DeMarcus Cousins, the fifth overall pick in the 2010 first round.
Link, undrafted in 2010.
Normally, these two guys would have almost no chance of competing on the same court. They probably wouldn't cross paths at all in their lives.
Cousins would keep rising in the NBA, striving for the title of the best center in the league. A player like Link, if lucky, could play overseas and earn enough to live on. If not, he might end up scrapping by in some lower-tier league—or even say goodbye to basketball.
But right now, the two of them stood on the same basketball court, staring each other down.
A minute earlier, Rudy Gay had been helped into the locker room by his teammates because of an injury to his left shoulder. Losing his star player at such a crucial moment had naturally left Lionel Hollins very worried.
The game against the Kings had already been a rough one, and Gay's sudden exit had made the situation even more serious.
But at this critical juncture, Hollins had sent Link onto the court without hesitation. Perhaps that alone said enough about Link's standing in his eyes.
And just like that, Link was playing minutes that weren't supposed to be his. There were just over two minutes left, and the team was ahead by only six. At a crucial moment like this, any mistake would be scrutinized under a microscope by fans and analysts.
"They all say you're one of the best rookies this year."
Link was standing on the court, ready to wait for his teammate to inbound the ball, when he heard someone talking to him.
He turned his head. It was Cousins!
Cousins didn't seem to think there was anything wrong with having injured Gay. He showed no regret or sympathy,