40 for 34 #7 - May 22

Senior Struggles,

Then Almost a Title

Benched early as a senior, Bias later led Northwestern

to the state tournament final

At Northwestern, much was expected of Len Bias and the team during his senior season. But the Wildcats started off slowly, winning just one of their first five games. This was due in part to Wagner benching Bias for two weeks. First, Bias had approached him in tears, wilting under the pressure of choosing a college. Then, Wagner heard from teachers that Bias’s grades were slipping. The coach felt a break would help Bias regroup and even considered not letting Bias play the entire season. He wanted to ensure that Bias, whom he calls “a smart kid,” had not forgotten about the importance of academics and told the young man that when the teacher said he was again focused on doing his work in class, he could play.

With Bias back on the team, Northwestern won 19 consecutive games and advanced to the state championship final. Down by eight after one period, Northwestern fought back to tie the game with one second remaining.

Vernon Butler of High Point High School, who later played at the Naval Academy, scored the winning basket at the buzzer from about 25 feet as Bias, careful to avoid a foul, leaned slightly into the shooter and raised his arms in a futile attempt to divert Butler’s focus.

Excerpted from the book,

Born Ready: the Mixed Legacy of Len Bias

Buy autographed copies

as a Father's Day Gift

The audio for this post was narrated by the author,

Dave Ungrady.

And listen to more about Len's early life in Episode 2 of the narrative podcast series, Len Bias: A Mixed Legacy