For his eighth birthday , Stevens received a new basketball hoop . " It ’ s so much fun to dream in your driveway , " he later remarked . " That ’ s where my friends and I hung out . It was a lot of fun to grow up in that era . " When a friend , Brandon Monk , had a basketball court installed in his back yard , Stevens " appeared instantaneously . " He was so dedicated to the game that he would bring the unprepared ingredients for grilled cheese sandwiches over to Monk 's house , so that he would not waste time waiting for the sandwiches to cook .