Nov

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Bias’ Death Still Resonates 23 Years Later

November 2, 2009 | by Keith | Categories Television | Comments Off

espn30for30It’s amazing how one remembers where they were when an event of historical significance takes place.  Those alive in November of 1963 will always remember where they were on the day President Kennedy was assassinated.  Those today remember what they were doing on 9/11.

Growing up in New England and being a fan of the Boston professional sports teams, I remember where I was on June 19, 1986 when I learned that the Celtics’ top draft pick and the torch bearer in carrying on the Green tradition, Len Bias, died.   Bias died of a cocaine overdose only two days after being drafted by the Celtics.

In the next installment of ESPN’s “30 for 30″ documentary film series, Kirk Fraser produces and directs Without Bias (premieres Tuesday at 8pm on ESPN), which looks back at the tragic end to Bias’ promising basketball career.

As has been the case with the four previous “30 for 30″ entries, Fraser does a good job in bringing us back to 1986 through the words of the people involved in shaping Bias life and basketball career.

The film opens looking at the basketball achievements of Bias beginning in high school, through his college years at the University of Maryland, up until the day he was drafted by the Celtics with the 2nd pick in the 1986 draft. (The Celtics were the defending NBA Champs and obtained Seattle’s 1st round pick after trading G Gerald Henderson to the Sonics in 1984.)

Bias was slated to be the next big name to lead the Celtics to their next level of NBA dominance.  He was being compared to some of the best in the game, even though he had not played one game in the pros.

The film then followed Bias in the hours and days following his selection by the Celtics.  Those who were with Bias the night he died, including former teammates Brian Tribble, Terry Long, and David Gregg, told the story of how Bias and his friends took cocaine and mixed alcohol at a University of Maryland dorm room.  Shortly after 3am on June 19th Bias suffered a seizure and was rushed to a local hospital where he died later that morning.

Much of the film chronicles how those in the Washington, DC area dealt with the death of what was, at the time, an iconic local figure in Bias.  Washington Post columnist Michael Wilbon, then a young reporter, summed up the sentiment of the community in acknowledging that most were unaware that Bias had ever experimented with drugs.

The death of Bias also led to the unfortunate end to a great era of college basketball at the University of Maryland.  The university was unfairly tagged as bring not in control of its program, leading to the suspension of many players and the resignation of long-time coach Lefty Driesell.

Bias’ death led to a move by Congress to enact stricter penalties for drug possession, many of which have been criticized by minority groups as being discriminatory toward African-Americans.

Tribble, Long, and Gregg were indicted by a grand jury for drug possession related to the Bias case.  Charges against Long and Gregg were dropped while Tribble eventually was acquitted of the charges against him.  In 1993 Tribble was convicted of drug possession (on a separate charge) and served 10 years behind bars.

The Bias family would face further tragedy four years later as Len’s younger brother Jay was murdered following a dispute at a local shopping mall.

Bias’ mother Lonise went on to speak out to youngsters on the dangers of drug abuse, a crusade she continues today.

One word of note of which I was unaware was that the Celtics had tested Bias for drugs prior to the draft  and the results were negative.  Celtics General Manager at the time, Jan Volk, said that even if Bias had tested positive for drugs, there was still a chance the C’s would have selected him with their first round draft pick.

Without Bias is another winner in the ESPN documentary series.  Make a point to check it out.


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