Huh, basketball again? At least it’s a sport I know I can handle.
Still, something doesn’t seem right. If I’m playing basketball, why am I wearing long pants?
And why are there ads for Sprite everywhere I look?
Man, I’ve been looking all over for you. Should have known you’d be here.
Just working on my moves. Say, when did all these Sprite ads appear?
Sprite ads? That’s what you’re worried about?
I was worried about what year I’d leapt into. This didn’t feel like any time I’d been to before.
Just wondering, that’s all.
You don’t even want to know why I’m so excited?
Take a look at this: an invite to the Rookie Showcase in New York.
This is your ticket to the first round of the draft.
This is amazing!
An easily identified obstacle and goal…and I’ve only been here five minutes!
Man, what the hell are you talking about? Are you high? Or are you just dehydrated?
Sounds like you need a nice, refreshing can of Sprite.
The mystery just deepened.
Look, I don’t care what you have to do. Snap out of it. We’ve got work to do.
Don’t worry about me. Just let me see that invite and…
Wait, does this say it’s 2013???

What’s going on, Al? I’ve never leapt into the future before. It shouldn’t be possible.
You’re not the only one having a hard time with this. Ziggy can’t tell us anything.
Of course not. None of this has happened yet.
Say, you think you could stop by a library and pick up some old newspapers?
You want stock tips from the future, don’t you?
It’s entirely for the project. With the right information, we could be self-funded in just years.
Let’s just worry about how this happened.
Sam, I think I know how it happened. Remember the Civil War?
I was able to leap out of my own lifetime into an ancestor. What does that–
You might want to take a look at your driver’s license.
…
Sam Beckett Jr.? I’m… I’ve leapt into my own son? But I don’t have a son!
I hoped I would never have to tell you this…
Do you remember the last time you had to play basketball?
I leapt into myself back in high school. What does that have to do with anything?
Whenever you’re here, whoever you leap into is back in your body.
Ever since the escape, we keep your body locked down, but this was just a younger version of you.
So we let him out, and he looked and acted like you, and Donna–
My wife slept with teenage me?
Interesting how you put the pieces together so fast.
And she got pregnant?
And I’m in my own son’s body twenty years later?
This is too much, Al.
I know, but try and see this as a pleasant surprise. Congratulations! It’s a boy!
Apparently he needs my help to make it to the NBA.
I’m just going to stop thinking about it, do what needs to be done, and get out of here.
The future can be a scary place.
Tell me about it. Here’s your first stock tip:
Invest in Sprite.

Woah, what is this thing?
Is that some kind of portable TV?

What the hell’s gotten into you, S? This is my tablet. You’ve seen it hundreds of times.
Tablet? You mean you’re gonna swallow that thing? Why?
Man, you are crazy, S.

Hey, how you doing? Ready to get out there and show them what you’re made of?
Ready as I’ll ever be, Coach.
Sam, I need to speak to you.
Not now, I’m trying to relax.
What did you say to me?
Sorry, coach. I wasn’t talking to you. I wasn’t talking to anybody.
Fine, be that way. But we’ve had a breakthrough, and you need to know what’s coming up.
Look, I don’t need to tell you how big of a opportunity this is.
Impress, and you’ll go in the first round for sure.
We were able to connect Ziggy to another version of Ziggy from the future.
You’ll have to get the scientists to explain that one when you get back.
…
Now, don’t get ahead of yourself. Just focus on the game.
Turns out that Sam Beckett Jr. was a surprise addition to the 2013 Draft Showcase.
You’re going to be matched up against Jackson Ellis for most of the game.
The scouts are going to be out there looking to see who gets the best of the matchup.
That’s right. Junior faced off against Ellis and was steamrolled.
…
His listless play saw him pulled in the second quarter. He only managed 4 points with one assist.
Ellis isn’t a player you want to take lightly. If you’re even a step slow, he’ll beat you.
After the game, his agent–your agent–found out the reason…
Apparently Junior spent the whole day before the game smoking marijuana in the hotel.
You up for the challenge?
That’s just how Junior deals with stress. Apparently it’s less stigmatized in 2013.
But it left him without the reaction speed to deal with Ellis.
This is good news: all you have to do to fix the timeline is avoid getting high.

This is not good.
Hey, this is just how my face looks, okay? I’m not high!
Listen, kid, if you want to convince someone that you’re not high…
The last thing you want to do is suddenly yell “I’m not high!” out of nowhere.
Sorry coach, my nerves are just getting the best of me.
What I meant to say was…

You’ll get plenty of time. Don’t worry about that. Just be ready.
Don’t worry coach. I won’t disappoint you.
Disappoint me? Kid, I’m a Draft Showcase coach for the Elites.
Seriously, who the hell are the Elites? Why am I coaching them?
I’m just here for the college groupies who come to see you boys play.
That’s disgusting!
Kid, I know.
Seriously, you should be ashamed of yourself for even saying that.
My life is shame, kid. Now get out there and play some basketball.

All right, deep breaths. You can do this.
The only reason I was going to screw up was because I got high.
I didn’t get high, so I should be on my game.
But why was my son getting high before an important game?
Hey man, you ready for this?
That’s him. That’s Jackson Ellis. He’s the one I have to beat out.
You ignoring me?
No, just didn’t expect to see you until we were out on the court.
Looks like they’re gonna have us matched up for most of the game.
So I just wanted to come by and tell you I ain’t gonna be taking it easy on you.
When this happened without me, Junior screwed up by being too relaxed.
Maybe I can psych him out by being aggressive.

