Chapter 28 – Unwelcome Attention

February 20th.

The gym buzzed with unfamiliar energy.

Not from the players. Not from the game.

But from the crowd.

Rows of suits. Clusters of lenses. NBA scout badges. Adidas, Nike, Under Armour reps scribbling notes.

Michael noticed before the tip-off.

He leaned into Jamal during warmups. "They're not here for the team. They're here to poke at the product."

Jamal bounced the ball, eyes scanning the stands. "You are the product."

Michael wiped his face with his sleeve. "Yeah... and I hate it."

The opponent was no slouch—Bronson Academy. Scrappy, elite guard play, and known for stalling stars with cluttered defenses.

Michael came out stiff. Not physically. Mentally.

Every step felt watched. Every pass, judged.

He hit a fadeaway early, then missed two open looks. Fumbled a transition pass.

The scouts scribbled. The cameras clicked.

Michael gritted his teeth.

Coach Alvarez called timeout.

"You're playing like you owe them something," he snapped.

Michael didn't respond.

Coach stepped in front of him. "They didn't put you here. You did."

Jamal chimed in from behind. "So remind them who this court belongs to."

Second half.

Michael flipped a switch.

Stopped looking at the sidelines. Stopped thinking about who was watching.

He jab-stepped a defender out of his shoes. Euro-stepped through a double. Picked a guard's pocket and slammed it home.

The crowd shifted from analytical murmurs to real reactions.

He wasn't performing anymore. He was competing.

Final: 82–68. Michael: 28 points, 9 rebounds, 4 steals.

A scout from the Knicks approached Coach afterward. "Kid's legit. But I liked him better when he wasn't looking over his shoulder."

Michael overheard it. Didn't flinch. Just walked to the locker room.

That night, he didn't hit the gym. He hit the film room.

Rewatched the first half twice. Then the second half once.

Paused. Rewound. Analyzed body language. Decision-making. Breathing.

He took notes like a surgeon preparing for a high-risk operation.

[System Update: Trait Reinforced – Emotional Discipline Tier II → Tier III] [Progress: 21.91%]

The next morning, Coach Alvarez caught him before practice.

"You looked tight out there last night. Got something to say?"

Michael nodded. "Yeah. I'm done playing for their approval. I know what I am now."

Coach nodded. "Good. Because the spotlight isn't going away."

Michael picked up the ball, spinning it in one hand.

"Then I better get used to blinding light."