Chapter Eleven
The next morning Naruto woke up with his eyes bloodshot red. After he finished crying he went out on his giant terrace and just stared at the stars, eventually falling asleep. When he woke up He went into the kitchen and started making himself some breakfast.
He had just finished making his breakfast burrito when Nina came running out of her room.
"Good morning daddy!"
Naruto smiled. "Morning pumpkin. Hungry?"
Nina nodded and Naruto fixed her up something to eat. Naruto watched as his daughter ate her food and an idea popped into his head.
"Nina, how would you like to spend the day with me. I gotta go to work but you can come and even come onto the court."
Nina's eyes lit up. Growing up with a father who literally breathed basketball Nina adopted some of his likes. While her room was painted pink and had a princess theme going on there was one thing that stuck out. A basketball hoop that was mounted to her wall. Naruto would always smile when he would peel in and see her shooting a small rubber ball into the hoop.
"Let's go now!"
Naruto shook his head.
"You can't go in your pajamas."
Nina pouted and Naruto laughed.
Staples Center
Naruto helped Nina out of the car and began walking towards the locker room. When he got there he found Nick exiting it.
"Yo you mind watching her for a few minutes, I gotta talk to the GM and then change real quick.
Nick looked down at Nina who was dressed in a pair of basketball shorts and a kids Lakers practice jersey.
"Alright, no problem."
While Nick took Nina to the court Naruto changed and headed up to the office part of the arena. When he got there Kupchak's assistant waved him in.
"Ah Naruto, sit down. We have a lot to talk about."
Naruto nodded and took a seat.
"Before we get to why you've come her I'd like to praise you for your phenomenal play as of late. Your showing everyone why we went out and got you. Also I will admit I was a bit skeptic on how you would balance all of your responsibilities especially with how high you were piling your plate but from what I understand your balancing everything just fine."
Naruto slowly nodded as his mind drifted back to last night. Kupchak caught it and spoke.
"What's wrong?"
Naruto shook his head. "I don't want to bother you with my problems."
Kupchak smiled. "Naruto your apart of the Lakers family. Your problems is ours as well."
Naruto sighed before explaining the situation with Haishi.
"Wow this is quite a predicament, but the solution is quite easy."
"What?"
"You take control. Your letting this man and his family push you around. You can't please everyone Naruto and your putting not only your own personal feelings aside but as your also putting your own sanity at risk."
Naruto nodded and Kupchak continued.
"I understand your trying to give your daughter a great Christmas but if people don't know how to respect you then they deserve to be in yours or your daughters life."
Naruto nodded. "Thanks for the advice."
"No problem and as for your request my answer is yes, you offically have January seventeenth and March sixth off."
Naruto smiled. "Thank you."
"No problem, now go and warm up for tonight's game."
Naruto nodded and headed down to the court and when he got there his jaw dropped when he saw Nina shooting the ball and making the majority of her shots.
Nina was only three feet and Nina inches tall so she was literally throwing the ball with all of her strength but the results were paying off.
The entire team was watching her as she kept shooting from the lower part of the free throw line circle.
Another shot went in and Nick gave her the ball again.
"That's nine, one more!"
Nina took a deep breath and shot again this time making and the entire team erupted in cheers. Naruto smiled as the shoot around began to revolve around Nina.
Things were fun. Naruto got into a shoot out with his daughter. While she had to make five from her spot at the lower circle of the free throw line he had to make three from have court.
They shot on opposite rims but the sounds his teammates kept him posted on her progress and he ended up losing 5-1.
The team surrounded Nina and Naruto laughed as she shook her fish in victory like a certain black mamba.
The excitement died when man man walked on to the court along with two security guards.
"Sir you can't be here."
"I'm looking for my granddaughter!"
Naruto sighed. "What the heck are you doing here!"
"I should ask you the same question! I went to your place to pick up Nina and she was gone and I come here to find here surrounded by these people!"
Nick looked at Naruto. "These people? Is he being racist?"
Naruto shook his head. "No but he's being stupid. He thinks his family is better than everyone and had tried so hard to get custody of Nina. No matter how hard I try to please him he is always over stepping his boundaries. And you know what I'm done with it. Last night was the last straw and now your going to leave. Your gonna leave this arena, your gonna leave Los Angeles and your not gonna come back."
Haishi glared at him. "You can't do that do you know who I am! Nina tell him, I'm your grandfather remember!"
Nina his behind her father's leg and Naruto smiled.
"I think she wants you to leave too."
Haishi growled and was going to approach Naruto but a large shadow fell over him as the seven foot Hassan Whiteside stood behind Naruto.
"What's the problem, you heard the man. Leave!"
No more words were needed as Haishi quickly left the stadium.
Everyone laughed as Whiteside lifted Nina on his shoulders and they continued to celebrate her victory over Naruto.
Lakers vs Rockets: Game Twenty Six
Naruto roared as he and Nina wrapped up their pre game ritual.
Ever since he had told Haishi off he felt so good, like a weight had been lifted off his shoulders. He glanced courtside and smirked when he saw Scarlett Johansson sitting there. He didn't know what kind of game Kimmel was playing but he had to admit he did have a crush on the actress since he first saw her in the Iron Man movie and now with his new status maybe he could do something about it.
And he got that chance in the fourth quarter as his team trailed 72-61 with one period left to go. Naruto had sixteen points and nine assists and Rick Pitino told him to take over again.