That’s right you won’t be able to keep up
I’m gonna be like an electron.
Maybe you can see where I am or where I’m going but not both.
What the hell? I don’t even know what you’re goin’ on about.
You’re going to be covered so tight that you’ll be both dead and alive at the same time.
And no one will be able to determine which one is correct until I lay off.
You still lost me.
None of this is working. If I’m going to rile him up I have to get dirtier.
I’ll show you what this all means.
After the game, I’m gonna take your mom and your girlfriend and we’re gonna run a double slit experiment.
Oh, what the hell!
I’m still confused but now I know I need to pound you into the ground.
You really think you can ball with me?

I’m gonna make it my personal mission to destroy you in front of these scouts.
Woah, woah chill! You two aren’t doing this right now!
I was trying to explain to Jackson here that a body in motion tends to stay in motion.
He’s just trying to get in your head. Don’t let him.
Rise above it and show him up on the court, got it?
Yeah, I know…
I’d better find a way to beat him.
Or I’m not sure if I’ll ever get out of this terrible Sprite-filled future.

Get out there, kid, hustle!
Get those girls to cheer for you.
Jesus Christ this guy is the worst.
Al, what’s the foul in 2013 for hitting your coach with a basketball?
I think that’s assault in any era, Sam.
Yeah, but what’s the penalty for that?
Just hold off for now. Focus on Jackson Ellis.
C’mon, boy, let’s do this.
Show me what those science skills can do for you.
I don’t know about science, but I did play a bit of basketball back in high school.

Damn, dude, what the hell? You’re not supposed to be playing like this.
What do you mean?
Nothing. Shit, just forget I said anything.
There’s something you’re not telling me.
The only thing I’m not telling you is how I’m going to destroy you.
No, you keep telling me that.
I just need to regroup. You just wait until after the half. Then I’ll show you.

Well, Sam, looks like everything is going as planned.
Wish I could feel better about this, but something isn’t right.
What can you tell me about this Jackson Ellis guy?
Ziggy 2.0 isn’t reliable yet.
Kind of like my ex-wife.
But if my ex-wife could tell the future with any reliability she would have never married me.
Just let me know when you find out more.
What are you worried about? This is going great! Look at your performance.

This doesn’t feel right. This doesn’t feel like what I’m supposed to be doing.
I guess you could be feeding the ball to your teammates more.
That’s not what I mean. What if this isn’t what I’m supposed to do here?
Just keep it up. At this rate, you might even get drafted before Ellis.

All right, man, I was just getting warmed up before.
Now I’m coming after you, gonna be making shots like Katniss all over the court.
Like who?
Wait, you haven’t read The Hunger Games?
Or even seen the movie?
I don’t even know what that is.
Damn, man, that’s messed up. I know it’s young adult fiction, but it’s a lot deeper then that.
You really should check it out.
It ain’t just kid shit. Really dark stuff sometimes, and it makes you think.
If nothing else you should watch the first movie and–
Just keep talking!

Aw, man, not cool. Not cool.
What? You were the one talking like it was more important than the game.
But it was about The Hunger Games.
I can’t be ballin’ when I’m thinking about the plight of the Districts.
That’s not my problem.
You’re just like all the other capitol scum.
But I’m from Indiana.
Psh. Forget it.

Kid, this game isn’t even close any more.
No one’s even gonna notice my coaching the way you’re playing.
Sorry, but I’m in a hurry to get out of this terrible future.
Future?
It’s a long story.
You sure you’re not high?
Honestly, no.
Only reason I’ve been beating Jackson is because he won’t stop talking about the Hunger Games.
That Jennifer Lawrence is something else.
I knew you’d find a way to make this worse…

Sam! You did it! The Elites won!
I didn’t know you had it in you!
It wasn’t that long ago that I had to play basketball.
Yeah, but that was against high schoolers.
What are you trying to say?
I’m saying that I’m ready to get out of 2013 and back to the past.
It’s a lot easier when you know what’s supposed to happen.
Hey, who are you talking to?
Oh, Jackson, it’s nobody.
You might be a crazy person, since you talk to yourself and don’t know The Hunger Games but…

Lucky?
Yeah, you heard me.
Let’s look at the stats.

That isn’t luck.
Well, this isn’t over. We’ll match up again. You’ll see…
…Dr. Beckett.
Hey! Wait! How do you know–
You’re not getting in an argument with him again, are you?
Argument? No! I just have to talk to him.
Listen, man, you don’t have to worry about him any more.
You beat him.
I know I scored more points, but what about the scouts?
Man…

So I did it! I did what I came here to do!
I guess you could put it that way.
Well, it was really nice meeting you, uh…
I don’t think I ever found out your name.
S, man, we’ve been friends since we were kids.
What’s up with you?
Don’t worry, everything will be back to normal soon.
You’re freaking me out, S.
Like I said, don’t worry.
But if you could, try and keep me from smoking so much pot from now on.
I’m gonna be a first round draft pick, so I should be more careful.
Sam, I wouldn’t get ahead of yourself.
What? Why?
It doesn’t look like you’re leaping any time soon.
I don’t understand. I beat Jackson Ellis!
Just telling you what Ziggy 2.0 is picking up.
C’mon, S, calm down. Yeah, you beat Ellis, but that’s just today.
We have a lot more ahead of us.
We do?
It’s time to get ready for the draft.