Undrafted: Underrated x Underestimated

[The JZA]

[The JZA]

KISS FROM A ROSE

The Nashville Soul had finished up their off-season. The staff were signed, up and running offices. The players finalized their deals and headed straight into training mode. The 2036 WNBA season was on the horizon as the sun began to set on the NBA playoffs. It would be just a few more weeks before the attention shifts to the summer sports.

"Helloooo! Anyone and everyone, I'm hooome!" Khyri shouted.

After a long day away from home, Khyri makes her return to the family's manor, entering the living room, Taurie was glued to the TV, playing video games.

"Hey, Squirt"

"Hey..."

Hearing music and conversation in the diner and kitchen area, Khyri followed the good vibes it was giving. Hanging back, Khyri sees Zhuri being taught the value of money by her grandfather. In the kitchen, Zarya was being taught how to make cookies from scratch by her grandmother. Everyone seem to be having a good time. Khyri realized, even though they're all only just 12 years old, they're growing up so fast. Growing into their own characters and personalities.

"Hey ya'll." Khyri went around hugging and kissing everyone, even more so her twins. "I see you guys look to be busy."

"Oh, I'm just teaching Zhuri the value of money. In a few more years, she's gonna be looking at one of us with her hand out. Teaching her the money is earned and not given just cause."

"Amen to that. What about you Mama? What y'all making?"

"Some good ol' raisin cookies, straight from scratch."

"Mom, you know they're my favorite cookies."

"Yeah, they're also your Daddy's favorite too. You share his sweet tooth." Grandma says.

"I could never keep Recks on a straight diet for more than two weeks. He had a nasty habit of packing away those cookies. I'd find packs in cabinets where the pots and pans go, in the pantry, in the bedroom, the garage. I wouldn't be surprised if he had some hidden in the floor boards."

"That boy loved his stashes." Grandpa interjected.

"He ain't get that nowhere, but from you." Grandma rebutted as Grandpa shot a snarky look back at her.

"How was your day Mom? You've had a busy day, we didn't see you this morning before school." Zhuri questioned.

"Long and dreadful was my day. You guys know the season is about to start soon. Early practices and meetings over marketing, community setups and so on. I'm just glad it's over."

"That seems like a lot for just a person to play basketball." Zarya said.

"Yeah, but, "with great powers, comes great responsibilities"."

"SPIDER-MAN!!" Taurie shouted from the living room.

"What I tell you about shouting, Taurie?" Khyri reprimanded with a slight smile on her face.

"SORRY!!" Again, Taurie shouted.

"I can't with him." Khyri shook her head and throwing her hands up. "Anywho, the team I play for, kind of put me on the spot to be the face of the franchise."

"Giving your natural talents and what you've done in your first tenure, I don't see how's that not a smart move." said Grandpa

"Yeah, but you're thinking of it logically from a business perspective. And I get it, seeing me plastered all over Tennessee will get the people talking and interested more, merch sales, and all that stuff. Sounds sweet, but I just want to play basketball. I don't want to really deal with what I was trying to do."

"Kobe said it best, "Job's not done". Can't expect people to just let you off the hook like some no name athlete who's trying to make a name for themselves. Oh no child, you're name and status has shot up and through the stratosphere. Not only are you in the eyes of millions, but you're name is responsible for millions, of dollars, I mean."

"Yeah, I know. But let me wish for a little while."

"Wish, all you want. Recks knew first hand, doing business off the court and what representations meant. You two may have had y'all ups and downs, but never once did he drag the family's name through the news and media. He knew his rep, his name only on a lot of contracts and sponsors, was responsible for the equivalent and higher ups."

"And we have you to thank for that, huh Dad?"

"Absolutely, sweety pie. Understanding the value of the dollar is what, Zhuri?"

"Understanding the value of the person." she finished.

"Hey, look at you, something sunk in that noggin of yours besides school gossip. Speaking of which, did everyone do their homework? And does it needs to be double-checked?"

"Yes!" The twins shouted, included Taurie.

"Wait, yes to what?" Khyri quickly asked but the only response were giggles.

"Oh, I see, y'all think y'all cute. Anyway, I'm going to head upstairs and unwind. You guys good in here?"

Everyone nodded their heads and went back to what they were doing as well as enjoying the oldies on the portable speaker.

"Taurie, don't be on this game all night, I need you in bed, getting your full 8 hours. You can play all you want on the weekends." Khyri says as she's passing by.

"K, Mom..."

Unbothered by the glueness, Khyri headed upstairs to her bedroom, plopping on the bed, taking in the current silence that nearly tuned out the noises from downstairs. Staring at the ceiling, Khyri tried hard to empty her mind and just relax, but she couldn't. Mustering up to take a hot bubble bath, knocking some of the tension out her body, enjoying dinner with the family later that night, and ending the night with everyone off to sleep, her mind stayed cluttered, more so occupied. Around 2 A.M., Khyri found her-self restless. Taking a leave, she headed downstairs for a bottle of water. The house was silent, you could hear the ambiance of the critters outside chirping. Khyri makes her way back upstairs, but slowly inches her way to one of the rooms in the manor that's occupied for other reasons. The one door in the quarters that was taped off with "do not enter". Feeling on the door, she felt an air from it. Khyri took a bobby pin from her hair and jigs the lock, opening the door as quietly she can as the door hinges creeked from aging. After entering, she closes the door, closing her eyes and taking a deep breathe before turning around. Inside, Khyri looked around, and there he was... Full on disposal... Recks Black... Khyri makes her way to the middle of the room, where a pedestal stood before her. Around the room, the walls shared images of Recks during his time as USC Trojan, Philadelphia Sixer, Houston Rocket, and Los Angeles Laker. Among those were many more family pictures of him as a kid, growing up into an adult, pictures of him as a father to his kids, a son to his parents, and husband to Khyri. Accolades sat on shelves, many and plentiful in between posters and articles that Khyri cut out and saved. It was her personal shrine of the man she loved and fascinated over. Khyri placed her hand gently on the black suede box that sat on the pedestal. It read, "Always Bet On Black". Slowly opening the box, Khyri uncovers 8 rings that gleamed in the dim-lit room. Six NBA rings that Recks Black has one in his career, making a archway around a pair of rings that sat in the middle, their wedding rings. Custom made 25-carat femtosecond laser treated black gold with pure gold lining around the band and infrastructure of the diamond bed. A whopping $3.7 million was dropped on the pair of rings, and neither one of them worn, not even once. It's pristine condition symbolized their beginning in marriage as everlasting, despite his untimely death.

Quietly sitting on the floor, Khyri stared into the rings, whispering, "Recks, give me the strength..."

After a moment or two, Khyri felt this pseudo grasp to her left shoulder, immediately turning her attention towards the door, but no one was there. As it felt so surreal, Khyri began to tear up, as the flood gates to her thoughts bursts open from the imprint of Recks.

"I know, you're always there... Watching... I love you..." Khyri mumbles as tears falls onto the box...

[The JZA]

[Agent]

Khyri's gonna thrive as the face of a new team. Looking forward to seeing her get her basketball career rolling again.

always bet on black

[chosenone58]

Khryi is gonna be alright. Just gotta get back into the swing of things that's all

[The JZA]

Khyri's gonna thrive as the face of a new team. Looking forward to seeing her get her basketball career rolling again.

always bet on black

Khryi is gonna be alright. Just gotta get back into the swing of things that's all

Shorty just got to troop it out

[The JZA]

[The JZA]

[The JZA]

[The JZA]