Ooh boy this was a doozy...

An overlook at the San Jose Thrust, team in the  furrybasketball universe, piece constructed by my reporter character, Zane Donovan. Featuring a ton of contributors and players that are part of the team:

San Jose Thrust created by  BuckHopper
Foo-Foo (Head Coach and Owner) played by  Harlow, created by  BuckHopper
Zane Donovan (reporter) played by  Harlow
Reiko Akemi (General Manager) played by  Herr Wozzeck
Alessandro Serra played by  qovapryi
Dewitt Azad Ghakar played by  pac
Barnaby Jazz played by  RobbieSox
Jonathan Lawyer played by  Jason Blade
Tua Wati played by  Gabriel-Fawkes
Jona Vastenhout played by  Rally_Ranger

FBA is currently spearheaded by  steviemaxwell

Player comments in quotes, staff comments in italics. Donovan in plain text.
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Ever since their playoffs run got nixed way too early two years ago, the San Jose Thrust had one of the biggest and most talked-about makeovers in recent time with changes pretty much immediate, even if apparently incidentally so. It all started with a tumultuous press release where Dimi Kabat was unceremoniously discharged from his position by the General Manager, the first and foremost business lady of the league, Foo-Foo.

“I knew that once Shane, the Thrust’s signature player, decided to leave the league, that we needed to have a contingency plan; his skill not lasting forever. Kabat insisted on and on with his direction and the players he wanted to figure in, but it turned us from being contenders to being one of the first teams to drop the ball in the race. And when that happened, I knew it was time to restructure everything from the ground-up. And I meant every. Thing.”

While the firing itself called the attention of several, it was followed by an array of bold statements that certainly made the headlines of all the sports news’ websites and erased the thought of the bomb briefed to the media 5 minutes before.

“I felt that way, literally so, but I didn’t realize I had said it out loud, the media picking it up. And well… I did decide to run with the idea on sheer emotion alone: Anyone could have done a better job, even I could step up right now and lead San Jose to the glory they deserve.”

What was done was done: Foo-Foo herself was going to be the Thrust’s coach from now on, for the skepticism and shock of many. While she proved herself to be shrewd and have enough acumen to successfully manage her team, no one would even imagine her being down there mingling with a group of sweaty, worked out athletes and directing them to win games, let alone be capable for the task. But the first thought in the minds of the rest was: “Wait… all three positions? Is that even legal?”

“I knew having all three positions would bring me problems with the commissioner. (even if I can perfectly handle all of them), so something had to cede. Can’t resign ownership, so the GM spot had to go. It was a matter of making the right, discreet calls all around the world’s leagues and wait for a good response...”

And someone did respond. Someone all across the Pacific pond in the Japanese league.

"It was a very strange call, I remember," says current GM Reiko Akemi. "Especially for me, I found it odd and rushed. And yet, it was just audacious enough to get my attention. And sometimes, where there is boldness, there is opportunities, so her call definitely was worth to look at."

While many workers in the field of sports would kill for a spot to work in the FBA, and many would jump without thinking twice on the promises of recognition and a juicy paycheck, Reiko Akemi was wary enough at first.

"Oh, I took my time. One does not take a switch in leagues so easily when you are the only female GM of a league. But it made sense, I suppose: as someone I know pointed out, it would be very... she called it inspiring if I went to the most renowned league of the world from where I was. So it took a little bit of time, but... well, here I am."

“I knew miss Akemi would be a good change of pace...” Foo-Foo adds. “...She had previous experience in managing and, combined with the grasp I had on the FBA, knew I could work with her and she could work with me so the Thrust would regain its credibility once again.”

Despite this… it wasn’t all peaches and cream at first between the two.

"I had enough media exposure on that little slip, so I didn’t start with it from the get-go." Foo-Foo explained. “The most important thing was that we had to work together to make this work, her on my manager chair while I went to the court with Grangier.”

