Roger Harpy had seen it all as the chief scout for the Butler University Bulldogs. He had driven through countless dusty backroads, sat in a thousand rickety bleachers, and watched more teenage hopefuls than he could remember—all chasing a dream few would ever realize. He prided himself on his judgment. He could spot an overrated highlight reel from a mile away, separate the truly special from the merely talented. But tonight, even he was caught off guard.
The call had come from Stevens—Brad Stevens, Butler's head coach and a man Harpy trusted as much as he respected. When Stevens spoke highly of a player, Harpy listened. But this time, it was different. Stevens was more than just interested.
"You'll want to see this kid," Stevens had said over the phone, his usually calm voice tinged with rare excitement. "His name's Kai Yi. I know he's off the radar, from some obscure school. Just… watch the tape. I'm sending you a few videos now. We'll talk more tomorrow once you've seen them."
Curious about what Steven saw in Kai, Harpy went straight to his computer and clicked on a random video file he was sent. The screen instantly lit up with footage of a basketball court.
In the video, the home team Bayless High School, dressed in white jerseys, was playing at home. Harpy didn't recognize the team at all. It was clear this high school wasn't well-known, barely a blip on anyone's radar. But there was no mistaking it: Kai Yi was the only Asian player on the court.
As for the visiting team in green jerseys, Harpy knew them well. It was the Covenant Heights Academy—a powerhouse program. Their star point guard John Wall had been heavily pursued by multiple top college programs over the summer and was expected to be on the radar of several NBA teams.
(Random high school names)
Kai Yi vs. Wall? An unknown player versus an established and well-known prospect. This immediately raised Harpy's interest and watched the game intently.
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The center from Covenant Heights Academy easily won the tip-off, giving his team first possession.
The moment John Wall took control of the ball, the crowd exploded with thunderous cheers. Even though it was Bayless High's home court, their own students barely supported the team—they were there to watch Wall, the undeniable star.
Wall moved with impressive confidence and poise, his ball-handling smooth and tight. It was clear he was miles ahead of most high school players in terms of skill and maturity. All eyes were on him but Harpy, sitting in front of his computer, had his attention locked on two players—Wall, advancing with the ball, and the Asian kid with his arms spread wide, stepping up to defend.
Wall had barely crossed half-court when Kai Yi stepped up to guard him. Harpy shook his head. Too aggressive, he thought. You press up on Wall this early, and he'll burn you with one move.
Wall thought the same. Seeing this overconfident defender up in his face, Wall accelerated sharply, ready to show this no-name kid what elite speed looked like.
Wall's athleticism was off the charts despite being a high schooler. His explosive first step and gravity-defying dunks often drew comparisons to Derrick Rose, last year's No. 1 NBA draft pick.
Sure enough, Wall blew past Kai Yi with ease. But then, in the very next second, Harpy nearly fell out of his chair.
"Holy shit!" he yelled at the screen.
Kai Yi turned on a dime, stuck with Wall, and closed the gap instantly—matching the fastest point guard in the country step for step. It was shocking.
And then, with a burst of speed and perfect timing, Kai Yi reached in from behind and stole the ball cleanly.
Wall spun around in disbelief, but Kai Yi was already gone—racing up the court in a flash. Harpy's jaw dropped. Among all the high school players he'd scouted this year, Kai Yi was the only person he'd seen who could match Wall's speed.
With Wall chasing, Kai Yi rocketed down the court and exploded toward the rim. He launched himself into the air at full speed, seemingly unaffected by gravity, and threw down a vicious tomahawk dunk with one hand.
Bayless High just scored first—thanks to a player most people in the crowd barely acknowledged.
Harpy was speechless. That dunk? Rare even in the elite high school leagues.
Such speed. Such power. This was top-tier athletic talent.
As Kai Yi jogged past Wall, he stretched out his arms in a shrug and with a smirk, as if to say, "I wasn't even trying."
He then returned to defense—arms out, eyes on Wall—ready for the next round.
This time, Wall approached with caution. He didn't try to break past Kai Yi right away. Instead, he used his arm to shield the ball, keeping tight control under the Kai's defense.
The rest of Wall's team seemed lost. No one moved decisively. Under pressure, Wall had no choice but to go solo—again.
He stepped back, trying to reset. With a quick feint and crossover, he gained a sliver of space. But Kai Yi reacted instantly, staying close enough to disrupt Wall's jumper. Another miss. Another defensive win for Kai Yi.
Bayless's center snagged the rebound and handed the ball off to Kai Yi. Kai Yi pushed the ball up the court, signaling plays as he went.
Kai Yi didn't force the play this time. He paused at the three-point line, scanning the floor. Wall hesitated, unwilling to commit—he knew Kai Yi had the skills to blow past him.
Then, Bayless High's center set a solid screen. Kai Yi darted left, hoping for a clear path.
Wall recovered quickly, fighting through the pick and sticking to Kai Yi like glue.
With his drive cut off, Kai Yi looked toward the corner, where a teammate raised his hand for a pass. Wall smiled. Too obvious.
But just when people thought Kai Yi would up to pass to the corner, he passed the ball in the opposite direction, through his legs—right into the hands of the center who had rolled perfectly off the pick.
With no one in front of him, the center laid it in with ease.
At the end of the game, Covenant Heights Academy won the game. But Kai Yi racked up 24 points and 8 assists—a phenomenal performance that earned him a post-game embrace from Wall himself.
By the time the video ended, it was 2 a.m. But Harpy didn't feel any fatigue. His eyes were wide, his energy high. He had just seen something special.
Harpy immediately clicked through the other videos Stevens had sent. One by one, they confirmed that Kai Yi's performance against Wall wasn't a fluke. He played like this every game.
Sure, he had flaws. But there was no doubt in Harpy's mind now—this kid was a real-deal genius.
If Bayless High hadn't been such an obscure school, and if they'd played in higher-level tournaments, Butler University wouldn't be the only program knocking on his door.
Stevens had found a diamond in the rough. Harpy had to admit it: this time, he was right. Kai Yi was worth the full scholarship offer. No question.
By the time Harpy finished watching all the footage, the sun was rising. He grabbed a cup of coffee, packed his briefcase, and headed out.
He couldn't wait to talk to Coach Stevens in person. If Butler could successfully recruit Kai Yi...
Harpy didn't finish the thought. He was already grinning from ear to ear.