Champion Creed

The Sunshine Classic was an established high school invitational tournament, and this year it seemed that O'Neal had become the spokesperson for the event.

O'Neal had spent his college days in Louisiana, and with his rise to the number one draft pick this year, his popularity had soared to unprecedented heights, so it wasn't surprising he could land such an endorsement.

Roger eyed the advertisement for the tournament, itching to get involved. For high school and college players wanting to make a name for themselves, relying solely on league games wasn't enough.

This was especially true for high school players since the leagues had numerous divisions with varying levels of skill. Take Louisiana for example, a single season could crown ten state champions. And these ten state champions wouldn't compete against each other.

So how can one tell if a player is genuinely skilled or just a big fish in a small pond? The answer is simple, just look at how they perform in high-level invitationals and training camps.

Roger still remembered 2009 when Jordan Crawford, then a sophomore, dunked over James at a Nike camp, shooting to fame overnight.

What Crawford couldn't have foreseen was that the great King James and his team actually confiscated all footage related to that dunk.

Was LeBron a sore loser? No, James had only played for three teams throughout his career, and not switching teams often indicated he wasn't the type to be a sore loser.

James must have wanted to keep Crawford from getting too cocky, hence the deliberate effort to lock down the video.

Regardless, such camps and invitationals hosted by basketball stars played a significant role in boosting the public profile of student players.

If Roger could show his mettle at the Sunshine Classic, he could quickly make a name for himself.

Unfortunately, the Sunshine Classic generally only invited strong teams. And Block High School, with just three wins last season, surely wouldn't be on the list.

However, Coach Hawk brought a surprising piece of news during the afternoon practice: "Next week's Sunshine Classic, we've received an invitation! Buckle up, guys, this is a great chance to compete against high-level teams nationwide!"

Hawk spoke passionately, but the players were listless.

A great chance to compete against high-level teams? More like a great chance to get thrashed by high-level teams.

By team strength alone, Block High School really didn't qualify to compete.

The reason for the invitation was the promising league future of Andrae, and Block High School being a local team in Louisiana.

Essentially, Block High School was just a pawn included in the tournament to boost local interest.

While other teams were there to showcase their strength, Block High School was there to be outshone.

All players hung their heads, after all, who would want to be embarrassed at such a major competition?

But Roger was rubbing his hands in anticipation.

His chance to become famous had arrived!

After school, an excited Roger rushed home. As soon as he opened the door, he saw his uncle busy in the kitchen.

When Lu An heard the sound of the door, he turned around with a smile, "Nephew, look at the gift I got you on the table!"

"A gift? It's not a holiday, why did you get a gift?" Roger asked, walking over to the dining table.

On the table was a shoebox.

Roger opened the shoebox to find a brand-new pair of Air Jordan 6 basketball shoes!

For his uncle, who earned a modest salary, those shoes definitely weren't cheap.

Moreover, Roger's memory told him that Lu An was the kind of person who would haggle over two US dollars for half an hour.

And to think he had just gone out and bought such expensive shoes?

At that moment, Lu An had just served the food, which was evidently more lavish than usual.

He then took out a bottle of wine from the cupboard, sat down with a grin, and poured himself a glass:

"Try them on quickly, your old basketball shoes have become deformed; you wouldn't want to get injured because of that."

Roger stared at the expensive shoes, somewhat taken aback.

Then he noticed a copy of the "Jonesville Observer" on the table.

Since Lu An hadn't come home the night before because of a night shift at the convenience store, Roger didn't have the chance to tell him about making the basketball team.

But now it seemed his uncle had already found out.

"What are you staring at for? Hurry up and try the shoes, then sit down to eat," Lu An said.

"Uncle, these shoes must have cost a pretty penny…"

"Don't worry about what happens in society, you just focus on playing basketball, studying well, and don't worry about the rest. Oh, and keep your old shoes for me, I'll wear them. Also, that joke I made about finding you an aunt if you made the team, forget about it."

With that, Lu An happily took a swig from his glass, "Anyway, congratulations on making the school basketball team, and give it your all!"

Roger looked at his uncle, who despite the dark circles from working late nights and a receding hairline, didn't hesitate to buy him a new pair of sneakers and smiled softly.

At the upcoming Sunshine Classic, he was determined to make the sneakers worth every penny!