Practice had just ended. The first string was still on the court running through a final drill, their movements sharp and coordinated in that way that only came from weeks of playing together. The sound of squeaking shoes and Coach Martinez's voice echoed through the gymnasium as he called out adjustments.
In the coach's office adjacent to the court, Assistant Coach Williams leaned back in his chair, a bottle of water in his hand, watching through the window as the practice wound down. Coach Martinez's other assistant, Coach Chang, was reviewing something on his tablet, occasionally glancing up at the court.
"You see Kingsley's statline from Friday?" Williams asked, his voice carrying that mix of surprise and respect that came from watching someone exceed expectations. "Twelve points, eleven assists, two steals. Kid's been putting up numbers like that for three straight games now."
Chang looked up from his tablet, a slight smile on his face. "Against C-tier schools, yeah. But still. For a freshman running second string? Those are legitimate numbers."
"Makes you wonder," Williams said, taking a sip of water. "Did we pick the wrong rookie for first string?"
The question hung in the air for a moment before Chang shook his head, his expression thoughtful but certain. "Nah. Khalil's been exceptional. You see his game last Wednesday against Northridge?"
"The friendly?"
"Forty-five points," Chang said, pulling up the stats on his tablet and turning it so Williams could see. "Forty-five. In his debut game with the first string. And it's not just that game. He's averaging thirty-six points per game over the last five contests. His defense has been elite too. Three blocks per game. He's anchoring that paint."
Williams nodded slowly, acknowledging the numbers. "Yeah, Khalil's been a monster. That's not even a question. Kid's playing like he's been on varsity for years."
"But?" Chang prompted, because he could hear the unspoken word.
"But Darius is forcing his way into the conversation," Williams said, leaning forward now, his tone more animated. "Like, actively forcing it. Every game he plays, he makes it harder to keep him on second string. The way he's elevated that entire unit? The culture shift he created? That's not normal for a freshman. Hell, that's not normal for most players period."
Chang set his tablet down and looked through the window at the court. "When's the last time a freshman forced their way onto first string at Lincoln Heights?"
Williams thought about it for a moment, then pointed through the window at the court where a senior was running a drill. "Marcus Thompson. He's a senior now, one of our best players. He did it his freshman year. Came in as second string, played so well they couldn't justify keeping him off first team. That was four years ago."
"And before him?"
"Before him?" Williams laughed. "I'd have to dig through archives. It doesn't happen often. The Elite Eight don't promote freshmen to first string unless they absolutely have to."
They both sat in silence for a moment, watching the practice continue. Through the window, they could see Khalil finishing a drill with a powerful dunk that made the rim shake. The first string players around him clapped, acknowledging the play.
"The real issue isn't whether Darius deserves first string," Chang said finally. "It's the squad cap. We're maxed out. Fifteen players on first string roster, and we literally cannot add another body without cutting someone."
"Right," Williams agreed. "And who are you cutting? Every player on that first string earned their spot. You can't just kick someone off because a freshman is playing well."
"If it wasn't for the cap," Chang continued, "Darius would already be up there. So would Connor probably. Maybe Ty. The second string has legitimate talent. They're just stuck because of roster mathematics."
Williams took another sip of water, his eyes tracking Darius as he walked across the gym toward the locker room with Connor. The freshman was laughing at something Connor said, that headband still wrapped around his cornrows, his practice jersey soaked through with sweat.
"You think he knows?" Williams asked. "That the only thing keeping him off first string is a roster spot?"
"I don't know," Chang said. "But whether he knows or not, he's going to keep playing like he's trying to force the issue. That's just who he is."
Coach Martinez walked into the office then, his clipboard under his arm, a towel around his neck. He'd clearly heard at least part of the conversation because he was already nodding.
"Kingsley's been exceptional," Martinez said without preamble, sitting down at his desk. "His leadership, his vision, the way he's transformed that second string unit. If we had a roster spot, we'd have already moved him up."
"So what do we do?" Williams asked. "Just keep him on second string indefinitely?"
"For now, yes," Martinez said. "But I've been talking to the athletic director about next semester. If we get approval to expand the first string roster to sixteen, Darius is the first call-up. No question."
"What about Connor?" Chang asked. "He's been playing well too."
"Connor's good," Martinez acknowledged. "But Darius has that thing. That leadership quality that makes everyone around him better. You saw what happened in the Riverside Valley game. He convinced guys who'd been playing selfishly all season to buy into team basketball. In one timeout. That's not coaching. That's natural leadership."
Through the window, they could see the first string finishing their final drill. Khalil grabbed a rebound and immediately fired an outlet pass to their starting point guard, who took it coast to coast for a layup. The chemistry was obvious. The first string was operating like a well-oiled machine.
"Khalil and Darius both deserve to be up there," Williams said. "Just comes down to timing and roster spots."
"That's the reality of Elite Eight basketball," Martinez said, leaning back in his chair. "Sometimes the best players are still on second string, not because they're not good enough, but because there's literally nowhere to put them."
Chang stood up and grabbed his bag. "Well, at least we've got depth. If anyone on first string goes down with an injury, we've got legitimate players ready to step up."
"Silver lining," Williams agreed, standing as well.
As they started packing up for the day, Martinez stayed seated, his eyes still on the court through the window. The gymnasium was emptying now, players heading to the locker rooms, the lights still bright overhead.
He thought about Darius Kingsley. Freshman. Second string. Averaging twelve points and nine assists over his last three games. Leading his team in ways that went beyond statistics. Forcing conversations about roster spots and promotion timelines.
And then he thought about what Williams had said. The last freshman to force his way onto first string had been Marcus Thompson. Four years ago. And now Marcus was a senior, one of their best players, being recruited by Division I schools.
If Darius kept this trajectory, kept playing with this intensity and leadership, in four years he'd be in the same conversation. Maybe even a bigger one.
But that was four years away. Right now, he was a freshman on second string, limited by nothing more than roster mathematics and timing.
Martinez stood up and grabbed his things, turning off the lights in his office. Through the window, the gymnasium was dark now except for the exit signs glowing red in the corners.
Sometimes the best players had to wait their turn. That was just how it worked. The question was whether Darius would be patient enough to wait, or whether he'd find a way to force the issue sooner.
Martinez smiled slightly as he locked his office door.
Knowing what he'd seen from that kid over the last few weeks, he had a feeling patience wasn't going to be Darius's strong suit.