1 00:00:00,400 --> 00:00:02,480 Speaker 1: This podcast is based in large part of the book 2 00:00:02,600 --> 00:00:06,240 Speaker 1: Born Ready, The Mixed Legacy of Lemby's. Some quotes are 3 00:00:06,280 --> 00:00:09,559 Speaker 1: narrated by Davon Grady, a podcast producer and the author 4 00:00:09,600 --> 00:00:12,200 Speaker 1: of the book, from interviews done for the book. Recordings 5 00:00:12,280 --> 00:00:14,040 Speaker 1: for these comments were not available. 6 00:00:15,280 --> 00:00:18,680 Speaker 2: The Wren the boy man, it's so sad when the 7 00:00:18,800 --> 00:00:20,919 Speaker 2: young Grado the game. 8 00:00:21,079 --> 00:00:23,560 Speaker 3: I was a big fan of Lenny Byes. I just 9 00:00:23,680 --> 00:00:26,599 Speaker 3: loved his game because you know, he was just a 10 00:00:26,760 --> 00:00:27,560 Speaker 3: flamble player. 11 00:00:29,600 --> 00:00:32,920 Speaker 4: We both loved Doctor J. And they said Doctor J 12 00:00:33,080 --> 00:00:39,640 Speaker 4: would not leave to designed the last autograph of the last. 13 00:00:37,800 --> 00:00:39,720 Speaker 5: You told me for the book that that's that he 14 00:00:39,840 --> 00:00:41,279 Speaker 5: introduced you to cocaine that night. 15 00:00:41,440 --> 00:00:44,240 Speaker 6: He just told me, correct, that that's correct. 16 00:00:44,840 --> 00:00:45,000 Speaker 7: Right. 17 00:00:47,760 --> 00:00:54,360 Speaker 8: I have never seen no lend too to use to 18 00:00:54,440 --> 00:00:57,120 Speaker 8: the step side from someone else said that. 19 00:00:57,600 --> 00:01:00,440 Speaker 9: He said, I'm not interested. He said there's something about 20 00:01:00,560 --> 00:01:00,800 Speaker 9: him that. 21 00:01:03,720 --> 00:01:08,240 Speaker 3: Boston Celtics select letting bias at the University of Maryland. 22 00:01:12,200 --> 00:01:14,280 Speaker 7: Yeah, I really was hoping that it. 23 00:01:14,360 --> 00:01:17,920 Speaker 10: Was Boston, and my dream came through. This is a 24 00:01:17,959 --> 00:01:19,960 Speaker 10: great kid. He's going to play. 25 00:01:22,040 --> 00:01:24,520 Speaker 11: Our biggest part of the pitch was that he would 26 00:01:24,720 --> 00:01:27,959 Speaker 11: be our guy. Really and then he just said, yeah, 27 00:01:28,000 --> 00:01:29,480 Speaker 11: I can't. I wish my mom was part of this, Like, 28 00:01:29,520 --> 00:01:31,360 Speaker 11: I can't wait to get home and see my mom. 29 00:01:33,880 --> 00:01:38,080 Speaker 1: Up next to Lembys Mixed Legacy, Barnstormer, and Boston. 30 00:01:40,160 --> 00:01:41,119 Speaker 3: Fly Man. 31 00:01:41,160 --> 00:01:41,880 Speaker 12: It's so sad. 32 00:01:46,560 --> 00:01:55,880 Speaker 13: Yeah, yeah about around today feet Bill, right, Yeah, what 33 00:01:56,040 --> 00:02:04,720 Speaker 13: I'm doing bon storm and we well. 34 00:02:02,040 --> 00:02:05,720 Speaker 6: Yeah, the college playing days of Len Bias were not over. 35 00:02:05,800 --> 00:02:08,880 Speaker 6: After Maryland lost in the second round of the NCAA 36 00:02:09,000 --> 00:02:13,000 Speaker 6: Tournament in nineteen eighty six. About a month later, Bias 37 00:02:13,120 --> 00:02:16,160 Speaker 6: was back in North Carolina playing basketball, but in a 38 00:02:16,200 --> 00:02:18,000 Speaker 6: much more relaxed atmosphere. 39 00:02:19,800 --> 00:02:23,200 Speaker 3: Well, actually, the barnstorm and Tour started in North Carolina 40 00:02:23,240 --> 00:02:28,280 Speaker 3: exclusively in nineteen fifty seven when Lenny Rosenblue and that 41 00:02:28,560 --> 00:02:31,239 Speaker 3: UNC team went thirty two and oh and beat Wilt 42 00:02:31,320 --> 00:02:35,840 Speaker 3: Chamberlain in triple overtime. They got back to Chapel Hill 43 00:02:37,040 --> 00:02:43,120 Speaker 3: and people were so excited they started doing these you know, 44 00:02:43,800 --> 00:02:46,080 Speaker 3: there were I believe four seniors on that team. They 45 00:02:46,120 --> 00:02:49,359 Speaker 3: went out and they played games just to sort of 46 00:02:49,720 --> 00:02:53,720 Speaker 3: thank the fans. And it continued through the sixties, primarily 47 00:02:53,720 --> 00:02:55,120 Speaker 3: with University of North Carolina. 48 00:02:56,040 --> 00:02:59,760 Speaker 6: That's Mike Sumner, the founder of the ACC Barnstorming Tour. 49 00:03:00,120 --> 00:03:03,280 Speaker 6: He started it in nineteen eighty two. The tour gatherers 50 00:03:03,360 --> 00:03:06,880 Speaker 6: seniors from Atlantic Coast Conference schools, pays them to play 51 00:03:06,880 --> 00:03:09,799 Speaker 6: in all star games that are more fan friendly than 52 00:03:09,880 --> 00:03:11,160 Speaker 6: fierce competitions. 53 00:03:12,080 --> 00:03:14,560 Speaker 3: I was a big fan of Lenny Bias. I just 54 00:03:14,680 --> 00:03:18,160 Speaker 3: loved his game. Lenny came down. He spent two weeks 55 00:03:19,000 --> 00:03:23,160 Speaker 3: in the Carolinas, in Virginia and South Carolina playing games, 56 00:03:24,200 --> 00:03:27,440 Speaker 3: and these guys get paid. He was a great He 57 00:03:27,560 --> 00:03:30,680 Speaker 3: was a great drawl because you know, he was just 58 00:03:30,720 --> 00:03:31,720 Speaker 3: a phenomenal player. 59 00:03:32,600 --> 00:03:35,520 Speaker 6: In April nineteen eighty six, the life of Len Bias 60 00:03:35,680 --> 00:03:38,400 Speaker 6: was in transition. He expected to be a top pick 61 00:03:38,440 --> 00:03:41,600 Speaker 6: in the NBA draft. Two months later, Len said he 62 00:03:41,640 --> 00:03:44,480 Speaker 6: wanted to complete his degree, that he wanted people to 63 00:03:44,520 --> 00:03:47,360 Speaker 6: know that he had graduated from the University of Maryland. 64 00:03:47,640 --> 00:03:50,960 Speaker 6: He would consider it an accomplishment, he said. But an 65 00:03:50,960 --> 00:03:54,520 Speaker 6: academic adviser told his coach Lefty Drizzl that Len was 66 00:03:54,600 --> 00:03:58,640 Speaker 6: struggling that semester. Drizzell said Bias should consider dropping some 67 00:03:58,800 --> 00:04:01,200 Speaker 6: courses to a failing grades. 68 00:04:01,800 --> 00:04:05,040 Speaker 12: Listen, if he had passed he's fifteen, he might have 69 00:04:05,080 --> 00:04:05,880 Speaker 12: been taking eighteen. 70 00:04:06,440 --> 00:04:10,920 Speaker 10: The last semester right, he would have been six credits short. 71 00:04:11,280 --> 00:04:13,880 Speaker 7: Told him, I said, Linda, you ought to drop. 72 00:04:14,080 --> 00:04:18,560 Speaker 3: Drop all the courses or take in complete, but don't fail. 73 00:04:19,400 --> 00:04:22,000 Speaker 6: Bias said no, he wanted to pass them. 74 00:04:22,200 --> 00:04:24,880 Speaker 12: He said, well, I'll past because I know all these 75 00:04:24,880 --> 00:04:26,440 Speaker 12: professors out there pass me. 76 00:04:26,520 --> 00:04:28,280 Speaker 9: I know I've been missing a lot of class. 77 00:04:28,440 --> 00:04:29,440 Speaker 10: And he flunked the ball. 78 00:04:30,240 --> 00:04:32,800 Speaker 14: Did you know that he was paying his way to go. 79 00:04:32,720 --> 00:04:35,280 Speaker 12: To summer school because I had a rule a couple 80 00:04:35,279 --> 00:04:37,920 Speaker 12: of years before because a lot of my players were 81 00:04:37,920 --> 00:04:40,760 Speaker 12: flunking a course or one, you know, one. 82 00:04:40,600 --> 00:04:42,880 Speaker 14: Course or something, so they would have to go to 83 00:04:42,920 --> 00:04:44,599 Speaker 14: summer school to get their degree. 