Chapter 79 Shaquille

The five dudes who balled together in the Summer League and Drew League had become tight and often grabbed grub together. On media day, they decided to roll in as a squad.

When Shaquille, the Lakers' main man who snagged three MVPs last season, showed up, the five of them, on Alaric's cue, decided to mess with him. They lined up all proper-like, with two guards up front and two forwards in the back, and greeted Shaquille like a mafia boss, all saying, "Hello, Godfather."

Shaquille looked confused, and Devean stepped up, giving a salute, "This way, Godfather, everyone's waiting for you."

Devean's gorilla-like mug made the whole thing hilarious.

Shaquille quickly caught on that it was a prank from the young guns, and with reporters snapping pics nearby, he played along, strutting ahead like a "Godfather." Alaric and the crew followed him in a line into the training facility, hamming it up for the cameras.

Alaric and the gang acted like Shaquille's little minions, greeting the other vets and keeping things light and fun.

The Lakers had a bunch of seasoned players, and it was a tightrope walk for the newbies to nail their greetings—too chill or too eager could mess things up and hurt their chances down the line.

If the rookies were too low-key, they might not get the vets' help during the season and lose out on ball control. If they came off too competitive, it would seem disrespectful, and the coaching staff might not be cool with it.

Finding the sweet spot to greet the vets was a pain, but Alaric's idea made it less awkward. Shaquille didn't feel played; he loved joking around and being a mentor.

The four young players, including Devean, totally looked up to Alaric. They dug his skills and character over the summer. Head coach Phil was impressed, noting that Alaric had a high basketball IQ on the court and solid people skills off it, showing potential to be a locker room leader.

Alaric was on the path to greatness.

When head coach Phil showed up, he checked out everyone's game. Everyone was cool except for Isaiah Rider, who had this "stay away" vibe, ignoring everyone. Isaiah was like Shaquille but with a darker edge.

Surprisingly, Alaric could chat with Derek. Phil thought they'd be at each other's throats in training camp and wouldn't even talk.

Alaric made the first move to greet Derek, not seeing him as a rival. Even though they were both point guards, they had different styles, and the coaching staff knew that.

If the Lakers needed a guard to run the show, handle pick-and-rolls, and drive with the ball, the coach would put Alaric in. When facing beefy point guards, the coach would go with Derek, as he was the league's top muscle-bound point guard at the 1 spot.

Derek was super chill, giving Alaric some tips, saying, "If you wanna fit in quick, cut down on ball handling, focus on three-point shots, pass after crossing half-court, and wait for your chances outside. Hustle on defense during transitions. If you're cool with sacrificing shots and stats, the coach will dig you more."

"Thanks, I'll work on it," Alaric replied coolly, but he didn't buy it one bit.

Derek's weak stats with the Lakers weren't because he was sacrificing; he was a role player with no stats in college, lacking ball-handling skills. The Lakers picked him because they needed his type at the time.

If Alaric really turned into Derek's "selfless point guard" type, he'd be riding the bench in no time. Derek had the muscles to keep the coaches interested despite his weak stats, but Alaric, with his average build, would be toast without his sharp drives.

Derek then leaned in all mysterious-like, "During tomorrow's open practice scrimmage, don't go too hard on defense. The fans are here to have a good time, and we gotta make it look good for them. Don't sweat it, I'll have your back. If we match up, I won't go too hard on you."

"Thanks," Alaric replied, keeping his cool but hiding a smirk.

He thought Derek's thick skin was unreal. Derek only had a strength edge over him, and he was acting like he needed to go easy on him? Did Derek have any self-respect?

Derek was all about looking out for Alaric on the surface, but he planned to go all out tomorrow, using his strength to teach Alaric a lesson and prove he was the best fit to start alongside the OK duo.

Derek was a hypocrite with a bad character. He never confronted people directly, always smiling and playing the nice guy. Everyone gave him respect, and he seemed to have a lot of friends, but he was always bragging and lying.

Alaric moved on to chat with others. He wasn't some naive kid and didn't bother pretending with someone like Derek who wanted to mess with him. If it came down to competition, they'd rely on their skills.

Alaric didn't see Derek as an enemy. He wouldn't be in Los Angeles forever, and as long as there were no major changes, Derek wouldn't be cocky for long.

Their interaction earned Alaric some points in Phil's eyes. Even if they were both point guards, teammates should get along. The coach couldn't play anyone for 48 minutes; their ultimate goal was to help the Lakers win.

Except for Isaiah, Alaric had no problem talking to others. Isaiah had a sour face, and Alaric didn't want any drama, so he just smiled and greeted him before moving on.

Kobe was more chill than expected. He joked with his teammates from last season and even gave Alaric a nod, "I saw your game in the NCAA finals. You played great. Keep training hard and play to your strengths."

With those words, Alaric felt pretty good, knowing that his star teammates had expectations for him. That was enough; in games, the stars would definitely pass him the ball if they had the chance.

The "OK duo" Shaquille, Kobe, and Horace Grant took their core photos together.

Horace's arrival beefed up the Lakers' weakest spot, the power forward. The coaching staff was stoked about him. Even though he was 35 this year, he was still in good shape, standing 6.82 feet tall and weighing 244 pounds. He'd been picked for the NBA All-Defensive Second Team four times and was an All-Star once. He'd been part of the Bulls' first dynasty and knew the triangle offense inside out.

Last season's starting power forward, A.C. Green, who played all 82 games, didn't get a new contract. He averaged only 5 points, 5.9 rebounds, and 1 assist, with a shooting percentage of 44.7%. Backup power forward Robert Horry could stretch the floor and shoot from the perimeter, averaging 5.7 points and 4.8 rebounds, but his performance was also meh.

In Alaric's previous life, Robert was highly praised because he had seven championship rings, won with the Rockets, Lakers, and Spurs, carrying a lucky aura. But most of the time, he was just okay on the court, with career averages of 7 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 2.1 assists.

In terms of team role, Horace was worthy of being the third man on the team, crucial for defending the championship in the new season.

Reporters mainly focused on the stars, so Alaric wasn't as eye-catching among the Lakers. Few reporters interviewed him, and they asked simple questions, which he answered plainly, not stealing the spotlight.

The team would officially start training tomorrow, and the preseason games would kick off on the 8th.