How good was Len Bias?

[DuMa]

Len Bias and Reggie Lewis would have been a force in the league...

both were strictly SFs though. and had Bias lived, i dont think Lewis would have been drafted by the Celtics anyway. so its really hard to say both would be playing together. but its also really hard to say in 1986 that both would be dead within 10 years.

[whatever666]

LeBron James + better jumpshot - court vision/passing = Len Bias

Although under the tutelage of Bird...

Goddamn, coulda been anything.

Lets not get exaggerate with sympathy of his death, what Len Bias could have realistically been at best in the NBA is more or less in the repertoir of something between a Jamal Mashburn, Dominique Wilkins, Michael Finley, Luol Deng, Carmelo Anthony, Alex English, a career 20-26 ppg, 5-7 rpg, 1-3 apg guy or considering his mindset he could even turned out the same way Harold Miner did or Shawn Kemp did, you never know.

Which in your terms is basically a Lebron James, minus the IQ, minus the leadership, minus the overall athleticism, minus the ballhandling, court vision, passing, defense, versatility and scoring productivity and domination, i dont believe he would have been the best player in the NBA at all.

[Pointguard]

Horace Grant said Bias was the greatest athlete he played with. I recall seeing a game where he scored on hooks, jump hooks, 20 footers, reverse layups, up and unders, middle game, solid drives and sheer determination plays. He had it all but I don't recall his handle much but recall being impressed with a couple of his passes. And he had good energy. A more scoring oriented KG without the rebounding tenacity.

[senelcoolidge]

Len Bias and Reggie Lewis would have been a force in the league...

Wow, could you have imagined a Bias and Lewis Celtics in the 90's. That would have been great. The Celtics would not have had those really bad years. Probably seriously contended the Bulls in the east.
Bias had the athletic ability of a Jordan in a forwards body. More athletic than Lebron..had a jump shot, played with a high motor, probably didn't handle the ball as good..or it didn't seem that way since unlike Lebron he didn't have to hold the ball all the time. Could play off the ball.

[JohnnySic]

both were strictly SFs though. and had Bias lived, i dont think Lewis would have been drafted by the Celtics anyway.

No; Lewis played a lot of 2. And Red had eyes for Lewis pretty early on, perhaps even before Bias was drafted (Lewis played college ball locally at Northeastern).

[wally_world]

Lots of guys who had great highschool/college careers dont pan out in the NBA, so as much potential as we feel he had, it's bias (pun intended lol) to assume it will translate well into a NBA. For all we know he might not even be an all-star had he had a career in the NBA.

[Collie]

Lots of guys who had great highschool/college careers dont pan out in the NBA, so as much potential as we feel he had, it's bias (pun intended lol) to assume it will translate well into a NBA. For all we know he might not even be an all-star had he had a career in the NBA.

Tragedy and failed potential tends to romanticize a player. I've heard stuff like Coleman could have been the greatest PF ever, which is a slap in the face of Tim Duncan. Though in the case of Bias, I felt he would have been an all-star. Certainly not a GOAT candidate like many people say (MJ's competitiveness is unique), but a Carmelo, Bernard King (pre injury) career would have been more than feasible.

[Harison]

Alcohol by definition is a drug and I bet 90% of the NBA partakes in it. I guess that means the whole league is full of morons. You can't argue against alcohol being a drug because it is the very definition of one. One of the most stupid, pointless, idiotic drugs at that. Lets not forget pill poppers too.

Alcohol is far less dangerous, however if you DUI, why would anyone be surprised if it ends in death? Some in this thread say something like "he wasnt totatly drunk, just semi-drunk DUI, thus his death wasnt stupidity", really? In Bias era all cocaine side effects were known, we arent talking about '19 century.

Whinehouse, Brittany Murphy, Michael Jackson, Nicole Smith, Heath Ledger, - all recently passed. Dont even need to go decades ago, list is very long. They were stupid enough to take the risk and died. Sad story? Definitely. Anyone surprised? Not me. Smart people find better ways to solve their issues or how to celebrate, dumb people choose what they choose.

[tontoz]

Bias wasn't a bad or dumb guy he just got caught up in the moment and made a fatal mistake. My cousin had a couple of classes with Bias and said Bias didn't skip classes and seemed serious and polite.

He had a very refined pullup jumper off the dribble which was basically unstoppable. All you could do was just hope that he missed. He didn't have great handles, i would say they were ok but not a strength.

I was at a gym a couple of years ago and saw a guy wearing a Bias Celtics jersey. I wonder how many of those are out there.

RIP

[cuad]

Alcohol is more like a toxin/poison than a drug.

Alcohol is far less dangerous

Too many alcohol commercials and alcohol movies and its legality make the kids think it's ok. What a shame.