The Len Bias story is one of the biggest ‘what ifs’ in NBA history. The No. 2 overall pick in the 1986 NBA draft was expected to become a pretty big deal in the association, but a series of bad decisions cut his life short, making everybody sad about losing such a big talent and a great person.
After getting selected by the Boston Celtics in that draft, he decided to celebrate with a couple of friends, but the way they used to party would ruin Bias’ plans to become a great NBA player.
Via Titan Frey:
Bias, his teammates, and Tribble all decided to snort lines of cocaine. It’s believed that this night was the first time Bias ever tried cocaine.
Bias reportedly sat upon a bed, bent over a mirror, and called himself “a horse”. This was a nickname his teammates had used for him because of his on-court grace and physical presence.
After his proclamation, Bias snorted one last line of cocaine. Bias got up to use the bathroom, stumbled, and fell back down on the bed. He then lapsed into a seizure.
After noticing Bias slipping into a seizure, one of his teammates, Terry Long, grabbed a pair of scissors, and he placed the handle in Bias’ mouth to prevent him from biting his tongue.
Bias’ other teammate, David Gregg, held Bias’ legs as Tribble called 9-1-1.
John Salley Shared How People Reacted To Death Of Len Bias
This is still a shocking moment in NBA history, hard for a lot of people to even remember those times. One of Bias’ old friends, who was drafted the same night, John Salley, recently recalled his relationship with the Maryland product and how close they were since their teenage years.
During a recent appearance on Byron Scott’s podcast, ‘Off the Dribble,’ Salley opened up on this situation, first praising Bias’ talent and how great he could have been in the association.
“He’s 6-9, 185 pounds with two-percent body fat,” Salley said, via Sportscasting. “He jumped 39, 40 inches off the floor and shoots the long ball. He’s the most talented player in the ACC, the same league Michael Jordan came from. That’s all they talked about was a guy who’s three inches taller than Michael, who plays just like Michael. That’s literally what he was known as.”
John said that it was Dennis Rodman who told him that Bias was on the news, and not for the best reasons.
“I go to Detroit right from the draft,” Salley told Scott. “He goes back to DC, supposed to go out with his girlfriend but went out with this, at that time, a well-known dope dealer, who gave him pure cocaine to snort, and his heart blew up.”
“In 1986, we get drafted,” he said. “He was number two to Boston, and I’m number 11 to the Detroit Pistons. We’re sitting next to each other. We were with each other ever since high school.
“It was the biggest night of my life. I got drafted by the Pistons. I get there. I’m happy. They’re real cheap, so I had a roommate named Dennis Rodman. Dennis and I get drafted the same day, and they ain’t gonna get two rooms.
“The next morning — Dennis watches cartoons — and I wake up, and he goes, ‘Hey man, the guy you were sitting next to is on the news today.’ I asked what happened, and he said, ‘You gotta see it.’
“I turned it on. So, one day I get drafted, and I’m flying high. The next day, one of my best friends dies.”
That was a big shock for Salley and everybody who saw Bias play and was excited about his future NBA career. Unfortunately, he was never able to make it to the pros, and the Boston Celtics missed a big player that could have helped them extend their dominance in the league for many years.
Besides the fact that a future star lost his life, the fact that a young man just starting to live left this world so unexpectedly was heartbreaking for many. Some said he could have been even bigger than Michael Jordan, but that’s something we unfortunately never got to see.
