Since Reggie Lewis collapsed and died on a practice court in 1993, there have been rumors that the Boston Celtics star's death was . The Tragic Death of Reggie Lewis: Boston Celtics Championship History We'd been pressing him about cocaine for days," Dr. Thomas Nessa, who was leading the medical team, told the Journal. His Northeastern teams won the ECAC North all four seasons and played in the NCAA men's basketball tournament every year. "There was a lot of pressure on him, but it didn't seem to faze him at all.". The newspaper's report offered no proof of cocaine abuse. Lewis, 27, was the Celtics captain and leading scorer when he collapsed during a playoff game against the Charlotte Hornets in Boston Garden on April 29, 1993. Because of the differing views, Lewis had a team of L.A. specialists review the data. He also assured doctors, from his own experience with Mr. Lewis, that he was not a drug user. He also said he experienced guilt. That came from Gilbert H. Mudge, director of clinical cardiology at a Harvard teaching hospital, who said Lewis suffered from a benign neurological disorder. display: none; In older patients, dead tissue might indicate damage from arteriosclerosis, abnormal thickening and loss of elasticity of the walls of the arteries. A Boston Celtics dynasty came to a close. By all accounts, Lewis was primed to make the leap to the team's go-to scorer for the rest of the 90s. "I don't give a damn what people say. Reggie Lewis Wikipedia Republished // WIKI 2 But he abruptly left their care to get another opinion. It was the first and only trey he attempted all night. 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. Jordan was about to win his fifth consecutive scoring title and his first NBA championship. Then, there were the financial interests. http://www.hopkinsheart.org/clinical-services/centers-excellence/center-excellence-hcm.html, David March 410-955-1534 office; 410-598-7056 cellular; dmarch1@jhmi.edu. ", Asked about a reported split with Tyson, promoter Don King said from his home in Florida: "There's no comment to make on that. 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. Risk reduction strategies to prevent cardiac arrest include avoiding rigorous sports; taking drugs called beta-blockers that temper the heartbeat, preventing it from beating too fast; or implanting defibrillators that can shock the heart back into normal electrical rhythm. "So it comes down to detective work, depending on age of person and what else you see, you would make that determination. Indeed, Lewis had fainted during a game a few months before, prompting a much-publicized debate on his heart health and foreshadowing his death. Any and all proceeds will go to the Reggie Lewis Foundation.". I was trying to take advantage of his passive demeanor, but he didnt back down. Report: Doctors Suspected That Cocaine Killed Celtics' Lewis Shortly after the doctors' assessments were related to Lewis and his wife, the player checked himself out of Baptist Hospital and was admitted to nearby Brigham and Women's, where he underwent additional tests. At issue was concern for his reputation and the financial interests of his family and the team, the newspaper said. -- Steve George, the Portland Trail Blazer fan punched in the face by Vernon Maxwell during a game last month, filed a $4.5 million lawsuit against Maxwell and the Houston Rockets. Parish played his final game as a member of the Celtics in 1994. While not citing any direct evidence of drug use, doctors involved in Lewis' diagnosis, treatment and autopsy told the paper they suspected cocaine damaged his heart, causing him to collapse during a 1993 playoff game. Defense was also a strength for Lewis. Third-seeded Michael Chang defeated No. In Game 3, with Bird unable to play because of back woes, he torched the Cavs for 36 points and seven assists. The preliminary autopsy found that Lewis' heart was "abnormal, enlarged and extensively scarred" and that "preliminary drug screenings show no evidence of drug abuse.". When it happened again, this time on a pull-up jumper, Jordan became irked. At a Boston news conference yesterday, the team's majority stockholder, Paul Gaston, criticized the Journal for suggesting in the Page 1 article that the team sought, for financial reasons, to cover up suspicions that drug use lay behind Mr. Lewis' illness, thereby undermining his care. Twenty years later, we still ponder what might have been. Lewis was clean "in every way possible," Brown said. Reggie Lewis's death shocked Boston and the Celtics He didn't do it.". As many as 300 young athletes from 18 teams, ranging from 14 to 18 years of age, will be examined for HCM. The other five -- Charles Barkley, Clyde Drexler, Michael Jordan, Karl Malone and Chris Mullin -- are all Hall of Famers. Mudge was later cleared of any wrongdoing, and he insisted he had never authorized Lewis to resume workouts.