"I didn’t know of her little ‘endeavor’ at first. I had to coax that out of her, but by that point I knew I was there for a reason, and it was something I could have still worked with, so I accepted the position." Reiko added.

Saying both of them went to work is a major understatement. They didn’t shy away from big trades and deals that saw many players of the Kabat-era sent to other teams or step-down for feeling their time to slow down came. Many thought a team without a superstar player and who faltered heavily in the playoffs run could only call so much attention…

...only that they did. Spectacularly so.

Without much ties, they got their paws deep in 2015’s free agency, with bold moves that displayed ambition. But there was one thing that captured this reporter’s attention. They kept outside factors just as prevalent as on-court ones, deliberately choosing not to top rival contracts, but get close enough to entice and how the difference was minimal. For who they seeked, it worked, and it worked so well.

“You have to talk with players on a personal level. Starting or benching, you got to make them feel good while working with you, no matter the time they are getting or paycheck they want or deserve. Make them fall in love with your place, aid them up on their outside life, all of that factors in what is a big decision that is a new job and a arduous move that could be half across America.” Foo-Foo added.

GM Akemi agreed with the sentiment. "There is more than just money to convince someone to come to you. One thing I learned as a GM in the NKBL is that you use your geography to your advantage. San Jose was a prime area to test that. The weather, the neighborhoods, the proximity to San Francisco... even comic conventions. That, combined with the places they were all thirsting for, ensures us a good rate of acceptance."

This philosophy certainly resonated with some of their biggest free-agency picks; the ones who made San Jose have a 180 degree turn so to lift them back up. The sentiment was confirmed as I asked them about the motives of their respective moves.
“Honestly, I felt the need to step up to a bigger platform and make my own legacy, not have it be entangled into others’. I’ll always be thankful to Alaska for giving me the chance to show my talent on this side of the ocean, but it’s on San Jose that I finally grasped the potential of the player I am and can be.” Alessandro Serra explained.

Barnaby Jazz saw through the strategies, but did eventually choose to play for the Californian team. "I do realize I could've gotten a lot more money from teams like Tennessee and Bangor, but I had my reasons for turning them down. I couldn't see myself becoming popular with the fans in Tennessee, and although Bangor is on the water, they've had enough management issues in the past that I didn't wish to dip my toes in. San Jose felt like a place I could truly belong and come to shine; sure, they were struggling when I signed on, but we've been steadily climbing ever since. And the fact that I could do so much for a team that could offer so little makes me endlessly happy. Plus, the community is amazing, and I'm just a hop-skip-jump from San Francisco. What more could I ask for?"

Dewitt Azad Ghakhar summarized his sentiments in fewer words. “San Jose had a lot more going for them. Even though I am defensively a great starter, starting isn't my biggest concern. Winning is.”

“It also helps to touch that one nerve each player would have. Find that one thing they are missing in their lives and promise it to fix it, even if it’s the most vapid thing, it’s still a problem we at San Jose want to take care of.” Foo-Foo explained. Despite brilliant careers, the Thrust sure knew how to talk to their players, reach out on their problems and did live to their promise of fixing the issues they wanted resolved.

“My Sixth Fur of the Year Award really put it in perspective for me. It wasn’t a given that I would have had a starting spot in Anchorage, and with the alternatives offering me a better deal I had to choose the best move for my career.” the italian weasel explained.

"Honestly, if Vegas hadn't pulled the shit they pulled, yeah, I probably would've seriously considered going back to them. But...at the same time, thinking back on my time there, I don't know if I going back to them was a certain given. They played me in odd positions, and some of the teammates there weren't exactly guys I found myself getting along with. Overall, I think I still would've ended up where I am today." Barnaby elaborated.

