Play 131: Sports-Related Injury

CHARACTERS
BASKETBALL PLAYERS, late 20s
REPORTER, late 30s

(The reporter is interviewing the basketball player after an NBA game has just ended. Random people walk by them, filing out of the arena, and the reporter is holding a microphone to the basketball player, who towers over him.)

REPORTER
Are you happy with the way your team played?

BP
Definitely, we played solid defense and our shots were dropping.

REPORTER
They certainly were. And you had a great game yourself, hit some key shots down the stretch.

BP
Thanks, well, you know, I knew we had to get some points and they got the ball in my hands so I did all I could to get us the W, and tonight my shot was going down.

REPORTER
And what about your teammate’s injury?

BP
Well, you know, any time on of your teammates gets hurt, it always hurts you, especially when you lose a key guy like Toine’, but we just kept our heads in the game and pulled through without him. Now we just gotta hope he’ll be healthy and ready to go come next game, cause we definitely need him to be on the floor with us.

REPORTER
And do you know what happened? It was hard to make out what happened, him and Allen Iverson collided, and both hit the floor, and somehow Antoine ended up with some bleeding in his midsection it looked like.

BP
Yeah, after that none of us wanted to get near Iverson.

REPORTER
What?

BP
You mean you didn’t see what happened?

REPORTER
No, as I said all we could make out is that Antoine collided with Iverson.

BP
Oh.

(Beat.)

Well Toine’ got shanked by him.

REPORTER
(Shocked.)
What?!

BP
Yup, AI cut him good when Toine’ tried to go around him.

REPROTER
Are you telling me Allen Iverson stabbed another player during the game?

BP
Yeah I am.

REPORTER
Are you sure?

BP
One hundred percent.

(Beat.)

REPORTER
Well, thanks for talking, and great game!

BP
Thanks.

(The basketball player exits.)

(The reporter turns to face the audience.)

REPORTER
Well, if you haven’t been listening, something stunning has just occurred. It appears that in the game, Allen Iverson actually stabbed another player in the stomach during the game.

(Beat.)

Shocking, just shocking. If you’re wondering, if these allegations are true, this would be the first time all year Allen Iverson has actually shanked someone, though in two games this year he has attempted to.

(Beat.)

Well, that’s it for tonight, I hope you enjoyed the game, and I would like to wish Antoine a swift return from this terrible injury. Good night.

(Blackout.)