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There's an Oxford bar — Lottie Moon's — that offers a cheeseburger topped with a fried egg called a "Ron Harper All-Star."

Skyline Chili once had a Harper hot dog. The late rapper Big L mentioned him by name in his song Deadly Combination and, of course, he's been honored with all those NBA championship rings.

But after what happened Friday, Harper said the burgers and bling now are second fiddle.

The new Kiser Elementary School named its gymnasium after Harper, who starred on the Kiser High School basketball teams of the early '80s, became the greatest scorer in Miami University history and played 15 NBA seasons.

At a ceremony attended by former coaches, Dayton dignitaries, other local hoop legends and Kiser's student body, Harper stole the show with his heartfelt talk to the kids:

"I won five NBA championship rings, but this means far more than that because this is where it all started. ... Don't let anyone tell you what you can't do in life. Right here is where I started chasing my dream."

He admitted his chase came with hurdles set up at home:

"My mom and I had an understanding. To play sports, I had to get the grades. D's wouldn't do it. B's and C's maybe. ... Listen to your moms and dads and school teachers. You might think they're too old — that they don't know what they're talking about — but they been there. I learned the hard way and, sometimes, the easy way."

His mother, Gloreatha, raised six kids by herself on Home Avenue while working jobs at Good Samaritan Hospital, Edison school, Frigidaire and the truck and bus plant.

And that's why Darrell Hedric, Harper's Miami coach, paid tribute to her: "Mrs. Harper, when they honor your son, they honor you."

Her son began at Belmont High, but transferred to Kiser when he said he was told he'd make the team, but wouldn't play.

He became an All-Ohio player for coach Neil Reichelt at Kiser and an inspiration to younger players.

"I first saw him play at Hara Arena when I was in seventh grade and I admired him," said Mark Baker, the former Ohio State standout and NBA guard. "Like Dwight Anderson, he was the benchmark for young guys like myself."

Friday, Wayne Hounshell, the former Kiser athletic director, presented Harper's framed No. 34 high school jersey — "Its been in my closet for 24 years" — to the school so it can be displayed.

After playing for Cleveland, Chicago, the Clippers and Lakers — winning three titles with the Bulls, two with the Lakers — Harper retired in 2001 and now lives in New Jersey with wife, Maria, and their two sons. He is a Detroit Pistons assistant coach.

Hopefully, Friday's ceremony will help bridge a chasm from years past between Harper and his hometown.

Already Harper — who shook hands with every Kiser student — promised that students who had perfect attendance and good grades would attend an NBA game.

Certainly he has a lot to offer. He can even talk football, which, unknown to many, he played his senior year.

"We played Roth and they'd been blowing everybody out, but we held them to just two scores," he beamed.

As he moved to another subject, his 6-year-old son, Ron Jr., interrupted: "How much did you score when they got just two?"

Harper shot him a glance:

"Aaah ... we didn't score any points."

As the kid laughed, you sensed the football field wouldn't be carrying the Harper name.