While Dewitt put it… straightforward, so to speak. "You're obviously not familiar with the state the Moonshiners were in when I played there. They didn't invent basement dwelling but they perfected it. Plus, there were no comic book stores near the stadium which is a crime all on its own." he stated.
But going for players such as these wouldn’t have been without its risks or potential drawbacks. Between the struggle they had to go through with Alaska to get a player many thought would be cemented to the willingness to deal with the baggage someone like Jazz managed to collect over his years. Dewitt was the more sensible choice (despite big promises by the Moonshiners), and even then it was viewed as slim. I went to the bosses of this machine and asked just what was their train of thought.

“I had a hunch with Alessandro…” Foo-Foo explained. “Those kinda men would not normally jive in the place he was living in at the time unless it’s a bad December-January night, and even then they look up more to the Tuscany-like warm, crisp summers… just like California! Combined with the flattery that was seeking for him to step up for Rufus and Hopper and he’d feel right at home.”

"It was actually Foo-Foo's idea.” Reiko Akemi explained. “At first I dismissed it because she did not have the most professional reasons for wanting him (Or do you think her new look on the bench was conceived on her own?), but the more I thought about it, the more it made sense: what we needed was stars, and I saw he had the potential to be one. After that, the offer was easy, particularly when I used the area. I'd say she had the acumen, we were fresh out of strong guards, indeed..."

Then there was the other big signing, shocking, but not for the reasons you may think. While it was destined for Jazz to change teams again, we didn’t expect it would actually be Reiko’s idea, herself coming from a very conservative league. With Foo-Foo’s original denial on taking any part of this contract, this decision to recruit Barnaby frankly didn't make much sense on paper, but if you dig a little deeper, you see what actually went on.

“I had no idea why Reiko wanted Jazz. I was happy enough to have Dewitt in and work around getting true forwards, but she insisted that having Barnaby in after his team didn’t want him back in again was the key to turn the Thrust around. I had my fair share of player controversy and hardships, so I wasn’t on board at first, but she insisted he was IT. It was the first time I realized I wasn’t the manager… but if anything like past season’s happened again it was fully on her, and so… we jumped on the bid for Jazz.” Foo-Foo explained to me.

That means I had to get the reason from the mastermind herself. "Many in America were so surprised at that signing. I found that reaction amusing: the commissioner of the NKBL actually told me shortly after that practically every GM in the Japanese league knew I would not waste such an opportunity. I do pride myself on professionalism, but what you all forget is that part of professionalism is work ethic. Jazz works very hard, and he showed that ethic in Vegas, I found that difficult to ignore despite everything I was told about him, so it was only natural for me." miss Akemi explained.

“After all that was said and done, Reiko still has me eating crow to this day. Jazz has displayed star quality and much more level-headed demeanor. That combined with the… kinda obvious logic of putting him at Center and he just kept at it until he managed to really hit the spot and make a complete turn on his image.”

"I gave him a last chance to get his act straight, admittedly more than anyone has given to him. And he has not disappointed so far." Reiko concluded.

And with that we had our big mix of names, prompting several reactions as well as expectations, and let’s not forget about the other names these two ladies decided to call up to shape up what was the new Thrust.
“I didn’t really care about anyone, all I was thinking was ‘Finally! another shot after the Howlers just put me as filler!’ I was back in the fray and ready to go forward.” avian Center Miguel Mendoza responded.

“I thought I was forgotten by the league, having last played for the Pride in 2013…” Riccardo Vega commented. “I was just thinking of retiring early until I had that fateful call and I’m SO fucking thankful I got back in! Back in a team AND having a chance to represent Argentina at the Olympics? San Jose gave me a new lease on life!”

“It was coming full circle...” Blythe Nacht remembered. “After winning two rings, my first under Stanislaus, and riding reserves in Dakota and Vegas, fate just directed me to the Thrust again… and so thankful they traded me in here again, I feel I regained that mojo back from those first days.”
While these guys were seasoned enough to get the league, there was someone whose first steps on the hardwood were going to be under these unique circumstances and players: lottery pick Jonathan Lawyer, fourth overall draft pick, a lively meerkat from Georgia.

