Great read re: Death of Len Bias and its aftermath...

[SwinerBock]

I still remember this as if it happened just yesterday, and not 22 years ago...

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/eticket/story?page=bias

[Hoggy1]

I still remember this as if it happened just yesterday, and not 22 years ago...

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/eticket/story?page=bias

I wasn't alive then....don't know much about him, who does his game resemble?

[hawgs34]

I remember what the announcers said the night of the draft.  "In Boston they'll be saying Bird and Bias come on and try us." 

[SwinerBock]

I wasn't alive then....don't know much about him, who does his game resemble?

Bias was going to be the next Jordan before Jordan actually became JORDAN, if that makes any sense.

[HoopS]

I always felt he was the real deal.  He was going to be something else. 

Not too long after this, the Celtics had another loss in Reggie Lewis.  He was also big time. 

[oldfart]

the losses of bias and lewis set the celtics back years... to lose two first round draft choices suddenly was devastating

[DizzyHawgFan]

... and remember in 84 they took Houston's Michael Young with their 1st pick and he never played a minute for them and only played 49 minutes over his 3 years in the league. 

[RedSatinHog]

I remember hearing about it literally hours after a couple of hardcore Celts fans from MA were going on and on about how unstoppable they were going to be after drafting him #2.  This was also days after the Celts had won the '86 title, their last until this season.

You've never heard a group of obnoxious fans get so quiet so fast, I'll promise you that much.

[br549]

He was the most unstoppable player in college I have ever seen. I was in college when I heard he died. The first thing my roommate said was I bet it was cocaine, unfortunately he was right.

[3kgthog]

It has always amazed me how people have kind of turned this kid into a hero over the years even though he died because of a self-inflicted habit. Then you have guys like Brandon Burlsworth that die of true accidents and he got one SI article in the national media and that's about it.

[Niels Boar]

I wasn't alive then....don't know much about him, who does his game resemble?

Bias was an incredible athlete.  Amare Stoudemire comes to mind.  Bias was more of a SF with more offensive skills, though.  He was unstoppable around the basket against college competition.  Maryland didn't have much talent around him.  They had fallen off after their great team with Buck Williams and Albert King.

[farhan]

It has always amazed me how people have kind of turned this kid into a hero over the years even though he died because of a self-inflicted habit. Then you have guys like Brandon Burlsworth that die of true accidents and he got one SI article in the national media and that's about it.

This guy was destined to be great, Brandon Burlsworth,  though an amazing story was no where near what Len Bias "going" to become.

[HoopS]

Burls was certainly a hero.  His character was as high as Lenny's athletic talent.  Lenny didn't have the self control to match his talent. 

He got the ink because he was so highly selected, and by Boston.  Then you add the Reggie Lewis passing into the mix and it adds to the storyline.

We were blessed to have Brandon.  He probably wouldn't want the headlines anyway.  And the many great things that were left in his honor and memory, that's special.

May both of their souls rest in peace.

[noprayerfornutt]

I remember that as if it were yesterday.  It was also the first time I heard the words "crack cocaine."

What a waste.  He was a great player at Maryland.  He should have been a great pro as well.