Watching Len Bias was like art - Michael Wilbon | SportsCenter
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- čas přidán 5. 06. 2020
- Michael Wilbon joins Rece Davis to talk about the legacy of Len Bias, who he spent time writing about at Maryland while he was a columnist at the Washington Post.
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and MJ was poetry. Can you imagine the rivalry that could have been?
Len would had kill in the 80s he was drafted by the celtics
Rakim Marsh u sound stoooopid. Don’t ever be a scout for any sport
@@hardhittinnb8333 , lol..I know right
@@hardhittinnb8333 he's slow
stl26mo Isaiah beat Mike in both of their primes, while Mike beat the pistons after they got older.
GREAT sportscaster Michael Wilbon, giving Len Bias his due, thank you for that sir. You were awesome in the Last Dance too!
College careers:
Jordan [3 years] = 17.7 ppg (.540 fg%), 5.0 rpg, 1.8 apg, 1.7 spg, 0.7 bpg
Bias [4 years] = 16.4 ppg (.536 fg%), 5.7 rpg, 1.3 apg, 0.6 spg, 0.7 bpg
North Carolina Tar Heels vs Maryland Terrapins on January 12, 1984:
Bias = 24 pts, 4 rebs
Jordan = 21 pts, 12 rebs (7 off), 2 blks, at least 4 stls
Highlights of the game was uploaded by starks23 (stats provided in the description), which ended with Jordan's iconic cradle dunk at the buzzer. Both men played each other four times overall. The first two in '83, Bias wasn't a starter yet. The last one was on February 19th the next year where Jordan scored 25 and Bias had 18.
He was truly something special. There is no telling the kind off player he would have been, especially when you consider he would have played a couple of years with Larry Bird.
Len Bias death put the University of Maryland's basketball program in a tailspin for 15 years.
It rocked the Maryland community to its core. A native son with more talent than 99% of athlete's. Gone in 1 night.
Not just the Basketball program the entire Athletic Department.
Bias’s Death also ruined the 15 years of Celtics future ... GD shame the Kid was a beast Rest in Power Legend
My Dad is the same age as Len, so he remembers vividly how amazing Len was. We are from Maryland and are lifelong UMD basketball fans. Such a tragedy
There is nobody that saw him that didn't think he was going to be a great NBA player.
Future Hall Of Famer.GUARANTEED
Len Bias and Ben Wilson I wish I would’ve seen play in the NBA...both sad stories 😔
💯 What if?🤔
Bias was unreal! Would’ve had an amazing nba career!
Lenny was Special
He was Shawn Kemp, Dominique and Bernard King all rolled into one
As well as Jordan too.. but great comparison.
CRAIG PRICE Jordan is more like Dr. J , George gervin , David Thompson type
AMEN!
LeBron too, because he probably would've been about 240-245lbs in his prime.With a better jumper.
He was more than that
He died on my birthday after being drafted two days earlier by my favorite team who had won the NBA title that year. I was overwhelmed with joy when it was announced that the Celtics had drafted Len Bias. Two days later I was overwhelmed with shock and saddest. It's as painful now as it was then. : (
I agree, it makes my heart sing and sink every time I think about Len Bias.
I grew up a Celtics fan, I was so excited when they drafted him. Such a sad story. He might have been a hall of famer
I was a lakers fan at the time, but I still remember the day he died and how sad it was to see so many things that could have been come to absolutely nothing. I was really looking for the Celtics and the lakers to continue that great rivalry at a higher level.
Larry Bird, Len Bias, Reggie Lewis, Kevin Mchale, Robert Parish, Dennis Johnson
Bias was the greatest college player I ever saw. What a shock and a waste when he died. Then they blame Lefty Driesell, a great coach. It's unimaginable to me how much greater he could have been if he was not doing drugs in college. The Celtics probably would have won a few more championships if Bias and Reggie Lewis had not died.