84 00:04:45,080 --> 00:04:48,440 Speaker 10: And I said, look, if you flunk a course because you. 85 00:04:49,120 --> 00:04:52,200 Speaker 12: Uh tried and went to class and took your jam 86 00:04:52,320 --> 00:04:54,040 Speaker 12: and everything and you still. 87 00:04:53,800 --> 00:04:56,000 Speaker 9: Flunk, I'll pay your way to summer school. 88 00:04:56,279 --> 00:04:59,240 Speaker 3: But if I talked to the professor and he said 89 00:04:59,279 --> 00:05:01,680 Speaker 3: the guy in I'm to plan and take the exam, 90 00:05:02,120 --> 00:05:04,880 Speaker 3: I'm not paying your way to go to some muschook. 91 00:05:04,920 --> 00:05:06,520 Speaker 9: He just didn't go to class. 92 00:05:06,800 --> 00:05:10,760 Speaker 6: Wendy Whittmore, the academic advisor for Bias, said he struggled 93 00:05:10,800 --> 00:05:13,320 Speaker 6: with the fact that he was failing classes and that 94 00:05:13,400 --> 00:05:17,159 Speaker 6: he took his academics seriously, but she said he stopped 95 00:05:17,200 --> 00:05:22,640 Speaker 6: attending classes after the fall semester. Podcast producer Dave Ungrady, 96 00:05:22,720 --> 00:05:25,800 Speaker 6: from his book about Bias. 97 00:05:25,279 --> 00:05:28,760 Speaker 5: Wendy Whittemore told me Len had a sense of dignity. 98 00:05:29,120 --> 00:05:32,120 Speaker 5: He was intelligent. He knew it and I knew it. 99 00:05:32,880 --> 00:05:37,039 Speaker 6: Still, Bias ended up dropping two courses, he flunked three others, 100 00:05:37,120 --> 00:05:41,760 Speaker 6: and fell twenty one credit short of graduating. Whitmore blamed Bias' 101 00:05:41,839 --> 00:05:45,599 Speaker 6: academic failures that semester on being a basketball star with 102 00:05:45,680 --> 00:05:49,640 Speaker 6: a bright NBA future. Maryland's athletic director Dick dah said 103 00:05:49,640 --> 00:05:52,640 Speaker 6: it was unrealistic to think that Bias would complete his 104 00:05:52,720 --> 00:05:56,080 Speaker 6: five courses that semester, that the pressure Len felt to 105 00:05:56,120 --> 00:05:59,719 Speaker 6: prepare for a career in the NBA was inconsistent with 106 00:05:59,760 --> 00:06:04,160 Speaker 6: st and finishing a degree. The final months of Len 107 00:06:04,240 --> 00:06:07,520 Speaker 6: Bias's life were filled with lots of free time. It 108 00:06:07,640 --> 00:06:11,080 Speaker 6: was fun, adventurous, a bit careless, and by the end, 109 00:06:11,400 --> 00:06:15,400 Speaker 6: fatally reckless. The fun part started with the Barnstorming Tour, 110 00:06:15,720 --> 00:06:19,359 Speaker 6: a two weeks hoops road show through the Carolinas. Sumner 111 00:06:19,400 --> 00:06:22,680 Speaker 6: compared the games to a Harlem Globetrotters event play is 112 00:06:22,760 --> 00:06:25,880 Speaker 6: loose and bending the rules as common, and Len fit 113 00:06:26,040 --> 00:06:26,440 Speaker 6: right in. 114 00:06:27,200 --> 00:06:30,039 Speaker 3: And Lenny took the game seriously when it needed to 115 00:06:30,040 --> 00:06:33,080 Speaker 3: be taken seriously. But if we were playing the Runo 116 00:06:33,240 --> 00:06:38,039 Speaker 3: Rapids Police Department or the PTA from someplace, he had 117 00:06:38,040 --> 00:06:38,560 Speaker 3: fun with it. 118 00:06:38,960 --> 00:06:39,120 Speaker 7: You know. 119 00:06:39,160 --> 00:06:42,039 Speaker 3: He hit foul on and he go grab a kid 120 00:06:42,200 --> 00:06:45,200 Speaker 3: to shoot his foul shots. That's how well he connected 121 00:06:45,200 --> 00:06:47,520 Speaker 3: with people. And then I can remember one time we 122 00:06:47,520 --> 00:06:50,520 Speaker 3: were out there playing and the AEC was up probably 123 00:06:50,560 --> 00:06:53,159 Speaker 3: about forty points, and he just sat down in the 124 00:06:53,240 --> 00:06:56,360 Speaker 3: stands and started yelling and screaming at the other players 125 00:06:56,480 --> 00:06:57,520 Speaker 3: do certain things. 126 00:06:58,120 --> 00:06:59,560 Speaker 14: And he just sort of got. 127 00:06:59,440 --> 00:07:02,800 Speaker 3: It understood that that that that these games weren't about 128 00:07:03,440 --> 00:07:06,760 Speaker 3: people watching basketball. They were an event. At least people 129 00:07:06,920 --> 00:07:09,480 Speaker 3: never have a chance to see these athletes. And Lynn 130 00:07:09,520 --> 00:07:12,640 Speaker 3: would not leave the gym until everybody got an autograph. 131 00:07:13,000 --> 00:07:15,480 Speaker 3: And so the autograph session would go sometime with Lynn 132 00:07:15,520 --> 00:07:18,160 Speaker 3: an hour to an hour and a half and everybody 133 00:07:18,160 --> 00:07:20,720 Speaker 3: else was was was was in the locker room, and 134 00:07:20,760 --> 00:07:23,440 Speaker 3: there was Lynn after sign autographs. And I asked them 135 00:07:23,560 --> 00:07:26,440 Speaker 3: one night about it, and he said, well, when I 136 00:07:26,440 --> 00:07:28,640 Speaker 3: was a little boy, I tried to get an autograph 137 00:07:29,480 --> 00:07:31,680 Speaker 3: at a at a at a at a basketball game, 138 00:07:31,720 --> 00:07:34,200 Speaker 3: and I couldn't get it. And I said to myself, 139 00:07:34,200 --> 00:07:35,640 Speaker 3: that would ever happen to me if I ever got 140 00:07:35,680 --> 00:07:37,960 Speaker 3: to be famous. So that was kind of a neat story. 141 00:07:39,280 --> 00:07:42,800 Speaker 6: John Sally played in some of the barnstorming games with Bias. 142 00:07:42,960 --> 00:07:46,280 Speaker 4: We both loved Doctor J. And they said Doctor J 143 00:07:46,440 --> 00:07:48,680 Speaker 4: would not leave, so he signed the last autograph or 144 00:07:48,720 --> 00:07:49,679 Speaker 4: didn't last interview. 145 00:07:50,760 --> 00:07:53,960 Speaker 6: Sumner recalls how Bias connected with a disabled boy. 146 00:07:54,880 --> 00:07:57,200 Speaker 3: We're playing out in the eastern part of the state 147 00:07:57,360 --> 00:08:00,840 Speaker 3: and in a little small town then the musk of 148 00:08:00,840 --> 00:08:04,960 Speaker 3: District Association, that's who we raised money for, and so 149 00:08:05,560 --> 00:08:08,840 Speaker 3: they would always their association would always bring kids to 150 00:08:08,920 --> 00:08:12,520 Speaker 3: the game. And there was a young man who probably 151 00:08:13,920 --> 00:08:16,960 Speaker 3: he was about maybe thirteen or fourteen years old, but 152 00:08:17,040 --> 00:08:19,240 Speaker 3: he was a huge Maryland fan. And we got to 153 00:08:19,280 --> 00:08:21,640 Speaker 3: the second game in a city that was maybe fifty 154 00:08:21,720 --> 00:08:25,120 Speaker 3: miles away, and he was there. His mother had brought 155 00:08:25,160 --> 00:08:27,960 Speaker 3: him there, and so Lynn Lynn took to him and 156 00:08:28,000 --> 00:08:30,120 Speaker 3: took him back to the locker room and gave me 157 00:08:30,120 --> 00:08:32,880 Speaker 3: the tennis shoes. And you know, these guys would take 158 00:08:32,920 --> 00:08:35,040 Speaker 3: their jerseys off sometimes and give them to people, and 159 00:08:35,080 --> 00:08:37,120 Speaker 3: you know, we only have a certain amount of jerseys 160 00:08:37,120 --> 00:08:40,520 Speaker 3: we had and and I'd always say, hey, I'll give 161 00:08:40,559 --> 00:08:42,080 Speaker 3: it back to you, but I need this for tomorrow. 