A Bias Perspective

For people of a certain age, June 19, 1986, marks a dark day in the Washington, D.C.-area basketball community.

Twenty-five years ago Sunday, locals were shocked and saddened by the news that University of Maryland basketball star Len Bias – a Prince George’s County product – had passed away from a drug overdose at age 22.

Just two days earlier, Bias had been selected by the Boston Celtics with the second overall pick in the 1986 NBA draft. He was destined for NBA stardom until tragedy struck on that fateful June morning.

Among those who considered Bias a friend was D.C. basketball guru Lyndon DeBellotte, who operates Kids First Basketball Inc., a group that gives exposure to local inner-city kids through summer league competition.

DeBellotte remembers driving a friend to work and listening on the car radio when news of Bias’s untimely death came across the dial. He pulled over and cried for two hours.

He described the chiseled 6-foot-8 forward as a good dude who was humble.

“Lenny was a star among stars,” DeBellotte recalled.

DeBellotte remembers working out with Bias and other rising basketball stars on the American University campus during the summertime. Bias also played in pick-up games with locals at the Takoma-Langley Recreation Center in Takoma Park and soon developed into a college All-American.

“From freshman to sophomore year, that transformation was, ‘Wow!’” DeBellotte said. “Leonard stayed in the gym.”

Bias was a prep standout at , where he played for Bob Wagner before signing with the Maryland basketball program and their legendary head coach, Charles “Lefty” Driesell.

Bias played in the 1982 Capital Classic, scoring 18 points and grabbing 11 rebounds to earn co-MVP honors along with Johnny Dawkins in the Capital All-Stars’ 82-79 victory over the United States All-Stars.

Although he is no longer with us, the memory of Len Bias has stayed entrenched in the minds of scores of people who loved and admired him.

“The world lost not only a great basketball player but a great human being,” DeBellotte said.