Just finished watching the ESPN 30on30 special about the last days of Len Bias. Bias was a basketball star from the University of Maryland in the mid-80's and was second player chosen in the 1986 draft by the Boston Celtics. 48 hours after he was drafted, he was dead of an apparent cocaine overdose.

What if he had made a different choice that night, and what if he had lived to play in the NBA? Would the addition of a young Bias to the aging Celtics roster be enough to keep them in contention through the late 80's and early 90's? Would he have been a complement to Bird who was suffering from his own injury problems at the time? Enough to contend with the Pistons and Lakers in that era? Could they have challenged the Bulls in their first "three-peat?"

He was such a consistenly bright and routinely spectacular college player, most fans thought he was truly a "can't miss" NBA star.

tony b.

The Celtics would have won two or three more NBA Titles between '87 and '91.

They would have most likely beaten the Lakers in '88.

Who knows?

Bias was a great talent and I remember feeling badly when he passed away. But of all the big 4 sports, basketball offers the largest talent gap between college and pro ball. Especially back then, when NBA players actually finished college.

Still, I think he would have been a fine ball player.

Footnote: If you're a crime fiction buff, check out "The Sweet Forever," by George Pelecanos. It's set in 1986 Washington D.C., and one of the backstories was Bias getting drafted. A great book with phenomenal dialogue.