162 00:08:42,480 --> 00:08:46,240 Speaker 3: And so but he gave that young man a jersey 163 00:08:46,320 --> 00:08:49,400 Speaker 3: and h and his tennis shoes. And but that happens 164 00:08:49,440 --> 00:08:51,800 Speaker 3: a lot with these guys that you know that they 165 00:08:51,920 --> 00:08:55,600 Speaker 3: understand the value and and and you know, and reaching 166 00:08:55,640 --> 00:08:57,559 Speaker 3: down to people who had some struggles. 167 00:08:58,240 --> 00:09:01,559 Speaker 6: And then there's the careless part. While in North Carolina, 168 00:09:01,640 --> 00:09:05,240 Speaker 6: Bias also found time to use cocaine with former NC 169 00:09:05,440 --> 00:09:10,800 Speaker 6: State star Chris Washburn. That's according to Washburn, then a sophomore. 170 00:09:10,920 --> 00:09:13,959 Speaker 6: Washburn met Bias earlier that year when the wolf Pack 171 00:09:14,040 --> 00:09:16,079 Speaker 6: played against Maryland in College Park. 172 00:09:16,960 --> 00:09:19,719 Speaker 12: I just had to see, you know, how talling In was, 173 00:09:19,840 --> 00:09:22,360 Speaker 12: how it was built, all this kind of stuff, because 174 00:09:22,679 --> 00:09:25,400 Speaker 12: that would give me my satisfaction. Wants a gallut of 175 00:09:25,400 --> 00:09:27,599 Speaker 12: the court, kind of bring my nerves down. Once he 176 00:09:27,720 --> 00:09:30,640 Speaker 12: got on campus, we had a shooting around coach that 177 00:09:30,720 --> 00:09:32,520 Speaker 12: we get to hear hang out for a little while 178 00:09:32,520 --> 00:09:35,720 Speaker 12: and go back to the hotel. Me and Nate went 179 00:09:35,760 --> 00:09:39,040 Speaker 12: off to the where the classes were, and I was 180 00:09:39,080 --> 00:09:42,200 Speaker 12: asking both where's Lynn at Where's Lynn? And They actually 181 00:09:42,200 --> 00:09:44,560 Speaker 12: directed me to the building in the class where he 182 00:09:44,679 --> 00:09:47,120 Speaker 12: was at and I guess the belly run when we 183 00:09:47,200 --> 00:09:49,680 Speaker 12: went through and he was walking down the hall and 184 00:09:49,679 --> 00:09:52,440 Speaker 12: I saw him and we talked right then for just 185 00:09:52,480 --> 00:09:54,959 Speaker 12: a few minutes. I did just had to see the 186 00:09:55,080 --> 00:09:57,440 Speaker 12: physical hymn. And that's the first time i'd seen him, 187 00:09:57,800 --> 00:09:59,600 Speaker 12: and you know, and I staid a little more at 188 00:09:59,640 --> 00:10:01,840 Speaker 12: easy because I was a little taller than them, so 189 00:10:01,920 --> 00:10:04,640 Speaker 12: I thought that was gonna post some weight when we played, 190 00:10:04,960 --> 00:10:06,760 Speaker 12: you know. But again we on this spoke for a 191 00:10:06,800 --> 00:10:09,120 Speaker 12: second week, said what I seen the night at the game. 192 00:10:10,320 --> 00:10:15,599 Speaker 6: Some three months later, Washburn claims Bias introduced him to cocaine. 193 00:10:16,040 --> 00:10:18,280 Speaker 12: About about twelve one o'clock in the morning, I get 194 00:10:18,360 --> 00:10:21,800 Speaker 12: knocked at my door. His name was se log And, 195 00:10:22,360 --> 00:10:25,280 Speaker 12: but his actual name was Charles Logan. When I opened 196 00:10:25,280 --> 00:10:29,120 Speaker 12: the door, U lamp popped around the corner, and I 197 00:10:29,200 --> 00:10:31,280 Speaker 12: was you know, and I was surprised, you know, Lynn 198 00:10:31,360 --> 00:10:33,760 Speaker 12: in town. I had a seven fifty class that morning, 199 00:10:34,280 --> 00:10:36,400 Speaker 12: and uh, let's just say I never made it to 200 00:10:36,440 --> 00:10:37,319 Speaker 12: that class. 201 00:10:37,720 --> 00:10:39,640 Speaker 5: You told me for the book that that's that he 202 00:10:39,720 --> 00:10:41,000 Speaker 5: introduced you to cocaine that. 203 00:10:41,040 --> 00:10:45,840 Speaker 12: Night he did to me, that's correct, That's correct, that's correct, right. Yeah, 204 00:10:45,880 --> 00:10:49,240 Speaker 12: they went off into the bathroom and then and use 205 00:10:49,320 --> 00:10:51,520 Speaker 12: my phone and stuff, and I went back to sleep, 206 00:10:51,880 --> 00:10:54,160 Speaker 12: but I had to get up for my seven fifty class. 207 00:10:54,440 --> 00:10:57,120 Speaker 12: They were still in the bathroom. Said there had been 208 00:10:57,200 --> 00:10:59,520 Speaker 12: in a four or five hours when someone asked you to 209 00:10:59,559 --> 00:11:04,320 Speaker 12: try some anotherness of of a status. You know that 210 00:11:04,440 --> 00:11:06,400 Speaker 12: I put him on. You know, I didn't want them 211 00:11:06,400 --> 00:11:08,600 Speaker 12: to think I'm not cool, you know what I'm saying. 212 00:11:08,640 --> 00:11:11,960 Speaker 12: So you offered me something I tried, you know, so. 213 00:11:12,040 --> 00:11:13,640 Speaker 1: You surprised that Lenn was doing that. 214 00:11:15,000 --> 00:11:15,280 Speaker 7: I was. 215 00:11:15,520 --> 00:11:18,600 Speaker 12: I was surprised yet because again I'd never done it. 216 00:11:19,120 --> 00:11:22,400 Speaker 12: When I tried that, you know, it made a big 217 00:11:22,480 --> 00:11:25,520 Speaker 12: change in my life. And like I said, I never 218 00:11:25,559 --> 00:11:28,520 Speaker 12: went back to class. I ended up leaving the state 219 00:11:28,960 --> 00:11:32,079 Speaker 12: when they left that morning. I never left and went 220 00:11:32,120 --> 00:11:35,079 Speaker 12: to class after that, you know, I kind of stayed 221 00:11:35,080 --> 00:11:38,160 Speaker 12: in the room. And then because once that higher war 222 00:11:38,280 --> 00:11:42,400 Speaker 12: off and if it's such a new drug, I sign 223 00:11:42,520 --> 00:11:46,319 Speaker 12: myself riding around Raleigh, you know, wanting to find it, 224 00:11:46,880 --> 00:11:49,559 Speaker 12: but scared to ask you before it because everybody knew 225 00:11:49,600 --> 00:11:53,040 Speaker 12: who I was. I was that they won her hit 226 00:11:53,520 --> 00:11:56,320 Speaker 12: I was, But I actually went to the NBA. I 227 00:11:56,440 --> 00:11:57,760 Speaker 12: was already damaged to it. 228 00:11:58,520 --> 00:12:02,280 Speaker 6: No one is alive to confirms Washburn's story. Logan passed 229 00:12:02,320 --> 00:12:06,040 Speaker 6: away before Washburn told podcast producer Dave Ngrady the story 230 00:12:06,080 --> 00:12:09,040 Speaker 6: in twenty ten when he was working on his book 231 00:12:09,200 --> 00:12:13,160 Speaker 6: about Bias. Derek Wittenberg was an assistant coach on the 232 00:12:13,280 --> 00:12:16,320 Speaker 6: NC State team in nineteen eighty six. At that time, 233 00:12:16,400 --> 00:12:19,920 Speaker 6: he says he was assigned to be the chaperone for Washburn. 234 00:12:20,480 --> 00:12:23,880 Speaker 6: Washburn had pled guilty to stealing stereo equipment from an 235 00:12:23,960 --> 00:12:26,880 Speaker 6: NC State football player when he was a freshman. As 236 00:12:26,880 --> 00:12:28,840 Speaker 6: a sophomore, he was on probation. 237 00:12:29,920 --> 00:12:32,320 Speaker 4: Yeah, I don't believe that it was stored. 238 00:12:32,320 --> 00:12:36,520 Speaker 9: I would believe Chris would all for himself. 239 00:12:37,880 --> 00:12:39,960 Speaker 4: I'll believe that one the other way around. 