"I feel he was the best fit for the Thrust's chemistry. It is true I could have picked any of the higher ranked players, but Lawyer was the closest match to the team that had been forming at that time. And besides, I was looking for versatility in addition to skill: I find versatility aids a lot. And well, he has been relatively free from controversy, so I feel that’s a plus for him when compared to the other players several journalists thought I had to pick.” Akemi added.
“If I gotta define my time here to date with a word, I'd say progress. Starting off my career as a starter is a goal that I felt like I needed to accomplish, and I'm glad it happened. However, I always felt I could do a lot more in this league, and as much as I love this team I do feel like I'm seen as a bit lost in the bunch than seen as a legitimate threat. Which is understandable when you guys like Serra and Jazz, So I know I have to continue working hard until I do get that kind of respect and highlights.” Lawyer expalined.
Rookie or veteran, the reveal was soon set to the players: the fact Foo-Foo was going to be their team’s owner AND their head coach, stepping down from her GM spot. Anyone would get confused at that premise, but when the players got to work on the preseason with her (and Colson Grainger helping her introduction to the coaching world), things slowly started to gel and soon, it didn’t feel as unusual as it actually was.
Alessandro recalled those first days in a fairly open-minded way. “My initial approach with Coach Foo-Foo was, well – unconventional doesn’t always mean bad. I was a bit wary of her at the beginning, but she proved to the entire team she learned a lot from all the years she spent in the business. She certainly has a very different approach than Coach Nelson, but at the same time she has a grip on each player’s pulse than I’ve hardly ever seen in the business. And I mean, you can’t really contradict the results, can you?”

The big shark did agree to the weasel’s feelings. "I, honestly, didn't feel that much shock. I mean, it IS an odd move, for sure. I guess my first real thoughts were, 'That is weird, that is crazy but...crazy can be a good thing' y'know what I mean? And as far as I'm concerned, at this stage, it doesn't feel like it was a bad move. An owner taking a truly invested interest in the team is an awesome thing."

"Well she didn't trade away most of of a championship team's starting line so my feelings about it were at worst, neutral. She's been an owner, a general manager, hell why not a coach too? She prefers to spread her ability points among multiple skill sets." Dewitt put it eloquently.

“I thought, 'This is gonna be crazy'. What else was anyone gonna think in the locker room? Your main boss on the sideline is also the main boss in general. I'm pretty sure I wasn't the only one thinking that it'll be awkward situation. Of course during training camp it was a bit weird, but we did begin to click as we went along. Now I'm definitely behind her being the coach.” the sophomore meerkat replied.
They agreed up with their coach, but would they agree with their new teammates? Having such a varied group could be a double-edged sword if the different facets didn’t mesh, or at worst get abrasive with each other. But despite the big personalities, this team did show themselves concerned to show a sense of ‘unity’ a la Kahunas or Alphas.
“Right off the bat I got along well with Barbie, DeWitt and the rest of the crew. We’re filling the paws of one of the most talented players in history – although the team moved away from Stanislaus four years ago people still talk about B-Hop’s times, it is still a big chunk of our team’s culture, and we’ve got to do our best to match the feats of the ’11 Thrust team.” Serra elaborated.

"I was pretty pleased to see those two [Serra and Ghakhar] come over to the Thrust.” Barbie exclaimed. “They're excellent fits, and I find them easy to get along with, especially Alessandro. From day one we were giving each other fashion advice." he grinned. "Dewitt is an awesome guy; quiet, but not sure what I'd do without him. I mean, he's essentially my wing-man on the team. If I go down, he takes my place and plays damn hard to do it. I've got a lot of respect for both of them. As much as I'd like to take the credit for the team's continued success, we'd be nothing without those two."

"We get along good enough. There's a lot of big personalities, a lot of big egos too. But we're all professionals here, and as long as winning is the goal, and the job taken seriously, I'll get along with anyone. Jazz is big, in name, presence, personality and impact. I wasn't expecting to shine quite as brightly next to him which is fine because he gets us wins and we all do what we have to do. Simple, innit?" Dewitt commented.

