NBA x Terminator

(KAWHI LEONARD APPEARS CROUCHED AMID
CRACKLING ELECTRICITY, CLAD ONLY IN
COMPRESSION SHORTS AND HIS SIGNATURE
NEW BALANCES)

(HE STANDS AND WALKS OUT OF THE
ALLEY)

(KAWHI APPROACHES A TOUGH LOOKING
GROUP PLAYING BASKETBALL)

      TOUGH BASKETBALL GUY #1
          
(STOPS PLAYING AND ADDRESSES KAWHI)

Hey man, you gotta wait until next
game. We play to 11 and then shoot
for teams.

      KAWHI

Give me your jersey.

      TOUGH BASKETBALL GUY #1
          
What!? Bruh, you can't just rock up
and ask for my jersey like that.

      TOUGH BASKETBALL GUY #2
          
Yeah man, we only do jersey swaps
after games, and then only on special
occasions, like birthdays.

      KAWHI

(TURNS AND HEADS TO THE UNOCCUPIED
SIDE OF THE COURT AND STARTS WARMING
UP WITH SOME LAYUPS)

      TOUGH BASKETBALL GUY #2

(APPROACHES KAWHI)          

Hey, we're starting a new game now,
you wanna come shoot for teams?

      KAWHI

(WALKS TO OTHER SIDE OF COURT AND
MECHANICALLY DRAINS A FREE THROW)

(MONTAGE: KAWHI DUNKS ON PLAYERS,
PUTS DEFENDERS ON ROLLERSKATES, AND
SWISHES JUMP SHOTS)

(CUT TO: A BREAK IN THE ACTION, WITH
KAWHI AT THE TOP OF THE KEY, FACING
AN OPPOSING PLAYER)

      TOUGH BASKETBALL GUY #3

This is unreal, who are you!?

      KAWHI

(DOES NOT RESPOND OR OTHERWISE REACT,
JUST CHECKS THE BALL AND KEEPS
HOOPING)

(CUT TO: KAWHI WALKS OFF THE COURT
WEARING TOUGH BASKETBALL GUY #1'S
CLOTHES)

(MARK ZUCKERBERG IS SEATED IN THE
FRONT ROW, AMONGST OTHER WELL-KNOWN
CELEBRITY CYBORGS, INCLUDING ARNOLD
SCHWARZENEGGER, BRENT SPINER, AND
DAFT PUNK)

(ZUCK IS ENGAGED IN A HEATED DEBATE
WITH A DR WHO STYLE ROBOT)

      ZUCK
          
Look, I know the BB-100 is the most
advanced basketball robot ever
created, but I have to call it like I
see it. The human players back in the
era before Judgement Day were better.

      DR WHO ROBOT
          
(FRONT PANEL LIGHTS BLINK RED)

(MUSICAL GUEST T-PAIN ENTERS AND
TAKES THE EMPTY SEAT TO ZUCK'S LEFT)

      ZUCK
          
T-Pain, you were around before
Judgement Day, help us settle an
argument. Who's the GOAT, LeBron or
BB-100?

      T-PAIN (AUTO-TUNED)
          
I agree with you Zuck, the humans
were better, but LeBron was never the
GOAT. That title will always belong
to Jordan.

      ZUCK
          
(EYES FLASH RED OMINOUSLY)

(MARK ZUCKERBERG IS STANDING AT THE
HEAD OF A LONG BOARDROOM TABLE AROUND
WHICH ARE SEATED A BUNCH OF CORPORATE
LOOKING TYPE ANDROIDS WEARING BUTTON
UP SHIRTS AND FLEECE VESTS)

(THE WINDOW BEHIND ZUCKERBERG REVEALS
A DARK LIGHTNING RIVEN SKY AND THE
OUTLINES OF THE WRECKAGE OF A RUINED
EARTH)

      META ANDROID #1
          
We currently lack the power to open
further time rifts, the resistance
has damaged part of our
infrastructure.

      ZUCK

(EYES FLASHING RED)

I don't want to hear excuses. Michael
Jordan must never be allowed to make
it to the NBA.

      META ANDROID #2
          
Sir, I might have an idea. If we
divert power from the Metaverse, we
may be able to open another rift in
the space-time continuum.