240 00:12:41,200 --> 00:12:43,679 Speaker 6: Washburn was the number three pick in the NBA draft 241 00:12:43,679 --> 00:12:47,400 Speaker 6: in nineteen eighty six, one behind Bias. He played parts 242 00:12:47,400 --> 00:12:50,840 Speaker 6: of two seasons in the NBA and received a lifetime 243 00:12:50,960 --> 00:12:53,839 Speaker 6: ban from the league in nineteen eighty nine. He later 244 00:12:53,880 --> 00:12:58,400 Speaker 6: served prison time for drug related offenses. Washburn stopped using 245 00:12:58,440 --> 00:13:02,680 Speaker 6: cocaine in two thousand and Bias drove to Carolina with 246 00:13:02,720 --> 00:13:05,320 Speaker 6: his mentor, Johnny Walker, who spent about a week with 247 00:13:05,440 --> 00:13:08,880 Speaker 6: Bias on the tour, Walker helped manage what he called 248 00:13:09,160 --> 00:13:13,360 Speaker 6: the len Bias Everything must Go vending stand set up 249 00:13:13,360 --> 00:13:14,360 Speaker 6: at some of the games. 250 00:13:15,000 --> 00:13:18,480 Speaker 5: Johnny Walker told me we had the life sized poster 251 00:13:18,640 --> 00:13:22,200 Speaker 5: of him. He got game shorts, jerseys, other people's jerseys, 252 00:13:22,360 --> 00:13:26,160 Speaker 5: practice gear. We sold so much stuff. He got paid 253 00:13:26,200 --> 00:13:29,480 Speaker 5: so much money. He said, whatever it is, just keep it. 254 00:13:30,520 --> 00:13:33,360 Speaker 6: Walker recalled he and Bias were part of a caravan 255 00:13:33,400 --> 00:13:36,440 Speaker 6: of players on the tour, speeding from one site to 256 00:13:36,480 --> 00:13:39,320 Speaker 6: the next, driving at about one hundred miles per hour. 257 00:13:39,720 --> 00:13:42,040 Speaker 6: He says they were stopped by police but did not 258 00:13:42,200 --> 00:13:45,440 Speaker 6: receive a ticket after an NC State player talked to 259 00:13:45,480 --> 00:13:46,400 Speaker 6: the trooper. 260 00:13:48,880 --> 00:13:53,679 Speaker 1: Because you're listening to Lembias a mixed legacy on the 261 00:13:53,720 --> 00:13:55,400 Speaker 1: eighth side, that he. 262 00:13:55,440 --> 00:13:57,360 Speaker 2: Was going to make it as the number two Big. 263 00:13:57,960 --> 00:14:01,000 Speaker 6: Bias had started to spend more time with Brian Tribble. 264 00:14:01,040 --> 00:14:03,600 Speaker 6: By June, Trible was one of the three others with 265 00:14:03,679 --> 00:14:07,200 Speaker 6: Bias when he died. Their friendship had grown quickly and 266 00:14:07,320 --> 00:14:10,800 Speaker 6: perplexed some of those who knew Bias well. Bob Wagner, 267 00:14:10,840 --> 00:14:14,079 Speaker 6: Bias's high school coach, says he first heard of Trible 268 00:14:14,160 --> 00:14:17,720 Speaker 6: after Bias died and was surprised the two were friends. 269 00:14:18,160 --> 00:14:19,840 Speaker 15: I didn't know anything about this kid. 270 00:14:19,880 --> 00:14:23,760 Speaker 6: Brian tribble boyhood friend Brian Waller said that he met 271 00:14:23,800 --> 00:14:27,520 Speaker 6: Trible only once. When Waller would ask about Trible, Bias 272 00:14:27,560 --> 00:14:28,480 Speaker 6: would defend him. 273 00:14:28,720 --> 00:14:32,560 Speaker 5: Brian Waller told me, he's my friend. He likes working out, 274 00:14:32,880 --> 00:14:36,840 Speaker 5: he likes playing ball, likes lifting weights. That's my man, okay. 275 00:14:38,360 --> 00:14:42,520 Speaker 6: Walker, Bias's mentor, recalled stopping by Bias' dorm once for 276 00:14:42,600 --> 00:14:46,520 Speaker 6: a planned visit and later discovered he was at Trible's apartment. 277 00:14:47,480 --> 00:14:51,520 Speaker 5: Walker told me I paged Lenn he finally called back. 278 00:14:52,160 --> 00:14:53,240 Speaker 5: I asked where you at? 279 00:14:53,280 --> 00:14:53,560 Speaker 12: Now? 280 00:14:54,120 --> 00:14:56,600 Speaker 5: I thought I told you I was coming up for something. 281 00:14:57,520 --> 00:15:00,800 Speaker 5: Bias said, I'm up the street at Tribble's house. I 282 00:15:00,880 --> 00:15:03,720 Speaker 5: rode up to Tribbles fous I got there and asked, 283 00:15:04,040 --> 00:15:07,280 Speaker 5: what's there to do up here? Oh no, we were 284 00:15:07,280 --> 00:15:10,920 Speaker 5: just up here working out. Treble had some weight machines there. 285 00:15:11,440 --> 00:15:13,160 Speaker 5: I said, why would you have to come up to 286 00:15:13,200 --> 00:15:16,320 Speaker 5: his apartment to work out when you can work out 287 00:15:16,400 --> 00:15:19,440 Speaker 5: any time you want in a room full of workout equipment. 288 00:15:19,800 --> 00:15:20,840 Speaker 5: I don't understand it. 289 00:15:21,200 --> 00:15:25,120 Speaker 6: Trible confirmed in a conversation with Walker after Bias died 290 00:15:25,400 --> 00:15:28,840 Speaker 6: that Trible and Bias did in fact use cocaine that night. 291 00:15:29,480 --> 00:15:32,920 Speaker 6: Another time Walker stopped by to visit Bias, he noticed 292 00:15:32,960 --> 00:15:36,400 Speaker 6: the herb golden seal in his room. For a time, 293 00:15:36,480 --> 00:15:39,520 Speaker 6: golden seal was thought to help mask the presence of 294 00:15:39,640 --> 00:15:44,560 Speaker 6: drugs during a drug test. Court testimony by Maryland players 295 00:15:44,640 --> 00:15:47,400 Speaker 6: Terry Long and David Gregg at the trial of Trible 296 00:15:47,720 --> 00:15:53,080 Speaker 6: following Len's death was revealing about Bias's cocaine use. Long 297 00:15:53,160 --> 00:15:56,560 Speaker 6: admitted that he snorted cocaine with Greg and Bias at 298 00:15:56,560 --> 00:16:00,640 Speaker 6: Trible's apartment after a game against NC State in College Park. 299 00:16:01,000 --> 00:16:04,920 Speaker 6: The game took place on January twenty third, nineteen eighty six. 300 00:16:05,720 --> 00:16:09,600 Speaker 6: Long also testified that Bias introduced him to cocaine in 301 00:16:09,720 --> 00:16:13,280 Speaker 6: nineteen eighty four, at the beginning of his sophomore season. 302 00:16:13,640 --> 00:16:16,400 Speaker 6: Bias gave him the drug in a folded dollar bill. 303 00:16:16,920 --> 00:16:20,800 Speaker 6: Tina Maynard met Len Bias in September of nineteen eighty five, 304 00:16:21,280 --> 00:16:24,240 Speaker 6: two weeks after Len died. She gave birth to a 305 00:16:24,280 --> 00:16:26,840 Speaker 6: boy she claims is Len's son. 306 00:16:27,520 --> 00:16:31,000 Speaker 5: Tina Maynard told me, I wouldn't say he was addicted 307 00:16:31,040 --> 00:16:33,920 Speaker 5: to it. He just liked using it. It was not 308 00:16:34,120 --> 00:16:37,200 Speaker 5: new to him. I'm not trying to talk bad about him. 309 00:16:37,480 --> 00:16:40,320 Speaker 5: He was human. I just wish people would be honest 310 00:16:40,360 --> 00:16:40,960 Speaker 5: with everything. 311 00:16:41,640 --> 00:16:45,000 Speaker 6: Still, many close to Bias claim they never saw him 312 00:16:45,080 --> 00:16:49,080 Speaker 6: use drugs or alcohol. Jeff Baxter was Len's roommate for 313 00:16:49,120 --> 00:16:50,000 Speaker 6: four years. 