9 November 2012
Staples Centre, Los Angeles California
After the Game

With his pre-game interview wrapped up, Naruto just left the arena to find himself standing outside the arena. The fans were passing the blond as they greeted him, and the blond just waved back as most of them came to him for some autographs. The blond took his time with the autographs and after he finished, he watched as the fans walked away. "Bye." they all said as they waved to Naruto, who just smiled and waved back. "Bye, guys. Hope you get home safe," he replied. "Well aren't you a sweetheart, rook." Naruto turned around to see Stephen Curry grinning as he was in his casual clothes. "What? I'm a nice guy, can you blame me? Anyway, what the hell are you still here for? Shouldn't you have left with your team yet?"

"I am but it's just wanted to take the time and tell you that, the win y'all got was a fluke."

"A fluke? It seemed like a blowout to me."

"It was but just know y'all won't win the next game."

"Ah huh, we'll see about that."

"Yeah, we'll see about that. Later." as Stephen Curry turned to walk back to the arena, blond shouted. "If we don't play against each other before the All-Star break I'll see you at the 3 Point Contest." the light skinned man just turned around with a chuckle. "You really think you'll be in the contest? Oh now I really need to keep a close eye on you." he shouted back as Naruto just chuckled.

A couple hours later the rookie returned back to his condo, when he opened the door, he turned on the lights and the first thing he saw was a big burly bald-headed man with a goatee sitting on his couch, staring back at him. "What the hell!" Naruto shouted out as he held his hand close to his heart, only to sigh when he realized who it was.

"What the? Shaq? Is that you?" the blond squinted his eyes only to see the burly man nod. "Who else would it be?" the man asked as Naruto shrugged. "I don't know, for a moment you reminded me of my gym teacher but now when I realized it was you I was even more shocked." Naruto explained as he closed the door. "Say how did you get into my condo?" the blond asked as the man chuckled. "The lady next door, let me in, she's really nice. Only needed me to sign her shirt just for her to buy me a bucket of chicken from KFC." the man pointed at a bucket sitting on the coffee table in front of him. "Damn it, Edna," Naruto muttered to himself. "Say why are you hear anyway?"

"I'm here to eat the chicken."

"In my condo? You came to eat chicken on my couch."

Shaq just sighed, "Looks like there are something my rookie still hasn't taught you." Shaq clicked his tongue to his teeth as Naruto looked confused. "Something your rookie hasn't taught me? Wait Shaq you had a rookie, who was it?" Naruto walked from the door as he stood in front of the man.

"It was him." he pointed at a picture that was hanging on the wall showing Naruto and his coach Mike Krzyzewski winning the NCAA championship in 2011. "Wait, Coach K was your rookie? Isn't he older than you?"

"No not him rook, the next picture." Naruto looked at the picture beside the previous one and it showed Naruto winning and holding the Summer League championship with his Summer League squad around him and Coach Brown. "Coach Brown was your rookie? Did he even play professional basketball?"

Shaq just grunted profusely. "No not him as well rook. I'm talking about Kobe," he stated as Naruto just understood now. "Ooooohhh...that makes so much sense when I think about it." Naruto looked at the picture he hanged beside the Summer League one, where it was his first training session with Kobe.

"Well duh, to think that you thought Coach K was my rookie. I'm not that big of a fossil, I just retired not too long ago."

"Yeah...you still haven't explained what exactly he hasn't taught me."

"Well you see this chicken bucket." he pointed at the bucket, as Naruto looked at it. "Yeah what about it?"

"Open the bucket," Shaq ordered as Naruto looked confused. "Why?" he asked but Shaq just shooshed him. "Just open it.", the blond did so as he took off the lid, revealing the chicken to both men. Putting the lid aside, Naruto spoke. "Okay, I did that, now what."

"You see that chicken, it's your opponent."

"My opponent?"

"Yes your opponent, every time you see your opponent, you need to tell yourself barbeque chicken alert, barbeque chicken alert and then you eat them." Shaq explained as Naruto looked confused. "So I eat my opponent like lunch?"

"You eat 'em. You stuff yourself with their body like it's a thanksgiving dinner. Then you just lick your fingers like squaw, squaw, squaw" Shaq made finger licking noises as he acted that he was licking his fingers.

"That way you let them know, your barbeque chicken to me." he finished explaining. "Okay...I think I understand you."

"Good." Shaq replied "Okay so like since you brought dinner can I get a piece." Naruto went in to take a piece from the bucket, but Shaq was so quick to take the bucket off the table, he held it close to his chest. "If you don't get...if you don't get your hands away from my chicken." Shaq stated profusely, as he pointed to himself. "This is mine, get your own. Besides it's not off season, so go out there and win us a championship. I'll only share if you have a Defensive Player of The Year award, do you have that on your mantle?" Now go." Shaq stated as Naruto took a few steps back as he then remembered this was his place.

"Wait Shaq but this is my house, you can't kick me out." Naruto whined but the man put his finger on his lip. "Shh, go out there and use my advice. I'll be here, taking care of your condo." Shaq replied as Naruto was still not convinced. "You want me to literally leave my house in your care."

"Yes...now go and remember barbeque chicken alert."

