Above the Rim Page #3

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b*tch you like that.

Yeah! Kick!

Yeah!

Yeah!

Bust him, boy!

You smell like a park bum.

What the f***'s wrong with you?

Man, what's...

Just like I thought.

I don't need no

motherfucking help, man.

Sheppard?

Tommy Sheppard?

Man, I thought you were dead.

Oh, man.

Now I've seen it all.

A bum with a bodyguard.

You're going to let them

talk to us like that, man?

Forget about it, Flip.

Go home.

That's the point, man.

He ain't got no home.

He ain't got sh*t 'cause he ain't sh*t.

That's enough.

Go home.

They can't erase what we were, man.

Sheppard, they can't

erase what we were, baby.

Champions, baby.

They can't erase

what we were, man.

Morning.

How you doing, coach?

I've been better.

We were too damn close

not to win last night.

It happens.

Not when you were playing.

Hey... l'm coaching a team

in the shoot-out if you're interested.

I'm not.

I put your name on the list anyway.

Call it an old coach's dream.

So...

You gonna help me

get down to Florida

or make me stay here and freeze?

I'm not keeping you here.

Until you agree

to replace me, you are.

That's why you got me this job?

I hate to say no,

but I ain't nobody's coach.

Bullshit.

You're wrong about that.

Look, I don't know.

Maybe I'm just getting too old,

but I don't understand

these kids anymore.

You could do a lot of good here.

I came here to bury my mom

and take this job.

Basketball is not part of the plan.

- Plans can change.

- Not this one.

All right.

I've got a lot of work to do

in the office.

But at least think about it, will you?

If Kyle Watson shows up,

you tell him to get his butt

into my office pronto.

I ain't no coach, Mike.

I ain't no coach.

Yo, what's up?

You know it's a good thing

you pulled me off that bum.

The whole sh*t was his fault, man.

Nobody fronts me

when I'm playing hoops.

What am I telling you for?

It's not like you understand.

Coach wants to see you in his office.

Yeah, well, coach can wait.

Why don't you watch?

You might learn

a little something from me.

How do you like that, toy cop?

Snap your wrists more.

Excuse me?

The ball needs rotation.

Spread your fingers.

This is Candid Camera, right?

A toy cop is going

to teach Kyle Watson

how to shoot a jump shot.

You rent a Dick Vitale video

or some sh*t?

Actually, I saw you miss

that jumper last night.

Why don't I stick to basketball

and you stick to saving bums

in the park?

You forget how to read a clock?

What, you think I got 30 minutes

to waste waiting for you?

In my office.

The next time you're late

for a meeting with me,

you'll be doing laps until you drop.

Sit down.

What are you doing

talking to Phil Redd?

You want to make yourself ineligible?

The man wouldn't look me in the eye.

I just wanted to know when he

was sending my recruitment letter.

The guy is here at every game

just to watch you.

You can't be sure.

You know that.

Especially if you keep playing

like you did last night.

What's that supposed to mean?

You forgot about your team.

I had 22 points and 8 rebounds.

And we lost.

Then maybe the entire team

should be here instead of just me.

Nobody else had a good game.

You didn't give them a chance to.

That's what recruiters look at.

We both know there's more to making it

than what happens on the court.

What is that supposed to mean?

Nothing.

Listen, I have homeroom

in about five minutes.

Are we about done?

What is it with this attitude, Kyle?

I'm trying to help you.

I'm just worried about homeroom.

Okay?

All right.

You keep it up,

and you'll have a hell of a lot more

to worry about than just homeroom.

Go on.

Get out of here.

By the way, coach,

I decided to run with another team

in the shoot-out.

Red! Blue!

Red!

Blue!

Red! Blue!

On the ball!

Hustle back!

Hustle back!

Easy. Nice and soft.

Come on, baby.

Hustle. Hustle.

Come on, come on,

come on.

Yeah.

Get down. Get down.

Get down. Get down.

Move it!

Soft. Easy.

Nice. Touch it!

Come on!

There we go.

Go!

Come on!

Finally made it back

for the old lady's birthday, huh?

- How long you been home?

- A couple weeks.

Why didn't you call me, man?

I knew you'd be back.

I knew you would.

Your little brother done came up, man.

- Really?

- Hell, yeah.

I mean, sh*t got bad.

Real bad.

Be up in that damn bodega

with mama food stamps,

and motherfuckers

be laughing at me.

Can you believe that?

They was laughing at me.

We had no lights,

no electricity, no food.

We wrapped up in our coats

in front of the stove

in the wintertime.

Mama with that

sad-ass look on her face

talking about,

"Oh, Shep. Oh, Shep."

She actually believed

you was coming back

to save us or some sh*t.

It's all right, though.

I handled sh*t.

We got a split-level duplex,

big-screen TV, marble floors.

Mama ain't have to work.

She seen more money in her life

than she ever had.

And I did that.

I brought that back.

With us side by side,

together as brothers,

can't nothing stop us.

Nothing.

You think I came back here

to work for you?

Come on, man.

We brothers.

Wouldn't have you working for me.

We'd be partners.

What, selling that sh*t?

Are you that dumb?

Who the f*** you think

you're talking to, man?

This ain't Nutso.

This ain't that dopehead on the roof

taking orders from you.

This ain't your same little brother

following behind you.

You ain't the motherfuckin' man

no more.

I'm the one!

Sh*t has changed!

It's a new day, bro.

If you can't clean up your act,

I suggest you raise the f*** up

and get the hell out of Dodge...

or get caught up.

Anything else?

Nothing.

You sure?

You know what I think?

I think there's something pitiful

about a good-looking man like you

coming in every day by yourself,

ordering the same food,

never smiling, never talking,

never doing nothing except eating

and then leaving.

You know what I think?

I think you need someone to make you

a good home-cooked meal

and make you smile.

Ain't you gonna say something?

Why don't you get me

some more water?

Water.

Are you done?

Excuse me.

Are you finished?

I was just asking if you were done.

There are no tables.

I'm sorry.

I am.

- Maybe you should ease up on the coffee.

- Right.

We met last night.

I'm Mailika Watson.

Tommy Sheppard.

Don't waste your time, sis.

It may look sweet,

but it's gone sour.

You have this effect on everybody?

I hope not.

I guess I'll see you around.

I guess.

Bye.

Look-a here.

Got rid of those nut huggers, huh?

Where are you coming from,

Bible study?

That new guard is a trip.

Seems nice to me.

What do you mean by that?

Exactly what I said.

We've got to order.

I'm on my shift.

We were going to the movies.

I'm sorry, but you'll

have to go by yourself.

Figures.

That's right.

You're not in the NBA yet,

and I've still got to work.

You said yet.

Miss! Miss!

Can we please order?

You said yet.

You know I'm going.

I'm so crazy

I'd skin my own mama

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