314 00:16:50,240 --> 00:16:57,280 Speaker 8: I have never ever, no idiot to use to this day, 315 00:16:57,440 --> 00:17:00,800 Speaker 8: aside from someone else said, I know he always had cash. 316 00:17:00,840 --> 00:17:02,840 Speaker 8: I don't know, but I don't think it don't. I 317 00:17:02,840 --> 00:17:05,639 Speaker 8: can't say that it was University of Maryland, who'still related 318 00:17:05,640 --> 00:17:06,159 Speaker 8: anything like that. 319 00:17:06,200 --> 00:17:08,160 Speaker 7: I don't know. I don't know, but I do know he. 320 00:17:08,160 --> 00:17:09,440 Speaker 8: Always had cash. 321 00:17:09,560 --> 00:17:10,400 Speaker 15: That's what sure. I say. 322 00:17:10,440 --> 00:17:13,119 Speaker 8: Yeah, if I wanted something, he'd get it. 323 00:17:13,359 --> 00:17:17,440 Speaker 6: Bias mentor Johnny Walker claims Bias received money and gifts 324 00:17:17,440 --> 00:17:20,640 Speaker 6: from fans. He recalled the time one summer when Bias 325 00:17:20,680 --> 00:17:23,639 Speaker 6: called someone on the phone saying he needed money. 326 00:17:24,400 --> 00:17:27,919 Speaker 5: Walker told me he'd throw out a random number. I 327 00:17:27,960 --> 00:17:29,800 Speaker 5: sat in the car while he talked to the guy 328 00:17:30,160 --> 00:17:33,439 Speaker 5: who gave him all CRISP one hundred dollars bills. We 329 00:17:33,480 --> 00:17:36,439 Speaker 5: would go from there to spend money on clothes. He 330 00:17:36,520 --> 00:17:39,560 Speaker 5: had no problem spending up to five hundred dollars six 331 00:17:39,640 --> 00:17:43,280 Speaker 5: hundred dollars seven hundred dollars on clothes. If he was 332 00:17:43,320 --> 00:17:47,240 Speaker 5: spending money, he'd never say it was drugs. It was clothes. 333 00:17:47,880 --> 00:17:51,320 Speaker 6: Walker recalled free lunches in College Park and at time 334 00:17:51,359 --> 00:17:53,840 Speaker 6: they walked into a Circuit City store to buya as 335 00:17:53,920 --> 00:17:57,720 Speaker 6: stereo and walked out with the receiver, speaker's cassette deck, 336 00:17:57,760 --> 00:18:01,199 Speaker 6: and turntable for free. But there was a catch. 337 00:18:01,800 --> 00:18:04,840 Speaker 5: Walker told me, the guy comes up says, hey man, 338 00:18:04,920 --> 00:18:07,679 Speaker 5: you lend Bias. Hey man, give me some tickets to 339 00:18:07,720 --> 00:18:11,320 Speaker 5: the Carolina game and I'll give you the stereo. Pull 340 00:18:11,320 --> 00:18:14,080 Speaker 5: around to the loading duck and we'll load up your car. 341 00:18:14,960 --> 00:18:16,960 Speaker 5: Whether he took care of the tickets, I don't know. 342 00:18:17,520 --> 00:18:19,879 Speaker 5: He was a free spirit. We had a lot of 343 00:18:19,920 --> 00:18:20,600 Speaker 5: good times. 344 00:18:21,119 --> 00:18:24,200 Speaker 6: Before the start of the Barnstorming Tour, John Sally had 345 00:18:24,240 --> 00:18:27,600 Speaker 6: just finished his playing days with Georgia Tech. He joined 346 00:18:27,600 --> 00:18:30,119 Speaker 6: the tour with Bias and recalled the large amounts of 347 00:18:30,200 --> 00:18:32,000 Speaker 6: money that players received. 348 00:18:32,840 --> 00:18:35,679 Speaker 4: Lenny was like, yo, man, you can make like thirty 349 00:18:35,680 --> 00:18:37,439 Speaker 4: thousand dollars on this. They didn't want to pay me 350 00:18:37,480 --> 00:18:39,600 Speaker 4: tho thirty thousand dollars. They gave Lenny all the day 351 00:18:39,600 --> 00:18:44,159 Speaker 4: our money. That's what I remember. I think he was 352 00:18:44,200 --> 00:18:49,199 Speaker 4: making seventy five hundred a game. Can you imagine in 353 00:18:49,280 --> 00:18:53,080 Speaker 4: nineteen eighty six, seventy guys in NBA wasn't making that 354 00:18:53,240 --> 00:18:56,800 Speaker 4: regularly in games. I got thirty five hundreds, but I 355 00:18:56,840 --> 00:19:02,159 Speaker 4: would think that Lenny was getting at least above five thousand. 356 00:19:02,160 --> 00:19:03,240 Speaker 4: I would say seventy five. 357 00:19:03,720 --> 00:19:07,119 Speaker 6: Despite all that, Bias showed signs of needing money. Days 358 00:19:07,160 --> 00:19:11,199 Speaker 6: before the draft. John Brown opened Bentley's Restaurant in College 359 00:19:11,240 --> 00:19:14,720 Speaker 6: Park in the late nineteen seventies, near the Maryland campus. 360 00:19:15,040 --> 00:19:18,439 Speaker 6: Brown has been a longtime supporter of Maryland athletics and 361 00:19:18,520 --> 00:19:23,359 Speaker 6: often hosted meals for Maryland teams at the restaurant. A 362 00:19:23,359 --> 00:19:26,200 Speaker 6: couple of days before the NBA draft, Bias stopped by 363 00:19:26,320 --> 00:19:29,320 Speaker 6: to say hello to Brown, and the two enjoyed lunch together. 364 00:19:29,720 --> 00:19:34,040 Speaker 6: After the meal, Bias asked to borrow money. In late March, 365 00:19:34,119 --> 00:19:36,960 Speaker 6: Bias had secured a loan of about twenty thousand dollars 366 00:19:37,000 --> 00:19:39,520 Speaker 6: from a local bank. He used the money to lease 367 00:19:39,560 --> 00:19:43,080 Speaker 6: a Nissan three hundred SX. A story in the Washington 368 00:19:43,160 --> 00:19:46,679 Speaker 6: Post told of Bias's shopping spreeze during the spring of 369 00:19:46,760 --> 00:19:50,080 Speaker 6: nineteen eighty six. He bought a fourteen carret, gold chain 370 00:19:50,119 --> 00:19:53,560 Speaker 6: worth thirteen hundred dollars, name plates for a friend and 371 00:19:53,720 --> 00:19:57,320 Speaker 6: himself for five hundred and fifty dollars, and jewelry for 372 00:19:57,480 --> 00:20:00,680 Speaker 6: many of his female friends. The report all so claimed 373 00:20:00,880 --> 00:20:04,320 Speaker 6: that he bought suits and purchased two to one million 374 00:20:04,359 --> 00:20:10,040 Speaker 6: dollars disability insurance policies. Brown was surprised that Bias needed 375 00:20:10,080 --> 00:20:10,600 Speaker 6: more money. 376 00:20:11,200 --> 00:20:14,800 Speaker 5: John Brown told me, I said, Lenn, what happened to 377 00:20:14,840 --> 00:20:18,439 Speaker 5: all your upfront money? He said, I just don't have it. 378 00:20:19,000 --> 00:20:21,960 Speaker 6: Bias needed what he called airport money if he wanted 379 00:20:21,960 --> 00:20:24,440 Speaker 6: to buy a magazine or a newspaper or some gum. 380 00:20:24,880 --> 00:20:27,080 Speaker 6: Brown told Bias that he would give him the money, 381 00:20:27,280 --> 00:20:29,959 Speaker 6: but only if he worked for it. Bias agreed, so 382 00:20:30,040 --> 00:20:33,640 Speaker 6: Brown directed Bias to water shrubs that had just been 383 00:20:33,720 --> 00:20:37,919 Speaker 6: planted on the property Brown owned behind the restaurant. Neighbors 384 00:20:37,960 --> 00:20:42,119 Speaker 6: noticed Bias's peculiar work behind the restaurant and called Brown 385 00:20:42,160 --> 00:20:44,879 Speaker 6: to wonder if all was well with the soon to 386 00:20:44,920 --> 00:20:47,760 Speaker 6: be high NBA draft pick. He assured them there was 387 00:20:47,840 --> 00:20:50,959 Speaker 6: nothing to worry about. Bias worked for about ninety minutes. 388 00:20:51,240 --> 00:20:54,080 Speaker 6: Brown then wrote him a check for thirty seven dollars. 389 00:20:54,440 --> 00:20:57,159 Speaker 6: Bias cashed the check at the bar before he left. 390 00:20:57,680 --> 00:21:00,880 Speaker 6: Days later, Bias would be in New York City, drafted 391 00:21:00,880 --> 00:21:03,200 Speaker 6: by the world champion Boston Celtics. 392 00:21:03,600 --> 00:21:05,480 Speaker 2: He was going to make it as the number two 393 00:21:05,520 --> 00:21:07,720 Speaker 2: mixed by a book, the Celtics. It would have been 394 00:21:07,840 --> 00:21:09,920 Speaker 2: so sick, Jordan. 395 00:21:10,080 --> 00:21:12,640 Speaker 1: You're listening to Lembias the mixed Legacy on the eighth 396 00:21:12,680 --> 00:21:13,800 Speaker 1: Side network on. 397 00:21:13,840 --> 00:21:17,719 Speaker 2: The streets of land or did acc unanimous. 