Spencer Haywood was part of the Los Angeles Lakers who won the 1980 NBA Finals by defeating the Philadelphia 76ers, but he did have his issues with the team, mainly coach Paul Westhead.
Haywood’s cocaine addiction when the team was gunning for a championship came to the fore, and in HBO’s ‘Winning Time’, the team voted to have him kicked out.
The forward was a vital cog for the Seattle Supersonics, averaging 24.9 points, 12.1 rebounds, and 2.4 assists. His impactful performances saw him make the All-NBA First Team in 1972 and 1973 and the All-NBA Second Team in 1974 and 1975.
Soon after, he was traded to the New York Knicks in 1975 and then subsequently played for the New Orleans Jazz, the Lakers, and the Washington Bullets.
His cocaine issues saw Lakers coach Westhead dismiss him after he fell asleep during a practice session. In his column for People Magazine, Haywood outlined the real story:
I had been three games away from my life’s dream—an NBA championship, the ring, the parade, the glory—and I turned all my anger toward Westhead, who I felt had snatched it from me. I left the Forum and drove off in my Rolls that night thinking one thought—that Westhead must die. I drove through the streets plotting the man’s murder.
In the heat of anger and the daze of coke, I phoned an old friend of mine in Detroit, a guy named Gregory, a genuine certified gangster. I said, “C’mon out here, buddy. I got someone I want you to take care of.” He said, “No problem, Wood. Love to do that for you.” The next day Greg and his partner flew to L.A., ready to go to work. We sat down and figured it out. West-head lived in Palos Verdes, and we got his street address. We would sabotage his car, mess with his brake lining.
It was quite the plan, but Haywood never got himself to do it and he attributed the change of mind to his mother.
Spencer Haywood’s Mother Set Him Right After He Revealed His Plans Of Getting Back At The Lakers And Paul Westhead
Haywood’s plan of getting back at his teammates and Paul Westhead never materialized after he spoke to his mother who lived in Mississippi.
In his column, the forward explained that he didn’t reveal his plans to her, but she could sense something wasn’t right with her son.
I was still a very angry man, but a killer? I called my mother in Mississippi. She was dying of cancer at the time. We had always been close, and she had a strong hold on me. I didn’t tell her what I was planning, just that I was angry. She told me, “You’re up to something no good, aren’t you? You do anything bad, I’ll turn you in myself. I didn’t raise no fool.” She started calling me every 15 minutes, and we talked and talked. She got me straight, and I sent my buddies back to Detroit.
While Haywood had his share of issues, there was never a doubt about what he brought to the table as one of the more underrated players of the decade. He averaged 9.7 points, 4.6 points, and 1.2 rebounds with the Lakers, and ended his career averaging 20.3 rebounds, 10.3 rebounds, and 1.8 assists. His contribution to the game saw him inducted into the Hall of Fame in September 2015.
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