Real life takes place on the Riverside Courts. The Wrong Side of the Tracks Posse warms up. Balls bounce. Luke catches some net, of course. Skills says, "So are you going to tell us, man?" Luke tells him it's nothing because he's not going to play with "those" guys. Blah Luke's the star, blah raw talent, blah wasting it blah. Luke: "Don't you guys think that maybe we belong here?" Skills answers, "No, we belong here." CMM's hair looks like a kiwi fruit. Skills continues, "You've never belonged here." Luke shakes his head: "Let's just shoot for teams." Skills says, "You're one of my best friends, that ain't never going to change, but keep it real, we ain't shooting for teams. We're shooting to be your excuse. And I ain't going to be a part of that." Because if one of them has a chance for a better life, then all of them have a chance for a better life. If you need me, I'll be over here, bashing my head against a brick wall.

A Coldplay-inspired riff carries Luke home, where he finds a package on the doorstep with his name on it. Karen walks by his bedroom moments later with a basket of laundry. She's such a good mom. She washes all his dirty, sweaty, hot -- ahem, gym clothes. Did I mention sweaty and hot? I did? Okay, moving on -- she sees Luke wearing a Ravens basketball jersey. She totally freaks out. He explains that someone left it at the door. She tells him to take it off.

Luke comes outside to see his mother on the front steps, looking through an old photo album. Who does that? Luke asks, "Mom, are you okay?" He sits down and tells his mother that Coach Durham asked him to play on the varsity team. Karen thinks maybe he should. Blah that's what Skills said, blah they didn't want to be his excuse, blah they're supposed to be my friends blah. Then she yammers on about some inane memory about his first real basketball. Blah parental bonding blah. Holy contrived scene, Batman. Just get on with it already -- we know he ends up on the team. We understand he's going to play with his brother -- we don't need all the backstory in one freaking episode. Karen runs her hands through his hair. I'm surprised they don't stick there. "Sometimes I think you're sitting out your life because of me and I don't want that for you. My past is not your future, okay?" Blech. Now everyone start praying to the Altar of Ball for this show to improve before it gets the giant WB hook and is sent to cancelled-show heaven.