398 00:21:17,560 --> 00:21:21,159 Speaker 3: Boston Celtics select Len Bias. 399 00:21:20,760 --> 00:21:22,040 Speaker 11: At the University of Marlon. 400 00:21:24,320 --> 00:21:27,200 Speaker 6: It was no surprise that the Boston Celtics picked Len 401 00:21:27,240 --> 00:21:30,600 Speaker 6: Bias number two in the nineteen eighty six NBA Draft 402 00:21:30,600 --> 00:21:34,640 Speaker 6: on June seventeenth, after Bias his sophomore season at Maryland, 403 00:21:34,840 --> 00:21:38,000 Speaker 6: he had attended a Celtics camp run by the team's owner, 404 00:21:38,280 --> 00:21:41,560 Speaker 6: red Aurbach. Jan Volk, the team's GM at the time, 405 00:21:41,960 --> 00:21:44,000 Speaker 6: first saw Bias play at the camp. 406 00:21:44,960 --> 00:21:50,000 Speaker 16: He was he was a camp two seasons and we 407 00:21:50,040 --> 00:21:52,720 Speaker 16: watched him and he just didn't take much to pick 408 00:21:52,800 --> 00:21:57,399 Speaker 16: him out as him in the crowd red light them 409 00:21:57,400 --> 00:21:59,840 Speaker 16: a lot. It was clear that he was that he 410 00:21:59,880 --> 00:22:06,679 Speaker 16: was very impressed with the work ethic, with the with 411 00:22:06,760 --> 00:22:11,080 Speaker 16: the skill set, and with the attitude. He was clearly 412 00:22:11,119 --> 00:22:18,400 Speaker 16: physically dominant was he was mean. He had a mean 413 00:22:18,480 --> 00:22:22,600 Speaker 16: on court game, and that was important. 414 00:22:23,359 --> 00:22:26,480 Speaker 6: Here was the Celtics scouting report on Bias. He was 415 00:22:26,520 --> 00:22:29,800 Speaker 6: a bigger Michael Jordan with a better outside shot, but 416 00:22:29,880 --> 00:22:32,600 Speaker 6: he didn't drive to the basket as well while dribbling. 417 00:22:33,040 --> 00:22:35,040 Speaker 6: After the Celtics won the number two pick in the 418 00:22:35,080 --> 00:22:38,200 Speaker 6: lottery in May nineteen eighty six through a trade, Bias 419 00:22:38,359 --> 00:22:41,840 Speaker 6: was their prime target. Bob Ryan was covering the Celtics 420 00:22:41,840 --> 00:22:43,480 Speaker 6: for the Boston Globe. 421 00:22:43,760 --> 00:22:46,639 Speaker 5: Well, they're going to have number two pick, and on 422 00:22:46,720 --> 00:22:50,600 Speaker 5: top of being a champion, it was a It was sorgasmic. 423 00:22:50,640 --> 00:22:53,040 Speaker 16: You know, I'm telling you if people were so excited. 424 00:22:53,560 --> 00:22:56,520 Speaker 6: Shortly after the draft, Bias had a series of interviews 425 00:22:56,560 --> 00:22:59,639 Speaker 6: with the Celtics in Boston. As Bias departed for a 426 00:22:59,680 --> 00:23:03,400 Speaker 6: flight home, he had some parting words for Volk and. 427 00:23:03,320 --> 00:23:05,879 Speaker 16: I said goodbye to him at the curb, something to 428 00:23:05,880 --> 00:23:07,840 Speaker 16: the effect, please draft me, this is where I want 429 00:23:07,880 --> 00:23:08,040 Speaker 16: to be. 430 00:23:08,280 --> 00:23:09,600 Speaker 12: I never had that happen before. 431 00:23:09,800 --> 00:23:13,240 Speaker 6: The Celtics felt more comfortable drafting Bias after he cleared 432 00:23:13,240 --> 00:23:15,680 Speaker 6: a background checking. 433 00:23:15,760 --> 00:23:17,800 Speaker 16: There was nothing different, There was nothing that stood out. 434 00:23:17,840 --> 00:23:20,520 Speaker 16: There were no red flags, there were no areas of concern. 435 00:23:21,560 --> 00:23:25,160 Speaker 6: Here's Lefty Griselle speaking a day after Bias died about 436 00:23:25,160 --> 00:23:25,960 Speaker 6: his drug use. 437 00:23:26,520 --> 00:23:29,439 Speaker 17: Well, I would be very, very surprised because Leonard just 438 00:23:29,520 --> 00:23:32,879 Speaker 17: had an examination by the Boston Celtics and the Golden 439 00:23:32,880 --> 00:23:36,479 Speaker 17: State Warriors and the New York Knicks, and you know, 440 00:23:37,520 --> 00:23:40,240 Speaker 17: I'm positive there were no drugs in those examinations, and 441 00:23:40,240 --> 00:23:42,520 Speaker 17: he's completely out of character for him to do anything 442 00:23:42,560 --> 00:23:44,440 Speaker 17: like that. That's one thing that I told Rid and 443 00:23:45,000 --> 00:23:46,960 Speaker 17: all the teams that were interested in him, they didn't 444 00:23:46,960 --> 00:23:49,920 Speaker 17: have to worry about him with drugs or alcohol. He 445 00:23:50,000 --> 00:23:52,119 Speaker 17: was born again Christian and a great person. 446 00:23:52,440 --> 00:23:55,600 Speaker 6: At least one other team, though, did have concerns. The 447 00:23:55,640 --> 00:23:58,359 Speaker 6: Philadelphia seventy six Ers had the top pick in the 448 00:23:58,480 --> 00:24:02,840 Speaker 6: draft before trading to Cleveland. The seventy six ers chief scout, 449 00:24:02,920 --> 00:24:07,440 Speaker 6: the late Jack McMahon, felt uncomfortable about drafting Bias. Pat 450 00:24:07,520 --> 00:24:10,680 Speaker 6: Williams was the seventy six Ers general manager at the time. 451 00:24:11,080 --> 00:24:13,920 Speaker 9: He said, I'm not interested. He said there's something about 452 00:24:14,040 --> 00:24:19,040 Speaker 9: him that it concerns me. There's something about him that 453 00:24:19,240 --> 00:24:23,280 Speaker 9: just isn't right. But Jack didn't know him, you know, 454 00:24:23,359 --> 00:24:27,000 Speaker 9: he'd seen him play several times. But Jack was a 455 00:24:27,040 --> 00:24:30,320 Speaker 9: wise old basketball hit. Even though we had the first pick, 456 00:24:30,359 --> 00:24:32,480 Speaker 9: we did not bring him in. We did not interview him. 457 00:24:32,480 --> 00:24:33,840 Speaker 9: We weren't going to take him. 458 00:24:34,240 --> 00:24:36,879 Speaker 6: Williams could not claim that the concern was related to 459 00:24:36,960 --> 00:24:39,320 Speaker 6: drug use. It may have been related to his style 460 00:24:39,359 --> 00:24:42,959 Speaker 6: of play. Minutes after the Celtics drafted Bias, he talked 461 00:24:42,960 --> 00:24:45,200 Speaker 6: with a local reporter James Brown. 462 00:24:45,640 --> 00:24:48,560 Speaker 7: The coach Rback Wrother manager our Back, and he told 463 00:24:48,600 --> 00:24:52,200 Speaker 7: me that he told me that I wasn't gonna get much. 464 00:24:52,320 --> 00:24:53,639 Speaker 7: I wasn't gonna stop, but I was gonna get a 465 00:24:53,680 --> 00:24:55,520 Speaker 7: lot of playing times. Bought to me the sick manage 466 00:24:55,720 --> 00:24:57,800 Speaker 7: when it all came down, Were you really hoping that 467 00:24:57,840 --> 00:25:00,679 Speaker 7: it could have been bolted in any end? Yeah? I 468 00:25:00,760 --> 00:25:03,360 Speaker 7: really were poking out with Boston in my dream time. 469 00:25:03,440 --> 00:25:07,440 Speaker 6: Crew Red Ourback was elated after they had picked Bias. 470 00:25:07,840 --> 00:25:10,840 Speaker 6: Here are his comments moments after Bias was picked. 471 00:25:11,600 --> 00:25:15,200 Speaker 10: This is a great kid. As a matter of fact, 472 00:25:15,280 --> 00:25:19,640 Speaker 10: you know, Larry Bird said that if we draft Bias, 473 00:25:20,320 --> 00:25:23,560 Speaker 10: he's going to come up to the rookie camp. That's right. 