Fans pack Eisenhower gym in hopes of LeBron sighting

A world champion from the recently crowned Cleveland Cavaliers was in the building at Eisenhower High on Sunday afternoon for MAYB Nationals, just not the one many people came to see.

Rumors swirled on Saturday night that LeBron James might make a special appearance to watch his son, LeBron Jr., play for the fifth-grade national championship. The stands were nearly full and there were plenty standing around the railing above the court to watch the game, but those rumors proved false, although the King did post a picture congratulating his son on his Instagram account after the game.

Mo Williams, a 13-year NBA veteran and reserve guard for the Cavaliers, was in attendance to watch two of his summer basketball programs, both called the Mo Williams Blue Chips, win national championships. LeBron Jr. was part of the fifth-grade team that won the title. Fans still lined up after the game to take pictures with an NBA player and Williams obliged, sticking around 30 minutes to give anyone who asked a picture opportunity.

Williams was still wearing the same championship hat, he called it his “champagne” hat, that was given to him after the Cavaliers became the first team in NBA history to erase a 3-1 series deficit in the NBA Finals and defeat the Golden State Warriors on June 19.

“I wear it with pride because it’s definitely hard to get, but also to teach kids this is what you play for,” Williams said. “You play to win a championship. It’s not for stats, it’s not for individual awards, it’s all about the ultimate team goal.”

Williams watched both championship games along the baseline. He was animated throughout, unable to control his competitive spirit. Whether it was yelling out to his players not to foul or telling referees what they were missing, Williams was vocal.

He’s passionate because he has five young boys of his own, all of whom will be basketball players he said. That’s the main reason why Williams created a program designed, for now, for fourth- and fifth-grade basketball players to travel the country and play in showcase events.

“I’m going to be around the game of basketball for awhile now,” Williams said. “I wanted to create an avenue for these kids so they can have a path to reach their full potential.”

The pair of championship victories by the Blue Chips were eerily similar. The fourth-grade team dug itself a double-digit deficit, then rallied to score the final 11 points of the game to defeat the FA Heat (Fla.) 41-37.

While the fifth-grade team didn’t fall behind by double-digits, it did trail for most of the game. The Blue Chips rallied late to tie the score, then LeBron James Jr. forced a jump ball, giving possession back to the Blue Chips for the final chance with six seconds remaining.

The Blue Chips executed a well-designed sideline out of bounds play for a layup and a foul. The three-point play secured the victory, 44-41, over the STL (Mo.) Knights.

Clutching both championship trophies afterward, Williams said his program accomplished what it set out to achieve while in Wichita.

“We proved we’re the best program in the country,” Williams said.

This story was originally published August 7, 2016 at 4:14 PM with the headline "Fans pack Eisenhower gym in hopes of LeBron sighting."