It's been 20 years-Len Bias

[stevew]

In the 80's, as a child, I was a pretty big Celtics fan. And I sadly remember this weekend. It created one of the biggest "What-ifs" in sports history.

Unforgettable anniversary
Twenty years later, Bias's death haunts
By Peter May | June 18, 2006

It was 20 years ago this weekend that the Celtics went from exhilaration to devastation in two days. On June 17, 1986, the team announced that it had selected Len Bias of the University of Maryland with the second pick in the NBA draft. Two days later, Bias was dead from cocaine intoxication.
This is, and always will be, one of the great what-if stories in sports, let alone basketball. Bias was everything the Celtics were not -- young, exuberant, and athletic. In an ESPN Classic special to be aired Tuesday night, Duke's Mike Krzyzewski said of Bias, ``In my time as a coach, there have been two players that were above the rest in my mind. One was Michael Jordan and the other was Len Bias."

We'll never know what would have happened. We do know that the 1985-86 Celtics were arguably the greatest team in NBA history, that Larry Bird was coming off his third straight MVP season, that Kevin McHale still had two healthy feet, and that one of the top college players in the country was going to be added to a mix that also included Robert Parish, Danny Ainge, Dennis Johnson, Bill Walton, Scott Wedman, and Jerry Sichting.

``How many more productive years would Larry have had? One? Two? We'll never know," said Jan Volk, the former general manager of the Celtics who was very much in the loop during that terrible time. ``But all things being equal, we had a potential superstar who could help us make the transition from one era to another."

Bird was so pumped at the news of Bias's selection that he quickly promised to come to rookie camp that summer, even though he was 29 and had been in the league for seven seasons. Ainge recalled attending a Reebok function with Bias in downtown Boston the night before Bias returned to Maryland and died.

Playing for more than just a ring

``I was definitely excited about getting a guy like that," Ainge said. ``I mean, we had the second pick, so it was either going to be him or Brad Daugherty [who went first overall]. But Bias was definitely the sexier of the two. There definitely was intrigue and excitement, but it was very, very short-lived. I remember going out to play golf the next morning and the gas station attendant told me he had died. I said, `That's impossible. I was with him last night.' "

In 1986, the Celtics and most other teams did their due diligence for the draft, although that class yielded some major drug-problem cases in Bias, Chris Washburn, William Bedford, and Roy Tarpley. Bias had pleaded with the Celtics to draft him during his interview, and Red Auerbach, who called the shots, was very tight with Maryland coach Lefty Dreisell. If there was any evidence of drug use, it was not uncovered

Rest of the article

http://www.boston.com/sports/basketball/celtics/articles/2006/06/18/unforgettable_anniversary/

[CraigSca]

I'm going to have to check this ESPN Classic out. Growing up a Maryland fan, I was a huge Bias fan. I know memory fades a little, but I remember him scoring 40 of Maryland's ~60 points against Duke. He really was a one-man show.

[DaddyTorgo]

man...that was truly a tragedy. I was only 7 at the time and certainly not a basketball fan, so i can't claim to have been upset then, but looking back at it now, what could have been is really fascinating.

[ThunderingHERD]

It's unfortunate what happened to him, but I get irritated when people talk liike he was a mortal lock to be a superstar. There's no reason to believe that he would have been any more successful than Kenny Walker or Chuck Person, who had virtually identical numbers in college.

[CraigSca]

I'm not sure why this would even register on your irritation meter. How often does Len Bias come up?

[ThunderingHERD]

I'm not sure why this would even register on your irritation meter. How often does Len Bias come up?

It's more that I see it as another example of how circumstances that have have potentially nothing or very little to do with a persons ability, talent, whatever ("person's" as it occurs in areas outside of sport) works to create a mythology that, with time, drifts further and further from reality.

[CraigSca]

Understood. Bobby Kennedy would have made a great president.

[Radii]

It's unfortunate what happened to him, but I get irritated when people talk liike he was a mortal lock to be a superstar. There's no reason to believe that he would have been any more successful than Kenny Walker or Chuck Person, who had virtually identical numbers in college.


Jordan's numbers in college really weren't all that spectacular either, but people knew there was something special about him. Bias was absolutely electrifying in college and its a true shame that the sports world didn't get to see what he could become in the pros. He wasn't necessarily a lock for the hall of fame, but stlil...