474 00:25:23,600 --> 00:25:27,040 Speaker 10: He is very very high on Bias. As case he was, 475 00:25:27,200 --> 00:25:30,439 Speaker 10: and Jimmy and the owners, you know, Alan Corn and 476 00:25:30,480 --> 00:25:33,040 Speaker 10: Don Gasson. They're all high on him. He's the guy 477 00:25:33,119 --> 00:25:34,280 Speaker 10: we wanted and we got him. 478 00:25:34,320 --> 00:25:35,760 Speaker 5: A lot of people were asking the question, how do 479 00:25:35,800 --> 00:25:37,200 Speaker 5: you improve the best team in basketball? 480 00:25:37,200 --> 00:25:37,840 Speaker 6: He's lent Bias. 481 00:25:37,880 --> 00:25:40,200 Speaker 10: The answer to that, well, he gives us a lot 482 00:25:40,240 --> 00:25:44,359 Speaker 10: of support. He could play some god, he could play 483 00:25:44,359 --> 00:25:47,040 Speaker 10: some forward. He could play a power forward, a quick forward. 484 00:25:47,480 --> 00:25:50,560 Speaker 10: He is the best athlete, in my opinion, in the 485 00:25:50,600 --> 00:25:53,480 Speaker 10: whole draft, and he's going to really help this ball club. 486 00:25:53,640 --> 00:25:55,480 Speaker 5: You said, anybody's going to have trouble breaking into the 487 00:25:55,480 --> 00:25:56,560 Speaker 5: Boston Celtics lineup. 488 00:25:57,600 --> 00:26:01,000 Speaker 10: He knows that is Lenny Bias gonna take the place 489 00:26:01,040 --> 00:26:04,560 Speaker 10: of Kevin Mchaoehr Brady knows that. But he'll get his 490 00:26:04,640 --> 00:26:09,960 Speaker 10: playing time. But you know, time goes. You know, time goes. 491 00:26:10,040 --> 00:26:12,760 Speaker 10: Guys get older, they get more playing time. We've had 492 00:26:12,760 --> 00:26:15,960 Speaker 10: guys sitting around for a while, except in this particular case, 493 00:26:16,359 --> 00:26:17,160 Speaker 10: he's going to play. 494 00:26:18,840 --> 00:26:22,919 Speaker 6: After the draft, Boston Herald reporter Steve Bullpet noticed a 495 00:26:23,000 --> 00:26:25,880 Speaker 6: sign of things to come as he walked with Bias 496 00:26:25,920 --> 00:26:28,720 Speaker 6: and his family out of the arena. Bullpit flew on 497 00:26:28,760 --> 00:26:32,320 Speaker 6: the same airplane from New York to Boston as Bias. 498 00:26:32,200 --> 00:26:34,600 Speaker 14: And we kind of walked outside and just I was 499 00:26:34,640 --> 00:26:38,240 Speaker 14: able to just capture the whole scene of kids on 500 00:26:38,280 --> 00:26:40,920 Speaker 14: the street already knowing that Len Bias has been drafted 501 00:26:40,920 --> 00:26:43,520 Speaker 14: by the Celtics. I remember one kid, I think taking 502 00:26:43,560 --> 00:26:46,000 Speaker 14: off as sneaker and taking me sign my sneaker. 503 00:26:46,600 --> 00:26:50,320 Speaker 6: The next day in Boston, Bias met Celtics players and staff. 504 00:26:50,560 --> 00:26:53,800 Speaker 6: He also met with reps from Reebok. Media reports at 505 00:26:53,800 --> 00:26:56,119 Speaker 6: the time claimed that Bias had agreed to sign a 506 00:26:56,160 --> 00:26:59,640 Speaker 6: contract with Reebok. His former coach, left He Drizsell said 507 00:26:59,640 --> 00:27:01,840 Speaker 6: Bias told him so on a phone call. 508 00:27:02,440 --> 00:27:05,560 Speaker 5: Lefty Drizsel told me. He said, I just want to 509 00:27:05,560 --> 00:27:08,439 Speaker 5: thank you for everything you've done for me. I just 510 00:27:08,480 --> 00:27:10,840 Speaker 5: want to let you know that I signed a million 511 00:27:10,880 --> 00:27:12,280 Speaker 5: dollar contract with Reebok. 512 00:27:13,040 --> 00:27:16,560 Speaker 6: But that wasn't true, says Joanne borzakian Ulette. She was 513 00:27:16,560 --> 00:27:19,879 Speaker 6: a recently hired associate marketing manager for Reebok at the 514 00:27:19,920 --> 00:27:21,800 Speaker 6: time who'd worked with Bias. 515 00:27:22,240 --> 00:27:24,960 Speaker 11: So there was nothing signed. I can honestly tell you 516 00:27:25,000 --> 00:27:25,919 Speaker 11: that still. 517 00:27:26,119 --> 00:27:29,040 Speaker 6: Borseki and Oulette added that Reebok wanted to sign a 518 00:27:29,080 --> 00:27:32,400 Speaker 6: new young talent and Bias was their number one choice. 519 00:27:32,840 --> 00:27:34,840 Speaker 6: The day after the draft, he spent the day in 520 00:27:34,880 --> 00:27:38,760 Speaker 6: Boston that included a tour of the Rebok headquarters, located 521 00:27:38,960 --> 00:27:41,400 Speaker 6: about twenty five minutes from Boston. 522 00:27:41,720 --> 00:27:44,840 Speaker 11: And we bring him in the office and he's very quiet, 523 00:27:45,160 --> 00:27:49,800 Speaker 11: and you know, very nice, very polite, and we're pretty 524 00:27:49,800 --> 00:27:52,199 Speaker 11: excited about what's going on. He's buying into everything that 525 00:27:52,240 --> 00:27:53,880 Speaker 11: we've told him. And what you got to remember now, 526 00:27:53,880 --> 00:27:56,400 Speaker 11: we are a very small company. We probably had twenty 527 00:27:56,680 --> 00:27:59,119 Speaker 11: people there in the corporate office at the time, and 528 00:27:59,640 --> 00:28:02,080 Speaker 11: we're making this pitch to him of what we'll do 529 00:28:02,160 --> 00:28:06,040 Speaker 11: with him, you know, what type of he may or 530 00:28:06,040 --> 00:28:07,840 Speaker 11: may not have his own shoe. You know, it's all 531 00:28:07,840 --> 00:28:11,040 Speaker 11: about what we can put together because these things take time. 532 00:28:11,119 --> 00:28:14,720 Speaker 11: You don't just do that quickly. We'd like him to 533 00:28:14,760 --> 00:28:16,880 Speaker 11: be involved in the process and he'll be right there 534 00:28:16,920 --> 00:28:18,480 Speaker 11: down the street. He can come in as often as 535 00:28:18,520 --> 00:28:21,320 Speaker 11: he wants. And it was just a very positive meeting 536 00:28:21,320 --> 00:28:24,320 Speaker 11: and exciting, exciting day for everybody that was there. 537 00:28:24,800 --> 00:28:28,040 Speaker 6: The tour included a stop at the Reboc warehouse, where 538 00:28:28,040 --> 00:28:30,120 Speaker 6: Bias stocked up on Rebock gear. 539 00:28:31,119 --> 00:28:33,760 Speaker 11: So we give him and his dad some things to 540 00:28:33,840 --> 00:28:37,159 Speaker 11: take with them, you know, apparel and shoes, and he 541 00:28:37,240 --> 00:28:39,600 Speaker 11: really likes the brand. He likes that he'll be the 542 00:28:39,640 --> 00:28:41,800 Speaker 11: guy here. You know, he won't be lost in a 543 00:28:41,840 --> 00:28:45,160 Speaker 11: stable of big stars anywhere else. He really, that was 544 00:28:45,360 --> 00:28:47,840 Speaker 11: what our biggest part of the pitch was that he 545 00:28:47,880 --> 00:28:49,840 Speaker 11: would be our guy. 546 00:28:50,240 --> 00:28:53,840 Speaker 6: Really. Later, Borzaki and Olette asked Bias to be a 547 00:28:53,880 --> 00:28:56,840 Speaker 6: surprise guest at a party Rebok held for two of 548 00:28:56,840 --> 00:29:00,800 Speaker 6: its clients, Celtics players Danny Ainge and Dennis Johnson. 549 00:29:01,280 --> 00:29:05,040 Speaker 11: Listen, we have this event tonight. It's our key retailers. 