Chevon Troutman and his mom Gay Chadwick smile as they pose with Chevon’s Sports Walk Medallion in downtown Williamsport after the dedication of the plaque July 14, 2023. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette
Once the cone covering Chevy Troutman’s Lycoming County Sport Walk medallion was moved to show the shiny plaque, Troutman cracked a huge smile as he leaned down to look at it. His family and friends moved in to get some photos of it and to take the moment in with him.
Troutman knew this day was coming since January when he was formally inducted at the Williamsport Crosscutters Hot Stove Banquet, but it didn’t quite sink in for him until Friday morning along West Fourth Street.
“I couldn’t even put it into words, first of all. And second of all, it doesn’t even hit until it happens right now. Not to say I’m used to winning, but I’m of a winning pedigree from what I’ve been told, and to have that realization from other people and let it sink into you…it’s weird because you don’t see that because you kind of brush it off,” Troutman said. “It means a lot even though I can’t express it so elaborately, but I’m forever grateful. But just saying that is enough I think.”
Troutman became the 27th member of the Lycoming County Sports Walk, which began its first year in 2016. Honorees have a medallion cemented into the sidewalk and the Sports Walk itself goes from the Trade and Transit Centre II in downtown Williamsport along the streets up to West Fourth Street and past the old City Hall. Troutman’s medallion is located near The Green, or the intersection of West Fourth and Hepburn streets.
“He’s long overdue for this recognition for his career… From the bottom of my heart I want to thank and congratulate Chevy on this honor,” Williamsport Mayor Derek Slaughter said.
Troutman had an incredible resume while playing basketball with the Williamsport Millionaires. He was a key piece to the Millionaires’ 1999 Class AAAA state championship team. He was a first-team all-state selection in basketball and by the time his career wrapped up, had set the school records for career points (1,563) and rebounds (1,128), both of which still stand.
“It’s crazy because I didn’t know I would play sports. We didn’t grow up in a household like that,” Troutman said. “It was more like take care of the family, secure the grounds, being the big brother next in line to help the parents out and take care of the kids. So it was nice to get out of there (and play basketball).”
He was named Mr. Pennsylvania Basketball in 2000 and went on to play basketball at the University of Pittsburgh. There, he led the Panthers to the 2003 Big East Championship and multiple NCAA Tournament appearances and was selected as a first-team All-Big East selection in 2005.
Troutman went on to play internationally before he officially stepped away from the game of basketball in a playing capacity this year.
“I’m officially done as of the induction and getting this recognition in January. I still get calls like ‘hey can you come and help our team right now? We don’t care if you haven’t been hooping.’ It’s funny to get those calls, but I’m really done. I’m onto another adventure in my life,” Troutman said. “I tackled hoops hard and long enough to know I can go in another direction. Hoops tempered me for the real world after sports and I’m going in a different direction now.”
Troutman, even more than 20 years since he helped Williamsport win the Class AAAA state title in 1999, is well known and recognized in Williamsport. And he’s more than thrilled to have left his mark in his hometown, literally, now with a medallion.
“It’s unreal. It shows me again the importance that I actually had for this city that I didn’t know I had. I can’t even put it into words,” Troutman said. “To look at the ground and to see I have a stamp in the city I grew up with? Kids like me, this doesn’t happen often. I’m just grateful. To have that acknowledgement and support from the city, I feel the love.
“Never would I thought that being from Williamsport, that I’d have my opportunity to etch my name into the ground of my hometown. This is crazy, wow,” Troutman said.
Troutman reflected on the 1999 Williamsport team on Friday morning, thanking coaches for helping him get to where he did in life. That included Mike Bailey, Matt Johnson, Chris Jett and Richie Twine.
“Districts for me wasn’t good enough if I was going to start and I semi-knew that before I started hooping. I have to thank Matt Johnson and Mike Bailey, especially Matt Johnson for doing the hard brunt of the work and Mike Bailey for innovating basketball and making it OK for this area to understand that basketball is way bigger than it was before,” Troutman said.
“(Jett and Twine) actually put in the footwork and groundwork for me to be able to pursue it and have the confidence to pursue it,” he added.
Troutman sees himself as a role model for kids in Williamsport and the surrounding area who, too, want to play basketball and excel. And having the medallion helps remind those kids what they can also achieve.
“It definitely lets them know that they can do it too,” Troutman said.
Like the championship banner that hangs in Williamsport’s Magic Dome, Troutman’s medallion is an everlasting reminder of how talented of a player he was.