Len Bias was magic on the basketball floor he was superman rest in peace Len Bias ❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤
He was still a raw prospect when he entered the NBA, Michael. All about it the Celtics could develop him well.
Grew up in North Carolina during that time. Watched Bias on the old ACC telecast. Bias was the truth.
Rest in peace len bias 🙏
ESPN misses the boat not mentioning it could've been Bias and Reggie Lewis vs MJ and Pippen.
No, you are wrong. If they had Bias, they would not have been in the lottery to pick Lewis. Boston would have been winning.
@@kcorpora1 where was Reggie drafted. I totally forgot he was a lottery pick.
Good one!
@@kcorpora1 The Celtics made the final and lost to the Lakers in 87’ Reggie Lewis was picked second to last in that year’s first round draft.
@@kcorpora1WRONG, Reggie was picked 2nd to last in the draft.
Nice content and commentary.
I wasn't even born yet to experience Len Bias when he was dominating in College at Maryland, but it's interesting to think how this man would have altered history if he would have lived on. That was a era when basketball players were going to College at least 2-3 years. The path for basketball players back then was similar to football players. That was also during the 80's crack epidemic in the black community and in low income, impoverished neighborhoods across America. Very sad for the Bias family. What could have been potentially for him and Boston for the rest of the 80's heading into the 90's.
True, I actually grew up in the Kentland area of Landover where Len Bias grew up. Talked to his brother Kevin in recent years, his mom Lonise is a minister who goes around the country on speaking engagements talking about the perils of drugs. She's a really nice, approachable woman.
It broke my heart (destroyed our future) as a Boston Celtics fan. I heard that Lenny Bias was "A young Dominque Williams... but stronger!!" Devastating for his family of course!! Almost as devastating for the fans of New England! (Well... maybe not "almost"... but you guys know what I mean.) Everybody loses when Lenny died!! Along with Bias's family... we'll never get over it.
I can't imagine the dynasty Boston might have had. It would have been extra sweet as big a MD fan Red Auerbach was. I graduated from Maryland in 1982, had Buck Williams the first three years and was still in the area following the Terps fervently after graduation when Len began playing. When he died, I was working nights for the postal service and a good friend called me as I got home to tell me and I thought he was BSing me. Around that time a space shuttle blew up on re-entry, same thing, thought he was kidding me. Never forget either event, couldn't go to sleep glued to the TV. Will also never forget all the overnights spent in Cole Field House to get tickets for Duke, Carolina, Virginia, etc...Lefty would always come marching in from the tunnel at court level, walk up the stairs, and give us the V sign! Wild times. He too, was a great guy, ran in to him at Cole while picking up tickets after fall finals while picking up tickets for the break games, he stopped up, talked to us and thanked us for coming to those games.
I live in Canada; didn't have cable and never saw Bias play. I only read about how good he was in SI. God only knows how the Celtics ended up with the 2nd pick after putting up their greatest season of the '80's. I recall telling a coworker what a great addition he was going to be, and telling him the next day that Bias was dead. And, think about Reggie Lewis a few years later.
DC native here. When Len Bias died, the city went quiet. Like an unofficial 3 day mourning. And then his brother passed away a few years ago. Tragic
Oh man the Celtics would have rolled off 3 to 5 more consecutive titles with Len Bias. He could be a PF or SF and probably an All-Star numerous times.
Greatest
As a Celts fan, I especially wish I could have seen how many more titles we would have won with Bias.
I got a Len Bias jersey I break out every year.......
I found in Japan for ¥3000...that’s about $26 US
Clean
Wow
When I found it. My friend Tony Washington found a ”Legend” Indiana St.....
CLEAN!!!! As Well.
probably fake
Wow, in Japan, really!!
I don't care what you say, the biggest What If in NBA history is if Len Bias didn't die
What If? That Celtics Dynasty could have been even Bigger as it already was...
Exactly he obviously would've made that dynasty stronger.
