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Lewis LLoyd Passed Away

Discussion in 'Houston Rockets: Game Action & Roster Moves' started by plee, Jul 7, 2019.

  1. plee

    plee Member

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    https://www.phillytrib.com/news/loc...cle_38e4d99d-fe82-5b2c-949e-010d42d52f3b.html


    Lewis “Black Magic” Lloyd, one of Philadelphia’s most celebrated basketball players, died on Friday. He was 60.

    Lloyd, who starred at Overbrook High School before moving on to become a Drake University and NBA standout, was known for his sleight of hands trickery on the basketball court.

    Many have lauded him as one of the greatest playground players of all time, and his name is mentioned in several books on basketball.


    In high school, the Public League basketball championship was usually decided between the Overbrook High Panthers featuring Lloyd and the West Philadelphia High Speedboys featuring Gene Banks. The games were fierce and legendary.

    “It was like Ali and Frazier,” said Banks, who went on to stardom at Duke University and the NBA. “He definitely brought out the best in me. You couldn’t play around with Lew.

    “This is really hard. I’m so sorry to hear this. My heart goes out to his family during this difficult time. I always thought that one day we would be able to sit back on a porch, drink lemonade, and talk about the games we played against each other. This is difficult.”

    Just last month, Lloyd expressed interest in helping a fellow former Pennsylvania hoops legend, Tyreke Evans. On May 17, the NBA banned Evans, a former Parade magazine and McDonald’s All-America player from American Christian Academy in Aston, for two years for violating the NBA/NBPA anti-drug program. He is eligible to apply for reinstatement in 2021.

    The league is not permitted to discuss details of a player’s failed drug test other than to announce a suspension or dismissal. However, the ban applies to an abuse of a drug aside from a performance-enhancing drug. If Evans had been suspended for a steroid or performance-enhancing drug, the league would have identified the drug, per the anti-drug policy in the collective bargaining agreement.

    For the 29-year-old Evans, the dismissal came at the wrong time. He’d just completed his 10th season in the NBA. A pending free agent, Evans spent the past season with the Indiana Pacers, his fourth team since being selected as the No. 4 pick by the Sacramento Kings in the 2009 NBA draft. He was the 2010 NBA Rookie of the Year.

    Evans, who has also played for the New Orleans Pelicans and Memphis Grizzlies, averaged 10.2 points, 2.9 rebounds and 2.4 assists for the Pacers, splitting time between starting and coming off the bench. For his career, Evans averaged 15.7 points, 4.6 rebounds and 4.8 assists.

    According to the NBA’s guidelines, a player can be dismissed and disqualified from the league for testing positive for a drug of abuse or if he is convicted of or pleads guilty to the use, possession or distribution of a drug of abuse.

    Lloyd was among several players who have been banned under the policy.

    “I know what he’s going through,” said Lloyd, who averaged 13 points a game during his NBA career. “I just want him to know that I’m there to help him in any way that I can. He’s not alone.”

    Lloyd, a fourth-round draft pick of the Golden State Warriors in 1981, played seven season in the NBA. After two years with the Warriors, he signed with the Houston Rockets where he became a star.


    In 1986, he and teammate Mitchell Wiggins, whose son Andrew was the first overall choice of the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2014 NBA Draft, were banned for 2½ years after testing positive for cocaine.

    A player can be reinstated only with the approval of both the NBA and the players’ association. Lloyd and Wiggins were reinstated in September 1989. Ironically, both ended their NBA careers with the Philadelphia 76ers.

    Lloyd had been associated with rehab programs run by former Sixers general manager and head coach John Lucas and Jayson Williams, a former Sixer who served five years in prison after he accidentally shot and killed a limousine driver in 2002.

    “Lew was special,” said Ricky Tucker, a former Overbrook High teammate of Lloyd. Tucker, who played collegiately at Providence College, also played with Lloyd on several recreation teams.

    “Lew and I put in a lot of work all over the city and up and down the East Coast,” Tucker said. “He was an intelligent player. In my opinion, he was the most electric and exciting player ever from Philadelphia. He could do it all and he always had that smile on his face.

    “He was doing so well and never had a bad word to say about anyone. Never. That was the kind of man he was. He would do anything to help you.”

    Since retiring, Lloyd had been a fixture at basketball clinics around the country. He also became a licensed vendor and operated a very vibrant goods stand on 52nd Street near Lancaster Avenue.

    Funeral details are pending.
     
  2. DaDakota

    DaDakota If you want to know, just ask!

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    The guy who invented the euro step.

    Great player for the Rox.

    DD
     
  3. BeardNation13

    BeardNation13 Member

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    ^^^ very thinly disguised stab at Jim Harden. Nice work dada

    RIP Lloyd
     
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  4. DaDakota

    DaDakota If you want to know, just ask!

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    No, not even remotely true more a stab at Ginobli.

    You thin skinned snow flakes need to grow a pair.

    DD
     
  5. T_Man

    T_Man Contributing Member

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    R.I.P Sweet Lew..

    One of the NBA's most unstoppable offensive player to ever play the game.

    T_Man
     
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  6. Plowman

    Plowman Contributing Member
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    Sweet Lew..Black Magic...Loved him...The soft, nothing but net, incredible floater...excellent shooter who was a fantastic finisher on the break.Scorer deluxe.. No doubt we would have won a title or two with that team.

    Way too young.
     
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  7. mkahanek

    mkahanek Member

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    Yea.. If it weren’t for Sampson’s ghosts after that fall in Boston and having to lose Lloyd and Wiggins and only gain Cedric Maxwell maybe the 80’s rox would have had a ring. Rox were rolling in Boston that year (85/86) when Sampson fell. We had a chance to give Boston only their second home loss that season. But when Sampson fell we fell. Sampson never played the same in the Garden after that.
     
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  8. tinman

    tinman Contributing Member
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    Avoid the fake rockets fans
    Who can’t find Houston on a map of Houston

    Assume inferiority of new fans
     
  9. TEXNIFICENT

    TEXNIFICENT Member

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    Yessir! Lew was an open court terror! Part of a Olajuwon led group that beat Magic Johnson's Lakers (4-1) in the Middle of their title run.
     
  10. TEXNIFICENT

    TEXNIFICENT Member

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    I think it was a stab at Jerry Lin.
     
  11. macho GRANDE

    macho GRANDE Elvis, was a hero to most but................

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    Rip Black Jesus
     
  12. VooDooPope

    VooDooPope Love > Hate
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    RIP Sweet Lou
     
  13. ArtV

    ArtV Contributing Member

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    I still see him with that high arching runner around the FT line.

    Sweet Lew, dipsy doodle for two!!!

    RIP Sweet Lew
     
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  14. htwnbandit

    htwnbandit Member

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    Damn RIP Lew!
     
  15. luckyman76

    luckyman76 Member

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    Is it just me or was that article disjointed AF?
     
  16. BruceAndre

    BruceAndre Member

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    RIP Lewis Lloyd. That 85-86 team will always have a special place in Rox fans hearts.
     
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  17. BruceAndre

    BruceAndre Member

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    It's not just you. Journalism these days …..
     
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  18. MadMax

    MadMax Contributing Member

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    I'm so sorry to hear this. Aside from Dream, Lew Lloyd was my favorite player on that 1986 team. I remember when the Rockets honored him recently he seemed to be very emotional. RIP, Lew.
     
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  19. Pipe

    Pipe Contributing Member

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    In the days before HSE, I remember Gene Peterson making this call on the radio .... great times!

    One of my favorite players. RIP.
     
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  20. kubli9

    kubli9 Contributing Member
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    RIP.

    You'll forever live on in Rockets lore.
     

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