I'm not really a role player

Chapter 1 Boarding Students

"damn it!"

"Sheldon! We're going to be late!"

The screams filled the room in an instant filled with panic, and Li Ke (kè) who was sleeping was awakened like this.

He opened his eyes, sat up half propped up, and blankly scanned the room he was in. It was dark, narrow, and messy...

Finally, his eyes fixed on a face full of impatience, resembling a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle, and the confusion in his mind was immediately swept away.

Li Ke already remembered that about a week ago, he experienced a time travel, from 2020 back to 2006.

Now, he is no longer the former Li Ke, but has become another 17-year-old boy studying in the United States as a basketball player. Although he is still called Li Ke, he has an English name of Sheldon.

Because he is underage, he can only board outside, and the face that looks like a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle is the eldest son of Li Ke's host family.

"Harry Harry, Sheldon!"

Another series of urgings broke the daydream.

Returning to reality, Li Ke responded, turned over and got out of bed, picked up a white T-shirt from the side of the bed, put it on his head, and took a look at the fast-moving Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles from the corner of his eyes.

Li Ke recalled the first day he came here through time travel. He also woke up from a dream. When he opened his eyes and turned his head, Li Ke saw the face of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. He was beyond surprised.

And when he knew that this guy was called Russell Westbrook through the memory of his new body, he was sure and affirmed that this guy was Westbrook, one of the three famous Thunder young men.

The choice of the host family for the underage international students who are boarded by the American Empire is made by the school. Perhaps because of Li Ke's status as a basketball player, the host family arranged by the school for him is selected from the school basketball team. Russell Westbrook, who was a rookie on the school basketball team with Li Ke more than three years ago, was selected in this way.

Therefore, although Li Ke was surprised and felt that it was too a coincidence, he had to admit that everything seemed so reasonable.

Putting on a T-shirt and a pair of retro Lakers shorts, Li Ke was fully dressed.

He opened the door and was about to go, but when he turned his head, he found that Westbrook, who was still urging him just now, was bending over and looking for his messy bed.

"What are you looking for, Russell?"

"KB3's bracelet, I took it off last night."

Li Ke was stunned for a moment, first a familiar and unfamiliar name, Kelsen Bals III, flashed through his mind, and then a series of memories flashed across.

In the memory of his previous life, the name Barrs III only existed in various Russell Westbrook biographies or Westbrook anecdotes.

And in the memory of this time and space, Baals III is the third friend Li Ke met while studying in the United States. He is Westbrook’s childhood friend. They met to join UCLA together since they were young.

Li Ke clearly remembers that in the freshman year of high school, both he and Westbrook were rookies on the school basketball team, and Bals III was already the star of the school basketball team.

When he was a sophomore in high school, Bals III had a phenomenal individual performance and became the hottest high school basketball star in the United States. Westbrook became the main rotation of the school team, and only Li Ke remained on the bench.

After that, bad luck came. In a game that Westbrook did not participate in for some reason, Li Ke on the sidelines witnessed the sudden death of Baals III. The 15-year-old Westbrook lost his childhood friend.

In the third year of high school, Bals III’s last wish was transformed into a KB3 bracelet, and Westbrook, who wore it everywhere, broke out. He became the top card of the school team and gradually became famous in California. Li Ke also gradually grew up and got a little playing time.

In the senior year of high school, Westbrook led the team to an amazing performance in the graduation season, and Li Ke finally became the starter of the school team.

In the crevice of the bed, Westbrook found KB3's bracelet, he was relieved, and put the bracelet on.

Turn around and greet Li Ke: "Go, Sheldon."

Westbrook's house is a two-story apartment, and the interior decoration is a bit old. Li Ke, who is 2 meters tall, stepped heavily on the floor and groaned.

Time was running out, and he and Westbrook had no time to wash up, so they went downstairs.

Downstairs in the restaurant, Westbrook's father, Westbrook Sr., was wearing a pair of glasses and reading the newspaper. Opposite him was a pudgy black teenager. That was Westbrook's younger brother, Leonard Westbrook, who didn't like sports.

In the open kitchen next to the dining room, Westbrook's mother, Mrs. Horton, had already prepared breakfast. Seeing Li Ke and Westbrook coming downstairs, she simply pushed two plates of sandwiches and two cups of hot milk to the bar next to the restaurant.

Li Ke, who has lived in this apartment for more than three years, knows that this is his breakfast with Westbrook.