@@breal7716 i think so too
Bias an Lewis would've bridged that 80s dominance into the 90s would've been competitive
@@guillermovazquez1084 yes..i think those Bad Boys wouldn't be remembered as Champions..
@@pauljansen1137 Facts 💯
❤❤😢😢 this guy said it as best as one could .... worst conspiracy of my youth ... my hands still shake when I see these clips ... oh how they would just sweep people under carpets ... it was a guaranteed death to a body and mind like that .... those are the friends that better friends should have horror clipped out of existence... Bird was disgusted, McHale distracted, chief went into hiding, celtics still to this day know they should be on banner 27
Len Bias was Michael Jordan’s kyptonite
makes me sad as a Celtics fan 😢
Yeah as a basketball fan 1st, Laker fan 2nd, I think he would have bridged that gap between him and Larry Bird and kept the Celtics relevant in the 90s. Would have been exciting to see it. So sad...
Dear ESPN, fix the sound please.
They said he trained with the football team too dude was a freak
My og says that Bias played all 5 positions back in the day and that he would have been better than MJ by far 🤔
Bias would have been a top 10 all time player, he was that good. The most likely outcome though is that he would have driven MJ to even greater heights than the MJ we all witnessed, was able to reach.
@@cyber6sapien mj beat him in college
@@mcjr1989 MJ has a better supporting cast back then
Wish he got to have a full NBA career
Lakers, Pistons, Bull would have never happened if Len Bias lived. The Celtics would have had 20 championships.
3:08 that 3 point line is laughable
Yes it was. Sampson was the reason the ACC did that.
OMG. Thanks for pointing that out. That is ridiculous.
Bias death really ended the 1957 to 1986 Celtic dynasty, Reggie Lewis hurt too. Huge self inflicted tragedy, bos fan. I think we get 1 more ring if bias lived
Len Bias was amazing... could jump, had a jump hook, a nice mid-range jumper, super athletic. Although it's not spoken about much, but in 1986 he would have entered into a league that featured Larry Bird, Magic, MJ and there was this dude in Atlanta that could jump, had a mid-range game, and was SUPER ATHLETIC. Len Bias was more parts Dominique Wilkins than he was anyone else. That was going to be his challenge....to be better than the Atlanta Hawks starting small forward.
No, I disagree, I actually think Len's game was even more polished than Dominique. Len's jump shot was like no other not even Dominique Wilkins.
@@craigprice1598 I see that you're a big Len fan. The polish on the jumper is one perspective and could be debated. I won't. But in terms of where Nique was at the time of Len's draft.... he was the league scoring champion, and when him and MJ went at it there was no guarantee who would score more that night.
Point being, Len wasn't comparable to MJ in terms of style. Nique was the guy he was gonna have the most in common with.
Wow Larry Bird would of at least 2 more chips , it was Birds 7 year in Bias rookie year what a scary combination
Its no telling how many more championships would have had Len Bias never passed away.
He was the 1st version of KD.
On my clean date June 19 years
Part of the reason Jordan ended up being the goat was because he didn’t have an adversary. Magic had Bird. Kobe had Duncan. LeBron has Durant and Steph. Len would’ve been his adversary I think
Duncan's Rival
was Shaq not Kobe!
If Bias was able to stay out of trouble. The opportunity was there for him. How many players the caliber of Bias get drafted by the defending NBA champions?
Bias would have been Jordan's #1 competitor!...it sucks he didn't live for us to see that!..✌️
Jordan already beat him in college
@@mcjr1989 MJ has a better supporting cast
@@zhawn4894 clearly mj was the best player on that game,, he did it all...block, steals, acrobatic shots and dunks....
@@zhawn4894 mj was the better player, accept it...mj does all the things from blocking shots, stealing the ball, dunking and making acrobatic shots...bias only does offense not even playing defense
@@mcjr1989 yeah MJ is the better player when did i said Bias is better? And also Bias can block shots
Being great in college doesn't always mean you'll be great as a professional. You can't project injury, remember how great Andrew Luck was promised to be?
