By: Opinionated MJ

ViLLaiNy ii

Villainy

You gave your all to an organization who didn’t bring in any real talent during the time you were alone. You had a losing record and faced multiple injuries during this time. You were on the up and up, improving the team and having an improving record as each season passed. You thought that you were the man. Apparently everybody was too busy hoping for the hometown kid to come home. Although you won an All Star MVP award and was considered one of the best scorers of our game, you simply weren’t enough in the eyes of many.

Villainy

You think that you’re about to be able to recruit. You’ve been given the keys by management and the build upon the 30+ win season begins. It is the East right? Everyone’s wondering will you sign. You finally decide that you will. Then someone who believes you’re a better 2 guard at this point than the man they’re leaving behind decides to come back home. All the acclaim you’ve built up. The style of play you’re accustomed to? Gone in a split second the moment the hometown kid came back home from school, early. He already achieved greatness. In my eyes, he seen you as someone he could use to help him propel his town to it’s very first championship. It’s on!

Villainy

You’ve inherited the best player in the game and now he expects everyone to listen, learn, and follow suit. Some of you are still used to your style. Some were confused as to why the draft pick was traded that would’ve improved team defense and been someone who would’ve developed under two great players. The tweets begin when the team runs into friction. The ability to just take a back seat, sure. Why not? He did win without you? Right? HE needs you NOW! Fit in!

Villainy

You show that you have what it takes to help him get over the hump against all the little challenges of the East. Skating to the finals like it’s a roadmap you’ve always known. You just didn’t have the team around you to do it. Round 1, round 2, round 3, and you’re down. He’s alone and he fights his hardest but comes up short. Everybody needs somebody. They thought you would be a great defender on the Golden Boy. They thought that your handle, your skill, and your ability to shoot, close, and simply get to the rim would’ve been enough without another piece that went down in Round 1. They were wrong. You were needed now more than even because the rest simply wasn’t enough to get it done with the best in the game right now. The King.

Villainy

You’re back. You’re in the same position as last year. You take a couple hits first, land one, and then get a haymaker. You look down and out but then there’s some scuffling. It opens the door a bit. The light is out. You score in barrages. Contested, uncontested, demolishing defenders trying to make a name for yourself in this capacity. Your first full Finals visit. You’re in control of the ball, Robin, the #2, the one who can’t do it alone! You’re the one to carry us to the promised “Land”. We never knew you were capable of this? Or was that a farce? You’ve got MVP in front of you. Who cares about the conditions? You shoot… silence falls.. You score! Dagger! The likes we’ve seen from Kobe and Jordan before you! Let’s not forget about Ray Allen, Robert Horry, and even Steve Kerr and Paxson to name a few more. Where do you fall in amongst those that have made big shots? They proclaimed you better than the MVP, the Golden Boy. BETTER! You earned it. The best player in the game calls you a god! What can be sweeter?

Villainy

The season begins and you flash the ring! Smiles everywhere. Things intact to outside eyes. If only you could now take the reigns the same way the reigns were handed to your partner in crime. I watch you want more and more and be looked off plenty. I watch you fall against competition without your partner in the game. I watch you play around people who have no chemistry without him because, well, it’s all about him. The only remnants left from your 3 years is the player that was drafted alongside you. Nothing is yours. You don’t have a say, you don’t have the keys. You don’t have a primary role, you’re secondary at best? You make it again, to the promised land. This time, there’s someone else who’s jousting for the #1 spot. He’s your opponent this time. Where do you fit in? No time to think about that. They’re throwing punches, two jabs and an uppercut. You take your deepest breath collectively as a team and come out of the corner throwing like we’ve not seen in this battle yet! It looks promising. Looks like last year! No. Wait. It’s a loss. You’re not wanting to stick around if your partner is gone. You’re appreciative of being able to be here with him on this journey you two have been on. You’ve been wanting to be the focal point but even that was highlighted in the final moments of game 5. You were blamed. Others? Well, they did their job. Did you do yours?

