Chapter Ten: The English Teacher

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Cap Lavin—“Cap” was not his given name, but a nickname. His real name was Albert Lavin, known in the 1940s as a prominent young basketball player in the San Francisco area—this was before the NBA existed. Later, he played for the University of San Francisco as a point guard, renowned for his exceptionally precise jump shot. He once won a free throw shooting contest held citywide in San Francisco by sinking 26 consecutive shots, earning the championship and a honeymoon trip to Hawaii as a prize.

However, in the 1950s, it was difficult to make a living from basketball alone. Even great players like Bob Cousy faced the dilemma of choosing between playing basketball and driving a taxi. To support his wife and three children, young Lavin worked various jobs—selling cigarettes at the beach amusement park, operating elevators in the public library, driving long-distance for Greyhound buses, and even winning money playing pinball in nightclubs.

Eventually, he found a position as an English teacher, which became his lifelong profession. Beyond his role as an educator, Lavin held significant influence in San Francisco’s basketball scene. He frequently played 3-on-3 games at Roshambo Court, where he was once the top star.

Former San Francisco mayor George Moscone was Lavin’s best friend; they had been high school basketball teammates. During the 1975 San Francisco mayoral election, Lavin campaigned for Moscone, organizing a 3-on-3 game at Roshambo Court featuring Moscone and his staff to attract minority voters who loved basketball. Moscone was successfully elected. A progressive mayor advocating for urban inclusiveness and racial equality, he was tragically assassinated in 1978 by a radical former colleague. Lavin delivered a eulogy at City Hall for his beloved mayor and lifelong friend.

Beyond San Francisco, Cap Lavin had extensive connections throughout California’s basketball community. He was close friends with UCLA’s legendary coach John Wooden, who had also been a high school English teacher back in Indiana.

Now fifty years old, Cap Lavin remained active at Roshambo Court, often bringing his youngest son, Steve Lavin, to play. Steve was the youngest of Cap’s six children and the most gifted basketball player, inheriting his father’s smooth and precise shooting touch. He served as the point guard for the basketball team at Francisco Drake High School.

From an early age, Steve had been immersed in street basketball with his father. Last year, he formed a trio called “Cancer” with his high school teammate Pittman and their close friend Eric White from Sacred Heart High School. They had nearly dominated all the street courts in San Francisco. Passionate about challenging the city’s top 3-on-3 teams, they sought both enjoyment and constant improvement through competition.

Recently, rumors about a Chinese-American 3-on-3 team sweeping through San Francisco’s basketball courts spread rapidly. It was said they were undefeated in numerous venues, especially one tall player who wielded an astonishing defensive presence—a rare talent among Chinese players.

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Upon hearing the news, Steve Lavin managed to get in touch with Chen Xing and arranged a game at Roshambo Court. Cap Lavin, always attentive to talented young players in San Francisco’s street basketball scene, came to watch with great curiosity after hearing from his son about the rising Chinese-American youth.

Cap was an iconic figure at Roshambo Court, and his arrival drew even more attention. The matchup between these young prodigies quickly became the talk of the streets, attracting an ever-growing crowd. As the six players warmed up on the court, more and more onlookers gathered nearby, including local residents drawn by the spectacle.

Chen Xing and Gan Guohui grew increasingly nervous, while Gan Guoyang remained calm yet excited. He stretched and warmed up methodically, casually handling the ball with one hand, taking running jumps, and effortlessly executing one-handed dunks. Each dunk elicited gasps from the crowd. Although his vertical leap was not extraordinary, his moves were fluid and graceful—long arms, large hands, a lean yet strong build clad in a brown sports tank and deep blue basketball shorts, white Avia 860 sneakers paired with the tube socks gifted by Chen Xing. His dunks bore a resemblance to the style of J. Irving.

Cap Lavin’s eyes gleamed with newfound admiration. He had never before seen an Asian player dunk with such elegance.

Besides being a basketball player and English teacher, Cap Lavin was also a literature enthusiast, writer, and advocate for writing programs. From a writer’s perspective, this Chinese-American youth was undoubtedly a compelling subject with stories worth telling.

Cap couldn’t help but recall his late friend Mayor Moscone, a politician deeply concerned with minority communities and urban racial integration. It was clear that Cap’s attention was drawn more to the skin color of Gan Guoyang and his teammates than their basketball skills. Even as an enlightened white man, Cap did not truly believe these three could challenge the “Cancer” trio.

Among peers, Steve Lavin was an outstanding guard. He inherited his father’s shooting prowess and possessed a cool head and excellent court vision. Having played with his father from a young age, he was highly experienced and competitive for his age.

Pittman, Steve’s teammate since middle school, shared a deep on-court chemistry with him. Eric White from Sacred Heart High was the true core of the Cancer trio, the most gifted among them. Standing 6'6", he played forward and took the center role in 3-on-3 matches.

Though not a flashy talent, Cap knew White had exceptional physical attributes and solid fundamentals.

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Professional leagues have a basic threshold: if you are within it, through effort and opportunity, you stand a chance to enter that world. But if your physical gifts lie outside that threshold, no matter if you give 200% effort, love basketball immensely, and master the game, the NBA doors will remain closed.

Among the Cancer trio, Steve and Pittman likely had no chance to reach the NBA, but White was within the threshold.

After a coin toss decided possession, Cap’s eyes fixed intently on Gan Guoyang. He wanted to see how the young man would perform against White.

Cancer took the first possession. The ball was in Steve Lavin’s hands. His ball-handling was exquisite, completely ignoring Chen Xing’s defense, darting across half-court like a sleek cat.

On the very first play, he used a convincing fake and a swift crossover to shake off Chen Xing and charged straight to the basket.

Gan Guoyang stepped up to help defend. Lavin deftly flicked the ball behind his back—a clever and sudden behind-the-back pass.

The ball reached White, cutting inside. After a quick gather step, White leapt high, aiming for a powerful two-handed dunk!

But White underestimated Gan Guoyang’s reaction speed. Gan turned mid-air and, leaping alongside White, blocked the dunk!

“Nice block, Crab!” the crowd erupted in cheers.

The game’s opening move was such a spectacular rejection.

The two collided fiercely, the ball jolted loose under the opposing forces, slammed heavily onto the court, and bounced high.

Both landed simultaneously. Gan Guoyang jumped again, snatched the ball with both hands, and passed it out to Chen Xing on the perimeter.

The offense and defense switched; Gan Guoyang had successfully stopped the opponents’ first attack.

Originally sitting with arms crossed on the sidelines, Cap Lavin rose to his feet.

He realized this Chinese-American youth might be far more complex—and formidable—than he had initially thought.