The soft sound of Chipper’s basketball shoes barely broke the room-enveloping silence. He waited on the darkened stage, head bowed, and microphone clutched in his hands, for the music to begin. A side-glance assured him his sister, Cristina and his niece, Carolina watched from the wings with Carson Daly, the host. The corners of Chipper’s mouth ticked upwards.
Butterflies swarmed in his stomach, and he needed to calm his nerves. He stared at the back of the coaches’ chairs and tried to con