Villainy

There’s rumblings about last year after the championship. Trade. Trade. There’s the same rumblings again. Then on draft night, the public has been put on notice that a deal was on the table to move you? Yes! YOU! The one who brought the hometown King a hometown ring. The one who knows how to break down opposing defenses with control of the ball. Then days later, you ask out, privately, appropriately. Soon after, news breaks out: “Irving asks for trade.” Why? You don’t want to play with the best? You think you’re better? You think you can win without him? You never had a rinning record Kyrie! You never amounted to anything alone. You’re nothing but a solo failure. You’re nothing but a product of your environment, in my eyes. You’re becoming a man. Sports analysts ask questions, other players question your motives, your drive, your mentality. They say you’re a big baby, you’re spoiled, you’re stupid, you’re lost, you’re crazy, you’re never going to amount to anything alone. They always told you to do what people said you can’t, right? You’re your own man. You don’t need to ride coattails, you don’t ride a wave. You were the final wave. You held your own in the Finals. You proved your worth in series prior to entering the final round. Your ability to score propelled your teammates and gave them relief on the offensive end. Sometimes so much that they became ineffective. That was your fault. Ball hog. You’re crazy to want to leave! Who do you think you are?

Villainy

You’re spotted on a plane singing. You’re mocking? The former MVP of the league is taunting, but you’re in the picture. Fully guilty by association, forget the Golden Boy. You set this up! You had to! News is coming out that you didn’t talk to teammates for a month. Rumors come out that you’re a bad teammate. You’ve got an attitude. You’ve got a disrespectful side. You believe that someone released the information. Your partner. What if this was all the plan? What if it’s not? No one has thought of it that deeply. You know, that you didn’t want to play here without him. We’ve not heard from you. Many see your perspective. The Ex-GM, teammates, etc. Who cares what you think any longer? You’re traded! Goodbye

Villainy

Press conferences. First Take appearances. People trying to decode your verbiage. Trying to find out if you’re leaving cause you don’t want to play with him. You don’t like him? What went wrong? You don’t even mention his name the entire time. Not you. People assume and speak for you. You put out your video after the trade. Didn’t mention him. You mentioned wanting to become a complete player. Wanting to become a point guard. Wanting to have control of your destiny. Wanting to become your own man. The headline. Not just some footnote, no matter how important you were. You didn’t want to be page 2. Page 2 only features the part of the article that wanes into obscurity. The headline receives the first of everything. Why couldn’t you eat the scraps? You want the big piece of chicken now? Ok Kyrie. Ok.

Villainy

You’re back like you never left the team cause your first game is at your old home. You’re looking focused, ready. Game on! It’s finally underway! We’re going to settle the score tonight! We won’t have to wait for the playoffs. Wait… No. NO! You’re #2 is down. Your #2 is down and out. He’s done for the season. Everything is in a flux but somehow you all come together. Brand new to one another, you all form a will to play for your fallen brother. The offense was off, the defense can focus on you and be dishonest. You come back. You have the last shot again, right wing going towards the corner against your ex-partner you didn’t want to continue on with. This is your moment. It’s up! Silence… You miss. The criticisms ensue. You came up short! See, you can’t win without him! You don’t amount to anything without him! No go cry in the car about everything. About leaving. About losing your #2. About losing the game. You had the chance, it was in your hands in game 1. Who gets to prove themselves as soon as they set themselves into a new position? A new situation? Who gets that chance?

Villain, you’ve become. The story of the Villain is always undone. Untold. One day you just wake up and you’re the bad guy. Wanting to be a man. They wanted you to remain a boy, a child, a peasant, a servant. They wanted you to be the personal assistant to a King. They now see you as a kid. They wanted you to be the 2 in the 1, 2 punch when the conversation arises. They wanted you to be left in ruin if he decided to leave. They wanted you to settle into your role until HE thought it was your time. Tomorrow isn’t promised. I respect your decision. First they love you then they hate you, then they’ll love you again. It’s life. Especially the life of a villain.