Cheeks, Ayers always will have special bond

PORTLAND, Ore. -- Looking like a couple of kids at camp trying to disrupt their favorite counselor, former teammate Steve Mix and another member of the Philadelphia 76ers broadcast team peered through the rectangular window of Portland Trail Blazers coach Maurice Cheeks' office, banging on the door and making faces at him in the process. In a matter of moments, Cheeks came to the door with a smile a mile wide to greet the duo.

Hand slaps and hugs followed. In other seasons, it would be a meaningless, simplistic time. A typical gesture of camaraderie as NBA types cross paths during their circuitous careers staying in the game they love. And it was great for Cheeks, who spent 11 years with the Sixers as a player and another seven as an assistant coach. He also had his jersey retired.

An assistant for years, Philly's Randy Ayers is in his first season as a head coach in the NBA. (AP)

Most significantly, during his last three seasons under Larry Brown in Philadelphia, Randy Ayers had joined the staff.

That's where the plot thickens.

You see, Brown suddenly resigned as coach of the Sixers at the end of last season to become head coach of the Detroit Pistons. After a protracted search, including getting turned down by the Blazers to talk to Cheeks, who was under contract for two more seasons, the Sixers hired Ayers. And even that came after Cheeks had approached Ayers as a possible assistant in Portland.

"This is a great opportunity for me," said Ayers, who was head coach at Ohio State for eight seasons before going to Philadelphia. "This is a different game, with players who want to be treated like men. Until coach Brown offered me a job, I always thought I'd be a college coach."

The rub is, Cheeks appeared to be the heir apparent. His relationship with Sixers superstar Allen Iverson was well documented and he was credited with a lot of Iverson's on-court maturity. Consequently, he wasn't happy when the Blazers didn't let him talk to Billy King, the president of the Sixers, particularly considering less than 10 percent of his contract for the 2004-05 season is guaranteed. The icing on the cake came when they refused to give him an extension this summer despite the promise of his 99-65 record the first two seasons. And they nearly became the first team ever to overcome a 3-0 deficit in the playoffs when they took Dallas deep into the fourth quarter of Game 7 last spring.

So when Cheeks said Monday's game against the Sixers wasn't awkward, maybe not on the outside. Inside, the juice had to be churning considering the lingering perception that if Ayers fails, the Sixers will gobble up Cheeks as soon as possible. But as the gamer he's always been, Cheeks retained his game face while addressing the question.

"No, it's not odd, and this is no disrespect to Portland, the people or the organization," Cheeks said. "It's just that I had been in Philly most of my adult life ... my friends and everybody are there. It's been a situation I'd like to have been in because it's Philly. Had it been anyplace else, it wouldn't have made much noise and it certainly wouldn't have gotten that much press. Being in Philly, having played most of my career there, that's what happened. I was a little disappointed. Again, it was no disrespect to anyone here. No one knew if I would actually get the job, take the job. No one knew that because that opportunity never came about."

The problem is, it could have. Some believe should have in a perfect world. But the Blazers organization likes Cheeks and weren't ready to let him go. Make no mistake, he would have gotten the job offer and would have taken it. His loss was Ayers' gain and both men know that. It hasn't stopped them from maintaining their friendship on the phone or going out to dinner on Sunday night either.

"He has a fondness for Philadelphia and we all understand that," Ayers said. "The beauty of our relationship is we understand each other. I think long term, he would like to come back. But I think he wants me to be successful as well. We talk a lot. We've remained close friends. We can put tough issues on the table and talk about them."

None tougher than Cheeks' dream job slipping away. Then again, the Chicago native could have stuck around rather than embark to the Pacific Northwest in the summer of 2001 for his first head coaching opportunity. There was little doubt Brown was a short-timer. He had already been with the Sixers for six years -- his longest stint anywhere and his relationship with Iverson had frayed his nerves.

But there was no promise and when the Blazers came calling, it suddenly became his chance of a lifetime. And even now, despite the tough situation in Portland with the controversial, underachieving players and a new front office that has yet to prove its competence, he claims there are no regrets.

"I had to go and see if I could actually do this (become a head coach)," Cheeks said. "You always think you can do it. It's like people say they'd like to play in the NBA. They really think they can. Of course, (most) never get a chance to go do it. They still think in the back of their mind they can play. Well, I had to see if I could go do it. I always thought I could, but I still had to know. When the opportunity came about, I had to go and it's been a good choice for me.

"I don't think I would say, 'Maybe I should have stayed there and the job may have come.' Randy Ayers is going to do a great job there. And me not getting the opportunity to go back, gives him the opportunity. I've learned so much from Randy, so getting the opportunity to coach there will be great for Philadelphia as well."

They met 25 years ago at a small gym in Cincinnati where Ron Grinker, the venerable late player agent, held his annual camp for scouts to get a gander at some of the lesser-known college seniors. Ayers was completing his career just up the road at Miami University. Cheeks came all the way from West Texas State. Ayers was drafted in the third round by the Chicago Bulls but never made it, going into coaching after a sketchy year with Reno in the Western Basketball Association.

Cheeks was a second round pick of the Sixers and obviously, became a star.

"I always tell him I got him in the league because he made me look so good," Ayers said. "Mo was just a good player. I always admired him. I stayed up for those late games and admire him as a player. We just hit it off when I came on board with the Sixers. He's a great person and he hasn't changed."

That's a big part of what Portland loves about him. His inclination to save a 14-year-old girl who went blank singing the national anthem before a playoff game last year made him the pride of Portland. Whether he is an exceptional coach has yet to be proven. All he knows is that he's glad to have a job and outside of himself, the coach he most wants to see succeed most is Ayers.

"Is (Portland) my home? This is my home right now ... absolutely," Cheeks said. "I work here and I have to do the things to make me comfortable and make this team comfortable. Philadelphia will always be where I can go home and be comfortable. Always. When I get off the plane in Philly, I am home. Compared to Chicago ... Chicago's a little different. I get off the plane in Chicago, go to see my mother and go see my brother. I had to learn to grow up in Philly, it's a little different. My partners are in Philly."

And you can include Ayers among his partners, not only because of his friendship, but his manner in coaching.

"That's why I asked him to be as assistant here, because I was comfortable with him and I still know that he will be successful," Cheeks said. "I don't want to see Randy do bad. I'm going to root for Randy. Randy and I have become great friends. For me to want to go back to Philadelphia means he's not being successful and that's not something I want to do. He wants his 10-15 years ... I'm 47 now, so I'll be 60-something."

Just about the same age as Larry Brown is today. One day, long before Maurice Cheeks is 60 years old, he'll be head coach of the Sixers. And you'd better believe one of his chief cheerleaders will be Randy Ayers.