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NBA players know about this guy. NBA coaches know about this guy. NBA fans do not know about this guy.

The Akron Beacon Journal's Brian Windhorst wrote about "Worldwide Wes" a few months ago:

He doesn't wear a uniform, doesn't have a desk in any basketball front office and never speaks to the media. Yet, depending on whom you talk to, he is either one of the most powerful and well-liked men in the NBA or everything that is wrong with the underbelly of pro sports.

The Beacon Journal interviewed 18 people who know Wesley, from players to agents to league executives to security personnel to officials from USA Basketball to members of the media. Very few were willing to be quoted by name, but nearly all had opinions, stories and rumors. All part of the Wesley legend.

What is known is that Wesley, 40, has become a close associate of Cavaliers star LeBron James and helped James decide to sever ties with former agent Aaron Goodwin last month. Wesley is also close to Detroit Pistons coach Larry Brown and has developed a relationship with Cavaliers owners Dan Gilbert and David Katzman. There are many in the NBA who believe that he helped get the two sides together months ago in "back-channel" talks that could lead to Brown becoming the Cavaliers' next president of operations.

The Oregonian's John Canzano has written about William Wesley, which he did during the NBA Finals:

...he was the first to hug Pistons general manager Joe Dumars after Detroit won the NBA title last June.

"Wes knows everyone," Scottie Pippen said.

Wesley sat with Jay-Z at the NBA All-Star Game. He is close with 76ers guard Allen Iverson. And Magic Johnson sought him out and said hello during the Finals. And also, Wesley arrived at The Palace of Auburn Hills for Game 3 with Oregon sophomore-to-be Malik Hairston in tow. Hairston baby-sat Wesley's 4-year-old son during the game.

Canzano chatted with "Worldwide Wes" again over the weekend, when he was in Portland to see the Portland-Detroit game. On his blog, Canzano tells what they talked about.

Damon Stoudamire and T.J. Ford told me over the summer that, "Wes is running the NBA." And Wes mentioned that he'll be back in Portland on Nov. 19 with a friend when Floyd Mayweather, the WBC super-lightweight champion, faces Sharmba Mitchell in a 12-round welterweight bout.

Who's the friend?

Try Michael Jordan.

The Detroit News spent six weeks investigating Wes, and all they could find was a speeding ticket and some ties to a mortgage company. There is a lot we don't know about the NBA.