      ZUCK
          
(EYES FLASHING EVEN MORE DANGEROUSLY RED)

Fine, do it.

(A COACH WHISTLES A GROUP OF
HIGHSCHOOL AGE BASKETBALL PLAYERS
THROUGH A SERIES OF DRILLS)

      KAWHI
          
(WALKS ONTO THE COURT FROM
OFF-STAGE AND ADDRESSES THE COACH)

I'm here to try out for the team.

      COACH
          
(LOOKS KAWHI UP AND DOWN SUSPICIOUSLY)

This is a junior varsity basketball
team. It's for kids. Do you even go
to this school?

      KAWHI

Yes, I just transferred here. I am in
ninth grade.

(HOLDS UP A FORGED TRANSFER PAPER)         

      COACH
          
Alright then, let's see what you can
do.

(BLOWS WHISTLE)

Jordan! You're up. One on one with
the new kid to 7. Winner gets the
last spot on the roster.

      YOUNG MJ
          
(YOUNG MICHAEL JORDAN JOGS INTO THE
SCENE AND CHECKS THE BALL TO KAWHI)

(CUT TO: MONTAGE OF KAWHI UTTERLY
DOMINATING 14 YEAR OLD JORDAN)

(KAWHI OPENS WITH AN OFF THE
BACKBOARD PASS TO HIMSELF TO A TWO
HANDED SLAM DUNK)

(KAWHI DRIBBLES THE BALL BETWEEN
YOUNG MJ'S LEGS AND THEN STEPS BACK
BEHIND THE THREE POINT LINE AND
BURIES A JUMPER IN MJ'S FACE)

(KAWHI FAKES A SHOT AND RELEASES THE
BALL SO IT LANDS BEHIND MJ AND THEN
THE BACKSPIN FROM THE TRICK SHOT
CAUSES THE BALL TO LIGHTLY BOUNCE OFF
THE BACK OF MJ'S HEAD, CONFUSING MJ
WHILE KAWHI RETRIEVES THE BALL AND
SLAMS HOME A BETWEEN THE LEGS
WINDMILL DUNK)

(CUT TO: TOP OF THE KEY, KAWHI AND
YOUNG MJ FACE OFF)

      COACH
          
Michael, it's six to zip. If you
can't score here, I'm just gonna save
us all the trouble and give the last
spot to the new kid.

      YOUNG MJ

(DRIBBLES THE BALL AND LAUNCHES A
SHOT, WHICH MULTIPLE CAMERAS FOLLOW
IN SLOW MOTION)

(JUST BEFORE THE SHOT REACHES THE TOP
OF ITS ARC KAWHI APPEARS IN FRAME AND
GRABS THE BALL WITH ONE HAND LIKE A
BASEBALL PLAYER CATCHING A LINE
DRIVE)

(KAWHI FAST BREAKS TO THE OTHER SIDE
OF THE COURT WHERE HE ENCOUNTERS THE
TEAM'S CAPTAIN WHO VAINLY TRIES TO D
HIM UP)

(KAWHI JUMPS STRAIGHT OVER THE KID
AND FINISHES WITH A SUPER
DISRESPECTFUL ELBOW THROUGH THE RIM
DUNK)

(CUT TO: COACH AND YOUNG MJ, STILL ON
THE OTHER SIDE OF THE COURT)

      COACH
          
I'm sorry Michael, but we don't have
any more spots on the J.V. roster
this year.

Play rec league, work on your game
over the summer, and try again next
year.

      YOUNG MJ
          
(DEJECTEDLY WALKS OFF THE COURT)

      KAWHI
          
(EATS A SCHOOL LUNCH WHILE SITTING
ALONE)

(THE LANEY HIGHSCHOOL BUCS J.V.
BASKETBALL TEAM WARMS UP ON COURT IN
FRONT OF A STANDING ROOM ONLY
AUDIENCE)

      ANNOUNCER (O.C.)
          
Are you ready for some basketball!

(PAUSE FOR CHEERS)

Are you ready for some basketball!!!

(PAUSE FOR THUNDEROUS CHEERS)

Alright then! Welcome to the North
Carolina Junior Varsity state
championship basketball game!