[9]. ), 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. "For something like this to come out to just tarnish an image, it doesn't even have to be true. He was kind and caring, and this is the way I'll remember him and I encourage everybody to do the same," she said at a news conference at the Celtics' offices. He launched jumpers for about an hour. For other uses, see, Reggie Lewis portrait from the Celtics yearbook, America East Conference Men's Basketball Player of the Year, List of basketball players who died during their careers, "Fallen Celtic: Remembering Reggie Lewis", "The Reggie Lewis Aftermath Boston Mourns, Puzzles And Opines Over Celtics Star's Death", "Celtics sign PJ Dozier to a two-way contract", "With Len Bias-Reggie Lewis Duo, Boston Celtics Could Have Owned 1990s", "Every retired number for the Celtics and who wore it", "To those who knew Reggie Lewis best, fond memories are always front and center", "Officer Defends Arrest of Harvard Professor", "Young athletes urged to get screened for heart trouble", "Report: Doctors Suspected That Cocaine Killed Celtics' Lewis", "Cocaine claim could spur insurance probe", "Deadly Silence: How the Inner Circles, Of Medicine and Sports, Failed a Stricken Star", "Doctors: Drugs Did Not Kill Reggie Lewis", "At Face Value, Board Makes Celtics Pay For Their Success", "Bosh, Heat part ways over year after last game", Lakers versus Celtics and the NBA Playoffs, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Reggie_Lewis&oldid=1144474244, National Basketball Association All-Stars, National Basketball Association players with retired numbers, Northeastern Huskies men's basketball players, 20th-century African-American sportspeople, Short description is different from Wikidata, Articles with unsourced statements from September 2019, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, Career statistics and player information from, This page was last edited on 13 March 2023, at 23:36. * Medical evidence uncovered after Mr. Lewis' fainting spell in April 1993 quickly led a team of a dozen noted specialists to a diagnosis of heart scarring, and they strongly suspected it was caused by cocaine. Lewis' coach and a teammate said they knew nothing about the reported cocaine use. Reggie and Shaw talked for hours about what they needed to do to introduce themselves into the discussion of great players in the league. Reginald C. Lewis (November 21, 1965 - July 27, 1993) was an American professional basketball player for the National Basketball Association 's Boston Celtics from 1987 to 1993. Lewis death shocked the world. Utah was 3-0 against bowl teams last fall. "Reggie was a model citizen and an intelligent and wise man. African-American players at special risk of death from hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, Sudden Death of Baltimore Basketball Player Reggie Lewis Spurs Coach to Screen Other Young Players For Heart Defects - 01/14/2010. They've found nothing, because there is nothing to find. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information, Lakers vs. Warriors: What scouts expect in playoff series, Austin Reaves has come a long way from a tiny Arkansas town to Lakers MVP!, Game 7 mentality: Lakers close out Grizzlies to earn some rest, Plaschke: Lakers live up to their legacy with a close-out win for the ages, LeBron James and the Lakers eliminate Grizzlies in a Game 6 rout, Lakers will need to tighten defense on Morant and Bane if they want to win Game 6. Like everyone on the Celtics, Lewis teammate Rick Fox took the news hard. "When Reggie first came into the league," Bird told me, "he really didn't know how to play the game. He tried to return to action that night, but the Celtics medical staff pulled him again when he suffered dizziness and shortness of breath. Reggie Lewis Cause of Death, How did Reggie Lewis Die? [6], His no. He was pronounced dead two hours later, leaving his family, his friends, his city, his team and his NBA peers completely numb. He died when several different problems caused his enlarged heart to beat irregularly, said Evans, repeating the finding on the athlete's death certificate. The Tragic Death of NBA All-Star Reggie Lewis Shaped - Sportscasting .component--type-recirculation .item:nth-child(5) { Mr. Lewis' widow, Donna Harris-Lewis, said at the same news conference that she is "disappointed that a national publication would print rumors, innuendoes. He spent his entire life working his hardest to make it into the N. Enter the last name, specialty or keyword for your search below. "And Reggie was the same way. That was it.". "The adenovirus 2 finding was wildly improbable," said Dr. Jeffrey Isner, the sole cardiologist who consulted on the autopsy. "The question of drug use is not new," said John A. Curry, president of Northeastern University, alma mater of Mr. Lewis and Ms. Harris-Lewis. Recent media reports have raised questions about whether drug use weakened his heart. They knew Reggie Lewis was no slouch. He never relinquished his own aggressiveness. Haarhuis defeated Jaime Yzaga, 6-3, 6-3. . display: none; "To my knowledge, seeing Reggie on a regular basis, I would be shocked," to learn that he had used cocaine, said Celtics coach Chris Ford. Defense, they understood, was a paramount part of that conversation. The 17-part series on the Celtics championship history will run through the summer and take us to the beginning of the 2022-23 NBA season, one Boston hopes ends will with Banner No. "I'm glad Reggie was my teammate, because he was one of them.". Marta Figueras-Dotti ended 11 years of frustration on the LPGA Tour with a victory in the Hawaiian Ladies Open at Ewa Beach. [4], Lewis was drafted in the first round, 22nd overall, by the Boston Celtics in the 1987 NBA draft. A bad back forced Bird into early retirement in 1992. Doctors tried to get answers. Selanne slashed Dmitri Mironov of the Toronto Maple Leafs last Saturday. Stanton C. Kessler, the associate chief medical examiner of Massachusetts who signed the death certificate, told the New York Times that a virus was found in Lewis heart and it caused myocarditis, an inflammation that scars and enlarges the heart. On March 31, 1991, at the Boston Garden, Lewis gave Jordan a night he hasnt forgotten. When he finally stood up and headed for the bench, he looked perplexed -- and frightened. [7], On April 29, 1993, in Game 1 of the Celtics' playoff series against the Charlotte Hornets, Lewis suddenly collapsed on the court and remained