The comparisons to MJ prove my earlier point. As tragic as Len Bias' death was, you have to admit the hyperbole machine has worked overtime pumping him up to mystical levels he likely never would have attained. Consider this thought: The lack of discipline and judgment he showed in overdosing could prove Bias wasn't mature enough to develop himself into a player of MJ's caliber. He probably lacked both the character and focus it would have taken to become an all-time great. I don't care what he did in college, about his athletic ability or his court vision or skills. All-time NBA greats exhibit an almost unbalanced focus and dedication to their craft that 99.5% of us other people just can't do. Len Bias belongs in that 99.5%, not with MJ and the NBA legends. If he hadn't died that night he would have crashed and burned later, or at the least had a lot of flat tires along the way that would have diminished his NBA career. If anyone remembers Chris Washburn, drafted next at #3, he flamed out in 2-3 years because of drug issues. I don't mean to rain on the parade, but it amazes me how this guy gets lifted up to the high heavens. When famous people die in a tragic manner, seems like only good things get said about them, especially if they are young. pgab, perfect storm is a good way to describe it. Unforgettable.
The comparisons most are using is MJ out of college, MJ as a young NBA player. Not MJ the BBall deity. I saw him play and before he died I was convinced he'd be a great NBA player. I saw a bunch of players in college before they were good NBA players: Dumars, Aguirre, Karla and others. In my opinion, none but Bias had that extra level except Drexler. Yes, he was stupid to do drugs and he died. And I don't know if that was really the first time, as has been reported, or if he was a regular user. Even given that, you can't say he never would have made it... he did have all the skills and he did have the personality and he was going to the Celtics where he would have learned from Bird and company. Consider if during one of Dream's fights early in his career, he took a Rudy punch... we'd never know what he could have become and there'd be people arguing he was too much of a hothead to ever win a title. Early in his career, MJ himself was said to be way too selfish to involve the rest of his team. What would you say about him if he landed wrong and screwed up his back in his second year? Again, you don't know what could have happened... maybe he was a total cokehead and would have flamed out after a year or two like Washburn and maybe he wins 5 titles with Boston. Still, I do know what I saw at the time and I know how he compared to others at the time and I know what I thought at the time.... which was that he would be a great player... one of those guys you would be compelled to watch because he might do something you'd never seen before. His death did nothing to inflate my opinion of him.
To expound on this: *I would take anything Bill Simmons says with a grain of salt. Over-dramatization is his art and what makes his writing. *The MJ comparisons really prove that the "Tupac Effect" is in full force here. Based on a small sampling of perceived greatness, we have people here comparing this guy to the greatest ever. The greatest ever - a guy Top 10 greats like Magic Johnson and Kobe Bryant can't even hold a candle to... Len was great coming out of college. Well, Vince Carter was great for a few years there. So was Tracy McGrady (32 ppg, 8rpg at age 23). We all saw Lebron in the ECF. Grant Hill. The list goes on. Guys have flashes - spans of brilliance. All time greats like Magic and Kobe do it their whole careers and still can't sit at the table with Jordan. And people are comparing this guy Len Bias to Michael? Come on now. I'm not saying he would have sucked. I'm saying please, for the sake of making this a sane conversation, let's first take Michael out of the equation. Ok, done. It's far too simple a formula to label someone great off any span of brilliance. I hate to appear insensitive here, but any number of swingmen could go down as the "second coming" if they died at a certain point in their careers. And yes, you stack Carter/McGrady/Lebron highlight clips together and they are just as good as Len's.
The sad fact is that his tragic death saved lives. Cocaine was a glamor drug of the 80s before he died. Young people started to believe it was dangerous if it could kill someone young and strong like Bias.
I'll say this.....IN COLLEGE, Bias was a better player than MJ. That being said, so was Worthy, Sampson, Drexler and probably even Rodney McCray. As a Maryland and Len Bias fan, I like to think this was a one time thing that went bad...but tough to ever really know that for sure. If it was a one time thing, maybe he oculd have gone onto become a legend. I hear what A3PO is saying regarding MJ lack of discipline and judgement do have a point...but what about MJ's gambling issues and all of the allegations surrounding his dad's death being related to those gambling issues (i dont believe it but it IS out there). I think all these kids who come from nothing and find unlimited fortune will all have their vices...u just hope it doesnt kill them.
I always wondered what would have been with Hank Gathers. The guy was a scoring and rebounding machine. I was so sad when he died as he was my favorite college player at the time. What could have been...
Interesting. Bias was more of a true "hos" I think. The men among boys thing comes to mind, and he wouldn't have had any bench press controversies. But the elevation of his game over those around him was a lot like that for Durant. I watched Bias a lot, on TV at the time, and he was one of my favorite college b-ball players. As for nose candy, it hasn't completely gone away, sad to say. It's staging a modest come-back in certain circles.
