Young Roy Hibbert fan dies before visit - USA TODAY

Eddins passed away Thursday from leukemia, a day before Indiana Pacers center Roy Hibbert was scheduled to visit him.

Hibbert sadly won't be able to put a smile on Eddins' face, but he still plans to fly to Sacramento later today as scheduled and meet members of Eddins' family.

Hibbert wrote on Twitter: "On my way to Sacramento. I'm am heart broken today. I won't be able to meet my lil guy Lee but I will be there for his parents and family."

Eddins, a passionate sports fan, was diagnosed with stage four leukemia in February. He had a bone marrow transplant that didn't take in June. An infection in Eddins' lung kept him from having a second transplant.

Eddins spent his entire young life in California. Hibbert grew up in the Washington, D.C., area before joining the Pacers out of Georgetown in 2008. But Eddins was enamored with him.

"Lee's followed Roy since he was back at Georgetown," Eddins' legal guardian Victor Baker had said Wednesday, before the boy's passing. "Lee likes players from all over the NBA, but there's something about Roy that he liked. I didn't even know he had heard of Roy Hibbert before."

The June bone marrow transplant didn't take. They were prepared to try a second transplant when Eddins developed an infection in his left lung. It eventually spread throughout both lungs.

"The doctors did a CT scan to see how his lung was doing, but it was getting worse because the infection was spreading more," Baker had said. "The doctors finally decided they didn't want to put him through another round of chemo because it would pretty much suppress his immune system and they didn't feel like he would be able to handle it."

Eddins moved from the UC Davis Medical Center to hospice care last week. Family members flew in from around the country last week for a cookout where lots of laughs and tears were shared.