CHAPTER 36
Antonio watched as PJ sat in the makeup chair at WWSN, getting touched up. PJ’s leg was bouncing nervously. Antonio had hoped getting to the studio early would help, but it didn’t. PJ was as jittery as ever. Antonio was praying the nerves wouldn’t show on camera once the interview started.
PJ looked at him in the mirror. “Yo dawg, you hovering around is what’s making me nervous.”
“My bad,” Antonio said. “Just trying to stay close in case you need me.”
Antonio knew all this confidence and arrogance PJ was exuding was an act. He knew because that used to be his own go-to tactic when he was nervous as hell. He and his son had a lot in common. But he wouldn’t push. He’d give PJ some space if that was what he needed.
Antonio stood outside the makeup room, checking emails on his phone. A woman with a bright cinnamon-colored afro was approaching, clipboard in hand and an earpiece on.
She looked at Antonio with a quirked-up brow. “And Antonio Steele. Good to see you again.”
“Again? Remind me—I have a terrible memory, sometimes.”
“Oh, I’m Mya. You probably don’t remember because you were busy trying to dodge the baked beans flying at you.”
“Ah.” Antonio nodded. “You were at Jackie’s cookout.”
“Yep,” Mya said. “I have to admit, my girl has good aim. She inherited that from her dad.”
Antonio laughed. “She does have an arm on her.”
“So, is PJ ready to go?”
He peeked inside the makeup room to see PJ obviously telling the makeup artist, Cass, to put her number in his phone. Like father, like son—trying to be a player instead of focusing on the task at hand. Antonio cleared his throat, and PJ stood up, slipping his cell back into his pocket.
Mya shook her head. “Well, hope he’s done running game. We’re ready for him down in the studio. I’m here to take you all down to set. Follow me, please.”
The trio went down the hall to a set of elevators, which opened to a studio.
The area had been staged to look like a cozy living room, complete with a fireplace, autumnal window backdrop, and overstuffed furniture.
Sara Taylor sat in one of the large armchairs, staring at her iPad, tapping away as a makeup artist dabbed at her face with a fluffy powder brush.
“Damn, she’s fine as hell in-person,” PJ whispered to Antonio. “Imma get her number after this is all over with.”
“She’s here to do a job and so are you. Keep your mind on the interview, nothing else,” Antonio reminded him.
PJ sucked his teeth. “You really take the fun out of shit sometimes.”
Antonio smiled. “That’s my job.”
Mya walked over to Sara, leaning down out to whisper a few words.
Antonio couldn’t tell what Mya was saying, but the look on Sara’s face suggested it was about Jackie’s cookout.
Sara giggled, interrupting the makeup artist’s work.
Yeah, Mya had definitely spilled the beans, reminding Sara about the baked beans.
PJ was shuffling his feet nervously. “The lights are kind of bright. Are they going to dim them?”
Antonio looked around. “We can ask them to if it’s bothering you.”
“Nah, I’m cool.” PJ looked at the crew and their gear. “So, it’s like three cameras?”
Antonio put a hand on PJ’s shoulder. “Son, it’s gonna be fine.
Remember what I said, okay? Breathe. You can do this.
” He’d taught PJ some of the breathing techniques that he and Jackie learned at the retreat.
He couldn’t believe he was employing what he’d learned from Shane and Locust, but he couldn’t deny that it worked.
PJ took a few deep breaths. “Okay. I think I’m good.”
“Good, because here comes Mya to get you,” Antonio said, just as Mya approached.
“We’re ready. PJ, if you would, have a seat in the chair directly in front of Sara. We go live in five.”
Sara stood and extended a hand toward PJ, and he shook it. Antonio watched as PJ tapped his hands on his pants.
“Settle down, kid,” Antonio mumbled to himself.
“Who are you talking to?”
Antonio turned toward the voice. Dressed in slacks, sneakers, and a blazer, the woman who approached him had a face that everyone in sports knew.
“Tanika Ryan. Good to see you,” Antonio said.
“You too, but who are you talking to?” Tanika tilted her head toward him.
Antonio nodded toward the set. “PJ. The kid is a nervous wreck when it comes to interviews.”
“Yeah, Jackie told me,” Tanika said. “She said he’s ready though. Nice of you to fill in for her. I know she wanted to be here, especially since I practically bribed her into the interview.”
“No problem.” Antonio shrugged. “Just doing my part as a colleague.”
“Just a colleague?”
“I mean—” Antonio stuttered.
Tanika peered at him and adjusted her glasses at the temple before stepping closer to him.
“Let me keep it real with you, Antonio. Jackie is my best friend. I’ve known her since college when we had to split a cup of ramen noodles because we were that broke.
She tells me everything. And I do mean everything.
I don’t know whatever strange connection you two got going on, but something is there. ”
So, Jackie was talking to her friends about him? Antonio was low-key flattered.
“My friend likes you,” Tanika continued.
“A lot. More than she’s ever willing to say.
Jackie isn’t one to show her emotions. The weird thing that’s happening with her voice sort of…
amplified that limitation of hers. But when she goes all in for someone, she goes all in.
So, if you hurt her, I’ll come find you and go Draymond Green upside your head. Understand?”
Antonio nodded. “I got you. Trust me, Tanika. Hurting Jackie is last thing I want to do.”
“Good man.” Tanika gave him two quick pats to his shoulder. “Holler if you need me,” she shouted at Sara before heading to the production booth.