I'll definitely be checking out ESPN Classic on Tuesday, i'm glad this got posted. I was 8 or 9 at the time and was just starting to truly live and die college basketball, so this was one of the first times I was exposed to this kind of tragedy with the athletes I worshipped as a kid.

[panerd]

It's unfortunate what happened to him, but I get irritated when people talk liike he was a mortal lock to be a superstar. There's no reason to believe that he would have been any more successful than Kenny Walker or Chuck Person, who had virtually identical numbers in college.

Yeah, I have to agree with this. I realize it is taboo to have this opinion, but why was he a lock on being a superstar? He was a fantastic college player, but as we have seen some superstar college players fizz out and then some mid-range stars become the nex big thing. (Wade?)

And believe me any young death is tragic, but overdosing on coke (and I believe he was freebasing, but I could be wrong there) isn't exactly the same to me as him getting killed by a drunk driver or shot by a redneck. He is 100% responsible for his own death. I think part of my anger goes back to how they tried to put the blame on the coach and the coke dealer for his death. If this was Joe Nobody we would have shrugged our shoulders and said "Bad choice, sad story, end of story."

[ThunderingHERD]

Who "knew" Michael Jordan was special? They certainly should have told the Trailblazers. It's very easy to "know" certain things after the fact, or if the fact was never tested. As for Bias, special? Well, he was the #2 pick in the draft, there are certain hopes that always go along with a pick that high. Once he died, positive evaluations ceased to be scouting reports as fallible as the next and became prophecies.

As far as his actual ability, Bias was a good scorer (though not markedly better than other top scorers in college at that time), but a poor defender. If you look at his stats you'll see a <b>huge</b> red flag: despite playing as much as 37 mpg, his career high was 0.9 steals. For his career, in 32.6 minutes a game he averaged 0.6 steals. I'm not going to argue the value of steals as an indicator of a player's ability, I'm just going to challenge you to find any guard or forward that contributed so little in college and went on to a successful NBA career.

[Franklinnoble]

I grew up in College Park, Maryland, and the whole region went into shock when this happened. I remember I was in a summer swim league at the time, and some lady pulled into the parking lot at the pool and jumped out of her car screaming about how Len Bias had died. Everyone stopped what they were doing and tried to gather around a little TV that the lifeguards had in their office. I guess it was kind of like how people always remember where they were when Kennedy was shot.

[cartman]

Who "knew" Michael Jordan was special? They certainly should have told the Trailblazers. It's very easy to "know" certain things after the fact, or if the fact was never tested. As for Bias, special? Well, he was the #2 pick in the draft, there are certain hopes that always go along with a pick that high. Once he died, positive evaluations ceased to be scouting reports as fallible as the next and became prophecies.

As far as his actual ability, Bias was a good scorer (though not markedly better than other top scorers in college at that time), but a poor defender. If you look at his stats you'll see a huge red flag: despite playing as much as 37 mpg, his career high was 0.9 steals. For his career, in 32.6 minutes a game he averaged 0.6 steals. I'm not going to argue the value of steals as an indicator of a player's ability, I'm just going to challenge you to find any guard or forward that contributed so little in college and went on to a successful NBA career.

You are starting to approach WrongWay/Michelle Wie levels with your disdain for the legacy of Bias.

[Subby]

I was 15 when he died and was growing up in ACC basketball country. I saw a lot of his games on the Jefferson-Pilot sports network (broadcast locally on NBC) - particularly when Maryland played UVa or during the ACC tournament. I also followed him in the paper.

In all the years I followed the ACC, I don't ever recall one player dominating like he did. Not Sampson or MJ or Laetner or Grant Hill or Tim Duncan.

Anyway - that's how I'll remember him. A phenomenal ballplayer.

[CraigSca]

Btw, it seems that the Len Bias thing on ESPN is merely a "Top 5 Reasons You Can't Blame" his death for the fall of the Celtics. I was actually hoping they would do a SportsCentury on him or, barring that, at least a 30-minute bio of him.

[Franklinnoble]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Len_Bias

Pretty decent article here... I had forgotten about what happened to his brother.

[Glengoyne]

I've gotta chime in with Subby here. I felt that Bias was an incredible talent in college. I was ecstatic when the Celtics drafted him, as I was a Celtic fan. I certainly didn't consider him to be the next Larry Bird or Magic Johnson, but I believed at the time that he would be a lock to be a "run of the mill" NBA star. Others at the time did elevate him to that superstar level, and I was certainly rooting for that to be the case.

