Commercial Endorsements?

The day after signing with Carl Jones, Link received a message from the little-known agent.

At first, Link had been very excited to get the call. But when he learned why the agent had called, he nearly spat blood. Carl Jones wasn't calling because he'd found Link an NBA contract.

"Commercial work?" When Link heard Carl Jones say those words over the phone, he could hardly believe his ears.

What kind of commercial work could a mere G League player possibly get?

"That's right, commercial work! One afternoon, and you'll earn five thousand dollars. Uh, I know that's nothing compared to an NBA-level endorsement deal, but we have to take it one step at a time, don't we?" Carl Jones sounded thrilled, as if he'd just signed Link to a contract worth millions.

"Five thousand dollars!" Link rubbed his chin. That was far more than he earned playing in the G League for a month!

Though he wanted a ten-day NBA contract far more than a commercial endorsement, Link figured he might as well spend an afternoon earning some extra money for household expenses.

He couldn't keep mooching meals off Upshaw every few days.

"What kind of commercial work is it?"

"An event at an amusement park. They've invited you to promote the place this afternoon. It's simple: you compete against visitors at a basketball arcade game. Anyone who beats you wins a prize from the park. Easy, fun, and five thousand dollars in your pocket. Oh, but to be precise, you'll only get four thousand. My contract entitles me to a twenty percent commission on commercial deals."

After hearing Carl Jones's last sentence, Link understood why Carl was so eager to find him commercial deals. Still, he could understand. The man couldn't be expected to help him for free. He'd consider the commission on this deal Carl's pay.

Maybe once Jones made some money, he'd be motivated to work harder on getting him into the NBA.

"Fine, but it'll have to wait until after training this afternoon. I have one condition, Carl: no commercial work can interfere with training. Training always comes first, all right?"

"Absolutely, Link. Then it's settled. I'll pick you up at the gym at four this afternoon. Trust me, you'll love being a star."

After ending the call, Link let out a long sigh. Playing basketball arcade games with amusement park visitors? It sounded like a summer job...

※※※

After afternoon practice, Carl Jones showed up at the gym right on time. He was pretty good about punctuality. They'd met twice, and he hadn't been late either time.

"Come on, superstar! I bet there are tons of fans waiting for you!"

Carl leaned out of the car and shouted at Link before he'd even gotten in.

"Carl, how's the NBA situation going?"

But Link wasn't thinking about the afternoon's event. As soon as he got in the car, he asked Carl about the NBA.

"Uh... I'm still working on it, Link. Don't rush things. You've only played one good game. If you can put together a few more strong performances, I promise NBA teams will take notice. So don't worry, Link. We'll take it one step at a time. First, we'll conquer an amusement park in Oklahoma."

Carl seemed to be in a good mood throughout the drive. He didn't have to lift a finger that afternoon and would still take home a thousand dollars.

On the way, Carl and Link passed Oklahoma's real home court, Chesapeake Energy Arena, home of the Thunder.

It was a game day. Though it was still afternoon, the area outside Chesapeake Energy Arena was already packed with fans.

Huge posters of the Thunder players stood out outside the arena. Link spotted Westbrook, Durant, James Harden, and Serge Ibaka on them.

Thinking about how the four of them would fare in the years to come, Link couldn't help sighing. If they never split up, who knew how far the Thunder could go?

Then again, would the sudden appearance of someone like him change history? Link had no idea, but he was sure things wouldn't unfold exactly as they had before.

As Link pondered, Carl Jones pulled up outside an amusement park.

There weren't many people there, and Link didn't attract much attention when he got out. Though he'd put up a triple-double against Luke Ba Weiyuan yesterday, it had only been a G League game. Link was still a long way from being a "star."

"Come on, it's just up ahead. All you have to do is shoot hoops with the visitors, then go home with the money."

"Hmm... this amusement park..."

"You're Link!? Oh my God, it really is you! You were amazing yesterday! That blowout was the most satisfying game the Blue Team has played all season. Hey, man, could we get a picture with you?"

Just as Link was about to complain that the amusement park was even smaller than he'd expected, a middle-aged man with his wife and child hurried over to him.

Of course, Link couldn't compare to the real superstars. But yesterday's game had given him at least a little local recognition.

"A picture? Sure, absolutely." Link was flattered and found himself posing for a photo with the family of three before he knew it.

"Keep it up, Link. I'm sure you'll make it to the NBA someday." After the photo, the man waved and left.

Link felt a little gratified. In his previous life, he'd been an unknown even in college. But now, he was something of a public figure.

"See? I told you people would love you. Come on, Link. Everyone's waiting."

Carl Jones beckoned him over, feeling as if he'd made a star.

Or, at least, successfully planted the seed of a money tree.

※※※

Two young women strolled along the amusement park path, arms linked. The brown-haired one was looking around with a bored expression.

"I thought this new amusement park would be bigger." The girl shook her head in disappointment. Oklahoma was no more comparable to the international metropolis of Los Angeles than her home state of Ohio was.

"Look, there seems to be a crowd up ahead." The other girl pointed at a dense throng of people nearby.

They exchanged smiles and walked over.

"Excuse me, what's going on here? Why are there so many people?" The brown-haired young woman boldly approached a man to ask. She seemed cheerful and outgoing, and wasn't at all shy about talking to strangers.

"I heard the amusement park invited a professional basketball player to do an event. If you beat him at the basketball arcade game, you win a prize. Four people have tried so far, but nobody's beaten him. I have to say, the guy's got a great shot."

The man in the crowd answered with a laugh.

"A professional basketball player?" The bored brown-haired girl perked up at once. As it happened, she was a huge basketball fan.

More precisely, she'd once been a basketball player herself.

So she pushed her way to the front, swimming through the crowd as if doing the breaststroke. Since they were in Oklahoma, the park had probably invited a Thunder player.

Who could it be? Westbrook? Durant? Or James Harden?

But when the girl saw the man competing against the visitors, she was extremely disappointed. She didn't recognize the supposed professional player at all.

The man was tall, certainly—probably around two meters. And just as people had said, his shot was frighteningly accurate. He almost never missed. His muscles were clearly defined, but his yellow skin was unusual.

He might really be a professional player, but the girl was certain he wasn't anyone famous.

"That's fifteen shots, and Link made fourteen! Unfortunately, the visitor has failed the challenge! But don't be discouraged. You still get a chance to take a photo with a professional basketball player!"

The event host shouted into the microphone. The brown-haired girl finally learned the name of this supposed professional player.

"Link?" She frowned. As a basketball fan, she'd never heard that name before.

Could the amusement park have hired a fake professional player to fool everyone?

"Now, there's only one last chance to challenge Link. Anyone else want to give it a try?"

At the host's words, the girl confidently raised her slender arm. She was the first woman to volunteer since the event began.

"Miss, I can feel your enthusiasm even from all the way over here. Come on up! As our final challenger, you can experience what it's like to compete against a professional player! Miss, may I have your name?"

"Rachel Demita."

The girl took the basketball and smiled confidently. She'd prove that the so-called guest the amusement park had invited wasn't a professional player at all.