The director yelled for quiet on the set. PJ took a few sips of water just before the cameras began to roll. They counted Sara down, and she began.
Sara smiled her perfect, megawatt smile at the cameras.
“Hi, I’m Sara Taylor, here with a WWSN exclusive.
An interview with none other than rookie phenom, PJ Dawson.
He’s hot and putting up major numbers across the boards.
Sources are saying he’s the one to beat for Rookie of the Year. PJ, welcome.”
“Thanks…” PJ cleared his throat and started again. “Thank you for having me.”
“So, PJ, you’ve been on the national radar since your days of AAU ball in North Carolina as a middle schooler. When did you realize you had a real talent for basketball?”
PJ moved in his seat. “Uhm, I guess around that time. Before then it was just all fun. Then, I really developed a passion and had coaches to pour into me. I guess that’s when I knew I had something special.”
“After high school, every major college in the country wanted to recruit you, but you stayed in your home state of North Carolina. What drew you to playing for the home team?”
“Uhm.” PJ scratched his neck. “I guess because in North Carolina we live, eat, breathe, and sleep basketball. I just knew that would be a good fit for me. Coach was amazing and just felt like home. Plus, I wouldn’t be too far from my mom.”
Sara smiled. “Speaking of your mom, I know you have a super special connection to her. She was a single mom, making tremendous sacrifices to get you the best schooling, the best opportunities…”
Antonio rolled his eyes. Here they go with that again. He was sure Marilyn was going to love that part of the interview. As for Antonio, it just made him feel guilty all over again.
PJ nodded. “Yeah, she did a lot for me. Got me into a great private school. Took me to every camp. Every doctor’s appointment. She was with me every step of the way.”
“What about your father? You mentioned your athletic ability came from your dad.”
PJ chuckled. “I guess I did say that, huh? I mean, I didn’t get it from my mom. She can barely throw a ball.”
Antonio smiled. Seemed like he was easing into the interview. Thank God.
Sara laughed. “Right. So, your father was an athlete, but you’ve never really talked about him. Why is that?”
“Because…” PJ quickly cut his eyes toward Antonio. He cleared his throat. “He just wasn’t around, that’s all.”
“I see,” Sara said, briefly looking down at her notes. “Was he a basketball player too?”
“No,” PJ said a little too curtly. He grabbed the cup of water next to him and took a sip. “He didn’t play basketball.”
Antonio sighed. He’d actually lettered in both basketball and football in high school. He got scholarships for both but picked football. He’d never shared that with PJ, so the kid had no clue.
“What sport did he play?” asked Sara. “Did he go pro at any point? It’s interesting how genetics work. It’s amazing that his talent stayed in the family, even if he didn’t raise you, isn’t it?”
“Aye, yo.” PJ ran his hand down his face.
“Can we get off the father thing?” His leg bounced rapidly.
“Listen, I hardly know the man. I mean, we cool and closer now, but I still don’t know him like that.
And he doesn’t want to be in the limelight.
” PJ looked over at Antonio, who gave a nod.
“Yeah. It’s not his thing. He’s not in the public eye like that. ”
Antonio thought that was a good answer. It was clear PJ was agitated by this line of questioning. Antonio hated it too. He was embarrassed. It was his fault that PJ didn’t have answers to these basic questions.
Sara seemed pick up on PJ’s agitation and moved on to other topics.
The conversation resumed, and PJ relaxed as he talked about his team, coaches, stats, and how he was handling all of the Rookie of the Year talk.
They even shared a laugh when Sara asked if he was seeing anyone, and PJ responded, “Only if you’re free later,” making Sara blush and briefly stutter.
That was definitely going to be a viral moment.
“Lastly,” Sara began, with a tone that signaled she was wrapping up the interview, “I know this is just the beginning of your career, but you’re already being compared to some other great forwards, like Lebron and Durant. What would you like your legacy in the game to be?”
PJ pushed his locs out of his face as he thought.
“I just want to be someone that gives his all to the game, leaves it all out on the court. For me, it’s not about the numbers and things.
Yeah, I want to win a ring or two. But above all else, I want to be a player that kids look up to. I want to be a decent human being.”
“From the looks of it, you’re on the right track. Thank you for sitting down with me PJ. And good luck to you this season.”
With that, Sara signed off, and the director yelled cut.
PJ shook Sara’s hand and was yanking off his microphone before the production staff had a chance to help him. He walked over to Antonio and stared him down.
“This was a fucking disaster,” he said through gritted teeth.
“Kid, it wasn’t as bad as you think,” Antonio assured him as he moved them out of earshot, making sure no one was near them. “Sara turned it around in the end.”
“Yeah, after she got all personal. After she asked about you,” PJ said in a low voice.
“I know,” Antonio said. “It was awkward.”
“It sure as hell was! It’s always been awkward. And now….” PJ blew out a breath. “You know what? I need to get some air.” PJ pushed past Antonio and headed toward the hallway.
Sara rushed over, looking worried. She glanced at PJ pacing in the hallway, then back at Antonio. “Everything okay? Listen, I’m sorry if I got a little personal. PJ is just so reclusive. Folks want to know more about him—who he is beyond partying and practice.”
“It’s cool. You’re just doing your job.”
Sara nodded. “Thanks.” She headed toward the production booth where Tanika was waiting.
So much for them spending Thanksgiving together with his parents. Antonio rubbed a hand down his face and sighed.