The late Len Bias still leaves more questions than answers. When Bias dropped dead two days after the 1986 NBA Draft, he forever altered our perception of casual drug use and became the tipping point of America's drug crisis in the mid-80's. Future generations continue to face the harsh punishment of drug policies that were influenced by the public outcry after his heartbreaking death. Instead of becoming an NBA star, he became a one-man deterrent, the athlete who reminded everyone just how dangerous drug use can be. Amazingly, questions still linger about his death nearly a quarter-century later. How good could he have been in the pro ranks? Has he become underrated or overrated as the years pass? How could a University of Maryland superstar and Boston Celtics lottery pick be derailed by a cocaine binge? Was Bias a one-time user as we were led to believe, or was there a pattern of recreational use that led to his fatal last night? Did he fall in with the wrong crowd.
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Reviews
The film makes a home in your brain and the only cure is to see it again.
Although I seem to have had higher expectations than I thought, the movie is super entertaining.
A great movie, one of the best of this year. There was a bit of confusion at one point in the plot, but nothing serious.
Each character in this movie — down to the smallest one — is an individual rather than a type, prone to spontaneous changes of mood and sometimes amusing outbursts of pettiness or ill humor.
While I am not particularly a basketball fan, I was interested in seeing this documentary. Part of it might be because I graduated with Len Bias at the University of Maryland (though so did MANY more) and he attended the same high school as my father. Or, part of it is because his story is so tragically stupid. Either way, it turned out to be a compelling film from ESPN and the "30 For 30" series.The first portion of the film is about the amazing college career for Bias. Interviewee after interviewee talked about what an amazing and complete prospect he was and how he was expected to be a major NBA star. However, the film changes abruptly when you learn that only two days after being drafted #2 by the Boston Celtics he was dead--dead from a drug overdose. The steps leading to the death were quite detailed--with interviews from some of those with him when they were using cocaine the night he died as well as some touching accounts from his family. Finally, the fallout of the death is the final portion--as heads rolled in a rush to find someone (other than Bias) to blame and to create tougher drug laws. Sadly several years after Len's death, his brother (another hot basketball prospect) was shot and killed. Again, what a waste.
30 for 30: Without Bias (2009) *** (out of 4) Documentary covering the quick rise and quicker death of Maryland star Len Bias who would see his dreams come true when drafted by the Boston Celtics only to die of a cocaine overdose soon after wards. It seems the death of Bias has been told from every angle and that's somewhat true here, although this documentary takes it a step further and looks at the fall out that would follow his death as well as the tragedy that would strike his family four years later when his brother would be shot to death. As one of the talking heads says in the film, people always want to punish someone for a death and the documentary does a great job at showing what happened to the school, head coach "Lefty" Driesell and various other players including the man who brought the cocaine to the party. There's a question brought up on how these kids got a hold of pure cocaine but this is never really followed through on but I do think the film itself doesn't point the finger at Bias enough. It gets the greatness right. It gets the tragedy surrounding his death right. I think the film should have been a tad bit tougher in blaming his death on no one but himself. Various reporters, players and coaches are interviewed and all tell wonderful stories and really bring to life Bias' and his tragic life. I think it gets summed up pretty well when someone says that everyone deserves a second chance in life but Bias didn't get that and in the end one mistake took everything away.
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