I'll also chime in to say that I'm not thinking that Bias would have been the Celtics savior, but he would have prolonged their stay at the top(at the expense of Detroit), and possibly diminished their plummet to obscurity.

[rkmsuf]

I've gotta chime in with Subby here. I felt that Bias was an incredible talent in college. I was ecstatic when the Celtics drafted him, as I was a Celtic fan. I certainly didn't consider him to be the next Larry Bird or Magic Johnson, but I believed at the time that he would be a lock to be a "run of the mill" NBA star. Others at the time did elevate him to that superstar level, and I was certainly rooting for that to be the case.

I'll also chime in to say that I'm not thinking that Bias would have been the Celtics savior, but he would have prolonged their stay at the top(at the expense of Detroit), and possibly diminished their plummet to obscurity.


It's not even a question that his death had a huge impact on the decline of the Celtics. Even if you say he would have been a run of the mill star.

That, Reggie Lewis, ML Carr and that stupid ping pong ball that went to San Antonio.

Oh yeah and Pitino. It's been quite a run.

[Neuqua]

As someone who was still a bit too young to remember Bias, how exactly did the Celtics get the #2 pick that year? I figure their core was nearing it's old age but did they really fall off that far to be the second worst team in the league?

[Honolulu_Blue]

Hmm... It's odd. While I'm no basketball fan, I am 32 years old and I don't think until today I knew Len Bias played basketball or died from coccaine. I had heard the name before, but I never knew anything about him.

Odd.

[cartman]

As someone who was still a bit too young to remember Bias, how exactly did the Celtics get the #2 pick that year? I figure their core was nearing it's old age but did they really fall off that far to be the second worst team in the league?

Actually, they were reigning NBA champs at that point. They got the pick in a trade, but I don't remember who traded them the pick, and which players were involved.

[rkmsuf]

As someone who was still a bit too young to remember Bias, how exactly did the Celtics get the #2 pick that year? I figure their core was nearing it's old age but did they really fall off that far to be the second worst team in the league?

The Celtics traded Gerald Henderson to the Sonics in 84 for their first round pick in 86.

I find it funny that in 1986 "their core was nearing it's old age."

1985 was arguably the greatest team ever assembled.

[Neuqua]

Relax, as I said it was before my time.

I started following the NBA in the 90s.

[rkmsuf]

Relax, as I said it was before my time.

I started following the NBA in the 90s.

I can still be relaxed and think it's funny.

[stevew]

The Celtics traded Gerald Henderson to the Sonics in 84 for their first round pick in 86.

I find it funny that in 1986 "their core was nearing it's old age."

1985 was arguably the greatest team ever assembled.

If you remember, how did the Cavs trade for the pick that became Daugherty(#1)? I know they got the pick #8 that turned into Ron Harper, cause the league felt sorry for them cause Ted Stepien had traded all their #1's away. In the 80's the difference between the good GM's and bad ones was pretty dramatic. Which is not to say it isn't now, coughIsiahcough, but you look at the fact that the Lakers had the #1 overall in 82, the celtics having this #2 overall pick, etc. The whole Celtics getting McHale thing too.

[ThunderingHERD]

If you remember, how did the Cavs trade for the pick that became Daugherty(#1)?

They traded <a href="http://www.basketball-reference.com/players/h/hinsoro01.html">Roy Hinson</a> for the pick.

[stevew]

Who "knew" Michael Jordan was special? They certainly should have told the Trailblazers. It's very easy to "know" certain things after the fact, or if the fact was never tested. As for Bias, special? Well, he was the #2 pick in the draft, there are certain hopes that always go along with a pick that high. Once he died, positive evaluations ceased to be scouting reports as fallible as the next and became prophecies.

As far as his actual ability, Bias was a good scorer (though not markedly better than other top scorers in college at that time), but a poor defender. If you look at his stats you'll see a <b>huge</b> red flag: despite playing as much as 37 mpg, his career high was 0.9 steals. For his career, in 32.6 minutes a game he averaged 0.6 steals. I'm not going to argue the value of steals as an indicator of a player's ability, I'm just going to challenge you to find any guard or forward that contributed so little in college and went on to a successful NBA career.

I agree that a very low steals number like that is a HUGE red flag for a wing type player.

