Another Wish Granted

Or, as Spencer himself put it, “Me and my brothers don’t always get along when we go on trips.”

But they could all agree on one thing – a finished basement to hang out with their buddies, watch sports on TV and play video games would be perfect.

So with the help of the Detroit Pistons, Spencer’s wish became a reality Monday afternoon when Michael Curry, John Long and two members of the Pistons’ Automotion dance team came to the James’ West Bloomfield home to unveil their finished basement complete with a mini-basketball court decked out in all things Pistons – from the eye-catching graphics designed by Meteor to the framed picture featuring all five Pistons starters to the life-sized image of Rip Hamilton elevating for a layup plastered on the wall next to the Pistons backboard.

“I’m looking for a new player today,” Curry said to Spencer when he rounded the corner from the basement stairs to the beautiful new leather sectional couch strategically situated in front of the television and entertainment center where Spencer sat waiting. “Just in case Chauncey’s not back, we got you a new jersey. Can you handle it?”

Curry, who came with a gift bag of goodies that included a personalized Spencer No. 1 Pistons jersey that Curry autographed, even took a turn trying to play the drums while Spencer played guitar in the Rock Band video game, which Spencer later counted as one of the highlights of his Make-a-Wish experience.

“The basketball court and playing video games,” said the 13-year-old Walnut Creek middle school eighth-grader, who got to invite classmates Michael, John and Mitchell over for the party and had older brothers Andrew, 20, and Ben, 17, there as well. “I’ve always been a Pistons fan. Chauncey Billups and Rip Hamilton are my favorite players.”

“The basement was never done,” said Spencer’s mother, Barbara James, as she looked around at the new carpeting and freshly painted walls and all the accessories and adornments. “They always wanted it to hang out. And it worked out that this would be his wish. They play mini-hockey, they play poker, all the video games and Rock Band, so I thought this would be great.

“But it’s a healing process, too, it really is down here, and a memory to channel. He has an unbelievable amount of memorabilia and as he gets a little older, the memories will be special.”

Spencer was diagnosed with a brain tumor when he was 11, but he’s been in remission after treatment for about a year now and was able to fully enjoy the star treatment he got on Monday as he posed for pictures with Curry, Long and the Automotion dancers, even getting his brothers, mother, grandparents and friends in on the action.

“It’s just part of giving back to the community that has been so good and so supportive of us,” Curry said. “All the fans that gave to the Make-a-Wish Foundation at our (Pistons Cares) Telethon, they’ve all equally done well to be able to make a wish come true for a young person. Collectively, it’s the right thing to do when you’re in a position to do that. We’re just playing our part.”

The Pistons Cares Telethon, the first event of its kind hosted by a professional sports team, raised $480,000 on March 14 when the Pistons beat the San Antonio Spurs. The Palace and the Pistons had set a goal of raising $400,000 – enough to grant 50 wishes to help celebrate the 50th anniversary of the franchise’s relocation to Detroit.

The event was such an overwhelming success and was so well-received that the Pistons have made plans to host another Pistons Cares Telethon in March 2009.

“Michael is absolutely right when he says it’s the right thing to do,” Pistons and Palace CEO and president Tom Wilson said. “When we were considering which charity to work with for our first Pistons Cares Telethon, everything clicked when we looked at Make-a-Wish and everyone got fully behind it because it’s something everybody could relate to. If people have been lucky enough to not have to deal with life-threatening issues to a child in their own family, chances are they know a family whose lives have been affected in that way. We’re humbled by the opportunity to use our popularity and our reach to help make wishes like Spencer’s come true.”