He just came to play. Boston went 32-50 in its first season without its best player. By Dan Shaughnessy Globe Staff,July 28, 2013, 12:00 a.m. 11. Mike Tyson, his boxing future the subject of great speculation, will read a statement, but not answer questions, at a news conference tomorrow in Cleveland. "What is undeniable: Cocaine was a central, explosive issue for the doctors, the Lewis family, the Celtics and the pathologists who conducted his November 1993 autopsy - an issue that became untouchable because Mr. Lewis was a basketball superstar," the newspaper said. What is evident: The official cause of death, a heart damaged by a common-cold virus, is a medically nonsensical finding by a coroner who was under intense pressure from the Lewis family to exclude any implication of drug use. Lewis denied using drugs. But they could not test the Celtics captain for drugs because Lewis initially refused, and Lewis had not been tested recently by the NBA because league policies prevented the testing of veterans without reasonable cause, the Journal said. 1998 The Associated Press. December 29, 1998 / 10:15 PM "Reggie knew what we meant. Mr. Lewis, whose $1 billion acquisition in 1987 of the Beatrice . In addition, there is a history of heart trouble in Mr. Lewis' family. Lewis was told his condition was most likely career-ending. The most dynamic scorer in NBA history is now admitting two decades later that he was shocked by what Reggie Lewis did to him, confused by his length and made tentative offensively. He soon left to seek care at another hospital. The news of Lewis's untimely and unexpected death left a long-lasting hole in the Boston community and the sports world as a whole. Andy Neuer won his first Professional Bowlers Assn. They knew Reggie Lewis was no slouch. Any and all proceeds will go to the Reggie Lewis Foundation.". He told the athlete privately that his career was over. Born in Baltimore, Maryland, Lewis attended high school at Dunbar High School, where he played basketball alongside future NBA players Muggsy Bogues and David Wingate. You could always tell that.". After he collapsed last April in a playoff game against the Charlotte Hornets, his condition became a highly publicized medical dispute among Boston doctors. A bad back forced Bird into early retirement in 1992. . How Palm Springs ran out Black and Latino families to build a fantasy for rich, white people, 17 SoCal hiking trails that are blooming with wildflowers (but probably not for long! A $300-million (minimum) gondola to Dodger Stadium? ", "It's not true. Among the most notable fatalities to date was Lewis, a graduate of Dunbar High School who was also African-American. According to depositions, Lewis and his teammate Andre LeFleur first delayed taking a school-administered drug test. "No, nobody did," Jordan said. "He had success against Jordan in other games, too," Shaw said. Recent media reports have raised questions about whether drug use weakened his heart. Lewis was diagnosed with "focal cardiomyopathy", a disease of the heart muscle that can cause irregular heartbeat and heart failure. In older patients, dead tissue might indicate damage from arteriosclerosis, abnormal thickening and loss of elasticity of the walls of the arteries. It was during a workout at Brandeis University in Waltham, Massachusetts, on July 27, 1993, when Lewis collapsed on the court and died. ), At Willie Nelson 90, country, rock and rap stars pay tribute, but Willie and Trigger steal the show, Concertgoer lets out a loud full body orgasm while L.A. Phil plays Tchaikovskys 5th, Elliott: Pissed off Kings must improve in key areas to break Oilers playoff stranglehold, Shohei Ohtanis seventh home run of the season helps Angels avoid sweep, Florida Panthers upset record-setting Boston Bruins in Game 7 OT thriller, Dodgers dont need the long ball to finish sweep of Cardinals, School is in session as Sparks begin training camp. Mr. Lewis' doctors immediately began to question him about drug use after the fainting incident. Boston Celtics/Reggie Lewis Reports - 1993 - YouTube George Archer had a second-round five-under-par 67 to take a two-stroke lead at a Senior PGA tournament in Naples, Fla. Thomas Hearns (53-4-1) retained his North American Boxing Federation cruiserweight title by overcoming two knockdowns in a unanimous 12-round decision over Freddie Delgado at Charlotte, N.C. He called me literally the day he died, and I was at Jordans Furniture remember Jordans Furniture? The Celtics selected Lewis with the 22nd overall pick in the 1987 NBA Draft. Virus Damaged Heart, Lewis' Autopsy Finds - Los Angeles Times A Boston Celtics dynasty came to a close. PRO BASKETBALL; Celtics' Lewis Dies After Collapsing in a Gym "They are worse than ludicrous. Chang will face Paul Haarhuis, who has never won a singles title, in the final. It also left the Celtics without a star. Meet me at Brandeis. I said Ill be down there, man. These players have a higher than normal risk of sudden, potentially fatal heart rhythm disturbances or cardiac arrest, he says.