How Sweet the Sound - The Story of David "Amazing" Grace (2K23 MyCareer)

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We Major

July 2021

“So, this is a real thing?” I asked Dominique as she walked back into the living room. We had just gotten back from taking DJ to the park. He was knocked out. I handed her my phone so could she read the email that Coach Sampson had just sent to the team.

“Yeah, babe.” She said as she scanned the e-mail quickly. “They’re going to be able to start paying you guys for name, image, and likeness.”

“So like endorsements?”

“Like endorsements.”

“I’m about to blow up the GOAT app on these Jordans.”

She shot me a look.

“After I buy diapers for DJ first.” I quickly corrected myself. Her expression didn’t change.

“And break his grandparents off for all the baby sitting they’ve done this past year.” Still nothing.

“And take his mom to the Galleria to buy a new dress for our date at Del Frisco’s?”

“Okay. It took you a minute, D. I was getting nervous.” She said laughing.

“You know, I’m always going to put you and DJ first.”

“I know, but sometimes I need to remind you.”

“I am gonna buy me a few pairs of J’s when that first check hits though. I’ll talk to your dad too about saving and investing the rest, so I can pay for you to go to law school and we’ll have money for a down payment on a place wherever I get drafted.”

“You got this all figured out, huh?”

“I’m just trying to plan ahead.”

“You are very mature for 18 years old.”

“First of all, I’ll be 19 in two months.” I smiled. “Second, and most important, I don’t live the life of a typical 18 year old. I got a whole *** family to think about. And I’m always gonna take care of my family. You know I’m signing with Jordan when I get to the NBA.”

“How about we get you to the NBA first?”

“But stop fronting, I know you want those pomegranate Ones that are dropping for New Year’s.”

“Those are nice. And you know those Gold Hoops dropped yesterday.”

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Present Day

“Dave, there’s a delivery for you downstairs.”

I was face planted in my pillow. We had just gotten back from our road trip and I was dog tired. Coach decided to fly us back to Los Angeles after the game since the weather was supposed to be pretty gross in Charlotte the next morning. This NBA season was no joke and we were almost halfway in. In college, we would be done with the regular season by Game 35. It would also be March.

“You can’t get it, babe?”

“I asked. But your little girlfriend insisted that you needed to come down to sign for it.”

I could feel her rolling her eyes. Mariah was the young lady that worked the front desk. She had a bit of a crush on me and was not shy about letting it be known in front of Dom or whoever was around.

I forced myself out of bed and went into the bathroom to make myself presentable. When we got downstairs, there was a delivery guy with a 3 foot tall box with wheels attached underneath. Sitting on top of that box was a regular sized shoe box.

“Good afternoon, David.”

“Afternoon, Mariah. Thanks for calling.”

“Not a problem. Looks like a pretty big package.” She emphasized the words big and package. Dom sucked her teeth. “I would have signed for it myself if I could have so as not to disturb you. You look completely worn out. But with the way you’ve been playing lately--.”

“Thank you, Mariah.” Dominique cut off her rambling.

I just kept my head down and signed the clipboard. I offered a tip to the delivery man but he said it had already been taken care of. Dominique carried the smaller box and I gave Mariah a nod as I rolled the larger box toward the elevators.

Inside the box there was what looked like a large locker with the Jordan brand logo on the front. I pulled open the door and saw five different Jordan shoes inside, including the Air Jordan I and the Air Jordan XX3, while the others were the most recent designs, but they were all gray and it was only one of each shoe.

“What am I supposed to do with five left shoes?”

On the bottom shelf, there were three pairs of the purple and gold Air Jordan V, all different sizes. For me, Dominique and DJ. She quickly took her pair and sat on the couch to try them on. There was a tablet on the inside of the door. I turned it on and there was a short video from Martin Lotti, Chief Design Officer at Jordan Brand. He congratulated me on winning Rookie of the Month for December and he said that more shoes in more colors were on the way. All I had to do was let them know when and where to bring them. Then he explained that the gray shoes were my own blank canvas. I was supposed to pick a shoe and then choose the colors for it and Senior Designer Kelsey Amy would bring it to life.

“Wait. I’m getting my own colorway? Like, my own personal colorway?”

“They didn’t tell you?”

“I mean, they said it was a possibility, but I didn’t think it was going to happen this quick. I was thinking like end of the season or All-Star break or something.”

“Well, you are exceeding expectations, David Grace.”

“This is wild, babe.”

She handed me the smaller box next. “Another pair of shoes, I’m guessing.” I took it out of the packaging, but quickly handed it to Dominique. “Looks like this one isn’t for me. I don’t wear a size seven.”

She tilted her head, but took the box from me anyway and opened the card that was attached. The card read “For Miss Dominique Malloy. The woman beside the man.” I smiled because I already knew what was inside.

“You got me the Gold Hoops? Boy!” She jumped in my lap and gave me a kiss. She didn’t pull away until my phone began to ring.

“Don’t answer it.”

“How do you know that’s not my mama calling about DJ?”

“That’s not her ring tone.” Touché.

“Babe, it’s Ray. I gotta take this.”

“Fine.” She left me alone to talk to my agent.

I laughed as I answered the phone.

“What’s up, Ray?”

“Did you get it?”

“You knew?”

“Of course, I knew. After that game in Atlanta, it was a done deal. But we wanted to wait until you guys got back to Los Angeles. I thought you’d like the surprise.”

“Like it? I love it! This is amazing, Ray. Thanks for coming through on those Gold Hoops for Dom too.”

“Well, that’s not all. I know you guys got in pretty late last night, but head over to the arena when you get a chance, there’s something you need to see.”

“It’s up already?”

“Jordan Brand doesn’t mess around. You’re doing big things right now. You’re in L.A., playing with LeBron and Anthony Davis. You’re the third leading scorer on this team. You are going to be the catalyst to getting this team a ring.”

“No pressure, right?”

“Nah.”

“That’s major, though, Ray.”

“You are major, kid. I told them you are the real deal and look at you out here proving me right.”

Dominique came back in the living room wearing only her new sneakers.

"Ray, I gotta go. Something came up." I quickly ended the call and chased her to our bedroom.

After we properly celebrated and showered, I called my mom and told her the big news. She quickly came upstairs to congratulate me in person. Then we all piled into my Durango (hashtag ad), so we could ride down to Crypto.com Arena to check out my new billboard.

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