on the ground for several seconds. "I was trying to be aggressive with him. "I saw it happen all the time," Shaw said. Hookailo said defense attorneys have rejected Northeastern's compromise. "The Celtics are saddened by the vicious attack on Reggie Lewis and his family.". This NBA Player Died on The Court.. - YouTube Drugs ruled out as cause of Lewis' death - sfgate.com He spent a lot of time improving his game. He blocked four of Jordans shots, shocking His Airness in the process. His shocking death triggered unprecedented spasms of grief throughout Boston, where he left an indelible imprint on the inner-city kids he mentored, kids whose dreams were not unlike his own. Like Sportscasting on Facebook. "To me, this was an example of gutless journalism, yellow journalism -- based fully on a complete disregard for the truth. display: block; He told the athlete privately that his career was over. Lewis denied using drugs. Fair or Foul? a Story Linking Reggie Lewis'S Death to Possible Cocaine In Boston, A Tragic Death Is Re-Examined - Newsweek The other 5 are NBA legends: Barkley, Drexler, Jordan, Karl Malone & Mullin pic.twitter.com/1RbXJGIuDp. December 29, 1998 / 10:15 PM / AP. Mr. Lewis died from a cerebral hemorrhage related to the cancer, his company said. Kessler's office said today that he was not available for comment. Lewis died at age 27 after he collapsed while shooting baskets. His heart damage still could have been caused by a virus. All five consulting physicians in the case, plus three medical labs, agreed that drugs were not involved in the death of the Boston Celtics' captain, Evans said. Following the death information, people wonder what Reggie Lewis's cause of death was. / AP. The autopsy did not reveal evidence of cocaine, which would be difficult to detect after more than three days, and without other evidence of drug use it could not be listed as a cause of death, the doctors said. I havent talked too much about it over the years, Fox said to Bill Simmons in aYouTubevideo posted in 2018. -- Teemu Selanne of the Winnipeg Jets and Claude Lemieux of the New Jersey Devils were suspended and fined by the NHL for separate incidents last weekend. He also told him that "cocaine is the only thing that would explain what we are seeing." "Just waiting my turn.". An electrocardiogram, or EKG, to assess the hearts electrical rhythms will also be given. Reggie Lewis - Bio, Personal Life, Family & Cause Of Death - CelebsAges . Doctor Knew Lewis Used Cocaine - CBS News Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. He made his way back onto the court later in the game but quickly came back to the bench after experiencing dizziness. The Johns Hopkins team of more than 70 includes cardiologists, medical residents, nurses, ultrasound technicians, administrative assistants and community volunteers. However, the league permits testing when there is "reasonable cause" to suspect drug abuse. And by the fourth time, on a lefty drive to the hoop, Jordan was irritated -- and somewhat spooked. "But it just burns in the back of people's minds, when a black athlete dies, they don't believe that it is not either guns or drugs. He was just 27. A Boston Celtics dynasty came to a close. "Furthermore, there is no conceivable way that the NBA's anti-drug program had anything to do with the issue of whether Reggie Lewis was tested or could have been tested upon his admission to the hospital," Granik said. #inline-recirc-item--id-b3f182ca-8c88-11e2-b06b-024c619f5c3d ~ .item:nth-child(5) { Celtics' Lewis Collapses on Court, Dies - Los Angeles Times Before his doctors got any further with the case, however, Mr. Lewis packed up, left Baptist Hospital and checked into Brigham and Women's Hospital -- a respected affiliate of Harvard University. The newspaper said Dr. Kessler's office is under investigation by the Massachusetts Office of Public Safety, which oversees the medical examiner's office. Explore our state-of-the-art patient care facilities in the Sheikh Zayed Tower. Just to throw that bone out there so people think about it, I think that's not right at all.". Reggie got out of East Baltimore, he didn't want to go back.". Their vulnerable condition precluded them from any highly strenuous activity, and the rising number of occurrences is what compelled him to organize the weekend screening. He had received conflicting diagnoses regarding his condition and was advised not to exercise strenuously. Such scarring also might be caused by poison, medications, alcohol or infection. How much better could he have been? This article was compiled by Sun staff writer Frank D. Roylance, with reporting by staff writers Diana Sugg and Mike Preston and Ken Rosenthal and contributing writer Ian Browne. . BOSTON - Reggie Lewis did not die as a result of cocaine use, according to a review of the Boston Celtics star's autopsy. Reggie did not do drugs, period. "Reggie was very aware of the problems drugs could bring. There, Dr. Mudge performed further tests and concluded that Mr. Lewis had neurocardiogenic syncope, a benign confusion in the electrical signals running between the brain and the heart that was causing the heart to slow down at inappropriate moments. Family details how they keep Reggie Lewis' legacy alive on the 25th Find a doctor at The Johns Hopkins Hospital, Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center or Johns Hopkins Community Physicians. While a doctor diagnosed the athlete with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy in the spring (and deeming the disease career-ending), Lewis sought a second opinion from another area hospital, where another doctor gave the basketball star a less serious, non-fatal diagnosis.