: During his middle school years at Takeishi Junior High, Mitsui was a star basketball player. During a high-stakes championship game where his team trailed by one point with only nine seconds left, he nearly gave up.
: Coach Anzai approached him and delivered the series' most iconic line: "If you give up, the game is already over." . Inspired, Mitsui led his team to a victory and earned the tournament MVP award. Slam Dunk (Dub) Episode 26
In the present day, the episode context is set during Mitsui's violent invasion of the Shohoku gym. As the gym fight continues, the revelations about his past begin to explain his deep-seated resentment toward the basketball team—it is rooted in his own lost passion and regret. : During his middle school years at Takeishi