The blond was literally kicked out by the large man without a finger being lifted, why did Shaq have such a powerful voice? It literally had the blond leave his own condo! 'Man, what am I going to do now?' Naruto thought since he couldn't rest as a behemoth was in his place. As if it was a coincidence his phone rang.

"Hello." Naruto answered "Aye, wassup homie." the man on the other end answered as Naruto chuckled. "Shawn?"

"Yeah, it's me. That meeting with Nike didn't quite turn out as we wanted, they didn't want you as a 3-year product. Said they needed you to 'prove' yourself before they give you a chance, they offered a one-year deal but you know what I said."

"So does this mean, no shoe deal?"

"Naw I didn't mean that, Nike isn't the only shoe company in the world. They might be one of the most popular but they aren't the only ones that want you, I got word from one of the Jordan brands representatives, they want to meet you...again."

"So sending Melo to try and sway me won't let the go away, huh."

"I guess it didn't, you are hot property, my friend. Anyway, I'm sending the spot where they wanna to meet, right now."

"You aren't coming?"

"Naw I'm on a flight to NY right now. Need to sort out some business for Roc-A-Fella."

"Alright then I'll then go meet up with Jordan and see what they have to say."

"Yeah you do that, later." the call ended as Naruto waited for Jay-Z to send him the coordinates, which he eventually did. Calling for a taxi the blond travelled to meet up with the brand. He soon found himself entering a restaurant, that had a lot of people socialising so the blond wasn't sure who he was exactly supposed to meet. That was until a he was called over by a caucasian, brunette woman wearing a black suit. She was sitting alone at a table and stood up when Naruto showed up.

"Naruto Uzumaki." the blond turned to the woman's direction as she went in to shake his hand. "Sorry who are you?" the blond asked as he returned the gesture. "My name is Jessica Sheer, I'm with Jordan Brand." she explained as Naruto now understood. "Oh, well if that's the case good evening." Naruto replied "Have a seet." she gestured as the blond sat opposite to her. "It's nice to finally meet you. You have no idea how long I've been chasing this meeting."

"Really? A man of my stature, is needed to be seen by a beautiful woman like you? I never considered myself a hard guy to get in touch with." Jessica chuckled at Naruto's comment, "Well, I'm not the type to just slide into the DMs. I like to be intro-ed from a trusted source."

"Oh, so your an old school...I like that." the woman chuckled once more as she got serious. "Listen Naruto. I know where all busy, so no more hitting on me." she began as Naruto stopped her. "Woah right there, I was never hitting on you, lady. I was just complimenting you so don't get it twisted."

"R-right...anyway I'm going to cut right to the chase. My team told me this isn't your first shoe meeting and the fact you rejected us when we told Melo to reel you in surely had me prepare better this time."

"Ah huh, so what your gonna force me to sign with you guys, since I'm hot property."

"No don't worry I'm not going to try and do that. I know you want to sit with other brands."

"I mean, well...my agent's working on it, but there seeems to be no other brands that have any meetings with me, so I guess you have my attention for the time being."

"Well if that's the case I just wanted to tell you that we at Jordan know that we're the only brand that will work with the real Naruto."

"Well any brand I end up working with will get the real me."

"Well they'll sign the real you. They won't work with the real you, the real Naruto. We're not afraid of your voice or giving you a platform to use it."

"But what happens if I just want to focus on basketball and not all that talking stuff?"

"We've worked with plenty of guys whose game does the talking take Ray Allen and Michael Finley as an example. We'll respect whatever approach you want to take with your career, on and off the court." Naruto listened in, and well he stayed quiet as he took the info in. "But make no mistake, you've already made a mark on modern sports, Naruto. You're not just an athlete; you're an icon."

'Okay now your just talking cap.' Naruto thought "Anyone can buy a pair of our shoes. Icons are the only ones who get paid to wear them."

'I apologize for what I thought earlier.'

"Okay, I'll talk to my agent about the meeting and we'll come back to you." Naruto replied as the woman nodded. "Thanks, for the time again, I hope that you have a nice day." the woman got up as she was going to the door. Naruto stayed sitting as he was in thought. 'Well...Shaq is still at my condo...so I guess I'll have fun.' he thought as he got up and ran after the representative. "Hey wait up!" he called after the woman as they were outside the shop. "Huh, what's up?" she asked as she turned around, Naruto had a smile as he kept calm. "You wanna...maybe...grab a bite or something? You must be hungry since it took you forever to get a meeting with me."

The woman chuckled "Sorry but I don't eat with clients."

Hearing this Naruto just shrugged "Oh come on it's just a bite, it's the least I can do since my aunt always told me, a gentleman always, aids a woman that's in need. So please madam, may I take you back into the restaurant?" Naruto offered his hand as the woman blushed. "You're serious?" she asked as she fondled with a strand of her hair. "Yep." the woman kept quiet as she thought for a second looking at her watch she mused as she spoke. "Okay, I can take a break, but just know your paying." Naruto just smirked as he nodded. "After you?" he offered as the woman rolled her eyes and just walked back into the restaurant being followed closely by Naruto. The two had dinner, and eventually Naruto finessed, and in the end he got a body.