(Description is a continuation of this season’s first video: https://youtu.be/I196J8Ev63I )
Walking around my apartment, which has somehow been modified to ignore the rules of spaciality, I engage in conversation with the hundreds of NBA role players which currently occupy it. They have been here the whole season, keeping me company while I compiled their highlights. Adam Silver is here too, dressed in his fanciest suit, giving me insight when prompted, but otherwise serving as a silent spectator to the events.
Spotting Tony Wroten sitting on my couch, I sit down next to him. After greeting each other, I ask, “So, when the off-season hits, I bet you’re going to getting in some court time after that surgery, huh?”
Tony looks at me a little strangely. “Well, I’m actually already doing that since it’s now officially the off-season.”
I laugh at his funny joke. “Yeah, dude. The off-season! I also hear it’s only two weeks ’til
Christmas.”
Now he looks a little sad. “Well, it’s been cool hanging out here, but I gotta get going,” he responds, standing up from my sofa. “Take it easy.” He begins to walk to the door, but, before he gets there, he kind of fades away until there’s nothing left. This is a phenomenon which I have noticed lurking on the edge of my awareness for some time now. I decide that it’s each player’s choice whether they want to be here or not.
Just as I am contemplating the oddity of Tony’s disappearance, my front door opens and Dirk Nowitzki walks in, wearing his characteristic Mavericks jersey. I rush to welcome him, but in the back of my mind, I’m wondering what he is doing here. Even though he is in the twilight of his Hall-of-Fame career, he is not yet feeble enough to justify my making highlights of him. His only appearance on my channel would be in an end-of-season compilation.
This confuses me further, as the end of the season is several months away at the very least. Nevertheless, I offer him his pick of beverages from my refrigerator and invite him to play on my PS3, an invitation which he accepts happily.
I yawn and stretch out my arms. It is so much fun entertaining all these guests and watching so much basketball, but it is tiring as well. I plop down on a different couch (when my apartment was mysteriously enlarged, it was also appointed with several dozen additional pieces of furniture) next to Luke Babbitt.
“Sup Luke. Tell me, as an insider, do you think the Pels are going to sneak into the playoffs this year?” I ask.
Luke laughs and pushes the hair out of his eyes. “I’d give us a hundred percent chance, DTB.”
“Wow, that’s confident!” I exclaim. “Who do you have dropping out?”
“The Thunder. Definitely,” Luke responds.
I want to continue the conversation, but the soft caress of the couch cushions causes my eyes to droop. Suddenly, Luke has vanished, and in his place sits Dirk.
“Do you think it’s time for beddy-bye, DTB?” he asks gently.
For some reason, the TV in front of me is turned off. I reach for the remote to turn it on so I can enjoy some more fast-paced NBA action. However, Dirk snatches the remote away from me. “No, DTB. I can tell you’re almost asleep already. I really think it’s time for you to go to bed.”
“But I don’t wanna go to bed! I wanna stay up and keep watching basketball!” I whine, before proclaiming, “I’m not tired at all!” My words are betrayed, however, by my visible sleepiness; I lie down across the cushions and am soon only half-awake.
I feel a pair of big arms pick me up and carry me across the living room. Blearily opening my eyes, I see Dirk’s face looking down at me. Adam Silver is walking alongside Dirk with ridges of concern lining his face. Glancing off to the sides, more and more of the NBA’s role players are dissolving out of existence. Why are they all leaving at once?
The question does not receive an answer; the next I’m aware, the lights are off and I’m being tucked into my bed. My cat, Japurri Purrker, hops in next to me. I snuggle up in the familiar sheets and hug the familiar pillow.
“Do you think we should have told him?” I hear Adam ask Dirk in whispered tones. I wonder what they could be talking about. Before I can think about it any more, I drift off to a deep sleep.
At that very moment, unseen to me, Dirk and Adam vanish, and the NBA season comes to an end.