Michael Jordan and Len Bias: Rulers of The Game

Essay by Anonymous UserCollege, UndergraduateB+, November 2008

download word file, 4 pages 4.5

Michael Jordan, believed to be the best basketball player of all time, was drafted in 1984 by the Chicago Bulls. He was picked third overall in the 1984 National Basketball Association draft. He was a standout at the University of North Carolina, and a two time Atlantic Coast Conference player of the year (Boars 33).Two years later a sophomore from the University of Maryland, Leonard Kevin Bias, was drafted second overall by the Boston Celtics, the reigning NBA champions. Leonard, known by his family, friends, and teammates as Len, also earned ACC player of the year honors consecutively, as did Jordan. Unfortunately, Len Bias tragically died sometime between 6:00 a.m. and 6:30 a.m., less than forty-eight hours after being drafted by the Celtics. Bias collapsed into a seizure, dying of a cardiac arrhythmia, due to a cocaine overdose. It was his first time (Smith). Michael Jordan, deemed the greatest to ever play the game, and Len bias, hailed as the " next Jordan", have many differences; their position, schools, and their lifespan.

However, their similarities cannot be overlooked; both revolutionized the position in which they played, both excelled in college, and both where high lottery picks in the NBA draft.

Len Bias is considered to be the greatest 'what-ifs' in basketball history. Considered to be the "next Michael Jordan," he had his entire career ahead of him. Bias was a dominant force to be reckoned with on the court. He was known for his play making abilities and his crowd pleasing antics at the University of Maryland, where he quickly became a crowd favorite, as well as an All-American. At 6-foot-8 and 225 pounds, Bias was built like a Greek statue with a blend of grace, power, and athleticism. He was seemingly on his way to joining another...