maria shook her head, amused. "Well, at least sit down and eat. No training on an empty stomach."
Lucas grabbed a seat, reaching for a churro while his mom poured him a cup of hot chocolate. The sweet cinnamon scent filled the air as he took a bite, the crispy texture giving way to warm softness inside.
"So, what's the plan for today?" Maria asked as she sat down.
Lucas swallowed his bite before answering. "Morning workout, then I might watch some more NBA games later. Study some plays."
Steven nodded approvingly. "Smart. Who you watching today?"
Lucas thought for a second. "Maybe some Warriors games. Steph Curry's off-ball movement is insane. I need to work on getting open like that."
Steven smirked. "Good choice. Not a lot of middle schoolers studying off-ball movement like that. Most kids your age just want to dunk."
Lucas laughed. "Yeah, well… dunking's kinda not an option for me."
Maria playfully patted his hand. "You'll grow, mijo. Give it time."
Lucas wasn't so sure about that, but he smiled anyway.
By the time Lucas finished eating and changed into his training gear, the rain had stopped, leaving the streets wet but the skies clearing. The court at Harrison Park was damp, but that wouldn't stop him.
He dribbled his basketball as he walked, each bounce splashing against the pavement. His mind was locked in on what he needed to improve.
Today's Focus:
Footwork and Shooting – Sharpen his ability to get open and shoot clean looks.
Ball Handling Under Pressure – Simulating how defenders would press him in real games.
Finishing Through Contact – He needed to get stronger at the rim.
Shooting Drills (100 Makes)
Catch & Shoot Threes (30 Makes) – Repetition, building consistency.
Step-Back Midrange (20 Makes) – Creating separation.
Off-the-Dribble Threes (30 Makes) – Game-like situations.
Floaters & Layups (20 Makes) – Soft touch around the rim.
Lucas focused on getting open quickly, using sharp movements, imagining a defender on him.
Every shot had to be real. No lazy reps. No wasted movement.
After his shooting session, he moved into dribbling drills.
Cone Dribble Attacks (10 Reps Each Move) – Crossovers, hesitations, spins.
Defender Reads (Self-Simulated, 10 Minutes) – Practicing reactions, step-backs, and counters.
To work on finishing through contact, he added a self-imposed challenge:
Every time he missed a contested layup, he had to drop and do 10 push-ups.
By the time he finished, his arms burned. But this was necessary.
Back home, Lucas showered, changed into comfortable clothes, and set up his laptop.
He pulled up a Golden State Warriors game from the 2017 season, one where Steph Curry and Klay Thompson torched a team with their movement and shooting.
Lucas watched intently, pausing and rewinding key plays.
Curry never stopped moving. Even when he passed the ball, he immediately cut or relocated.Klay's shooting form was picture-perfect. No wasted movement, always balanced.Draymond Green's passing was underrated. He created so many open shots with quick decision-making.
Lucas grabbed his notebook and jotted down takeaways.
Keep moving. Don't ball-watch.Always be ready to shoot. No hesitation.Read the defense before the ball comes. Anticipate.
The details mattered.
Watching the best players gave him insights that training alone couldn't provide.
As the sun began to set, Lucas lay on his bed, staring at the ceiling.
One week left. One week until the season started.
The Lakeview Academy game would be the first real test. He knew they were bigger, more experienced, more disciplined—but he also knew that he and his team had been grinding for this.
Lucas exhaled.
He wasn't the strongest. He wasn't the tallest.
But he was going to outwork everyone.
And when the season started?
He'd be ready.