July 15, 2014 – Cleveland, Ohio
The Summer League buzz had barely cooled.
Michael Schmidt stood inside a quiet high-rise apartment the Cavs had arranged for him. Floor-to-ceiling windows overlooked the Cuyahoga River. The hardwood still smelled new. A few boxes sat in the corner—most untouched.
But one box was already opened. His laptop was out. Screen glowing.
He wasn't browsing sneakers. He wasn't watching highlights.
He was buying Bitcoin.
Michael stared at the Coinbase dashboard. The price hovered just under $600 per coin.
Total Available: $250,000.00
He didn't hesitate.
"Max buy."
Confirmation: Purchased 416.66 BTC
He leaned back. Let the number sink in.
Back in 2014, crypto wasn't a mainstream play. But Michael wasn't from 2014.
He remembered what it became. What it represented.
And more importantly—he knew that true freedom didn't come from a rookie contract. It came from options.
He was playing long-term.
Later that day, his agent, Jayson Lin, called.
"You know you've got actual accountants for this kind of thing, right?"
Michael laughed lightly. "Yeah. But none of them are from the future."
There was a long pause.
"Wait, what?"
"I'm joking."
Michael wasn't.
[System Notification: Off-Court Legacy Path Triggered][Financial Independence Milestone Achieved][Future Options Expanded – Decisions Will Carry Unique Narrative Threads]
[Template Progress: 79.51% → 79.62%]
He closed the notification. Got up. Walked to the window.
The city was still unfamiliar. His name hadn't been chanted in this arena yet.
But it would.
This wasn't just about games anymore.
It was about building something no one else had.
That night, he went for a run through the quiet Cleveland streets. No paparazzi yet. Just the steady rhythm of shoes on pavement, headphones in.
A new playlist. A new mindset.
Halfway through, he slowed to a walk, caught his breath, and looked around.
He smiled to himself.
"Time to make the League mine."
And with every step, that future crept closer.