To start the fourth the Rockets inbounded the ball and Harden ended up missing the shot. Carter grabbed the rebound and have it to Naruto who ran up the court.
Only Dwight Howard and James Harden were in his way and that wasn't going to stop him. He met Harden at the three point line but he had been watching his eyes since he got the ball.
He anticipated Harden to reach for the ball and the moment his hand started to move Naruto whipped the ball behind his back and to his left hand. The speed of the move left Harden behind him but Naruto ran into a big problem. A seven foot problem.
Never stopping his stride Naruto took a few more dribbles past Harden before picking up his dribble and taking his two extra steps. In his last step he jumped into the air using the power from his right foot. Howard jumped at the same time but Naruto put his right forearm on his chest keeping him at a distance as he threw the ball up with his left hand.
A whistle was blown as the ball hit the top of the glass before dropping into the hoop.
The crowd exploded as Naruto roared. He held up his left hand and beat his chest with his right.
"Let's go! Let's go!"
His teammates patted him on the back as Howard complained to the ref about the foul. After making the free the Rockets brought the ball up the court and the last person up was Howard he received the ball and drove to the basket.
Naruto got in front of him and as soon as he picked the ball up Naruto swiped down knocking it out of his hands. The ball hit Howard's foot and went out of bounds. The crowd cheeredas the ref declared it Lakers ball.
After the turnover Naruto brought the ball up the court and smirked when Harden stepped up to guard him. Naruto started dribbling between his legs before spinning off of Harden. Harden tried to stay with him but Naruto stepped back and shot a three. When the ball went on Naruto turned to Harden and shook his head.
Harden brought the ball up the court and Naruto looked at Jimmy.
"Grab my man, imma take yours."
The former Bulls player nodded and grabbed Naruto's match up.
The crowd in Staples center stood on its feet as Naruto pulled up his shorts and slapped the floor and spread out his arms.
"Let's go! Show me what you got!"
Harden nodded and started dribbling forward. Naruto backed up but kept his arms out. Harden drove and went for a euro step layup. As he took his two steps Naruto put his hands up and kept his eyes trained on the ball. When Harden went into the air Naruto swiped his hand down and knocked the ball out of his hands.
This time it stayed in bounds and Butler grabbed it. Naruto told him to bring it up the court. While Butler handled the ball Naruto called for a screen. Whiteside gave him one as he ran along the baseline forcing Howard to pick up on him.
Naruto ran to the corner with the big man right behind him. Butler passed the ball to him and Naruto went to shoot but it turned out to be a pump fake as Naruto got the former Laker off of his feet. Naruto quickly drove to the basket and went for a layup. Instead of putting it in from the side he was on he clutched the ball to his chest to avoid a block. As he went past the rim he used his left hand to flick the ball up and off the backboard.
Naruto landed and stumbled forward as the ball rolled around the rim before rolling out. Luckily Whiteside was there to grab the rebound. He attempted to put it back up but the entire Rockets team crashed inside trying to stop him and his tip rolled out.
He managed to grab a hold of the ball again but this time he threw it out to a wide open Naruto who wasted no time firing away from the three point line.
When the ball went in Naruto turned around to face the fans, as well as Scarlett Johansson, and started waving his arms as the Rockets called a timeout.
"We ain't out of this yet! I'm just getting started!"
He looked at Scarlett who blushed as he flashed her a smile.
After the timeout Harden brought the ball up and Naruto continued to guard him. Since Harden was left handed Naruto positioned himself where he took away the left side and gave him the right which happened to be the paint.
Naruto nodded his head to the inside.
"Take it, you know you want to. Its the only way you can go."
Harden decided to dribut and Naruto smirked as he poked the ball out. He pushed past Harden to grab the ball but the former Sixth Man of the year stuck with him. Naruto got thirty feet away from the basket before stepping back and shooting a three from thirty two feet. Harden jumped to contest the shot and ended up fouling him as Naruto made the shot.
The crowd exploded as Naruto beat his chest.
"I'm in his head now! I'm in his head!"
"Naruto Uzumaki has come to life in this fourth quarter. He is singlehandedly brought his team back into the game! The Lakers lead by one and he has a chance to make it two with this free throw."
Naruto made the free throw and Harden responded by making a midrange shot. This only made Naruto smirk as he brought the ball up the court.
"Ok he got some fight in him, I like that!"
When he got in range he pulled up for a three making it. When the shot went in Naruto looked up at Harden and shook his head.
"You can't guard me."
He then turned to the Rockets bench.
"Get em outta here! He can't guard me! Give me someone else."
After his three things went downhill for the Rockets. The only managed to score fourteen points in the quarter opposed to the twenty nine by the Lakers, twenty five came from Naruto who also hit seven consecutive three pointers to give him forty one points, he also ended the game with eleven assists and five steals.
When the final buzzer sounded Naruto smiled as he high fived all of his teammates.
"They doubted me, don't ever doubt me! I does this!"
One of his teammates threw him the game balls and a idea popped into his head. He got a pen and wrote something on the ball.
When he was done he walked over to where Scarlett Johansson was sitting and handed her the ball. He smirked when he saw her blush as she read the note he had written. When she finished she smiled at him.
"Sure, I'd love to have lunch with you tomorrow."
And Down!
Thanks for the well wishes guys I really appreciate it. As for this chapter not a lot going on but the it sets up the next part so bear with me.
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Duces!