Andrew luck wasnt bad tho? He wasnt a goat but he was closer to being great than being a bust.
@@lloydbonafide3398 But he also wasn't what a lot of media pundits said that he was gonna be him which was the next great generational QB. Some expectations never fully live up to the ones ppl make but that's not saying he wasn't good.
Injuries ruined Lucks chances
KENNYDREAD It’s not fault that the team took pretty much all of his career to waste with that O-Line
Lloyd Bonafide
Projecting in basketball is much easier than in football, particularly a quarterback.
My Boston Celtics would have had at least 2, 3 more championships with him on the team!
This was bron wit the jumper
We lost Len and Jay Bias it crushed the DMV he was supposed to be what Kevin Durant has become for our hometown and represent Washington DC basketball
He would have been larger than KD
@@craigprice1598 You don't get better than the best in the game and that would have been just more confirmations from P.G. County MD
@@campbellsportsinc , I am sorry, what are we are we talking about?
Would Bias have come off the bench or would they move Bird to the 3?
Nice problem to have.
Imo a more athletic TMac. With the amount of double teams Celtics created especially in the paint, Len and Larry would be competing every game who hits more 3s. Imagine being in the post stuck on Mchale and just expecting him to hook it over u, then he passes it behind him to a driving Len Bias coming right at you. I rlly dont think any team in the 80s could handle that much talent on 1 team. If Len played that Celtic team would dominate any team today
He would have got 4 rings with Celtics
No doubt!
The Celtics lost a lot of great years with Reggie Lewis and Len bias gone
MJ possibly wouldn’t be The Goat or this would be Tupac & Biggie. Some things just happen . Like Jay Z is reaping the odd benefit that Pac & Biggie died. Jordan never lost partially because he didn’t have to go through Bias.
They said Shaq and Larry Johnson were going to be a threat.. let's just calm down
I concur
Bro this duded was the lebron James prototype. 6 foot 8 man he would have gave mj fits
how did the celtics have the number 2 pick that year?
That's why I love how Jordan and Isiah Thomas started out with terrible teams and still won. Larry would have at least 5 rings
Just like how Detroit Pistons back in 2000 had the #2 pick but ended picking Draco 😂
@@dpoon1987 chance to have Melo 💀
They traded Gerald Henderson to Seattle the year before to get their #1 pick in 1986.
Somebody give me a good comparison for Len Bias I heard Dominique Wilkins and Shawn Kemp
Fun fact: the Reebok pump would have been bias' signature sneaker had he not died...
Imagine a world where Reebok pps are the most popular sneaker instead of Jordan's!!!!
Bias' death affected the entire trajectory of the nba
No the Reebok Pump technology didn't come out until 1992! the Reebok shoe they were working on would have been called the 'HIGH' Bias. as in High Tops you hoped not to get too High in because you could die of Drug Overdose.
I didn't realize how sweet his mid-range was. With that athleticism, just learn to put it on the floor for 3 secs.
He probably got sac'd as the League don't want another superstar to coincide with Jordan
Did he just say he hasn't seen any 6'8 shoot a basketball like him before him or since?. So I guess he never heard of Bernard King before and never heard of Tracy McGrady or Lebron James since 🤔
Len Bias = Lebron?
No, Bias was an assassin.
Len bias gave jordam his run at fame
80s Larry n magic
90 jordan/ Len died-------
00 kobe Duncan
10 step bron
20???
Bias was better.
Alot of ppl don't realize that if Bostons players in the 80s that wasn't riddled by drug heads they would have took over the 90s.
He was joining the 86' celtics so he would of won a chip in his rookie season
The '86-87' Celtics lost to the Lakers.
Fernando Carrazzoni they would have won if they had him
86-87 will be his rookie season not the 85-86 when Larry and the Celtics had the best record but maybe they could havr won 86-87 if Len Bias live
Wilson is the gatekeeper of old school basketball lol .. i pay homage but cut it out with you haven’t seen guys over 6’8 shoot like that 😂
The jumper was wet.
