Basketball Zelig

Check out this photo of basketball royalty. No, not King James, but rather the other dude, William Wesley. The NY Times has a bizarre and fascinating story on this modern day Zelig.

He's friends with LeBron, MJ, Rick Mahorn, John Calipari, Coach K, and Denny Crum, even Derek Rose.

And it's not just basketball either. He's pals with Jimmy Johnson, Jay-Z, and Beyonce.

Here is a testimony to his Zeligness:

In one of the numerous “Where’s Waldo?” moments for Wesley, Mahorn said he saw Wesley on television on the sideline after a Cowboys Super Bowl victory. He was photographed breaking up the brawl between the Pistons and the Pacers in 2004. And he was on the floor in Houston last week, crying tears of joy when Memphis clinched its Final Four berth.

As another friend, Michael Irvin puts it:

“What Paris Hilton has done in Hollywood, Wes has done in the sports world,” said Michael Irvin, the former star receiver in the N.F.L. who now does a radio show for ESPN. “Whoever is winning a championship, Wes is there associated with them. He’s never played a down or shot a basket, but he’s a superstar anyway.”