Len Bias was a basketball player who died of a cocaine overdose less than 48 hours after being selected by the Boston Celtics in the 1986 NBA Draft. From Landover, Maryland, Bias attended the University of Maryland where he became a star player and All-American. Wearing number 34, he impressed basketball fans with his amazing leaping ability and his ability to create plays. He was selected as Atlantic Coast Conference player of the year in 1985 and 1986.On a gray, rainy afternoon last month, Laron Profit and Terrell Stokes emerged from their room in Washington Hall on the University of Maryland campus, Profit holding a basketball and Stokes clutching a handful of pens and pencils. It was finals week, and as Profit headed to the gym, Stokes was preparing to take his math exam. For the two freshmen basketball players, it was difficult to tell which activity was more important. "It?s tough," Profit explained, "because you?ve got to say to yourself, ?I?m here for academics, but basketball is paying for me to be here.? Which do you pay more attention to?" That question has been discussed in depth at Maryland for a decade. Ten years ago today, the university entered one of the darkest periods in its history when basketball star Len Bias (pictured in red) died of a cocaine overdose in his dorm room at Washington Hall. Bias?s death and the university?s two ensuing internal reviews prompted a series of fundamental changes to athletic department policy: a stricter admissions process; an enhancement of its new mandatory, random drug testing program; higher academic minimums athletes must achieve to remain eligible to play; an expanded tutorial and guidance staff.It's true. Len Bias would have turned 40 today. "Wow!" says Danny Ainge. Yeah, wow. It is more than 17 years since Len Bias's brief association with the Celtics, and he remains the greatest "what-if?" in team history. At least we saw Reggie Lewis play. Bias never played a game for the Celtics. He was a member of the organization for fewer than 48 hours, dying of a cocaine overdose in the wee small hours of June 19, hours after returning to Washington following a day in Boston as the Celtics' first pick in the 1986 draft. His death still reverberates in the team offices. Without any doubt, he would have directly affected the fortunes of the team well into the '90s, with predictable impact on the current situation. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Len_Bias http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/sport...unch/bias19.htm Sad story what could of been, I didnt post all that was written the links give more info i just put a little article the rest you can read by clicking on the two links.
I still have a hard time listening to that story. What If is right. The early 90's were the darkest period in the history of the team, and having a star on the squad would have saved us a lot of grief. Not only that, but he seemed like one hell of a player and a man. But let's face it, coke was the rave of the day, and more than a few stars in entertainment that dipped into it their fair share. Oh well, hopefully (obviously) a lesson learned for potential NBA stars for the last twenty years. That whole draft was a disaster, and I think we've all learned a lot from that year. I don't think any of us C's fans will actually get over it. We saw one of the most promising players in the history of the franchise die in front of our eyes. Tough to deal with. Thanks go to David Stern for learning as much of a lesson as anyone, and instituting pre-draft drug tests.
yup you are right really sad story and i am a little celtics fan altough im a big bulls fan but that story still gets to me what could of been man......
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting The Bogut Bomb:</div><div class="quote_post">yea he could of still been playing today as a veteran</div> He'd have to be pretty Jordan-esque to pull that off, but who knows? He sure did have a lot of potential.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting The Bogut Bomb:</div><div class="quote_post">yea he could of still been playing today as a veteran</div> Yeah he still could of been playing he probably could of been an all-star promosing player really but still sad