(TIPOFF)

(KAWHI IS CONSPICUOUSLY NOT PLAYING
BUT INSTEAD SITTING IN UNIFORM AT THE
END OF HIS TEAM'S BENCH)

(CUT TO SCOREBOARD: THE SCORE IS
58-60 WITH 3 SECONDS REMAINING ON THE
CLOCK)

(CUT TO BENCH: A BUCS PLAYER LIMPS
OFF THE COURT AND SITS HEAVILY ON THE
BENCH. ALL BUT 4 OF THE TEAM'S
PLAYERS ARE VISIBLY INJURED. THE TEAM
CAPTAIN IS WEARING FASHIONABLE STREET
CLOTHES AND JEWELRY BUT OTHERWISE
APPEARS PHYSICALLY FIT)

      COACH
          
Alright Leonard, I know you haven't
gotten any game time this season, but
as the last player on the roster your
number just hadn't come up yet.

With our starters all out, and our
second unit also injured, I'm gonna
put you in the game. Good luck out
there.

      KAWHI
          
(JOGS TO THE SCORER'S TABLE AND
CHECKS INTO THE GAME)

      REF
          
(HANDS GAME BALL TO OPPOSING TEAM
PLAYER AND BLOWS WHISTLE)

      OPPOSING PLAYER
          
(INBOUNDS PASS)

      KAWHI
          
(INTERCEPTS PASS, DRIBBLES TO THREE
POINT LINE, JUMP SHOT, NOTHING BUT
NET)

      ENTIRE LANEY HS STUDENT BODY
          
(CHEERS WILDLY AND RUSHES THE COURT)

      KAWHI
          
(NEUTRAL EXPRESSION)

      ENTIRE LANEY HS STUDENT BODY
          
(VISIBLY STRUGGLES BUT MANAGES TO
LIFT KAWHI ONTO THEIR SHOULDERS)

      YOUNG MJ
          
(APPROACHES KAWHI FROM OFF-STAGE
AFTER THE RAUCOUS FANS PUT HIM DOWN
AND DEPART)

Good game, Kawhi. No hard feelings
about the last spot on the roster,
you proved today you were the better
player.

But, I was wondering, now that the
season is over, do you wanna hang out
sometime? Maybe you could teach me a
few moves on the court or whatever?

      KAWHI
          
(CUT TO FIRST PERSON VIEW THROUGH
KAWHI'S MECHANIZED EYEBALLS. MONOTYPE
TEXT SCROLLS AND VECTOR GRAPHS
EXTRAPOLATE)

(A BRIEF FLICKER OF CORRUPTION
INTERRUPTS KAWHI'S VIEW AND
EVERYTHING GOES BLACK)



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. . .




(KAWHI'S VISION RE-APPEARS WITH YOUNG
MJ IN VIEW AS MORE MONOTYPE TEXT
SCROLLS OVER TOP)

ae19 6379 59fb cf69 b34d 29ab e944 
04c6 8bbb fbca 8366 a168 1724 1319 
9d33 14e5 6883 9af1 42a8 8095 d202 
f457 ed55 1322 508b d11d f32d 76fa 
0428 ca18 0b88 c6ba 98c7 7617 45cc 
3b19 82c5 bd74 491f 632c f581 1d89 
5381 f025 377d 4bcc 2e34 cc5b 0529 
8835 0b4f 76fc 16e2 16f0 d634 f957 
cb39 1bc9 3d36 2b55 9564 63f7 3122 
3fb5 013d 62d2 585d 88a9 15e6 84c1 

EMOTION ENGINE 2.0

COPYRIGHT (c) 2032 
THE REGENTS OF THE LAST RESISTANCE

BOOTING UP ...

(CUT BACK TO KAWHI AND YOUNG MJ FACE
TO FACE ON THE COURT. THE FANS HAVE
ALL LEFT AND IT'S JUST THE TWO OF
THEM STANDING AMIDST THE STREAMERS
AND CONFETTI)

      KAWHI
          
Yeah, I'd like that.
          
(EXTENDS HIS HAND)

Friends?

      YOUNG MJ
          
(SHAKES KAWHI'S HAND)

Friends.