550 00:29:05,120 --> 00:29:07,640 Speaker 11: It would be really cool to kind of unveil this 551 00:29:08,720 --> 00:29:11,440 Speaker 11: that you're with us. Would you like to be part 552 00:29:11,480 --> 00:29:14,280 Speaker 11: of that? And I remember he said, as long as 553 00:29:14,320 --> 00:29:17,040 Speaker 11: you can get me back on my flight. I don't 554 00:29:17,080 --> 00:29:18,400 Speaker 11: want to miss my flight because it was the last 555 00:29:18,440 --> 00:29:20,960 Speaker 11: flight out of Boston. And I remember I said to 556 00:29:21,040 --> 00:29:22,920 Speaker 11: him that I will not let you miss that flight, 557 00:29:23,320 --> 00:29:25,640 Speaker 11: you know, and you won't stay here tonight, And he 558 00:29:25,880 --> 00:29:30,080 Speaker 11: said to me, that's good because I just missed my mom. 559 00:29:30,120 --> 00:29:31,760 Speaker 11: I want to go see my mom. 560 00:29:31,800 --> 00:29:34,640 Speaker 6: Bias attended the party with his dad and his agent, 561 00:29:34,760 --> 00:29:38,320 Speaker 6: Lei Fentris of Advantage International. His appearance would be a 562 00:29:38,360 --> 00:29:40,600 Speaker 6: surprise to the guests, and so. 563 00:29:41,760 --> 00:29:45,000 Speaker 11: We had Danny and DJ and they had just won 564 00:29:45,200 --> 00:29:48,080 Speaker 11: the championship, so that was like a very cool thing, 565 00:29:48,120 --> 00:29:50,760 Speaker 11: and we announced them as world champions, our very own 566 00:29:50,800 --> 00:29:53,840 Speaker 11: Boston Celtics, and everybody was going nuts. Send this little 567 00:29:54,080 --> 00:29:57,800 Speaker 11: reception room at the Sinesta, and then I think it 568 00:29:57,840 --> 00:30:01,280 Speaker 11: was Paul Fireman said, we have another announcement today. We've 569 00:30:01,280 --> 00:30:06,120 Speaker 11: had a special guest at the headquarters all day and 570 00:30:06,320 --> 00:30:08,400 Speaker 11: he wanted to meet all of you and say hello 571 00:30:08,440 --> 00:30:11,560 Speaker 11: to all of you. And then I was standing by 572 00:30:11,600 --> 00:30:14,240 Speaker 11: the door literally listening to the door because before cell 573 00:30:14,280 --> 00:30:16,320 Speaker 11: phones and nobody could text each other and say okay, 574 00:30:16,480 --> 00:30:19,000 Speaker 11: enter now, like I'm like up to the little flap 575 00:30:19,040 --> 00:30:22,320 Speaker 11: of the two doors. And then he said, you all 576 00:30:22,360 --> 00:30:25,080 Speaker 11: know Joe Amber's Aki and we're gonna have Joanne you know, 577 00:30:25,120 --> 00:30:27,320 Speaker 11: open the door for the next guest. And then it 578 00:30:27,480 --> 00:30:32,240 Speaker 11: was Len, and then everybody went nuts. Very you know, 579 00:30:32,320 --> 00:30:37,920 Speaker 11: soft spoken and just you know, sweet kind but you know, 580 00:30:38,080 --> 00:30:41,000 Speaker 11: didn't dominate a room or anything like that. Very happy 581 00:30:41,040 --> 00:30:44,160 Speaker 11: to go from next guest to next guest. And it 582 00:30:44,400 --> 00:30:47,200 Speaker 11: was with Danny and dejaing kind of having them you know, 583 00:30:47,280 --> 00:30:48,600 Speaker 11: lead him around as well with. 584 00:30:48,560 --> 00:30:53,240 Speaker 6: Me Johnny Walker. Len's mentor remember getting a call from 585 00:30:53,280 --> 00:30:55,120 Speaker 6: Bias at the Reebok party. 586 00:30:56,200 --> 00:30:58,960 Speaker 5: Walker told me. He called me and said, we're going 587 00:30:59,040 --> 00:31:02,120 Speaker 5: to have everything we wanted. I told him, we don't 588 00:31:02,160 --> 00:31:05,000 Speaker 5: even wear Rebucks. Why are you gonna sign with Reebox. 589 00:31:05,600 --> 00:31:08,560 Speaker 5: You're not gonna wear my shoe. I don't wear Rebucks. 590 00:31:09,680 --> 00:31:12,880 Speaker 5: He said he'd be home sometime tonight. I said, just 591 00:31:12,920 --> 00:31:15,840 Speaker 5: call me tomorrow. I gotta go to work in the morning. 592 00:31:16,360 --> 00:31:18,520 Speaker 5: He said, man, you won't have to go to work 593 00:31:18,520 --> 00:31:21,680 Speaker 5: no more. After this. We're gonna do everything and anything 594 00:31:21,720 --> 00:31:25,800 Speaker 5: we ever wanted to do. I said, okay, Leonard, okay. 595 00:31:27,200 --> 00:31:30,360 Speaker 6: Borzakian recalled one thing that Bias later said while they 596 00:31:30,440 --> 00:31:31,840 Speaker 6: drove to the airport. 597 00:31:31,680 --> 00:31:33,400 Speaker 11: And then he just said, yeah, I can't I wish 598 00:31:33,400 --> 00:31:34,840 Speaker 11: my mom was part of this, Like I can't wait 599 00:31:34,880 --> 00:31:43,480 Speaker 11: to get home and see my mom. 600 00:31:43,760 --> 00:31:49,440 Speaker 1: Next on Lembai's a Mixed Legacy. 601 00:31:47,400 --> 00:31:49,520 Speaker 13: He was supposed to come to Kolfu house, and we 602 00:31:49,640 --> 00:31:53,160 Speaker 13: had banners and everything, and we waited and we waited, 603 00:31:53,200 --> 00:31:55,200 Speaker 13: and you knowing, nothing ever happened. 604 00:32:04,040 --> 00:32:06,520 Speaker 1: It's why I kept asking that. 605 00:32:06,760 --> 00:32:07,719 Speaker 8: So I finally said it. 606 00:32:08,280 --> 00:32:11,200 Speaker 4: I said it was a drug, and David started crawling. 607 00:32:11,640 --> 00:32:21,960 Speaker 15: I mean he screamed, screaming, and at that point I 608 00:32:22,040 --> 00:32:22,480 Speaker 15: do drug. 609 00:32:25,160 --> 00:32:28,880 Speaker 11: I said, it's this heart beating and she said no, 610 00:32:28,960 --> 00:32:30,600 Speaker 11: and it was one other thing I asked her. 611 00:32:30,600 --> 00:32:35,640 Speaker 4: I said, well, when Stone, I'll never forget. And I 612 00:32:35,720 --> 00:32:39,560 Speaker 4: heard the news and I couldn't believe it. I pulled 613 00:32:39,640 --> 00:32:40,800 Speaker 4: over the side of the road. 614 00:32:40,920 --> 00:32:44,960 Speaker 2: I cried like I cried like a two year olds. 615 00:32:46,600 --> 00:32:48,920 Speaker 1: This podcast series is based on the book Born Ready, 616 00:32:49,200 --> 00:32:52,240 Speaker 1: The Next Legacy of Lemby's, published by Go Grady Meetings. 617 00:32:52,840 --> 00:32:55,360 Speaker 1: The series is produced by god Grady Media in partnership 618 00:32:55,360 --> 00:32:58,600 Speaker 1: with Octagon Entertainment. This segment was produced by Dave and 619 00:32:58,640 --> 00:33:01,480 Speaker 1: Grady and Don Martin. It was written by Davon Grady 620 00:33:01,560 --> 00:33:04,680 Speaker 1: and edited by Don Marcus. The narrator was Kevin Shehan, 621 00:33:05,000 --> 00:33:08,560 Speaker 1: with addition of narration by Jamal Williams. Technical production was 622 00:33:08,560 --> 00:33:14,000 Speaker 1: provided by Octagon Entertainment. Production assistance was provided by Kevin McNulty, 623 00:33:14,320 --> 00:33:19,560 Speaker 1: Tino Quagliata, Lauren Rosch, Georgia Brown, Casey Fair, Jamal Williams, 624 00:33:19,800 --> 00:33:23,440 Speaker 1: Kelsey Mannix, and Enzo Al Varenda. Matt Dewhurst is providing 625 00:33:23,480 --> 00:33:26,520 Speaker 1: the social media systems. Special thanks to the University of 626 00:33:26,520 --> 00:33:30,680 Speaker 1: Maryland and American University for providing inser. The decision Education 627 00:33:30,760 --> 00:33:34,120 Speaker 1: Foundation is a content and promotional partner of this podcast series. 628 00:33:34,520 --> 00:33:42,040 Speaker 1: And more information go to go gradymedia dot com. This 629 00:33:42,120 --> 00:33:44,120 Speaker 1: has been a production of Go grading Media and the 630 00:33:44,120 --> 00:33:45,320 Speaker 1: Eighth Side Network. 631 00:33:47,960 --> 00:33:49,040 Speaker 4: Theory Thats 632 00:34:00,040 --> 00:34:01,160 Speaker 15: Okay.