Westbrook, who was in the lead, ignored all of this, rushed to the door like a burst of lightning, and started to put on his shoes as he lowered his body.

Li Ke took his time, walked to the bar, picked up one of the sandwiches, and bit into his mouth.

Then he grabbed another sandwich and hurried away.

"There's still milk, Sheldon!" Aunt Holden poked her head out of the restaurant, trying to stop Li Ke.

Li Ke couldn't make a sound, because his mouth was stuffed with sandwiches, so he could only wave his hands.

Westbrook raised his head and explained in the fastest way: "No, mom, it's too late, we're going to be late."

Then, he opened his mouth to bite the sandwich that Li Ke handed him, and lowered his head again.

He ran into a problem. He couldn't fit the sneakers he had just bought two months ago. He tried to pull up the tongue with one hand and the heel with the other hand, but he couldn't pull it out.

"Damn it, my feet are growing again!"

The old Westbrook who had been silent all the time took off his reading glasses: "Today is the weekend, isn't the state championship over?"

"That's right, Dad, but the NCAA recruiting season has just begun. Today is the first collective tryout in the Los Angeles area. It's at the Pyramid Stadium. It starts at eight o'clock. We only have 10 minutes left... Oh my God!"

Westbrook finally put his shoes on, and the old Westbrook's tone became serious: "Did you all oversleep for such an important trial training?"

"Last night they went to Lilith's house to celebrate the end of their high school career, and they didn't come back until 11 o'clock..."

Leonard Westbrook on the side interjected, as if adding fuel to the fire.

Russell Westbrook immediately interrupted viciously: "Shut up, Leonard!"

Old Westbrook didn't mean to pursue it, but shook his head and got up: "Forget it, I'll send you off, there should be time."

Hearing this, Li Ke and Westbrook both heaved a sigh of relief. Now, they don't have to squeeze the crowded bus anymore, and counting the time, the 3-mile distance is still in time for self-driving.

Outside the door, Old Westbrook took out his keys and started his Chevrolet station wagon that he just bought last year. After Westbrook and Li Ke got into the car, he rumbled off.

Li Ke sat in the back seat, leaning against the car window, swallowing the hot milk in his hand in small mouthfuls.

Outside the window are American-style single-family apartments. Although the surface is old, it is not so dilapidated. The lawn has not been trimmed, at least it is covered with green grass. There are cars parked on the side of the road, and the quality is uneven. There are white and black people walking, and the distinction between races is not so clear.

Seeing all this, Li Ke felt more and more that it was reasonable for him to be arranged to board at Westbrook's house.

Although he is black, Westbrook is much luckier than single-parent families, James, Durant, and Wade who came from slums. The old Westbrook works in a bakery, and Aunt Holden is a waiter in the school cafeteria. Both parents live in a well-off family, and they live in a middle-class community.

And Li Ke is studying in the United States as a basketball player. In order to let him integrate as soon as possible, the school's first choice is a player who is on the basketball team with Li Ke.

But after Donald Haskins, the American basketball team, even the high school team, is dominated by blacks, supplemented by whites, and there are no Asians everywhere.

The black communities where black people live are usually exclusive, so there is only one working-class Westbrook family who does not live in a closed black community.

The memory of Li Ke's body, for more than three years, he has lived comfortably in Westbrook's house. Old Westbrook would take him and Westbrook to the park to practice basketball. Although Aunt Holden's various American meals are not so delicious, at least they can satisfy Li Ke.

Of course, Li Ke's annual boarding fee also provides Westbrook's family with a lot of income.

In Li Ke's memory, his parents with this body were among the first to get rich in China. His father opened a restaurant and his mother opened a supermarket. They sent Li Ke to study abroad purely for Li Ke's basketball dream. The annual tuition, living expenses and boarding expenses cost a lot.

I just don’t know why, but Li Ke, who was just [-] years old, inexplicably replaced this Li Ke whose basketball dream gradually became illusory.

"Besides our names, the only thing we have in common is that we both have a basketball dream..."

Li Ke in his previous life also loved basketball very much, but since he was a child, his parents instilled in him the idea that learning should be the first priority. The huge pressure of exam-oriented education oppressed Li Ke, and basketball was almost a luxury in life.

Unexpectedly, Li Ke would have a chance to realize his basketball dream after a time travel...

Seven and eight minutes later, the galloping Chevrolet stopped, and the Pyramid Stadium arrived.

Li Ke and Westbrook got out of the car and rushed in...

(End of this chapter)