“Well overall Thrust’s been really cool, definitely the most diverse group of guys that I've ever played with. I would say that Serra has been more of a fashion bud of mine. Dew of course is that cool nerd, and Jazz... well he's Jazz.” the meerkat laughed.
With a new lease in the league, new faces and new direction, the Thrust was set to break the mold and start reforming this season. The teammates were in sync, the passion was there and they went on and played the best they could. After a tough season, they managed to end 6th in the ranks and gave a hot fight, but lost, against a powerful Seattle Summit in the first round. Nothing was without its goods, as Lawyer and Jazz were featured in the All-Star West teams, and the big shark was named as the Defensive Player of the Year, after he just missed on the Most Improved Player award the year before, assuring the “big two” of the team had an end of season award to their name, both Serra and Jazz proving to be names to be scared of in the league and forces to be reckoned with. There were heavy rumors that team captainship was going to go to one or both of these players, albeit the answers we got nixed those apparent rumors.

"The captainship switch rumors are unfounded. Barsky and Nacht are still the captains, as it was last season." Reiko Akemi said, Foo-Foo elaborated a bit more in the subject of why they are keeping it this way.

“As I have seen in Texas, as well as past personal experiences, you don’t give out that big of a task to someone who is just showing to have the chops, cuz you just might spoil them and in turn their skills. Rachel’s personality added with Blythe’s mentality and championship pedigree and experience are just what this team needs. Let our star players continue to be stars.”

With a new season looming, all of them are set to light this season up, having proven they could reach the playoffs, it’s their time to show they can be serious competition. What is up in their future? We let the players elaborate it themselves.
Serra’s eyes beamed with pride. “People may say I’m accomplished enough as it comes, but I want to keep up the work I’ve put in since I was drafted and eventually get deep in the playoffs, possibly become the first Italian to be crowned champion of the 3-point shootout contest. Most of all, though, I want to help this group develop into a solid title contender, one that can legitimately have a shot at winning a ring in three or four seasons.

Jazz smirked. "What's next? Huh. I hadn't really thought of that. I'd like to take us up to the championships, knock Vegas back a peg or two. Knock them out, actually. Besides, we can only keep going up, right? And even once we reach the top, I won't stop shooting to go higher. I'm rather hoping for another EoS award this year, but I don't hold out much hope. But hopefully I can make the All-Stars again at the very least."

"Easy, make many statements." Lawyer smiled, followed quickly by the markhor forward.“And a championship, of course”
A sentiment followed by the new blood set to wear the purple.
Jona Vastenhout, one of the top five draft prospects spoke up. "Up to this point, I really didn't have any expectations about the Thrust. I knew that whoever I went to I would do my best to bring my A-game. I did look at their roster before the draft and I had a feeling that this could be a tough road to being in the top with the number of guards they have if I ended up there.I did watch some highlights of the two last season. I feel that in this season, they will quickly be in sync with each other and, when that happens, they could be a force to be reckoned with. And I bet they are cool guys to hang out with on and off the court." the pine marten spoke.

Tua Wati, a weta center, got pensive. "I did have an opinion on the team to be fair. I knew they were eclectic with who they signed and they were a team that liked promoting diversity. That said, I really didn't know what to expect upon getting drafted to them. As for my teammates I tend to spend most of the time trying to learn from Jazz as much as I can to perform better at my position. As for where we stand on track, I think we are doing rather well, there a places we can improve on but all and all we are doing well."
And what do the bosses have to say about the future?

"Nobody ever knows the future, Mr. Donovan. We will see what it brings, though there are many things I would like to attempt to keep, if possible." Reiko Akemi concluded.

“I’m not sure, but...” Foo-Foo smiled knowingly. “My players aren’t the only ones gunning for an end of season award, I’ll say that much. I have coached this team to good. Now it’s time to coach them towards perfection. With that low period done, the Thrust machine is up and running once again.”

~Zane Donovan.
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