Does Wilbon think a lefty hook is super rare or something?
Did you even comprehend what he was saying!?😆.... He was saying that because he was ambidextrous when it came to shooting hook shots with his left and right hand at 6'8 in the early to mid 80's!... Imagine LeBron who's also 6'8 making both left and right handed hooks shots... imagine Duncan doing that.... imagine Hakeem doing that....so that's what he meant by that!....tell me how many players his size in the NBA today you see or know of that can hit consistent hook shots with both their left and right hands.....take your time, I'll wait.🤣...... exactly! ...I don't think you listened to the commentary and fully comprehended what was being said.
Hmmm, did anyone defend Kareem's Sky Hook ?. Noooooooooo.
@@72Dexter72Manley72 thank you!!😆
Jack Black I’ve seen Lebron and Kobe shoot jump shots with their left hand. As someone who has played basketball myself I can tell you an off handed hook shot is pretty basic and should be part of any big man’s repertoire. Wilbon also specifically said he never saw him do it in a game lol. I appreciate your passion though
@@mnanji4 again you're failing to listen and comprehend....you asked a question based off of Wilbon's comment about him possessing the ability to shot a hook with both his left and right hand...now your rebuttal is well I've seen LeBron and Kobe both do it before...but once again my friend you're missing the point.... HE'S TALKING ABOUT A 6'8 POWER FORWARD IN THE EARLY TO MID 80'S! what part of that didn't you understand?😆 You're talking about LeBron and Kobe, but he was talking about him during the early 80s,not in today's time! Stay focused on the topic at hand son!😆 Even if he didn't perform it in a game it was part of his arsenal that he was working on....which he hadn't seen someone that size (FOR THE PARTICULAR PLACE IN TIME) do!...this fool talking about Kobe and LeBron have done it....yeah now in today's time, but that's not what the segment was about! ...😆🤦🏾♂️
Art??? lol Funny af
90th comment 🍆🥑🥦
Too bad
mj wouldnt have 6 if len didnt die
L
Fact!
Surprise wilbon ain’t make this all about Jordan
Lenny Bias wow! He was better than MJ. The NBA and the Celtics were robbed of a great dynasty and legend.
If we compare Jordan to Bias in college stats, then it is interesting. Granted Jordan only played 3 years in college, while Bias played 4. FG% about the same. Bias was the better free throw shooter. Jordan was better at 3 point percentage and had more steals, assists and points per game. Bias had more rebounds. Jordan was quicker while Bias was probably stronger. I'm not sure Bias would've had Jordan's relentless determination and drive. Bias would've also had to stay out of trouble.
@@rushrush1209 , I think he even had the drive but unfortunately he had some bad apples in his circle.
Just say no to drugs
Len bias would of been average in the nba. I think he would of had a Chris Bosh type career
11 all-star selections and 2 rings is not your average NBA career.
Christian Moore thank you
Think again, Imagine a more aggressive magic johnson on offense and defense.
You must not have ever seen Len Bias play. His shot was smooth as silk. His defense was top notch.
When Coach K said Len and Jordan were the greatest he had ever seen from the ACC. You need to believe him.
Len Bias was a combo of Melo and Tmac. Great Player in any era and any league!
Lenny could dunk like Dominique and score like Bernard King with the finesse that rivaled Jordan
Here we go with these old heads
Snowblind
8 straight videos that didn't race bait. You feeling ok, ESPN?
He was a tireless worker because he was hyped up on COKE
No Dummy.
He was a physical freak. A physically bigger Jordan who could do everything.
From teammates who were with Len when he Overdosed. It was his first time trying Cocaine.
A huge difference between Jordan and this Bias, is that Micheal was not an addict. So don't dare to compare both please
And how much does MJ do positive in communities? Chirp... Chirp...
He would have been a bust.
Obviously, you never seen Lenny play.
Ur an MJ fan boy