[st.cronin]

If you remember, how did the Cavs trade for the pick that became Daugherty(#1)? I know they got the pick #8 that turned into Ron Harper, cause the league felt sorry for them cause Ted Stepien had traded all their #1's away. In the 80's the difference between the good GM's and bad ones was pretty dramatic. Which is not to say it isn't now, coughIsiahcough, but you look at the fact that the Lakers had the #1 overall in 82, the celtics having this #2 overall pick, etc. The whole Celtics getting McHale thing too.

Shoot, the Celtics getting LARRY BIRD is a funny story about how dumb the rest of the league was.

[stevew]

Shoot, the Celtics getting LARRY BIRD is a funny story about how dumb the rest of the league was.

Oh, damn, i forgot about that.

[dawgfan]

Len Bias' death was one of the primary reasons I've never had any interest in trying cocaine, so at the very least his death served as a warning to others.

[albionmoonlight]

Shoot, the Celtics getting LARRY BIRD is a funny story about how dumb the rest of the league was.

Do tell.

[rkmsuf]

Do tell.

they signed/drafted him the year before he was eligible for the draft.

[dawgfan]

they signed/drafted him the year before he was eligible for the draft.
I remember that, but I don't recall exactly what the rules were at the time - did the NBA have a draft & follow option? If I recall correctly, he was drafted after his Junior year and joined the Celtics the following year after his huge Senior year where he led Indiana State of all teams to the NCAA finals.

[rkmsuf]

I remember that, but I don't recall exactly what the rules were at the time - did the NBA have a draft & follow option? If I recall correctly, he was drafted after his Junior year and joined the Celtics the following year after his huge Senior year where he led Indiana State of all teams to the NCAA finals.

No idea what the rules were but that's what happened. Red is a smart man.

[st.cronin]

Red was the only one who knew the rules, was what was funny. Everybody else was like "whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat???? I didn't know you could do that!"

[Karlifornia]

Yeah, it was a good opportunity to use this as an anti-drug keystone, but you also have to think about the millions of rails that get snorted and the worst side effect is that you pretend to be friends with that assholish dude that just hooked it up.

[dawgfan]

Yeah, it was a good opportunity to use this as an anti-drug keystone, but you also have to think about the millions of rails that get snorted and the worst side effect is that you pretend to be friends with that assholish dude that just hooked it up.
Still, it has a much, much higher toxicity level than drugs like marijuana, psylocybin or LSD. With marijuana and psylocybin, the toxicity levels are so low that you'd have to ingest vast amounts of the drug at once - far more than you'd ever take to get high - to be in danger of death, and LSD has virtually no toxicity level*; in contrast, the toxicity level of cocaine is such that a not completely unreasonable amount of the drug could kill you.

There are many more reasons why I don't and haven't used cocaine, but Len Bias' death was the first big red flag for me.

* Note: when I say toxicity level, I'm talking about the physical effects of the drug on the human body; of course there are people that do stupid things while high on all of these drugs that result in death, but that's a result of the high produced by the drug rather than a direct biochemical reaction

[ThunderingHERD]

Re: the Larry Bird situation.

I don't think it was as Machiavelian as it sounds. The way I understand it, the Celtics drafted Bird with hopes that he would forego his senior season. Bird chose to return to school--but the Celtics still held his rights until the next draft. After being offered a huge contract, Bird chose to sign with the Celtics rather than re-entering the draft.

[st.cronin]

Re: the Larry Bird situation.

I don't think it was as Machiavelian as it sounds. The way I understand it, the Celtics drafted Bird with hopes that he would forego his senior season. Bird chose to return to school--but the Celtics still held his rights until the next draft. After being offered a huge contract, Bird chose to sign with the Celtics rather than re-entering the draft.

Yes, but it didn't even occur to most other teams that this was possible. It would be as if the Blazers drafted Greg Oden, and it turned out that there was some strange rule that allowed them to keep his rights for 4 years.

[Glengoyne]

No idea what the rules were but that's what happened. Red is a smart man.

I thought the deal was that the Celtics drafted him at a time where he either hadn't declared himself eligible for the draft, or somehow had declared himself eligible for the draft but hadn't decided if he was going to return to school or not. The Celtics drafted him like sixth or eighth overall, and then had to wait to decide if he wanted to sign with them or not. IIRC, he had them sweating because he waited almost until the start of the next draft to sign with them. If he hadn't come to terms with them they would have simply lost the pick.

[IMetTrentGreen]

Who "knew" Michael Jordan was special? They certainly should have told the Trailblazers.

bobby knight did. there is that famous story of him telling somebody with portland that if they needed a center, they should draft jordan and play him at center